Google is all set to introduce new hardware at its August 13 event and because the brand has been focusing on its Indian audience as well for the past couple of years, Google has confirmed that it will be bringing its next foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, to India as well, a day after the global launch. Here’s what we know about it.

In an X post, Google India wrote “Out with the old. In with the fold. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, for the first time in India.” Google unveiled the Pixel Fold earlier last year but the foldable never arrived in India. However, Google has decided to bring its next generation foldable to India, alongside the Pixel 9 series which is also confirmed to arrive in the country.

The Google Store India website confirms the date of launch of the Pixel 9 series as August 14, a day after the smartphones get unveiled in the US and other parts of the world. The post from Google also reveals the design of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is similar to that of the leaked design.

The overall narrower form factor will also help Google with better scaling of apps where it had to employ software workarounds in the original Fold to achieve scaling without any black borders and to open the apps in full screen. The inner display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also gets even bezels all around that are much thinner than the original Pixel Fold.

The rear design will also be undergoing a major change, where the camera bar, which has been a part of Google’s signature design for the past few years, will now be omitted. Instead, Google looks forward to a square camera module with two separate pill-shaped cutouts that’ll house all the sensors.

As for the camera sensors, it will pack a 64MP Sony IMX787 primary wide sensor, paired with a 12MP Samsung 3LU ultra-wide angle sensor, and a 10.5MP Samsung 3J1 telephoto sensor. It will have a pair of 10MP Samsung 3K1 sensors both on the inside and the outside cover display for selfies.

HMD Skyline has been launched as the first mid-range smartphone under the HMD brand in the US. The new handset boasts of a Snapdragon Processor under the hood and offers a triple rear camera system, wireless charging support, and much more. Here’s what else you’ll get with the device.

HMD Skyline: Price, Availability

The new HMD Skyline has launched in Neon Pink and Twisted Black colours and is priced at £399 (approx Rs 43,340) for the 8GB + 128GB model and £499 (approx Rs 54,200) for the 12GB + 256GB version. It has already gone on sale on HMD.com in select countries.

Self-repair support has also been made available through iFixit in select markets. Users can purchase original parts from the website to repair the device themselves.

Read More: HMD Drops “Arrow” Branding for Debut Smartphone in India, Renames it to HMD Crest

HMD Skyline: Specifications

The HMD Skyline sports an FHD+ 6.55-inch pOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, up to 1000 nits brightness, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor under the hood. It gets up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage which is expandable up to 512GB.

There’s a triple rear camera system, including a 108MP primary sensor with Hybrid OIS+EIS, LED flash, along with a 13MP ultra-wide angle camera, and a 50MP telephoto camera with 50mm portrait mode, 4K video capture, and OZO Spatial Audio capture with wind-noise cancellation. There’s a 50MP sensor on the front with Autofocus support for selfies.

The handset is backed up by a 4600mAh battery with 33W fast wired charging support, 15W Qi2 wireless charging support, and 5W reverse wireless charging as well. The device runs on Android 14 and will receive 2 major OS updates and 3 years of security patches.

For connectivity, you get 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.2, GPS/A-GPS, Galileo L1/L5 dual-band, GLONASS, BDS, USB Type-C port, and NFC. The device is further IP54 rated and also gets stereo speakers for audio playback. It further has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.

Honor 200 5G series has been launched in India by HTech, comprising of two devices, including the Honor 200 5G and the Honor 200 Pro 5G. The two new Honor 200 5G series smartphones share a similar camera setup at the rear, but differ in terms of the Processor used under the hood, presence of an IP rating, wireless charging support, and the front camera setup. Here’s everything they have to offer.

Honor 200 5G: Price, Specs

The Honor 200 5G is available in India in two variants, 8GB + 256GB priced at Rs 34,999 and 12GB + 512GB priced at Rs 39,999. The device comes in Black and Moonlight White shades. The charger for the handset needs to be bought separately, that costs Rs 2,999.

The device goes on sale from July 20 during Prime Days sale on Amazon and till July 21, users can avail exclusive offers such as Rs 1,000 instant discount, Rs 2,000 coupon discount or a free gift, along with a Rs 2,000 bank offer on making the payment for the device using an ICICI bank or SBI bank card. It can be purchased via Amazon, mainline stores near you, and the Explore Honor website.

Honor 200 5G sports a 6.7-inch curved OLED display with 1.5K resolution (1200 x 2664 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate, 4000 nits peak brightness, 10-bit colours, 3840Hz PWM dimming, and has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics. It is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 Chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of in-built storage.

For cameras, the Honor 200 5G gets a triple rear camera setup including a 50-megapixel f/1.9 primary sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide angle sensor and a 50-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto sensor with OIS and 2.5x optical zoom. The front camera is equipped with an 50-megapixel f/2.1 sensor.

The handset is backed up by a 5200mAh battery with 100W fast wired charging support. The handset boots on Magic OS 8.0 based on Android 14. Connectivity options of the device include support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth v5.3, and a USB Type-C port. The device gets stereo speakers and an IR Blaster as well. The Honor 200 5G does not have an IP rating.

Honor 200 Pro 5G: Price, Specs

The Honor 200 Pro 5G comes in Ocean Cyan and Black shades. It is priced at Rs 57,999 for the single 12GB + 512GB model. The charger for the handset needs to be bought separately and isn’t included in the box. The charging brick costs Rs 2,999.

The device goes on sale from July 20 during Prime Days sale on Amazon and till July 21, users can avail exclusive offers such as Rs 8,000 instant discount, Rs 2,000 coupon discount or a free gift, along with a Rs 3,000 bank offer on making the payment for the device using an ICICI bank or SBI bank card. It can be purchased via Amazon, mainline stores near you, and the Explore Honor website.

Honor 200 Pro 5G sports a 6.78-inch curved OLED HDR display with 1.5K resolution (1224 x 2700 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate, 4000 nits peak brightness, 10-bit colours, 3840Hz PWM dimming, and has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometrics. It is powered by a 4nm octa-core Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of inbuilt storage.

For optics, the Honor 200 Pro 5G gets a triple rear camera setup including a 50-megapixel H9000 f/1.9 primary sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide angle sensor and a 50-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto sensor with OIS and 2.5x optical zoom. The front camera is equipped with an 50-megapixel f/2.1 sensor paired with a 3D depth camera.

The handset is backed up by a 5200mAh battery with 100W fast wired charging support and 66W wireless charging support. The handset boots on Magic OS 8.0 based on Android 14. Connectivity options of the device include support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth v5.3, and a USB Type-C port. The device gets stereo speakers, an IR Blaster and is IP65 rated as well.

Update 24/07/2024: Vivo India has officially confirmed the launch and some specs of the upcoming Vivo V40 series. The new devices will be IP68-rated and will also be the slimmest phones in their category to have a 5500mAh battery. The camera sensor details of the Pro model were also confirmed, where it will have a 50MP Sony IMX921 primary sensor with OIS amd Zeiss optics, a 50MP Zeiss ultra-wide angle sensor, and a 50MP Sony IMX816 telephoto portrait camera. On the front, it will have another 50MP Zeiss group selfie camera.

Original Story Below

Vivo V40 series is coming to India in August, according to a new leak. While Vivo V40 and V40 Lite 5G have already been announced outside India, the Vivo V40 Pro could first debut in India. The leak further adds that the Vivo V40 series will also integrate Zeiss optics. Here’s what one can expect from the series.

Vivo V40 Series: India Launch

The new Vivo V40 series, as per a MySmartPrice report citing an industry insider as source, will feature the ZEISS imaging system in India and will debut in August. The Vivo V40 will be the first standard model to incorporate Zeiss optics, marking a significant milestone. That’s because Vivo first offered the technology only in its X series devices, followed by its debut in the V series with the V30 Pro.

Moreover, the publication’s source has revealed that both phones are expected to offer a ‘best-in-class’ imaging experience, potentially transforming smartphone photography. Next up, the phones will further offer a multifocal portraits feature that will allow users to experiment with different camera angles, paired with ZEISS-style portraits.

Vivo V40 5G: Specifications

As the Vivo V40 5G has already launched in Europe, it is expected the Indian variant will also sport identical specifications.

Vivo V40 features a 6.78-inch AMOLED Display with a 1.5K 2800×1260 Pixels resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, punch-hole cutout, 20:9 aspect ratio, 89.9% screen-to-body ratio, 452 ppi, 4500 nits peak brightness and 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. The V40 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip.

The Vivo handset gets up to 12GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It is equipped with a 5500mAh battery that supports 80W charging, but the charger isn’t provided in the box. For security, the device features an under-display fingerprint scanner. The device runs on Android 14-based FunTouch OS 14.

The smartphone has a 50-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera with. The rear camera setup consists of an OIS-assisted 50-megapixel f/1.88 primary camera, and a 50-megapixel f/2.0 ultra-wide lens. The device offers dual SIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, NFC and a USB-C port. It gets a Mono speaker and is IP68 rated as well.

OnePlus, known for its strong online presence, aims to expand its offline retail footprint in India. However, this transition has been full of challenges. Retailers have expressed concerns, feeling they have been taken for a ride due to delayed payments, low-profit margins, and the company’s cash-and-carry distribution model. OnePlus has acknowledged the issue and apologized to the retailers in an email sent to The Mobile Indian.

Why the Offline Push?

OnePlus initially operated as an online-exclusive brand, relying on e-commerce to connect with its customers. As the brand expanded its product range to cover different price segments, the importance of establishing a physical presence became evident. Offline retail enables customers to personally experience the devices, addressing any concerns they may have.

Apologies Amidst Growing Tensions

Recently, OnePlus found itself embroiled in a dispute with the South India Organised Retailers Association (ORA), threatening to cease OnePlus product sales across multiple states from May 01, 2024. The issue stemmed from delayed payments and unresolved grievances concerning warranty claims and profit margins, prompting ORA’s drastic action. In fact, retailers under ORA have not billed any device from OnePlus since April 18.

Issues Faced by Retailers

Delayed Settlements: While ORA has highlighted the grievance of southern retailers, many other retailers across India have raised issues regarding prolonged delays in payment settlements from OnePlus in their interaction with us. These delays disrupt cash flow and create financial strains for retailers, who depend on timely payments to manage their operations.

Responding to The Mobile Indian’s query about the issues, a OnePlus spokesperson assured, “We are in close discussions with our ORA partners to ensure business continuity.”  

“We acknowledge the issue with payment and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused due to the delays. At present, we have closed the majority of overall pending payments of mainline partners, and we continue to close all the payments in an efficient and fast-tracked manner,” said Oneplus.

“We acknowledge the issue with payment and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused due to the delays.

OnePlus said in an email to The Mobile Indian

The spokesperson added that OnePlus has also introduced more retailer-friendly payment settlement mechanisms for major affordability levers, which are being implemented since May 01 2024 – to provide quick payment of bank cashbacks.

Warranty and Service Claim Delays: Another significant concern highlighted by the retailers was the delay in processing warranty and service claims. Retailers report that these delays lead to customer dissatisfaction, as they have to deal with frustrated customers without timely support from OnePlus. This additional burden strains the relationship between OnePlus and its retail partners.

Low-Profit Margins: Retailers have also stressed the issue of low-profit margins on OnePlus products. OnePlus’s competitive pricing strategies leave little room for retailers to make a reasonable profit, which is necessary to cover rising operational costs. OnePlus has stated that its margin strategy is an internal business decision and is working on finding solutions that benefit all stakeholders, especially consumers.

The Cash and Carry Conundrum

Well, according to most of the retailers we contacted, the distribution model is the primary cause of conflict between retailers and OnePlus. Unlike other brands that usually offer credit lines based on retailers’ track records, OnePlus operates on a cash-and-carry model, which requires retailers to pay upfront before receiving stock.

Furthermore, retailers are frustrated by the requirement to bundle OnePlus products with other items, limiting their flexibility and resulting in stagnant inventory and missed sales opportunities. In simple terms, if a retailer orders 10 Nord 4 smartphones, they might receive 6 Nord 4s and four phones of a different model, which OnePlus wants the retailer to sell.

Retailers feel that the cash-and-carry model treats them like customers with no choice despite paying upfront. Furthermore, they claim that even after making timely payments, they do not receive devices as quickly as OnePlus’s official stores, creating an uneven playing field. Some retailers also face pricing issues, where OnePlus products are sold at lower prices in official stores and online compared to retail prices, affecting business.

Distributor is the King

Compounding retailer frustrations is the lack of transparency in order fulfilment, where distributors wield disproportionate influence.

Retailers have raised concerns about favouritism among distributors. One retailer said, “All major brands except OnePlus have apps to track real-time stock movement and know which retailer received what stock and when.” This opacity fosters favouritism and impedes market expansion, as OnePlus accepts whatever the distributor says as gospel truth said a Jaipur based retailer. He added, “If proper checks are not in place, distributor bias will play a spoilsport, and Oneplus will not get the true picture from ground zero, which will impact its expansion plans.”

The Rise of the Grey Market

The limited availability of products through official channels has also LED to the growth of the grey market. To avoid disappointing their regular customers, retailers often source products, such as OnePlus phones, from unofficial channels. The grey market operates through two primary mechanisms, each affecting the economy and consumer behaviour differently.

International Procurement and Unofficial Channels: Grey market operators procure products from international markets through unofficial channels by importing from lower-cost regions. These products are then sold in the target market at prices lower than the official market prices but still higher than their purchase prices, allowing grey market operators to make a profit. This impacts governments’ revenue, consumer warranties, and product authenticity and creates economic distortions.

Alternative Channels: Products from alternative channels, such as online retailers, are part of the grey market when they are sourced from legitimate channels but resold through unauthorized means. Grey market resellers buy products in bulk from online platforms, often taking advantage of discounts and sales. These products are then sold to brick-and-mortar stores or smaller retailers that may not be authorized dealers of the brand.

This can create artificial shortages, market distortion, and consumer confusion, as consumers may find it difficult to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized retailers. This could potentially lead to issues with product warranties and customer support. Similar to the first type of grey market activity, governments may lose out on taxes and other revenues if products are not reported properly or if sales circumvent standard tax collection mechanisms.

Case scenario: In the first type of grey market, smartphones are purchased from countries with lower prices, such as Hong Kong or the UAE, and then imported into countries like the United States or India, bypassing official import channels and avoiding taxes. Consumers might buy these phones at a discount, but they often miss out on manufacturer warranties and support.

In the second type, a grey market operator might buy smartphones in bulk during a sale on an online retailer like Amazon. These phones are then sold to small electronics shops that do not have authorization to sell that brand. The shops sell these phones to end consumers at a slight markup. While the phones might be genuine, the consumers face issues with warranty claims and support as the purchases are not through authorized channels.

OnePlus Smartphones and Grey Market

In the case of OnePlus, grey market operators procure Oneplus phones from alternative channels and sell them to retailers who are not authorized to sell Oneplus phones.

OnePlus did understand the gravity of the situation and said, “As a brand, we do not support, engage, or associate with any illicit or illegal practices such as grey market. The specific grey market instances will need to be reported to appropriate authorities.However, we’re actively supporting our mainline partners on this matter through our distributors.”

“We’re keen on expanding our distributor support in the coming months. We also require our mainline partners’ support to ensure businesses are conducted through official route,” said Oneplus Spokesperson.

Pre Activated Phones

Beyond financial disputes, retailers and consumers alike face security risks from pre-activated phones sourced outside official channels. This particular menace is creating headaches for other brands as well, not only OnePlus. These devices, susceptible to malware and lacking manufacturer warranties, underscore the perils of unregulated sales practices. Most importantly, they can threaten national security and create a cyber security challenge.

One of the retailers told us about a situation where a regular customer asked for a Oneplus phone. The retailer obtained the phone from an unofficial channel to ensure the customer didn’t leave empty-handed. After a few months, the customer encountered a software issue and took the phone to the authorized service centre. To their surprise, the Oneplus centre found that the device had been rooted when they tried to fix the software problem. Additionally, it was discovered that the person who sold the phone to the retailer had purchased it through an EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) plan and had paid only the first instalment before rooting the device to hide this fact. When the phone got the original software, the EMI App also got activated, and it blocked the phone remotely, rendering it unusable due to non-payment, as only the 1st EMI had been paid.

Interestingly, many users have even talked about receiving pre-activated phones on different forums.

Way forward

OnePlus navigates a pivotal juncture in its Indian expansion strategy, balancing aspirations of offline growth with the realities of retail dynamics. The journey forward demands not only the Resolution of current disputes but also a commitment to collaborative innovation and transparency, ensuring sustained partnerships and customer satisfaction. Hopefully, OnePlus will not Settle until it finds a permanent solution that will be a win-win for all stakeholders.