Xiaomi just unveiled the Mi MIX 2 and the Mi Note 3. Last year, the China-based company stunned us with the beautiful, bezel-less Mi MIX phablet. This year, Xiaomi continues to amaze us with the aluminum-clad Mi MIX 2. This time around it has a smaller 6-inch display with an LG G6-like 18:9 aspect ratio and a Full HD+ resolution (2,160 x 1,080 pixels). This made the bottom bezels of the Mi MIX 2 even slimmer, with the front camera still situated at the bottom part. A notable change is the presence of the earpiece above the screen.
Image by Xiaomi
Hardware-wise, the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB of non-expandable storage. It runs Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top. A rather smallish 3,400 mAh battery, which supports Quick Charge 3.0, will keep its lights on. As for the camera, the Mi MIX 2 sports a 12-MP Sony IMX386 primary camera with 4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) and LED flash. Below it is a fingerprint scanner. As for the front-camera, it maxes out at 5-MP. Connectivity-wise, the Mi MIX 2 will support 43 wireless bands, including WCDMA in the US.
Image by Xiaomi
A special edition of the Mi MIX 2 will also be announced, with its entire shell made out of ceramic. It will also have a whopping 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Its price is about $720. The regular Mi MIX 2 variants will retail from $506 to $613 depending on which configuration you get. Initial availability will be limited to China and some neighboring countries.
Image by Xiaomi
Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 also arrived alongside the Mi MIX 2. Covered in glass attached to an aluminum frame, the Mi Note 3 has a 5.5-inch IPS LCD of 1080p Full HD resolution. Ticking inside it is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset with 6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB of non-expandable storage. It runs Android 7 Nougat with MIUI 9 on top and a 3,500 mAh battery keeps its lights on. Unlike the Mi MIX 2, the Mi Note 3 sports a dual camera setup with dual-LED flash. It has two 12-MP primary cameras - one regular sensor with 4K video capture, OIS and phase-detection auto-focus, and another one with 2x telephoto, and a 16-MP selfie camera. It also has a fingerprint scanner, Available in Black and Blue, the Mi Note 3 will retail starting at $444.
In Vietnam, Samsung quietly introduced the Galaxy Tab A (2017) tablet. It has an 8-inch display with a 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution. Under the hood is a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset with 2GB RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. It has a large 5,000 mAh battery and runs the aging Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box.
Image by Samsung
Camera-wise, the Galaxy Tab A (2017) sports an 8-MP primary sensor and a 5-MP secondary sensor. Priced at $285, there's no word yet if it will become available outside of Vietnam.
Sony showcased three new handsets at IFA 2017. These are Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact, and Xperia XA1 Plus. The first of the three is the Sony Xperia XZ1, which doesn't look that much different from its predecessor. It packs a 5.2-inch display of 1080p Full HD resolution with support for HDR. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC with 4GB RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. Its battery capacity, however, is quite small at 2,700 mAh. The good news is that the Xperia XZ1 will ship with the latest Android 8.0 Oreo OS. And like many high-end Xperia smartphones, the XZ1 is water and dust resistant (IP68 certified).
Image by Sony
When it comes to photography, the Xperia XZ1 has the same rear shooter as that of the Xperia XZ and Xperia XZ Premium. That is a 19-MP MotionEye primary camera, which is able to take 960 fps slow-motion video but still no optical image stabilization (OIS). It, however, comes with Sony's SteadyShot technology, which is form of electronic stabilization. Another standout feature of the Xperia XZ1 is 3D Scanning, which will enable the user to capture three-dimensional objects using the camera. These 3D objects can be used in AR effects, social media, video games, and 3D printing.
Image by Sony
The Sony Xperia XZ1 will launch on September 19, 2017 and will become available in four colors: Warm Silver, Moonlit Blue, Venus Pink, and Black. It will set you back $699, which is cheaper than flagship offers by competitors.
Image by Sony
Up next, we have the Xperia XZ1 Compact, which is literally a smaller version of the XZ1. Like the XZ1, it sports the OmniBalance design language of Sony, which is now known for its relatively large bezels. The Xperia XZ1 Compact comes with a 4.6-inch display of a very low 720p HD resolution. It also does not offer support for HDR content. However, like the larger Xperia XZ1, under the hood is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Interestingly, it has the same battery capacity as the Xperia XZ1 at 2,700 mAh so expect it to last longer than its bigger sibling.
Image by Sony
The Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact also has the same camera setup as the XZ1. And like the Xperia XZ1, it will also ship with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. To be available in four colors: Black, White Silver, Twilight Pink, and Blue, the Xperia XZ1 Compact will retail for $599. It will arrive on shelves on October 4, 2017.
Image by Sony
Last among the three is the more affordable midrange smartphone Xperia XA1 Plus. It has a 5.5-inch display of 1080p Full HD resolution. It, however, ditches the Snapdragon processor for an octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. Unlike its flagship siblings, it will only ship with Android 7.0 Nougat. To its advantage, it will be powered by a large 3,430 mAh battery. As for the camera, it packs a 23-MP Exmor RS sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and an 8-MP front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Available in Black, Gold, White, and Blue color options, the Xperia XA1 Plus will hit the shelves on October 20, 2017 for $379.99.
Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy J7+, which is the second Samsung smartphone to feature a dual camera setup. It is clad in aluminum and comes with a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1080p Full HD resolution. Under the hood is an octa-core MediaTek Helio P20 processor with 4GB RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. A modest 3,000 mAh battery will keep its lights on.
Image by Samsung
Regarding the main camera, the Galaxy J7+ packs a primary 13-MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture and a secondary 5-MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture. In front, a 16-MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture is placed. Other features include a rear fingerprint scanner, dual-SIM support, LTE connectivity, and the Bixby Home app. Unlike the other Galaxy J series handsets in the past, the Galaxy J7+ will cost $390, which is quite steep. However, pre-ordering the smartphone will get you a free Samsung U Flex wireless earphones, which normally retail for $75.
Joining the dual camera setup bandwagon is the Moto X4 from Lenovo. Fresh from this year's IFA in Berlin, the glass and metal clad Moto X4 features a 5.2-inch IPS display of 1080p Full HD resolution. Aside from Gorilla Glass protection, the smartphone also features IP68 certification, which makes it water and dust resistant. Ticking inside is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset with 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of expandable storage. A 3,000 mAh battery, which supports Turbo Charging, will keep its lights on.
Image by Lenovo
Speaking of dual camera, the Moto X4 sports a 12-MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and dual pixel auto-focus and another 8-MP ultra-wide angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, capable of delivering shallow depth of field simulation. The dual cameras support phase detection auto-focus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording. There's also a 16-MP front-facing camera on-board with an f/2.0 lens and its own front-facing LED flash. The front camera also features a 4-MP adaptive low-light mode. Connectivity-wise, the Moto X4 comes with LTE-A, dual-SIM support, a fingerprint scanner, 3 speakers, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. Running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, the Moto X4 also has Amazon's Alexa built-in and is accessible via a voice command. Available in two colors: Super Black and Sterling Blue, it will launch in Europe this September 2017 for €399.
