iPhone 8 Offers, Jio Phone Review, Nokia 8 in India, and More This Week

Technology

Meanwhile, the Nokia 3310 is back in the news as a new 3G version of the phone has been launched in Australia. The handset re-launched this year with 2G access, but now the new version can browse the Internet at relatively higher speeds. And although it's only in Australia for now, it's likely to launch in more markets soon.

There were a number of other launches that took place this week as well, including a phone that claims to drive away mosquitoes. The LG K7i, priced at Rs. 7,990, uses ultrasound to drive away mosquitoes, though there's some disagreement on the effectiveness of the technology. Other launches included the Xopo Flash X1 and Flash X2, which come with an 18:9 display ratio. There was also the Panasonic P99 with 4G VoLTE, priced at Rs. 7,490. The phone has a 5-inch HD display, a 1.25GHz quad-core processor, and 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB storage and a 2000mAh battery. The company also launched the Panasonic Eluga I4, which has a 3000mAh battery, and a virtual assistant called Arbo, priced at Rs. 8290.

Lava launched a new budget smartphone, the Lava Z60, which is priced at Rs. 6,499. The phone has a 'bokeh' mode for photos, though this is achieved through software, not hardware. The phone has a 5-inch display, and a 1.1GHz quad-core processor, along with 1GB RAM, and 16GB storage. Meanwhile, we also got the Ziox Astra Curve, priced at Rs. 7,299. The 4G VoLTE capable phone has a 5-inch display, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, and 16GB storage.

We also got the Lenovo K8, with a 4000mAh battery, priced at Rs. 10,499, the cheapest phone in the range behind the Lenovo K8 Note, and the Lenovo K8 Plus. And in China, Gionee launched two new phones - the Gionee M7, and Gionee M7 Power - priced at CNY 2,799 (roughly Rs. 27,500) and CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,000) respectively. Both phones have edge to edge displays, in a 18:9 aspect ratio.

Meanwhile, there were also a couple of interesting offers from telcos. Airtel has announced a 112GB data plan, under which users pay Rs. 999 for 28-days validity, and apart from the 112GB data, you also get "unlimited" calls - capped to 250 minutes per day, and 1000 minutes per week. There's also an offer for new postpaid users - the operator will give 10GB free data per month for three months - but only for people who sign up for specific plans. Vodafone meanwhile announced a partnership with Intex, and people who are using Intex feature phones will get a 50 percent cashback on recharges.

Meanwhile, we now know a little bit more about Google's upcoming flagships, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The two phones will be launching on October 4, but ahead of that, we've learned that the phones will have an always listening music feature, portrait mode photos similar to the new iPhones, and dual speakers.

The specifications of the phones have also been leaked ahead of the launch. The Pixel 2 will reportedly have a full-HD display, while the Pixel 2 XL will use a QHD display, and the phones are expected to have 2700mAh and 3250mAh batteries, respectively. Both are expected to have a Snapdragon 835 powering the phone, and a dedicated Google Imaging Chip for better photos. The upcoming Google phones will also feature an 'Active Edge' sense feature, so you can squeeze the phone as an input.

Finally, we also got a look at the upcoming foldable smartphone from ZTE, the Axon M. All the big companies inching closer to launching foldable smartphones, but the Axon M, which is expected to launch on October 17, could be the first to get there. The phone has a hinge setup on the side that attaches the secondary display. Both screens operate at full-HD and apparently can unfold to become a 6.8-inch screen at a 1920x2160 pixel resolution. Not much else is known, but expect top-tier pricing, and specifications.