Samsung Galaxy S8: all the rumors in one place

Six weeks have gone by since the last time I took on the task of rounding up and making sense of the large number of Galaxy S8 rumors. To say things have changed since then would be an understatement. The volume of new leaks in recent weeks has been staggering. Some are sketchy, some reliable, some almost definite. But there are so many new rumors doing the rounds that I thought it was time to try to make sense of them once again and see what picture we have of the Galaxy S8 at the end of it.

See also:

Why Samsung would be crazy to kill the Galaxy Note brand

October 27, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S8: release date

Samsung has come out and publicly denied rumors that the Galaxy S8 will see an accelerated launch. The most logical prediction is that the Galaxy S8 release date will be February 26. This is the Galaxy S series' usual time slot on the main press day prior to MWC 2017. Availability will likely be within 2-3 weeks of the announcement if past performance is anything to go by.

However, more than a few rumors have claimed the Galaxy S8 launch might be pushed back as far as April, with two of the more notable mentions coming from no less a source than The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. It's no secret that Samsung wants the S8 launch to go off without a hitch, so a delayed launch is very possible.

Samsung Galaxy S8: specs

Of course, none of the Galaxy S8 specs that follow are confirmed, but the rumor mill is starting to see some consistency in the claims being made. The current crop of Galaxy S8 spec rumors include a 5.5-inch and 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon 830 or Exynos 8895 chipset, depending on region, Android 7.1 Nougat and 6 GB of RAM. However, recent leaks have Qualcomm's next-gen Snapdragon 835 powering the Galaxy S8. For more on the SD 835, read this and this.

Most reports claim the base model storage will be bumped up to 64 GB and some claim there will also be a 128 GB and even a 256 GB model available. It seems safe to assume that the Galaxy S8 will feature the new hybrid slot that supports both microSD expansion and Samsung's new UFS memory cards. Stereo speakers are expected to arrive on the S8, but Samsung has publicly stated Harman audio won't appear on Galaxy devices until 2018.

As far as display resolution goes, there are rumors of both QHD and 4K. Most reports claimed QHD first, then 4K, and now we're seeing QHD more frequently again, possibly due to changes in display tech (see below). An IP68 water-resistant and dustproof rating is also expected for the Galaxy S8 and the device has been rumored to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack and add USB Type-C.

The iris scanner and software layer found on the Galaxy Note 7 are reportedly bound for the S8 and the phone will officially support Google's Daydream VR platform. Three-coil wireless charging is also expected to provide more efficient wireless fast charging, requiring less precision when placing the device on a wireless charger. If the S8 does use Qualcomm's SD 835 chipset, it will also support Quick Charge 4 – which offers five hours of battery life in just five minutes.

Samsung Galaxy S8: display

Time and time again we've heard the Galaxy S8 will feature a "slick" near bezel-less design, with the display glass wrapping around the sides of the device. Some rumors put the screen-to-body ratio above 90 percent and claim the top and bottom bezels will be much smaller than on previous Galaxy devices. There is reportedly not going to be a flat-screened version of the Galaxy S8 at all, with both size options coming with dual edge curves.

The Galaxy S8 has most consistently been rumored to stick with the same diagonal screen size found on the Galaxy S7 family: 5.1 and 5.5 inches. However, another report claims the screen size will be increased on the next Galaxy in order to attract Note 7 fans looking for a larger screened device. According to that rumor, the Galaxy S8 will come in a 5.7-inch and 6.2-inch version. Both 4K and QHD resolutions have been bandied about, but most have settled on QHD in recent times.

As far as the screen itself goes, the Galaxy S8 is expected to use the same Y-OCTA display technology as that found in the Galaxy Note 7, whereby the touch layer is bonded to the display glass during production, allowing for a marginally thinner device and lower production costs. One interesting Galaxy S8 rumor is that all four sides of the device will feature curved glass, including the top and bottom. Force Touch technology has also been discussed.

The Galaxy S8 display will be Super AMOLED yet again but is rumored to make the jump to M8 OLED material, offering better energy efficiency and longer display life. Some sites claim the S8 will use an RGB pixel array rather than a Diamond Pentile pattern. This will bump the pixel density up significantly (from 7,372, 800 to 11,059,200), which will benefit virtual reality fans greatly. The Galaxy S8 will also be compatible with the new Gear VR with USB Type-C connection.

See also:

Will anyone be sad to lose Samsung's physical home button?

6 days ago

Samsung Galaxy S8: home button

The front of the Galaxy S8 is reported to be one sheet of glass, with no home button due to the finger sensor being located underneath the display. Long-time Samsung component partner Synaptics recently announced its Natural ID FS9100 line of optical finger sensors, which sound an awful lot like what's being rumored for the Galaxy S8.

Likewise, the power and volume buttons are also rumored to be touch-based, with either no physical buttons anywhere on the device or just one: for calling up the AI voice assistant. However, the dedicated AI button has only been discussed in prototype stage, meaning it may very well not make it to the final design.

Besides the wraparound display, minimal bezels and button-less design, very little else is known about the "slick design" promised by Samsung's vp of mobile communications. At this point we can't say if Samsung has a major design overhaul up its sleeve or if the Galaxy S8 will follow the same refinement trajectory we've been seeing since the Galaxy S6. Either way, ditching buttons and going bezel-less is good enough for us.

Samsung Galaxy S8: AI features

Samsung's vp of mobile communications went on record a while back, promising an "enhanced artificial intelligence service" for the Galaxy S8. Following Samsung's recent acquisition of AI firm Viv Labs, the company admitted that it was bringing a new AI digital assistant to the Galaxy S8 and other Samsung products. Since then, we've heard more reports about Bixby and Kestra, the male and female voices Samsung trademarked for its new voice assistant.

Samsung Bixby will reportedly also be able to handle your mobile payments using voice commands alone, courtesy of a feature called Bixby Pay. Samsung has also commented previously on being able to use its new voice assistant to order a pizza or request an Uber. All of this will be achievable through Bixby alone, without needing to launch your pizza app or Uber.

Furthermore, the platform on which Bixby is built supports IoT devices and will be used to connect smart appliances, mobile devices and more. With this in mind, Bixby might end up being a phone-based competitor to the likes of Google Home or Amazon Alexa rather than Siri or Cortana.

Samsung Galaxy S8: camera

The Galaxy S8 had previously been rumored to feature an improved dual-lens camera with reports out of South Korea claiming Samsung was opting for two 16 MP cameras on the back with an 8 MP front-facing camera. Other claims put dual 12 MP cameras on the back. However, since then, Bloomberg reports that the dual camera setup has been scrapped due to high manufacturing costs.

Samsung is, however, rumored to be working on a new camera with a super-wide f/1.4 aperture but we'll just have to wait and see if that's what makes it into the Galaxy S8. The front-facing camera is expected to feature smart auto-focus, with Samsung recently trademarking the term Smart AF. Equally possible is the inclusion of the Smart Glow notification ring and selfie illumination solution from the Galaxy J2.

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Samsung Galaxy S8: price

If Samsung goes all out on the Galaxy S8 it's reasonable to believe that the price might go up due to increased component costs. However, Samsung might be tempted to keep the price right where it is – or even reduce it slightly – in order to attract as many consumers as it possibly can. Regardless, the S8 is Samsung's flagship, so a high price tag is guaranteed. Depending on whether multiple storage options are introduced, you can at least expect to pay the same as the current Galaxy S7 range.

That would be $669 for an unlocked regular version with 32 GB of storage or $769 for a 32 GB Edge variant – but keep in mind almost all rumors say there won't be a flat-screened Galaxy S8 option, making a $800 starting price tag entirely possible. It must be noted that many rumors put the base storage option on the Galaxy S8 at 64 GB too, which may also add a little to the price. The same goes for the possible addition of dual cameras and an iris scanner.

Are you excited for the Galaxy S8? What feature are you looking forward to most?

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LG reportedly merging its display businesses to focus on OLED

LG is reportedly making some major changes in its display businesses to prepare for the future, which it thinks will be all about OLED. The report says that the company is cutting its current divisions down in part to accelerate it move to making OLED screens for smartphones and TVs.

See also:

LG Display reports 91% drop in operating profit

July 27, 2016

According to Business Korea, citing unnamed sources, LG will reduce its five divisions (TV, OLED, IT, mobile and AD) into just three (TV, mobile and IT). The mobile business division will reportedly shift from making the standard LCD display to new plastic OLEDs. It adds that LG is ramping up production of its E5 line of OLEDs to begin in the first half of 2017. It claims those displays will be used by Apple's next version of the iPhone. In addition, another plant will make the new E6 line of P-OLEDs.

LG's TV division has also reportedly merged its LCD and OLED display businesses into one, as well. The IT business division will reportedly keep working on making PC LCD monitors and displays for laptops. The company previously confirmed plans to invest 1.99 trillion won (about $1.75 billion) in a new flexible OLED display factory that will be built in South Korea. So far, LG has yet to confirm these latest business mergers.

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Evernote CEO defends its new machine learning privacy polices

Earlier this week, the popular note-taking service Evernote announced some upcoming changes in its privacy policies, which included the fact that some employees could read the notes posted by its customers. Today, the CEO of the company, Chris O'Neill, responded to those concerns in an official statement, and admitted that the changes were "communicated poorly, and it resulted in some understandable confusion."

See also:

Best note taking apps for Android

August 7, 2016

In a blog post, O'Neill said that a small number of Evernote employees will only look at the notes posted by customers in "very limited cases." Those include situations in the current version of its Privacy Policy such as possible violations of the company's Terms of Service, troubleshooting issues that are requested by users, protection against malware or other security issues and responding to "warrants, court orders or other legal process." O'Neill added:

The number of employees who are authorized to view this content is extremely limited by our existing policies, and I am personally involved in defining them.

The biggest change to Evernote's policies will officially go into effect on January 23. The company says that its new machine learning features, which are designed to automate functions, will need a certain degree of human interaction to work well. On that date, the policy changes state that any customer who opt into these features may have their note content viewed by some employees. Customers will have the option to opt out of these machine learning features.

O'Neill stated that a small number of employees "may see random content" when conducting checks on the machine learning feature, but he added that those workers will not know who created those notes. Finally, he claims that if any personal info comes up in these random checks, it will be masked from the view of the employees who see them.

Now that the head of Evernote has offered some more detail on its privacy changes, will you continue to use the service or will you abandon it for a competitor?

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How I learned to stop being an idiot and start coding

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you'll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links.

Have you ever heard the expression, "One beggar telling another beggar where the bread is?"

This is one of those situations. But sock that away for now because first, I have to tell you…

I used to be like you.

When I was 26, I found myself working in a corporate job that I hated. Wore a tie every day that felt like it was strangling me, gray cubicle, everyone saying "case of the Mondays" ad nauseum and me putting up that false grin so that the platitude wouldn't be aimed at me.

I would stay up late because the sooner I went to bed, the sooner I would have to put on that tie, fight traffic, and go back to doing something that I loathed.

But since I stayed up so late, that alarm was all the harsher and the day felt even longer.

I had started college in Engineering, and I had to take an entry level coding course my first year. I hadn't done any programming more complicated than messing around with my TI-83 calculator before, but I took to it pretty well.

I enjoyed it, and my professor even said I had a "knack for finding elegant solutions."

I changed my major to Philosophy at the end of the year.

Go ahead and laugh. I know my parents were.

So I stumbled out into the "real world" with a BA full of BS and no option but to get a job waiting tables. I eventually leveraged this up into a suit-and-tie job.

By the time I figured out that every single position on the chain of command above me looked just as miserable as what I was currently doing, I was stuck.

I had a wife and a kid on the way. Responsibilities. I couldn't go back to school and try again.

I was discussing this with a friend one night, and he asked me when was the last time I experienced "flow."

I wasn't familiar with the concept at the time, but according to Wikipedia, it's "the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity."

I realized that the last time I'd experienced flow was programming in college.

Changing my life was an uphill battle. I couldn't commit the time to fumbling through learning by myself, so I hired a $25-an-hour private tutor with money I didn't really have to get me up to speed on coding.

It was worth it.

Today I'm working the job of my dreams programming every day.

Sometimes it's a little bit irritating because a lot of the people at my same level of experience are so much younger than me, and I wish I'd gotten an earlier start.

One thing I've learned from my younger peers, though, is that resorting to a private tutor was totally unnecessary. Many of them learned how to code during or right after high school using online courses.

It's frustrating to think about how much time and money I spent on my education when I could have had everything I needed so easily.

Which brings me back to one beggar telling another beggar where the bread is.

You don't have to fork over tuition or pay for a private tutor to learn how to code on a professional level. All the help you need is online.

Many options exists, and prices for quality courses tend to run from $50 to $300 depending on their depth. Much cheaper than a private tutor, let me tell you.

However, every once in awhile, you'll find bundles that combine multiple courses together for a discount price.

There's one currently going on over on Tech Deals that combines eight learning kits, including the popular Python Tutorial: Python Network Programming – Build 7 Apps which normally runs for $299 all by itself.

The whole bundle:

• The Developers' Guide to Python 3 Programming ($49)
• Step by Step: Build a Data Analysis Program ($95)
• The Python Mega Course: Build 10 Real World Applications ($195)
• The Complete Computer Vision Course with Python ($149)
• Learn Python 3 from Scratch ($99)
• Python Tutorial: Python Network Programming – Build 7 Apps ($299)
• Python Web Programming ($100)
• Taming Big Data with Apache Spark and Python ($89)

Individually, these programming kits would cost you $1,075. However, if you grab them while this sale is going on, you can get lifetime access to all eight for less than the cost of one: just $44.

If you're ready to stop procrastinating and start Python-ing, click the button below to get more information! Check these courses out, and see if they're right for you. From one beggar to another, this is where the bread is.

Start Coding

AAPicks operates independently of our ad team. If you have any questions or feedback, please email aapicks@androidauthority.com.

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CES 2017: Sony announces press conference, 6 LG phones rumored

Updated post (December 14, 2016) – Sony has announced its CES 2017 press conference on January 4 at 5:00 pm PST via its official blog. Sony confirmed that the event would be livestreamed but did not deliver any details on what might be unveiled, though there have been rumors of a pair of new handsets.

It has also recently been speculated that LG will introduce six new devices at the show, including four phones from its LG K series, and the LG G Stylus 3. Find out more details about this and other recent updates at the Manufacturers section below.

The Consumer Electronics Show (aka CES) is one of the largest technology trade shows in the world. Taking place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada, CES is chock-full of interesting gadgets, toys, drones, and much more. Android Authority and our host of sister sites will, as always, be on deck for CES 2017, bringing you in-depth coverage of all the latest and greatest gadget announcements.

When is CES 2017?

What better way to kick off a new year than with a bunch of new electronics announcements to drool over? CES 2017 takes place between January 5-8. Early previews and major device announcements typically happen on the two press days before the show officially starts, so stay tuned from January 3 onwards.

You can see the full CES 2017 schedule here.

What to expect from CES 2017

We're still a little too early to rattle off the full list of press conferences, device announcements and other related news, but we can give you a rough idea of what to expect based on past years at CES.

This year, we'll have not only the Android Authority team on the show floor, but we'll also be covering all the latest VR, tablet, laptop, audio and electric news for our sister sites. If you haven't already checked them out, feel free to do so.

• VR Source
• Tab Times
• Sound Guys
• Charged

Manufacturers

Compared to massive mobile shows like MWC in Barcelona and IFA in Berlin, CES doesn't have quite as many mobile announcements from the major players but there's always enough to keep us coming back.

Sony has announced its CES press conference will begin at 5:00 pm PST on January 4 and it will livestream the coverage to its Ustream channel. Sony is expected to unveil a pair of new OLED TVs at the show, and perhaps a new smartwatch, but rumors of upcoming smartphones have been pretty thin on the ground lately. There's talk of two new Snapdragon 820-wielding handsets, but nothing has been confirmed.

HTC showed off the HTC Vive at CES 2016, and it could reveal a wireless follow up at the upcoming show. An HTC Vive add-on was recently released in China which cuts the Vive's cords, and rumors have been circulating that a Vive version 2.0 could be released with similar technology. That said, an HTC spokesperson has affirmed that any upcoming upgrades to the Vive hardware would be related to the current edition of the headset only.

LG will be on deck as always, at the very least with some mid-range smartphones and possibly another smartwatch, seeing as LG hasn't announced one in two years. The latest speculation suggests the Korean company will launch four new smartphones from its K series, as well as the LG X Calibur and LG G Stylus 3.

The LG X Calibur is rumored to be an IP68-certified handset with 4,100 mAh battery, while the LG G3 Stylus would feature 13 MP / 5 MP front and rear cameras (with flash), fingerprint scanner and rear-mounted buttons (plus, of course, a stylus).

As usual, LG will still have tons of televisions – including an ultra-wide Chromecast-enabled monitor – and other consumer electronics to demo, as well as audio gear and possibly other weird gadgets like 2015's Rolly Keyboard.

Samsung will likely hold the Galaxy S8 launch either at MWC 2017 in March or at a standalone event a little while after. But there will still be some mobile news from Samsung at CES 2017, potentially with the launching of its 2017 editions of the Galaxy A series, and the possibility of new tablets and wearables.

In January 2016, Samsung made Samsung Pay and Gear smartwatch announcements at CES and dropped several new laptops and Chromebooks. There will also be the usual range of TVs, notebooks, smart appliances, audio and other electronics to keep an eye out for.

Asus usually unveils new Zenfone options at CES, but there's no telling what to expect from Asus at CES 2017 considering the odd schedule of Zenfone launches of late.

It's speculated that the company will unleash the Zenfone 3 Zoom at the show, featuring dual 16 MP rear cameras and a 5.5-inch Full HD 2.5D glass screen, alongside an AR phone which would make use of Google's Tango 3D mapping tech. A couple of new laptops, more mini PCs and a new Chromebook or two may also be on the cards.

Lenovo and Motorola will be at CES 2017 in some form or another. Lenovo will have some new laptops and hybrids on show and we might get treated to some updates on Project Tango for the Phab 2 Pro.

There will be some new Android-based tablets as well as others running Windows but we have absolutely no idea what might happen with Motorola announcements based on 2016's effort (fortunately that decision has recently been reversed).

At CES 2016, Huawei delivered women's versions of the Huawei Watch, the new MediaPad, the Mate 8 and a gold variant of the Nexus 6P. With the MediaPad M3 already out, the Mate 9 announcement recently behind us and no rumors about the Huawei Watch 2 (other than that it might switch to Tizen), we can't say for sure what Huawei has planned for the new year.

We do know that the CEO of Huawei's Consumer Business Group Richard Yu will present the Huawei CES keynote on Thursday, January 5. According to Huawei, through Yu's speech attendees will learn about "Huawei's plans for the future of mobile – one that integrates the latest in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and connected technologies," but the company didn't mention specifics.

Xiaomi has officially confirmed it will be at CES for the first time ever, and will have a global product release to announce. Considering the vast array of products Xiaomi makes, there's no guaranteeing this announcement will be of a smartphone or even a mobile device of any description. But either way, we'll be the first to tell you what it is.

LeEco's CEO Jia Yueting took to Chinese social media site Weibo recently to announce the company's presence at CES 2017. Yueting's post was accompanied by a poster featuring a number of LeEco products, but it was removed soon after publication for an unknown reason. LeEco hasn't made any other comments about CES 2017 besides this, though the Batmobile-like concept car from Faraday Future, which is backed by LeEco, is set to be shown there.

The known unknowns

Likewise, ZTE, Oppo and Vivo will also be at CES 2017, but we'll have to flesh out those expected announcements in the coming days and weeks (if indeed there are any).

There's going to be more drones that you can shake a stick at, but we'll cover all the best of them on Charged, where you can also swing by if you want to stay on top of all the latest innovations from the world of electric vehicles and other forms of futuristic transportation. If we know one thing about CES, it's that automotive often steals the show.

There will also be a huge amount of virtual reality news we'll detail over at VR Source, while all the best audio announcements at CES 2017 will be covered on Sound Guys.

If tablets, laptops, ultrabooks and other non-smartphone tech is more your game, then Tab Times will have you covered from the first press conference until they kick us out almost a week later.

We can't wait for CES 2017 and we hope you'll join us for the ride.

What are you expecting from CES 2017?

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T-Mobile is giving a free year of DirecTV Now to AT&T customers who switch

Are you an AT&T customer? Are you currently unhappy with AT&T? If you answered 'yes' to both of those questions, T-Mobile might have an enticing deal for you.

T-Mobile is giving AT&T customers who switch to the Un-carrier a free year of DirecTV Now, AT&T's recently launched TV streaming service. In all, this is a $420 value.

Of course, there are a few caveats to consider first. To be eligible for the deal, AT&T customers will need to activate two lines of service on a T-Mobile ONE plan. Customers will then receive a $35 credit on their bill each month for a full year, as long as the two lines stay active. For more details on the promotion, head on over to T-Mobile's support page.

See also:

The best T-Mobile Android phones

11 hours ago

If you're not keen on jumping on a T-Mobile ONE plan, there still may be an option for you. Simple Choice customers will be happy to hear that T-Mobile has added DirecTV Now to Binge On, which means you won't use any of your mobile data to stream DirecTV Now.

Interested in learning more about any of these promotions? Head to the source link below for the details.

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Problems with the OnePlus 3T and how to fix them

OnePlus unveiled their latest high-end smartphone offering, the OnePlus 3T, a few months ago. The 3T is essentially a souped up, or "T"urbo-charged version of its namesake, and makes key improvements in all the right areas to better compete with other flagships that are released at this time of the year. A faster processor, improved front-facing camera, and larger battery does result in a slight bump in the price point, but with the OnePlus 3T still undercutting almost all of its competition, OnePlus' latest offering remains one of the most affordable flagships out there.

• OnePlus 3T review

However, as is the case with any new smartphone or tablet, the OnePlus 3T is not without its issues. To help you with some of them, we've rounded up some of the common problems OnePlus 3T owners have faced, and offer potential solutions on how to fix them!

Disclaimer: Not every OnePlus 3T will suffer from these problems, and in fact, it is more than likely that you will not come across any of these issues at all.

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Problem #1 – Google apps and services not working

When trying to use various Google apps like Gmail or Hangouts, users have come across error messages that say "Google Play Services error" or "Gmail is having trouble with Google Play Services."

Potential solutions:

• For some users, it has been as simple as uninstalling the Google+ app. However, for most, the fix for this problem requires a few steps, that you can find listed below.
• Go to Settings – Apps, scroll down to Google Play Services and tap on it. Tap on the three vertical dots at the top right corner and select Uninstall Updates.
• After pressing OK twice, select Manage Device Manager. There, uncheck the Android Device Manager option, and press De-activate.
• Now, go back to the Apps section in the Settings repeat the Uninstall Updates step again for Google Play Services. A new error will say that Play Services need to be updated, and you can now re-install the latest updates. Now, all the Google apps should work as expected.
• Finally, go the Security & Fingerprint section in the Settings menu, open Device Administrators, and once again select Android Device Manager.

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Problem #2 – Issues with the accelerometer

Many users have come across issues with the accelerometer. They have found that while playing games like Asphalt 8 and Real Racing, the car tends to veer to the left when holding the phone straight.

Potential solutions:

• Dial *#808# where you can find all hardware related tests. You can run the G-Sensor test here to see if everything is alright. If you need to re-calibrate the sensor, there is a very useful guide available here. Further, you can also download an app from the Google Play Store like GPS & Status Toolbox and re-calibrate the sensors, and see if that fixes it. If this is proves to be a hardware issue, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.

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Problem #3 – Auto-rotate issues

Some users have found auto-rotate to not be working on their devices, with the phone being stuck in the portrait mode when switching the device to the landscape orientation. Some have found that the auto-rotate setting has automatically switched to Portrait only. This was an issue found with the OnePlus 3 as well.

Potential solutions:

• Some users have found that a simple reboot has done the trick to address this problem. However, in most cases, this issue comes comes back after a few days, requiring frequent restarts.
• A rogue app may be causing this issue as well. To check if this is the case, boot the device in Safe Mode (you can find the instructions below), and see if the problem persists. If it doesn't, a recently-installed application is the cause for concern. Uninstall any apps that were added just before the problem started, and see if that fixes it.
• This could also be an issue with the accelerometer and G-sensor as well. Download an app from the Google Play Store like GPS & Status Toolbox and re-calibrate the sensors, and see if that fixes it. If this is proves to be a hardware issue, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.
• A temporary workaround that has worked for some is using an third-party app, such as Rotation Control, that will let you manually trigger the switch to the landscape orientations.

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Problem #4 – Display does not turn off when making calls

Some users have found that the display does not turn off as it is supposed to when making calls.

Potential solutions:

• Rather surprisingly, this isn't an issue with the proximity sensor, but you can still test and make sure that it is working by dialing *#808# and going through the various options there.
• Go to the Apps section in the Settings menu, scroll down and tap on Phone. Tap on the Storage section and then clear data. This seems to have helped fix the problem.

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Problem #5 – Not getting voicemail notifications

Some users have reported that voicemail notifications are being delayed, or not arriving at all. This issue seems to be restricted to those on the T-Mobile network in the US.

Potential solutions:

• A simple fix that has worked is to simply disable Visual Voicemail. Go to Call settings, select your primary SIM card that is in use, and go through Voicemail settings, and disable Visual Voicemail. Now you will receive notifications as expected, but Visual Voicemail will not be available to you. However, T-Mobile has a Visual Voicemail app that you can utilize instead.

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Problem #6 – Issues where the only options are to either wait for a software update, or pick up a replacement

There are some problems that don't have a workaround available. If the issue is software-based, the only option is to wait for an update to fix it, but if the problem is hardware related, the only choice here is to pick up a replacement. Some of these issues are listed below:

• Camera settings not being saved:  Some users have found that after changing some settings in the camera app, these changes revert to default the next time the app is opened. Not surprisingly, people would rather have the settings that have been made to be saved.
• Random reboots: A lot of OnePlus 3T owners have complained about the device randomly rebooting. You can check if a rogue app is the cause for concern by booting into Safe Mode, but this is otherwise something that will likely only be addressed in a future software update.
• Chromecast mirroring not working: While users are able to cast apps like Netflix and Spotify, complete device mirroring doesn't work.
• Touchscreen latency issues: An issue that has been noticed by many has to do with touchscreen latency. OnePlus has acknowledged the problem, and a fix will be made available in an upcoming software update.
• Yellow or blue tint and spots on the display: A few users have noticed a yellow or blue tint on the display, with there being some bright spots on the screen as well. In this case, the only option will be to pick up a replacement.
• Headphone microphone issues: A lot of users have noticed that the mic that is built-in to their headset tends to mute randomly during a call. This seems to mostly happen when the display turns off while the headphones are plugged in.

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Problem #7 – Connectivity issues

Connectivity issues are quite common when getting a new device, and below are the general steps you can follow when facing problems with connecting to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth issues seem to especially prevalent with the OnePlus 3.

Potential solutions:

Wi-Fi Issues

• Turn off the router that you're using and the phone, and wait for a while before turning them back on.
• Go to the Wi-Fi settings on the device and forget the preferred network, before entering the details again from scratch.
• Check the level of activity on your current channel with the Wi-Fi Analyzer application. If necessary, simply switch to a different channel.
• Disable Power Saving Mode through Settings. 
• Find the MAC address for the phone by going into Settings – About Phone and ensure it is recognized by your router.

Bluetooth Issues

• Make sure that no power saving mode is enabled.
• Start by turning the Bluetooth on your device off and back on again.
• If the problem continues, clear the cache for Bluetooth by going to the Bluetooth Settings.
• Restart the phone after clearing the data and cache.
• If the Bluetooth device saves multiple profiles, you might have reached the limit for the number of profiles it can save. Delete old and unused profiles, and try setting up the connection once again from scratch.

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Guides – Soft reset, hard reset, wipe cache partition, boot into Safe Mode

Soft reset

• If your display is off, turn it back on using the power key.
• Open the "Settings" application.
• Scroll down until you find "Backup & Reset."
• Tap on "Factory data reset."
• Select "Reset phone."
• Tap on the box "Erase everything."
• The device should automatically reboot

Hard reset

• Turn your phone off by pressing down the power key for five seconds.
• Turn the phone back on while keeping the volume down button pressed in.
• When the phone vibrates, release the volume down button.
• Your phone should enter a mode called Simple Recovery.
• Choose the option that reads "Wipe Cache Partition" using the power button.
• You should get a message that says "Cache wipe complete."
• Continue to choose the option "Wipe Data/ Factory reset."
• The phone should automatically reboot.

Wipe cache partition

• Turn your phone off by pressing down the power key for five seconds
• Turn the phone back on while keeping the volume down button pressed in
• When the phone vibrates, release the volume down button
• Your phone should enter a mode called "Simple Recovery."
• Choose the option that reads "Wipe Cache Partition" using the power button
• You should get a message that says "Cache wipe complete."

Booting into Safe Mode

• Turn off the device.
• Once off, press and hold the power button until the device starts booting up.
• As soon as it starts loading, press and hold the volume up and volume down keys simultaneously.
• Continue holding these buttons until the boot up is complete.
• Unlocking the device, you should see it having booted up into Safe Mode.

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So, there you have it for this quick look at the some of the problems faced by OnePlus 3T owners, and solutions on how to fix them! We will continue to keep this list updated as more problems, and more importantly, solutions, come up. If you have come across these issues or any others, do mention it in the comments section below, and we will try our best to help you find a fix.

Until then, don't let this small list of problems deter you from buying the OnePlus 3T. Most of these issues are software-related and will be fixed in future updates, and these concerns aren't any more or less than what is generally seen with a lot of smartphones nowadays. The OnePlus 3T is a flagship device that offers a lot of bang for your buck, and definitely a smartphone worth considering, especially as a gift for you or a loved one this holiday season.

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