MyPhone A919i Duo Android 4.2.1 Update Review

The MyPhone competitors released their high-end phones with Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1 out of the box. As expected MyPhone roll out the latest software updates of their flagship phone, the A919i Duo. The upgrade is from Android 4.1.2 to Android 4.2.1.

Below are the lists of the goodies that the Android 4.2.1 update brings to the A919i Duo:

Key Features:

• Enhanced Lock Screen
• Panorama and Photo-Sphere
• Photo Editor
• Movie Studio
• Expandable Shortcut in the Notification Panel
• USB Internet
• Scene (Two different home screen)
• Day Dream
• Wireless Display
• System Updates Option in the About Phone

Main Disadvantage:

• Applications cannot be moved to SD card
• Smart dialing is missing at the Email and Messaging apps

Lock Screen:

The lock screen is basically the same of the previous iteration; the main addition is that you can swipe it to the right for the camera shortcut, swiping it left will reveal a vacant shortcut/widget which you can customize with calendar, clock, Gmail, Google Now and message. This option comes very handy if you want to take a glance on your messages or Gmail without unlocking the screen.

Lock Screen

Notification:

The notification panel can be accessed by swiping from the top of the screen going down. The usual shortcuts are hidden and can be accessed after click an icon at the upper rightmost corner. Once you click it, the available shortcuts will be revealed such as Owner, Airplane mode, Battery, Wi-Fi, BT, GPS, Data Connection, Data Usage, Audio Profile, Brightness, Timeout and Auto Rotation. The system setting shortcut is also available here.

Notification

Scene:

The scene is basically a home screen wherein you can choose between two categories, default and work. Supposedly you can create and save your own arrangement of icons or widgets on each scene, however when I tried it did not.

 

Scene

Day Dream:

The Day Dream is essentially like a screen saver on your PC though you can only activate in when charging.

 

Day Dream

Panorama and Photo Sphere:

Perhaps, the biggest improvement in the update is the inclusion of the Panorama and Photo Sphere on the camera section. Panorama stitches several pictures either vertically or horizontally into one scenic photo. The Photo Sphere on the other hand, can capture and stitch photo on different angles.

Panorama

Photo-Sphere

Photo Editor:

The Android 4.2.1 novelties also include a photo editor which is both accessible on the gallery or on the camera interface.

Photo Editor

Movie Studio:

The update also includes a video maker/editor with the application called Movie Studio. You can create or edit a video by using several video clips or photo.

Movie Studio

USB Internet:

Have you ever wondered to share your computer internet connection to your mobile phone? This option can do that, it is basically a reverse tethering application wherein you can connect thru the internet on your phone via the connection from your computer.

USB Internet

Wireless Display:

The Android 4.2 in general supports wireless mirroring using Mira cast standard created by the WiFi Alliance. You can share your mobile phone content on a wireless display that supports this standard.

Wireless Display

System Updates:

The MyPhone 4.2.1 update brings the OTA option which is missing on the 4.1.2.

System Updates

Updated Benchmarks:

The Android 4.2.1 update also brings performance boost, although it is quite hard to distinguish. The synthetic benchmarks below shows enhance performance (4.2.1 at the left, 4.1.2 at the right).

Antutu

Quadrant

Vellamo

NenaMark

Conclusion:

The Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean updates of MyPhone A919i Duo bring several novelties such as performance enhancements and software goodies. This is a good step from MyPhone ensuring that they give support to their flagship phone. Yet, MyPhone left many users are hoping for, the ability to move applications on the external Micro SD card especially that it has a limited storage.

For full review please visit MyPhone A919i Duo Review: Overall Performer