Gaming specific handsets are emerging a new rage in the Indian smartphone market as more and more users flock to popular online multiplayer games such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and Fortnite.
Global players Asus and Nubia are set to bring in their gaming smartphones to the Indian market soon, while Huawei and Oppo have already pitched their high-end devices as gaming handsets, company officials said.
“Youngsters are used to gaming on PCs and they want same high-end capability and experience on phones,” said Dinesh Sharma, mobile business at Asus India. “Globally, the ecosystem is developing fast, and it is being shifted from PC to mobile phones...we see a strong potential in India. We will launch our Asus ROG phone soon in India,” he told ET.
“The tipping point has reached through PUBG game, and people have tasted blood,” Sharma said.
Globally, companies including Asus, Xiaomi, Huawei, Nubia Technology and Razr have come up with their gaming specific handsets to differentiate themselves from the likes of high-end smartphone makers Apple and Samsung with enhanced specs, bigger batteries, and better cooling mechanisms, at comparatively lower price points.
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These firms are looking create a niche in the India where an ever-increasing number of consumers, particularly youngsters, are opting for faster and better performing handsets even if it means paying more than earlier.
“The market is shifting to $250-400 (around Rs 18,000-30,000) price segment where good specifications are being made available,” said Anshika Jain, analyst at Counterpoint Research. “Handset players are targeting youth via smartphones with bigger battery, better processors and additional features,” she said.
Nubia, formerly a sub-brand of China’s ZTE, plans to launch its Red Magic gaming phone in India at around Rs 30,000.
“Globally, Red Magic series by nubia aims at building a community of gamers and gaming enthusiasts,” said Dheeraj Kukreja, marketing director – India at nubia. He said the company aims to create “a similar gaming community in India to attain a leadership position in this category”.
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Kukreja, however, said this community is a niche segment that will be driven by experience and not volume. Analysts said consumer awareness about game availability, device capability and connectivity, coupled with access to high-speed data services at low rates are driving the popularity for graphicrich mobile games in the country.
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While the market for gaming smartphones is negligible now, market research firm CyberMedia Research (CMR) expects it to reach 1.8% of the total smartphone shipments in the country by the end of this calendar year, and possibly reach 6.5% by 2021, driven by the popularity of highly advanced mobile games.
Another study by Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and Kantar IMRB estimates revenue from the mobile games segment to stand at $649 million in 2018, and grow at 9.8% annually from 2018 to 2022, resulting in a market volume of $943 million by 2022.
As per KPMG estimates, more than 33% Indians engage in mobile gaming at least five days a week and for at least half an hour every time they log in.
GPU Turbo, Superfast Charging, & More: Smartphone Technologies Due This Year
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By Karan Bajaj
Phones will keep getting upgraded with newer processors, larger screens, more RAM and more storage. But there are a host of improvements due this year that not many are talking about.
Here are some of the interesting features that should go mainstream soon.
By Karan Bajaj
Phones will keep getting upgraded with newer processors, larger screens, more RAM and more storage. But there are a host of improvements due this year that not many are talking about...
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Vivo has already showcased this technology on two of its devices now, X21 and NEX. They’re currently the only ones offering it, and the scanners use technology from Synaptics. Huwaei sells a phone in China with similar technology called the Porsche Design Huawei Mate RS.
In-screen scanners are not as fast as a (conventional) capacitive fingerprint scanners, so what’s the benefit you may ask. It’s mostly about aesthetics right now — no finger scanner to break up the back panel or take up bezel space on the front panel.
Besides, even traditional capacitive scanners were slow when they first arrived on the scene. It looks like many brands will switch to this kind of scanner soon, at least for the premium models.
Apart from Synaptics, Qualcomm also has a similar in-screen fingerprint scanning technology that uses ultrasonic scanning (it works under both glass and metal, clearly differentiating it from Synaptics).
Vivo has already showcased this technology on two of its devices now, X21 and NEX. They’re currently the only ones offering it, and the scanners use technology from Synaptics. Huwaei sells a phone in..
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Thin and light devices typically have lower battery life — this continues to be one of the major smartphone pain-points.
Granted, there are many fast charging solutions available (OnePlus’ Dash Charging, Oppo’s VOOC charging and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge) but we’re still talking about a charge time of 2 hours to charge a phone fully.
Oppo recently demonstrated a new fast-charging technology called Super VOOC on the limited edition Find X. Super VOOC is capable of charging at 10 volts at 5 Amps (50 watts) and Oppo says it will be able to fully charge a phone battery in under 35 minutes.
We expect to see this fast charging technology in other Oppo devices soon and since OnePlus and Oppo have close ties, you might even see ‘Super DashCharge’ on the next OnePlus smartphone.
Thin and light devices typically have lower battery life — this continues to be one of the major smartphone pain-points.
Granted, there are many fast charging solutions available (OnePlus’ Dash Cha..
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An innovative feature we first saw on the Vivo NEX is soundcasting. This technology uses actuators to vibrate the entire display of the phone, effectively turning it into a speaker and eliminating the need for a conventional earpiece.
Sony has offered similar technology on Bravia OLED TVs but Vivo has managed to miniaturise this to smartphone levels. Removing the earpiece speaker is an important step in being able to remove the notch and bringing in an all-screen design like we now see on the Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X.
There are a few shortcomings of the technology (lower volumes, expensive to implement, doesn’t work well with hearing aids) but there should be solutions to these issues too, letting the tech filter down to mid-range devices.
An innovative feature we first saw on the Vivo NEX is soundcasting. This technology uses actuators to vibrate the entire display of the phone, effectively turning it into a speaker and eliminating t..
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You may have heard of WiFi ac — the current fastest WiFi protocol available on devices. WiFi mc is the next generation of wireless connectivity that enables indoor positioning on handheld devices.
It does this by measuring the time taken for a signal to travel from the access point to your handheld device and back to pinpoint your location. This means that once devices supporting this new protocol are available, you will be able to navigate the insides of a building just like you navigate outside using GPS.
However, for it to work effectively, one needs to install access points throughout the building to properly triangulate location. It could be a game changer for museums, large format stores, malls, hospitals and so on. Google has already announced support for WiFi mc in their next version of Android: Android P.
You may have heard of WiFi ac — the current fastest WiFi protocol available on devices. WiFi mc is the next generation of wireless connectivity that enables indoor positioning on handheld devices.
..
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Both Huawei and Honor have been talking about an upcoming feature called GPU Turbo.
Available later this year on compatible devices via software update, GPU Turbo should do what the name suggests: boost the graphics performance by using hardware+software acceleration.
The company claims that it will improve graphics processing efficiency up to 60% while power consumption is reduced by up to 30%.
What this essentially means that gamers will be able to get smoother frame rates and improved graphics on existing devices while giving you improved battery life at the same time.
The improvements will also help with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. For now, GPU Turbo is available only on Huawei/Honor smartphones, but we expect other brands to follow up with similar innovations soon.
Both Huawei and Honor have been talking about an upcoming feature called GPU Turbo.
Available later this year on compatible devices via software update, GPU Turbo should do what the name suggests: ..
While smartphones may not match PCs and gaming devices in terms of performance, their portability and affordability are making thousands of people play multiplayer online games such as Fortnite and PUBG on smartphones.
While there’s still a significant difference in experience of gaming between high-end PCs and mobile phones, some mobile phone processors are reaching the level of low-end PCs,” said Navkendar Singh, associate director at market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC). “This evolution of tech consumption habits, and advancements in technology, are helping create a market conducive to mobile gaming, which would not have been possible a couple of years ago.”
A recent CMR consumer survey pointed to smartphone emerging as the primary device for gaming, preferred by over 90% of millennials and Gen-Z, overshadowing gaming PCs and other device forms. Internal estimates by CMR point to a significant spike in mobile gaming users with expectations that they will cross 748 million by 2021. “There are two segments of users: serious gamers, and aspirants,” the study said. “While serious gamers play for about four to five hours a day (56%), aspirants play for about an hour or more, through the day (35%).”
These iOS 12 Features Will Change The Way You Use Your Smartphone
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Apple's recently launched operating system is not a radical change from its predecessor, but it introduces new features that could change the way you use your smartphone.
Apple's recently launched operating system is not a radical change from its predecessor, but it introduces new features that could change the way you use your smartphone.
Now you can create a Memoji to match your personality and mood. The Memoji allows you to design your own animated emoji, which can also be controlled by your facial expressions thanks to the combination of iPhones’ extra sensors and updated software. The Animoji options, on the other hand, includes koala, tiger, ghost, T-Rex etc.
Now you can create a Memoji to match your personality and mood. The Memoji allows you to design your own animated emoji, which can also be controlled by your facial expressions thanks to the combinat..
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The iOS 12 makes the older phones like the iPhone 6+ and iPad Air much faster: 40 per cent faster app launches, 50 per cent faster keyboard opening, and almost 70 per cent improvement in opening the camera, according to Apple.
The iOS 12 makes the older phones like the iPhone 6+ and iPad Air much faster: 40 per cent faster app launches, 50 per cent faster keyboard opening, and almost 70 per cent improvement in opening the ..
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A suite of new tools called Screen Time helps you understand and make choices about how much time you are going to spend using apps and websites. You can set the amount of time you and your kids can spend each day on specific apps. Exceptions can also be created for apps you’d like your kids to have access to even during downtime, such as education apps.
A suite of new tools called Screen Time helps you understand and make choices about how much time you are going to spend using apps and websites. You can set the amount of time you and your kids can ..
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The iOS 12 brings a smart manager that’s built-in — iCloud Keychain, which lets you opt for a stronger unique password every time you sign up for a new service (suggested by the program), and syncs across all your Apple devices. It also works with third-party apps. It lets you share and receive passwords from nearby iOS devices.
The iOS 12 brings a smart manager that’s built-in — iCloud Keychain, which lets you opt for a stronger unique password every time you sign up for a new service (suggested by the program), and syncs a..
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When you plug your iPhone into your vehicle with CarPlay, it supports third-party navigation apps, giving you more choices for a familiar experience on the dash while you are driving. iOS 12 for iPad includes updated gestures that make it easier to navigate.
When you plug your iPhone into your vehicle with CarPlay, it supports third-party navigation apps, giving you more choices for a familiar experience on the dash while you are driving. iOS 12 for iPad..
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The messages app can now add filters, stickers, and other fun goodies to your iMessages and texts. Message threads and noti fication topics are grouped together, so it’s easier to see what’s important with just a glance at your iPhone or iPad.
The messages app can now add filters, stickers, and other fun goodies to your iMessages and texts. Message threads and noti fication topics are grouped together, so it’s easier to see what’s importan..
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AR experiences fixed to real-world locations can now be shared. So, you can create a piece of AR art that can be viewed later in the same place by someone else. The ARKit 2 recognises objects and how your device is oriented to them and can use that information to incorporate objects into AR experiences.
AR experiences fixed to real-world locations can now be shared. So, you can create a piece of AR art that can be viewed later in the same place by someone else. The ARKit 2 recognises objects and how..
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Virtual assistant Siri is now smarter than before, and you can customise it, so it does a series of actions when you ask it to do a task. As Siri learns your routines, you’ll get suggested shortcuts for just what you need, at just the right time. You can also add shortcuts to Siri to run them with your voice on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
Virtual assistant Siri is now smarter than before, and you can customise it, so it does a series of actions when you ask it to do a task. As Siri learns your routines, you’ll get suggested shortcuts ..
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With iBooks gone, the tech giant introduces Apple Books. The redesigned platform makes it easier for you to discover, read and listen to your favourite books and audiobooks. It lets you access your current book or start a new one in the Reading Now tab, visit the new bookstore to browse, buy a nd organise your library with more flexibility.
With iBooks gone, the tech giant introduces Apple Books. The redesigned platform makes it easier for you to discover, read and listen to your favourite books and audiobooks. It lets you access your c..
Asus’ Sharma said any phone with bigger battery and processors starting from Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series along with GPU can offer a good gaming experience to customers. “In India, far more powerful devices are getting available in the mid-segment that will offer good experience,” he said.
China’s Oppo has positioned its F9 Pro device as a gaming phone in India. The firm has opened a PUBG-themed store in Bengaluru, and recently sponsored Tencent’s PUBG Mobile Campus Championship 2018 recently in the country. “Our initiatives are focused towards engaging with our audience, the youth, in India,” said Will Yang, brand director at Oppo India said.
Huawei, too, sees tremendous potential in the India market especially in the emerging gaming segment and is “looking at right partnership and technology advancements” to emerge a key player in this segment, said Paras Chopra, senior director, product planning, at Huawei Consumer Business Group India. “We have already introduced our gaming smartphones with the launch of Nova Series in the India market,” he said.
IDC’s Singh said the gaming segment offers an opportunity to all major smartphone makers in the country. “A smartphone player can possibly have a marketing tie up with dedicated gaming console makers to launch a co-branded gaming phone, for example, with Nintendo, or Microsoft Xbox, or Sony PlayStation. This can help establish seriousness of the brand in gaming segment and leverage the brand pull of both brands,” he said.
