Showing posts with label Samsung Galaxy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samsung Galaxy. Show all posts

Samsung Galaxy S4's new ad labels iPhone as old

The Samsung launch party seems incomplete without Apple bashing ads and it came as a bit of a surprise that Samsung had not launched any such combative television commercials for Samsung Galaxy S4. Until now.

The Korean smartphone maker has launched a new television commercial that talks about the new features in the Galaxy S4 and mocks Apple iPhone 5. The ad even goes on to state some smartphones (read Galaxy S4) are smarter than others (iPhone 5).

The ad begins with a graduation party taking place and people seem to be enjoying food and jumping into the pool - kids being kids. In the party, the students are shown using the Samsung Galaxy S4, while their parents and teachers (the older lot) are shown using the iPhone.

The television unfolds to demonstrate the Air Gesture feature as the person eating a juicy piece of ribs is able to answer the call by merely waving at the device. Also the pictures clicked at the graduation party are shared between devices using the S Bean functionality of the Samsung Galaxy S4. It further goes on to how the Samsung Galaxy S4 can control an HDTV and recommend TV shows to you.

Samsung has also released a 30 second video that continues with the graduation theme to showcase the eraser shot feature of Samsung Galaxy S4. In this short television commercial, Samsung does not make fun of Apple's iPhone.

Mocking competitive products in a television commercial is not a new concept in the smartphone space. A few days ago, Microsoft has rolled out a new television commercial for Nokia Lumia 920. In this ad, Microsoft seems to be mocking the rivalry between Apple and Samsung to drive home the "Switch to Lumia" message.

However, the current Samsung Galaxy S4 is not as quirky and quick-paced as the Microsoft one.
Report by : Surbhi Chawla

Samsung Galaxy S4 mini 'confirmed' via company's website

In the past couple of months, there have been plenty of rumours regarding Samsung planning to launch miniature version of Samsung Galaxy S4.

Now SamMobile is reporting that Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has been listed on Samsung's UAPROF website. As far as the specifications are concerned, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will have a 4.3-inch qHD display. The smartphone will pack in 8-megapixel camera. Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will run on Android 4.2.2 out of the box along with a layer of Samsung's own Touch Wiz Nature UX. Connectivity options includes 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AGPS

SamMobile states that Samsung is planning to launch Samsung Galaxy S4 mini in two variants. The first will be a single SIM phone that has been codenamed GT-I9190 and the other dual-SIM option that has been codenamed GT-I9192. The single SIM variant will be powered by a quad-core processor, while the dual-SIM version will get a dual-core processor. It is expected that Samsung may also release GT-I9195, which will be Samsung Galaxy S4 mini variant that will support LTE.

Earlier news reports have suggested that Samsung will be looking at launching its Galaxy S4 mini shortly after Samsung Galaxy S4 becomes available in a few days time.

The Korean chaebol had unveiled its latest flagship smartphone Galaxy S4 at an unpacked event on March 14, 2013. The Galaxy S4 sports a 5-inch full-HD screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, and pixel density of 441ppi. It is powered by 1.6GHz Exynos octa-core processor in some regions, and a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor in others. It has 2GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX544MP3 triple-core GPU.

The smartphone will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants and will also feature a microSD card slot for expanding the memory. The Galaxy S4 sports a 13-megapixels rear shooter and a 2-megapixel one on the front. The Galaxy S4 also offers more camera features including dual-shot, employing the use of both front and back camera, an eraser shot mode to remove people from photos, and a Cinemagram like feature called Cinema Photo, among several other tricks.

The smartphone is expected to be available in US in the week starting April 22, 2013. Telecom operator AT&T has listed 16GB variant of Samsung Galaxy S4 for contract-free price of $640.

Report by : Surbhi Chawla

Galaxy Grand or iPhone 4: Which cash-back offer makes more sense?

Even if you haven’t been reading the newspapers regularly, chances are you would have seen Apple and Samsung’s massive ad campaigns for their smartphones.

While Apple’s campaign focuses more on the two generations-old iPhone 4 with attractive EMI schemes and cash-back offers, Samsung has been advertising heavily for the Galaxy Grand, which was announced in January and has been a hot seller ever since. Under Apple’s offer, even the iPhone 4S and 5 are covered, however, the better cash-back deal is for the iPhone 4 in comparison with the newer smartphones.

Given a choice and the budget flexibility, the question staring many potential smartphone buyers in the face is, which offer to snap up. Yes, we know the comparison is, on the face of it, unfair, because while the Galaxy Grand is a few months old, the iPhone 4 is about to turn three soon. But the iPhone 4 still has a great fan following and even despite its age is not all that outdated. The Galaxy Grand, while new, isn't exactly the best device out there in terms of specs, with plenty of alternatives in its price range.

However, the timing of the ad campaigns coupled with great sales of both handsets has thrown up the question of which one makes more sense. Both companies’ cash-back offers run till the 30th of April and there’s no cap date on the EMI schemes. So these last few days of April are a great opportunity to refresh your phone.

Both phones have a cash-back offer on till April 30

Let’s start with the iPhone 4, which is perhaps not as fresh in the consumers’ minds. The iPhone 4 was a major product for Apple from a design point of view. It introduced the famous glass back and eschewed the curved back for the sleeker back panel. Overall, the phone looks solidly built and at the time, it was leagues ahead of any other smartphone’s design. In terms of the specs, the iPhone 4 doesn’t show its age. Buyers will get a 3.5-inch display with a 640 x 960 resolution, which translates to a pixel density of 330 PPI, which Apple has dubbed Retina display. In terms of performance, the iPhone 4 is powered by the Apple A4 chip, which is a 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor and there’s a PowerVR SGX535 GPU in tow. While the processing power might seem lacking, one has to understand that Apple’s software is fully optimised to run on the hardware and as such, performance issues will likely be non-existent. The iPhone 4 even got the latest official update, iOS 6.1.3, which puts it on par with the iPhone 4S and 5 in terms of the software experience, to a large extent. The only area where we feel the iPhone 4 could fare badly in comparison to the Galaxy Grand is the camera. The 5-megapixel camera on the iPhone 4 took great pictures, but ultimately it is a two-year-old module. Moreover, it can only shoot videos up to 720p.

iPhone 4 has a smaller display and a higher resolution

In comparison to the iPhone 4, the Galaxy Grand’s design is a totally different beast. It is by no means a flagship device but Samsung's flagship during the iPhone 4's time, the Galaxy S2 is not all that different from the Galaxy Grand.

The glossy plastic finish, the removable back cover and the exaggerated curves of the device are the polar opposites of their counterpart in the iPhone 4. But where the iPhone 4 only has a 3.5-inch display, buyers of the Grand will get a generous 5-inch display. Not everything is great, though. The iPhone still trumps the Galaxy Grand’s WVGA resolution. In terms of processor and software experience, the Grand benefits from the inclusion of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, while the dual-core Broadcom 1.2GHz processor is more than enough to run the smoothest version of Android. In the camera department, the Grand has a slight edge thanks to the 8-megapixel camera and the ability to shoot full HD videos.

Both have been hot sellers in the market. The Grand has been selling like hot cakes, and we have also reliably learnt that the iPhone 4 stock in the market has dried up and more stock is incoming. We were told that distributors, resellers and even grey market stock of the phone has depleted. Clearly, the bait of an iPhone for as low as under Rs 20,000 after the cash-back scheme has hooked many fish. But Samsung’s Galaxy Grand has a slight edge considering its similar price, the larger display, the newer camera and the faster processor. The only areas where we would give the battle to the iPhone 4 are the design and the screen resolution. There’s also the factor that not everyone might like a 5-inch display on their smartphone and for them the iPhone 4 is a compact alternative.

The Galaxy Grand has a large 5-inch display

When it comes to apps and games, these days, iOS and Android are roughly on par, with most new apps launching on both platforms. But Android does offer customisation options which set it apart from iOS and this has been a huge factor in the success of the platform.

There’s one more aspect at play here. The Galaxy Grand, owing to its 2013 heritage, could benefit from future updates of Android. However, since the iPhone 4 was launched in 2010 and there’s an iPhone 5S on its way later this year, Apple might choose to or could be forced to (due to hardware limitations) retire the iPhone 4 from the update list when iOS 7 rolls out.

The price difference post cash-back discounts is not that high. The iPhone 4 will be available for 19,500 with the maximum cash-back of Rs 7,000, while the Galaxy Grand comes to around 17,000 after accounting for the cash-back offer. So the debate ultimately boils down to which will be a more future-proof phone. This is where the age of the iPhone 4 could be a disadvantage.

Given all these factors, we think it would be wiser to go for the Samsung Galaxy Grand as opposed to an iPhone 4. It is the more recent phone and ultimately, barring the design and build quality, we think it is the more worthy option.

Samsung explains why Galaxy S4 doesn't come with FM radio

Samsung Galaxy S4 was unveiled by the company on 14 March. While the phone boasts high-end specs like a 5-inch full-HD screen with 441 pixels per inch, a 1.6GHz Exynos octa-core processor in some regions and a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor in others, and 2GB of RAM, it received criticism in some quarters for missing out on a rather basic feature: FM radio.

The omission of FM was indeed a strange one from Samsung. While Apple has never shipped an iPhone with built-in FM radio - despite receiving its share of criticism - Samsung's first three flagship devices, and indeed, most other phones, come with FM radio. In that sense, Samsung customers are used to enjoying the feature. There have been complaints since the omission was confirmed after Galaxy S4 was officially unveiled but Samsung was mum on the subject - until now.

Samsung's Facebook page in Russia has made the following announcement on the subject, which was picked up by GSM Arena via Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru.

Our studies show a trend shift of interest to digital broadcasting, specifically - focus on listening to music content in social networks or on the channel YouTube. The flagship model of our products are focused on customers who use digital content, which use modern formats and channels of information consumption. (translated from Russian).
While Samsung may be right in believing that flagship customers tend to be focused on digital content, the fact is, if you take something away from people after they become used to it (in other Galaxy flagships), they are far more likely to complain, than if they never enjoyed the feature in the first place.

Something tells us we haven't heard the last on the Samsung Galaxy S4 FM radio debate. What do you think us of Samsung's decision? Will your decision to buy the Galaxy S4 be impacted by it? Let us know via the comments.

Samsung Galaxy S4 key specifications

  • 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) Super AMOLED display (441 ppi)
  • 1.9GHz quad-core processor/ 1.6GHz octa-core processor (Depending upon region)
  • 2GB RAM
  • 16/32/64 GB Storage (expandable by 64GB via microSD slot)
  • 13-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, IR LED, MHL 2.0
  • Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
  • 2,600 mAh battery
  • 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm
  • 130 grams
Report by : NDTV Correspondent

Nokia to launch Windows Phone-based phablet to rival Samsung's Galaxy Note series: Report

Following reports of Microsoft's plans to update Windows Phone 8 to support full-HD displays, new rumours of Nokia working on a large screen smartphone or phablet that's similar in size to Samsung's Galaxy Note series have surfaced online.

According to a report by Financial Times, Nokia intends to launch a number of flagship devices later this year, including a supersized tablet phone. The publication cited people with knowledge of the company's plan to report the development. They said that the phablet would be similar in size to the Galaxy Note but will have advanced specifications.

Just a week back, a report had indicated that Microsoft will issue an update later this year that will bring support for 1080p resolution to Windows Phone 8. Presently, Windows Phone 8 supports only WVGA, WXGA, and 720p resolutions. The update will reportedly also add support for devices with displays that measure 5-inches and bigger. So the news might turn out to be accurate, however, it's difficult to estimate the exact time frame.

The FT report also confirms that Nokia intends to launch a Lumia phone that will use its Pureview imaging technology in July. The handset will sport a 40 megapixel camera and a flash.

We had earlier heard about about Nokia developing not one, but two models of Nokia Pureview 808-like devices, running Windows Phone, called Nokia EOS.

Both these smartphones are expected to feature exactly the same specifications apart from the processor. One of these smartphones could reportedly come with a dual-core processor while the other is expected to be powered by Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor. Though Nokia is reportedly working on both quad-core and dual-core version of Nokia EOS, the report mentioned that the company is likely to announce only one of these smartphones.

Report by : Anupam Saxena

Upcoming smartphones to look forward to – April 2013

The next generation of smartphones will be available on the shelves very soon, and here are some that we’re hoping to see sooner rather than later.
The age of HD is here and the mobile kingdom is expanding exponentially with this technology. And while the bigger players are not so keen on pricing their full HD editions at affordable prices, some of the local talent, and those from our next door neighbours, are more than happy to do so. The next generation of smartphones will be available on the shelves very soon, and here are some that we’re hoping to see sooner rather than later.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3

The next generation of Galaxy series devices will be taking the mobile phone display to a higher playing field with the Galaxy 5.8 and Galaxy 6.3. The numbers denote the screen size of both the devices. This might not be the very best step for mobile handsets as larger displays also mean larger devices. The Mega 6.3 is pretty much close to a 7.0-inch tablet, so toting this one around will be a task. The 5.8-inch option could prove to be useful for those with active lifestyles – those who are either constantly networking socially, web browsing to a large extent or emailing constantly. With all of the new TouchWiz goodies, like spilt screen functionality, multi-tasking will also be so much easier. It’s just that you’re going to need larger pockets.

As mega as they get


Both the devices feature HD displays and come equipped with dual-core processors to run Jelly Bean 4.2 out of the box. Here’s a quick look at their features:
  • 5.8-inch QHD TFT display – 6.3-inch HD TFT display
  • 3G, Wi-Fi
  • GPS
  • Bluetooth, NFC
  • 8 megapixel primary camera, 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera
  • 8/16GB internal memory, microSD card support for up to 64GB more memory


Sony Xperia SP

The Xperia SP is essentially a slightly scaled-down version of Sony’s Xperia Z minus the rugged features. Equipped with a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and an Adreno 320 GPU, the SP will ship with Jelly Bean as the OS. Naturally, a slew of Sony features will be part of the make-up, including the new Exmor RS sensor for the 8MP camera and Sony’s Stamina mode to enhance battery life. The device has been constructed using hard plastic with an aluminium frame for support. Taking a cue from the Xperia U, the SP also features a transparent notification strip located at the very bottom of the handset. This will light up to match the reigning display colour or highlight a colour associated with notifications for specific apps, for instance, green for WhatsApp.

A lower end version of the Z and ZL devices


Here are the key specs of the Xperia SP:
  • 4.6-inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution
  • LTE, HSPA+, GPRS/EDGE
  • Wi-Fi, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, WI-Fi Direct
  • Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, NFC
  • GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
  • 8MP camera with LED flash and 1080p video; VGA front-facing camera
  • FM radio
  • MHL for AV Out
  • 8GB internal storage with microSD card slot

The handset is already up for pre-order for Rs 25,490.

Optimus G Pro

LG seems to pioneer the next-gen species of the high-end smartphones, but doesn’t often live up to expectations. However, its Nexus 4 and Optimus G devices proved otherwise in this context despite their few flaws. So, to keep up with the likes of the competition, i.e. the HTC One and the Galaxy S4, LG’s Optimus G Pro was announced. Featuring a Snapdragon 600 chipset for a 1.7GHz, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 320 GPU for Android Jelly Bean, the G Pro could easily give the HTC One, if not the S4, a run for its money. LG has also incorporated the Dolby Mobile Sound Enhancement system to counter Beats Audio. The super thin bezel also makes it seem like the display real estate was properly utilised.

Picking up where the G left off

The LG Optimus G Pro will feature:
  • 5.5-inch display with a 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution (True full HD IPS LCD)
  • LTE, HSPA+, GPRS/EDGE
  • Wi-Fi, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, WI-Fi Direct
  • Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, NFC
  • GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
  • 13MP camera with LED flash and 2.1MP front-facing camera, both with 1080p video recording
  • FM radio
  • MHL for AV Out
  • 32GB internal storage with support for microSD card slot up to 64GB

HTC First

Touted as the next Facebook phone after the ChaCha and the Salsa, Facebook clearly likes HTC for its devices. The First, just another way of taking its "One" series in a slightly different direction, will come with Facebook’s new Android UI, Home, out of the box. The specifications of the handset aren’t going to be the talk of the social town, but they’re good enough to be worthy of consideration. A Snapdragon 400 1.4GHz dual-core processor will be powering the handset along with 1GB of RAM and Andreno 305 GPU for Jelly Bean. Facebook’s Home UI could bring a new experience to the HTC domain, although Sense UI v5 also has quite a bit to offer. The question really is: Whether or not one would want another Facebook phone, or one with a UI, replaceable as it is, directed at a singular social network?

A 'First' for Facebook Home

The HTC First will come with the following features:
  • 4.3-inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, Super LCD
  • HSPA+, GPRS/EDGE
  • Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi hotspot,
  • Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, NFC
  • GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
  • 5MP camera with LED flash and 1080p video; 1.6MP front-facing camera
  • 16GB internal storage with support for microSD card slot


Micromax Canvas 3D

According to the rumour mill, Micromax seems to have a 3D device in the making. Dubbed the Canvas 3D, the popular Indian brand could be working on a new Canvas device that will feature a 3D display and graphics to support it. There doesn’t seem to be too much information on the device just yet, other than a few specs. Why Micromax would be interested in a technology that clearly hasn’t really been working for mobile devices is a curious thought though. It is possible that this is but a mere rumour, but seeing as Micromax is pushing the envelope with its latest devices and specifications to take on the big guys, a Canvas 3D device just could be possible. However, we’d be more inclined to believe that the next Canvas could feature a full HD display instead.

Another 3D mobile? Really? (mock image)

Here are some of the rumoured features of the Canvas HD:
  • 5.0-inch display with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution
  • 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM
  • 3G, EDGE
  • Wi-Fi, Hot-spot creation
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS with AGPS
  • 8MP camera, 2MP front-facing camera
  • 4GB of internal memory, expandable via microSD cards

That’s our list of smartphones we’re looking forward to in the coming weeks. Although launch dates haven’t been made public for some of the devices, we’re looking at launches within the next month or so. Stay tuned to tech2 for updates.
Report by : Shayne Rana

Mobile Grudge Match: Sony Xperia SP vs Samsung Galaxy S III vs HTC One X+

Sony’s new Xperia SP has all the makings of a runaway success; however the launch timing isn’t exactly opportune. The SP by itself is a good
Sony’s new Xperia SP has all the makings of a runaway success; however the launch timing isn’t exactly opportune. The SP by itself is a good looking handset along with plenty of features and performance but yesterday’s flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S III and the HTC One X+ have now dropped in price and are available under Rs 30,000, which makes you think twice before splurging on the Xperia SP. With all three handsets running Jelly Bean and packing in similar features and performance, we turn to our beloved grudge match to sort out our conundrum.

Sony Xperia SP

The design of the Xperia SP has been heavily inspired by the Xperia ZL and that’s a very good thing. Not only that, Sony has gone with a sturdier aluminium frame rather than a plastic one, which should give you a premium look and feel. The SP is no slouch either as it’s backed by a highly potent Qualcomm S4 Pro SoC, something that puts even quad-core offerings to shame. The handset also comes bundled with Sony’s Music service and Sony LIV streaming app.

Looks classy

Samsung Galaxy S III

The Galaxy S III may have been the butt of many jokes when it first launched but almost a year later, no one’s laughing, especially with its new selling price. After a Jelly Bean update and many of the Note II features making its way to the S III, it’s suddenly become a very viable option at this price. The S III’s high points are the rich multimedia capabilities, the removable battery, expandable memory, potent processor and of course, the gesture-based features of TouchWiz.

Suddenly looks very tempting

HTC One X+

We immediately fell in love with the One X+ during the course of the review since it fixed most of the issues of the One X and upped the specifications list while at it. The handset features double the storage of the One X, a faster Tegra 3 CPU, Jelly Bean and that wonderful burst mode that we’ve all come to know and love. With the massive drop in price after the launch of the One, it’s suddenly back on the radar.

Very good option after the price drop

Next, let's break down these specifications and lay them out in a chart for a head-to-head comparison.

The bottom line

Shoppers in the Rs 25,000 - 30,000 price bracket have a tough task on their hands. Should you go for the S III or the One X+ or wait a bit for the Xperia SP to go on sale, which should happen in a couple of days? It’s tough and we can’t say for certain without having tested or played with the SP but no matter which you pick, you won’t be disappointed. The Xperia SP is the cheapest of the lot and will be slightly more comfortable in your hand due to the smaller screen. It also has the biggest battery of the lot and with an efficient dual-core like the S4 Pro, we could be looking at a superior battery life compared to the other two. The S III has its merits like a slimmer chassis, better multimedia support and if you’re big on gestures, then that’s the phone for you. The One X+ has the biggest storage capacity (out-of-the-box) but is also the most expensive.

The bottom line is, if you have the budget, these are the three phones you should be considering and nothing else.

Report by : Roydon Cerejo

Blockbuster: Why Indians like the Samsung Galaxy Grand

The Samsung Galaxy Grand smartphone is easily one of the more attractive offerings from the company in recent times. And why not? The smartphone is by and large seen as a low-cost alternative to the pricey Galaxy Note II and features pretty much everything that consumers expect out of a high-end phone – a large display, dual-core processor and an 8 megapixel camera.

That said, we were a little more than curious to know about how well the smartphone was faring in the market. We did a little sniffing around for you, and here's what we found.

We reached out to The Mobile Store, a popular destination for smartphone in the city. The representative at one of the outlets told us that they are selling the Galaxy Grand smartphone for Rs 21,500, and added that it is popular among buyers. “At our store alone, we sell around 4-5 units of the smartphone.” He added that on the occasion of Gudi Padva, the store had the smartphone on sale for Rs 20,900. He went on to mention the popular offers that are currently applicable on the phone.

A large display gives it a premium look and feel

We didn’t hear any different from a Vijay Sales representative who, while did not give the exact numbers, said that they are currently selling more units of the Grand than any other smartphone. The Galaxy Grand smartphone is available for Rs 21,500 at the store.

What’s also doing the trick is the recent massive front page ad that Samsung put up in a leading Indian daily. The Korean company’s ad offers a big "cash back" percentage (up to Rs 5,668) till April 30. The offer also gives potential customers attractive options for any of the several high-end and mid-range Samsung smartphones, including the Galaxy Note 800 and the Galaxy Camera, on EMI schemes.

Our source in the grey market took no time in telling us that the handset was doing very well and has in fact outshone the Galaxy Note II in terms of sales in his store since the past few days. As for the preference in colours, we were told that both Elegant White and Metallic Blue have been equally popular. While one grey market store said that they were selling an average of two units per day, the other put that number to three.

So, what’s strengthening the chemistry between the Galaxy Grand and the regular Indian smartphone buyer? Of what we know at the moment, the fact that such specs are being made available at this price is attracting customers. The Vijay Sales representative we spoke to only confirmed this for us. The large display on the smartphone too lends it a look and feel that is akin to the high-end phones in the market; only this doesn’t cost as much.

Looks grand in white

For those still clueless, here's what the Galaxy Grand is made up of:

  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
  • 1.2GHz dual-core processor.
  • 5-inch WVGA TFT LCD display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels
  • 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi capabilities for net access
  • A-GPS Glonass
  • Bluetooth
  • 8MP camera
  • 8GB + microSD expandable up to 64GB
Report by : Anuradha Shetty

Samsung announces Galaxy Mega 6.3 and 5.8 phablets

Samsung lifted the covers of the Galaxy Mega dup – the 6.3" and 5.8" Android phablets. The smartphones borrow some of the features from the Galaxy S4 flagships but offer much larger screens and aim for the mid-range segment as a more affordable alternative to the high-end Note phablet.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 packs a 6.3" LCD of 720p resolution and is powered by a an Exynos 5250 chipset with a dual-core Cortex-A15 CPU clocked at 1.7GHz and 1.5GB of RAM. It runs Android 4.2 with Sasmung’s TouchWiz modifications like Multi-window (split-screen multitasking) and Air View (detecting your finger an inch from the screen). There's no S Pen though.

The main camera is an 8MP shooter and there’s a 1.9MP front-facing camera. On the connectivity side the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 enjoys LTE, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, NFC and packs an IR emitter so it can work as a remote control. It can also connect to Galaxy S4s and Grands with Group Play.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 next to the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II
The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 is not a small device, but it's fairly thin measuring 167.6 x 88 x 8.0 mm and weighing 199g. The battery has 3,200mAh capacity. Internal storage is 8GB/16GB and there’s a microSD card slot if you need more.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 sized up against the Galaxy S4
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8
The Galaxy Mega 5.8 is a smaller Mega phablet and packs a more modest specs sheet. The LCD screen resolution is jsut qHD and the CPU clock speed has been reduced to 1.4GHz. The high-speed connectivity (LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac) is also gone as well as the NFC and an IR emitter.

Other things that have changed are the size (obviously) - the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 measures 162.6 x 82.4 x 9.0 mm, weighs 182g and has a 2,600 mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega duo will be available worldwide with the rollout starting from Europe and Russia in May. We still have no info on the price.

Report by :

Samsung Galaxy S4 to hit grey markets around April 22 for Rs 60000

It’s Galaxy S4 season. After the news that the smartphone will be landing in India on April 27, we have word from our sources in the grey market that it could arrive up to a week before the official launch. Hold on to your horses, though. The early birds will have to shell out Rs 60,000 or more for the phone—depending on the amount of stock and the consumer demand.

Like any other Samsung flagship, we expect the Galaxy S4 to be in high demand in the days leading up to its launch, and our sources told us the phone would be available as early as April 22. However, we were also warned that the date is tentative, as shipments could arrive early and the phone could be available even before April 22.

Will you pay a premium to become one of the first Galaxy S4 owners?

As is generally the case, grey market prices are initially high and steadily fall to around the official price. We suggest buyers to wait till the device launches officially, as Samsung probably won't be pricing it as high as Rs 60,000. However, we expect the initial hype surrounding the device to translate into hot sales in the grey market.

The Galaxy S4 is also available on pre-order at one online retailer. Its official price is expected to be around Rs 42,000, which means an MOP of Rs 40,000 or less, which would make it a very tempting proposition. Currently, the Galaxy S4’s direct competitors, the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z, are retailing between Rs 37,000 and Rs 42,000. The launch of the Galaxy S4 for less than Rs 40,000 could lead to sharp price drops as Sony and HTC look to loosen Samsung’s stranglehold on the market.

Announced on March 14 at a swanky function in New York, the Galaxy S4 brings ultra-modern hardware, paired with some key improvements and changes in the TouchWiz software experience. The Galaxy S4 brings a 5-inch Full-HD display. The Super AMOLED display has deep blacks and saturated colours, but Samsung has packaged colour calibration software to allow users to fine-tune it. The phone has 16GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 64GB. 32GB and 64GB versions are also expected to launch soon. All three models have 2GB of RAM. The Galaxy S4 ships with the latest version of Android, i.e. 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, but Samsung’s customisations and features are particularly interesting.

Here are the key specs of the Samsung Galaxy S4:
  • 5-inch full HD Super AMOLED (1920 x 1080) display, 441 ppi
  • HSPA+, LTE, GPRS/EDGE
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
  • Bluetooth 4.0 with EDR and A2DP
  • GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS
  • NFC
  • MicroUSB 2.0 with MHL, USB On-the-go, USB Host
  • 13-megapixel primary camera with LED flash, 2-megapixel front-facing camera
  • 16/32/64GB internal storage with microSD card for expansion up to 64 GB

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Obtains on Samsung Galaxy S3 with Windows Phone Ad

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) adds to the list of firms that has in use a dig at Samsung about the release of its Galaxy S4, even though the makers of Windows Phone are not attractive a dig at the newest version, other than the Galaxy S3 in its place.

Microsoft is carrying its famed Smoked by Windows Phone campaign to American television, in a opportune move. The campaign rotated about a series of defies that the Microsoft team discarded to people using other smartphones on the roads and Microsoft retail stores.

The firm ran over 50,000 challenges in 54 countries. Microsoft prepared users of competitor operating systems hole in the ground their phones aligned with a Windows Phone. The users were requested to whip out their mobile phones and carry out tasks like removal the weather in two different cities earlier than Rudoplh on a Windows Phone to win the challenge. The exercise had its possess share of arguments with the challenged asserting that they had really won. Certainly, Microsoft made the rules of this game.

Coming to the stock performance in last Session Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) in last trading session end up at $28.32 by rising up 0.50% with traded volume of 35.45 million shares which is down the average volume of 41.92 million shares.

The stock price saw week’s volatility of 0.99% and month’s volatility is 1.31%, while the stock price of the company is moving up from its 20 days moving average with 1.45% and isolated positively from 50 days moving average with 2.98%.

Looking at Analytic Ratios; the price to sales ratio of MSFT in past twelve months was calculated as 3.25 and price to cash ratio as 3.47. Company return on equity ratio is recorded as 22.62% and its return on assets is 12.83%.

MSFT belongs to Technology sector. Yesterday Dow Jones U.S. Technology Index (STC) was at 759.72 with 0.53% change.

Report by : David Graves

Exorbitantly-priced smartphones will suffer most from excise duty hike

These are weird days in the smartphone world. High-specced phones with price tags exceeding Rs 40,000 are being released regularly, while last-year’s flagship phones are being called mid-range. One big example is the 720p display, which no longer befits a flagship, if you were to ask Sony and HTC.

But with the hike in excise duty, these high-end phones will see their prices rise from April 1, 2013. So if Rs 45,000 is exorbitant, how would you classify Rs 48,000 or more? That’s how much phones in this range are expected to cost once the hike comes into play.

When it comes to sales, phones like the HTC Butterfly, the Apple iPhone 5, and the HTC One X+ aren’t record beaters by any margin. If anything, these lag behind the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the Galaxy S3, and a slew of mid-to-high-end phones.

HTC Butterfly
So what about phones that were selling at a steady clip, moving around five to six units a day? With the hike, their prices are expected to rise further and make them even more unaffordable for folks who might have once thought twice about pulling the trigger.

HTC could end up losing the most owing to the price hike. Retailers and grey market operators told tech2 that HTC is presently selling very few units of the Butterfly, and will become even dearer after April 1. What's more, its current price of around Rs 44,000 to Rs 46,000 is not low and any increase will hurt its sales beyond repair. Our sources tell us only two to three Butterfly units are being sold every week. That is an utterly dismal number and is not helped by the fact that the phone will play second fiddle to the newly announced HTC One. The company’s other flagship from last year, the HTC One X+, is also selling poorly. But it is unlikely that the company will be importing more One X+ handsets into India and might just escape the duty hike.

Sony, which is expected to launch its Xperia Z and ZL flagships in March, will also be affected by this rise in excise duty. The Xperia Z is rumoured to cost around Rs 45,000. We can expect that figure to climb to around Rs 47,000 once the phone gets here.

Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL
LG, which announced its Optimus G flagship a couple of days ago, will also suffer. At the moment, the Optimus G is priced at Rs 34,500, which is a very good price considering the phone's specs. However, if its price goes up to Rs 36,000 or Rs 37,000, then LG might end up with a flop. A December release would've served the Korean electronics giant better.

At such a high price, the Optimus G will be competing against the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2, which is still the most popular phone among the ones launched in 2012. Approximately two to three units of the Note 2 are being sold per day, easily beating the rest in the Rs 35,000-plus category, with the iPhone 5 in second place.

Samsung’s phones might not be as affected by the hike either. The company dropped the price of its two flagship phones recently, but this could have just been part of the product life cycle. However, if it’s a move keeping the Union Budget in mind, then it’s a brilliant one.

Samsung Galaxy Note II
It's the same case with Nokia, which also lowered the price of its flagship Lumia smartphones curiously close to the Budget announcement. So while its new lower-end phones costing more than Rs 2,000 might be affected by this hike, there might not be as adverse an effect on the Lumia 920 and 820.

Apple iPhone 5
Of course, these are still early days and the real impact of the excise duty hike will only be known once the April 1 deadline inches closer. As smartphone lovers, we have our fingers crossed that the flagships of this world aren’t priced out of the reach of the average consumer.

Report by : Nikhil Subramaniam

Samsung posts record profit for Q4 2012 powered by its Galaxy smartphones

Samsung Electronics Co. said quarterly profit soared 76 percent, boosted by the popularity of its Galaxy smartphones, which outsold the iPhone for a fourth straight quarter.

But the company said Friday it expects earnings to decline during the current quarter because of seasonally low demand for consumer electronics. It is also leaving its 2013 capital expenditure at the same level as last year at 23 trillion won ($21.5 billion), underlining uncertainty about the global economy and declining demand for personal computers.

The strong South Korean won is also becoming a negative for Samsung. It expects more than 3 trillion won will be shaved from its 2013 operating profit due to the stronger local currency. Samsung's shares fell as much as 3 percent after earnings release.

Net profit for the final quarter of 2012 totaled 7.04 trillion won ($6.6 billion), a 76 percent surge from 4.01 trillion won a year earlier. Analysts had expected 6.95 trillion won in net profit, according to financial information provider FactSet. Sales rose 19 percent over a year earlier to 56.06 trillion won and operating income jumped 89 percent to 8.84 trillion won.

Increased sales of smartphones were the key source of its profit growth. Samsung, which overtook Apple Inc. as the top smartphone maker last year, said its operating profit from the division that makes and sells smartphones and tablets more than doubled to 5.44 trillion won in the fourth quarter, from 2.56 trillion won a year earlier.

Most analysts believe the Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung shipped more than 60 million smartphones, including the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, during the three months ending in December, which would put the year's smartphone sales at more than 200 million. Apple said it sold 47.8 million iPhones in the quarter.

Hong Kong-based research firm Counterpoint Research said Samsung took 33 percent market share in the fourth quarter, compared with Apple's 21 percent. Another market researcher IDC put Samsung's share at 29 percent versus Apple's 22 percent.

The company's component divisions that make semiconductor products and display panels also benefited from a rise in demand for smartphones. Sales of mobile processors that power popular devices such as Apple's iPhones and Samsung's own Galaxy smartphones boosted the bottom line.

The recovery in the display panel division was also led by strong sales of advanced mobile-phone screens called OLED, which are mostly found in high-end Samsung smartphones. The display division posted 1.11 trillion won in profit compared with a small loss a year earlier.

Analysts said Samsung will likely see a continued rise in smartphone sales this year, especially in low- and mid-priced models where it doesn't face competition from Apple. Some analysts, including Young Park at Woori Securities, forecast Samsung smartphone shipments to rise as much as 50 percent this year from 2012 to over 300 million units.

Samsung executives said during the conference call with investors that smartphone demand will ease in the current quarter without giving guidance for the company's performance. But analysts said that Samsung could be little affected by market demand thanks to its variety of products that range from affordable to expensive devices.

"Even though they said demand for smartphone will slow down in the first quarter, Samsung will likely buck the industry trend and its own smartphone sales will go up," said Byun Han-joon, an analyst at KB Investment & Securities.

Apple, which keeps its iPhone price high, might see iPhone sales plateau in coming years as more consumers snap up cheaper Android phones.

Still, Apple's business has been more profitable because of the high price of the iPhone, which generates a larger profit per sales. Samsung, which makes dozens of handset models a year and customizes them for mobile operators, also sells cheaper smartphones and spends about three times more on expenses such as marketing and advertising costs to promote its Galaxy brand phones and televisions.

Counterpoint Research estimates Apple, though it sold fewer handsets than Samsung, took 70 percent of profit in the handset market during the fourth quarter, while the South Korean rival claimed 25 percent.

Samsung is expected to introduce a new flagship smartphone in its Galaxy S series as early as April, which analysts say will shore up its bottom line. The company said consumers seeking to replace its current handset and get a faster wireless connection through LTE networks will drive the demand for new models, easing concerns that sales would slow because of high rates of smartphone use in developed markets. Part of its strategy to command higher prices from consumers has been adding new hardware features, such as a digital pen in the Galaxy Note series.

Samsung's flexible display technology, which allows tablet computers to fold into mobile phones or bend the edge of the screen, is an effort to make its products stand out from others and to shore up its profit. But such technology, which was shown in public earlier this month in Las Vegas, will still need more time for mass production.

Samsung said its profit will be hurt by unfavorable foreign exchange rates this year. Robert Yi, head of Samsung's investor relations, said the negative impact from the foreign exchange rates will exceed 3 trillion won ($2.8 billion), with the loss largely coming from the firm's exposure to the euro.

Report by : Associated Press

Samsung Galaxy S IV codenamed 'Altius' to go on sale in April: Report

The countdown to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) is on with just a month left to go. And over the past few days, rumours surrounding Samsung's next line of devices are beginning to churn out pretty fast. (Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 image leaked, likely to compete with iPad mini)

The latest one, as reported by Samsung prominent blog SamMobile indicates that the Galaxy S IV has now been codenamed "Altius" and is expected to go on sale in April.

The blog mentions that Samsung is indeed planning to "ship the Altius starting from week 16, which simply means April 15". It goes on to say that the Korean manufacturer is likely to announce the device at a special mobile unpacked event at MWC or maybe sometime in March in London or New York.

Furthermore, the blog claims that earlier rumours suggesting that the smartphone will support wireless charging are in fact real. The company plans to sell a separate dock and a back cover with wireless charging capabilities for the device. The wireless charging kit is expected to be made available a couple of weeks later after the Galaxy S IV goes on sale.

This means that the successor in the Galaxy S line will have a removable back cover, just like company's current flagship device the Galaxy S III.

An earlier report mentioned that Samsung plans on using an alternate technology based on resonant magnetic coupling that is different from the electromagnetic induction found in the current wireless chargers. It also stated that the Galaxy S IV will not come integrated with wireless charging compatibility, but will rather sell the charger and a backplate, which is required to enable wireless charging separately.

Other rumoured specs of the device so far include a 4.99-inch Super AMOLED display with full-HD resolution, 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera, Android Jelly Bean, Exynos 5 Octa chipset and an S-Pen stylus.

As far as confirmed specs are concerned, the blog claims 100 percent confirmation on the following specs for the company's next flagship device:
Code Name: Altius
Model Number: GT-I9500
Colours: Black / White
Battery Capacity: 2600 mAh
Special: Wireless Charging Kit


Additionally, the blog also reports via TuttoAndroid that an alleged press shot of the Galaxy S IV has been found on Picasa. Folks at SamMobile are quick to point out that it's a fake based on the UI and design of the device.

Report by : KS Sandhya Iyer

Would you exchange your smartphone for an iPhone?

The front page advert in one of the leading English dailies yesterday said that Apple was offering an iPhone in exchange for your old smartphone. ‘How much was Apple ready to offer for our older smartphones?’ we wondered. A round of calls and checks with the dealers listed in the ad made it very clear that the deal was a dud as we said in our analysis yesterday.

In with the old out with the new

The best trade-in offer for a Samsung Galaxy S2 was Rs 12,000, while the Galaxy S3 would get you around Rs 22,000 and the Galaxy Note 2 was worth Rs 25,000 under exchange. Some dealers were even ready to offer a Rs 8,000 discount for the Galaxy Nexus, which isn’t covered by any warranty in India. Most of them had the 16 GB iPhone 5 priced at a minimum of Rs 44,000; some went up to Rs 45,500. The price offered varied depending on the condition and age of the handset among other things. What this means is that you’d probably have to end up paying a minimum of Rs 20,000 in cash in addition to trading in your current smartphone if you wanted to ‘upgrade’ to an iPhone.

Similar deals at better rates already exist in the grey market and many buyers upgrade to the latest handset by trading in their older phone. Come to think of it, an iPhone 5 in lieu of a Note 2 or even a Galaxy S3 isn’t an upgrade. But that’s our opinion and we’d like to know if you would trade in your smartphone for an iPhone (5, 4S or 4) if it meant that you’d have to pay at least another Rs 20,000 over and above handing in your current smartphone.

If you have heard of some great deals in the market do let us know in the comments section below.
Will you exchange your smartphone for an iPhone?
Hell yes! = 5%
Not a chance! Not for an iPhone. = 79%
If I got a good deal on my existing handset, I'd consider it = 16%
Report by : Mithun Kidambi

iPhone 'Math': The Bigger Screen Adds Up

This blog was highly skeptical last week the iPhone is at the end of its road (Why The WSJ Got The ‘iPhone Demand Is Crashing’ Story All Wrong). But that doesn’t mean Apple isn’t at a crossroads. Witness this weekend report out of Taiwan, translated from the Chinese, that claims a June release date for a larger screen Apple smartphone called the “iPhone Math” of all ridiculous names. The specifics are almost besides the point, but the basic argument isn’t. A truly larger iPhone is something millions of people want and the iPhone 5 wasn’t it. As things stand today, Apple is not only missing out on a great deal of money, but missing a product many iPhone users would find superior to the lone current model for a number of reasons.

With the arguments in favor around economics and customer happiness and the arguments against limited to a bit of an issue around pixels and the downsides of size, Apple seems likely to fill the hole in the product line sometime this year, and perhaps the June date is a real one.

Money and margins

First, let’s talk about what a larger-screen iPhone most certainly is not: The much rumored and perhaps ultimately important, lower-cost iPhone Apple will need to offer if it wants to capture more market share in the emerging economies of Asia, Africa and South America. With an unsubsidized price north of $600, iPhone can’t compete for many of the “next billion” smartphone users and Apple will have to make a strategic decision over the coming year or two whether it will offer a somewhat less robust iPhone in terms of build quality and perhaps features to hit some price target less than half the current iPhone’s number. Even former CEO John Sculley joined the chorus calling for Apple to produce such a device.

There are legitimate questions about whether Apple needs, wants or ought to try to do such a thing: chase volume, while making much less per device sold. But none of those apply to the large-screen phone. It would retail for every bit as much as the current iPhone – perhaps even a bit more (it’s not hard to imagine a 4.8-inch iPhone selling for $249 next to the $199 iPhone 5 with it’s 4-inch screen). The chassis would be larger on the bigger iPhone and there’d be a strong opportunity to add a bit more battery in that larger chassis, which, of course, would make the phone have better battery life.

In addition, it might even be possible to use the larger “footprint” to build in a more elaborate set of antennas to the iPhone 5X, as I’ll call it. That could allow for fewer SKUs of the model, simplifying the supply chain and global logistics a bit. (It’s not especially well known, but Apple actually builds three models of iPhone 5 and no, we’re not talking Sprint, AT&T and Verizon here, but three different models worldwide, each that works on somewhat different frequencies of 4G LTE. The limiting factor is mostly a function of the amount of external space available for antennas. But even if some more internal space is required, the 5X will have plenty of that too.) It also means that anyone buying the 5X would get a better “world phone” that works on 4G in more countries than any one of today’s iPhone models.

As to which such a display might cost Apple, “full HD” screens with 1920 x 1080 pixels are already becoming common in the Android smartphone universe, so high-pixel density isn’t itself proving especially expensive. It’s therefore reasonable to conclude that altogether, the iPhone 5X would net out to have very similar margins to iPhone 5, possibly slightly higher if SKU simplification and higher retail selling prices offset the bigger battery and more complex internals. The screen might end up cheaper, given the larger customer base for display makers if Apple went for a “standard” size versus the unusual iPhone 5 screen.

How many people would care?

Today, people who want a larger-screen iPhone do one of two things: accept a smaller-screen iPhone or buy a larger-screen Android phone. Clearly, if this putative iPhone 5X came on the market, Apple would move some customers from the iPhone 5 to it (which is a wash), but would also capture some portion of the people they are losing to big-screen Android phones. In the U.S., where Apple is managing to hold onto a huge chunk of the smartphone market, this would be especially interesting. And globally, where Apple’s share is seen peaking at less than one-fourth overall, SKU diversification is about the only way to increase that slice of the pie.

So let’s take a look at just how big it is. Samsung alone sold 23 million Galaxy S phones last quarter (mostly the S3). Based on mid-year data, Samsung was selling a bit more than half of all the Android smartphones sold period. In the premium category, it was probably doing better than that, so let’s estimate the large-screen sales at 35 million in fourth quarter. That matches the lowest estimate around for iPhone 5 sales in the same time period, incidentally. Oh, there were also 4.4 million Nokia Lumias sold. So the total large-screen smartphone is approximately the same size as Apple’s market, give or take a few million units. (And, yes, the final iPhone and Android numbers will mean this calculation isn’t precise; by rough magnitude they are fairly equivalent.)

Report by : TECH

The 'iPhone 5 for smartphone' exchange offer is a dud

The front page of a leading news daily carried a full page advertisement today, encouraging people to exchange their smartphone for an iPhone. An offer too good to be true, it obviously raised many questions. We did some snooping around to find out more details.

If you read the advertisement carefully, then what they have said is you can exchange your smartphone with any of the retailers mentioned therein and buy iPhone 5 (16GB, 32GB, 64GB), iPhone 4S (16GB) and iPhone 4 (8GB) by paying the difference in the amount. The advertisement has listed retailers across Mumbai and Thane.

Would you let go your Note II for approx.Rs. 25,000?

Buying a new device by exchanging your older one and paying the difference in sum isn't something new. You get this option with most of the retailers in the market. So, we decided to find out how lucrative this offer really is and called a few of these retailers. We asked what exchange price would Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy SII, Galaxy Note 2, iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note would fetch us, as accordingly, we will have to shell out the difference to lay our hands on the iPhone 5. A few retailers like SonyMony, Andheri, and Circuit City, Bandra, refused to divulge the exchange price without seeing the device we had to offer, while many others gave us the approximate cost after ascertaining the presence of accessories, packaging box, bill and warranty. One of the listed retailers, Masjid Bunder based Telecom Center sounded quite harrowed and said that they do not have any exchange offer and that their information was wrongly published.

While SonyMony, Andheri, refused to reveal a tentative price and said they would first need to see the device, the SonyMony Prabhadevi outlet was more forthcoming with information. They offered us a paltry sum of Rs. 5,000 for a six month old Samsung Galaxy S II. When we asked for the price of iPhone 5, we were informed that 16GB would cost us Rs. 45,500. So if you were to buy an iPhone 5 from SonyMony, then you would have to shell out approximately Rs. 40,000 after exchanging it with the Samsung Galaxy S II. Needless to say, this certainly isn’t a good deal. On the other hand, Connexions and More, Charni Road, offered us Rs. 11,200 for the same device; additionally; they mentioned that there could be a difference of Rs. 500-700 depending upon the condition. City Chain, Heera Panna, offered us the same price of Rs. 12,000, again subject to the condition of the device.

Lower Parel based Variety shoppe offered us a Rs. 20,000-22,000 for Samsung Galaxy S III, which we told him was six month old, in good condition and with all the bundled accessories intact. This we felt was a good price, as they were selling the 16GB iPhone 5 for far lower price at Rs. 44,000. Prince, Marine Lines, offered us Rs. 25,000 for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and we were told that it could fetch more, depending on the condition of the device. Even they offered the 16GB iPhone 5 for Rs. 44,000.

Arihant Infocom offered minimum Rs. 8000 for the Galaxy Nexus (with box and accessories) and said that the price may vary depending on the condition of the device. City Chain, Heera Panna, upped the priced and said the Galaxy Nexus could fetch us Rs. 10,000. Interestingly, the retailer said we could even combine two phones and buy the iPhone 5 after paying the difference in the amount.

The Galaxy Nexus bundled with accessories will fetch you approx. 8k to 10k

We contacted Galleria, Ghatkopar, to find the payable amount on exchanging an iPhone 4S to buy its newest sibling. They offered us Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 15,000 for an unlocked iPhone 4S with accessories. This authorised dealer tells us had the device been purchased from grey market, it could lead to a difference of about Rs. 5000 less.

As you see, the price difference that you need to pay to own the iPhone depends upon the device that you have to exchange and its working condition. So, basically, this offer is nothing different than what you would get in the market otherwise. We asked one local retailer at Heera Panna who isn't listed in the advertisement. He offered us Rs. 14,000 for the Galaxy Nexus and is selling the iPhone 5 for a lower price at Rs. 43,800.
Report by : Priyanka Tilve

ChangeWave: iPhone demand down but still dominant

This week the folks at ChangeWave have shown off their quarterly consumer smartphone report, showing none other than Samsung as the big winner as far as market growth goes in the USA. This North American report covers the quarter leading up to the beginning of 2013, with the last quarter reported being December of 2012. This report asks several key questions, the main one being if those polled plan on purchasing a smart phone in the next 90 days, and if so, which one they’ll get.

This survey showed two things for Apple – the first of them being that after the iPhone 5 was released in 2012, the first analysis ChangeWave did showed that consumer demand was up to a staggering 71%. This percentage is, again, the amount of people polled who said they planned on purchasing a smartphone (and iPhone in this case) in the 90 days after they’d been polled. The second thing this chart reveals is that in the most recent study, that being December of 2012, the percentage for those looking to buy an iPhone in the next 90 days had fallen to 50%.

For Samsung the story is ever-so-slightly different. In that the quarter during their release of their hero phone (the Samsung Galaxy S III) they had higher demand than the quarter afterward, Samsung is quite similar to Apple. The percentages are quite different – 19% market penetration down to 13% rather than 71% down to 50%, but the trend is still there. Samsung’s most recent quarter shows the demand for Samsung smartphones to be back up to 21%, this just one quarter after their fall to 13%.

Also revealed in the report ChangeWave showed off this week is a showing of how satisfied mobile OS users were with their chosen operating system. This set of findings showed Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 to rise over Android in the charts with 54% of users describing themselves as “Very Satisfied.” This compares to Android’s 48% – Apple’s iOS collected 71% of respondents saying they were Very Satisfied, placing them well ahead of the pack.

Report by : Chris Burns

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