Google Pixel XL Vs. iPhone 7 Plus: Long-Term Review

Google Pixel XL Vs. iPhone 7 Plus: Long-Term Review

The Pixel XL is impressive for the first Google branded phone but is it good enough to give the iPhone 7 Plus problems? Read on.
 Switched, as an experiment, from the iPhone 7 Plus to the Pixel XL. This is to take after more than a month. What follows is meant to wrap up, as briefly as possible, earlier takes.

Note that I did not -- and will not -- ditch my iPhone 7 Plus. It's still sitting right next to the Pixel XL on my desk.

And note that reportedly holiday sales of the Pixel were strong, with Pixel devices accounting for 12.3 percent of phone activations with Verizon, according to Bloomberg. Some stores didn't have enough inventory to meet demand, the report said -- which I can confirm, after canvassing local Los Angeles Verizon stores.

Chassis: For me, this is a pretty big deal. The weight, how it sits in your hand, and the ability to fit a large screen into a relatively small chassis (aka, bezel size) for one-handed operation are all boxes to be checked when buying a phone. Google succeeds here. Though slightly thicker (we're talking only about a 1mm difference) than the 7 Plus, it's lighter and, side by side, the Pixel XL is smaller and feels that way in your hand. That said, I can't definitively say that the XL's chassis is better than the 7 Plus' (I've always liked the feel of the iPhone 6/6s/7). What I can say is that, at the very least, it's the iPhone's equal. And I'm guessing some may prefer the XL because of its smaller size despite having the same 5.5-inch display.

UX (user experience): Subjective yet important. The only thing I'll say here (because it's so subjective) is that it was a painless switch to Android 7.1 Nougat from iOS*. Everything I need is on both phones and once you're inside an app, it's often impossible to tell which phone you're using. And compared to the Android that ran on my Moto X (2nd gen) a couple years back, Android is smoother/vastly improved.

Performance: Cite all the benchmarks you want but for what I do it's a draw. Some benchmarks show the iPhone 7 Plus' A10 Fusion processor beating the XL's Snapdragon 821. Fine. But I don't see it. Both phones are fast and smooth -- and when I'm doing something as simple as scrolling a graphics-intensive Web page or more processor-intensive stuff like working with photos/video, both are faster than any smartphone I've used before.

Display: The Pixel's AMOLED display is the future, Apple's LCD the past. That said, Apple and its display partners have come up with the best LCD on an iPhone yet, as pointed out by DisplayMate Technologies. Just to look at casually, however, I like the Pixel XL's AMOLED display better. It tends to be brighter, the colors more vibrant but the iPhone tends to reproduce more accurate colors in photos (in my experience). Not always but often. The upshot is that Apple's LCD is so good that it's able to keep up with Google's AMOLED. But I don't think that will be the case going forward as AMOLEDs pull away and yield devices that bend and fold.

Camera: I covered this already in previous write-ups, so I won't delve a lot into it here. Suffice to say, I've taken lots of photos with both cameras and neither disappoints. The scary thing is, how good the XL's camera is right out of the gate (previous experience with Nexus phones notwithstanding). Photography review sites have praised the Pixel XL's excellent HDR+ mode and image detail, among other things.  One of the few XL shortcomings is the lack of 7 Plus’ optical zoom. Upshot: I think the two cameras are almost a draw though an amateur photographer I've consulted with favors the Pixel XL over the iPhone 7 Plus. So, I'll defer to him.

Battery Life: The XL has a “Doze” mode that is better than the iPhone 7 Plus at sipping energy. Depending on how much I'm using the phone on a particular day, this  alone can extend battery life beyond the iPhone 7 Plus for me. But with more active use, the two phones are battery-life equals. (See this YouTube test for guidance.) I usually can get a day and a half (or longer) from both phones.

Google Assistant vs. Siri: The Pixel is the first Android phone to implement Google Assistant, an intelligent personal assistant. Google is the early leader here. In my experience, Google Assistant more often than not provides better responses to the kinds of questions I ask: spoken responses were usually more relevant/helpful than Apple’s Siri, which too often resorted to spitting out a bunch of search results.

Fingerprint reader: Per a reader's comment, I forgot to cover this! The fingerprint reader on the back of the Pixel XL is actually pretty easy to get used to. Yes, you have to pick it up but it's very accurate. Note that I had to return the first iPhone 7 Plus I got (and get a replacement) because it could not consistently read my fingerprint. My 7 Plus replacement is better but not as good/fast as the Pixel.

Shortcomings vs iPhone 7 Plus: The Pixel XL is not as water resistant as the iPhone 7 Plus and, as I said above, raw performance benchmarks tend to favor the iPhone 7 Plus. Also, on a personal note, I am a heavy user of the Apple Watch Series 2. In fact, these days I probably spend more time on the Watch than I do the iPhone. So, I hope that Google and a  partner follow through with a smartwatch, as has been rumored. A smartwatch that is tailored for its Pixel phones would be welcome and something I would use immediately and would make the Pixel experience that much better.

Lenovo Phab2 Pro Tango-enabled smartphone launched in India at Rs 29,990

Lenovo Phab2 Pro Tango-enabled smartphone launched in India at Rs 29,990

Lenovo Phab2 Pro, the world's first Tango-enabled smartphone, has finally made its debut in India.


Lenovo Phab2 Pro is based on Google’s Project Tango technology.
Lenovo Phab2 Pro, the world’s first Project Tango-enabled smartphone, has been landed in India . Priced at Rs 29,990, the phone will be exclusively made available on Flipkart, starting from today. The smartphone was first announced at Lenovo’s Tech World Congress in San Francisco last year.
Google’s Tango technology is a platform that allows mobile device to perceive space and depth exactly like humans do. Basically, the Tango technology will enable devices to interact with the 3D environment around them. That’s probably the reason why the Phab2 Pro has special depth-sensing cameras and sensors to allow it to use augmented reality. With a device like the Phab2 Pro, you can actually sense space and motion – and visualise surrounding objects.

The Phab2 Pro features a 6.4-inch display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor paired with 4GB RAM, 64GB of internal storage, microSD support ( up to 128GB), and a 4,050mAh battery. There’s also a 16MP rear camera, depth-camera, and a motion camera on the back. The selfie camera is packed at 8MP.
Also read: Asus Zenfone AR at CES 2017: How this Project Tango smartphone works
It also features Dolby Atmos surround sound and Dolby Atmos Capture 5.1 that allows 5.1  recording sound. The phone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and there’s no update when Lenovo plans to update the device to the latest Android 7.0 i.e Nougat.
Tango opens a whole new world – and its potential is immense. It allows users to visualise furniture or cars, just by pointing a Tango-certified device; even walk about a museum for that matter. Other than Lenovo, Asus is another smartphone maker that has shown interest in Google’s 3D-sensing technology. The ZenFone AR, which was announced at CES 2017, is the first smartphone to feature Google’s Project Tango and Daydream VR in one device.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Launched at Rs 9,999:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Launched at Rs 9,999: 

Here is All You Need to Know

Redmi Note 4 Specs:

5.5 FHD display
MIUI 8 (Android)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC
Adreno 506 GPU
RAM/ROM options- 2GB/ 32GB, 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB
13MP rear camera
5MP front camera
4,100mAh battery
VoLTE support
Fingerprint scanner

Prices:

2GB/ 32GB- Rs 9,999
3GB/32GB- Rs 10,999
4GB/64GB- Rs 12,999

Its a 4G dual SIM phone and comes with a hybrid SIM card slot.
There is a fingerprint scanner at the back and doubles up as a selfie clicker.

The Redmi Note 4 comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD, fully laminated display with reading mode.

There is 5MP front camera and
The Redmi Note 4 comes with a 13MP rear camera with PDAF.
Xiaomi claims that the Redmi Note 4 offers better life than iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL. Xiaomi claims that the Redmi Note 4 lasts 70% longer than both the Apple iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL.

Redmi Note 4 offers better battery life than the older Redmi Note 3. It lasts 25% longer and  is powered by Snapdragon 625 SoC.

The Redmi Note 4 will be available exclusively on Flipkart starting January 23 on open sales. 

LG X300 with 5-inch HD display, Snapdragon 425 SoC and Android Nougat goes official

LG X300 with 5-inch HD display, Snapdragon 425 SoC and Android Nougat goes official

“The LG X300 is a budget offering with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a fingerprint sensor”

LG has added a new smartphone to its portfolio with the launch of the X300 in its home market of South Korea. The LG X300 is budget offering that comes with a curved glass display and a microscopic pattern pattern at the rear to prevent scratches and enhance grip. The phone boots Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box, and offers a fingerprint sensor that’s located on its back.

The LG X300 features a 5-inch In-Cell IPS display bearing a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. The phone is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, mated to 2GB of RAM and Adreno 308 graphics. The storage capacity on board is 16GB, which can be further increased by inserting a microSD card.

The LG X300 comes with a 13-megapixel primary snapper with an LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter for selfies and video calling. It also comes with some other camera features like auto shot, gesture shot, and multiple shooting modes. In terms of connectivity, it offers 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, and GPS. A 2,500mAh battery keeps the package running.

The LG X300 has been priced at 2,53,000 Korean Won, roughly Rs 14,750. The phone will initially be available in South Korea in two hues – silver and dark blue.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus dimensions show compact phones with huge screens

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus dimensions show compact phones with huge screens

The case maker that sent us 3D renders of the Galaxy S8 sent us more info on the upcoming flagship duo - precise measurements of both the S8 and S8 Plus.

The large Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus measures 152.38 x 78.51 x 7.94mm. That’s taller and wider than the current S7 edge and for good reason - the screen is surprisingly big. We measured 6.3” apparent size when viewed head on, the true size will be slightly larger (since the sides are curved).

The smaller Galaxy S8 is 140.14mm x 72.20 x 7.30mm, slightly shorter and thinner than the current S7, but wider. Actually, we need to be comparing it to the S7 edge as the screen size works out to 5.7” (again, not accounting for the side curves). That means the Galaxy S8 will have a larger screen than the S7 edge while being about the size of the S7! These readings come close to the 5.7”/6.2” dimensions rumored in December.

Yes, the phones are wider, but Samsung did everything it could to minimize that - the yellow portion of the S8 schematic is the screen. There’s barely any side bezel to be seen. And we’re digging the thin top and bottom bezels.


You can just about see the camera stick out the back in the bottom view, it doesn’t look like much. We wonder what the battery capacity is going to be like - there’s not much more internal volume in the Galaxy S8 compared to the S7.

We’re not sure about the Power button either (it moved to the left) and this schematic also shows microUSB 2.0 instead of USB-C. We didn’t quite believe it the first time around, but it’s getting harder to deny now - a case maker needs to leave enough room for the plug and the two USB standards are quite different in width.

HTC takes the covers off its all-glass U Ultra and U Play smartphones

HTC takes the covers off its all-glass U Ultra and U Play smartphones

“The HTC U Ultra is the company’s first smartphone to feature a secondary ticker display”

HTC didn’t make any smartphone announcements at the recently concluded CES, but less than a week later, the company has unveiled its new U series of smartphones. The brand has unveiled the HTC U Ultra and U Play at a dedicated event. The HTC U Ultra is the Taiwanese manufacturer’s first smartphone to flaunt an always-on secondary ticker display above the main screen. It features an aluminium frame and glass on both the front and back. The brand said this design will be a key feature of the upcoming HTC devices.

The new HTC U series phones are packed with HTC’s Sense Companion, which is powered by artificial intelligence to learn a user’s daily activity and adapt accordingly. They come with four low-power always-on microphones that respond to voice commands. They also feature biometric voice unlock and control features. They feature U-Sonic, a sonar-based technology, which delivers sound tuned for user’s listening preference. Both phones skip the 3.5mm audio jack in favour of USB Type-C audio.

The HTC U Ultra is a phablet-grade offering featuring a huge 5.7-inch QHD display with Sapphire or Gorilla Glass 5 on top. The 2-inch secondary ticker display on top of the main screen gives you access to frequently-used apps, reminders for upcoming events, and more. It also displays prioritised notifications discreetly.



As for the other specs, the U Ultra is powered by a 2.15GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, mated to 4GB of RAM. It comes in 64GB (Gorilla Glass 5 protection) and 128GB storage (Sapphire glass protection) variants, further expandable via a microSD card. The phone sports a 12MP UltraPixel 2 rear camera with OIS, PDAF, laser autofocus, dual-tone LED flash, and 4K recording. For selfies, it gets a 16MP camera with an UltraPixel mode, a BSI sensor, Panorama selfie, and full HD recording. The other features include a fingerprint sensor, Android Nougat, a 3,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 tech, a USB Type-C port, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, NFC, and GPS.

Coming to the HTC U Play, it features a 5.2-inch Super LCD full HD display with a Gorilla Glass on top. It is fuelled by a MediaTek Helio P10 processor. It comes in different RAM and storage configurations – 3GB / 4GB and 32GB / 64GB. The device features a 16MP rear snapper with OIS, PDAF, a BSI sensor, a dual-tone LED flash, and full HD recording. The selfie shooter on board is a 16MP sensor with an UltraPixel mode and 1080p recording. The other specs include a fingerprint sensor, Android Marshmallow, a 2,500mAh battery, NFC, and a USB Type-C port.

The HTC U Ultra will be up for pre-order in the US today at a starting price of $749, roughly Rs 50,900. The U Play will be available in limited markets, and pricing for this hasn’t been announced yet. The smartphones will be available in four different hues – Brilliant Black, Cosmetic Pink, Ice White, and Sapphire Blue.

ASUS ZenFone AR with 8GB RAM unveiled

ASUS ZenFone AR with 8GB RAM unveiled

“The ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone to flaunt 8GB of RAM, and Google’s AR and VR platforms”

At CES 2015, ASUS unveiled the ZenFone 2 , which was the world’s first smartphone to boast 4GB of RAM. Now at this year’s CES, the company has introduced the ZenFone AR as the world’s first smartphone to flaunt 8GB of RAM. In addition, the brand has also unveiled its latest ZenFone Zoom series smartphone dubbed the ZenFone 3 Zoom.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone that is compatible with both Google’s Tango augmented reality platform and Daydream VR platform. The 8GB RAM on board on the phone is mated to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 SoC, which is fully optimised to deliver VR experience. The phone sports a 5.7-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED display with a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4.

The phone comes in multiple configurations – 6GB or 8GB RAM, in storage options of 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The phone boots Android Nougat out of the box with Zen UI 3.0 on top. At the rear, it gets a fisheye depth lens, a motion tracking sensor, a 23MP Sony IMX318 camera with a dual-tone LED flash, three-axis EIS, and laser autofocus. At the front, it houses an 8MP shooter with 85-degree wide-angle lens. The other specs include ASUS SonicMaster-powered speakers, DTS Headphone: X with virtual 7.1 surround sound, dual-SIM slots, 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint sensor, and a 3,300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging.

Android-powered Nokia 6 marks the brand’s return to smartphones:

Android-powered Nokia 6 marks the brand’s return to smartphones:

The Nokia brand is finally back in the smartphone game as today HMD Global, which holds the rights to the name, announced the Android 7.0 Nougat-powered Nokia 6. The bad news is that it’s a mid-range device for the Chinese market, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to get a premium global device.

Atypically for a mid-range device, the Nokia 6 comes with an aluminium unibody carved from a single solid block of 6000 series aluminium. It then undergoes two separate anodizing procedures to acquire a look far above what its price tag suggests.

Nokia 6 is powered by the Snapdragon 430 chipset with an octa-core Cortex-A53, Adreno 505 GPU and an ample 4GB of RAM. It’s built around a 5.5” 1080p screen that has a curved 2.5D Gorilla Glass sheet on top.

   
Nokia 6

On the camera side, the Nokia 6 offers a 16MP main snapper with PDAF and reasonably bright F/2.0 lens. On the front sits an 8MP camera with the same aperture. The 64GB of storage make sure you’ll have enough room for all your photos, but unfortunately the chipset limits the video recording to 1080p@30fps.

Apple working on iPhone 8 with bigger display

Apple is working on a larger version of the iPhone 8, which will sport an AMOLED display

Apple is working on a larger display version of the iPhone 8, and it looks like there will be three different sizes for this phone. According to a report, Samsung is going to be the exclusive supplier for AMOLED panels in the new iPhone series, and the report quotes Taiwan-based supply sources for the same.

The report claims Apple will have three size options. There will the regular 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch size iPhones ,which will have the TFT-LCD panels that Apple has always used. Finally there will be a 5.8-inch one with an AMOLED display, and according to the supply chain sources global shipments of this bigger iPhone are estimated at 60-70 million units.

Given that Samsung is the AMOLED supplier, there are rumours Apple will finally introduce a version of the iPhone with a dual-curved edge display similar to the S7 edge or Note 7 phone, but that remains to be seen. It was earlier reported that Apple is cutting production for the iPhone in January-March quarter.

Another report in The Korean Herald also said Apple will use Samsung-made curved plastic OLED panels for the iPhone 8. Noted Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo has said in the past the new iPhone 8 will have an all-glass body as well, and that Apple is likely to go for an OLED display.

According to the report in Korean media, Apple has placed an order for Samsung to produce curved plastic OLED displays in millions. It is believed the curved, plastic OLED display will be wrapped around the edges to create a bezel-less design.

Additionally well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (KGI Securities) has said iPhone 8 will sport a wireless charging system similar to the one on Apple Watches. Kuo said the expected glass body of the iPhone 8 will help achieve faster speeds in wireless charging with ‘minimum disruption from frequency interference’.

Apple iPhone 8 will be the tenth anniversary iPhone from the company; the first iPhone was introduced in 2007. According to the rumour mill, Apple is planning something big for this anniversary.

Apple Publishes Its First Artificial Intelligence Paper

Earlier this month, Apple made a splash when it told the artificial intelligence research community that the secretive company would start publishing AI papers of its own. Not even a month later, it's already starting to make good on that promise.

Apple has published its very first AI paper on December 22. (The paper was submitted for publication on November 15.) The paper describes a technique for how to improve the training of an algorithm's ability to recognize images using computer-generated images rather than real-world images.

In machine learning research, using synthetic images (like those from a video game) to train neural networks can be more efficient than using real-world images. That's because synthetic image data is already labeled and annotated, while real-world image data requires somebody to exhaustively label everything the computer is seeing -- that's a tree, a dog, a bike. But the synthetic image approach can be problematic as what the algorithm learns doesn't always carry over neatly to real world scenes. The synthetic image data "is often not realistic enough, leading the network to learn details only present in synthetic images and fail to generalize well on real images," the paper from Apple says.

To improve training with synthetic image data, the paper suggests what the Apple researchers call Simulated+Unsupervised learning, where the realism of a simulated image is boosted. The Apple researchers use a modified version of a new machine learning technique called Generative Adversarial Networks, which pits two neural networks against each other and has been used to generate photorealistic images.

The paper's lead author is Apple researcher Ashish Shrivastava, who holds a PhD in computer vision from University of Maryland, College Park, according to his LinkedIn. The other Apple employees listed as co-authors on the paper include Tomas Pfister, Oncel Tuzel, Wenda Wang, Russ Webb and Josh Susskind, who co-founded an AI startup that assessed a person's emotions by looking at facial expressions called Emotient, which Apple acquired earlier this year.

Flipkart Big Shopping Days Sale to See Discounts on OnePlus 3, Moto E3 Power, and More

Flipkart Big Shopping Days Sale to See Discounts on OnePlus 3, Moto E3 Power, and More

Ahead of Flipkart’s upcoming Big Shopping Days sale that kicks off from Sunday, the online retailer has offered a glimpse of what to expect in terms of discounts and offers on smartphones and other electronics during the sale. The online retailer has made a dedicated website offering a ‘sneak peek’ to what the Big Shopping Days sale will have for consumers.
Unfortunately, the online retailer has still not listed the exact pricing for the products but has given the large catalogue of products available during the sale.
During the Big Shopping Days sale, Flipkart will be selling the OnePlus 3 at under Rs. 20,000 which means the smartphone will be available after a comprehensive discount considering it was unveiled in India at Rs. 27,999 earlier this year – and is still available at that price, exclusively on Amazon. It’s not known how Flipkart swung this deal for its sale, and OnePlus Co-Founder Carl Pei also expressed his confusion regarding this turn of events, with a tweet on Friday pointing to Amazon India’s exclusivity on the OnePlus 3 in India.


Some of the other smartphones that will be available after huge discounts listed by Flipkart include the Moto E3 Power (which is currently available at Rs. 7,999), iPhone 6 16GB (currently available at Rs. 36,990), Lenovo K5 Note, LeEco Le 2 (currently available at Rs. 11,999), Samsung Galaxy On8 (currently available at Rs. 15,900), Samsung Galaxy On Nxt (currently available at Rs. 18,490), and Lenovo Phab 2 (currently available at Rs. 11,999).
Apart from smartphones, Flipkart will also offer discounts on other electronic gadgets such as the Apple MacBook Pro laptop (currently available at Rs. 56,990) and Samsung Gear Fit 2 (currently available at Rs. 15,000). Flipkart will also have the Apple Watch and Moto 360 Gen 2 available at flat discounts. Some of the other products include Skullcandy headphones (currently available at Rs. 1,999), iPro Powerbank 10400mAh (currently available at Rs. 2,799), Mi 10000mAh Power Bank (currently available at Rs. 1,299), and Philips USB Trimmer (currently available at Rs. 1,199).
Other tech deals include televisions from Micromax, Vu, and Samsung. Some of other products that will be available under Flipkart’s Big Shopping Days sale include washing machines, and refrigerators.

THIS is How Apple's iPhone 8 Curved OLED Display Works
Apple's curved OLED display may introduce some nifty new features

It's been established for a little while now that the next iPhone, the iPhone 8, as it may be called, will have at least one high-end variant equipped with an edge-to-edge, wrap-around curved OLED display. And it goes without saying that this will be similar in style to Samsung's Galaxy EDGE curved OLED design, which brings the display curving round the edges of two sides of the phone. Samsung has been using this design for a couple of generations now, but although there is some functionality built-in, it is primarily an aesthetic design feature.

Make no mistake: this is Apple blatantly following Samsung's lead, just as it did with the Apple Pencil, but that's no bad thing. If something's a good idea or looks good then it's fair game – at least in my book. But will Apple's rendition differ from Samsung's? A freshly unearthed patent filed on May 19 2016 by the iPhone maker would appear to confirm it has bigger plans for this feature than Samsung – with some new functional capabilities detailed.
Apple Insider picked up the patent details, with the patent filing being titled "Electronic Devices With Display and Touch Sensor Structures". As expected, the design described has a flexible OLED display panel which curves around both lateral edges of the device, the patent explains this curved surface could display information, as it does on Samsung's devices.
However, it goes on to add an explanation for functional touch features as well.
It can be challenging to gather touch input from a user and to display images for a user efficiently."

"For example, when a user supplies touch input to a touch screen display, the user's hand may block images that are being displayed on the display. Buttons and other input devices may be used to gather input from a user, but this type of input device may not be as convenient and versatile as a touch sensor. Displays are sometimes not visible from certain directions and may be smaller than desired."

Apple details a possible idea for virtual control keys embedded in the curved display edges, some examples would be the volume rocker, mute key, and standby mode, but there are numerous other functions which could also be assigned their own software key. Even application shortcuts are plausible.

"Touch input on sidewalls in device 10 may be used as a control for a camera (e.g., a virtual shutter button input), may be used as input in other virtual button scenarios, may be used in implementing a volume slider button or a slider button for controlling other device operations (e.g., screen brightness, color settings, contrast settings, etc.)"
Note that this concept has been entertained in the past, though one criticism is the implementation of control keys on a curved edge surface, however, the patent explains that the wrap-around edges do not necessarily need to be curved; the OLED panel and covering glass could be a number of shapes, potentially squared-off would make grip and control of these software keys easier, though would detract from the alleged "curved glass" aesthetic Apple is apparently going for.

The patent also hints at materials we've previously heard mentioned for this kind of hardware, including Zirconia ceramic and Sapphire glass.

First look: Android 7.0 Nougat on 
        OnePlus 3 + 3T


Android 7.0 + OxygenOS 4.0 update adds software tweaks from the OnePlus 3T, along with small visual refresh and new Nougat features.
OnePlus recently released its first Android 7.0 beta build for the OnePlus 3, bringing  the phone up to the latest (stable) version of the Android, while also including features from OxygenOS 3.5 on the OnePlus 3T. Because the OnePlus 3 and 3T are set to remain on the same software track going forwards, the experience on the OnePlus 3T should be the same when the update arrives for both phones later this month.
So what's new? If you've already been using OxygenOS 3.5 — either in community build form on the 3, or as a stable build on the 3T, many features will already be familiar. (For example, the redesigned home screen launcher and updated widget shelf.)
But there are also plenty of other changes, both big and small.

First, the most obvious changes: Android 7.0 brings a completely redesigned notification area, together with revamped notifications, inline reply support, split-screen multi-window and a new double-tap shortcut for switching between the last two apps. OnePlus was already working towards Nougat-style quick settings in OxygenOS 3.5, and so there isn't much of a visual change compared to the OnePlus 3T's quick settings menu.

And the Settings menu has been redesigned to bring it in line with Android 7.0, with a slide-out navigation area allowing you to jump between settings panes. (Elsewhere in the Settings app, it's now possible to customize which icons appear in the status bar, though for some reason the unsightly NFC and VoLTE graphics aren't included in this list.)
There's a subtle hint of Google Pixel about OnePlus's tweaked color scheme.
There's a subtle hint of Google Pixel to OnePlus's updated interface as well. The quick settings area gets new blue accent colors, and these can also be seen in the quick settings area and other menu toggles throughout the UI.
Nougat also brings built-in display (DPI) scaling, making it easier to see more (or less) on screen at a time. There are five different scaling levels — the default "medium" level is the same as on Marshmallow, while the second-smallest "small" level basically mirrors the scaling of the Pixel. (Text, menus and graphics shrink down a little to allow more on screen.) The OnePlus 3's UI has always been a little oversized, so this is a welcome change.
DPI scaling also affects the OnePlus launcher — "small" and "smallest" give you five icons per row, while the others stick with the default four.

Speaking of the launcher, the OxygenOS 4.0 home screen setup brings across all the features of the OnePlus 3T, while also introducing a handful of additional tweaks. The persistent Google search bar has gone away, replaced with a standard widget. (This also gives you more space for your own widgets, since disabling the search bar would previously just leave a section of dead space up top.)

A new, optional simplified home screen setup gets rid of some of the clutter.
And interestingly, an optional new "simplified layout" gives you an alternative to the standard app drawer-based home screen. There's simple scrolling panel of icons, with a basic clock widget up top. Your main home screen panel houses your favorite nine (or twelve, depending on scaling) apps, while the rest live off on the right. Widgets are confined to the widget shelf, and there's a new tool for rearranging apps into groups or folders.
You can switch between the normal home screen layout and simplified view at any time.

In other areas, OxygenOS 4.0 continues where 3.5 left off, with a similar basic feature set, and the lightning-fast performance we've come to expect from these phones. That there's not a mountain of new stuff to see in the OnePlus 3 Nougat update is a testament to the company's software strategy — layering meaningful features on top of Android without getting in the way.