Update: this deal will run up until midnight on 31st December
If you're looking for a great deal on an iPhone 6S before Christmas, this is a bit of a cracker. Mobiles.co.uk and O2 are currently offering a fantastic deal on the best-of-the-best iPhone 6S 128GB.
The deal allows you to save £150 on the up front cost of the phone and then get yourself on a good value contract with O2.
It looks to be by far the cheapest and best-value way of getting hold of the iPhone 6S 128GB and even beats most (if not all) of the deals out there on the 64GB model.
Here's the deal: using the voucher code XMAS150 you can save £150 on the superior 128GB version of the iPhone 6S, leaving you paying £150 up front instead of £300. It comes with a brand new O2 contract which offers great value - unlimited calls and unlimited texts with and 3GB data for £31 per month. That's a really good deal.
It's available in Space Grey, Silver, Rose Gold and Gold, so that's all the colours checked off and it will be available until midnight on December 31 - but note you'll need to order by December 22 to guarantee delivery before Christmas!
The best iPhone 6S deal in the UK
We've had a look around to make sure this deal is really worth recommending and we think it is. The only way to get an iPhone 6S for cheaper than this is to go for the vastly inferior 16GB version.
iPhone 6S 128GB | £300 £150 up front | Unlimited calls + texts | O2 4G | 3GB | £31pm | £894 total Use the code XMAS150 at the checkout to save £150 on the best-of-the-best iPhone 6S 128GB handset and pay just £150 up front instead of £300. Then you'll be on a 4G contract with O2 which offers unlimited calls and texts and 3GB data for £31 per month. Total cost of this deal over two years is £894.
A few days ago, HTC had unveiled Desire 828 but at the launch event the company had missed to give out the pricing and availability details. Now they have made the same known. The HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM comes in Dark Gray and Pearl White colours. It will be available exclusively on Flipkart from December 14, 2015 (12am) onwards for Rs 19,990.
Coming over to the specifications of HTC Desire 828, it comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, MediaTek MT6753 octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM as well as 16GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 2TB via a microSD card.
It comes with a 2,800mAh battery and connectivity options like dual SIM cards, 4G LTE support, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. Moving on the software aspect of HTC Desire 828, it runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Sense 6 UI.
The Desire 828 consists of optical image stabilisation capabilities. It carries a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and an UltraPixel camera for selfie lovers.
At the same launch event, the company had also showcased the HTC A9, which is retailing exclusively on Snapdeal for Rs 29,999.
InFocus is actively involved in bringing smartphones to the highly competitive Indian budget smartphone segment. We've seen multiple devices over the past few months and we can add one more to the list today with the launch of the M680.
The handset is an exclusive via Snapdeal in the country, much like every other InFocus device sold in the country prior to this. The M680 is running Android 5.1 Lollipop with an update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow on the horizon. The company has already scheduled the update for a couple of handsets, so the M680 should also be high up on that list.
Commenting on the launch, Sachin Thapar, Country Head, InFocus India, Said, "Early this year we debuted in the Indian smartphone market to bring best of the smartphone experience and we have been able to deliver on this promise successfully with Foxconn as our strategic partner. Our long term commitment is further reiterated with our growing network of service centres across 125+ cities in India. With every launch, we aim to exceed consumer expectation with a surprise of delightful experience at an exceptional pricing.
The handset will go up on pre-registration today and will be available in exactly a week from now on the 21st of December.
Hardware specifications of the InFocus M680:
· 5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display · 7.2mm thickness · 158 grams · 64-bit 1.5 GHz Mediatek MT6753 octa-core processor · 13MP rear camera · 13MP front camera · 2GB RAM · 16GB storage (expandable up to 64GB via microSD) · Android 5.1 Lollipop · 2,600 mAh battery · 4G LTE with dual SIM support · USB OTG (on-the-go) compatible
The mid-range and budget smartphone industry is crowded with a myriad of low cost handsets from companies like Micromax, Xiaomi, Lenovo and the likes. Naturally, this can make the decision to get a budget smartphone quite confusing for prospective buyers. So in order to make it easier for you, we have compiled a list of devices that are priced at or under Rs 10,000 and should be high up on your list of devices to get.
Lenovo Vibe P1m
Priced at Rs 7,999 this is not the cheapest budget offering available out there, but the hardware specs sheet underneath will surely convince mobile enthusiasts of its potential. With its large 3,900 mAh battery, the Vibe P1m can last long intervals on a full charge. It is currently an exclusive with Flipkart in India.
Hardware specifications of the Lenovo Vibe P1m:
5-inch HD (1280x720) display 9.3mm thickness 148 grams 8MP rear camera 5MP front camera Quad-core 1 GHz Mediatek MT6735P processor 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB using SIM slot 2) 3,900 mAh battery Android 5.0 Lollipop 4G LTE with dual SIM support
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Coolpad Note 3
The handset is available via Amazon India for Rs 8,999 and is recommended for phablet lovers in the country. It might be lacking in terms of display resolution compared to a few other devices on the list, but the Note 3 makes up for it with features like Fingerprint Snapshot, letting you take an image with just a touch of your finger on the home button.
Hardware specifications of the Coolpad Note 3:
5.5-inch HD (1280x720) display 9.3mm thickness Octa-core 1.3 GHz Mediatek MT6753 processor 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera 3GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 64GB) Android 5.1 Lollipop 3,000 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
There are several variants of the ZenFone 2 out there that offer excellent value for the price. The ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) is one such handset, which can be bought for Rs 9,999 via Flipkart. As the name indicates, the handset comes with a superior grade Laser Autofocus camera, which enhances imagery to a great extent.
Hardware specifications of the ZenFone 2 Laser:
5.5-inch HD (1280x720) display 10.8mm thickness 170 grams Quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 128GB) Android 5.0 Lollipop 3,000 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
Meizu M2 Note
The M2 Note is the slightly better equipped phablet mentioned in the list here and comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD panel underneath. It also features a superior f/2.2 5 element lens for better images from its 13MP rear camera. It is priced at Rs 9,999 and can be purchased via Amazon India.
5.5-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display 8.7mm thickness 149 grams Octa-core 1.3 GHz Mediatek MT6753 processor 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 128GB) Android 5.0 Lollipop 3,100 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
Huawei Honor 4X which comes with a 5.5-inch HD display on board and an overall decent package. It’s an LTE smartphone, which means you can leverage the fastest networks available in India (assuming there is coverage). For Rs 9,999, the Honor 4X is a good value, although thedevice is an exclusive via e-commerce retailer Flipkart.
5.5-inch HD (1280x720) display 8.7mm thickness 170 grams Quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor 13MP rear camera
Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime
Unlike other Xiaomi phones in the past, the Redmi 2 Primecan be bought from a variety of retailers including Amazon,Flipkart as well as Snapdeal. It is priced at Rs 6,999 and is a very capable budget offering considering the kind of feature set it offers.
Hardware specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime:
4.7-inch HD (1280x720) display 9mm thickness Quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor 8MP rear camera 2MP front camera 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable via microSD) Android 4.4.4 KitKat 2,200 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
Lenovo K3 Note
This is one of the few handsets under Rs 10,000 that offers a 1080p display on board. As such, the K3 Note is a very stellar device and well worth your dime if you don’t mind stretching your budget all the way up to Rs 9,999. The smartphone is available from retailers elsewhere, but it’sofficially available only through Flipkart.
Hardware specifications of the Lenovo K3 Note: 5.5-inch 1080p display 8mm thickness 150 grams 1.7 GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6752 processor 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB) 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera Android 5.0 Lollipop 3,000 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
Phicomm Passion 660
This has to be one of the most attractive devices on the list, solely because of the hardware packing underneath as well as the pricing. For Rs 8,999, the manufacturer is offering a Full HD display panel, an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor and a 13MP rear camera. The handset is available for purchase via Amazon India.
5-inch Full HD (1920x1080) display 7.3mm thickness 110 grams Octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor 13MP rear camera 5MP front camera 2GB RAM 16GB storage (expandable up to 64GB) Android 4.4.4 KitKat 2,300 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
2015 Moto E with LTE
This refresh of the original Moto E comes with a very capable hardware specs sheet and a price tag of Rs 6,999 via Flipkart or Rs 6,799 from Amazon India. The smartphone features a stock version of Android and is on course to receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update soon, while the 3G model of the Moto E is likely to miss out.
Hardware specifications of the 2015 Moto E:
4.5-inch qHD (960x540) display 12.3mm thickness 145 grams 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor 5MP rear camera VGA front camera 1GB RAM 8GB storage (expandable) Android 5.1 Lollipop 2,390 mAh battery 4G LTE with dual SIM support
We have left out a couple of Micromax handsets from the list due to some of their steep pricing and lack of “wow” factor that all of the above smartphones possess. However if you feel like we’ve left out some of the devices that you think should have made the list, make sure you share your thoughts with us through the comments box.
Low battery is the bane of every smartphone user, especially those with iPhones, and Apple has just released its first battery case for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 to tackle the problem.
It's called the Smart Battery Case and looks similar to the company's range of normal cases but withthere's a bulge at the back where the extra battery sits.
The outside has a silicone material that's soft to the touch and it slips over your phone with ease.
An extra life
Battery-wise we don't have any official size in terms of mAh from Apple, but the company does say it will give you up to an extra 25 hours talk time and an extra 18 hours LTE.
There's a choice of charcoal or white, but there doesn't seem to be an option for the iPhone 6S Plus phablet. You charge the case up with a Lightning connector as well, much like you would for your normal phone.
If you want to buy one, you can get it now on the Apple Store for US$99.99, £79.99 or AU$165 but you'll have to wait 1-3 days for shipping or pick it up in a store.
Apple's iOS 9.2 update launched today, and it's such a minor software update you may not have noticed its changes. It's still worth upgrading, however.
Standout iOS 9.2 features fine tune Apple Music, give Siri a new language to understand and add support for a USB SD Card reader, according to 9to5Mac.
Most importantly, There are also a bunch of bug improvements, including a fix for alarms that would randomly turn off and potentially ruin your morning wake up call.
Today's firmware update applies to all three lines of iOS devices, including the iPhone, iPad and the often-forgotten iPad touch.
Here's the iOS 9.2 list of changes
Apple Music improvements
You can now create a new playlist when adding a song to a playlist
Your most recently changed playlist is now listed at the top when adding songs to playlists
Download albums or playlists from your iCloud Music Library by tapping the iCloud download button
See which songs have been downloaded with the new download indicator next to each song in My Music and Playlists
See works, composers, and performers while browsing Classical music in the Apple Music catalog
Apple News
A new Top Stories section in News so you can stay up to date with the most important news of the day (available in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia)
Mail Drop
Mail Drop in Mail for sending large attachments
iBooks
iBooks now supports 3D Touch to peek and pop pages from the table of contents, your notes and bookmarks, or from search results inside a book
iBooks now supports listening to an audiobook while you browse your library, read other books, or explore the iBooks Store
USB Camera Adapter
iPhone support for the USB Camera Adapter to import photos and videos
iOS 9.2 bug fixes
Improved stability of Safari
Improved stability of Podcasts
Fixing an issue that caused mail attachments to be inaccessible for some users with POP email accounts
Resolving an issue for some users that caused attachments to overlap text in mail
Fixing an issue where Live Photos could have turned off after restoring from a previous iCloud backup
Addressing an issue that could cause search in Contacts to display no results
Resolving an issue that could have prevented Calendar from displaying all seven days in week view
Fixing an issue where Camera screen on iPad could be black when attempting to capture video
Addressing an issue that could cause instability in the Activity app when viewing the day of Daylight Savings Time transition
Fixing an issue that could prevent data from appearing in Health
Fixing an issue that could prevent Wallet updates and Lock screen alerts from displaying
Addressing an issue where updating iOS could prevent an alarm from going off
Fixing an issue where some users were unable to login to Find my iPhone
Fixing an issue that prevented some manual iCloud Backups from completing
Addressing an issue where using the iPad keyboard could unintentionally trigger text selection mode
Improved keyboard responsiveness when using Quick Reply
Improved punctuation input on the 10-key Chinese (Pinyin & Stroke) keyboards with new expanded view of punctuation symbols and better predictions
Fixing an issue on Cyrillic keyboards where caps lock would be enabled when typing in URL or email fields
Accessibility improvements
Fixing issues with VoiceOver when using Camera face detection
Adding support for VoiceOver to wake up the screen
Adding support for VoiceOver to invoke app switcher with 3D Touch gesture
Fixing an issue with Guided Access when trying to end phone calls
Improved functionality for Switch Control users when using 3D Touch
Fixing an issue with speech rate of Speak Screen
Siri
Siri support for Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates)
That's everything from Apple's official iOS 9.2 release notes. We'll update this article if we discover any more off-the-record improvements as we test out this latest update.
The 6-inch variant of ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) is now on sale in India. Apart from the 6-inch display, the phone also offers Qualcomm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor Snapdragon 616 which is clocked at 1GHz. This is coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. This can be expanded via microSD to up to 128GB. Apart from this Asus is offering ASUS WebStorage 5GB for lifetime and Google drive of 100GB for free for no additional cost. One of the highlights of the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser is its camera. The phone is fitted with a 13-megapixel f/2.0 PixelMaster camera with dual-LED flash, and Laser auto-focus. There is a 5Mp front camera. As per Asus, the Laser auto-focus lets you focus in 0.03 seconds. The 6-inch Asus Zenfone 2 Laser is priced at Rs 17,999 and will be available in Red, Silver and Gold colour options. The smartphone will be offered through popular online shopping portals such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Snapdeal. The company has shared that the offline retails stores will get this smartphone second week of December. The phone comes offers Android 5.0 out of the box along with a layer of Zen UI 2.0. It packs in 3000mAh battery.
