WhatsApp Introduces New 'Swipe to Reply' Feature On Android

For a really long time now, iPhone users had a feature which allowed them to reply WhatsApp messages just by swiping the message to the right.

This feature is a really convienent tool that makes chatting much more easier and for a long time I had envied iPhone users but my ego as a proud Android user wouldn't let me show it.

While checking for available app updates on playstore, I noticed that whatsapp had a new update(it always does) and I installed it.

After it was updated, I was chatting with a friend and I quoted a message the old fashion way and there was a pop up saying 'You can now swipe on a message to reply I quickly tried it out and it worked perfectly (just the way it does on iPhones).

Guess the first thing I did....
I quickly went to one of my friends who's an Apple fanboy and showed off the new feature.

One thing I noticed though was that the old way of quoting messages don't seem to work as well as it used to but since it's a feature that's still in it's BETA state I'm sure there would be improvement in that aspect soon

Infinix To Launch Note 5 With Stylus Under Android One Project

Three years ago, Google brought the Android One Project to Africa with the launch of the Infinix HOT 2.

The aim of the Android One project is to make and sell cheap android phones with good specifications. Android One phones always receive the latest android updates sooner than most phones.

Android ONE devices were originally low-end devices but things have changed now; Android One will not only run on low end devices but high end devices too.

Infinix mobility is about to release an Android ONE phablet device, the Infinix Note 5 Stylus. The Infinix Note 5 Stylus will offer almost a flagship specifications at a reasonable price.

The Infinix Note 5 stylus is coming with the latest Android 8.1 Oreo, coupled with an Android One badge for a clean, stock Android look straight from Google.

According to speculations, we should expect the following features on the Infinix Note 5:

Face Unlock: The Hot 6 launched with Face recognition, so it's safe to say we can also expect it on the Note 5.

Big Battery: The major selling point of Infinix Note devices have always been their large battery capacity, last year’s model came packed with a sizeable 4300mAh battery and the company is hinting at bumping up the size so 4500 or 5000mAh maybe.

Display: The Infinix Note 5 will come with 18:9 aspect ratio on 6.2 inches Full HD IPS LCD display screen to give infinity display and immersive viewing experience.

Operating System: The Infinix Note 5 is an Android ONE device so  its obviously coming with the latest Android version available which Android 8.1 Oreo.

Camera: The Infinix Note 5 is rumored to be coming with a 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and 1.25um large pixels and a 8MP selfie camera.

When Will it Launch?
The Infinix Note 5 is Expected to launch on 24th of June 2018 in Dubai.

Introducing TECNO POuvoir 2 - A Smartphone with a 5000mAh Battery

We all know that Tecno's L-series smartphones are the company's battery-focused devices but it seems they have introduced a new device that can stand alongside all L-SERIES devices.

Unlike most smartphones that are being launched nowadays that comes with good spec and poor battery, the Tecno Pouvoir 2 comes with a super 5000mAh battery that can last you for 96 hours of use.

Pouvoir is a French word that means Power.

The Tecno Pouvoir 2 features a 6-inch IPS capacitive touch screen with 720 x 1440 pixel resolution, powered by a Mediatek MT6737 chipset coupled with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage.

It is fitted with a 13MP rear camera + 8MP front camera with flash. It runs Android 8.1 oreo out of the box, and is 4G ready.

The Tecno Pouvoir 2 is currently priced at N47,000.

Instagram Introduces Text-only Status Updates

Very recently, I posted an article suggesting that Instagram was working on a new update that will bring Video calling to instagram. Today's post however, is about a new feature was just introduced into the platform, the new update being Text-only statues.
With the latest Instagram update, you can now posts stories with just text with the new Type Mode a feature which has previously been seen on whatsapp and facebook stories.

To use the new feature, open Instagram’s camera feature you should see “Type” next to “Normal” under the record button. You can then simply tap on the “Type” option to start writing whatever you want for your story post.
You can also customize the post by adding different colored backgrounds, along with different choices for fonts and sizes. You can also highlight specific words or phrases in your post. You may also decide to use a photo as the background image for your text status.

The new font styles can also be used if you want to add text to any photo or video post. Just like normal story posts, the Type Mode option posts will disappear after 24 hours. To get the new feature, simply update your instagram app on the google Play Store.

YouTube To Come With Dark Theme, Incognito Mode And More

The YouTube app was recently torn down down by 9to5Google, and while inspecting the source codes it was noticed that the YouTube app includes code for a dark theme. This would make sense, since the recent redesign on YouTube web allows you to switch between a light or dark theme, while YouTube Music made use of a dark theme since it was launched.

Another big feature that could come to the YouTube app is Incognito mode. The Incognito mode on the YouTube app would let you pause your watched and search history.
Another smaller feature that might eventually pop up is the ability swiping to skip ads, a feature which is useful if you are too lazy to tap the bottom right to skip ads after they have been displayed for five seconds.

Just because these features were seen in the YouTube app’s code does not guarantee that they will make it to future versions the app although there are high possibilities that they would.

Sony To Launch Xperia XZ with 6 Gb RAM And 4K Display

Although Sony may have unveiled just three new devices at the recently concluded CES 2018, but it looks like another monster android device is on the way soon. Rumors hints that Sony would be unveiling the Xperia XZ Pro, a new flagship device set to be launched at MWC 2018 in February.

The XPERIA XZ Pro is said to come with a 5.7-inch OLED display with 4K resolution support, a Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The device is said to also come with a dual rear-camera setup featuring a 18 MP sensor with 1.33µm pixel size and 12 MP sensor at 1.38µm pixels. The front camera is hinted to come in at 13 MP.

Finally, the Xperia XZ Pro is reported to be coming with a slightly impressive 3,420 mAh battery and IP68 certification for dust and water resistance

Below is a concept render of the Xperia XZ Pro;

The Xperia XZ Pro is rumored to cost around $930.

Although this is mere rumors and speculation at the moment, if it’s accurate, the Xperia XZ Pro could be one of the first flagships of 2018.