Panasonic to launch sub-Rs 5,000 feature phones

NEW DELHI: In a bid to strengthen its position in the Indian mobile phone market, Japanese electronics major Panasonic plans to come out with devices below Rs 5,000 by November this year.

The company has already launched four premium smartphone models since May, when it entered into the domestic market and aims to achieve a market share of 8% in first year.

"Panasonic is conscious of the market and demand for phones priced below Rs 5,000. Considering the same, we plan to come out with a feature phones below Rs 5,000 by November this year," Panasonic India managing director Manish Sharma said.

He said there is tremendous potential in the Indian smartphone market and the company is ready to invest more. "We have already launched four premium models since our entry into smartphone market and we will continue to offer a wide range of phones. We are looking at budget phones and may introduce them following up on these launches," Sharma said.

The company had launched its first quad-core smartphone Panasonic P51 for Rs 26,900 in May. This month, it came out with three new models in the price range of Rs 9,790 to Rs 16,490. "Our phones are targeted at the young generation, which is always on the lookout for better, faster and savvier smartphones on the go. The phones are apt for the always-on- the-go college youth and the premium executive class," Sharma added.

Samsung copies Apple, announces gold Galaxy S4

NEW DELHI: It seems after witnessing the craze for the recently launched gold editions of the iPhone 5S, Samsung has also decided to tread the golden path. The South Korean smartphone giant has announced that it is bringing in two gold colour models of its flagship smartphone Galaxy S4. 

Nokia Lumia 1020: First impressions

NEW DELHI: Nokia has unveiled the Lumia 1020 smartphone in India though it is yet to announce the price tag. The manufacturer showed off many of the camera features and technologies that go into the phone at a media event on Thursday, but refused to divulge the price. While potential customers will be able to buy the smartphone on October 11, we got to spend some time with it at the event. Here are our first impressions of the Nokia Lumia 1020:

Twitter launches emergency alerts for smartphones

SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter, which is preparing for its initial public offering, said it will help users receive special alerts from government agencies and aid agencies during emergencies. 

Samsung working on cheaper Galaxy Note 3: Report

NEW DELHI: Samsung recently unveiled itsGalaxy Note 3 phablet, which has been priced at Rs 49,900 in the Indian market. Fans who feel dismayed by the exorbitant price tag of the new handset can take heart from rumours that a cheaper version of the device is in the offing. 

iPhone 5S available for Rs one lakh in grey market

NEW DELHI: Apple has not launched the iPhone 5S or 5C in India. But you can still buy one. The catch: You have to shell out big bucks for these devices. To be precise, the asking rate for the basic model of the iPhone 5S is between Rs 65,000 and Rs 1,00,000, depending on who you ask, and in which city.

Narendra Modi-themed SmartNamo phones launched

NEW DELHI: A Gujarat-based group has launched two Narendra Modi-themed smartphones in India, named SmartNamo Saffron One and SmartNamo Saffron Two. The two smartphones are now available for pre-order at e-commerce website Snapdeal for an initial booking amount of Rs 999.

6 hot Android phones under Rs 7,000

The line between feature phones and smartphones is slowly blurring. Today, it is possible to find mobile devices in budget pricing that are equipped with dual-core processors, 4-inch touchscreens; promising you web browsing, social networking, casual gaming and even HD entertainment. But do these deliver? Ashutosh Desai, Savio D'Souza & Javed Anwer review six such handsets to help you make a buying decision...

Nokia launches 108, 108 Dual SIM budget camera phones

NEW DELHI: With an eye on people wanting to buy their first-ever camera phone, Finnish handset maker Nokia has unveiled the Nokia 108 and the Nokia 108 Dual SIM, priced at $29 (excluding taxes). 

"There remains a huge segment of the global population that has yet to own a camera phone. For the next billion people and beyond, we aim to bring new mobile experiences to ever-lower price points. 

"Nokia 108 and Nokia 108 Dual SIM are examples of this commitment," Nokia's executive vice president for mobile phones, Timo Toikkanen said in a statement. 

The Nokia 108 and Nokia 108 Dual SIM have VGA camera and bear a recommended retail price of $29, excluding taxes and subsidies are expected to start shipping in last quarter of this year, the statement said. 

Though there are many camera phones below this price range but these two models are the first from Nokia in this price range. 

Both the Nokia phone models have expandable storage of up to 32GB. The standby time for Nokia 108 single sim models is up to 31 days and up to 25 days for the Nokia 108 Dual SIM.

Samsung launches Galaxy Note 3 at Rs 49,990 in India

NEW DELHI: Just two weeks after the global announcement of Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Note 3, Samsung launched the two devices in India. While the Galaxy Note 3 has been priced at Rs 49,900 , the Galaxy Gear, which is a smartwatch, will be sold at a price of Rs 22,990. Note 3 and Gear will be available to consumers on September 25, though they can preorder it after paying Rs 2,000 at a web store managed by Samsung. 

Samsung to launch smartphones priced below Rs 15,000 this month

BERLIN: Samsung will launch twosmartphones in India this month for less than Rs 15,000, intensifying competition in themid-segment mobile market. 

The Korean company, which has a 49 per cent share in India's smartphone segment, will offer options in local languages to attract non-English speaking customers. 

Samsung smartphones to soon have 64-bit processors

LONDON: Samsung has reportedly confirmed that its next range of smartphone would feature 64-bit processors. 

This comes amidst Apple's release of its next iPhones featuring A7, 64-bit processors, claimed to offer 'desktop-class architecture'. 

Nokia Lumia 625 review: Bundled goodness

NEW DELHI: Nokia recently launched the Lumia 625 in India, bringing its biggest smartphone to the country. This handset also holds a lot of sentimental value, as it is the last smartphone launched by the Finnish manufacturer before its sale to Microsoft.

The phone matches the specs of key rivals in this segment and does not seem to fall short in most departments, at least on paper, and comes with a host of freebies. Let's see if the sub-Rs 20,000 segment has found a new king, or the Lumia 625 can at best achieve a moderate success in the market. Here's our review to check out the strengths and weaknesses of Lumia 625 and if the phone is worth buying...

NOKIA 625

NEW DELHI: Nokia recently launched the Lumia 625 in India, bringing its biggest smartphone to the country. This handset also holds a lot of sentimental value, as it is the last smartphone launched by the Finnish manufacturer before its sale to Microsoft.

'Cheaper' iPhone 5C may cost Rs 40,000 in India

NEW DELHI: A few months ago when phone analysts started talking about a 'cheap iPhone', there was an indication that Apple would finally launch an affordable iPhone for price-sensitive markets in countries like China and India. Apple did launch a 'cheaper' phone on Tuesday night. But this cheaper phone, called iPhone 5C, is hardly affordable.

The basic model of iPhone 5C, which has hardware similar to iPhone 5 but in a plastic body, will be available for $99 (on contract) in the US. But don't get mistaken by the low price. In India, the device is expected to cost around Rs 40,000.

Apple: iOS7 to be available from September 18

CUPERTINO: Apple says its next mobile operating system, iOS 7, will be available as a free download on September 18.   Craig Federighi, head of software at Apple, said at an event at the company's Cupertino, California, headquarters that "downloading iOS 7 is like getting an all new device."   The new system can be downloaded on the iPhone 4 and later models, as well as on the tablets beginning with the iPad 2.   Apple also says it expects to ship its 700 millionth iOS device next month. Apple CEO Tim Cook predicts that iOS 7 will become the most popular mobile operating system in the world.   The company later launched two new iPhones: iPhone 5S and a cheaper model iPhone 5C.

A7 processor in iPhone 5S not revolutionary: Analyst

NEW DELHI: While introducing iPhone 5S,Apple also introduced the A7, a new processor that powers the phone. This is a successor to the A6 chip found in iPhone 5 and offers almost two times more performance. The A7 is also the world's first 64-bit smartphone processor. 

Fingerprint scanner: The killer feature of iPhone 5S

NEW DELHI: This is one of those occasions when the rumours turned out to be true. There was a talk ahead of the iPhone launch event on September 10 that the high-end Apple phone will come with a fingerprint scanner for added security. Now we know that iPhone 5S indeed packs in a fingerprint scanner, hidden inside its round home button. 

Apple launches iPhone 5S, cheaper 5C

NEW DELHI: Apple has, for the first time, unveiled a cheaper smartphone, named the iPhone 5C. It has almost the same specifications as iPhone 5, which was launched as the company's flagship device last year, but in a plastic body.

Apple's next big thing may be a cheaper iPhone

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple's much-anticipated update to its line-up of iPhones may leave the impression that the technology pioneer's focus has shifted to making more affordable products than engineering innovative breakthroughs. 

In keeping with its tight-lipped ways, Applehasn't disclosed what's on the agenda for the coming-out party scheduled to begin at 10 am PDT at its Cupertino, California, headquarters.