Smartphone blockbuster: The multi-starrers of March 2019

The world of smartphones is no less than a multiplex, that releases one device after another, each trying to woo audiences with new drama every single week. This week is a multi-starrer one. All shows houseful, and entertainment for everyone, depending on your budget. Sit back, grab that tub of popcorn and read on:

The muscular action hero: Samsung Galaxy S10+

The S10+ is likely to be Samsung's last big release before it unveils a foldable avatar. This is a stylish flagship that boasts of robust camera performance, a dramatic infinity screen and jumbo battery life. The drama begins with the 6.4 inches Edge Screen, Infinity -O, AMOLED display with an Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Samsung's curved edge screens have been favourites for people who take their multimedia experience seriously, and the combination of AMOLED and Infinity display, along with the in screen camera module, optimize the device for content viewing. The fingerprint sensor reads the three-dimensional contours of your thumbprint, and securely unlocks the device, making sure the entire activity is spoof-free.

Having used the device for a few days, we found that the iris sensor was so effective, even in ultra low-light that you hardly need to use your thumb to unlock the S10+. The in-display camera on the right corner of the device has guiding lights that prompt you to look at it before your phone unlocks ultra fast.

The S10+ comes with a triple rear camera configuration: a 12MP main camera that varies the aperture from f/1.5 to f/2.4 in real-time, a 12MP telephoto lens, and an ultra wide-angle 16MP clicker. When they work together, they capture a monument or a sunset with real colours, very close to what your eye would see. in the front is a dual selfie camera (10MP main + 8MP RGB depth sensor). It comes with an Instagram mode which means your head doesn't get cut off when you import your regular images to Instagram. Also, the Live Focus mode gives you real-time effects like zoom and spin, and a meter which allows you to change the magnitude of the effect. The device also suggests the best shot position for your subject.

What sets a flagship aside from regular devices is an innovative use of technology like AI. Samsung's neural processing unit on the S10+ optimizes scenes based on an in-built algorithm and toggles between pro modes depending on lighting conditions and background. Samsung says its R&D centre in Bangalore has contributed heavily to the camera tech as well as to the Bixby View AI enhancements such as an India-special collaboration with Myntra where you can virtually try and buy outfits.

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ is priced at Rs. 1,17,900 (a massive 1TB storage), Rs 91,900 (512GB), and Rs. 73,900 (128GB). If a stylish and premium device for work and play is what you are looking for this summer, the S10+ is the device for you!

The stylish villain: OPPO F11 Pro

Stylish and suave (16MP rising that is, a pop-up front camera), bright and eye-catching style (triple gradient back), fast and agile (VOOC fast Charge 3.0), and a big, attractive frame (6.5 inches notch-less panoramic screen). And most of all operate well in the dark! The Oppo F11 Pro has everything to become the villain of smartphones this season. It is cheeky enough to challenge the hero but impresses audiences with its sneaky yet stylish features.

With a 48MP + 5MP dual rear camera, the F11 Pro uses what it calls a Tetracell technology that identifies and analyzes 4 adjacent pixels, combines the data acquired from them into one, making sure the quality is double that of a regular camera, especially in ultra low-light. In bright daylight, the cameras are able to churn out 48 MP ultra HD hi-res images directly onto the device. In the ultra night mode, the F11 Pro distinguishes between portraits and backgrounds, suppresses noise and cleans up the image in real-time.

Design-wise, the device looks stylish and sleek, especially the triple gradient Thunder Black variant. The pop-up camera is housed in the middle of the device, making the 'rising' experience a functional yet stylish one. For gamers, Oppo provides 5GB of cloud storage. This is in addition to the 8GB + 64GB memory it comes with. If a stylish, eye-catching bad boy device is what you want, grab the Oppo F11 Pro, for Rs 24,990!

The romantic wooer: Realme 3

Say hello to the cute romantic hero that ticks every box on your list comes at an affordable price, makes you want to gaze at it as though you are seeing stars, and fits snugly in your hands. The recently launched Realme 3 comes from a company that believes in a design-first philosophy. This time around, Realme has mingled style with a performance from the MediaTek P70 AI processor to create a compelling product.

With a 3D unibody gradient design, the device features a back cover and mid-frame that are created as a single whole piece, providing better grip and seamless design. The black gradient variant was apparently created by Realme using 8 spray guns and 3 rounds of spray process, after which pearl-like particles were added, to provide a stars-in-the-sky effect.

The Realme 3 is not just about the looks. It comes with a Chroma Boost mode in its cameras (13MP + 2MP back), which optimizes images using AI across a large dynamic range to provide balanced exposure and optimized shadows. The Nightscape mode provides the most affordable night optimization features for any smartphone. The 13MP selfie camera provides optimized images, even in low light. With its 6.2-inch dewdrop display, powered by a 4230mAh battery, with AI app management, and a triple slot Dual 4G VoLTE connectivity, the Realme 3 offers a stock Android-like experience with its ColorOS. This romantic hero is available in two memory variants (3GB + 32GB at Rs 8,999, and 4GB + 64GB at Rs 10,999). In this price range, the Realme 3 is the best all-around device you can find today, with innovative style and solid performance.

--IndiaTechOnline