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Counterpoint’s smartphone numbers for Q2 2018 are out, and their ranking of the top 10 smartphone brands in the world is out. Three brands have our attention here at Mobility Arena. Maybe four. Huawei has skipped over Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone maker, Nokia is continuing its strong streak and now sits at the number 9 spot, and TECNO Mobile is in the 10th position.
If you have followed the trends for a while, you will understand why these performances are newsworthy. I will summarize them below.
Huawei Mobile
Huawei has had a hard time with the Americans. A very hard time. Again and again, the Chinese brand has had obstacles placed before it in the US market. But despite all that, they have pushed on and successfully gained huge grounds elsewhere – especially in India and China. And the result is that they have shipped 10 million smartphones more than Apple in Q2 2018.
Amazing. Nothing short of remarkable. This is partly due to the huge success of Huawei’s Honor sub-brand .
Nokia Mobile
Everyone had given up on Nokia, but in the last one and a half year of the brand’s re-entry into the smartphone market, it has thrown up a strong performance and made its way back into the list of the top 10 smartphone brands in the world.
As I have said before, the Nokia brand is arguably the world’s strongest mobile brand and HMD Global has done a great job using that as a leverage. Of course, they have created very good smartphones too.
Of the 2018 releases from HMD Global, the Nokia 7 Plus is looking to be the year’s bestseller. For a mid-ranger, it packs a wallop and is huge value-for-money.
TECNO Mobile
For many years, TECNO sold its smartphones only in Africa, and they did a heck of a job with it. Betting on Africa was a good move. In recent years, they also bet on Asia. Who, in their right senses, would ignore the huge Indian smartphone market, for example? Well, TECNO’s moves have paid off. The mobile brand is finally among the top 10 smartphone brands in the world. Bravo!
Xiaomi
I did say maybe 4; right? The fourth brand worthy of a honorary mention here is Xiaomi. Xiaomi is in the 4th place right on the heels of Apple on the top 10 list. And if Apple does not step up their game, Xiaomi will take the 3rd spot from them the same way Huawei took the 2nd spot from them .
The Q2 2018 Top 10 Smartphone Brands in the World
The top 10 smartphone brands accounted for 79% of the smartphone volumes in Q2 2018. Here is the list:
- Samsung Mobile
- Huawei Mobile
- Apple
- Xiaomi
- Oppo Mobile
- vivo
- LG
- Lenovo Mobile
- Nokia Mobile
- TECNO Mobile
In all, the fastest growing brands of Q2 2018 were Nokia, OnePlus, TECNO, Xiaomi, Infinix and Huawei.
Update on the top 10 smartphone brands in the world (2018)
Gartner released sales figures for Q2 2018, and they confirm Huawei’s new position. According to Gartner , Huawei sold 5 million more smartphones than Apple in Q2 2018. Gartner’s ranking tallies with Counterpoint’s, so this is official. Huawei has secured the global no. 2 smartphone vendor spot, pushing Apple to 3rd place.
All the indicators tell us that Apple is facing stiff competition, mainly from Chinese manufacturers. The company is also struggling in China, where iPhone sales have dropped in recent times. Apple is hoping to change the tide with this year’s smartphone announcements. The Cupertino giant is still in 3rd place among the top 10 smartphone brands in the world, though, so it is still very much a brand everyone else has to contend with.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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At first glance, the TWS i7s earphones would fool most people. Airpod! The pack fooled Boy Mo. I had to tell him that this is a cheap Airpod clone set. I didn’t tell him how much the set cost, though. I needed to keep my rep intact. Welcome to my TWS i7S earphones review .
So, I have used the i7S Airpod clone for about two weeks now and have my verdict. Before we start, here is a diagram that poiunts out the different features of the earphones. Note especially the Multi-function button on each earbud. It serves as power button, volume controller, and music play/pause button.
What Does TWS Mean?
TWS is an acronym for True Wireless Stereo, a technology that has been applied to the field of Bluetooth earphones. A TWS Bluetooth earphone like the i7s and others are products of the technology.
What Bluetooth Profiles Do The i7s TWS Earphones Support?
The i7s TWS earphones support HSP and A2D2 Bluetooth profiles , so are capable of not just handling telephone calls, but also stereo music playback from your phone or other devices.
How do I get my i7s TWS earbuds to work?
To pair your TWS i7s earbuds with your smartphone, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Take out either one of your i7s TWS earbuds from the charging case. Step 2: Press and hold the multifunction button until the LED light flashes red and blue alternatingly. Step 3: Go to the Bluetooth menu on your smartphone, enable Bluetooth and scan for available devices. Step 4: Select “TWS-i7s” in the list of devices and your i7s TWS earbuds will be paired with your phone.
TWS i7S Airpods Review: How do I adjust volume on i7s TWS?
To Play/Pause Music: Press the multi-function button on either ear bud to play or pause music. To Decrease the volume: Long press the multi-function button on the left earbud to turn the volume down. To Increase the volume : Long press the multi-function button on the right earbud to turn the volume up.
TWS i7S Airpods Review: The Good
i7s TWS charging : I like the charging case or pod. There is a built-in battery, so not only does it protect the earphones, it can also charge the pair without being connected to a wall socket. In other words, the pod works like a power bank for the headphones. And it looks super cool too charging the airpods that way.
Besides being able to charge the i7s airpods by plugging any regular micro-USB charger to the pod/carry case, the sales box includes a USB-to-pin charger that can be used to charge each headphone directly. The pin charger plugs into the base of the stem of each headphone.
I also like the fact that I can use only one of the headphones if I like and leave the other at home, in a bag, or in the car. I am not a fan of plugging both ears: dangerous. Whether lying on the bed at home, walking along the street, or driving, you never know what warning sounds you are missing when both ears are plugged.
Audio volume of the earphones is loud, which is very good. You are not likely to find yourself straining to hear the other person for lack of volume.
TWS i7S Airpod clone review: Design
In terms of design, this is one of the better looking wireless headphones available. Being an Apple rip-off, that is no surprise.
i7s TWS Pairing : Pairing the earphones with my smartphone was without issues. To pair, press and hold the button on the earbuds till the LED light flashes blue and red. Then open the Bluetiooth menu on your smartphone and select TWS i7s to connect.
To pair both i7s TWS airpods, press and hold the button on both earbuds together, and repeat the same process on your phone.
TWS i7S Airpod Clone Review: The Bad
The worst possible aspect of the i7s AirPods is the audio quality. Let me put it this way: in terms of audio, these have the about the worst audio quality among headphones I have reviewed in a long time. The audio quality isn’t crappy. It just isn’t up there with the best.
During phone calls, people at the other end often say they can’t hear me properly intermittently, and at intervals I have a problem hearing them properly too. Is it the microphone and the speakers, or is it a poor Bluetooth connection? Without technical equipment, I have no way of finding out.
But the TWS i7S regularly made phone calls an irritating affair, failing where it matters the most for me. The primary use of my audio earphones is phone calls when my hands are busy elsewhere – sometimes when I am working and at other times when I am driving.
Audio playback while listening to music or watching a video is the same: mostly good. You will hear some noise if you pay attention.
TWS i7S earphones review: Conclusion
The i7s TWS airpods look great, are comfortable in the ear, and have good battery life. I get about 5 hours of active use. Music playback is okay. But somehow, it occasionally lets me down during phone conversations.
It isn’t a bad earphones set, but if you need serious in-call audio quality, it will leave a mild sour taste in your mouth occassionally. Otherwise, you get good performance most of the time.
These i7s earbuds set costs just ₦8,000 in the market and can be found in retail stores, as well as online stores.
Is i7s TWS waterproof?
i7s TWS earbuds are cheap and made of plastic. They have no IP rating, and so are not waterproof. Do not take a shower or go in the rain with them on.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
