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Nokia to produce Lumia 920 with TD-SCDMA support for China Mobile
Scratch one in the victory column for Nokia, as China Mobile -- the world's largest carrier -- has agreed to bring the Lumia 920 into its fold. A representative for Nokia revealed the news late this week, although just like every other handset with Windows Phone 8, pricing and availability remains up in the air. Beyond China Mobile's mind-boggling number of subscribers (hovering above 660 million), the deal is significant because of Nokia's limited willingness to support the network's TD-SCDMA infrastructure. While unconfirmed, we're hopeful to find the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 at the heart of this variant, due to its support for both TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE. That said, because China is in no rush to adopt 4G, the MSM8260A remains a viable candidate. Regardless, perhaps Nokia will be able to turn a bit of a corner with this deal -- in more ways than one.
Marvell PXA988, PXA986 chips support 3G for China, the world without reinventing the wheel (or phone)
Whenever we see a smartphone optimized for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA 3G, it usually represents one of two things: it's either a China-specific variant of a phone we already know, or it's a local-only model that's unlikely to ever travel abroad. Marvell has just unveiled a new mobile processor platform that could allow for a lot more globetrotting with those basic designs. The PXA988 is limited to China Mobile's technology for data, but its PXA986 doppelganger can fit the same slot to offer regular HSPA+ 3G without forcing phone makers back to the drawing board. Both run on a dual-core, 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 at their heart -- nothing exciting in mid-2012, although they're well-enough equipped to capture 1080p video and tout extras like NFC. Only test samples exist today, but there's a chance we'll soon see phone designs that are just as much at home in Berlin as they are in Beijing.
K-Touch joins China Mobile with Marvell-powered T660, waves a $160 price tag
Last we heard, Chinese manufacturer K-Touch was quite busy showing off its Treasure V8 at this year's Mobile World Congress. Now, the company's taken the wraps off of its budget-friendly, TD-SCDMA T660 smartphone, marking its first intelligent handset on China Mobile. The device itself features a 4-inch, IPS display alongside a 5-megapixel rear shooter and a 1GHz, Marvell PXA920H CPU (the same one found on the ZTE U880E and Lenovo A668T). Specs aside, however, this is K-Touch's first crack at the TD-SCDMA market and it's doing so on the cheap, pricing the Gingerbread-loaded T660 at a mere 1,000 RMB (around $160) without any contracts attached. Not a bad way to kick things off, right?
Samsung: We're still not into 3D smartphones
By now you may have already seen a handful of "leaks" on Samsung's imminent Galaxy S III, but if you ask us, they all smell like a cruel prank on anticipating fans. As far as we're concerned, the only reliable tidbits so far are the GT-i9300 and GT-i9308 codenames (the latter likely a TD-SCDMA variant for China Mobile) on Samsung's support page; along with murmurs from executives about a certain quad-core chipset and a release date. Funnily enough, we just received the following statement from Sammy who's probably not too happy about some of the speculations out there: Although Samsung Electronics is constantly exploring new technologies for our mobile devices, we have no immediate plan to include displays featuring 3D technology in our upcoming smartphones.So there you have it: the upcoming Galaxy S III, along with its new siblings, definitely won't feature a 3D display; and you can certainly forget that 4-inch 3D handset we heard about last February. Unless, of course, LG can convince its Korean buddy to think otherwise.
MediaTek-powered ZTE MT73 packs TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, dual SIM and magic dust
Here's a funny one we spotted at China Mobile's booth at Mobile Asia Congress: a ZTE Android phone powered by a MediaTek chipset that supports TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM and dual SIM! Of course, given that China Mobile is currently the exclusive carrier to the TD-SCDMA technology, we're not expecting this peculiar device to pop up anywhere beyond the Great Wall any time soon; but knowing that there's a dual-SIM LTE phone somewhere on this planet still makes our day. Spec-wise this MT73 prototype features Android 2.3.4, an 800MHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4.1-inch 854 x 480 LCD with capacitive touchscreen, a five megapixel main camera, a VGA front-facing camera and a 1,100mAh battery. As per usual ZTE build quality, there's an inevitable cheap feel upon laying our hands on this phone, but we'll give ZTE the benefit of the doubt and wait for the final version. As for a launch date, the folks at China Mobile said it'll depend on when will the government issue a commercial license for TD-LTE. To keep you occupied for the time being, we have a hands-on video right after the break.
Droid RAZR's CDMA2000 and TD-SCDMA variants teased in China, the latter with 720p display
Chinese mobile customers face a similar dilemma as their American counterparts: they have to choose either China Unicom's WCDMA network, China Telecom's CDMA2000 network or China Mobile's more obscure TD-SCDMA offering. Needless to say, this can be a real headache for phone fanatics stuck on a carrier that doesn't support their desired devices, unless they don't mind surfing the web on 2G radio (if compatible at all). Luckily, nowadays Motorola tends to take good care of all potential Chinese customers whenever it rolls out a new Android phone, including the Droid RAZR (aka XT910, pictured right) in this case. Read on to find out what these two new phones are about. %Gallery-139260%
Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability
Qualcomm has laid out its details of the upcoming S4 SoC, and yes, there's definitely reason for excitement with this next generation Snapdragon. First, it'll usher in a new 28nm manufacturing process alongside the company's Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. The move from 45nm to 28nm promises smaller components, lower power consumption and improved thermal performance, while Krait will introduce a new pipeline architecture that promises a full 60% boost over the current Scorpion lineup with clock speeds ranging between 1.5 and 2.5GHz -- along with support for asynchronous multiprocessing and dual-channel memory. As for the GPU, the latest chip flaunts 50% greater performance over the current Adreno 220, where it also provides support for DirectX 9.3 for Windows 8, in addition to OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0. Should be quite the gaming experience, eh? It doesn't end there, as the S4 MSM8960 promises multi-mode world capabilities with support for all the commonly used frequencies from 700 to 2600MHz -- quite a feat, indeed. It handles Cat. 3 LTE (up to 100Mbps) and Cat. 24 HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), along with EV-DO Rev. B, 1x Advanced and TD-SCDMA, as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE. Oh, and there's also simultaneous support for GPS and GLONASS, along with Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio and NFC. With samples already being sent to manufacturers, we're quite excited for what 2012 may bring.
HTC Sensation Z710t becomes first smartphone to offer ST-Ericsson's NovaThor SoC
There's a new Sensation on the block that'll be making its way to China Mobile, but rather than rehashing more of the same, this release marks the first smartphone to place ST-Ericsson's NovaThor SoC under the hood. Unlike offerings from Qualcomm, the chip inside the Sensation Z710t offers a dual-core A9 processor along with connectivity to the carrier's TD-SCDMA infrastructure. Other specs are expected to remain the same, which includes a 4.3-inch qHD display and 8 megapixel camera. Unfortunately, press photos weren't released, which suggests its design hasn't changed. You'll find the full PR after the break, heralding this latest Sensation among the top-tier of China Mobile's offerings. While pricing or a release date have yet to be announced, we're inclined to agree.
Nokia brings Symbian^3 to China Mobile, officially announces T7-00 and 702T
Though its visits have been few and far between, Nokia has had a presence on China Mobile for many years. The carrier's never been blessed, however, with any TD-SCDMA devices powered by Symbian^3 -- until now. Two new flagship models, known as the T7-00 and 702T, were announced by both companies and slated for Q3 release. If both phones seem oddly familiar, there's a very good reason why: the T7-00, as we originally speculated, is a variant of the Nokia N8 with a lower-quality 8 megapixel EDoF sensor; the 702T is the TD-SCDMA version of the E6, though the keyboard has been altered slightly to include larger Function and Ctrl buttons, allowing for easier switching between Chinese and English input. Both phones will be pre-loaded with the Anna update, and could be a big factor in helping Nokia hit its goal of selling 150 million Symbian devices before the OS goes the way of the Dodo. Check out another image after the break.
Nokia T7-00 surfaces again, looks like N8 redux
This isn't our first encounter with the Nokia T7-00, but this time around we're getting a whole bunch more info thanks to some detailed pics leaked by PCPop. In a nutshell, the T7-00 appears to be a downgraded version of Nokia's N8 imaging flagship for the Chinese market. The phone is identical to the N8 in appearance, except for the missing camera pod in the back. Gone is the phenomenal 12 megapixel autofocus Zeiss shooter with xenon flash -- instead, you'll find an 8 megapixel camera (likely EDoF, like its E7 and C7 cousins) with dual-LED flash mounted flush with the body. In addition, the micro-USB connector finds a new home behind the plastic door that normally conceals the mini-HDMI port on the N8. Under the hood, the existing pentaband 3G radio gives way to China's proprietary TD-SCDMA standard, and the ARM 11 processor gets a 20MHz speed bump to 700MHz. Considering the vast numbers of mobile subscribers in China, the T7-00 is sure to help Nokia reach its goal of selling 150 million Symbian devices in the next few years. Follow the source link below for the complete set of pictures.
Marvell announces 1.2GHz UMTS / TD-SCMA chip 'world phone' solution and Kinoma platform for Android (video)
Claiming to be the "world's first" single chip solution with 3G UMTS and China's fave TD-SCDMA (with HSPA support), Marvell's using its MWC 2011 time to unveil the PXA978 chip with 1.2GHz clockspeeds and a 40nm size. Alongside that, the company's announced Kinoma Play as a barebones, no-nonsense platform with Android underneath the skin. A developer SDK is in the works, and if you're so inclined, video and press releases are after the break. Rest assured, we'll be swinging by Marvell's booth this week to see it for ourselves.
Motorola's MT716 OPhone launched in China, looks just like a Droid with Cliq's keyboard
If only this was a hoax. Yes, that's some bitter talk alright, because this Motorola MT716 from China Mobile is almost the perfect Droid that we once had on our dusty wish list: a similar slider form factor but with a hard-cap keyboard, as opposed to one with spongy mashers. In fact, eagle-eyed readers might have already spotted that this is the exact same keyboard as featured on the Cliq. Compared to its distant relative, other differences on this OPhone include an 8 megapixel camera (with dual-LED flash and 720p camcorder feature), an extra VGA front-facing camera, TD-SCDMA radio, WAPI connectivity (WiFi-compatible), and CMMB TV streaming; otherwise, you'll find the same weedy 600MHz TI OMAP3430 chip, 480 x 854 LCD, AGPS and Bluetooth 2.1 inside. Now if you'll excuse us -- we have a petition to write up.
Samsung Galaxy S keeps up global offensive with three Chinese launches
Samsung's done an admirable job of pushing its Galaxy S line far and wide already, but when you enter the Chinese market -- a market with a billion wireless customers -- you're potentially taking things to a whole new level. Sammy has crafted HSPA, EV-DO, and TD-SCDMA versions of its high-end Android phone for China Unicom, China Telecom, and juggernaut China Mobile, respectively, all offering the same 4-inch Super AMOLED display seen elsewhere around the world. The Telecom model launches first -- this month, in fact -- but all three versions will be available before the end of the year. Follow the break for the full press release. %Gallery-101688%
Sony Ericsson announces China-bound A8i Ophone: its first-ever TD-SCDMA smartphone
We're actually surprised it's taken that long for Sony Ericsson to join China Mobile's TD-SCDMA bandwagon (potentially 554 million accounts!), but as the old Chinese proverb goes: "it's never too late to fix the fence, even if you've already lost a few sheep." The new Ophone 2.0 handset in question is the A8i, which bears much resemblance to the oh-so-popular Xperia X10 (also available in China) except for the smaller 3.5-inch touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, CMMB mobile TV feature, and the seemingly missing Timescape plus Mediascape apps. No prices announced just yet, but we're told that both the "Titanium Black" and "Shiny White" editions will be heavily subsidized when they come out in October.
Motorola Ming A1680, MT810, and XT806 begin their Android mercy mission in China
Motorola's venerable MING handset revisions were just made official in three Android-toting varieties for China Unicom (model A1680 pictured above left), China Mobile (MT810, pictured center), and China Telecom (XT806, on the right). The TD-SCDMA riding MT810 ships with the Android derived OPhone 2.0 operating system and two touchscreen displays: a 3.2-inch stylus-friendly resistive touchscreen and a second transparent capacitive cover that provides a finger-friendly experience when closed. Other specs include 720 x 480 video capture, 720p video playback, and support for China's CMMB mobile television spec. China Telecom's XT806 is built on Android 2.1 with GPS, 720p video capture, and support for both CDMA EVDO and GSM for global wanderings. Finally, China Unicom's A1680 packs a 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen, Chinese WAPI WiFi, 5 megapixel camera, GPS, and Motorola's sixth-generation SoftStylus handwriting system.
SmartQ T7 and T7-3G Android 2.1 tablets announced and priced in China
Don't worry, it's not déjà vu -- these SmartQ T7 tablets may appear just like their Ubuntu-riding R7 sibling, but they offer Android 2.1, an integrated 3G option, a speedier 720MHz CPU, and a colossal 4,700mAh battery -- 1,400mAh more than before! If that's woken you from the slumber brought on by yet another boilerplate tablet, SmartQ's also boasting support for a similarly impressive range of video codecs, meaning you can grab any RMVB, AVI, MKV and WMV files (even at 1080p) from your various, ahem, sources, and just play them back on the 7-inch LCD (probably at 800 x 600 like the R7) as they are. If you're cool with just WiFi connectivity, then go for the ¥1,480 ($219) T7; if 3G is a must, be prepared to dole out ¥1,880 ($278) and ¥1,980 ($292) for the EVDO and WCDMA flavors of the T7-3G, respectively. And if you're hanging out with China Mobile, price for the TD-SCDMA version's to be confirmed later.
Mysterious Dell Mini 3v outed by Chinese mobile regulator, OS unknown
Fancy playing a game of "guess the phone?" Dell's got one for you -- the folks over at Chinese mobile regulator TENAA have once again prematurely outed another handset from said computer giant. As usual, there's no mention on the screen size, screen type or even the OS, but we're told that this plain-looking Mini 3v runs on both TD-SCDMA (i.e. China Mobile) and GSM networks (HSDPA supported). The photos also reveal a 5 megapixel camera with flash, along with a possible front-facing camera. This may sound like a promising package, but you won't be able to make full use of this phone outside China: there's WAPI instead of WiFi, along with a TV functionality that we assume to be the China-exclusive CMMB digital TV. That said, there may still be hope with a slight spec tweak and some Froyo love for this strange child. Update: commenter thugsin313 pointed out the stylus at the back of the Mini 3v, which suggests that this is a resistive touchscreen. This makes sense considering the complexity of Chinese characters.
Motorola MT810 Ophone to sport both capacitive and resistive digitizers, makes TV cameo
Remember the Motorola MT820 that got leaked in China last week? Well, for some mysterious reason it's now adopted a new name -- MT810 (but with the same codename, "North Sea"). According to IT168, the tipster isn't exactly clear on whether the two model numbers refer to the same hardware configuration, but a quick search on the Chinese regulator's database reveals just MT810, and that it'll work on China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network and WAPI (China's own take on WiFi). Going back to the latest leak: we're now learning that the camera will capture 720p footage -- apparently a first on the Ophone platform -- and a minimum of 5-megapixel stills, accompanied by an LED flash. As for the flip cover, turns out it also serves as a capacitive touch layer, while the screen underneath is coupled with the good-old resistive digitizer -- ideal for those who prefer writing Chinese with a pointy stylus instead of a sausage. Sadly, the tipster's still mum about the cover's rumored 3D filter capability, which would in theory go nicely with some live soccer on the phone's CMMB mobile TV capability, as teased by a recent commercial on China's national television -- video after the break, if you can bear the jealousy. [Thanks, Rachel]%Gallery-92553%
Nokia cozies up to TD-SCDMA some more, launches China Mobile versions of the X5 and C5, joins TD Forum
Though the standard GSM technology path has always been (and will likely always be) Nokia's bread and butter, Espoo has warmed to the idea of alternatives in the past couple years -- they've ended up establishing a reasonably decent lineup with Verizon in the States, and for China, TD-SCDMA is the name of the game these days. To that end, the company has received its membership card to the TD Forum in the mail (finally joining its Nokia Siemens joint venture) and announced two new candybars: the X5 and C5. Actually, it's a bit unfair to call them both "new" since the C5's already seen an international introduction, but the X5 is a fresh design that mimics the design of its X3 and X6 cousins with a 5 megapixel cam and 2.4-inch QVGA display, becoming the company's first S60 device with support for TD-SCDMA to deliver on a promise made back in 2008. Interestingly, China Mobile's C5 is quite a bit different from the version you'll find elsewhere, rocking an entirely different ID and enjoying an additional 1.8 megapixels in its camera sensor for a grand total of 5. The X5 should start to filter into the market this quarter, while the C5 come in the third quarter. Follow the break for the press release.
Dell Mini 3T1 and Mini 3iX 3G phones spotted with Chinese mobile regulator
If we need another reason to be envious of Chinese residents, it'd be the premium treatment that they're getting from Dell these days. Spotted on Chinese mobile regulator TENAA's website are two 3G phones from seemingly different design departments -- the never-before-seen Mini 3T1 (pictured) is a "TD-SCDMA / GSM dual-mode cellphone" that "supports HSDPA," dons a 2-megapixel camera on the back plus a front-facing one, and we're betting on Ophone for the OS; the second device is the familiar Mini 3iX (an exotic cousin of AT&T's Aero) that will sport the same old WCDMA radio and WAPI (the Chinese equivalent of WiFi). No word on availability of either handsets in China yet, but hey, who cares when the Streak is on the horizon? Update: on the same website we also dug up the Mini 3iW -- essentially the Mini 3i (so just 2G and no WiFi) but with the additional WAPI radio.%Gallery-90276%
