Week 27 in review: Samsung, vivo and Asus announce new phones

We don't usually get a lot of phone announcements around this time of the year as manufacturers focus all their effort on their Fall launches, but this week was actually pretty busy. Samsung, vivo and Asus all unveiled new hardware and while not exactly flagship grade, it's a welcome distraction from the usual rumor marathon.
The Galaxy J5 Pro is a variant of the J5 (2017) with more RAM and storage, while the Zenfone 4 Max is a dual-cam mid-ranger, which is still a fairly rare sight.
The vivo X9s and X9s Plus are the most exciting with dual front-facing cameras, metal bodies and capable Snapdragon 65x chipsets.
Camera maker RED made a surprising entrance in the smartphone race with its $1,200 Hydrogen One modular phone with holographic display. It's going to be a while before that one comes to the market, though.
Meanwhile, the OnePlus 5 scored 87 points at the DxO test, a couple of Xiaomi handsets got their specs leaked ahead of the official launches, while KGI published a bunch of interesting predictions on the upcoming iPhone lineup.
Samsung's new Galaxy J5 Pro is Galaxy J5 (2017) with better RAM and storage
The device, which has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, has been launched in Thailand.
Leak details Redmi Note 5: Snapdragon 630/660 chipset, 3,790mAh battery
The chipset will be paired with up to 4GB of RAM, the battery with QuickCharge 3.0.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 benchmark listing confirms Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6GB RAM
The leak also reveals Android Nougat 7.1.1 OS.
Nokia and Xiaomi sign a collaboration agreement
The two companies will license each other’s patents and will exchange knowledge on Internet of Things.
Asus Zenfone 4 Max unveiled with 5,000mAh battery and a dual camera
It comes with two chipset options - Snapdragon 430 (octa-core) and Snapdragon 425 (quad-core).
Watch this vivo on-screen fingerprint demo
The video shows vivo’s on-display fingerprint scanner in an extended hands-on. This one is actually in HD.
vivo X9s and X9s Plus become official with dual front cameras
The phones are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 652 and 653, respectively.
Samsung details the future of ISOCELL dual cameras
The will be the most versatile of the four ISOCELL product lines.
Hydrogen One is a $1,200 smartphone that's modular and features holographic display
High-end professional camera maker Red is entering the smartphone market with this device.
The OnePlus 5 scores 87 on DxOMark
The OnePlus’ camera performed among the likes of the Moto Z Force, Huawei P10, and Xperia XZ.
Samsung Galaxy Note8 screen protector reveals the display's curves
A newly leaked image purports to show us a screen protector made for the upcoming phablet.
Moto X4 press renders leak alongside specs, expect dual rear cameras and IP68 certification
The mid-range handset will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 630 chipset.
Nokia Android with dual-lens Zeiss camera is coming this year
HMD Global and Zeiss signed a partnership to bring the camera brand back to smartphones.
Galaxy Note8 camera setup photographed, leaked cases reveal a headphone jack
The Galaxy Note8’s camera glass was allegedly spotted and a photo was taken. In other news, a leaked case reveals the Note8’s headphone jack isn’t going anywhere.
LG releases official product video for the G6+
Shows off the two new colors, Marine Blue and Terra Gold.
Nokia 6 becomes first to get July security update
Weighing in at around 150MB, the update is currently hitting units in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
KGI's 10 iPhone predictions: slimmest bezels ever on the OLED model
No fingerprint reader, replaced instead by a 3D-sensing selfie camera. The iPhone 7s and 7s will undergo curious changes as well.
LG Q6 will be unveiled on July 11
The company has started sending press invites for an event in Poland on that date.
Huawei Mate 10 to come in October with edge-to-edge screen
The Huawei Mate 10 will have a taller 18:9 screen, Kirin 970 chip.
The OnePlus 5 scores 87 on DxOMark
The OnePlus’ camera performed among the likes of the Moto Z Force, Huawei P10, and Xperia XZ.
Nokia 3310 gets new retail box with see-through cover
The device is now visible, while the accessories are below in the box.
Sony Xperia 4K video record time: how long can you shoot before the phone has to stop
4K video capture causes some phones to overheat - this video shows how Xperias of several generations perform.