Sony Xperia XA1, XA1 Ultra Coming to Canada in Next Few Months

If you're a fan of Sony smartphones, then we have some good news for you today. According to a report, the Sony Xperia XA1 and Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra will arrive in Canada soon. The Sony Xperia XA1 will be available starting May 5 from Videotron and from May 12 onwards from Freedom Mobile. As for the Ultra version, it will land with both carriers on June 22. At the moment pricing specifications are unknown, but we'll update you as soon as the information becomes available for us. Both smartphones were introduced back at MWC 2017 in Barcelona with the Xperia XA1 being the most advanced of the two. The device features a 6-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 367ppi, while the standard Xperia XA1 offers only a 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution and 294 ppi. Both versions take advantage of a MediaTek Helio P20 octa-core processor clocked at 2.3GH, but the Ultra carriers 4GB of RAM with 32GB/64GB of internal storage, while its little brother has only 3GB and 32GB of internal storage. The duo features a microSD card slot which facilitates memory expansion up to 256GB. When it comes to photography, both phones feature a 23-megapixel 1/2.3 Exmor RS sensor with hybrid autofocus. The base model has an 8-megapixel selfie snapper with autofocus, while the Ultra version comes with a better 16-megapixel with optical image stabilization and autofocus. The two Xperias run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. [Mobile Syrup]   The post Sony Xperia XA1, XA1 Ultra Coming to Canada in Next Few Months appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Samsung Develops App to Prevent Distracted Driving

Distracted driving due to smartphone usage has become one of the most common causes of car accidents. In a bid to prevent drivers from focusing on their smartphone while driving, Samsung announced a new app called In-Traffic Reply. What this app basically does is prevent you from picking up any calls or replying to messages while in transit. Thanks to the smartphone's sensors, the app will be able to tell when a user is driving and will send automatic replies to any callers trying to reach him/her. In-Traffic Reply will send out messages like "I'm driving, so I can't answer at the moment", but users can customize it anyway they please – even adding a few fun animations. The app is being developed by Samsung Netherlands, following a recent PanelWizard study which found that approximately one third of Dutch drivers use a smartphone while driving a car or riding a bike. The app is currently still in beta, but it should make it out into the Google Play Store in mid-May. While the app does not completely lock the smartphone while the user is driving, it might be quick enough to respond to a call or text before the driver has the chance to reach for the phone. [Samsung] The post Samsung Develops App to Prevent Distracted Driving appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 7R Will Sell for a Lot of Money

A few months ago we heard of Samsung's alleged plans of sell refurbished Galaxy Note7 units in emerging markets. Well it seems the Korean tech giant is actually going through with it, but the refurbished model won't make it on markets like India or the Philippines. According to a report from ETNews, the new version dubbed Galaxy Note 7R will be sold in South Korea come this July. We're also told the device will be sold for approximately $841 CAD. The refurbished unit is 29% cheaper than the original product which sold for approx. $1,186 CAD in the country. However, that does not make the Galaxy Note 7R cheap – far from it. It remains to be seen whether brand loyalists are actually going to go ahead and buy the refurbished device, when they could be getting a new phone instead. The Galaxy Note 7R will ship with a smaller battery than the 3,500 mAh power house which originally powered the entrails of the Note7, which will hopefully makes it safe to use. We don't expect Samsung to start selling the refurbished units in the Canada or the US, but who knows. If the strategy proves successful, Samsung might want to eventually bring out the second Note7 to other markets. [ETNews] The post Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 7R Will Sell for a Lot of Money appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

BlackBerry KEYone Pre-Orders in Canada Start May 18

You might remember that at CES 2017, TLC and BlackBerry introduced the KEYone smartphone. Now in late April, the handset is yet to start shipping to customers across the world. However, we do have some good news for you. The Canadian company announced the phone will make its way into Canada soon. Customers will be able to pre-order the smartphone come May 18 from Bell, Bell MTS, Rogers, SaskTel and Telus. Pricing starts at $199 on a two-year term. The BlackBerry KEYone will ship out to customers with a full QWERTY keyboard and a 4.5-inch display with 1080 x 1620 resolution and 433 ppi. In term of processors, the phone takes advantage of one of Qualcomm's middle range chipsets, the Snapdragon 625 with Adreno 506 GPU. The product is offered with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, with the possibility to add up to 256GB via a microSD card slot. The new KEYone also comes equipped with a 12-megapixel main camera with f/2.0, phase detection autofocus and dual-LED flash plus an 8-megapixel selfie snapper with f/2.2. The phone will ship with Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box and a 3,505 mAh battery which should ensure the device has a decent recharging cycle. [Mobile Syrup] The post BlackBerry KEYone Pre-Orders in Canada Start May 18 appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Huawei Watch 2 Not Available in Canada, But You Can Still Buy it

While Huawei already stated it has no plans of bringing the Huawei Watch 2 in Canada, customers in the country can nevertheless, purchase the device. The smartwatch is available on newegg.ca for $399.99 CAD. Although the listing mentions the wearable will ship from its US counterpart. The wearable is offered in Black (Standard) and Gray (Classic) and both versions are available with a 45mm diameter. The Huawei Watch 2 boasts an AMOLED display with impressive 390 x 390-pixel resolution. It has a 420 mAh battery optimized to deliver longer life, so it can last up to 2 days of normal use. When in training mode with the heart rate and GPS mode on, the wearable can last up to 10 hours. Despite original reports hinting towards the Huawei Watch 2 featuring a SIM card slot, at the time of the wearable's US launch, no mention was made of it. And even if the product would have had a SIM card slot, Canadian customers wouldn't be able to use it anyway. The Huawei Watch runs Android Wear 2.0 out of the box and gives users access to Google Assistant and Android Pay. Would you fancy the new, stylish yet sporty Huawei Watch 2? [Newegg] The post Huawei Watch 2 Not Available in Canada, But You Can Still Buy it appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Freedom Mobile Now Offers Wi-Fi Calling

Freedom Mobile is delivering what was promised back when it announced it was re-branding from Wind Mobile – and that's Wi-Fi calling. Wi-Fi calling is currently available for all Freedom Mobile post-paid plan holders with a compatible device. Speaking of which, for now only LG V20 users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. Also keep in mind that the device in question needs to be purchased from Freedom Mobile and not from somewhere else. What's the big fuss around Wi-Fi calling? In addition to offering customers a cheaper alternative to their phone plans, one of the main benefits phones with Wi-Fi calling is that they seamlessly switch between cellular and Wi-Fi when needed. It also means if you're in an area with spotty network coverage–Wi-Fi can save you. Basically instead of using a carrier's network connection, users can make phone calls via a Wi-Fi network. That could mean you can rely on a Wi-Fi connection you have at home, or simply any Wi-Fi hotspot available in town. Freedom Mobile currently has a limited portfolio of devices which includes the LG V20, ZTE Grand X 4, Samsung Galaxy A5 and LG G6, as well as the new Samsung Galaxy S8. That's because the carrier is using the Band 66 LTE which is yet to be widely deployed worldwide. Nevertheless, these models might also get Wi-Fi calling under Freedom in the near future. [Freedom Mobile] The post Freedom Mobile Now Offers Wi-Fi Calling appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

Samsung and LG Already Working on a True Bezeless Display

We've seen a few so-called bezeless smartphones arrive on the market including the Galaxy S8, LG G6 or Xiaomi Mi MIX. However, all the models mentioned above aren't exactly true bezeless smartphones, because they still retain at least a pretty thick lower bezel. But in the near future, we might get to see true bezeless smartphone make an appearance into the world. According to reports that have appeared online, both Samsung and LG are working on smartphone products which feature curved displays on all four sides. This translates into these future phones having a 98% percent screen-to-body ratio. When it launched the Mi MIX, Xiaomi said the phone features a 91.3% screen-to-body ratio, so we can only begin to image how a 98% one might end up looking like. However, the report does say that LG and Samsung are facing some difficulties in producing such displays including issues with the lamination process. The current lamination standard doesn't allow the display's four corner to register a user's touch, thus making them quite useless – at least in this experimental phase. According to the information at hand, Samsung is looking to show a prototype of such a display early next year. But don't hold your breath, true bezeless smartphones are still far from becoming a consumer product. [Android Authority] The post Samsung and LG Already Working on a True Bezeless Display appeared first on Android in Canada Blog. Android Match ae http://androidmatch.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default