OnePlus denies rumors of shipping refurbished phones

It seems there have been a few complaints recently where people said they have received refurbished phones from OnePlus One. After the issue got escalated a bit, the company decided to speak on the matter to put it to rest. In a forum post, OnePlus talks about the seven incidents where the buyers reported receiving a seemingly refurbished unit. The confusion stemmed from the fact that some units had open boxes, scratches on the unit, photos from camera already on the device, the OS already setup out of the box, and in one case, an extra screen protector on the unit. OnePlus talked about each of the seven cases, with some having a fairly credible explanation as to why the phone couldn't be refurbished, and some cases where the company is still looking into the matter. However, it stressed at no point did they ship a refurbished unit. There was also some doubts regarding whether or not the displays on the OnePlus One were actual Gorilla Glass 3 as the company claims, which has also been given a satisfactory answer, including an image of the blueprints of the phone with the name of the glass supplier mentioned on it. You can read both forum posts in the links below. Source 1 • Source 2 • Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_denies_rumors_of_shipping_refurbished_phones_-news-10412.php

Meizu to unveil a new smartphone on December 8

Confirming recent rumours, Meizu has announced that it will unveil a new smartphone on Monday, December 8. In an interview with Chinese portal ZOL, the company's VP Li Nan referred to the device as a "quality smartphone" aimed at young people. Although Lan didn't provide any more details, it is highly likely that the device in question is the much awaited low-cost Meizu K52 which recently popped up on the GFX Bench database. The smartphone, which is said to run Android 4.4.4 KitKat and sport a MediaTek MT6752 chipset with octa-core CPU at 1.7 GHz, a 4.6 inch 1920x1080 pixel display, 2GB of RAM, and 12GB of internal memory, is expected to be priced at around 1,000 yuan (around $160). In addition, Lan also mentioned that the company has no plans to introduce MX Mini models, saying that the Meizu MX4 and the MX4 Pro, featuring 5.36-inch and 5.5-inch displays, respectively, fit everyone. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_to_unveil_a_new_smartphone_on_december_8-news-10411.php

Week 49 in review: Galaxy S6, next-gen Moto E, HTC flagship

Week In Review is back to recap all the major announcements of the week, which you might have missed. The past Week 49 gave us a glimpse into the specs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 as well as the second generation Moto E. Meanwhile, Android 5.0 Lollipop launched for the Galaxy S5 in Europe. The rumor mill is also quite active this week, as we overheard rumors about the specs for HTC's upcoming flagship and about the fact that Apple is preparing a 4" smartphone for next year. .news-item .n-left { float: left; width: 16%; text-align: center; margin-left: -13px; } .news-item .n-right { float: left; width: 84%; } .news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; } .news-item .n-right h2, .reviews-item .n-right h2 { clear: both; padding: 0 0 3px 0px; font: 400 19px Oswald, Arial; margin-top: -4px; } .n-right p { line-height: 155%; } .news-item { padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ccc; } .news-item p { margin-left: 0; } .n-right h2 a { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } Samsung Galaxy S6 will reportedly have an Edge variant According to a report in SamMobile, Samsung's next smartphone flagship will have an Edge variant with curved display. Unsurprisingly, the Korean giant's upcoming high-profile handset will be named Samsung Galaxy S6. A close relative to Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy Note Edge is the... Moto G first generation getting Lollipop update soon The Moto G 2nd Generation got the Lollipop update surprisingly quickly, quicker than some of the Nexus devices even. But the first generation owners may be feeling left out in the cold, especially considering it's not been long since they got their phones. Well, it seems they won't have to... Android 5.0 Lollipop demonstrated on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 We have seen Android 5.0 Lollipop being shown off before on the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S4. Now, SamMobile has managed to get their hands on the Lollipop ROM for the new Galaxy Note 4. If you have seen the images and videos for the S4 and S5 Lollipop ROMs, you know what to expect by now. The... Xiaomi Redmi Note sells out in 6 seconds on launch day in India Xiaomi seems to have yet another successful product on its hands, as the newly launched Redmi Note sold out in a mere six seconds. That's 50,000 units being sold in six seconds on the first day of the phone going on sale. The Indian model of Redmi Note is priced at an attractive Rs. 8,999... Second generation Moto E has its specs rumored There's already a second generation Moto G out there, so you might be expecting a successor for the even lower-priced Moto E to emerge any moment now. And you wouldn't be wrong, as it turns out. According to a new report from Greece, the second-gen Moto E will be made official "soon enough", and... HTC new flagship Hima to pack Snapdragon 810, 5-inch 1080p screen Just few days ago we reported about HTC One M9's rumored specs - a 5.5" QHD display, Snapdragon 805 chipset and a 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. Other rumored specs include 3GB of RAM and 3,500 mAh battery. Today, @upleaks reports HTC won't be using the M codenames anymore... Apple to launch new 4-inch iPhone next year It's been months - months! - without an "iPhone mini" rumors, but here they are again. This time the info comes from Taiwan and allegedly quotes parts suppliers for Apple, who claim that next year the company will unveil a new 4" iPhone. The iPhone 5s (and 5c to some extent) has been holding... Android 5.0 arrives on Samsung Galaxy S5 in Europe Android 5.0 Lollipop is now seeding to Samsung Galaxy S5 handsets in Europe. The exact device model to receive the new build is SM-G900F. As seen already, Samsung Galaxy S5 runs TouchWiz-ed version of Android 5.0, so the user experience will not be dramatically different from the one in... Reseller lists OnePlus Two ahead of launch, reveals some specs Just a day after OnePlus confirmed that...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_49_in_review_galaxy_s6_nextgen_moto_e_htc_flagship-news-10408.php

Counterclockwise: Lumia 620, iPhone, Yotaphone, Gingerbread

We take some time over the weekend to talk about the past - welcome to Counterclockwise. The year is almost over and we're in a lull between Black Friday and the end-of-the-year holiday shopping craze. But this period back in the day has seen some major sales... of company's offices. Several important announcements were made too, including the iPhone escaping the chopping block on a technicality. The WP king that almost was Two years ago almost to the day Nokia unveiled the Lumia 620 - the first entry-level Windows Phone from Nokia's second generation Windows Phones. It offered impressive specs like a sharp 3.8" WVGA display with Nokia's ClearBlack tech, a speedy Snapdragon chipset and a 5MP/720p camera, features unmatched by Androids in this price range back then. The Lumia 620 is one of the most popular WP handsets to this day - numbers from AdDuplex published a week ago show it holds 4% of the global market and is the 6th most popular WP device. It never lived up to what came a few months after it though, the Lumia 520. The Nokia Lumia 520 is the face of Windows Phone - similar specs as the 620 (but with a bigger screen) and promotions that often have it selling for $50 or less pushed it miles ahead of other WP devices. At last count it (and its variants) still make up a third of all WP handsets, while the third generation budget offerings are still struggling to make their mark. Windows Phone as a platform still has a long way to go, but it's on an upwards trajectory. A year before the Lumia 620 was announced, IDC reported slow progress. Paying the rent The two phones above bear the Nokia name, though the provenance is not as clear cut - the Lumia line was sold and is now under the brand of Microsoft. The sell-off started before that, a day before the Lumia 620 hit the limelights, Nokia sold its headquarters in Finland - some 48,000 square meters of office space that was Nokia's home since 1997. Nokia got €170 million out of the deal, but had no intention of moving out - instead it started paying rent. These things happen, months later Sony sold off its Tokyo offices for $1.2 billion. That came about a year after Sony acquired Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson and refocused the smartphone maker to smartphones. The iPhone before and after it proved itself While former giants Nokia, Microsoft and Sony were struggling, Apple was on the rise. At the end of 2008 AT&T in the US decided to support only one platform and as a Senior Member of the Technical staff put it, Symbian is "a very credible and likely candidate." So Symbian stayed, WinMo was kicked out and iOS (iPhone OS at the time) was pardoned because Apple handled the software support itself. Not that we think AT&T didn't have enough foresight to see the iPhone is going to be huge. That year Symbian fell under 50% market share for the first time in a long while, but Nokia alone still held over 40% of the market. Even BlackBerry sales were increasing in great numbers. As for Apple, the iPhone 3G was outselling Windows Mobile both in the US and worldwide. Fast forward to the last couple of years and we see iOS continuing to grow. In late 2012 the iPhone 5 expanded to 55 new countries and was even getting ready to go after the vast Chinese market, bringing the iPad 4 and iPad mini with it. A year later the iPhone 5c and the iPads were the best sellers of 2013's Black Friday. Two screens are better than one A year ago a Russian company launched an oddball device - the Yotaphone was a seemingly regular Android smartphone, except it had an e-ink display on the back. This year Yota is back with the sequel, which brought an even bigger e-ink screen and spruced up the rest of the specs. Android XP Android 2.3 Gingerbread was unveiled in early December 2010. It brought improved power management, boosted performance and added a better camera interface. The update also included text selection and support for NFC. At the same time Android 2.2 Froyo was the most popular version, having just reached around 44% distribution and surpassing 2.1 Eclair. A year later the gap widened and Gingerbread powered more than half of Android devices, while Eclair still held a respectable 35%. It's been two years since then - an eternity in tech - and version 2.3 still has a noticeable presence of around 9%....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/counterclockwise_lumia_620_iphone_yotaphone_gingerbread-news-10405.php

Android 5.0 is now seeding to Moto G (2013) in India

Android 5.0 Lollipop is now seeding to Motorola Moto G (2013) smartphones in India. The latest OS version is seeding to dual-SIM Moto G XT1033 devices over-the-air. The new Android build arrives a couple of days after the manufacturer updated its Motorola Update Services app on Moto G devices in India, and a tad over two weeks after the initial soak test. The software version of the Android 5.0 update is 220.21.16.en.03. Android 5.0 Lollipop brings a host of improvements to the budget friendly smartphone, headed by fresh material design for the UI, as well as brand new ART runtime. The latter will almost certainly make last year's Moto G feel a lot snappier. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_50_is_now_seeding_to_moto_g_2013_in_india-news-10410.php

Xiaomi will hold a launch event in China on December 9

Xiaomi sent out media invites for a December 9 launch event in China. They contain a rather mysterious message, whose rough translation from Chinese means "Up In The Wind Together." We don't know what will the Chinese tech giant announce early next week. A previously leaked, budget-friendly LTE tablet with 9.2" 720p display and 64-bit Snapdragon 410 is a likely candidate to make a debut. It will sit below the Mi Pad 7.9 in the company's range. Furthermore, a word got out that Xiaomi might unveil its next-generation smartphone flagship during CES in Las Vegas early next month. Allegedly leaked in the past, the successor of Xiaomi Mi4 is rumored to pack Snapdragon 810 SoC, 2K display, and fingerprint scanner. Source 1 (in Chinese) | Source 2 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_will_hold_a_launch_event_in_china_on_december_9-news-10409.php

Samsung announces its press conference for CES 2015

Following Sony, Samsung is the second mobile device maker to officially unveil its schedule for CES 2015. The huge trade show is fast approaching, as we're now exactly one month away from its debut. January 5 is when Samsung will hold a press conference at CES, starting at 2 pm Las Vegas Time. This will be followed by a keynote address by BK Yoon, Samsung Electronics CEO and President, at 6:30 pm. On the same day Sony will hold its CES presentation, though that will start at 5 pm. So this is shaping up to be a pretty crowded day, as the day before the trade show's doors open has always been. Right now it's unclear if Samsung will use this avenue for announcing new devices, but given past behavior we wouldn't rule that out. Thanks for sending this in, Ralph...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_announces_its_press_conference_for_ces_2015-news-10407.php

Gionee Elife S5.1 review: Johnny Slim

Last time we met, Gionee had quite a flagship to show off. Looking extra sharp and more than decently equipped, we deemed it capable of getting users interested well beyond the traditional Asian markets. Some months later, Gionee has toned...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_elife_s_51-review-1175.php

Xiaomi Redmi 1S will be on sale in India again on December 8

Xiaomi launched the first flash sale of its Redmi Note phablet in India earlier this week, and that went incredibly well. Since the Chinese company has gotten us used to selling only one model at a time, we weren't expecting any other Xiaomi smartphone to become available for purchase soon. But it looks like things have changed, as Xiaomi is now getting ready to sell the Redmi 1S once more in the subcontinent. The sale will happen on December 8, and another new thing is that you won't have to pre-register in order to buy it. With previous flash sales, you needed to do that a few days before the actual day when you ordered the device. Not this time, though. The Redmi 1S will be up for grabs for everyone, with no registrations. Of course, it will only be available "while stocks last", and we have no indication of how many units Xiaomi has prepared. The Redmi 1S will be offered on a Monday, unlike all of the company's previous sales which have happened on Tuesdays. On the other hand, the following day, which is Tuesday, December 9, will see the next flash sale of the Redmi Note - which you have to pre-register for. So it seems to be a sort of special one-off thing, this December 8 sale of the Redmi 1S. The handset in question comes with dual-SIM functionality, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, and 8GB of built-in storage. There's also 1GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch 720p touchscreen, and a 2,000 mAh battery. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_1s_will_be_on_sale_in_india_again_on_december_8-news-10406.php

Strategic Analytics: Apple ruled the LTE device market in Q3 2014

With the end of September Apple marked another quarter with top results in terms of LTE device revenue. The report issued today by Strategic Analytics also puts Samsung and LG very close by the California tech giant, but more surprisingly two Chinese manufacturers - OPPO and Vivo are also on the list. And it is not that the list is overly long - it shows metrics for 20 major vendors, the two companies have both actually shown such amazing LTE sales numbers that are now, for the first time ever, in the top five. The LTE market also seems to be one of the fastest growing segments with a whopping quarter to quarter growth of 57% from Q2 to Q3 of 2014. Apple's current device lineup is consistently dominating the area and it will come as no surprise if the numbers at the end of the calendar year are even more assertive of the fact. In any case, with the holidays around the corner, we will be checking back pretty soon to evaluate the bigger yearly picture. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_dominates_lte_handset_market_for_q3_2014-news-10404.php

Unannounced Lumia RM-1069 and Nokia RM-1110 spotted in records

A couple of Lumia phones, dubbed RM-1069 and RM-1110, have been approved by the Indonesian certification authorities. While the RM-1069 bears Microsoft's branding, the RM-1110 still bears Nokia moniker, which is kinda odd. The best guess is that it's a feature phone and not a Windows Phone. Although details are scarce at the moment, especially for RM-1110, the Microsoft Lumia RM-1069 Microsoft device already appeared on Adduplex database, where it had a 4-inch display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels, as well as hardware buttons for navigation. This is particularly interesting given that the recent Lumias are not only bigger in size but also have only software buttons. Besides Indonesia, RM-1069 is expected to launch in many other developing markets, including China. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_rm_1069_and_rm_1110_pass_certification_in_indonesia-news-10403.php

HTC One M8 and M7 GPe are getting Android Lollipop today

After a two week delay on the initial release date, today is the day that HTC's Google Play edition One M8 and M7 handsets finally receive the long anticipated Android Lollipop update. Users are already reporting, that they are receiving that over-the-air. The new version is rather surprisingly a LRX22C build, based on Android 5.0.1, so it appears that HTC will be skipping Android 5.0 altogether. The long update saga surrounding the two devices started in mid-November. Since then, numerous testing issues and bugs have postponed the roll-out, which was set for November 21. Early morning today HTC's Product VP Mo Versi announced the good news and just as promised, updates started to appear around noon. The Android 5.0.1, that is being shipped is roughly 500MB and if you simply do not wish to wait for the OTA to arrive, it can also be downloaded from the following links for HTC One M8 GPe and HTC One M7 GPe, respectively and flashed from the stock recovery. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m8_and_m7_gpe_are_getting_android_lollipop_today-news-10402.php

Samsung G925F specs from AnTuTu may detail the Galaxy S6

The Galaxy S5 fell below Samsung expectations and now all eyes are on its replacement - the Galaxy S6. We've already heard some murmurs about the specs, but now there's something more solid, an AnTuTu screenshot. The screenshot confirms the Samsung-made Exynos 7420 chipset. It has eight cores in total, half Cortex-A57, half A53, all of them 64-bit capable. They run Android 5.0 Lollipop (which is already on the Galaxy S5) and have 3GB of RAM to stretch their feet. The GPU will be Mali-T760, same as the one in the Galaxy Note 4 with Exynos 5433. There will most likely be a Snapdragon version of the phone, though talk of the 810 getting delayed might mean there will be only Exynos at launch. By the way, Snapdragon 810 has the same CPU cores as the Samsung chipset, but a different GPU. Samsung G925 - allegedly the Galaxy S6 - specs detect by AnTuTu Anyway, the screen was measured as 5.5-inch big with QHD resolution (that's 1,440 x 2,560px, same as the LG G3). 32GB of built-in storage was on board, but there's no telling if it's the next-gen UFS kind or not. The main camera has a 20MP sensor according to AnTuTu. Earlier rumors said it will be a Sony sensor and that the resolution wasn't decided yet - 16MP (the IMX240 sensor from the Note 4) or 20MP. On the front is a 5MP shooter, a tentative step in line with the selfie craze. There are many things the benchmark can't detect - Samsung is rumored to be starting from scratch with the Galaxy S6 design (even naming the endeavor "Project Zero"). This could include an Edge variant and anything else Samsung's labs can cook up. We'll probably find out at the MWC next year. Thanks, Steve, for sending this in! Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_g925f_specs_from_antutu_may_detail_the_galaxy_s6-news-10401.php

Lenovo K3 - the $100 phone to compete with Xiaomi's Redmi

Today Lenovo unofficially unveiled a new budget smartphone with a rather silly code name - Lenovo K3 "Music Lemon". The device appeared on JD, one of China's largest retailers, and it seems it will be offered exclusively by them only online, much like Xiaomi handsets. The reasons behind such a marketing strategy are plentiful, especially for budget phones, but one does also get the feeling that Lenovo is launching a contra offensive against Xiaomi's Redmi 1S in particular. The Lenovo K3 is a solid entry level smartphone with a more than attractive price tag of CNY599, or roughly $97. For that you get a quad-core Snapdragon 410 SoC, clocked at 1.2GHz, 1GB of RAM and 16GB onboard storage plus a card slot. When you throw in a 5 inch 1280 x 720 pixel IPS display, LTE and two decent cameras (8 MP main and 2 MP front) you do get an obviously superior hardware platform, than the one inside the rival Xiaomi Redmi 1S. The "Music Lemon", as its name hints, features a vibrant yellow back, although it seems to have little to no other apparent connection to lemons or music for that matter, besides perhaps the inclusion of Waves MaxxAudio sound tech. The device measures 141 x 70.5 x 7.9mm and is powered by a 2300mAh battery. It seems that for now the device will be available only in China, but with such a compelling price tag, perhaps Lenovo will decide to push it, or at least a similar smartphone to foreign markets as well. Source(in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_k3__the_100_phone_to_compete_with_xiaomis_redmi-news-10400.php

XOLO launches Omega 5.0 and 5.5 Android smartphones in India

XOLO has launched two new budget smartphones in the Indian market called the Omega 5.0 and the Omega 5.5. The Omega 5.0 has a 5.0-inch 720 display, 1.4 GHz octa-core MTK6592M processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB memory with microSD support, 8 megapixel Sony EXMOR R sensor on the back and 2 megapixel camera on the front and 2100mAh battery. The Omega 5.5 has similar hardware but a bigger 5.5-inch 720p display, a 13 megapixel Sony EXMOR R sensor on the back and a 2600mAh battery. Both phones run on Android 4.4 KitKat with XOLO's HIVE UI on top. As a special offer, Vodafone is offering 500MB free 3G data and unlimited music on Vodafone Music for 2 months on Omega 5.0. On Omega 5.5 you'll get 1GB of free data instead. The Omega 5.0 is priced at Rs. 8,999 and the Omega 5.5 at Rs. 9,999. The 5.0 will be available from December 10 and the 5.5 from December...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xolo_launches_omega_50_and_55_android_smartphones_in_india-news-10399.php

OnePlus One will have Cyanogen support in India after all

The developers from Cyanogen spoke up about the controversy surrounding the lack of future support for their ROM on OnePlus One handsets sold in India. As it turns out, the company will continue pushing over-the-air updates for all global OnePlus One devices, including those in India. The news arrives a week after OnePlus officially announced that its smartphone will be updated to non-Cyanogen firmware in India. The reason behind the odd occurrence was a deal between Cyanogen and Micromax. Under its terms, Cyanogen would exclusively support only the Indian manufacturer's Yu brand on the local market. This new development is great news for potential customers in India. OnePlus One launched in the country a couple of days ago. Source ...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_will_have_cyanogen_support_in_india_after_all-news-10398.php

T-Mobile's HTC Nexus 9 gets delayed indefinitely

The HTC Nexus 9 was supposed to arrive at T-Mobile sometime in early December, last we heard anything about this subject. Well, it's early December now, and the tablet is nowhere to be found at the magenta carrier. There's a reason for that, as it turns out. According to a leaked internal communication from T-Mobile, the launch of the HTC-made Nexus 9 on the 'un-carrier' has been postponed. What's worse is that the delay is, for now, indefinite. As in - T-Mobile itself still doesn't know when it will actually have the Nexus 9 in stock. So if you were planning to buy this tablet from this carrier, you'll need to be patient. This isn't the first hiccup when it comes to T-Mobile's relationship with the newly announced Nexus devices. The Nexus 6 was released by the carrier a week later than initially planned because Motorola failed to deliver a shipment of devices to its...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobiles_htc_nexus_9_gets_delayed_indefinitely-news-10397.php

Oppo Find 7 goes up for pre-order in the UK

The Oppo Find 7 has amazingly found its way to the UK, more than eight months after its introduction in March. The Find 7 is now up for pre-order at Amazon's UK branch, and it starts at £319. That amount will net you the 16GB version, and both black and white models are listed. If you need more built-in storage, then you can go for the £379 32GB Find 7, again offered in black and white. In all cases, the release date has been set as December 17. As you'd expect, the retailer is offering free delivery for the UK too. It's rather strange to see this device arriving on a new market so long after sales started elsewhere, but perhaps Oppo identified some demand for its premium smartphone over there and decided to meet it. The Oppo Find 7 features a 5.5-inch QHD (2,560x1,440) touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 5 MP front-facing snapper. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with a 2.5 GHz quad-core CPU, aided by 3GB of RAM, and it has microSD card support, along with 4G LTE and the other usual connectivity options. The battery capacity is 3,000 mAh. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_7_goes_up_for_preorder_in_the_uk-news-10396.php

Samsung Galaxy A5 makes its debut in Russia

The Samsung Galaxy A5 is the bigger of the two A series smartphones that were announced in October. So far it's made its debut in China, and today it arrived in Europe - though only in Russia for the moment. Over there it's already up for grabs, the price being RUB 23,990 - around $440 or €354 at the current exchange rates. In China it was $420, so Samsung is keeping the pricing consistent here. The smaller Galaxy A3 has been listed by one Russian carrier in four colors, but all of them are out of stock. Still, this gives us a glimpse of this handset's price, which is RUB 16,990 ($312, €251). Since it already has its own pages up at that carrier, we expect it to become available pretty soon too. In the meantime, you can buy the A5 from a variety of Russian online retailers. Samsung apparently hasn't felt that the signal issues we reported on last month warranted a launch delay for these smartphones. Elsewhere in Europe, the two devices are expected early next year. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a5_makes_its_debut_in_russia-news-10395.php

Snapdragon 810 issues may delay next generation flagships

Qualcomm's Snapdragon SoC solutions have had a long track record of delivering the performance needed to power a lot of current and former flagship mobile devices. Some of the largest players in the business, like Samsung and LG rely heavily on the chip manufacturer to deliver high quality chipsets in ever-growing quantities to satisfy consumer demand for premium handsets. The latest version of the Snapdragon family - the Snapdragon 810 is currently set to appear in the Samsung Galaxy S6, as well as the LG G4, each of those being the respective upcoming crown jewels of the two technology giants. A recent Korean report, however, is putting this next generation of smartphones, as well as many others like them in serious jeopardy. It appears that Qualcomm is having rather serious issues with the Snapdragon 810, which could potentially inhibit mass production of the SoC and in turn delay the upcoming release of a lot of next-gen devices. According to the report, published by Business Korea, the chipset is experiencing severe overheating at certain voltages, leading to unwanted throttling and serious performance issues. Problems extend even further with claims of troubles with the chip's RAM controller, as well as possible bugs in the Adreno 430 GPU drivers. While these errors are most likely all fixable, they do sound serious enough to postpone mass production of the Snapdragon 810, so all consequent flagship launches in the first half of 2015 may need to use other types of chipsets. As already mentioned, two of the biggest names in mobile tech, LG and Samsung and their respective flagships will most definitely be affected by the unfortunate circumstances. Samsung does appear to have a backup plan, as it could potentially rely on its alternative Exynos SoC for the Galaxy S6, but that is far from a perfect and painless solution. Even if the Korean giant decides to carry out the hardware switch, the possibility of a delayed final product is still very much present, due to the sheer number of chipsets that would have to be produced. While this bad news definitely brings about a lot of setbacks, a few things are still very much unclear. For one this information is still mostly unconfirmed and could potentially turn out to be misleading. Also if the aforementioned problems do really exist, their severity and ultimate effect on the end user market can't really be determined or properly quantified. In any case there should be little room for actual concern as both LG and Samsung have proven their dependability and have overcome far greater problems in the past. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/snapdragon_810_issues_may_delay_next_generation_flagships-news-10394.php

Apple iPhone 6 Plus holds 41% of all phablet sales in US

The phablet form factor has been gaining traction quickly. Last year it represented a mere 2% of all running handset and now it has managed to increase that share five-fold. In 2014 phablet sales represent a respectable 10% of all smartphone sales and the iPhone 6 Plus definitely deserves some of credit for the growth. With a whopping 41% share of US phablet sales, the iPhone 6 Plus is a clear favorite among US customers, despite its availability for just over two months. Most of them, 58% according to a recent survey, seem to favor the handset precisely for its larger screen and state that as their central buying point. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has only been available in the US for a month or so it's too early to measure its market impact. Interestingly enough about 60% of iPhone 6 owners also cite the devices larger screen size, in comparison to previous generation, as a key motivator for their purchase. It seems that new richer multimedia experiences and the growing usability for more and more complex tasks available in mobile devices are definitely bringing about the necessity for larger displays. To further prove this point, statistics now show that despite its very recent introduction the iPhone 6 is already the bestselling iOS device for the last few months with a 33% market share. The iPhone 5s unsurprisingly came in second in the chart with 26%, followed by the 5c - 18% and 6 Plus - 10%. The response to the new larger form factor iPhone 6 Plus seems to be positive, but it hasn't really managed to lure a lot of people away from Android. A whopping 85% of all new generation iDevice sales coming from repeat iOS buyers, compared to only 9% coming from...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_6_plus_holds_41_of_all_phablet_sales_in_us-news-10393.php

HTC new flagship Hima to pack Snapdragon 810, 5" 1080p screen

Just few days ago we reported about HTC One M9's rumored specs - a 5.5" QHD display, Snapdragon 805 chipset and a 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. Other rumored specs include 3GB of RAM and 3,500 mAh battery. Today, @upleaks reports HTC won't be using the M codenames anymore and the next flagship is now known as Hima. He reports another batch of specs of the next Android top dog - the successor of the HTC One (M8). The HTC Hima is rumored to pack a 5.0" display of 1080p resolution and to run on the top-notch Snapdragon 810 chip. The latter offers an octa-core processor with 4 Cortex-A57 cores at 2.0GHz and 4 Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5GHz, Adreno 430 GPU and 3GB or RAM. HTC Hima should bring 20.7MP rear camera and a 13MP or 4MP UltraPixel front snapper. LTE Cat.6 connectivity, a 2,840 mAh battery and Android 5.0 Lollipop plus HTC Sense 7.0 UI complete the rumored specs list. The HTC Hima is expected to be announced very soon, probably at CES, while it should launch in March. Upleaks claims the device is already testing in all major US carriers. But wait, there is more. The popular tipster hints HTC will announce a few Desire smartphones at the MWC. HTC Hima Ace phone is also in the works - a more affordable edition of Hima (like the HTC One E8), with dual-SIM...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_flagship_hima_to_pack_snapdragon_810_5_1080p_screen-news-10392.php

Apple to launch new 4" iPhone next year

It's been months - months! - without an "iPhone mini" rumors, but here they are again. This time the info comes from Taiwan and allegedly quotes parts suppliers for Apple, who claim that next year the company will unveil a new 4" iPhone. The iPhone 5s (and 5c to some extent) has been holding down the fort for fans of small phones since Apple doubled down on large screens with 4.7" and 5.5" iPhones. The new 4" model aims to bring the iPhone back to its one-hand use roots and it is suggested will gain more popularity among women compared to the larger models. There are several rumors that Apple will be discontinuing the iPhone 5c next year, while the iPhone 5s will likely live on (dropping to $0). This raises the question how the new 4-incher will be positioned - compact premium or budget offering? Either way, the new big iPhones have been selling great, so this is certainly not Apple backing out of large screens. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/rumor_apple_to_launch_new_4_iphone_next_year-news-10391.php

Meizu MX4 Pro scores 6.7 million registrations in China

The Meizu MX 4 Pro was officially announced late last month and in now seems that the Chinese manufacturer is almost ready to ship the new device. The company posted a promotional banner boasting, that 6.7 million customers have registered their interest in the Meizu MX4 Pro device. The headset bears a lot of visual resemblance to the Meizu MX4 but packs more power Exynox 5430 chipset, 3GB of RAM and Mali-T628 MP6 GPU. The formidable powerhouse is adorned with a 5.5 inch 546 ppi screen with the odd resolution of 2560 x 1536 pixels. Complete with two cameras (20.7 MP main and 5MP front), NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac and powered by Android 4.4 KitKat the Meizu MX4 is a true flagship device, with a rather attractive starting price of $410. It is not yet clear if the smartphone will be initially available outside China, although it is listed on Meizu's international website, which is certainly a positive sign. Another important point to make is that the claimed 6.7 million customers are simply registered for a MX4 Pro and did not actually preorder it, which makes the whopping number a lot less impressive, given that registrations do not necessarily translate to sold units. In any case the Meizu MX4 Pro is a very interesting device that offers a lot of performance for the buck, so it has every chance of doing well once it hits the shelves. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/67_million_registered_for_a_meizu_mx4_pro_in_china-news-10390.php

Samsung E700 info reveals 720p screen, 1.5GHz processor

Some more details about the Samsung SM-E700 have surfaced, this time from Samsung itself (through a User Agent profile). The phone will probably launch as the Samsung Galaxy E7 and will be a cheaper alternative to the Galaxy A7 phablet. The new info reveals 720p resolution for the 5.5" screen (267ppi). The processor will be clocked at 1.5GHz and will use the classic 32-bit architecture instead of something like the Galaxy Grand 3 (a rumored 5.5" phablet powered by Snapdragon 410). Android 4.4 KitKat is the OS of choice. Previous info (which came from Zauba, an import info site) reveals that the Galaxy E7, or at least one version of it, will be a dual-SIM phone. If the retail price is close to the import price, it will be quite affordable too - it was listed at INR 12,645 ($205/€165). Thanks to Michel for sending this in! Source | Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_e700_info_reveals_720p_screen_15ghz_processor-news-10389.php

Huawei cancels all Windows Phone plans

Huawei has announced it is dropping all plans to make future Windows Phone smartphones. The reason is quite simple - it didn't make any money from manufacturing Windows Phone devices. Huawei's spokesman went even further, stating that nobody has made any money from the Microsoft's OS. We guess it is referring to Microsoft's newest partners (Blu, Lava, Micromax, Prestigio, Yezz, among others), which opted for the free-of-license Windows Phone recently. Huawei is a fast growing manufacturer with growing market share and its decision should be a blow to Microsoft's plans or aggressive Windows Phone expansion. Microsoft is trying to expand the WP market reach using massive price drops for the holiday deals and while this might be working, it seems its partners aren't doing as well as they would have hope for. Microsoft will be announcing a unified Windows 10 for all devices (phones, slates, PCs) next year. The Desktop version is already available for download, while the mobile should be detailed early next year. Hopefully this provides the Microsoft's OS the necessary boost it needed for so...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_cancels_all_windows_phone_plans-news-10388.php

Google Nexus 6 now available in the UK through O2

The Google Nexus 6, which was unveiled a couple of months ago, is finally available in the UK, where O2 has begun offering the smartphone through its sales channels. The smartphone is available on the company's Refresh tariff, which allows customers to upgrade their device at any time. Additionally, O2 is also running a special offer that will get you the device, plus unlimited texts, unlimited minutes, as well as 2GB of data, all for £38 a month. Although the device was expected to be available for pre-order as well as purchase in the UK last month, it never happened. Carphone Warehouse initially announced a shipping date of 1 December, but its website now says that delivery is expected by December 8. The Motorola-built Nexus 6 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and sports a Qualcomm 805 series Snapdragon CPU, a 5.96-inch QHD (2,560x1,400p) AMOLED display, 3GB of RAM, 32GB or 64GB of inbuilt memory, 13MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, and 3,220mAh battery. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_nexus_6_now_available_in_the_uk_through_o2-news-10387.php

Samples from Huawei Honor 6 Plus show off dual camera

Soon the HTC will get competition in the dual-camera market as the Huawei Honor 6 Plus is nearing its rumored launch date of December 16. To keep our interests piqued several camera samples, including comparison shots, made their way to the Internet. The Honor 6 Plus packs two 8MP cameras on its back, outdoing the original One (M8) though HTC has since come out with the One (M8 Eye), which has 13MP main camera in a Duo camera setup. Anyway, the first set of photos shows a normal shot, one with an artsy background effect and one with simulated depth of field (the focus point is freely adjustable on the phone). Unfortunately, the samples have been downscaled. Huawei Honor 6 Plus leaked camera samples And here are comparison shots between the Huawei Honor 6 Plus, the HTC One (M8) and a couple of other flagships, the photos are allegedly straight from Huawei itself. We would have liked to see the One (M8) do a selective focus shot too, the accuracy of these software tricks is what makes or breaks them. From left to right: Huawei Honor 6 Plus, the HTC One (M8), the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Apple iPhone 6 Plus The Honor 6 Plus is supposed to cost CNY 3,300 ($536/€431) and should come with a 5.5" 1080p screen, octa-core Kirin 925 chipset, two SIM slots and, of course, two 8MP cameras on the back. Thanks to Chris for sending this in! Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samples_from_huawei_honor_6_plus_show_off_dual_camera-news-10386.php

New photo of Ubuntu-powered Meizu MX4 emerges

Last week we mentioned that the release of an Ubuntu Touch version of the Meizu MX4 is now tantalizingly close. We should be seeing the new OS on the already familiar handset some time, early next year. Today we received an email with a new photo, showing the smartphone and what appears to be the Ubuntu Touch menu. It seems that everything is finally coming together and the agitating wait for OEMs to pick up Canonical's mobile OS might be nearing to a close. Meizu MX4 powered by Ubuntu Touch The grand finale has all the right ingredients to shake the mobile world and bring about a new hybrid environment trend. All we can do now is patiently wait through the final stretch, before the special Meizu MX4 hits global markets and see if Ubuntu Touch proves to be the next game...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_photo_of_ubuntu_powered_meizu_mx4-news-10385.php

Moto G first generation getting Lollipop update soon

The Moto G 2nd Generation got the Lollipop update surprisingly quickly, quicker than some of the Nexus devices even. But the first generation owners may be feeling left out in the cold, especially considering it's not been long since they got their phones. Well, it seems they won't have to wait too long. Motorola has updated the Motorola Update Services app on the first generation Moto G. If you check the changelog for the app, it simply says 'This update is necessary to enable a future upgrade of your device to Android 5.0, Lollipop.' We don't know exactly how long it will take for the update to arrive but it probably won't be too long from...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_g_first_generation_getting_lollipop_update_soon-news-10384.php

Android 5.0 arrives on Samsung Galaxy S5 in Europe

Android 5.0 Lollipop is now seeding to Samsung Galaxy S5 handsets in Europe. The exact device model to receive the new build is SM-G900F. As seen already, Samsung Galaxy S5 runs TouchWiz-ed version of Android 5.0, so the user experience will not be dramatically different from the one in version 4.4. However, thanks to the brand new ART runtime, we reckon that users will feel a noticeable improvement in the responsiveness of the device. The update is currently available for the devices in Poland. It will begin rolling out to more markets across Europe soon....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_50_arrives_on_samsung_galaxy_s5_in_europe-news-10383.php

Apple is on its way to a record quarter thanks to iPhone 6

According to research data gathered by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech through the month of October, Apple is on its way to a record quarterly performance. Unsurprisingly, sales of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the main reason for the impending achievement. The launch of the iPhone 6 product family led to jump in Apple sales in most major markets. The latter include Australia, the United States, and major European economies headed by Great Britain. UK sales have been particularly stellar for Apple. The company has the highest share of sales to date with almost 40%. The transactions have been driven mostly by loyal Apple fans (86% to be precise) - only 5% switche from a Samsung device. A traditional Apple stronghold, the US market saw iPhone sales rise by a modest 0.7% from the same period last year. AT&T and Verizon are responsible for the majority of all iPhone 6 sales (83.6% combined). In line with what we know already, Kantar data suggests that iPhone 6 outsells its bigger brother by 3:1 ratio. China saw Apple sales grow 0.2 to 15.7% through October. It is worth noting that the iPhone 6 didn't launch until October 17 on the Chinese market. We reckon that a timelier start of sales would have made a more significant impact. Xiaomi was the most dominant company in China for the period in question with almost 30% share of the market. The RedMi Note was the company's bestseller. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_is_on_its_way_to_a_record_quarter_thanks_to_iphone_6_-news-10382.php

Samsung Galaxy A3 preview: First look

Until recently Samsung was known for its all-plastic smartphone shells. Pressured to evolve their product design, they came up with the Galaxy Alpha, super slim smartphone with an angular metal frame. But Samsung surely likes to spread its design...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3-review-1174.php

Second generation Moto E has its specs rumored

There's already a second generation Moto G out there, so you might be expecting a successor for the even lower-priced Moto E to emerge any moment now. And you wouldn't be wrong, as it turns out. According to a new report from Greece, the second-gen Moto E will be made official "soon enough", and like the new Moto G, it will come with hardware improvements compared to its predecessor. The new Moto E is said to feature a 5-inch touchscreen with 540x960 resolution, a 5 MP rear camera sans LED flash, and even LTE connectivity. The exact chipset isn't detailed, but apparently the upcoming handset will come with innards similar to those seen in the original Moto G from 2013. This means we could see a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC in there (or perhaps the newer Snapdragon 410), with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU or thereabouts, aided by 1GB of RAM. If the Snapdragon 410 is running the show, then the new Moto E may have been the device spotted in a benchmark around one month ago. The new Moto E will run Android 5.0 Lollipop from day one, and it will obviously be extremely affordable - though whether it will keep the price point of the already selling Moto E hasn't been revealed. A hands-on session with the new smartphone lead to observations about it having a good grip despite its thickness, as well as a responsive software experience overall. Unfortunately though, this hasn't resulted in a hands-on image, what you see above is the first-gen Moto E. The new model will look pretty similar, however. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/second_generation_moto_e_has_its_specs_rumored-news-10381.php

Huawei releases a new octa-core Kirin 620 chipset

Today Huawei has introduced a new addition to its own processor family. The Huawei Kirin 620 system-on-a-chip is definitely not a top of the line chipset, but is nonetheless a solid performer, designed for mid-ranged devices. The CPU has a 64-bit architecture and comes with 8 cores, clocked at 1.2GHz. It is a 28nm chip, based on the Cortex-A53 with LPDDR3 RAM support. As far as connectivity goes, it will offer GSM / TD-SCDMA / WCDMA / TD-LTE /LTE FDD support, as well as Cat. 4 LTE for speeds up to 150Mbps. The GPU used is a Mali450 MP4, which is a little dated. Camera support is limited to a 13MP sensor, while video encoding and decoding capabilities can handle up to 1080p resolutions at 30Hz. All in all, Huawei's new Kirin 620 is set to be a fairly mid-level SoC, with performance comparable to that of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 410. Both are 64-bit chips with a clock speed of 1.2GHz, but the Kirin 620 has the advantage of having 8 cores. Not that this necessarily translates to better real world performance, especially in an Android handset, but one would assume so. The Mali 450 GPU could potentially be a drawback in the long run, but for the time being, Huawei seems to have a solid market share contender. We are yet to hear about new Huawei smartphones using the Kirin 620 chipset. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_releases_new_octacore_kirin_620_soc-news-10380.php

The incredibly thin Vivo X5 Max to be announced on December 10

Last month we saw the Vivo X5 Max make the rounds through TENAA and now it seems that the official announcement is drawing close. The Chinese device is set to break the record for word's thinnest smartphone at only 4.75mm and dethrone the previous champion - Oppo R5. The TENAA certification that surfaced earlier gave away other Vivo X5 Max hardware bits. The handset measures 153.9 x 78 x 4.75mm with a weight of 146 grams. The screen is a 5.5" 1080p LCD and inside there is a 1.7 GHz octa-core CPU and 2GB of RAM. It will also feature two cameras - 13MP back and 5MP front-facing, LTE connectivity and will initially run Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The Vivo X5 Max is most likely to debut in China with possible expansions to other markets soon to follow. Source(in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_incredibly_thin_vivo_x5_max_to_be_announced_on_december_10-news-10379.php

Reseller lists OnePlus Two ahead of launch, reveals some specs

Just a day after OnePlus confirmed that the company's next smartphone, allegedly dubbed OnePlus Two, will be launched by Q3 of next year, Chinese resellers have started listing the device with complete specifications as well as price. According to online store Coolicool, the smartphone will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 5.5-inch display, 32GB internal memory, 5 mega-pixel front camera, 16 mega-pixel rear camera, and 3300mAh battery. As for the pricing, the website says $551.99. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by OnePlus, so take it with a pinch of salt. In other news, OnePlus One was launched in India yesterday at a price point of INR21,999 for the 64GB model, which is approximately $355. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/resellers_start_listing_oneplus_two_months_before_launch-news-10377.php

Asus X002 with 64-bit CPU and LTE uncovered

Asus has had success with its Zenfone series and a new edition may have passed through TENAA and GFXBench. Known only as the Asus X002, the phone has a 5" 720p screen and a quad-core 64-bit processor. The phone runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat and is based on a MediaTek MT6732 chipset, which packs for Cortex-A53 cores at 1.5GHz and Mali-T760 GPU. The specs on RAM differ - GFX says 2GB, TENAA just 1GB, but this is likely a regional variation like the Zenfone A500KL. Asus X002 (photos by TENAA) Unlike that one, however, the Asus X002 is a single-SIM device (confirmed by both sources) and has LTE connectivity, with up to 150Mbps downlinks (Cat. 4). The main camera shoots 8MP stills, but there's uncertainty about the video capture - one source says 720p, the other claims 2160p. The chipset officially supports up to 1080p, so that's the likely middle ground. The front camera is a selfie-friendly 5MP. Anyway, the Asus X002 is 9.9mm thick and weighs 140g. It will come with 8GB of built-in storage, plus room for up to 32GB more with a microSD card. Thanks to Priyash for sending this in! Source 1 (in Chinese) • Source 2 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_x002_with_64bit_cpu_and_lte_uncovered-news-10378.php

Android 5.0 Lollipop demonstrated on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4

We have seen Android 5.0 Lollipop being shown off before on the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S4. Now, SamMobile has managed to get their hands on the Lollipop ROM for the new Galaxy Note 4. If you have seen the images and videos for the S4 and S5 Lollipop ROMs, you know what to expect by now. The general look and feel of the UI is still very much TouchWiz, to the point where most people will find them indistinguishable. There are only minor changes in the UI, most notably in the notification area, but that's pretty much it. Samsung is still sticking to its own UI design and only making minor modification to fit in with the new Material Design of Lollipop. You can check out the UI in the video...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_50_lollipop_demonstrated_on_the_samsung_galaxy_note_4-news-10376.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for Verizon gets Android 4.4.4 KitKat

Verizon unleashed Android 4.4.4 KitKat update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and while at it pushed a few bug fixes and some of its proprietary carrier apps. The update improves LTE data connectivity and touts enhanced voice performance. The Galaxy Note 3 now shouldn't experience issues with audio over Bluetooth when connected to a Wi-Fi network and random bugs with SMS sending are also squashed. Using a VPN will no longer cause the phone to disconnect mobile data, too. As for the added software, Verizon includes in the update Find My Mobile, Side Sync call forwarding, Virtual tour camera mode and Kids Mode. Knox 2.0 for enterprises is also baked into the update. Expect Android 4.4.4 KitKat for your Verizon Galaxy Note 3 in the coming days. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3_for_verizon_gets_android_444_kitkat-news-10375.php

Yotaphone 2 goes official in the UK, pre-orders start soon

Now this is what the Amazon phone should have been - the Yotaphone 2 went official with a 5" 1080p AMOLED on the front and a 4.7" e-paper display on the back. The dual-screened phone should become available in the UK later today (no price or shipping date info is available yet). Both the front and the back screens are protected with Gorilla Glass 3. The one on the back is always on and has qHD resolution (540 x 960px, 235ppi) and displays 16 levels of gray. Yota doesn't clarify if it's LCD-based e-paper or Kindle-like e-ink. This display can be used both for customizing the back with widgets and for reading text (while using very little power). It's not clear yet what software support for e-books is available (will Amazon's and B&N's apps work?). Yotaphone 2 The Yotaphone 2 runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a Snapdragon 800 chipset with 2GB of RAM. There's a 8MP/1080p main camera and a 2.1MP front-facing camera, plus 32GB of storage to keep your photos and videos on (but no expansion slot). Connectivity includes LTE (Cat. 4, 150Mbps downlink), Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS + GLONASS and microUSB 2.0 with SlimPort. Inside is a 2,500mAh battery, wireless charging is supported out of the box. You can now sign up on Yotaphone 2's homepage, delivery will be on a first come, first serve basis. Pricing is yet to be confirmed and in terms of availability the UK is all there is for now (but it won't be coming to the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/yotaphone_2_goes_official_in_the_uk_preorders_start_soon-news-10374.php

Ultra-thin Samsung Galaxy A7 passes through TENAA

Samsung Galaxy A7 made its way through TENAA in China. The upcoming smartphone is bound to become the Korean giant's thinnest Galaxy smartphone to date. The visit at the Chinese regulator reveals that Samsung Galaxy A7 has physical measures of 150.9 x 75.9 x 6.3 mm and weight of 133 grams. This means that the device is almost half a millimeter thinner than the already slender Samsung Galaxy Alpha. TENAA's device page also reveals that it will feature 5.5" 1080p display - right in line with past reports. The rest of the Samsung Galaxy A7 specs include 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC with 1.5GHz octa-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in memory, 12MP main camera, and 5MP front-facing unit. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy A7 version that passed through TENAA is made for the Chinese market. An international model is also expected. Samsung Galaxy A7 will likely go official in the near future. The device will join the likes of Samsung Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 in the company's new mid-range family. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/ultrathin_samsung_galaxy_a7_passes_through_tenaa-news-10373.php

The successor of OnePlus One will launch by Q3 of 2015

The successor of OnePlus One has been confirmed to launch by Q3 of next year according to the manufacturer's global director Carl Pei. Unsurprisingly, the next generation handset is referred to as OnePlus Two. The latest word on the device's launch falls right in line with a past report. However, we wish that the timeline wasn't as broad as the one that is mentioned (Q3 ends in September). India will reportedly be one of the first markets to receive the upcoming smartphone from the young Chinese manufacturer. Curiously, its predecessor actually became available through Amazon in the vast market today. There is no word on the hardware specs of OnePlus Two just yet. Rumor has it that the smartphone will be smaller than the OnePlus One and slightly more expensive. Source ...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_successor_of_oneplus_one_will_launch_by_q3_of_2015-news-10371.php

Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 prices in Netherlands, to arrive Q1 2015

Samsung's new A series devices - Galaxy A3 and A5 mark a significant step towards satisfying customer desires for more metal on Samsung handsets. These eagerly anticipated phones are the first affordable smartphones, produced by the Korean giant with a metal frame. However exciting this might be it turns out that new production methods are tough to cope with in an efficient manner, even for the likes of Samsung and the two phones did not meet their preliminary release schedule on global markets. Samsung Galaxy A5 The Galaxy A5 is already available in China and the A3 is expected by the end of the year, but as of yet Samsung has not provided any concrete launch dates for other markets, nor any information on the Galaxy A7. We recently learned, however, that a Netherlands device retailer GSMWijzere is expecting both devices to be in stock in January. This is by no means an official statement, but might prove that the Galaxy A3 and A5 are set to hit European markets sometime during the first quarter of 2015. Samsung Galaxy A3 The Samsung Galaxy A5 is priced at €410 and the A3 respectively at €310, which is reasonable, given their hardware. As far as Availability in Europe goes it seems that for now releases will commence in stages for selected countries so a little bit more patience is needed, while we wait for Samsung to fully prepare its lower-end metal creations. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3_and_a5_prices_in_netherlands_to_arrive_q1_2015-news-10370.php

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge will ship by Dec 12 in the UK

Clove UK has had the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge on pre-order for over a month now, but doesn't seem to actually be getting closer to shipping the unique phablet. Carphone Warehouse is the first UK retailer to come out with a delivery date - December 12. The retailer has exclusivity on the white version of the phablet and is offering it both on and off contract. Vodafone is the only carrier currently on the list with a monthly price of £58.50 (if you want the Note Edge free). The SIM-free offer is for £750, saltier than the £650 that Clove is asking for it, though if you need it by the holidays you may not have much time to wait. Clove is now saying units should be available in early December. Whether on or off contract, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is a pricey device, so make sure to check out our review and our thoughts on the unique two-sided...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_edge_will_ship_by_dec_12_in_the_uk-news-10369.php

IDC: WP share to double by 2018, Android and iOS to fall

IDC has outed its traditional forecast report for the state of smartphone shipments for the next four years. This latest report comes as a amendment to the previous one issued in May, but you should still take it with a grain of salt considering the analyst company's track record of how accurate its long-term predictions are. Not to mention that the whole idea that you can give a four-year prediction for a market as dynamic as this one is rather flawed. IDC predicts that in 2018, Windows Phone will enjoy 5.6% market share - a jump of 2.9 percent points from its 2014 position. This year, as per IDC's data, saw 35 million devices running Windows phone sold, while in 2018 this number will jump to 105 million. Android and iOS will stay relatively unchanged. Google's mobile operating system will drop slightly from 82.3% market share in 2014 to 80% in 2018. Apple's iOS market share will drop by 1 percent point, as currently iPhones number around 178 million, while in 2018 they will be 240 million. This is based on the assumption that global smartphone shipments will jump from 1.288 billion to 1.873 billion in 2018. However, these estimations are based on current market trends and could be wildly inaccurate as the smartphone market is rapidly changing. Let's see if IDC will have a better luck with its long-term predictions this time. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/idc_windows_phone_market_share_doubles_by_2018_ios_falls-news-10368.php

Lava Iris Win1 sales kick off in two days, costs €65

Now that Windows Phone is being free of license taxes for all sub-8" devices, it has become a really attractive OS to various manufacturers. But this has also lowered the prices of the Windows Phone smartphones as well. Lava Iris Win1 is the latest super affordable smartphone running on Windows Phone 8.1 that costs just INR 4,999 or €65. The handset features a 4" WVGA display and runs on the Snapdragon 200 chip with a quad-core 1.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. The rest of the specs include a 5MP rear camera with a LED flash, 8GB expandable storage, and 1,950 mAh battery. Lava Iris Win1 is going to launch in India on December 4 for INR 4,999 (€65). Flipkart should be your destination if you want to buy the device online. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lava_iris_win1_kicks_off_in_two_days_costs_65-news-10367.php

Samsung may be working on an in-house GPU

Late last year we heard that Samsung may be designing its own processor core. That is yet to materialize, but now reports from Korean media suggest the tech giant is looking to make in-house GPUs too. The GPU will reportedly be ready by the middle of next year. It's not entirely clear if it will be combined into an all-Samsung chipset with the homebrewed CPU or not, but if it is the plans are for a chipset with a 64-bit capable big.LITTLE processor and a Cat. 6 LTE modem. The company already has its own modems and if it lives up to both its CPU and GPU ambitions, it will join the ranks of Qualcomm, Intel and Nvidia, companies that make chipsets from all in-house parts. Until now Samsung had its Exynos line (using ARM-designed CPUs and GPUs), but over the last couple of years it was mostly relying on Qualcomm's offerings. The GPU information was revealed as part of a conversation with the SEC - Samsung is currently embroiled in a battle with Nvidia over GPU patents. Source (in Korean) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_may_be_working_on_an_in_house_gpu-news-10365.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note sells out in 6 seconds on launch day in India

Xiaomi seems to have yet another successful product on its hands, as the newly launched Redmi Note sold out in a mere six seconds. That's 50,000 units being sold in six seconds on the first day of the phone going on sale. The Indian model of Redmi Note is priced at an attractive Rs. 8,999 ($145) and offers a lot of features, including a 5.5-inch 720p display, MediaTek 1.7GHz octa-core processor, 2GB RAM, 13 megapixel camera, dual-SIM support and a 3100mAh battery. A 4G variant of the phone with the Snapdragon 400 processor is slated for launch later this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_sells_out_in_6_seconds_on_launch_day_in_india-news-10366.php

Downgrading to iOS 8.1 no longer possible

Nearly a couple of weeks after releasing iOS 8.1.1, which brought along several bug fixes as well as increased stability and performance improvements for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S, Apple has stopped signing iOS 8.1. This means that you'll no longer be able to downgrade or restore to the previous firmware version. The change in the signing status of iOS 8.1 can be confirmed on the popular third-party iOS firmware database IPSW Downloads -- the iOS 8.1 page on the website now shows red ‘!' icons instead of green check mark icons. If you prefer jailbroken devices, you'll be pleased to know that iOS 8.1.1, which is compatible with the iPhone 4S and newer, iPad 2 and newer, and the fifth-generation iPod touch, is jailbreakable as well. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/downgrading_to_ios_8_1_no_longer_possible-news-10363.php