Year in Review: Galaxy Fold to Moto Razr, best foldable smartphones of 2019

Top Foldable Smartphones 2019: Foldable devices, which were seen only as a concept until last year, became a reality in 2019. Though the first breed of foldable devices boasts bendable screen, the technology industry did not shy away experimenting other formats, too, including the dual-screen design. From a new category of smartphones doubling up as tablets, to just smartphones with the same qualities, phone makers explored different avenues to market their first foldable devices. Business Standard takes a look at what the 2019 had in store insofar as foldable devices are concerned:

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Samsung Galaxy FoldThe world’s first foldable device, the Galaxy Fold, is the only bendable smartphone that is currently available for purchase in India. Pitched as a new category of smartphones with foldable screens, the phone has two displays — a 7.3-inch dynamic AMOLED foldable display that bends inwards, and a conventional 4.6-inch secondary super AMOLED display on the back that becomes primary display when the device is folded. The device supports the app continuity feature, which allows easy transition between both displays. The bigger screen also supports three-window multitasking, allowing you to utilise a bigger screen estate to open three different supported apps.

Huawei Mate X

Unlike the Galaxy Fold, the Mate X has a single screen that folds outwards. When folded, the mobile device has a screen on both sides – one active at a time. When unfolded, the screen stretches to cover the entire front. The screen supports dual-window for multi-tasking. The device is 5G-ready and has an 8-inch display of 2200 x 2480p resolution. Though the Huawei Mate X was unveiled earlier this year, its India launch got delayed due to various reasons, including the company’s on-going tussle with the US administration.

Motorola Razr

Motorola Razr, Moto RazrTaking forward the legacy of the Moto Razr flip-phone, the new Motorola Razr boasts a clamshell design with two screens. In the folded form, the phone’s smaller touchscreen on the front allows you to interact with app notifications, music controls, camera functions, and more. Unfold the phone and its primary bendable touchscreen comes into play. The device does not claim to be anything more than a smartphone, in either folded or unfolded state. According to Motorola, the Razr is a pocket-ready size of a flip-phone that fits comfortably on your palm in both folded and unfolded states. The Motorola Razr's India launch is expected soon.

Year in review: From Xiaomi to Vivo, best midrange smartphones of 2019

Best Midrange smartphones of 2019: The midrange phone segment became the battleground for most smartphone manufacturers in 2019. As a result, it became one of the most populated smartphone categories of the year, with several launches. It was this category that also became the playground for phone makers to roll out their technology innovations with regard to imaging – one of the features that grew to become a key defining parameter in most smartphones of 2019. From premium designs to versatile imaging, midrange smartphones launched in 2019 were full of surprises and technology innovations.

Business Standard lists top five best sub-Rs 25,000 smartphones that were launched in 2019:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

Redmi Note 8 ProThis was one of the most comprehensive smartphone ones in the midrange segment could get this year. From 64-megapixel quad rear cameras to a gaming-centric processor and fast-charge support, the phone has everything that you expect in an affordable-premium smartphone. It also boasts some premium features, including an HDR screen, splash-resistant design and Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back which make it an all-round phone in its segment.

Build Display Processor Battery Camera Launch price

Glass 6.53-inch LCD fullHD+

Gorilla Glass 5

HDR Mediatek Helio G90T 4,500 mAh Rear: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP

Front: 20MP Starts at Rs 14,999

Realme XT

Realme XTThe Realme XT was the first smartphone from the young and ambitious Chinese mobile phone brand Realme to boast a 64-megapixel quad-camera set-up on the back. Moreover, it also has a large super AMOLED screen, high-capacity battery with fast-charge support, feature-rich user interface with dedicated system-wide dark mode, and premium glass construction with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back.

Build Display Processor Battery Camera Launch price

Glass 6.4-inch sAMOLED fullHD+

Gorilla Glass 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 4000 mAh Rear: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP

Front: 16MP Starts at Rs 15,999

Motorola One Vision

Motorola One VisionThe Motorola One Vision is not like other smartphones you get in the midrange segment. It has an unconventional but multimedia-centric screen that has a tall aspect ratio and punch-hole to accommodate the front camera. Moreover, it is the first phone from Motorola to boast a 48MP dual-camera module on the back. Besides, it is one of the few phones that boot the stock Android operating system and come with the Android One promise of up to three years of security updates and two years of OS upgrades. Aimed at multimedia enthusiasts and shutter bugs, the phone is one of the most balanced in the segment.

Build Display Processor Battery Camera Launch price

Polycarbonate 6.3-inch LCD fullHD+

21:9 aspect ratio

Punch Hole

Corning Gorilla Glass Exynos 9609 3500 mAh Rear: 48MP + 5MP

Front: 25MP Starts at Rs 19,999

Vivo Z1Pro

Vivo Z1ProThe Vivo Z1 Pro has a bit of everything for everyone. The smartphone boasts a triple-camera set-up on the back, punch-hole display on the front, a high-capacity battery with fast-charge support and a glass-like premium gradient design. The phone has a decent performance, too. The Vivo Z1 Pro might not be an all-rounder but it has some strength in all departments and that makes it a versatile phone in the midrange segment.

Build Display Processor Battery Camera Launch price

Polycarbonate 6.53-inch LCD fullHD+

Punch Hole Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 5000 mAh Rear: 16MP + 8MP + 2MP

Front: 32MP Starts at Rs 14,990

Samsung Galaxy A50s

Samsung Galaxy A50sSamsung launched multiple devices in the budget and midrange segments this year, and the Galaxy A50s is one of the company’s midrange smartphones with 48MP triple-camera set-up on the back. Besides, the phone has a premium design, U-shaped notch screen, refined user interface with system-wide dark mode and ample internal storage. The phone is an all-round performer that impresses with its premium build, versatile rear-camera module, decent performance and capable multimedia features.

Global smartphone market falls 0.4% in Q3 due to weak demand: Gartner

Global sales of smartphones to end users continued to fall in the third quarter (Q3) of 2019, contracting by 0.4 per cent compared with Q3 of 2018, as demand remained weak because consumers became more concerned about getting value for money, a new report by Gartner Inc. said on Tuesday.

Despite the decline, Huawei was the only one of the top-five global smartphone vendors to achieve double-digit growth in the sales in Q3, 2019. The company sold 65.8 million smartphones, which is an increase of 26 per cent, year over year.

Its performance in China was the key driver of its global smartphone sales growth. It sold 40.5 million smartphones in China and increased its share of the country's market by almost 15 percentage points.

However, Apple recorded another double-digit decline in sales, year over year.

"For the majority of smartphone users, desire has shifted away from owning the least expensive smartphone. Today's smartphone user is opting for mid tier smartphones over premium-tier ones because they offer better value for money.

"In addition, while waiting for 5G network coverage to increase to more countries, smartphone users are delaying their purchase decisions until 2020," Anshul Gupta, Senior Research Director at Gartner, said in a statement.

This shift has led brands such as Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo to strengthen their entry-level and mid tier portfolios.

This strategy helped Huawei, Samsung and Oppo grow in Q3, 2019.

Samsung maintained the top 1 position globally in Q3, 2019, by increasing its smartphone sales by 7.8 per cent, year over year.

"Samsung's aggressive revamp of its portfolio, with a focus on midtier and entry-tier segments, strengthened its competitive position," noted Gupta.

While the ban on Huawei to access key US technologies is yet to be fully implemented as a three-month extension was just announced, the proposed ban brought negativity around Huawei' brand in the international market.

Nevertheless, Huawei's strong ecosystem in China continued to show growth.

The current situation with the US has also fostered patriotism among its partners, which are now keener to promote its smartphones in China -- a development that makes it difficult for local competitors to compete aggressively against Huawei.

Apple's iPhone sales continued to decline i Q3, 2019 and it sold 40.8 million iPhones, a year-over-year decline of 10.7 per cent.

"Although Apple continued its sales promotion and discounts in various markets, this was not enough to stimulate demand globally. In the Greater China market sales of iPhones continued to improve, however, it follows a double-digit decline recorded at the beginning of the year," added Gupta.

At a time of limited technology-led innovation, product managers should focus on offering attractive features at low prices as quickly as possible. By offering better value for money, they can increase demand for smartphones, Gartner said.

The Nubia Red Magic 3S is for the flamboyant gamer, never mind the camera

Smartphones are running out of differentiators. The current line of premium smartphones is piggybacking on the assumption that their most innovative — and impractical — design language speaks to everyone alike. A metallic chassis sandwiched between glass panels on both sides has become too common to be called innovative.

This is why every once in a while, when a phone tries to break this stereotype, it catches my attention. The recently launched gaming phone from Nubia, the Red Magic 3S, has spent more than a few days in my hands as an entertainment device, also fiddling with coins and keys in my pocket and capturing the sun and the seas in a new country. Here’s what it can do.

Design 4.5/5

The Red Magic 3S is a performance upgrade of its predecessor. So it gets the same 6.65-inch HDR AMOLED display with a tall 19:5:9 aspect ratio in a similar design. The phone is almost as long as my face so I find my eyes running up and down on the screen far too often, unless I hold it at a distance. But turn it horizontally and the ultra-wide screen is near-perfect for gaming and streaming videos. The phone weighs about 215 gm, making it heavier than the iPhone 11 (194 gm), the OnePlus 7T (206 gm) but lighter than its gaming rival ASUS ROG Phone II (240 gm). It’s an important consideration if you spend many hours in bed holding the phone above your face. The phone gets an even top and bottom notch (border), which does not interfere with full-screen videos and gaming.

The Red Magic 3S, just like the Red Magic 3, has a metallic unibody that does not need a back cover to protect it. The predominantly red back fading into purple towards the bottom, the LED light strip in the centre, a hexagonal camera and a hard-to-miss illuminating Red Magic logo are, in fact, meant to be flaunted.

chartPerformance 3.5/5

A gaming phone is naturally good at multitasking. The Snapdragon 855+ System-on-Chip that powers the Red Magic 3S is the best Android processor in the market today. The 12GB RAM, Adreno 640 graphics and 256GB Universal Flash Storage 3.0 and a cooling fan (yes, just like the one in your computers) make the phone perform faster without accumulating excess heat.

In terms of speed, the Red Magic 3S is at par with ROG II and the OnePlus 7T. However, its stock Android 9 (Pie) interface with minor upgrades is unimaginative. OnePlus and ASUS deliver a more premium user experience.

chartThe 3S has a massive 5,000mAh battery in comparison to the ROG Phone II’s even bigger 6,000mAh pack. Both phones easily accomplish a day’s heavy lifting with at least two hours of gaming. The 3S comes with a loud, clean dual-speaker and two shoulder triggers (touch-sensitive buttons) for gamers. But when not engaged in gaming, the 3S easily lasts two days on a single charge.

The 48-megapixel primary camera on the 3S has finally got an essential AI upgrade. The pictures look more natural with a good reproduction of colours, which begs the question: why didn’t Nubia include a wide-angle lens to make it a package. At a time when phones are the new DSLRs for a whole generation, this, and the lack of a portrait mode, are two big misses.

The 16-megapixel selfie camera that tends to artificially brighten up subjects fades before the likes of iPhone 8, OnePlus 6, the Google Pixel 3 and their upgrades.

Verdict 4/5

Nubia Red Magic 3S is delightfully designed and immensely powerful. The Red Magic 3S, at Rs 35,999, needs nothing more than some UI and camera upgrades to find a place among the best mid-level premium devices. But the gamer in you might not want to think so much.

Top 5 camera smartphones with the most exciting imaging capabilities

Cameras in smartphones have come a long way since their introduction. The first-generation camera phones had VGA sensors, which might seem underwhelming by today’s standards, but they sparked the ‘camera phone’ trend while also setting the stage for future camera smartphones. The advances in the field of imaging and optics has also transformed the mobile camera experience, and the current-generation smartphones go beyond the regular point-and-shoot imaging.

Business Standard lists the best five camera-centric smartphones based on their imaging capabilities:

#1. Huawei P30 Pro

Top 5 camera smartphones with the most exciting imaging capabilities In the past couple of years, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has been at the forefront of imaging-related innovations. The company’s 2019 P-series flagship, the Huawei P30 Pro, is an imaging powerhouse that cuts no corners in providing the best photography and videography experience. For starters, the phone has a quad-camera module on the back tuned by imaging experts at Leica. It is this phone that introduced 5x optical, 10x hybrid lossless and 50x zoom (digital) capabilities to smartphones. And these remain unmatched by any smartphone at present — except the Oppo Reno’s 10x Zoom. Besides, the phone’s camera is an efficient performer in all lighting conditions, and its multiple sensor-based quad-camera module is a versatile set-up ideal for capturing any scene.

Key specifications

Display: 6.47-inch AMOLED | Processor: Kirin 980 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB | Rear camera: 40MP+20MP+8MP+ToF | Front camera: 32MP | Battery: 4,200 mAh

Price: Rs 71,990

#2. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus This phone is a first in Samsung’s Galaxy S-series to boast a triple-camera module on the back, and a dual camera set-up on the front. The phone’s primary camera in the rear triple-camera module boasts a variable aperture lens (1.5-2.4) which proves useful to those who like tinkering around with phones’ profession mode for granular control over camera settings. Also, the rear camera features a telephoto lens for 2x zoom and an ultra-wide lens for landscape photography. What’s more, if you wonder, the phone is an industry-first product capable of recording videos in HDR10+ format which optimises contrast and colour of each scene for dynamic HDR meta detailing.

Key specifications

Display: 6.4-inch dynamic AMOLED | Processor: Exynos 9820 | RAM: up to 12GB | Storage: up to 1TB | Rear camera: 12MP+12MP+16MP | Front camera: 10MP+8MP | Battery: 4,100 mAh

Price: Starts at Rs 73,900

#3. Oppo Reno 10x Zoom

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom This is the only smartphone other than the Huawei P30 Pro to have a periscope telephoto lens capable of 5x optical zoom, 10x lossless zoom and 50x digital zoom. Besides, its triple-camera set-up on the back features a high-resolution sensor with quad Bayer technology and optically stabilised lenses, besides an ultra-wide angle lens for landscape photography. Other than that, the phone also has a shark-fin-inspired front camera module (featuring a 16MP sensor of f/2.0 aperture) which comes out from the top.

Key specifications

Display: 6.6-inch AMOLED | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | RAM: up to 8GB | Storage: up to 256GB | Rear camera: 48MP+8MP+13MP | Front camera: 16MP | Battery: 4,065 mAh

Price: Starts at Rs 39,990

#4. Google Pixel 3

Google Pixel 3 This phone does not have a multiple-sensor camera module, but its single-sensor camera is powered by Google’s imaging algorithms, which make photography convenient and fun. This is one of the camera phones that take perfect portraits with enhanced bokeh effect (background blur) for a clear distinction between background and the object. The camera also boasts a dedicated night mode that turns under-lit frames into bright and clear shots.

Key specifications

Display: 5.5-inch OLED | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: up to 128GB | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 8MP+8MP | Battery: 2,915 mAh

Price: Starts at Rs 49,999

#5. OnePlus 7 Pro

OnePlus 7 Pro camera OnePlus’ first premium offering, the OnePlus 7 Pro, has a triple-camera module on the back and a motorised pop-up selfie camera module accommodating the front camera. Since its launch, the phone has received several firmware upgrades to improve its overall performance and also enhance it imaging. Now, the phone’s rear camera module seems to be a capable unit that delivers consistently, irrespective of scene demands or lighting conditions.

Key specifications

Display: 6.67-inch AMOLED | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | RAM: up to 12GB | Storage: up to 256GB | Rear camera: 48MP+8MP+16MP | Front camera: 16MP | Battery: 4,000 mAh

Price: Starts at Rs 48,999

Xiaomi Redmi 7A review: An excellent choice for first-time smartphone users

From entry-level budget smartphones to power-packed flagships, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi now has a product in every price band at the lower end of the spectrum — up to Rs 20,000 that is. However, the company’s India story has a lot riding on its affordable smartphones. Therefore, before announcing its premium K20-series in India, the company has refreshed its entry-level Redmi A-series with the launch of the Redmi 7A.

Design and display

The phone has a plastic unibody that covers the entire back and sides. The back side has a minimal design with vertically aligned single camera and LED flash on the top-left corner, followed by “AI Camera” text below it, and the Redmi branding on the lower left side. The front looks identical to the predecessor with a 5.45-inch screen of an HD+ resolution, stretched in an 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen is responsive and has a good contrast, but abysmal brightness hampers sunlight legibility.

Xiaomi Redmi 7A The screen has limited bezels on the sides and thick ones at the top and bottom. The top bezel area accommodates earpiece, notification LED, sensors and front camera, and the bottom bezel has a Redmi branding embossed on it. From the design perspective, the Redmi 7A is not a major update over its predecessor. Nonetheless, it looks decent and first-time smartphone buyers would appreciate it for its minimalist no-frills design.

Xiaomi Redmi 7AXiaomi Redmi 7ACamera

The Redmi 7A has a 12-megapixel camera on the back, with the Sony IMX486 sensor, and a 5MP camera on the front for selfies. While the rear camera is good for a phone that costs only Rs 5,999, the front camera could have been better. The rear camera takes decent shots in good light conditions, and it has an autoHDR mode that also does a reasonable job in capturing highlights and shadow details. The front camera, on the other hand, is good only for daylight selfies.

Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto modeXiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto modeXiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto modeXiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto modeXiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto mode Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Auto mode The camera interface is basic, but loaded with several modes and tools, including photo filters and the pro mode. The front camera supports the depth mode, which works decently in good light conditions. Both the cameras, however, struggle in lowlight conditions and require a steady hand to capture still photos.

Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Low light (AutoHDR) Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: Low light (AutoHDR)Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: HDR Xiaomi Redmi 7A camera sample: HDRPerformance

The Redmi 7A is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 system-on-chip, which features an octacore processor (it operates at the frequency of up to 2.0GHz) paired with the Adreno 505 graphic processing unit (GPU) that operates at a frequency of up to 650MHz. The phone comes in two variants – 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, and 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. The former variant, which has been reviewed here, has around 9GB of free storage, which gets reduced to around 7GB after updating the phone’s apps. Thankfully, the phone comes with a dedicated microSD card slot, which allows storage expansion to up to 256GB.

MIUI 10 UI: (L-R) Swipe up gesture activates Google Assistant | Installed Bloatware MIUI 10 UI: (L-R) Swipe up gesture activates Google Assistant | Installed BloatwareMIUI 10 UI: (L-R) Notification area | About page MIUI 10 UI: (L-R) Notification area | About page The phone boots the Android Pie operating system-based MIUI 10 user interface. The UI is loaded with bloatware, which is another reason for low internal storage. While some of them can be uninstalled, most of them are part of MIUI and stay installed on the phone. The MIUI has repeatedly been criticised for allowing advertisements, and there is no respite from ads in the Redmi 7A. They keep popping up inside apps, and in the notification area, besides other places. And it does not go well with the otherwise capable and sleek interface.

Powering the phone is a 4,000 mAh battery that keeps the show going for around two days. Though the phone supports 10W fast-charging, it unfortunately comes bundled with a 5W charger that takes around three hours to charge the battery.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 5,999, the Redmi 7A is a well-packaged product in the entry-level smartphone segment. For first-time smartphone users, the Redmi 7A is excellent! Consider this phone for its splash resistant build, minimal design, capable cameras, and decent performance. Besides, the phone comes with two years’ warranty, which makes it a good investment.

Honor 20 review: Consider it for imaging, premium design, sleek performance

Even as Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has been in the middle of a crisis because of an ongoing tussle with the US administration, its sub-brand Honor recently introduced the Honor 20-series in India. The smartphones in the series – the Honor 20 Pro, Honor 20 and Honor 20i (review) – were lopoked at with some doubt at the time, especially as there were questions over the phones’ future software and security updates from Google.

Addressing the concern, Honor issued a statement and assured that the phones would indeed receive Android Q and security updates. Also, the US administration recently softened its position on the matter and allowed Google to license Android to Huawei. Now that the whole Huawei-Google situation seems to have been resolved, it is time we found out how the series’ midrange smartphone, the Honor 20, fares on key parameters. Here is our review:

Design

The Honor 20 has a no-frills design with a glass body and a metallic chassis. Like other Honor-branded smartphones, this phone’s back is covered with a curved reflective glass that renders different colour hues and shapes when exposed to light and looked at from angles. The reflective glass properties are more prominent in the blue variant than the black one that we reviewed.

Honor 20 The phone’s front is dominated by a punch-hole screen, which adds to both style and substance. The capacitive fingerprint sensor placed under the power button on the right side of the chassis along with the volume rocker keys, also adds up to the phone’s functionality without compromising its minimal design language.

Display

The Honor 20 sports a 6.26-inch fullHD+ screen, stretched in a tall 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The screen has a punch-hole design on the top-left corner accommodating a 32-megapixel front-facing camera. The display looks vibrant and has good sunlight legibility. The punch-hole is tiny and it does not cause any major obstruction to the on-screen content. The screen is a delight for everyday use but not perfect for gaming and videos. Thankfully, the phone has Widevine L1 certification; its screen can utilise its native resolution to render content available on over-the-top platforms in high definition.

Camera

The Honor 20 has a quad-camera module on the back, featuring a 48-megapixel primary sensor of an f/1.8 aperture, a 16MP ultra-wide lens of a 117-degree field of view, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, the phone has a 32MP selfie camera placed inside the punch-hole on the screen.

Honor 20 camera sample: Auto scene detection Honor 20 camera sample: Auto scene detectionHonor 20 camera sample: Low light Honor 20 camera sample: Low lightHonor 20 camera sample: AI ultra clarity mode Honor 20 camera sample: AI ultra clarity mode From landscape to macro shots and low-light photography, the Honor 20’s camera covers a wide spectrum of imaging. The phone’s 48MP primary sensor is a capable one that takes mesmerising shots irrespective of lighting condition.

The ultra-wide lens comes in handy while taking scintillating landscape shots with good details and natural colours. The super macro lens completes the package with its ability to take really close-up shots (4cm), which come out with satisfactory details. Had there also been a telephoto lens for optical zoom, the Honor 20 would have been an all-round camera phone in its segment.

Honor 20 camera sample: Ultra-wide Honor 20 camera sample: Ultra-wideHonor 20 camera sample: Macro Honor 20 camera sample: MacroPerformance

The Honor 20 is powered by Huawei’s flagship-grade Kirin 980 system-on-chip, mated with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The phone’s performance is smooth. It handles regular day-to-day operations and processor-intensive tasks, such as multitasking and multimedia editing, without a glitch. The phone comes with Huawei’s GPU Turbo 3.0 technology, which improves in-gaming performance by keeping the frame rates consistent and graphics' rendering smooth. However, the phone is susceptible to thermal issues: the phone’s body temperature rises making it so warm that holding and operating begins to get uncomfortable.

While the phone’s performance is top-notch, it is marred by its Magic 2.1 user interface, a heavily customised theme that covers the phone’s default Android Pie operating system. The user interface is an improvement over the company’s previous UI iteration, EMUI. However, it still comes preinstalled with lots of bloatware. The RAM management is also iffy and the phone abruptly closes background apps to clear up resources.

Battery

Powering the phone is a 3,750 mAh battery, which supports Huawei SuperCharge technology (20W) through the supplied charger. The battery keeps the show going for around a day. The on-battery time is on a par with what most smartphones in the same segment – 9-11 hours that is. Charging is quick and the battery takes around one-and-a-half hours to go from zero to 100 per cent.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 32,999, the Honor 20 is a mixed bag of hits and misses. The phone would have been an undisputed winner if it had an optimised user interface with no pre-installed bloatware, besides telephoto lens for optical zoom, better display and no thermal issues. However, you can consider this phone for its imaging competence, premium design, sleek performance and decent on-battery time.