Here's a quick look at the specifications of the Karbonn Titanium S5:

Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle
Micromax has been trying to steal Samsung's thunder by offering affordable smartphones with specifications almost at par with Samsung's devices. In one such attempt, the company launchedthe A111 Canvas Doodle sporting a 5.3-inch display and a stylus at Rs 12,999, to take on the Galaxy Note. While Micromax has been employing Mediatek in almost all its smartphones, the A111 Canvas Doodle seems to be an exception. It is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8225Q Snapdragon and runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2. 

Take a look at the specifications of the A111 Canvas Doodle:

Xolo X1000
The Xolo X1000 also goes against the herd and screams "Intel inside". It is powered by Intel Atom Z2480. The single-core multi-thread processor clocks at 2GHz and features PowerVR SGX540 graphics. The X1000 equips Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, but is upgradeable to Android jelly Bean 4.1. It comes with a huge 8GB internal storage that can be further expanded. It is available via online retailers for Rs 14,000. Check out the complete review here. The X1000 is Xolo's third handset to feature Intel’s mobile processor. Its predecessors are the Xolo X900 andXolo X500. Xolo's latest quad-core Q600 smartphone is powered by Mediatek.

Take a quick look at the specifications of the Xolo X1000:

So far, Mediatek is dominating the budget smartphone market. Intel is trying to push into the budget phone category and we may soon see Nvidia Tegra-based budget smartphones too. We hope to see rather diverse range of devices in the budget smartphone category.

The highly anticipated Micromax Canvas 4 launch has left a sour aftertaste. We’d even go so far as to say it is one of the few disappointing smartphones of the year so far. The reason is simple—over the last one year, expectations from Micromax have increased by manifold. Blu, a Florida-based company, uses the same low-cost production model that Micromax has thrived on and both companies get their smartphones manufactured by OEMs in China. There's talk that Canvas 4 is an imitation of the Blu Life One. Canvas 4 shares almost all of the Life One's specs, including the Mediatek MT6589 chipset. And it also has the same aluminium mid-housing. However, if Micromax had to look for inspiration somewhere, it could have taken cues from some Chinese-branded smartphones.

Before moving on to the list of Chinese smartphones, let’s take a look at the specifications of the Micromax Canvas 4:

iBerry had earlier introduced some nifty tablets in the Indian market, and now the company has begun the pre-order of its feature-loaded budget smartphone dubbed Auxus Nuclea N1. While the Canvas 4 is powered by the Mediatek MT6589, the Nuclea N1 takes a step further with the Mediatek MT6589T Turbo version that is more powerful and expensive. The quad-core processor clocks at a higher 1.5GHz and overall the device weighs much less at 120.7 grams. One of the most significant feature of the Nuclea N1 is its 5-inch 1080p IPS display. The display uses OGS (One Glass Solution), which helps give it a slimmer look. It also has a bigger battery at 2800 mAh. Both Canvas 4 and Nuclea N1 come with a 13MP rear camera, but the latter has a higher 8MP front-facing camera. Moreover, Auxus Nuclea N1 has managed to beat Micromax Canvas 4 not just with better specs, but also with its cheaper price tag. iBerry has put up the Nuclea N1 for pre-order at a price of Rs 15,999, which is Rs 2,000 less than Canvas 4's launch price.

Zopo C2

The next contender is the Zopo C2, which is powered by a 1.2GHz Mediatek MT6589 quad-core processor (same as the Micromax Canvas 4) but has an upper edge when it comes to the display. The C2 comes with a full HD 1920 x 1080 5-inch IPS display. It is lighter in weight at 150 grams and also has support for dual SIMs. Most of the other specifications remain the same, such as 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and 2000 mAh battery. The Zopo C2 is priced at around Rs 13,500, which is way cheaper than the Canvas 4.

Umi X2

The Chinese phone maker Umi had launched the X2 in the Indian market earlier this year. It also has the MTK6589 quad-core processor just like the Canvas 4, but comes with a higher 2GB RAM. The smartphone was launched with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS version but got the 4.2 update in April. It has a 5-inch IPS LCD with a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The 16GB model of Canvas 4 is priced at Rs 17,999, while Umi is selling its 16GB and 32GB X2 models for Rs 14,000 and Rs 16,000 respectively. It further offers up to 64GB of expandable memory compared to 32GB offered by the Canvas 4. Just like the Canvas 4, it has a 13MP rear camera, but a slightly inferior (on paper) 3 megapixel front-facing camera. It is lighter in weight at 155 grams and comes equipped with a better 2500 mAh battery.
   
Gionee Elife E6

Launched in China today and coming to India in August, the Gionee Elife E6 has also managed to pack in a 1080p full HD display. The only hiccup seems to be its higher price tag, expected to be priced somewhere around Rs 23,000.  However, it has a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor with 2GB RAM (likely to be Mediatek MT6589T Turbo chipset). Moreover, it's just 6.1 mm thin, making it one of the thinnest smartphones in the world. Just like the Canvas 4, it will come with a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS. The smartphone is lighter at 128 grams and has a gigantic 32GB internal memory.

Just as we speak, another Indian phone maker, Spice has looked at the above smartphones for inspiration and has now launched the Spice Pinnacle for an MOP of Rs 16,999. Despite being less expensive than the Canvas 4, it has a higher resolution 1080p display and a faster 1.5GHz quad-core processor. However, the 8MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing camera could be seen as a compromise.

So what do you think? Is the Canvas 4 looking like a weaker device in comparison to these Chinese smartphones? We think Micromax has missed a beat with the Canvas 4. Let us know if you agree.

September is shaping up to be a really exciting month for the smartphone segment as a slew of smart devices are waiting to be unveiled. All major announcements are slated for this month including the new iPhones and the Galaxy Note 3. The phablet segment specifically will see a horde of options while we may also witness some redefining of the budget segment with the budget iPhone. So without further ado, here are some hot upcoming smartphone launches to look out for.



iPhone 5S
The iPhone 5S first made headlines just a few days after the iPhone 5 was launched last year. And just like the previous iPhones, it has been surrounded by a string of rumours, speculations and leaks about the launch date, specs and design. After a series of launch date possibilities and news about Apple 5S being delayed as the company is considering a larger screen, a recent report hints that the Cupertino company is finally set to pull the covers off the smartphone onSeptember 10. 

While the rumour of a larger screen seems to be fading off, the 5S is likely to feature a similar design as the iPhone 5. The highlight of the iPhone 5S is the rumoured fingerprint scanner, which will be accommodated under a raised scratch-free, sapphire home button. The device will rope in the latest iOS 7 while Siri is likely to come with some major improvements. The speech engine will be fine tuned and Siri will support new languages. One can expect it to be powered by the new version of Apple's processor (presumably called the A7) and Power SGX554MP4 graphics processor for better performance during demanding games and 3D rendering. The camera is also expected to pack in some improvements such as dual-LED flash. Apart from vanilla white and black shades, Apple plans to launch the iPhone 5S in gold.

iPhone 5C
The iPhone 5C is none other than the alleged budget iPhone that Apple is expected to launch for developing nations like China and hopefully India too. However, it is believed that to cut down the cost, Apple has built the 5C using plastic or polycarbonate instead of anodized aluminium or metal. Leaked images clearly show that Apple has gone all colourful with the budget iPhone, as the leaked images show the device posing in several shades including red, blue, yellow, white and black. Along with plasticky volume controls, power button and mute button, the iPhone 5C will also get the bottom-firing stereo speakers, if the grille placement on some leaked images is to be believed. The iPhone 5C will get a 4-inch display just like the iPhone 5 but the resolution may not be higher than 640 x 1136 pixels.

On the camera front, it could get the 8MP megapixel found in the iPhone 4S. It could also get an LED flash. The 5C is likely to run on the older A5 chipset, which is obviously yet another attempt at keeping the cost low. The device will run on the latest iOS 7, but we won’t be surprised if the company drops some key features of the mobile OS for the budget smartphone. Apple may also drop AirDrop or photo filters - which are two of the key highlights of iOS 7 - to keep from straining the processor. The device will be competing with low-cost Android and Windows Phone smartphones in China and India, and as a differentiator, Apple could package the iPhone 5C with LTE capability. The iPhone 5C is expected to cost some where between $300 and $500, without a contract. This means the device won't come really cheap. If true, it would be far more expensive than the previously speculated price that was somewhere between $230 and $300 (Rs 12,000 and Rs 16,000 approx).

Sony Xperia Honami 
Sony has been putting in some hard work building its Xperia lineup of smartphones. After the recent launch of the Xperia ZL, the company is all geared up for the launch of the Xperia Honami. Even before the new iPhones, we will see Sony showcase the Honami smartphone at the IFA on September 4. The Honami is said to be a camera-centric smartphone sporting a gigantic 20.7MP camera along with the capability to record 4K videos. We’ve also seen some leaked images taken from its camera. The company is likely to pair it with the Sony G-Lens. The camera also gets Timeshift burst, which borrows BlackBerry Time Shift’s name and ability to pick the best image from a group of images. Sony has created a new camera API, which allows developers to create add-ons for the camera app called "Xperia camera add-ons". Besides, other specifications of the Honami are likely to be a 5-inch 1080p Triluminos display with OptiContrast and X-Reality Engine technologies, Qualcomm's newest 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 SoC, Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of RAM. While earlier reports suggest a 32GB internal memory, new ones claim the device will come with 16GB on-board memory. It might just let users pick from both the options.

Dishing out a mini version of the smartphone seems to have become an upcoming trend among manufacturers. Having said that, the Honami Mini has already surfaced and will likely be unveiled at the IFA along with the flagship Honami. It will sport a smaller 4.3-inch Triluminos display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. The mini version of Sony’s flagship is likely to run on 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. What is really interesting is that Sony plans to retain the 20.7 megapixel camera in the mini version of the Honami as well. One can expect the same Sony G lens, f/2.0 aperture and 1/2.3 inch sensor.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Industry giant Samsung will be taking the wraps off its highly anticipated Galaxy Note 3 at the IFA next month. While a lot has been already said and written about the Galaxy Note 3, the rumour mills just don’t seem to halt. Recently Note 3’s country distribution list and patent filing were leaked. The leaked patent clearly shows tapered ends and well-rounded top and bottom plates. This makes it slightly different from the usual Note design that has been seen in the past. However, it should be noted that the patent doesn’t mention Note 3 anywhere, but does show a slot for the S-Pen.

The Note 3 will sport a large 5.7-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, with a density of 386 ppi.  According to the earlier reports, the Note 3 will be made available in two versions – one with a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa processor and the other with Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. It is now known that the processor is going to be country-specific. During the launch, we will see two models - SM-N900 and SM-N9005. The SM-N900 will include a 3G radio and the Exynos 5420 Octa processor while the SM-N9005 with 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity will feature the Qualcomm processor. India will be getting the Exynos 5420 Octa processor model. While Galaxy Note 2 was one of the first devices to get the newly launched Android 4.1 last year, the Galaxy Note 3 may be the first to sport the latest Android 4.3. If the horde of news reports are to be believed, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 would equip 3GB RAM and 13MP camera with the new S Orb feature.

HTC One Max
The Galaxy Note 3 won’t be the only phablet to look forward to.  HTC also plans to announce itsOne Max sporting a 5.9-inch display around the same time. We’ve already seen the leaked images, which will instantly remind one of the recent HTC One and HTC One mini devices. The One Max also known as the One T6 is said to be powered by a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S800 processor with 2GB of RAM. The 5.9-inch display will feature 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution. According to reports, it will come with an Ultrapixel digital camera and a 2.1MP front camera. Additionally, it is said that the smartphone will be fuelled by a 3300mAh battery, which is definitely a bare minimum for a full-HD screen. The leaked image also shows a fingerprint scanner. Knowing that the iPhone 5S will be featuring it too, we wouldn’t be surprised if fingerprint scanners become a standard smartphone feature in the future. The new picture also reveals the presence of three dock connectors. This could be indicative of an accessory being made available at launch. 

Lenovo X910/K6
Lenovo is slowly strengthening its smartphone portfolio. It plans to announce its 5-inch phablet along with the biggies at the IFA next month. Codenamed K6, the 5-inch phablet features a 1080p display, just like most of the high-end smart devices these days. It will be first heading to the Chinese market and the original version of the device came with the Intel Atom processor inside. However, recent reports reveal that it will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, and the benchmark results of the smartphone are said to be really great. It is also expected to be a solid piece of hardware. With the Qualcomm processor, it is likely to be ready for a global launch.

Nokia Bandit 
Nokia plans to foray into the phablet segment with its first device sporting a large 6-inch display. The company is currently testing the device codenamed “Bandit” with the latest version of Windows Phone. Following the current crop of high-end devices, it is likely to feature a 1080p display and come powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor. Bandit may not disappoint on the camera front with its purported 20MP shooter. The device is said to be slim and lightweight with a polycarbonate body. While earlier reports reveal that the device could be announced/launched in October or November, the latest rumour making the rounds claims that Nokia may announce Bandit some time next month. With major announcements in the phablet segment from other manufacturers slated for September, it seems to be just the right move.

So, we can be sure as hell that there won’t be dearth of smart device options for the rest of the year.

Over the last year, expectations from Micromax have increased thanks to the success of the Canvas brand and the strategy of giving consumers superior specs at an affordable price. Its latest smartphone, the Canvas 4, packs a large 5-inch screen, but has settled for a 720p resolution instead of catching on to the hot full HD display trend. The device also feels too bulky in the hand, but it definitely feels more polished than Micromax's previous efforts. You can read our complete review of the Canvas 4 here. One highlight is bevy of software features in the Canvas 4. In burst mode, the camera shoots 99 pictures in 15 seconds, there's video pinning and simultaneous video playback as well as auto-pausing of video. Micromax has also baked in a number of other gesture-based features like blow to unlock and auto-answer.

Xolo Q1000S – Rs 18,999

The successor to the Q1000, this is one of the slimmest smartphones in the market with a thickness of just 6.98 mm. The Q1000S comes with a 5-inch IPS display featuring a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, just like the Canvas 4. It is also equipped with a 13 megapixel shooter on the back, again like the Micromax phone. It includes a BSI 2 sensor, a successor to the original Backside Illuminated sensor. The rear camera is capable of recording full HD 1080p videos and has its own image stabilization technology that should allow for decent photography even with a shaky hand. We haven't got our hands on the device yet, but on paper the Q1000S looks promising.

Take a look at the comparison table below:

Verdict:
Going purely by the specs on paper, the Xolo Q1000S emerges as the winner by a really small margin. It is one of the slimmest smartphones currently available in the market, and nearly 2mm sleeker than the Canvas 4. Both Canvas 4 and Xolo Q1000S come with 5-inch displays, sporting 720 x 1280 pixels of resolution. But the former is guarded by a Corning Gorilla glass while the latter by Asahi Dragontail glass. The Q1000S is powered by the faster Mediatek MT6589T, an over-clocked version of the MT6589 which beats inside the Canvas 4. The Xolo phone also offers a much bigger capacity battery. While both come with 16GB internal memory, it is disappointing to see that Xolo has given microSD card slot a skip. While the Xolo Q100s is launched at an MRP of Rs 18,999, the market operating price invariably drops afetr launch. So looks like the Micromax Canvas 4 finally has some real competition.