Android 5.0.1 rolling out to Moto G first and second gen

Motorola continues to impress with its software update urgency, with both the first and second generation Moto G models now being treated to the latest Android 5.0.1 update. Few people have received the update so far but it does seem to be rolling out now and if it's not available for you immediately it should be in the next few things. The 5.0.1 update was released recently and mostly features bug fixes without any major additions. Still, it's good to see this budget phone being one of the few devices out there running the very latest version of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_501_rolling_out_to_moto_g_first_and_second_gen-news-10542.php

Court documents shed more light on Cyanogen-OnePlus fiasco

Some of you may be acutely aware of the recent drama between Cyanogen and OnePlus (with a cameo by Micromax). The short version of it is Cyanogen signed an exclusivity deal with Micromax for the latter's YU brand of phones in India that prevented OnePlus from selling the One in the market, despite Cyanogen having a global deal with OnePlus in place. A lot of speculations were made regarding this but the recent court order documents revealed by xda make it all too clear. As it happens, Cyanogen had a global (except China) non-exclusive deal with OnePlus, that allowed the latter to use Cyanogen OS and branding worldwide. This deal was made in February 1, 2014 and lasts till January 31, 2016. Despite the presence of this agreement, however, Cyanogen signed an exclusive deal with Micromax for the latter to use its OS and branding on the new YU series of phones in India. This deal conflicts the one Cyanogen already had with OnePlus, and is what caused Micromax to send a cease and desist letter to OnePlus, and the Delhi High Court eventually banning the sales of OnePlus One devices in India. The problem here, as you can see, is Cyanogen making a second deal while having one in place. Moreover, the company did not intimate OnePlus regarding this (OnePlus found out about it later). The court documents also have email conversations between OnePlus' Carl Pei to Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster. In one of the mails, McMaster flatly says "Carl. We will be terminating our relationship with one plus." without giving any particular reason for it. You can read more of the conversations in the source link below. This is a breach of contract between Cyanogen and OnePlus and we're sure the latter will pursue this in court. But it's rather unfortunate and unprofessional of Cyanogen to throw OnePlus under the bus to sign a deal with Micromax. Source •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/court_documents_shed_more_light_on_cyanogenoneplus_fiasco-news-10541.php

Xiaomi Redmi 2S with Snapdragon 410 spotted on TENAA, AnTuTu

Xiaomi's Redmi 1S is enjoying great popularity, so naturally an updated version is on the way. The Xiaomi Redmi 2S has appeared on both TENAA and AnTuTu, giving us a pretty good look at its new specs. The new model will be more compact (134 x 67.2 x 9.2mm vs. 137 x 69 x 9.9mm) and lighter (134g vs. 159g) while retaining the 4.7" 720p screen. Other than the slimmer bezels, the back has been reworked a bit (the LED flash moved to the left of the camera) and that's about it for exterior changes. The capacitive keys below the display have been retained. The Redmi 2S will come with newer MIUI software that's based on Android 4.4.4 (the 1S uses Android 4.3 as a base). The chipset has been switched from a Snapdragon 400 to a 410. That means the Cortex-A7 cores give way to 64-bit capable Cortex-A53 cores, but the clock speed dropps from 1.6GHz to 1.2GHz and the newer architecture won't make up for that. The phone is still equipped with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in storage. Xiaomi Redmi 2S (photos by TENAA) The camera department remains largely the same too - an 8MP main camera with LED flash and 1080p video capture. The front-facing camera got a small bump to 2MP. Another small bump is to the battery, now at 2,200mAh. The connectivity on the new Xiaomi Redmi 2S will feature LTE by default. It also brings Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. TENAA indicates this is a single-SIM device unlike the Redmi 1S, which is a dual-SIM. This doesn't preclude a dual-SIM option though. Rumors indicate that Xiaomi is working on the sequel to the Redmi Note as well. That one will be 64-bit too, but wiht a more powerful Snapdragon 615 chipset. Thanks goes to Priyash for sending this in! Source 1 (in Chinese) • Source 2 (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_2s_with_snapdragon_410_spotted_on_tenaa_antutu-news-10540.php

Week 51 in review: Galaxy S6 expected and Lollipop storm

Another week has passed and it's time to look back on the major events from the past 7 days. The hype is spreading like wildfire as CES 2015 draws ever closer. All eyes are set on Samsung, as rumors about the Galaxy S6 start to intensify. Reports have it that the new premium handset will have an aluminum body and will be available in a curved screen option, much like the Note Edge. Speaking of which, industry sources now claim that the latest line of Note devices - Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge will skip Android 5.0 altogether and will receive an OTA update to 5.0.1 when Samsung is ready with the build. In other Android-related news factory images of Android 5.0.1 are now officially available for the Nexus 5. Micromax also made an interesting announcement and finally launched its much anticipated Yureka smartphone in India. Currently the Delhi-based manufacturer has an exclusive contract with the team behind the very popular open-source CyanogenMod ROM and the handset will be the only device to ship with Cyanogen OS 11 out of the box. Huawei, Vivo and Microsoft also launched devices during the past week. The Huawei Honor 6 Plus is now official and will break new smartphone ground by offering the first ever variable aperture dual-camera setup on a phone. Vivo's X5 Max, which currently holds the title of world's thinnest smartphone in now available to users in India and so is the Microsoft Lumia 638 - a budget device with 4G connectivity. .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; } Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update allegedly surfaces With all the recent hype around the long-anticipated Android 5.0 update rumors and speculations are spreading like wild fire for an array of different devices. Naturally Samsung is among them and all eyes are on the Korean giant to deliver updates to their current device lineup. Although... Micromax announces Yureka with Cyanogen OS 11 in India Micromax has finally launched its much hyped Yureka smartphone, part of the new Yu series of phone made in collaboration with Cyanogen. The phone will be sold exclusively through Amazon India for Rs. 8,999 ($142). The Yureka has a 5.5-inch, 1280x720 resolution IPS display with Gorilla Glass... Samsung Galaxy S6 to use aluminum, have curved screen As we get closer to the new year, a lot of rumors are starting to pop up regarding the next top of the line handset from Samsung, which will probably be called Galaxy S6. We've already had quite a few mumblings about this device, though, and it's impossible to tell which of these are real, do keep... Samsung rumoured to unveil Galaxy S6 at CES 2015 Although Samsung typically announces its Galaxy S series smartphones in the February-May period, rumor mills are abuzz that the company could unveil its upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S6, a bit earlier this time. According to a report from Korean online publication Chosun Biz, which...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_51_in_review_galaxy_s6_expected_and_lollipop_storm-news-10534.php

Samsung Gear S review: Between two worlds

Samsung is knees deep in the latest trend of gearing up your wrist with an extension of your smartphone. The Gear S however walks the extra mile of offering independent 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity along with full telephony support...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gear_s-review-1182.php

Upcoming Samsung Galaxy J1 (SM-J100) gets leaked specs

After the already announced Galaxy A series, and the probably soon to be unveiled Galaxy E series, it looks like Samsung will launch the Galaxy J line. This is all part of the company's new plan to simplify its many, many smartphone offerings in the future, at least when it comes to naming them. The first handset in the J line will be the Galaxy J1, which bears the model number SM-J100. We've already seen a couple of leaks about this phone, in two different iterations. And today a full list of its specs has been leaked. The Samsung Galaxy J1 will have a 4.3-inch 480x800 TFT LCD touchscreen, a 5 MP rear camera, and a 2 MP front snapper. It will be powered by a Marvell PXA1908 chipset, which has a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU. 1GB of RAM will be in tow, along with 4GB of expandable internal storage, 4G LTE support, and the whole thing will be kept running by a 1,850 mAh battery. The J1 will launch running Android 4.4 KitKat, the rumor claims, unlike the E series devices which will get Lollipop from day one. The new smartphone's dimensions are 129 x 68 x 8.9 mm, and it weighs 123g. Obviously then, this will be a pretty low-end offering even for Samsung. It's said to be "somewhat similar" to the Galaxy Y, so we're hoping that means it will be cheap. It's unclear when the Galaxy J1 will be made official, but at this point we're betting you'll have to wait until 2015 for that to happen. All of these specs line up with what was leaked about the SM-J100 in the past, save for the screen size which a benchmark reported as 4.8". That could, however, have been a mere test device, with different specs compared to the final...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/upcoming_samsung_galaxy_j1_smj100_gets_leaked_specs-news-10539.php

Verizon rolls out Denim update to Lumia 822, 928, and Icon

Over the last few days, Microsoft has finally started the rollout of its Lumia Denim update for Windows Phone 8.1 devices. First this happened in China, then followed by Europe and India. And now the new software is reaching the US, but only if your Lumia smartphone was bought from Verizon. The carrier and the software giant announced that Lumia Denim is now in the process of making it to the Nokia Lumia 822 and Lumia 928, while the Lumia Icon will follow "in early 2015". Interestingly, this means that the aforementioned Verizon-branded handsets will skip the Lumia Cyan update altogether (which they haven't received), and go straight to Denim. The Lumia Denim update for Verizon comes with Consumer VPN for better security, Live Folders, Cortana, many upgrades for the Camera app, and there are probably some bug fixes in there...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_rolls_out_denim_update_to_lumia_822_928_and_icon-news-10538.php

Meizu Blue Charm Note gets pictured at TENAA

Thanks to TENAA, the Chinese equivalent of the FCC, we may now have the first images actually depicting the upcoming Meizu Blue Charm Note. The handset is due for an official unveiling next week, perhaps along a smaller variant. In the meantime though, we can feast our eyes upon the photography that resulted from TENAA's certification process. Meizu Blue Charm Note The Meizu Blue Charm Note is expected to go up against Xiaomi's Redmi Note, as such its specs won't be flagship-level but should prove decent enough for most use cases. Since the SIM card slot appears to be on the side, the Blue Charm Note could come with a non-removable back cover. The phone is said to be made from a material that will very closely resemble what has been used for the iPhone 5C. The Blue Charm Note will have dual-SIM support and will work on TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, and GSM networks. Its display was so far rumored to be a 5.5-inch 1080p unit, and the device should be powered by a MediaTek MT6752 chipset, which comes with a 2.0 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU. The new Meizu phablet will have 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear camera, a 2MP front-facing snapper, and a 3,050 mAh...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_blue_charm_note_gets_pictured_at_tenaa-news-10537.php

Android 5.0.1 shown on the Note 4, Note Edge, and S5 LTE-A

Just a couple of days ago we found out that Samsung would update the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge directly to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, without first giving them a bump to version 5.0.0 like the Galaxy S5. And now the newest build of Android 5.0.1 for those two handsets, along with the one for the Galaxy S5 LTE-A, have all been shown off on video. So let's start with the walkthrough for the update bringing the absolute latest version of Android to the Galaxy Note 4. This is the second video showcasing Lollipop on the Note 4, but the previous one dealt with Android 5.0.0, whereas this is 5.0.1. Similarly, the Android 5.0.1 test build for the Galaxy Note Edge is the star of the following video. And finally, we can see what the Android 5.0.1 update will look like on the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A, the upgraded variant of the company's flagship. As the numbering implies, Android 5.0.1 isn't a big update compared to 5.0.0, but it does fix many bugs, and it also brings slow and fast motion video recording support. The builds you've seen above are obviously not finished yet. Final ones could be out on their way to devices in the wild sometime during the first quarter of next...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_501_shown_off_on_the_note_4_note_edge_and_s5_ltea-news-10536.php

Sony Xperia E4 previewed before announcement

The Sony Xperia E4 leaked in rich detail once before its official announcement, now there's an entire review out in the open. This includes screenshots, camera samples, benchmarks the full monty. The phone is lager than previous entries in the E series with a 5" 540 x 960px screen. According to the review the screen offers pleasing colors, great contrast and viewing angles, good sunlight legibility too. It is compared to the Xperia M2 screen. The yet to be announced Sony Xperia E4 The Xperia E4 is powered by a MediaTek chipset (quad Cortex-A7 @ 1.3GHz) with 1GB of RAM and runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat with a likely update to Lollipop. It scores an unimpressive 17,857 in AnTuTu 5. There's 8GB of built-in storage, of which only 3.8GB was available to users. Sony Xperia E4 running Android 4.4.4 KitKat .jrGraphContainer { background: none !important; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee !important;} ul.jrGraph { left: 96px !important; } ul.jrGraphControls { padding: 0; margin-left: -10px !important; } JRGRAPH_EXPANDABLE_VERSION = false; AnTuTu 5 Higher is better Motorola Moto X (2014) 43676 Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime 21002 HTC Desire 510 20756 Sony Xperia E3 18336 Sony Xperia E4 17857 On the connectivity side there's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but no LTE or NFC. The "SIM1" label on the back confirms there's a dual-SIM Xperia E4 on the way. The 2,500mAh battery reportedly lasts about twice as long as the Lumia 535's 1,905mAh battery. The main camera is a 5MP shooter with LED flash that can record 1080p video. The test unit had issues with 1080p mode though - no surprises since it was certainly an unfinished version. Still photos don't look spectacular, but there's time for Sony to optimize the post-processing before launch (which will probably be at the MWC in early March). Early Sony Xperia E4 camera samples You can hit the source link to read the Sony Xperia E4 pre-release review - it's in Polish, but Google Translate does a good enough job. Thanks for the tip, Anurag! Source (in Polish) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_e4_previewed_before_announcement-news-10535.php

Microsoft to fix Lumia 535 touch problems on December 27

Microsoft Lumia 535 and its dual-SIM sibling have been plagued by touch issues since launch earlier this month. As it turned out lots of early adopters are complaining about improper multi-touch detection and the low touch sensitivity that results in either the phone not detect your finger, or registering it in the wrong place. Microsoft has acknowledged the issues already and said they were because the Lumia 535 touchscreen sensitivity is too high. We were also promised a firmware update and now we know when it's coming - December 27. The dual-SIM Lumia 535 for Vietnam will be getting an OTA update on December 27 that will make the touchscreen behave normally. This piece of info comes from an official Microsoft support email, send as an answer to a worried user. There is no info on the wider availability of this update, but we guess it should hit all Lumia 535 flavors around the world around the same time Vietnam will be getting it - on December 27 or shortly...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_to_fix_lumia_535_touch_problems_on_december_27-news-10533.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 imported into India for testing

With CES 2015 right around the corner, hype is naturally building around this year's flagship announcements. Samsung is unsurprisingly in the spotlight again as the Korean tech giant is said to unveil the next addition to the extremely successful Galaxy line - the Galaxy S6. Today the handset, also known as "Project Zero" was spotted on Zumba - an India import tracking website. Apparently if the entry is to be believed a SM-G920F unit, which is the model number for the upcoming device, has found its way to India for research, development and evaluation purposes. This of course is very encouraging and can serve as a sort of indication that the smartphone will probably be unveiled at the annual electronics show. The listing itself is pretty much what you would expect from a parcel tracking system. It does not really hold any useful information except the fact that the S6 is already on its way to India and that it is a single test unit. Zumba does also list a price, which is only natural for international packages, but it is not in any way related to the retail price of the new smartphone. The entry cites INR 18,938 or in other words around $300 and any educated guess puts the market price of the handset at twice that if not more. As far as specs go the Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to have a 5.5 inch 1440 x 2560 pixel display, 3GB of RAM and 32GB on-board storage. Samsung is most certainly going to stick with its current tactic of offering both a Qualcomm, variant, presumably the Snapdragon 810 as well as their own Exynos, probably the Exynos 7420. There are rumors floating around of a possible curved display variant of the device as well, but that is still pretty much unconfirmed. One thing is certain - the field is set for a pretty interesting experience at CES 2015 so be sure to tune in between January 6 and January 9 to partake in the fun. Source | Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_imported_into_india_for_testing-news-10532.php

Android 5.1 Lollipop update allegedly coming in February 2015

Google freshly launched Android 5.0.1 update to fix minor bugs in its Nexus devices and now there are rumors floating around of the upcoming 5.1 release. According to information that's yet to be backed by solid evidence, the company is preparing the next version of Lollipop to roll out in February 2015. Android 5.1 update will come not only with major fixes for various bugs and little malfunctions in the core of the OS, but will also enhance the Material Design color palette and improve RAM management. Here's the complete list of the alleged changes, which are confirmed by a source, who talked to AndroidPit. Silent mode added after missing on Android 5.0 General improvements in system stability Improved RAM management Fixes for sudden app closures Improved battery management Excessive consumption of network devices when used Wi-Fi fixed Issues with wireless connections fixed Problems with Okay Google function solved Notifications problems solved Some sound problems experience by certain devices fixed Other improvements and changes Changes in the Material Design color palette (after users complaints, possibly for a higher version though) Take this information with a pinch o salt, but it seems that Google is still hard at work at polishing Lollipop even more. We'll keep an eye out for any additional clues on Android 5.1 Lollipop feature list. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_51_lollipop_update_is_allegedly_coming_in_february_2015-news-10530.php

Alleged Sony Xperia Z4 image appears in a leaked email

Alleged image of Sony's upcoming Xperia Z4 flagship smartphone showed up in a leaked email. The latter was sent by the Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO as part of a product-placement proposal for the upcoming James Bond movie Spectre. The email refers to the image as "the needed visuals of the new Z4 Phones." The device in the render looks unmistakably like a Sony Xperia with a slightly tweaked aesthetic compared to the currently available Xperia Z3. The leak points that the Xperia Z4 is planned for May/November of 2015. The handset is likely to debut at MWC next year, though past rumors have pointed at CES 2015 release. The rumored specs of Sony Xperia Z4 include Snapdragon 810 SoC, 5.2" QHD display, 4GB of RAM, and Cat.6 LTE. The device will reportedly sport a 20.7MP camera. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_sony_xperia_z4_image_appears_in_a_leaked_email-news-10529.php

Lumia Denim update arrives in Europe and India

Yesterday Microsoft started rolling out the much anticipated Lumia Denim update for certain smartphones in China. Even though Denim was announced back in September, we weren't expecting it to reach Europe until next year, because of what one UK operator told us. Well, it turns out that estimation was wrong, since Lumia Denim is now also rolling out to select devices in select markets in Europe. And it's made its way to India too, where it's hitting the Lumia 520 and Lumia 525 units over there. In Europe, around 30 countries already have at least one Lumia model getting the new software. The full list is available from Microsoft here. The company has also made things official today, but it did say that a wider rollout would only come in early January. Either way, from this point on you probably have at most a few weeks of waiting to do to see Lumia Denim on your phone. This release comes with a much enhanced Camera app, improved Glance Screen, and "Hey Cortana!" voice activation. The full list of features was detailed by Microsoft last month. Source 1 • Source 2 • Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_denim_update_arrives_in_europe_and_india-news-10528.php

ZTE unveils fully voice-powered Star 2 smartphone

ZTE has announced a new smartphone today. It's called the Star 2, and interestingly this is not the device we've seen getting certified for sale in China by TENAA only a few days ago. Design-wise, it's very close to its predecessor, the Star 1, which was unveiled back in April. But the Star 2's main claim to fame is its extensive voice control support. This isn't just an app - you can do a lot of stuff just by voice. Opening, exiting, and switching between apps, snapping pictures, playing music, and much more. For example, if you lift the phone to your ear, it will ask you who you want to call. The voice control system is active even when the phone isn't connected to the Internet, and ZTE boasts that it has a response time of 1.2 seconds and a 90% success rate even in noisy environments. ZTE Star 2 When it comes to hardware, we're looking at a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, as well as a 5 MP wide-angle front camera. Running the show is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage that's expandable via microSD cards. The ZTE Star 2 supports 4G LTE networks, and it has a 2,300 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat with the Chinese company's own MiFavor 3.0 UI on top. It's just 6.9mm thin, and it has a glass back and an aluminum frame. The handset is priced at CNY 2,499, which is about $402 or €327. Source | Via 1 • Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_unveils_fully_voicepowered_star_2-news-10527.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 to use aluminum, have curved screen

As we get closer to the new year, a lot of rumors are starting to pop up regarding the next top of the line handset from Samsung, which will probably be called Galaxy S6. We've already had quite a few mumblings about this device, though, and it's impossible to tell which of these are real, do keep that in mind. The latest information says the Galaxy S6 will be entirely made from aluminum. So we're not talking just a metal frame here, like the Galaxy Note 4, but a full metal construction akin to that employed for the Galaxy A series. Additionally, the phone will apparently ship with a display that curves on both sides - so like the one in the Galaxy Note Edge, but with two of those 'edges' instead of one (unless a different solution will be chosen, with the curved sides being positioned in some other way). Previously we have heard that there would be an "Edge" version of the S6 too, so this may be it. Or perhaps we won't see a curved special edition, and the 'normal' one will feature that bent screen. We are going to see two S6 models, the rumor goes on to claim, one sporting a Samsung-made Exynos 7 chipset, and the other coming with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810. Finally, the supposedly reliable sources who put all of this out also say we shouldn't expect a Galaxy S6 announcement at CES in January, like some past speculations had it. Instead, it may become official at the beginning of the second quarter of next year, so in April. Source (in Italian) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_to_be_aluminum_have_curved_display-news-10526.php

Lenovo Vibe X2 review: Rainbow of colors

The Motorola acquisition will put even more wind in the sail of outward bound Lenovo but blockbuster smartphones carrying their own brand are needed just as much, both at home in China and internationally. The QHD Vibe Z2 Pro is undoubtedly the top-of-the range offering, but what about...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_vibe_x2-review-1181.php

13-inch Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra allegedly in the works

Sony is expected to launch the Z4 generation of its flagship devices soon and we've already seen initial rumors for the lot - the Xperia Z4, a compact version, a phablet version and a Z4 Tablet. A new rumor alleges that there will be one more device, a 13" tablet. Dubbed the Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra (not to be confused with the Z4 Ultra phablet), the rumored specs sound more like a wishlist than those of an actual 2015 device. We start off with the unusual screen, Triluminos IPS with X-Reality, of course, which will supposedly have 3,840 x 2,400 resolution - that's 16:10 4K UHD. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 with a max CPU clockspeed of 2.86GHz will provide the oomph, coupled with an unlikely 6GB of RAM (2x 3GB LPDDR4). There will be 64GB of storage and PS4 Remote Play support, which sound more believable. The camera is also trumped up - an 1/2.3" Exmor RS sensor with an f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* lens and just 8MP resolution. That's probably the Superior Auto resolution as the rest sounds like an improvement over the Xperia Z3 camera with a better lens (Zeiss f/1.8 instead of Sony G Lens f/2.0). The Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet Ultra will be a slinky 8.6mm thick and pack a massive 12,100mAh if the rumored specs are to be believed. The image by itself is quite suspicious, holding a massive 13" tablet with such thin bezels will not be comfortable. Also, why is it portrait-oriented (going by the logo and front-facing camera). All in all it sounds too good to be true. We'll gladly admit if we are wrong and Sony does pull this out monster at CES or MWC 2015, but for now we're skeptical to say the least. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/a_13inch_sony_xperia_z4_tablet_ultra_is_allegedly_in_the_works-news-10525.php

Gresso launches new collection of luxury Android smartphones

The Swiss company Gresso has made a name for itself over the years in the realm of luxury technology. Its line of premium phones and accessories has now grown bigger with the addition of a smartphone collection - Gresso Regal Black Edition. The premium device has a metal body, crafted out of five solid titanium plates and manually polished for the best possible combination of light-weight construction and durability. With a thickness of only 8.8mm Gresso boast that their new handset is the slimmest smartphone on the luxury market today. The Regal Black Edition will be a limited offer and only 999 pieces will be produced. Each of them will have an 18 karat gold insert on its back panel, featuring the unit number, as well as the total number of devices in existence, for convenience when referencing exclusivity, we suppose. The company even offers you the option to choose your own number during the purchase. The rest of the back is coated with PVD for an exquisite black finish. As far as hardware on the device goes it features a 5-inch Full HD display, a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, with no specific manufacturer or model cited, as well as 2GB of RAM and 32GB on-board storage. The handset has two cameras - 13MP main and 5MP front-facing and will run Android. It is offered in three variants - the "budget" Regal R1, priced at $3,000, which comes with a titanium insert plate and no PVD coating. And the Regal R2 and R3, both costing $5,000 with a white and yellow gold logos and plates respectively. Each of the devices is manually assembled by a single craftsman and with only 999 available you should definitely hurry if you want to catch one of the 9 repeating digit ones, which we all know are the ones that truly send out a definite social status...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gresso_launches_new_collection_of_luxury_android_smartphones-news-10524.php

LG G3 in India is now getting Android 5.0 Lollipop update

The LG G3 is the company's flagship and naturally it is the first to get the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop treatment. The new firmware update kicked off in Korea earlier this month, followed by a plethora of countries throughout Europe - Austria, the Baltics, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the UK. Naturally the updates were made available to the unlocked devices first, but those purchased through a carrier should be getting the Lollipop soon as well. Today, another market joins the Android 5.0 Lollipop bandwagon - it's India. The unlocked LG G3 in India has just received the official Lollipop treatment. The new firmware is available for download only through the LG Mobile Support Tool and weighs about 1100MB, but the over-the-air option should pop up within a week. The Android 5.0 Lollipop will bring a host of improvements to the LG G3. They include new UI design language, new security features, as well as a brand new Android ART runtime. Thank you, Rahim, for the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g3_in_india_is_now_getting_android_50_lollipop_update-news-10523.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop beta ROM leaks

A few days ago we saw a couple of screenshots that seemed to show a SM-N900U unit, which is an Exynos Galaxy Note 3 running Android 5.0 Lollipop. The almost incredible story was curtesy of a samsungviet.vn forum member, who allegedly got hold of the ROM thanks to an error on the website samsung-updates.com. The whole story had serious holes in it and sounded very far-fetched, but now it appears that it might just be true as the thread covering the accident on XDA now offers a download link along with a full set of instructions for a manual flash. Screenshots of Exynos Galaxy Note 3 running Android Lollipop So the update seems to be as real as it gets, but unsurprisingly it is an early beta, that just happened to accidentally slip through the cracks. Screenshots seem to showcase a white menu background which looks like a very poor choice as it might cause the Super AMOLED display to draw way more power than it needs to. Hopefully Samsung will address this issue before the official OTA hits. The leaked version of Android Lollipop does seem to be functioning, but reading through the XDA forum is appears to be riddled with bugs, which of course is expected from a beta not intended in any way for public use. This however does not seem to affect the enthusiasm among a few XDA users who have not only flashed the new ROM, but have also managed to apply a few quick "homebrew" fixes to remedy certain crash issues and a major problem with Bluetooth connectivity. It appears that Lollipop on the Galaxy Note 3 is drawing ever closer. We are yet to see any information regarding the most wide-spread variant of the device - the Snapdragon 800 SM-N9005, but progress on that shouldn't be far behind. If you happen to own a N900U unit and feel adventurous you can head over to XDA, to get the needed files and instructions to apply the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_3_lollipop_beta_leak_might_just_be_real-news-10522.php

Micromax announces Yureka with Cyanogen OS 11 in India

Micromax has finally launched its much hyped Yureka smartphone, part of the new Yu series of phone made in collaboration with Cyanogen. The phone will be sold exclusively through Amazon India for Rs. 8,999 ($142). The Yureka has a 5.5-inch, 1280x720 resolution IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC with 1.5GHz octa-core CPU and Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory with microSD card slot, 13 megapixel Sony IMX135 rear camera with 24fps burst mode and f2.2 aperture, 5 megapixel front camera, 4GB LTE connectivity, dual SIM support, 2,500mAh battery and Cyanogen OS 11. The partnership with Cyanogen is the big deal here and is one of a kind, with Micromax having exclusive rights over the OS. This was the main reason for the controversy involving OnePlus One and the Delhi High Court order preventing OnePlus from selling phones in India with Cyanogen OS. The features and specifications of the Yureka seem quite impressive for the price. We will have to wait and see how the phone performs in real...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/micromax_announces_yureka_with_cyanogen_os_11_in_india-news-10521.php

Amazon Fire Phone gets a major software update

Amazon has pushed a major software update (v3.6.5) for the Fire Phone that brings several new features, along with bug fixes, performance and battery life improvements. You can find the full list of changes below: Translate text and identify famous artwork with Firefly Text translation from/to: English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and artwork recognition for 2,000 famous paintings with info available from Wikipedia. Take the perfect picture with Best Shot See three versions of a given photo to choose the perfect shot. Enable or disable SMS / MMS settings You can now turn character counts and MMS on or off. Select additional keyboard languages Choose from seven preloaded keyboard languages and 49 additional keyboard languages to download. Block unwanted phone numbers Decline unwanted calls from any given contact. Add custom ringtones to your phone Add custom ringtones from the Amazon Appstore to your Fire phone. View more information from the lock screen Control music directly from the lock screen, and configure your phone to wake up when a new notification arrives. Write and edit documents with WPS Office Edit documents using the new, preloaded WPS Office app. Connect to a virtual private network (VPN) at work Connect to a secure, corporate VPN from your Fire using the native IPSec / L2TP VPN client to stay productive while on the go. Sync calendars across Amazon devices registered to your Amazon account Create appointments that are automatically synced across supported Fire phones and Fire tablets registered to your Amazon account with Amazon Cloud Calendar. Read your Kindle books in one continuous scroll Read and scroll through Kindle books without ever having to touch the screen. Improved battery life Dozens of systems updates for enhanced battery performance. Bug fixes and user interface improvements Hundreds of other bug fixes and user interface...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_fire_phone_gets_a_major_software_update-news-10520.php

BLU Studio 7.0 goes official with large screen and low price

BLU took the wraps off the affordable Studio 7.0 tablet with 3G connectivity. Curiously, despite its considerable size, the Miami-based manufacturer calls the slate "the world's first 7-inch smartphone." BLU Studio 7.0 packs a 7" display with the rather lowly resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The device features MediaTek chipset with 1.3GHz dual-core CPU, Mali 400 GPU, and 1GB of RAM. Network connectivity of the slate includes quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and tops out at 21Mbps HSPA+. The rest of the device's specs include 8GB of built-in memory, microSD card slot, 5MP main camera, and 2MP front-facing snapper. Android 4.4.2 KitKat is the default OS out of the box. Physical measures of the BLU Studio 7.0 are 187.5 x 103 x 9.4mm, while its weight tips the scale at 294 grams. A 3,000mAh battery powers the slate. BLU Studio 7.0 is available to order on Amazon in the United States for $149.99. There are four available colors - white, gray, blue, and gold. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_studio_70_goes_official_with_large_screen_and_low_price-news-10519.php

Microsoft starts rollout of Lumia Denim update in China

The long awaited Lumia Denim update for Nokia Lumia smartphones has finally started rolling out, though only in China for now. The update was initially announced back in September, with its features getting detailed last month. However, at one point one UK operator warned that we shouldn't expect to see Denim on phones this year, as initially planned. Now it turns out that the new software will in fact make it to some devices in 2014, though we assume the majority of markets will get it in early 2015. Lumia Denim comes with a better and faster Lumia Camera app, faster photo snapping, a Moment Capture feature shooting video in 4K@24fps, Rich Capture (Auto HDR and Dynamic Flash), improved image processing, better Glance Screen with weather, health, and fitness info, and "Hey Cortana!" voice activation. Unfortunately though most of these features won't make it to all Lumia handsets, as they are dependent on certain hardware abilities. The update is now rolling out in China for the Nokia Lumia 520, 525, 526, 625, 720, 720T, and 1320. Hopefully it won't take long before it lands on more devices and in more places. Source (in Chinese) | Via 1 • Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_starts_rollout_of_lumia_denim_update_in_china-news-10518.php

4.7-inch Meizu Blue Charm allegedly gets pictured

On December 23, Meizu is holding an event during which it may introduce two new cheap smartphones - at least that's what many rumors originating in China have told us so far. These handsets will be launched under a new brand, Blue Charm, a move which kind of reminds us of Huawei and its Honor sub-brand. One of the handsets is apparently going to be called Blue Charm Note, as it will have a 5.5-inch touchscreen and will clearly be meant to compete with Xiaomi's Redmi Note. The other device has the codename K52, and this might be it shown in the picture on the left. The smaller Blue Charm handset will reportedly come with either a 4.6-inch or a 4.7-inch 1080p touchscreen, as well as dual-SIM support (according to the two SIM icons shown on its screen in the image). If this is the K52 and not some other Blue Charm wannabe, then it should also have 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, and it will be powered by a MediaTek MT6752 SoC coming with a 1.7 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU. The Blue Charm line is expected to get bright colors for the back covers, slightly reminiscent of what Apple's done with the iPhone 5C. The smaller device may be priced at just CNY 799 ($128 or €103 at the current exchange...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/47inch_meizu_blue_charm_allegedly_gets_pictured-news-10517.php

Samsung Galaxy E7 has specs confirmed by a benchmark

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy E7 (SM-E700) has been leaking a lot lately. Just last week we saw a full list of specs for it getting leaked, and now they have pretty much been confirmed by a benchmark listing. That's because someone in the possession of a prototype Galaxy E7 has decided to put it through the paces of GFXBench. As always, this has resulted in an info page about the device, listing some of its most important hardware innards. Thus, the Galaxy E7 will come with a 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 12 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front snapper, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Adreno 306 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage space (of which around 12GB will be user-accessible). The phone runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat at the moment, though we have heard that it would launch with Android 5.0 Lollipop on board. It's going to have just one SIM slot apparently, as well as support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC. The rear snapper could turn out to be a 13 MP unit like a past rumor claimed, based on the fact that for some reason GFXBench likes to underrepresent camera resolutions in its listings. Source | Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_e7_has_its_specs_confirmed_by_a_benchmark-news-10516.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Edge will get Android 5.0.1 directly

The latest intelligence suggests that the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge will skip the Android 5.0 Lollipop update and go straight to an official build of 5.0.1 instead. A screenshot from each showcases the newer firmware being tested on both and it's unlikely that Samsung would also work on porting the older 5.0 update. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Edge Lollipop Samsung works fast as the Android Lollipop 5.0.1 firmware was seeded to AOSP at the beginning of the month and only yesterday we saw a factory image for the Google Nexus 5. We've already witnessed what Samsung's TouchWiz looks like under Lollipop running on a Galaxy Note 4 and has been seeded to some Galaxy S5s so there will be few surprises....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_4_and_edge_will_get_android_501_directly-news-10514.php

BlackBerry Classic hands-on: First look

BlackBerry Classic has been teased and leaked numerous times before and the veil surrounding the future of BlackBerry has been finally lifted. The manufacturer is returning to its roots bringing back the classic QWERTY keyboard, the iconic square trackpad and the traditional hardware controls...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_classic_handson-review-1180.php

BlackBerry Classic is now official with keyboard and trackpad

BlackBerry Classic has been teased quite a few times throughout the last few weeks. Its pre-order campaign even kicked off weeks before the premiere, for $449. The wait is over though, as the BlackBerry is now officially announced and launched. BlackBerry Classic is the spiritual successor of the best-selling BlackBerry Bold 9900. It packs a 3.5" 720p touchscreen covered with a Gorilla Glass 3 piece and runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM (same as BlackBerry Z10). The rest of the specs include 16GB expandable storage, 8MP rear cam with a LED flash, and a 2MP front snapper. Of course, BlackBerry Classic's key feature is the four-row hardware QWERTY keyboard and the return of the traditional control deck revolving around a squarish trackpad. The smartphone runs on the latest BlackBerry 10.3 OS and supports native Android apps via the Amazon Appstore. The BlackBerry Classic is available as of today worldwide. There are many supported carriers and retailers, so you'll have to check with your local sources. The contract-free Classic will set you back $449 in the USA. AT&T has also committed to offering the device although it's yet to detail it's on-contract...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_classic_is_now_official_with_qwerty_keyboard_and_trackpad-news-10515.php

OnePlus One freely available to celebrate company's birthday

Today is a big day for the Chinese manufacturer OnePlus as it is marking its one year anniversary. In that short period of time the OnePlus team has brought us an amazing flagship smartphone - the OnePlus One and has been hard at work improving it ever since. To celebrate the occasion the company is offering a few interesting promotions that are definitely worth checking out. The market stirring One handset is now available to purchase without and invitation in both Sandstone Black and Silk White. Granted the device has been available on various online stores, including eBay's daily deals listing for quite some time now, but now you can purchase it straight from the folks over at OnePlus. The promotion will most probably last until the end of the day, so you better hurry if you wish to grab one. Today also comes with the announcement of OnePlus's own power bank. The unit will have a capacity of 10,000 mAh and should be available early 2015. The OnePlus Power Bank will come in the same tho color options as the smartphone and with a price tag of $14.99. The company is also hosting a promotional event on Both Vine and YouTube. A commemorative video covering the company's progress during the last 365 days can be found on YouTube and you can also win a OnePlus One is you wish the guys over at Hong Kong a happy birthday on their Vine page. Another contest is also under way. The OnePlus team has been working hard on their own custom ROM. We should be hearing more about it next year. But for now it is in need of a proper name. So if you go on to their forum and contribute an awesome name you have the chance to win a once in a life time experience, organized by the manufacturer - a trip to Hong Kong as well as a complimentary smartphone and a power bank. What and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_freely_available_to_celebrate_companys_birthday-news-10513.php

Huawei's Honor 6 Plus won't be available in Europe

When the Huawei Honor 6 Plus, also known as Huawei Glory 6 Plus, officially launched in China yesterday, the company didn't say when, or if, it will be available in other parts of the world. But a spokesman has now confirmed that the device will not be available to customers in Europe or other Western Markets. "Honor is driven by its consumers, the digital natives and, in Asia, the customer demand for phablets is very high so we have developed the Honor 6+ to this need," a Huawei spokesperson said, emphasising that the company doesn't employ a one-size-fits-all approach to its products. "In Europe", the spokesperson continued, "there is currently less demand for phablets, our focus at the moment continues to be on meeting audience needs with the high quality Honor 6 and Honor 3C devices." The key selling point of the Huawei Honor 6 Plus are its two 8MP camera sensors setup that let you capture 13MP shots, and enable cool effects and super fast...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_6_plus_wont_be_available_in_europe-news-10511.php

Samsung SM-J100H will bring quad-core on the cheap

Samsung has been diversifying its alphabetic offerings - from the upper mid-range Galaxy A series through the affordable Galaxy E7 phablet. Now it's SM-J100H, a phone that seems to be in the realm of the Lumia 535. Despite the model number, it has nothing to do with the Galaxy J. Instead GFX Benchmark results and a leaked User Agent profile reveal a 4.8" WVGA screen (480 x 800) and a quad-core Cortex-A53 processor at 1.2GHz (inside a Marvell chipset) with 1GB of RAM. The OS version is Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The Samsung SM-J100H has a 5MP main camera with 1080p video capture, but very limited storage - only 2.2GB free storage was detected. There's a front-facing camera too (resolution unknown). Interestingly the benchmark reported the presence of a barometer sensor, something usually reserved for higher end devices. Certainly not ones that don't have NFC like the J100H. Note that he UAProf claims a Cortex-A7 processor, but that contradicts the info on the Marvell chipset. There's also a 100MHz difference in clock speed. As we found from the Galaxy Grand Prime review, the difference between those two isn't huge. Source 1 • Source 2 | Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_smj100h_will_bring_quadcore_on_the_cheap-news-10512.php

Gold-plated Samsung Galaxy Note Edge appears in Vietnam

The golden Galaxy Note 4 not for you? What about a Galaxy Note Edge? Also hailing from Vietnam the flagship with a curvy screen is having its metal rim gold-plated, though the shop behind it has not officially announced it just yet. That means we don't have a price, but it should be around the VND 43 million / $2,000 that the 24-karat Galaxy Note 4 costs. Gold-plated Samsung Galaxy Note Edge The unique design of the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge makes the gold-plating process difficult. Most of the gold goes on the metal rim, but there are also gold highlights on the camera rim and Home button. If neither Note is to your liking (too small), you can also have a gilded BlackBerry Passport. Thanks to Trần for sending this in! Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/goldplated_samsung_galaxy_note_edge_appears_in_vietnam-news-10510.php

Meizu MX4 Pro available online with worldwide shipping

The major online Chinese reseller OppoMart is now offering the Meizu MX4 Pro on its website. The best news is that the vendor traditionally supports shipping to practically anywhere in the world so now you can get your hands on the flagship device and have it conveniently delivered to your doorstep. The device is currently available in two variants - a 16GB version, going for $549 and a 32GB, priced at $599. Sadly only the gray handset is currently available, but hopefully the vendor will acquire stock from the white and gold variants as well. The Meizu MX4 Pro is a true flagship offer by the Chinese manufacturer that builds upon the immensely successful Meizu MX4 and is causing an equal if not bigger stir on the local market. The Android device is powered by an octa-core Samsung Exynos 5430 SoC, has 3GB of RAM and boasts a 5.5 inch 1536 x 2560 pixel IPS display. It is also adorned by a 20.7MP camera along with an impressive array of other technologies, including Cat4 LTE, Wi-Fi ac and GPS with GLONASS. So if you are in the market for a Meizu MX4 Pro there can't be a better time to order one, but be sure to act quickly as supplies may not last very long. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx4_pro_available_online_with_worldwide_shipping-news-10509.php

OnePlus gets temporarily banned from selling devices in India

After Xiaomi it's OnePlus' turn in India to face the banhammer. The Delhi High Court has banned the Chinese company from importing and selling OnePlus One in India. Although the ban comes shortly after the Xiaomi case (which has been temporarily resolved), the two are for very different reasons. While Xiaomi was found infringing upon Ericsson's patents, OnePlus has been banned for shipping devices with CyanogenMod on them despite Micromax having an exclusivity deal with Cyanogen. The complaint was naturally made by Micromax, following which OnePlus has been temporarily banned from selling and importing devices with CyanogenMod in India, although the company can sell its existing stock. We have heard before from OnePlus that the company is working on its own Android ROM, which was expected to be made available later this month. Following this ban, the company will have to expedite its work on the ROM if it intends to continue selling phones in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_gets_temporarily_banned_from_selling_devices_in_india-news-10508.php

Apple halts online sales in Russia due to currency fluctuations

According to a report in Bloomberg, Apple has halted online sales in Russia. Extreme fluctuations of the local currency are the reason for the drastic measure. The nose dive of the Russian ruble, coupled with the massive interest rate increase by the central bank in the country have caused the Cupertino giant to review its pricing. In an email today, Apple spokesperson apologized to customers in Russia for any inconvenience. Analysts find Apple's decision to pull back from Russia for the moment as a wise move. All sales the company realizes will need to be converted in dollars and euros, so a depressed rate will significantly hurt its bottom line. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_halts_online_sales_in_russia_due_to_currency_fluctuations-news-10507.php

Google and Verizon sign a global patent license agreement

Google and Verizon Wireless entered into a patent cross-license agreement. The long-term deal between the search giant and the Big Red covers a broad range of products and technologies. Unsurprisingly, avoiding future patent litigation is the main reason behind the deal between the two companies. A cross-license agreement will allow both Google and Verizon to focus on innovation. Both tech giants are interested in reaching similar arrangements with other companies....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_and_verizon_sign_a_global_patent_license_agreement-news-10506.php

All 2014 Qualcomm-based Sony handsets have AOSP builds

Sony now has AOSP builds available for its entire lineup of Qualcomm-based smartphones. The company accomplished the feat by adding Sony Xperia E3 and Xperia T3 to the open device project today. The source code for Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia M2 was also updated today. It features improved stability for both devices. In order to start creating their own version of AOSP, users should download the Android 4.4 KitKat software binaries and follow the build instructions. Tinkerers must be aware of the limitations of the software - key hardware components such as camera and modem are not working. Sony surely deserves a hat tip for offering this type of support for its lineup of smartphones. Here's hoping that more major manufacturers will follow its example in similar fashion. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/all_2014_qualcommbased_sony_handsets_have_aosp_builds-news-10505.php

OnePlus teases announcement taking place tomorrow

OnePlus has been in the news a lot today. There was that purported OnePlus One Mini leak, and then the partnership with MaxxAudio for the One. But it now looks like the company is set to announce something new as soon as tomorrow. OnePlus posted the image you can see below on its official Google+ account today. So clearly something is coming, but what? You might think it will be the OnePlus One Mini, since it just leaked today, but that device could have been nothing more than a Chinese knockoff. If it's not going to be a new phone, then surely OnePlus will start selling another accessory. And this is where those four blue dots come into the picture. They look incredibly similar to the LEDs that many external battery packs use to signal the amount of charge they're currently holding. Four out of four LEDs would mean a full charge, in this case. And then there's the text accompanying the image: "Need a reason to be excited for tomorrow? We've got 10,000". This may want to playfully imply that we're going to see a OnePlus-branded 10,000 mAh external battery pack getting official tomorrow. Xiaomi has a 10,400 mAh external battery pack on the market already, so this wouldn't be a stretch in terms of capacity for such an accessory. Of course, we might be way off here and this could be something else entirely. Either way, we'll find out tomorrow. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_teases_announcement_taking_place_tomorrow-news-10504.php

T-Mobile's Data Stash will let you rollover your unused data

T-Mobile is continuing on with its "un-carrier" campaign, today unveiling the eighth installment in the saga. This time, the company has targeted an "appalling industry practice" which it plans to end. Namely, we're talking about the fact that you can only use the amount of data your plan comes with for one month, after which any unused amount is simply gone forever. With T-Mobile's new Data Stash feature, that won't be the case anymore. At least if you're on an eligible postpaid Simple Choice plan from T-Mobile and you buy extra high-speed data for your smartphone or tablet (3GB or more for the former, 1GB or more for the latter). And that is the main caveat here, that the new policy will only apply to people who are in this situation. Data Stash will become available in January, and T-Mobile is going to put 10GB of 4G LTE data in every Stash, for free, as a welcome gift of sorts. The 10GB of free data will be offered for every line in the family on a qualifying plan. There's no limit to how much data you can collect in your Data Stash. T-Mobile boasts that this is the first such program from a national carrier. Hopefully its competitors will follow suit, as they have already replicated some of its past moves. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobiles_data_stash_will_let_you_rollover_your_unused_data-news-10503.php

Nokia Lumia 635 headed to Sprint, Boost, and Virgin Mobile

Today Sprint has announced that it will soon start selling the Nokia Lumia 635. The device will make it to Sprint as well as both its prepaid brands, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. In fact, those two will get it first. The Lumia 635 will become available online at Boost and Virgin on December 23. Boost will sell it in cyan (pictured to the left), while Virgin will have the white model. In both cases, the price will be $99.99, excluding taxes. Though these being prepaid carriers, you won't need to sign any long-term contracts to get the phone. Starting on January 9, the Lumia 635 will also be up for grabs in at Boost Mobile's stores, as well as select independent wireless dealers. And on January 16 the smartphone will be offered to Sprint's postpaid customers too, but pricing hasn't been announced yet. However, we should expect it to be cheap, if we go by its prepaid price. The Lumia 635 is the first Windows Phone 8.1 device to launch on Sprint, and the first Lumia-branded handset to be offered to the company's prepaid customers. It comes with a 4.5-inch 854x480 touchscreen, a 5 MP rear camera, no front-facing snapper, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, microSD card support, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 1,830 mAh battery. Source 1 • Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_635_headed_to_sprint_boost_and_virgin_mobile-news-10502.php

5.5" Huawei Honor 6 Plus goes official with dual camera

Huawei Honor 6 Plus, also known as Huawei Glory 6 Plus, has been officially launched in China. It leaked a few times already and its highlight is a dual 8MP rear camera setup, somewhat similar to the HTC One (M8) Duo setup. Huawei Honor 6 Plus packs a 5.5" IPS display of 1080p resolution and runs on the company's proprietary Kirin 925 chipset. The latter offers a snappy octa-core processor with four Cortex-A15 and four Cortex-A7 cores, Mali T628 MP4 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The Kirin 925 chip also offers 4G LTE Cat.6 connectivity at 300Mbps downlink and 32GB expandable storage. The metal frame around the unibody is also a nice touch. Huawei Honor 6 Plus As we already mentioned, the Huawei Honor 6 Plus is quite interesting with its two 8MP camera sensors at the back. The clever setup and its additional SLR-grade ISP technology and software algorithms allow you to take 13MP shots, captures twice the light a single sensor will do, and helps achieving super-fast autofocus at just 0.1s. Finally, Huawei Honor 6 Plus is powered by a big enough 3,600 mAh battery and runs on the Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Emotion 3.0 UI. Huawei Honor 6 Plus is offered in two flavors in China - a dual-SIM 3G model priced at CNY 1,999 (€258) and a dual-SIM 4G LTE model for CNY 2,499 (€322). The pre-order campaign kicks off tomorrow, while shipping will begin in a week. There is no world on the worldwide availability just yet. Source 1 | Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_6_plus_official_in_china__a_55_phablet_with_dual_camera-news-10501.php

OnePlus One will receive MaxxAudio software in next OTA

Although fairly new in the smartphone market OnePlus is already standing out from the crowd with its product - the OnePlus One gaining increasing interest. The Chinese manufacturer seems dedicated to bringing what it sees as a better Android experience, that the one offered by big market leaders. Its device is not only an impressive piece of hardware, but is also breaking new ground by delivering a Cyanogen build of Android out of the box. The team behind the smartphone has actively been working to improve their product as much as they can. Their previous OTA update brought about an enhanced camera experience by adding Clear Image technology as well as the ability to capture RAW photos. Now the guys at OnePlus have revealed that the February update will concentrate on delivering improved audio quality to One users. The manufacturer recently struck a deal and partnered with Waves Audio, the team behind the innovative MaxxAudio technology. You might remember their work from the Oppo Find 7, which also received their flavor of audio software. The MaxxAudio suit is an advanced piece of software that enables the production of deeper bass, clearer highs and a generally improved sound quality all around. Tomer Elbaz, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Waves Consumer Division had this to say about the new partnership: Waves is thrilled to be a part of the latest device and updates from OnePlus as we share their passion to provide the highest quality of performance to improve end-user experiences in the mobile arena The new software will be directly integrated within the smartphone's AudioFX for easy access. Even more importantly it will be fine-tuned to OnePlus One's specific speaker hardware, as well as the company's own Silver Bullet headset and the JBL E1+ headphones. The application itself will offer 10 different equalizer presets as well as full manual user control for bass, treble and headphone spaciousness. So if you own a OnePlus One or are on the lookout to buy one be sure to check the audio quality when the update hits February 2015 and report back with any interesting...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_will_receive_maxxaudio_software_in_next_ota-news-10500.php

Lumia 638 launched in India, priced at $130

Nearly six months after launching it in China, Microsoft has launched the Lumia 638 in India. Priced at INR8,299 ($130), the budget 4G smartphone will retail exclusively on the newly-launched Microsoft Store on Amazon India. It is currently available for pre-booking, and will start shipping on December 18. "It builds on the success of the Lumia range in the fast growing affordable smartphone segment and aims to address the consumers' demand for a device that lets them enjoy uninterrupted video content," said Raghuvesh Sarup, Director - Marketing, Nokia India (a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy), during the launch of the device. The device runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Cyan, and sports a 4.5-inch LCD ClearBlack display with Gorilla Glass 3 and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC. It packs in 1GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage (which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card), and a 1,830mAh battery. The smartphone has a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera, but no front-facing snapper, and comes with Cat 4 LTE/4G support for bands 3, 7, 38, 39, 40, and 41. The Redmond, Washington-based company has also bundled the new Nokia Lumia 638 with an exclusive offer on Airtel 4G. The carrier's postpaid customers in Bengaluru will get up to 5GB of free 4G data for 2 months post activation of their Airtel connection on the device. The offer lasts until March 31, 2015. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_638_launched_in_india_priced_at_8299_inr-news-10499.php

Possible 5" OnePlus One Mini surfaces in China

The OnePlus One, dubbed "The Flagship Killer" is definitely one of the more interesting smartphones that hit the market this year. Ever since it was announced back in April it has been turning heads and exciting Android fans all around the globe. The Cyanogen-powered device is so successful, that apparently the Chinese manufacturer has opted to listen to user feedback and create a more affordable mini version of the OnePlus One, or at least that is what the leaked photos imply. The shots that surfaced on the Chinese social network Weibo seem to show a prototype of a smaller version of the OnePlus One. If the accompanying story is to be believed the handset is already undergoing testing. It will apparently feature a smaller 5" display and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC. Looking closely at one of the photos, we can clearly recognize the Antutu interface and can't help but notice that both cameras on the device are listed as being only 8MP. This strikes as kind of odd especially for a potential new device that is intended to follow in the steps of the OnePlus One, which is a veritable powerhouse. Of course, there is a high likelihood that the phone in question is indeed a Chinese knockoff, which would definitely not be uncommon. Whether or not a smaller OnePlus One exists or is in the works is pretty much open to speculation. If the rumor does turn out to be true we could be looking at a very successful potential continuation to the OnePlus device lineup. Source (in Chinese, requires login) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/possible_5_inch_oneplus_one_mini_surfaces_in_china-news-10498.php

HTC Hima to miss MWC2015, premiere at a standalone event

HTC Hima, which is the codename for the HTC One (M8) successor, may not be announced at the upcoming CES and MWC events in January and March. According to @upleaks, the HTC Hima might get its own event after the MWC. The HTC One (M8) also missed the two big forums in early 2014 and got a separate premiere later in March. Maybe HTC will be doing the same thing with its successor - the HTC Hima. In case you've missed the news, HTC Hima will be succeeding the HTC One (M8) in early 2015. The new flagship is rumored to pack a 5" 1080p display, Snapdragon 810 chip with an octa-core processor, a rear 20.7MP cam and a front 13MP or UltraPixel selfie snapper. Naturally, Android 5 Lollipop and HTC Sense UI 7.0 should be in charge of operations. Recent news has also revealed the HTC Hima will be launched in gray, silver and gold flavors, quite similar to HTC One (M8) paintjobs. We'll be keeping you in the loop as more info comes...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_hima_may_miss_mwc2015_to_premiere_at_standalone_event-news-10497.php

Galaxy S5 in Poland getting a refined Lollipop update

For one reason or another Poland has been chosen as the Lollipop testing ground and the Galaxy S5 is receiving a second update in as many weeks. This one patches up issues found in the first version and includes stability and performance enhancements for the most part. New Android 5.0 Lollipop for the Galaxy S5 You can update over the air (Settings > About > Software update) or you can use Samsung Kies. Samsung Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) owners can also download the firmware and flash it themselves, though at this point it will probably be smarter to wait for the official rollout. The new update weighs in at 371MB and has the following PDA number G900FXXU1BNL7. An official changelog is not...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s5_in_poland_getting_a_refined_lollipop_update-news-10496.php

Delhi High Court allows Xiaomi to sell phones till January 8 in India

We recently reported that Xiaomi was banned from importing, selling, and marketing its smartphones in India due to an injunction from Ericsson, claiming Xiaomi infringed upon its patents. The Delhi High Court has now granted Xiaomi permission to import and sell its phones in India till January 8, but only those devices running on Qualcomm processors. This includes the Mi 3, Redmi 1S, and Redmi Note 4G, where the first two aren't being sold anymore and the third one being some time away from launch. The Redmi Note that the company was selling prior to the ban cannot be sold since it runs on a MediaTek processor. Xiaomi will now have to launch the Redmi Note 4G earlier than the expected or resume sales of the 1S till January 8. What happens after that date remains to be seen but we will keep you...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/delhi_high_court_allows_xiaomi_to_sell_phones_till_january_8_in_india-news-10495.php