Battery life has remained to be one of the main challenges for the smartphone brands. While software optimizations such as Battery Saving modes are being improved, other route brands have taken is increasing battery size in the smartphones. However, addition of large batteries often result into bulky brick-like devices.

But of late we are seeing a few companies trying to overcome this form-factor challenge. Recently, Lenovo launched its Vibe P1 smartphone featuring 4900 mAh battery for Rs 15,999. Check out our first impressions of the Vibe P1. Gionee today launched the Marathon M5, featuring a whopping 6,020 mAh battery. As said earlier, the Gionee Marathon M5 is one of the new breed of smartphones which aim to be compact and easy to carry, along with longer battery life and most importantly deliver overall good performance. We briefly used the Marathon M5 and here are our first impressions.

Gionee today launched its latest smartphone under the Marathon series of battery phones. Priced at Rs 17,999, the new Marathon M5 houses a whopping 6,020mAh battery and comes with competitive features such as 5.5-inch HD display, 13-megapixel camera, 3GB of RAM, 1.3GHz quad-core processor and OTG support. We already have done a brief hands on with the device, check it out - Gionee Marathon M5 First Impressions

Smartphones like the Marathon M5 are in altogether different league wherein devices are focused on delivering longer battery life along with smooth performance for moderate to extreme power users. The closest competition to the Marathon M5 faces is the Lenovo Vibe P1, another smartphone with big battery life of 4,900mAh battery. We compare these two devices in terms of price, specifications and features. Stay tuned for detailed reviews of the two smartphones. Meanwhile check out the comparison below:

Gionee launched the Marathon M5 boasting a massive battery in India last month, and now the company seems to be preparing its sequel. Gionee is hosting an event on December 21 in China, where it is expected to launch the Marathon M5 Plus.

Gionee put up a teaser on Weibo, which clearly mentions the Marathon M5 Plus. Unfortunately, besides the name and launch date, there is no other information available at the moment. But if the Marathon M5’s USP is its massive 6,020mAh battery, the name Marathon M5 Plus hints at an even bigger battery. It is also expected to retain the reverse charging facility, wherein you can charge two phones at a time

The Marathon M5 was originally launched in China back in June, and as mentioned above, was launched in India last month. The smartphone is priced at Rs 17,999, and is available exclusively via Flipkart. Besides the big battery, the smartphone also features a 5.5-inch HD AMOLED display, 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735 quad-core processor, and 3GB of RAM.

ALSO READ: Gionee Marathon M5 hands-on and first impressions

It also includes 32GB internal storage, microSD card slot, 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 5-megapixel selfie camera, and connectivity options such as 4G LTE support, dual-SIM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. One the software front, it runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop-based Amigo 3.1 UI.

Gionee has introduced a new smartphone, P5w, which has been listed on its global website. So far, there’s no official word from the company about the pricing and availability of the smartphone.

Interestingly, the Gionee P5w has been spotted on the Zauba import/export listing website where the smartphone is valued of Rs 6,352. If the listing is to be believed, the smartphone has already been imported to India and is expected to be available soon.

The phone will be available in black, blue, red, white, and yellow variants.

Gionee P5w specifications and features: The smartphone features a 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixel) IPS Oncell display. Under the hood it is powered by a 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6735 SoC, clubbed with 1GB RAM. It comes with 16GB of built-in storage which is further expandable via micro-SD card.

On the photography front, the smartphone features a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED-flash, and a 2-megapixel front camera.

The smartphone is powered by a 2,000mAh battery. Connectivity options include dual-SIM support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and micro-USB 2.0. On the software front, the Gionee P5w runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop.

If you look at evolution in smartphones in past few years, software and hardware elements such as cameras and form factor have significantly improved. Battery life, however, has continued to remain one of the main challenges for smartphone companies. With growing usage of applications ranging from games to social media, instant messengers to e-mailing, smartphones with full day battery life or perhaps more are in rarity. One of the solutions smartphone companies have found is bumping up the battery size coupled with software optimization such as power saver modes and extreme power saver modes.

Consumers are nowadays looking for all aspects balanced in a smartphone. Therefore devices with just big battery size and life may not necessarily be the main draw unless it is complemented with other elements such as good camera, design and overall performance. Of late we have seen brands such as Lenovo and Gionee attempting to deliver this balance with their latest Vibe P1 and Marathon M5 smartphones respectively.

ALSO READ: 5 smartphones with massive battery priced under Rs 10,000

While the Vibe P1 boasts a 4,900mAh battery, the Marathon M5 has a whopping 6,020mAh battery. The two smartphones are priced at Rs 15,999 and Rs 17,999 respectively. Apart from boasting a large battery life, these phones are also feature-rich and compete with a wide range of budget and low-end mid-range Android smartphones.

I have spent considerable time with Gionee’s Marathon M5, and tried to gauge if it is just an ordinary smartphone with big battery or does it manage to deliver that balance mentioned above? Read on.

Stating the obvious, battery is the biggest USP of the Marathon M5. Like the predecessors in the Marathon series, the M5 comes with a large battery, though this one is the largest so far at 6,020mAh. The smartphone does attempt to hit the right notes with a competitive set of specifications such as 5.5-inch HD AMOLED display, 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM. For photography, it has 13-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front facing cameras. Other important features include Android 5.1, 32GB ROM that can be expanded up to 128GB, IR Blaster, OTG support, dual-SIM and 4G LTE support.

Also read: Gionee Marathon M5 hands-on and first impressions

While the specifications of the Marathon M5 look competitive, what impressed us is the form factor of the device. Despite having a 6,020mAh battery, the smartphone has 8.55mm thickness. Evidently, it’s not the slimmest one out there, but it’s quite impressive for a smartphone that houses such big battery. As expected, it’s bulky at 211 grams, but certainly not an uncomfortable weight. After having used lighter phones such as the HTC One A9 and Apple iPhone 6, it does take little time to get used to the weight though.

The build includes a combination of plastic rear and metallic rims. I used the golden variant of the phone, which looks quite stylish. Front is dominated by the display, speakers and front facing camera on the top, and touch buttons for navigation on the bottom. Expandable storage slot is followed by volume and power buttons is placed in the right edge, while the left edge has the dual-SIM (Micro + Micro) slots.

Top has the IR Blaster and standard 3.5 audio jack, while the base has the micro USB slot. On the rear, camera along with lens is on top followed by Gionee logo at the center and speaker grilles at the bottom – similar to the one on Gionee Elife E8. The Marathon M5 is quite compact, easy to use and certainly feels sturdy.

Gionee has been using AMOLED displays on its smartphones for quite some time. Similar to the one seen on the Elife E8, the 5.5-inch HD AMOLED display on the Marathon M5 too is bright and colorful. Web pages, high resolution videos and graphic intensive games appeared fluid. Outdoor and indoor legibility are quite satisfactory.

The AMOLED display is complimented by Gionee’s Amigo 3.1 based on Android Lollipop v5.1. As expected, the Amigo is quite colorful and playful. It comes with a slew of preloaded features such as custom screenshots, gesture controls such as tap to wake up, animated themes, live wallpapers, DU battery saver among others. The smartphone also comes with preloaded with apps such as Twitter, Whatsapp and Facebook.

One of the interesting features of the Marathon M5 is the built-in IR that turns the smartphone as a smart remote for TV, AC and other compatible devices. This feature is under the Peel Smart Remote app, clubbed in a group of ‘Other Apps’. I tried out this feature with my LG TV with Tata Sky connection. It is quite easy to use, though there are multiple steps before the installation. Ensure you are tapping the correct options while setting it up.

Now let’s talk about the camera performance. The Marathon M5 has a 13-megapixel rear camera, which thrives in the good light conditions. If the lighting is conducive, you will get quite decent results. Images are well balanced and detailed, while saturation level is near satisfactory. HDR Mode allows you to add more crispness and accuracy in the images. The M5 takes good macro shots as well. The Pro Mode gives you more control in terms of ISO level, focus, shutter speed and white balance.

However, in the low light, the camera struggles a lot. Noise and imbalanced colors are quite evident. The Night Mode allows you to take relatively better images. However, shifting to HDR or any other than the Normal, image processing gets slower.

The 5-megapixel front facing camera is quite good. The Beauty Mode will help you take much smoother and bright selfies. However, in low-light it isn’t really extraordinary. But the front facing camera is on par with the ones on other budget and mid-range Android smartphones.

The Marathon M5 captures full HD videos, which is quite fine in good light conditions.

When it comes to sound quality, the Marathon M5 does quite a decent job. The speaker is quite loud and clear. Sound, however, is much better with the bundled in-ear speakers. Call quality in both indoor and outdoor were satisfactory, call sounded clear with no distortion at all. Audio on speaker phone was pretty clear and loud enough, though you have to keep the phone closer to ensure audio is quite clear on the other side.

As said earlier, the Marathon M5 boasts of a competitive set of specifications for a budget or low-end mid-range smartphone. To ensure smooth performance, Marathon M5 is powered by a MediaTek MT6735 quad-core processor along with 3GB of RAM. Out of 32GB onboard storage, user available memory is roughly 25GB. It’s worth pointing out that there are a very few smartphones under Rs 20,000 to come with 32GB onboard storage, while the most have 16GB expandable storage. Also, you can expand storage up to 128GB via SD card.

Another interesting feature of the smartphone is the OTG support, which allows you to charge other smartphones. Well, if you have a 6,000 mAh battery phone, you may not need an additional power bank, and perhaps you can help out your friends too when required. Other important features include dual-SIM support (Micro + Micro), Wifi-802.11 B/G/N, Wi-Fi Hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0.

That said, the Marathon M5 isn’t very fluid when it comes performance. I did encounter crashing of apps on multiple occasions. At times, I had to press home button twice to go to the homescreen. Though it didn’t occur repeatedly. Opening and shuffling between multiple apps is quite smooth. Though I will suggest refrain from having a lot of apps running in the background. The M5 didn’t lag or stutter when playing graphic intensive games such as Real Racing and WWE Immortals. Prolonged gaming sessions do cause heating up, but never to an uncomfortable level.

So how good is the 6,020mAh battery on this phone, you may ask. Well, the battery life is indeed quite superb. It took almost one and half day of moderate to high usage to get the battery from 100 percent to 25 percent. During this period, I streamed videos and music for about couple of hours along with excessive usage of instant messengers such as WhatsApp and Slack. This also includes roughly 4-5 hours of Internet usage, and continuous background running e-mails and Slack.

For power management, the M5 comes with usual power saving modes – Normal mode, which reduces the performance and adds a Dark theme which you can change, and then Extreme mode, which keeps the basic functionalities – phone, contacts, messaging and clock – running.

The Normal mode is quite impressive. I started the day with 32 percent battery life, and almost after 7-8 hours, battery level dipped to 18 percent. During this period, I frequently accessed Facebook, WhatsApp, Gmail, and even made and received calls.

The Marathon M5 is a good option for those who are looking for a smartphone that gives great battery along with hygiene features like a decent camera, good design and good display. It comes with 32GB of internal storage, which is a rarity at this price point.

Having said that, the Lenovo Vibe P1, which is priced lower at Rs 15,999 also offers a big 4,900mAh battery that is good enough to last for more than a day. Additionally, it has a better UI and comes with a fingerprint scanner as well. It too can charge other phones via an OTG cable.

Earlier this month, Gionee revealed that it would be launching the Marathon M5 Plus on December 21. Right on cue, the company today launched the smartphone at an event in China. The Marathon M5 Plus is going on sale in China on December 25, priced at 2,499 Yuan (Rs 25,500 approximately).

The Marathon M5 Plus’ talking point is again the big 5,020mAh battery, which Gionee says is good enough to last two days. Furthermore, the battery also supports fast charging, and can be fully charged in under two hours. Another talking point is the fingerprint scanner integrated into the physical home button up front. This is the second smartphone in Gionee’s lineup, after the Elife E8, to offer a fingerprint scanner.

Gionee Marathon M5 Plus specifications and features: The smartphone flaunts a 6-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) AMOLED display with 2.5D glass, and is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6582 octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. Also on offer is 64GB internal storage, which can be expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

The smartphone also features a 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel selfie camera, and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE and VoLTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB Type-C port. On the software front, it runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Amigo 3.1 UI.

The Gionee Marathon M5, in comparison, was launched in India for Rs 17,999. It features a 5.5-inch 720p AMOLED display, 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6735 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot to expand it. The smartphone is powered by a relatively large 6,020mAh battery as compared to the M5 Plus.

ALSO READ: Gionee Marathon M5 Review: Lasts long, really long

The smartphone also features a 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel selfie camera, and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. On the software front, it runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop based on Amigo 3.1 UI.

The Marathon M5 competes with the Lenovo Vibe P1, which has 4,900mAh battery and also features fingerprint scanner. The Vibe P1 is available online for Rs 15,999.

Gionee launched the F103 in India back in September, which is essentially a sub-Rs 10,000 smartphone with 4G LTE capabilities. Now it seems the smartphone manufacturer is close to launching the F105.

The Gionee F105 was spotted on China’s TENAA by TimesNews. At first look the new smartphone looks quite similar to the F103, but is slightly bigger and heavier with dimensions of 144×71.3×8.1mm and weighing in at 155 grams.

Gionee F105 specifications and features: As per the listing, the F105 flaunts a 5-inch 720p IPS display and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM. Also on offer is 16GB internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

The smartphone also features an 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel selfie camera, 2,400mAh battery, and on the software front, it will run on Android 5.1 Lollipop.

ALSO READ: Gionee Marathon M5 Review: Lasts long, really long

In comparison, the Gionee F103 featured a 5-inch 720p display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, and microSD card support. Also included are 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 5-megapixel selfie camera, 2,400mAh battery, and connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, and 4G LTE support. On the software front, it ran on Android 5.0 Lollipop OS out-of-the-box.

On paper the two smartphone seem identical, but there is support for a bigger microSD card on the F105, and it could also feature a better processor. It is also highly likely that Gionee sticks to the sub-Rs 10,000 price tag when it launches the F105 in India.

Gionee has launched its Marathon M5 Lite in India. The smartphone, recently launched in China, is available online for Rs 12,999.

The USP of the Marathon M5 Lite is its massive 4,000mAh battery, which the company claims provides 40 hours of talk time, 68 hours of music playback, 3 days of regular use and 39 days of standby time. In terms of specs, the Marathon M5 Lite is a stripped down version of the Marathon M5, which features a 6,020 mAh battery, 13-megapixel camera and 5.5-inch display.

Gionee Marathon M5 Lite specifications and features: The M5 Lite comes with a 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixel) IPS display with pixel density of 293 ppi. It is powered by a 64-bit 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor and paired with 3GB RAM. The smartphone includes a 32GB of built-in storage that can be further expandable via microSD card up to 128GB.

On the camera front, the smartphone features an 8MP rear camera along with a 5MP front facing camera. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi and microUSB. The Gionee Marathon M5 Lite runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop on top of Amigo 3.0.

ALSO READ: Gionee Marathon M5 Review: Lasts long, really long 

Other features which the smartphone boast are ambient light sensor, gravity sensor and proximity sensor.

At this price range, the Gionee Marathon M5 Lite is expected to face tough competition from the likes of Asus Zenfone Max, Lenovo Vibe P1m and Micromax Canvas Juice 3+.

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee is planning to apply for a single-brand license to setup exclusive stores in the country.

“It is in process,” said Arvind Vohra, Ginoee India CEO, adding that the application will be filed with the Department of Industrial Promotion and Policy (DIPP) in the coming weeks.

The application comes after the government relaxed FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in single-brand retail back in November. The liberalization of FDI in single-brand retail not only relaxes the 30 percent domestic sourcing rule, but also lets companies sell their products through retail, wholesale or e-commerce route.

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The mobile phone manufacturer based in Guangdong province is one of China’s largest mobile phone manufacturers. Last year, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, the company had announced that it had partnered Foxconn and Noida-based Dixon to manufacture smartphones in India.

Back in September last year, Gionee also launched its first Made-in-India smartphone, called the F103. The 4G LTE smartphone priced at Rs 9,999, features a 5-inch 720p display, 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB internal storage along with microSD card slot. It also features an 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel selfie camera, 2,400mAh battery, and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Gionee has launched its P5w smartphone in India. Priced at Rs 6,499, the smartphone is available in white, blue, red, yellow and black color options.

Gionee P5w specifications and features: The smartphone features a 5-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor clubbed with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of built-in storage which is further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.

On the photography front, the smartphone features a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED-flash, and a 2-megapixel front camera. Connectivity options include dual-SIM support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and micro-USB 2.0. On the software front, the Gionee P5w runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The smartphone is powered by a 2,000mAh battery.

Keeping in mind the price range and specifications, the smartphone is expected to face tough competitions from the likes of Lava P7 and Asus Zenfone Go.

Gionee launched the Elife S6 back in November in China, and two months later it has brought the smartphone to India. The phone is priced at Rs 19,999 and is available via Flipkart. The smartphone is also listed on Gionee’s official website, but is currently listed as ‘coming soon’. The Elife S6 is available in golden, sliver and rose gold colors, and is also the second smartphone in Gionee’s portfolio to boast USB Type-C connectivity.

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Besides the USB Type-C port, the Elife S6′s highlights also include the metal unibody design and 3GB RAM as well. These features are up to the mark as far as competition is concerned, but Gionee seems to have compromised on one aspect — display. The Elife S6 features a HD display, which is a tad surprising when you consider that others in this range like the Motorola Moto X Play, Lenovo Vibe X3 and OnePlus 2 all feature full HD 1080p displays.

Gionee Elife S6 specification and features: The smartphone features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and is powered by a 1.3GHz octa-core processor. It also offers 32GB internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card.

On the photography front, the smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash light and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The rear camera is capable of capturing 1080p videos, and also includes feature like HDR, Panorama, Professional mode, Face Beauty and Ultra Pixel modes among others.

The smartphone is backed by a 3,150mAh battery, which the company claims is good enough to last up to 18 hours of 3G talktime. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 4G support, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and Wi-Fi. On the software front the Elife S6 runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Amigo 3.1 UI.

After launching the Elife S7 at MWC 2015, Gionee is also set to take the wraps off its successor, the Elife S8 at MWC 2016,. The smartphone maker has an event lined up on February 22 in Barcelona, where the announcement is expected to take place. That being said, the smartphone was recently spotted on GeekBench, which reveals some of its specifications and features along with test results.

Gionee Elife S8 specifications and features: As per the GeekBench listing, the smartphone was spotted running on MediaTek’sMT6755 Helio P10 octa-core processor with ARM Cortex-A53 cores. Carrying a model number GN9011, the listing also reveals that the smartphone has 4GB of RAM and runs on Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

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After running through the benchmark, the smartphone has logged a score of 851 in single-core test and 3,148 points in multi-core test. While other details about camera and connectivity options are scarce at the moment, it is expected to employ a pressure sensitive display, the working of which is likely to be similar to the 3D Touch display on Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

In comparison, last year’s Gionee Elife S7 sports a 5.2-inch full HD (1080p) AMOLED display and is powered by a 64-bit 1.7Ghz octa-core processor paired with 2GB RAM. It houses 16GB of internal storage, but there is no option to expand it further.

On the camera front, it sports a 13-megapixel rear snapper and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. Armed with a 2,750mAh battery and Android 5.0 Lollipop, connectivity options include 4G LTE, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

We expect more details about the Elife S8 when Gionee officially announces the smartphone on February 22.

ShopClues, India’s first and largest managed marketplace is the official online partner for the Gionee P5W. The superb device goes on sale on ShopClues on February 8, 2016. Through this association, ShopClues marches ahead with its promise of making the most coveted consumer electronics available exclusively on its website and mobile app for consumers. The fun, cool and vibrant device that packs in a real punch with its best-in-breed specifications is available at only Rs 6,499 on ShopClues. 

Nitin Kochhar, VP – Categories, ShopClues said: “Gionee has quickly established itself as one of the preferred smartphone brands of discerning Indian consumers.

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The P5W is targeted at our mass market shoppers who seek devices that look great, have unbeatable features and are available at the most competitive price points. As the official online partners, we are now also giving consumers a trusted buying experience for this stellar smartphone.”

ALSO READ: ShopClues valued at $1.1 billion after latest funding round

Speaking on the association Timir Baran Acharyya, GM, Gionee India said: “The idea behind introducing P5W has been the youth and their fascination towards carrying bright colourful phones. ShopClues has a strong market penetration and we are glad to partner with them for the exclusive availability of the Gionee Pioneer P5W. Gionee assures to reach out to consumers PAN India with this brilliant device and promises consumers high quality products.Partnering with ShopClues will also assure trusted purchase and delivery and we look forward to such similar associations.”

The Gionee P5W stands out with its emphasis on a youthful design language. Available in five exuberant shades of red, yellow, blue, white and black, the smartphone is sure to be a hit with the social media-loving, constantly-connected young generation of smartphone users in India. Gionee P5W is perfect blend of style and performance and the smartphone gives you access to a number of new and exciting features and the opportunity to stay connected with the world with ease.

ALSO READ: Gionee files application to setup exclusive stores in India

Gionee P5w specifications and features: The smartphone features a 5-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor clubbed with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB of built-in storage which is further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.

On the photography front, the smartphone features a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED-flash, and a 2-megapixel front camera. Connectivity options include dual-SIM support, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and micro-USB 2.0. On the software front, the Gionee P5w runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The smartphone is powered by a 2,000mAh battery.

The fun, cool and vibrant device that packs in a real punch with its best-in-breed specifications is available at only Rs 6499 on ShopClues. ShopClues is India’s first and the largest managed marketplace with more than 100 million monthly visitors on its website and was founded in July 2011 in Silicon Valley by Sandeep Aggarwal.

Established in 2002, Gionee Communication Equipment Co. Ltd is a hi-tech company engaging in mobile device designing, R&D, manufacturing, sales in international markets, and mobile Internet application services. Today, Gionee sells over 23 million handsets per year worldwide and ranks No.10 in the world by smartphone market share.

Ahead of its scheduled launch at MWC on February 22, Gionee’s Elife S8 has been spotted on GFXBench, which reveals its camera specifications and other features.

Gionee is all set to unveil the Elife S8 on February 22 at the MWC 2016. Earlier this week, the smartphone was spotted on Geekbench results, revealing its key specifications and features. Now, the smartphone was put through paces on GFXBench, revealing the smartphone’s 16-megapxiel rear camera with auto-focus and LED flash and an 8-megapixel selfie unit.

Gionee Elife S8 specifications and features: As per the GFXBench listing, the smartphone flaunts a 4.6-inch full HD (1080p) display. However, it is important to keep in mind that benchmarks often show wrong display size and resolution. Sporting a MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 64-bit octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM and Mali-T860 GPU, it also features 64GB of onboard storage.

With connectivity options such as Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi and 4G LTE, the smartphone was spotted running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. The Gionee Elife S8 is also likely to sport Apple’s 3D Touch like pressure sensitive display.

In comparison, the Gionee Elife S7 which was released last year flaunts a 5.2-inch full HD (1080p) AMOLED display. It is powered by a 1.7Ghz 64-bit octa-core processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. However, there is no option to expand it any further.

On the photography front, it is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear snapper and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. With a 2,750mAh battery and Android 5.0 Lollipop OS, it includes connectivity options such as 4G LTE, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

More details about the Elife S8 are expected when Gionee officially takes wraps off the smartphone on February 22.

Gionee has launched its latest flagship Elife S8 smartphone at MWC today. Not only does it support Apple 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display, but it also includes support for multiple WhatsApp accounts.

As expected, Gionee has launched the S8 at MWC today. Gionee’s latest flagship smartphone is priced at EUR 449, which translates to roughly Rs 34,000. The smartphone’s highlight include the metal design, and a display with 3D Touch-like technology. But one feature that is sure to catch buyers’ eye is the support for multiple WhatsApp and WeChat accounts on one device.

Gionee says that the S8 supports ‘Dual WhatsApp’ and ‘Dual WeChat’ features. In other words, users can have two different accounts for WhatsApp or WeChat on a single device. Another highlight is the S8′s display. It flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) AMOLED display with support for 3D Touch pressure sensitive touch technology.

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Gionee’s touchscreen technology is not only the same as Apple’s, but also works the same as the new iPhones. The display can distinguish between three levels of force — ‘touch’ select an app, ‘tap’ to preview the content, and ‘press’ to run the app.

Gionee S8 specifications and features: The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. It also offers 64GB internal storage.

On the photography front, the S8 is equipped with a 16-megapixel f/1.8 rear camera with laser autofocus, and PDAF. Up front, there is an 8-megapixel selfie camera. It also features 3,000mAh battery, Hi-Fi and DTS audio support, and a fingerprint scanner embedded into the home button up front.

Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, and 4G LTE support. On the software front, the Elife S8 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.

Gionee plans to invest $50 million to set up manufacturing unit in India. By June, all Gionee phones sold in India, will be locally manufactured.

As it looks to strengthen position in India, smartphone maker Gionee today said it plans to increase its salesman workforce to 15,000 by end of next year and open over 200 additional brand shops across the country. The company said it is investing $50 million in manufacturing phones in India, and by June, all the devices that will be sold in the country, will be produced here. The company has 6,000 salesman across the country and over 30 branded outlets. The devices are available across 25,000 shops across the country.

Gionee, which also announced a new brand identity, will be spending Rs 150 crore in the coming six months on marketing activities to make people familiarize with the new brand name.

“We plan to have a workforce of 17,500 by the end of next year, which include 15,000 salesman across the country. Also the brand shops will be increased to 250 and there will be 350 exclusive service centres,” Gionee India Country Chief Executive and Managing Director Arvind Vohra told PTI.

ALSO READ: Gionee files application to setup exclusive stores in India 

Vohra said the company will close the current financial year with a turnover of Rs 3,600 crore and aims to achieve a revenue of Rs 500-600 crore every month in the next fiscal. He, however, did not share a target for the fiscal as a

He added that Gionee is catering to 60 percent of the demand for domestic market by locally made phones and 40 percent are imported from China but by June all the devices will be made in India. Foxconn is making phones for Gionee at its Andhra Pradesh facility and the capacity will be increased to reduce dependency on imports.

Vohra said they aim to increase their market share to 8 percent next year from the current 4 percent. The company sells around 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh devices every month and its best selling phones are in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.

Gionee has launched the W909 in China, which is the world's first flip smartphone with a fingerprint sensor. It comes with two touchscreen displays and USB Type-C port.

Just when we thought that flip phones were things of the past, Gionee has pulled the wraps off its first flip smartphone, the Gionee W909. The talking point of this phone besides it being a flip phone is the dual touchscreen feature. Well that’s not all; if you like bragging about being the first, the W909 is the world’s first flip smartphone to feature a fingerprint sensor and a USB Type-C port.

Price and availability: The Gionee W909 was launched in China priced at CNY 3,999 (approximately Rs 41,000). As of now the smartphone is only available to China for which pre-orders have already begun. There is no clarity at the moment whether the company plans to launch it in India anytime soon.

Gionee W909 specification and features: The smartphone features two 4.2-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS displays. The outer display comes with a 2.5D glass. The smartphone is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT6755M processor, paired with 4GB of RAM. Also on offer is 64GB of internal storage which can be further expandable to 128GB via a microSD card.

The Gionee W909 sports a 16-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a 2,530mAh battery. On the connectivity front, the Gionee W909 supports 4G LTE, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, and USB Type-C connectivity.

On the software front, Gionee W909 runs on Android 5.1 lollipop wrapped under Amigo UI.

Talking about the competition Gionee W909 will face competition from Samsung’s W2016 flip phone. The companylaunched the smartphone in November last year in China. In comparison to Gionee W909, the Samsung W2016 features a 3.9-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of WXGA (1280×768 pixels). However, the Samsung W2016 pales on the specifications front in every aspect.

Image: Androidheadline

Gionee aims to garner a market share of 7-8 percent in the India by this fiscal year end.

Chinese smartphone maker Gionee is targeting a market share of 7-8 percent in India this fiscal, a top official of the company’s local arm said. At present, the market share of Gionee is around 5 percent in India. ”We are expecting to garner a market share of seven to eight per cent during this fiscal. To meet this, the company will heavily focus on retail presence in the Indian market,” Arvind Vohra, CEO & MD of Syntech Technology, said.

Syntech Technology Pvt Ltd’s parent company is based in Hong Kong, which is fully-owned by Gionee China. Vohra holds 26 percent stake in the Indian arm. Vohra further said India is the second largest market for Gionee after China and 25 percent of the global money resources would be deployed in the country. To improve brand presence across the country, Gionee had rebranded itself to make it more acceptable to the Indian consumers, Vohra said.

Gionee started its operation in India three years ago and had generated a revenue of Rs 3,200 crore last fiscal. The company has collaborated with Foxconn to manufacture in India. Vohra said EY had been appointed to devise a manufacturing strategy. Gionee has been the principal sponsor of KKR team since last year, with a commitment of Rs 60 crore for three years.

“We decided on KKR as it was the most valuable team in the IPL sporting event,” he added.

Gionee has launched the P5L in India, and it has gone on sale for Rs 8,499.

More than a year after launching it in China, Gionee has quietly launched the P5L in India. The smartphone is priced at Rs 8,499, and is available on Gionee’s official website. It is available in white and black color variants, and one of its highlights is the support for VoLTE.

Gionee P5L specifications and features: It features a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) IPS On-Cell Display, and is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also on offer is 16GB internal storage, which can be further expanded up to 128GB using a microSD Card.

On the camera front, the Gionee P5L comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. It packs 2,300mAh battery, which the company claims is good enough for up to 9 hours of talktime and up to 300 hours of standby time. Connectivity options include dual-SIM, 4G LTE with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi, GPS/AGPS, Bluetooth, WLAN, USB OTG, and Micro-USB.

The Gionee P5L runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Amigo 3 UI, and it also includes preloaded apps like Child Mode, Gionee Xender, Whatsapp, Facebook, Battery Doctor, Snapdeal, WPS office, 360 Security lite, Clean master, Hungama, and TouchPal 2015.

At this price point, the Gionee P5L will face competition from the likes of Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus, Coolpad Note 3 and Xolo X1. A detailed comparison table follows.

Gionee has launched an entry-level Android smartphone called the Gionee P5 mini. The smartphone will compete against the likes of Phicomm Clue 630 and Infocus Bingo 10 smartphones.

Gionee has launched a new smartphone, P5 mini, in India. The smartphone comes with a price tag of Rs 5,349 and is available through Gionee’s official website. The smartphone is available in six different color options.

Gionee’s P5 mini comes equipped with features like smart gesture, mood card, Gstore, Eco mode , Ami Locker, Child mode, proximity sensor, G-sensor, E-Compass, Motion sensor, Light sensor etc. The smartphone also comes with some preloaded apps like the Gionee Xender, Whatsapp, Facebook, Battery Doctor, WPS office, 360 Security lite, Clean master, TouchPal 2015.

Gionee P5 mini specification and feature: Gionee P5 mini features a 4.5 FWVGA Oncell display with Asahi protection. The smartphone is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also on offer is 8GB of internal storage which can be further expandable to a massive 128GB via a microSD card.

On the camera front, the smartphone sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with flash and a 2-megapixel front camera. The P5 mini comes packed with 1,850mAh Li-Ion battery which the company claims is good enough to last for 277 hours on standby and  18.5 hours of talktime on 2G whereas 9.25 hours on 3G.

On the connectivity front the smartphone supports dual-SIM, 3G, Bluetooth v4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n. The Gionee P5 mini runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop wrapped under Amigo 3.1.

Looking at the specs that the Gionee P5 mini has to offer, the smartphone is set to face neck-and-neck competition in the likes of Phicomm Clue 630 and Infocus Bingo 10 priced at Rs 3,999 and Rs 4,299 respectively. Both the smartphones are priced less than the latest launched Gionee P5 mini and offer much better specifications as compared to the P5 mini. While the three smartphones have a FWVGA display and 1GB of RAM, the Bingo 10 runs on the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow while the P5 mini and Phicomm Clue 630 run Android 5.1 lollipop. On the other hand the Phicomm Clue 630 supports 4G connectivity while the other two smartphones don’t.

Detailed comparison table of the competitions follows.