Android 5.0 Lollipop update rolling out for LG G Pro 2 in Korea

Over a month after the G3 started receiving the Android 5.0 update, LG has started rolling out the Lollipop update for the G Pro 2 in its homeland South Korea. The new firmware brings features like Material Design, rich notifications, better security, and improved performance All three Korean variants of the device - LG-F350S, LG-F350K, and LG-F350L - are set to receive the update. Launched early last year, the G Pro 2 is powered by a Snapdragon 800 chipset with a quad-core 2.26 GHz Krait 400 CPU and an Adreno 330 GPU. It sports a 5.9-inch full HD IPS display and 3GB of RAM, and comes in 16GB and 32GB variants. The device packs in a 3,200mAh battery, as well as a microSD card slot for up to 64GB of additional...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_pro_2_starts_receiving_lollipop_update_in_korea-news-11010.php

Malaysia getting the Samsung Galaxy A7 in February

The Samsung Galaxy A7 launched in Russia earlier this month and now it's headed to Malaysia. The slender phablet will cost MYR 1,500 ($410/€365). That's a noticeably better deal than Russia got where the phablet is $530/€450 (as usual tech gets a hefty markup there). The Samsung Galaxy A7 will be available through Samsung Experience Stores and authorized dealers starting in February. It will come in three color versions - Midnight Black, Pearl White and Champagne Gold. The smaller Samsung Galaxy A5 is already available at MYR 1,200 ($330/€290). Both devices have metal frames and 64-bit Snapdragon chipsets, but the Galaxy A7 is bigger with its 5.5" 1080p Super AMOLED screen, has eight cores instead of four and is actually thinner than its sibling - 6.3mm vs....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/malaysia_getting_the_samsung_galaxy_a7_in_february-news-11009.php

Samsung Galaxy S4 (I9500) getting Lollipop in Russia

Following in the footsteps of the Galaxy Note 3, the Samsung Galaxy S4 (I9500) is making the jump to Android 5.0 Lollipop in Russia. The update weighs in at a hefty 1.05GB and has restrictions for the internal storage. The Android 5.0 Lollipop update is over 1GB First off, you'll need around 3GB to complete the update, so you may need to move some stuff off to the microSD card or to a computer. And you may not be able to get all of it back either. After the install completes it will permanently eat 950MB of the storage. This is due to the new runtime, called ART. It compiles your apps the first time you boot your phone and stores the result, which where those 950MB go. Dalvik had an app cache too, but that was smaller. So, if you're in Russia and have a Galaxy S4 - the Exynos one - you can check for updates from the settings menu. Thanks to everyone who sent this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s4_i9500_getting_lollipop_in_russia-news-11008.php

Week 5 in review: Galaxy S6, HTC One (M9) and Exynos

With MWC 2015 just over a month away everybody is already itching to know what the mobile world has in store and naturally the news has been overflowing with leaks. Unsurprisingly Samsung once again stole the spotlight with its highly anticipated Galaxy S6 flagship, which might indeed have an edged variant, called simply Galaxy S Edge. The handset allegedly appeared in a leaked photo along with a Spigen case. Other humors suggest that the Korean giant might be planning to release an array of advanced back replacements for the device, which should bring various exciting features, such as additional lenses and e-ink displays. HTC also appears to be on everybody's minds with its upcoming One (M9) flagship and perhaps if rumors are to be believed One (M9) Plus as well. The Taiwanese manufacturer also released the interesting, mid-ranged Desire 526G+ to the sprawling India market last week. Speaking of device announcement they were plentiful. LG premiered the Ice Cream Smart Android smartphone with a classical flip-cover look, Xiaomi was quick to update its Redmi 2 with more RAM and storage and we say new offers by ZTE, Meizu, Asus and Gygabyte as well. In other news Qualcomm recently confirmed that they have lost a big client for their Snapdragon 810 SoC and everything seems to point Samsung. Seeing how the manufacturer's latest in-house Exynos chips are based on a superior 14nm production process and now are equipped with built-in LTE modems, there is really no more incentive for the current leader in smartphone sales to continue using outside chips. Furthermore the Exynos 7420 simply breezes through Geekbench 3.0 test and it is not unfeasible to consider a broader future for the chip spanning outside Samsung devices and being employed by third-party manufacturers as well. Everybody seems to be gearing up for the upcoming major event and working around the clock. B sure to keep a close eye on the news section as from the looks of things it's going to be a busy season. .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; } LG Ice Cream Smart flip smartphone goes official in Korea LG took the wraps off the Ice Cream Smart flip smartphone in Korea. The casually characterful handset is the second flip phone from the Korean manufacturer after the LG Wine Smart that debuted in September last year. In terms of specs, LG Ice Cream Smart packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 400... HTC One (M9) and (M9) Plus official photos leak Weeks of leaks and rumors on the HTC One (M9) and One (M9) Plus have inevitably lead us to the first official images of the upcoming HTC flagship duo. The treat comes courtesy of notorious leakster Evan Blass on his twitter feed. The images confirm previous info of an all-glass front panel,... iOS 9 running on iPhone 6 spotted in benchmark results Apple typically announces new iOS versions at the WWDC, which is scheduled for June every year. While there's about four months to go, the first benchmark coming from an iOS 9 running on an iPhone 6 have hit the Basemark OS II database. Performance seems to be on par, except for the web score.... HTC One (M9) appears in Geekbench 3.0 database The upcoming HTC One (M9) flagship made an appearance in the Geekbench 3.0 benchmark database. The smartphone achieved single and multi-core scores of 1232 and 3587 respectively. The device from the benchmark test unsurprisingly packs Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 chipset with 1.55GHz... Samsung may be working on advanced case for Galaxy S6 There's a whole flock of rumors surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S6 and they don't always agree. Earlier we heard that Samsung is likely to seal the battery with a non-removable...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_5_in_review_galaxy_s6_htc_one_m9_and_exynos-news-10996.php

Some HTC One versions will get Android 5.0 later than expected

Some carrier versions of HTC One (M8) and One (M7) will get updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop a bit later than expected. HTC initially promised to update all versions of its 2013 and 2014 flagship smartphone within 90 days of receiving the Android 5.0 code. Mo Versi, HTC's Vice President of product management delivered the news in a dedicated post. The delay is caused by issues Android 5.0 initially contained, which were subsequently fixed by Google with minor updates. HTC is working hard with Google and its carrier partners to incorporate the latter into its OS build. HTC already updated several versions of the One (M8). They include the factory unlocked model, the Developer Edition, and the Google Play variant. Mo Versi promises "good news to share soon" on the rest of the One family. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/some_htc_one_versions_will_get_android_50_later_than_expected-news-11007.php

Samsung Galaxy A5 and A5 Duos review: Five star

Samsung's newly found love for "premium build" is spilling down the ranks and if the new A-series get half the love and attention the S-line has been getting, it will be a job well done. The Koreans are right to try and stir things up in the midrange...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a5_and_a5_duos-review-1201.php

The upcoming LG G4 might feature a 3K display

The yet to be announced LG G4 might pack a 3K display. A screenshot of a user agent profile revealed the possible bump in screen resolution over LG G3. The leaked document reveals an LG handset with the model number LG-VS999, sporting the eye-popping screen resolution of 2880 x 1620 pixels. LG G3 for Verizon features the model number LG-VS985, so we might indeed be looking at its successor. Curiously, another LG G4 suspect leaked out a couple of weeks ago with the AT&T model number H810 and 2560 x 1440 display. This leads us to think that the Verizon model might be more tricked out than its other carrier siblings. Nobody should be surprised in case the above scenario pans out. Verizon has a history of launching versions of popular smartphones with higher specs in the past. Sony Xperia Z3v and Motorola Droid Turbo are two recent examples. Rumored specs of LG G4 include Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 16MP camera, and 5.5" display. The handset is expected to debut in the near future....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_upcoming_lg_g4_might_feature_a_3k_display-news-11006.php

LG G3 receives a new Lollipop update in Europe

The LG G3 is already rocking Android 5.0 Lollipop, as its initial update has spread across Europe since December. Now though, the Korean smartphone maker is in the process of pushing an additional firmware upgrade for the G3, at least it's doing so in Italy. So presumably other European countries will follow. This is still Lollipop, mind you, but it's a smaller update that's primarily meant to polish things around, making the experience better than before. The update comes in at around 90 MB. After applying it, you'll be running software version V20h, whereas the initial Lollipop update took that to V20e. The new version brings with it unnamed bug fixes and improvements, along with some new icons for the software-rendered Android keys, as well as smoother animations all-round. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g3_receives_a_new_lollipop_update_in_europe-news-11005.php

Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop update delayed due to Gear VR

With the Lollipop craze in full steam and the Galaxy Note 3 already up for a soak test in Russia it is only natural to expect that Samsung will give an equal share of attention to the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge. We already saw a leaked manual for Android 5 with the device model on it so the OTA is getting closer, but no official news is available as of yet. Faryaab Sheikh, Editor-in-Chief of SamMobile might have just shed some light on the issue with a recent Twitter post. According to him the Galaxy Note 4 ROM is still in the hands of Oculus VR who are "tweaking the kernel" to ensure compatibility with the Samsung Gear VR. For anyone unfamiliar with the device it is Samsung's current take on virtual reality headset based on the popular Oculus Rift. Gear VR however takes the experience one step beyond by using a wireless setup. This is achieved with the help of a mobile display, in particular the 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED panel of the Galaxy Note 4. While compatibility issues might explain the delay the question still stands why this can't be achieved in a later update. This is supposedly what occurred on the Verizon version of the phone last month. Delivering Gear VR compatibility is most definitely a huge deal in terms of marketing strategy, but the fact of the matter is that a very miniscule percentage of all Samsung Galaxy Note 4 devices will ever be put inside a VR headset. So why make everybody wait for what is essentially a niche...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_4_lollipop_delay_is_because_on_gear_vr-news-11003.php

Nokia Lumia 930 on EE finally getting Lumia Denim update

The Lumia Denim update started rolling out last year, but it reached the Nokia Lumia 930 flagship only recently. Some 930's get it sooner than others, among the unlucky users were those on EE in the UK. The update has been arriving on 930's in other regions for two weeks now, but those on UK's largest carrier are only now joining the fun. Lumia Denim incorporates WP8.1 Update 1 and adds exclusive goodies like 4K video recording (at 24fps), Rich Capture and improvements to the image processing algorithm. By the way, the Lumia 930 will be one of the phones to get Windows 10 eventually. If you have a Nokia Lumia 930 from EE you can check for updates on your phone. If you're using the Developer Preview you may need to leave it in order to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_930_on_ee_finally_getting_lumia_denim_update-news-11002.php

Galaxy S6 dimensions revealed, port and button layout as well

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 hasn't yet surfaced in live images, but based on numerous leaks, we can now paint a pretty accurate picture. Yet it seems that case manufacturers have precise details ahead of launch. After two rounds of case renderings of yesterday and the day before, now we're being treated to a set of drawings, detailing the dimensions of the future flagship. The schematics put to rest the fears of some that the footprint of the device will grow beyond what's manageable for one-hand use. Samsung have the Galaxy Note 4 in phablet territory, and they're maintaining the differentiation. The case inner dimensions at 143.5 x 70.7 x 7.2mm, which should be more or less the actual dimensions of Galaxy S6, are virtually identical to the current Galaxy S5's 142 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, when it comes to footprint. The 1mm difference in thickness should be pretty tangible, though. Digging down further into the details, the precise dimensions of the cutout on the back reveal a pretty large camera and sensor cluster and confirm the change of layout. In typical Samsung fashion, the left side is home to the volume rocker, while the power button is on the right. The bottom cutout arrangement leaves room for a microphone, USB port and a speaker, which was on the back the previous generation. The top will house a 3.5mm headphone jack and a secondary noise-cancelling microphone. The drawings are accompanied by an actual manufactured unit, which you can see below. Samsung Galaxy S6 Case The three case leaks are very much in concert, so the Samsung Galaxy S6 design may very well be final...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s6_dimensions_revealed_port_and_button_layout_as_well-news-11001.php

Full specs of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 leak

The Xiaomi Redmi Note, released in March 2014, is due for a successor, and one is evidently in the works. A new listing on the site of Chinese agency TENAA reveals its appearance and insides. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 The new generation Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is proving to be an incremental update, rather than an entirely new device. The new generation is built around a 5.5-inch display of 720p resolution. The chipset model isn't revealed, but the quad-core CPU rated at 1.2GHz suggests the Snapdragon 410. The new smartphone will feature 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, expandable by up to 32GB via microSD. Imaging department is represented by a 13MP main camera on the back, and a 5MP selfie unit, much like the predecessor. Overall dimensions have been kept the same at 154 x 78.7 x 9.5 mm, while weight has been trimmed down from 199g to 188g. The new smartphone will run Android 4.4.4 out of the box and will come in a rainbow of colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, as well as a more formal black and white version. Availability remains to be confirmed, but the expected price is CNY799 ($128). Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/full_specs_of_xiaomi_redmi_note_2_leak-news-10999.php

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge hitting Malaysia in February

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is slowly spreading over more and more markets. It is now set for official launch in Malaysia, where it will be available starting February. To publicize its unconventional phablet offering, the Korean company has released a promotional video with a couple of sky-diving thrill seekers. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is the pioneer in a current trend of display innovation. Based on the international version of the Galaxy Note 4, it packs the same Snapdragon 805 chipset with quad-core 2.7GHz processor, 3GB of RAM and a choice of 32/64GB storage options. What sets it apart is the 160-pixel display strip that curves around the smartphone's right side, offering additional functionality. The reel barely brushes on the smartphone's features though, but is nonetheless fun to watch. Two exorbitantly rich chaps use their smartphones to set a location where they meet up for a game of tic-tac-toe in mid air. The intense exchange of crosses and circles is disturbed by a call from one's Mom. Had he chosen to ignore her, the game could have remained uninterrupted, showcasing the edge screen's notification capabilities. The Galaxy Note Edge commands a RM500 premium over its ordinary sibling for a RM2,999 asking price ($826). Reportedly, quantities will be...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_edge_hitting_malaysia_in_february-news-10997.php

Huawei P8 may be announced in mid-April, not at the MWC

Huawei has a flagship in the works and a MWC event scheduled for March 1. New info suggests that the Huawei P8 will not be at that event though, instead it will be revealed on April 15 at a separate event in London. The company is mum on hardware details and only says that the phone will be an "absolution beauty." Huawei made it clear that it will focus on delivering premium devices in the mid and high-end markets. The Huawei P8 (no more Ascend) is poised to be at the top of that food chain with a slender metal chassis. It will reportedly have a "porcelain texture", a 5.2" 1080p display (Huawei's CEO says QHD just wastes battery) and a 13MP optically stabilized camera. The flagship is set to be powered by the in-house Kirin 930 chipset, which packs an octa-core 64-bit processor and will be built on a 16nm process courtesy of TSMC. So, what will we see at the MWC? Huawei has plans for tablets (reportedly the M-Series will be introduced) and wearables. There's also room for mid-rangers in the Honor and G series and a fresh rumor (with live photos) of a Huawei Mate 7 Compact....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p8_may_be_announced_in_midapril_not_at_the_mwc-news-10995.php

Motorola Moto G 4G (2015) debuts in Brazil, already on sale

A LTE-enabled variant of the Moto G (2014) has been circulating in the rumor mill for quite some time now and now it's finally become a reality. Motorola has apparently opted out of an official announcement and instead the new handset crept up on us and appeared on the manufacturer's Brazilian page and is already available to purchase. The move was only logical since the first generation Moto G proved to be such a huge hit, both in emerging markets and even in places like the UK with the LTE upgrade only sweetening the deal even more. The budget-oriented, Moto G 4G (2015) offers a slick and clean almost pure-android experience just like its predecessors and comes with a few notable modifications over the base version. First and foremost Motorola has decided to stick with the dual-SIM setup and make it available in the 4G variant as well. The phone comes equipped with two micro SIM slots with presumably only one capable of LTE speeds. Other notable changes over the Moto G (2014) include a larger, 2,390mAh, battery which should compensate for the increased power consumption from the new modem. Onboard storage will be 16GB with no 8GB option available and physically the smartphone will retain its compact dimensions with only about 6g of extra weight due to the beefier battery. The rest of the internals are unchanged. The handset is still powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC, clocked at 1.2GHz, has the same 5-inch 720p display and the same camera setup - 8MP main and 2MP front-facing shooter. A small, but significant detail to note is that the new device will be shipping with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, while previous Moto G phones are still mostly running 4.4 KitKat and despite Motorola's best wishes are still waiting on an update. The new Moto G 4G (2015) can already be purchased from a Brazilian retailer for BRL 899, which is about $345. This definitely seems like a premium for a device that is supposed to be budget-oriented and it is. Brazilian handset prices are traditionally very high and not representative of what smartphones costs elsewhere. Despite its inconspicuous arrival the new Moto G 4G (2015) has all the right ingredients to continue to legacy of its predecessor and if Motorola manages to keep costs low than the handset definitely has a bright future ahead of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_motorola_moto_g_4g_goes_up_for_sale_in_brazil-news-10994.php

Exclusive: Samsung Galaxy XCover 3 photos and specs leak

Samsung has always aimed to have a few devices on every shelf, top to bottom. Outdoor-targeted smartphones are no exception, but the two most recent offerings, Galaxy S5 Active and Galaxy S4 Active, have been based on the respective flagships. The more affordable Xcover range hasn't seen an update for two whole years, with the latest Galaxy Xcover 2 launched in January 2013. Well, that is about to change, as we've just been treated to an exclusive peek at the entirely new Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3. The device carries a model designation SM-G388F, and is fitted with distinctly average hardware. Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3 The tough smartphone packs a Marvell Armada PXA1908 chipset with a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and 1GB of RAM. No other specs have been revealed, but judging by the photos we could speculate that the screen size is close to 4.3 inches corresponding to a total footprint of around 150x78mm. The SoC supports resolutions up to 720p, but achieving that is rather unlikely at this size and price range. Performance isn't the Galaxy Xcover 3's main selling point though, ruggedness is, and by the looks of it, the phone will deliver. Design cues have been borrowed from the latest Galaxy S5 Active, namely the toughened corners, button shape and arrangement and sensor placement. The back reveals its status, however, with flash-camera-speaker layout of more lowly Samsung phones of late. It's also nicely textured and appears to provide a secure grip in muddy or wet hands, a supposedly frequent scenario. The upcoming smartphone will run Android 4.4.4. No word is out on pricing and availability, naturally, but stay tuned. Special thanks to our anonymous...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_xcover_3_leaks_carries_s5_active_styling-news-10993.php

Counterpoint: Apple actually topped Samsung in Q4, 2014

While we know that Q4, 2014 was a blockbuster quarter for Apple, which sold a whopping 74.5 million smartphones during the period, the question whether that was good enough for the Cupertino-based company to become the top smartphone vendor in the world apparently doesn't have a single answer - it depends whom you ask. While IDC acknowledged that it was a close contest, with Samsung ahead of Apple, Strategy Analytics said it was a tie between the two companies. Now, another research firm by the name of Counterpoint is claiming that Apple actually shipped more smartphones than its South Korean competitor in Q4. The Counterpoint report notes that Apple led the smartphone market with 20.2% market share, followed by Samsung, which shipped 73.8 million units, good enough for 20% share of the market. Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi rounded up the top five with 7, 6.6, and 4.6% market share,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/now_a_research_firm_says_apple_topped_samsung_in_q4_2014-news-10992.php

Motorola has sold 3 million devices in India since Feb 2014

Back in February last year, Motorola made India's largest e-commerce website Flipkart its exclusive online retail partner, and now, the Economic Times is reporting that the Lenovo-owned company has sold 3 million smartphones in the country since then, with Moto G and Moto E smartphones making up for more than half of the sales. According to Amit Boni, head of Motorola's India operations, the company considers India as a "critical market," and is planning to increase its efforts in the country. Starting this year, the company will set up several Motorola experience centers that will also double up as service centers. The report also notes that moving forward Motorola is planning to launch new handsets in India before other global markets, and may also bring Moto Maker to the country - China is the only Asian country where the create-your-own-design store is available as of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_has_sold_3_million_devices_in_india_since_feb_2014-news-10990.php

OnePlus names its Android ROM 'Oxygen'

After things with Cyanogen went a bit sour, OnePlus announced that it is working on its own Android ROM for the OnePlus One. The company also released an alpha version, with a stable version arriving in February. The company has now announced the name for the ROM, and it will be called 'Oxygen'. Oxygen, OnePlus says, is, "all around us. It's part of us and everything we do. It creates the water that carves out valleys and moves mountains. By itself, it's simple and pure—a fundamental building block. But, as a part of something greater, it can do amazing things. Just like us." The company says the OnePlus ROM will be "open, customizable, and free of bloat and unnecessary features." OnePlus has promised more details on Febrary...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_names_its_android_rom_oxygen-news-10991.php

Alleged image of Samsung Galaxy S6 in a Spigen case leaks

Purported images of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 made the rounds online courtesy of Spigen. The Korean manufacturer of mobile accessories has already listed several cases for the yet to be announced smartphone on Amazon. The latest leaked images of Samsung Galaxy S6 fall right in line with renders from another case maker, which emerged a couple of days ago. They confirm that the Galaxy S6 will have its LED flash and heart sensor on the right side of its camera, not below it like in the case of Samsung Galaxy S5. If the images are to be believed, Samsung Galaxy S6 will have the same back texture as the Galaxy S5. We doubt this will be the case when the device debuts. The handset is all but certain to feature an all-metal body a la Samsung Galaxy A series. The case maker's product listings point at a potential mid-April availability for the smartphone. Two of the accessories are going to be in stock on April 13. Considering the track record of Spigen in revealing devices before their launch through product listings, there is little room to doubt the credibility of the renders you see above. The company has leaked a number of high-profile devices in the past including Nexus 5 and iPhone 6. Purported specs of Samsung Galaxy S6 include Exynos 7420 chipset with octa-core CPU, 5.2" QHD display, 3GB of RAM, and 20MP camera. The device is expected to launch during MWC in Barcelona. Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_image_of_samsung_galaxy_s6_in_a_spigen_case_leaks-news-10989.php

Jolla Tablet returns to Indiegogo with 64GB of built-in memory

The Finnish manufacturer Jolla resumed the crowdsourcing campaign for its first ever Sailfish OS slate. The original Indiegogo campaign for the Jolla Tablet ended on December 9 last year with 480% funded. Jolla Tablet returns to Indiegogo with slightly improved hardware and special $249 price tag. The changes in the tablet include 64GB of built-in memory (up from 32GB on the original offering) and support for 128GB microSD cards. Laminated display, built-in gyro and compass, and slightly larger 4,450mAh battery are also features that were missing in the last campaign. The slightly improved Jolla Tablet will begin shipping to backers in June. Users who already ordered the Jolla Tablet with 32GB of memory should not despair - a $25 perk is available for those who are willing to upgrade their existing order. The 32GB version is still available to order for $219. Jolla's latest Indiegogo campaign will last through February. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/jolla_tablet_returns_to_indiegogo_with_64gb_of_builtin_memory-news-10988.php

WSJ: Microsoft will make an investment in Cyanogen

According to report in The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft will make an investment in Cyanogen Inc. The Redmond giant is expected to become a minority investor in a $70 million round of equity financing. The latest round of funding is said to value Cyanogen Inc. "in the high hundreds of millions." Spokespeople from both Microsoft and Cyanogen Inc. declined to comment on the matter. Cyanogen made quite a splash a few days ago when the company's CEO Kirt McMaster told an audience in San Francisco that the company wants "to take Android away from Google." The ambitious startup plans to create a version of Android, which isn't dependent on Google Play apps and services. The round of financing for Cyanogen could grow further. As it turns out, more strategic investors have expressed interest in the company now that its plans to loosen Google's hold on Android became clear. Considering the roughly 3% market share Windows Phone holds, it is hardly a surprise that Microsoft want a piece from the action in the Android realm. The tech giant surely wouldn't mind further exposure for its Bing search engine. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/wsj_microsoft_will_make_an_investment_in_cyanogen_-news-10987.php

Xperia Z4 gets certified in Indonesia, may be out soon

Sony's upcoming Xperia Z4 smartphone may have just received the necessary certification from Postel, the Indonesian authority that deals with such things. Three Sony phone models have been given the all clear by Postel, one of which could in fact be the Xperia Z4. The Indonesian authority has only given us the devices' model numbers, but we can make some assumptions based on them. So let's start with the E6533. Last year's Xperia Z2 had the model number D65xx, while the Xperia Z3 was D66xx. The letter used has to do with the year of release - so "E" is right on track for 2015, "D" was for last year, and "C" for 2013. If Sony keeps its naming scheme for the model numbers intact, and there's no reason why it shouldn't, then the E6533 could very well be the Xperia Z4. Joining it in the Japanese company's portfolio at some point during this year will be the E5333, as well as the E2353. The latter will obviously be the lowest-end of them all, and could actually serve as the successor to the Xperia M2 (which is the D23xx). The E5333 looks like a midranger by its model number, though exactly which handset it's supposed to replace in Sony's roster isn't clear. The closest older device to its model number is the Xperia T2 Ultra phablet, but that doesn't necessarily mean that this one will have a big screen too. As for the Z4, if it has started its certification tour already then it should become official sooner, rather than...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xperia_z4_gets_indonesian_certification_launch_not_far_away-news-10986.php

Amosu's limited edition pink iPhone 6 isn't easy to look at

Amosu is known for its love of all things shiny and expensive, and for pairing those things with smartphones from time to time. The results are obviously not for mere mortals, but people who can afford to spend small fortunes on bespoke mobile devices. For this year's Valentine's Day, Amosu is preparing to launch the "world's first pink iPhone 6". Yes, it apparently couldn't resist joining in on all the pink 'fun' that's coming up prior to said celebration of love and whatnot. As you can see from the picture to the left, the pink iPhone 6 will look extremely pink - so it's only going to be for die hard fans of this color. That probably won't be a problem, however, since Amosu is only going to be making exactly ten units. Each of those will cost £1,899. That's actually quite cheap when compared to other Amosu wares from the past, but do keep in mind that there are no diamonds here - just a new hue, basically, and the Alexander Amosu logo on the iPhone's back. Hopefully the "World's first pink iPhone 6" text is only in this image for promotional purposes and won't make it to the final product. So there you have it. If your loved one has been craving a pink iPhone, there's now a solution for that. Don't forget - no case can ever be pink enough when compared to a real pink...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amosus_limited_edition_pink_iphone_6_can_make_your_eyes_bleed-news-10985.php

Two more Nokia N1 batches sell out, next one on Feb 26

The Nokia N1 continues its victorious march on Chinese territory, with two more weekly lots sold since we last updated you on January 15. Ever since the the tablet's launch in China on January 7, the batches have swiftly cleared the shelves. After the first flash sale of 20,000 units, no word has gotten out, detailing the quantities. Invariably though, the online store, selling the tablet, has listed it as "out of stock" promptly after launch. The high demand is natural, considering the aggressive pricing and the impressive specsheet of the tablet. The slate retails for 1599CNY ($256) and comes with a 7.9-inch IPS display of 1536x2048px resolution for a Retina-grade 324ppi. The Intel Atom Z3580 chipset inside is a benchmark beast packing a 2.3GHz quad-core CPU and a PowerVRG6430 graphics chip. 2GB of RAM and 32GB of non-expandable storage round up the chief specs. The great market response seems to have depleted the inventories and the next sale is planned for a whole month from now, on February...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/two_more_nokia_n1_batches_sell_out_next_one_on_feb_26-news-10984.php

Samsung's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S Edge to support the Gear VR

Samsung has been focused on promoting is Gear VR headset, bringing it to Sundance Film Festival and climbing on-board commercial flights. Aside from limited content, the widespread use of the Gear VR is hampered by the simple fact that it can only function with a Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Well, what better way to address the latter issue, than to make the upcoming Galaxy S6 and rumored Galaxy S Edge compatible as well? Unnamed sources claim that's exactly the case, but here's where the information ends and speculation begins. At present the Gear VR works with the Galaxy Note 4 only, which packs a large 5.7-inch display. So far the rumors on the Galaxy S6 have settled around a 5.2-in screen, making it too small to be implemented as is. There are at least two ways around this issue, the source suggests, one being a brand new headset to support multiple screen sizes. Such a solution can accommodate the future flagship while maintaining compatibility with the Galaxy Note 4. Another workaround would be to make the Galaxy S6 larger, but it seems illogical to design a mainstream device around a niche one. A more cumbersome third option, keeping the current Gear VR and freeing the Galaxy S6 from such compatibility considerations, would be to employ some sort of lens adapter within the existing headset. Bear in mind that all of the above is speculation, based on rumors, so it may be far detached from reality. Until we see a working Galaxy S6 inside a VR headset, all is subject to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_galaxy_s6_and_galaxy_s_edge_to_support_the_gear_vr-news-10983.php

SA: 1 billion Android devices shipped in 2014 alone

This quarter Apple reached an important milestone - it sold its billionth iOS device (that's since the first one). Meanwhile, 1 billion Androids shipped over the last year alone, as reported by Strategy Analytics. The analyst firm estimates 1.3 billion smartphones were shipped in 2014, of that over 1 billion ran Android (this works out to 81% market share). Global Smartphone OS Shipments (Millions of Units) Q4 '13 2013 Q4 '14 2014 Android 227.3 780.8 291.7 1042.7 Apple iOS 51.0 153.4 74.5 192.7 Microsoft 9.6 35.8 11.3 38.8 Others 2.3 20.0 2.6 9.3 Total 290.2 990.0 380.1 1283.5 Smartphone shipments grew 30% compared to 2013 (from 1B to 1.3B). Androids alone went from 0.8B to 1B in that period, while iOS lost some ground in terms of market share. It still shipped around 193 million devices, up from 153 million units in 2013. The third horse in the race, Windows Phone, kept pace with the growth of the market and stayed at 3% share (shipping just under 39 million units). Strategy Analytics did not release a breakdown by manufacturer, but we know from quarterly reports that Apple is rolling in the dough with record sales. Earlier the analysts reported that Samsung and iOS sales for Q4 2014 were even in terms of devices sold. Despite this, Samsung has been seen its earnings slip, but other companies have been bouncing back. Global Smartphone OS Marketshare (%) Q4 '13 2013 Q4 '14 2014 Android 78.3% 78.9% 76.7% 81.2% Apple iOS 17.6% 15.5% 19.6% 15.0% Microsoft 3.3% 3.6% 3.0% 3.0% Others 0.8% 2.0% 0.7% 0.7% Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Total Growth: Year-over-Year (%) 33.7% 41.4% 31.0% 29.6% BlackBerry did not make it into the report, it falls into the Others category, which has a total share of 0.7% (down from 2% in 2013). Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sa_1_billion_android_devices_shipped_in_2014_alone-news-10982.php

LG admits to initial Snapdragon 810 issues, says they are fixed now

In another episode of the Snapdragon 810 saga we now witness LG's acknowledgement of issues faced with the chipset's "initial sample". The Korean company restates, however, that all problems have been resolved and the G Flex2 will get its timely release. The information comes from a press conference held at LG headquarters on Q4 2014 financial matters. Unsurprisingly, questions were raised, regarding the chipset's problems with heat, and in light of recent developments, the company determined it best to come clean. A legal battle between LG and Qualcomm over a reported dedicated Samsung version of the chipset was deemed out of the question. After the apparent loss of the Samsung Galaxy S6 as a vehicle for its top-of-the-line SoC, Qualcomm will be delighted to know that LG is still on board. The future LG G4 model has also popped up in conversations at the press conference. Its launch schedule should remain unaffected by the Snapdragon affair, the company insists. On the matter of a possible metal body, a vague answer has been given, stating that it will be decided by market demand. Source (in Korean) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_admits_to_initial_snapdragon_810_issues_says_they_are_fixed_now-news-10981.php

Huawei outlines 2015 plans, focuses on premium devices

Huawei held a presentation at its Shenzhen headquartes revealing its plans for the imminent future. "Premium" is the buzzword, and understandably so, as the recently published financial results indicate that mid- to high-end devices were key in the company's last-year growth. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in March, Huawei is set to focus on Android wearables. The venue is selected to mark the company's foray into the smartwatch world. Lessons were learned during the yet brief existence of the niche, and consumers tend to favor a more conventional round shape. Such is Huawei's concept as well, as a prototype black body with a round face is pictured in the presentation. How close that image is to the actual device remains to be seen. A smartband in a rainbow of fresh colors will also be unveiled, for the tech-savvy outdoor crowd. A dedicated Huawei app is in the works for easy monitoring of the feed of info coming from your wrists. While no official info was revealed on the upcoming Huawei P8 flagship, the smartphone lineup is to remain unaltered. The Mate and P-series occupy the top with the Honor and G series spanning the midrange. The tablet lineup, on the other hand, will be expanded with the introduction of the M-series of devices, apparently in the larger tablet segment. Targeted at mobile multimedia gobblers, the series will offer "Outstanding Audio/Visual Experience", in Huawei's phrasing. All in all, ambitious promises from the Chinese company. We're looking forward to the MWC to see whether they will start...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_outlines_2015_plans_focuses_on_premium-news-10980.php

Lenovo A6000 selling in bucketloads in India

Lenovo has proudly announced that its recent flash sale of the A6000 budget-minded smartphone was a success, selling out 10,000 pieces in just 2 seconds. The marketing stunt, pioneered by Xiaomi and later adopted by emerging brand Yureka, has proven to work miracles on the Indian market and is now being exploited even by the more established Chinese phone manufacturer Lenovo. With over 255,000 registrations for the sale on the online store Flipkart, it's no wonder the stock was promptly cleared. The smartphone's attractive price tag of Rs. 6,999 ($113) could be the chief reason for the hype. That amount of cash lands you a 5-inch screen of 1280x720px resolution in an understated, but reasonably good-looking package. The innards are nothing to write home about, but you still get the popular Snapdragon 410 chipset with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage, expandable via microSD. If you had your mind set on the Lenovo A6000 but were left out of the last flash sale, fret not, for a new batch is coming soon and registrations are already underway. Source | Via 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_a6000_selling_in_bucketloads_in_india-news-10979.php

Nokia Annual report shows steady rise and strong Q4 2014

It comes as no surprise that Nokia is still recovering from the fairly recent restructuring, brought about by the acquisition of its devices & services units department by Microsoft. But while a lot of people might think the Finnish tech giant is all but dead the latest fiscal report for 2014 definitely shows otherwise. The fact is that even though Microsoft is, for the time being at least, in charge of the Lumia brand Nokia is still a very reputable player in terms of network equipment and services and still carries out productive research activities. That being said the Finnish company has still a lot to account for when it comes to its three main divisions - Nokia Networks, Nokia Technologies and HERE. Even since the aforementioned acquisition was completed sales numbers and operation costs have been on the rise and the latest report now confirms that in Q4 2014 Nokia finally achieved higher overall net sales over the same period in 2013 when Microsoft was still out of the picture. The year over year change is about 9% from 3 476 million net sales in Q4 2013 to 3 802 million in Q4 2014. This represents an even more impressive 14% quarter over quarter rise. Nokia seems to be getting on its feet again and predominantly thanks to Nokia Networks, which reals in more of the income with its operations stretching all around the world, but most notably in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Operational profit increase is even more impressive with 28% overall growth from 2013 and an impressive 25% for Nokia networks in particular. Even though networking seems to reel in the big money this is not to say that Nokia's other two major divisions are not doing good. On the contrary, Nokia Technologies, the dedicated research department marks a 23% yearly growth in net sales over 2013, but sadly a drop in operating profits. HERE, which concerns itself mostly with navigation and the HERE software, recently made available for Android is in pretty much the same position with 15% yearly net sales increase and 20% drop in operating profits. Rajeev Suri, current CEO of Nokia had this to say about the report: The power of the new Nokia could be seen in our fourth quarter results. All of our businesses delivered strong year-on-year net sales growth. Profitability was excellent in Nokia Networks, and we were particularly pleased with our net sales growth in North America and core networks. HERE continued its momentum in the automotive segment, and the early reception to the Nokia N1 tablet has been remarkably favorable, showing the ongoing power of the Nokia brand and the long-term potential of our brand licensing business. Looking ahead, while 2014 was a year of reinvention, we see 2015 as a year of execution. Things seem to be finally looking up for Nokia and with the Nokia N1 tablet already captivating users, perhaps the Finnish company still has a chance to regain some of its former glory on the mobile market, but for now all eyes are on Microsoft to take proper care of the Lumia...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_annual_report_shows_steady_rise_and_strong_q4_2014-news-10978.php

LG Mobile reports 16% increase in annual revenue in 2014

It's been a hectic several weeks for accountants the world over, and after Apple boasted record numbers, now LG's figures have been published. LG Mobile Communications Company reports a $14.26B annual revenue, a steady 16% increase on a yearly basis. The rise is fueled in no small part by the North American market, where Q4 2014 marked a substantial 78% increase in units shipped compared to the same period in 2013. Out of a total of 78.2M handsets sold globally, 59.1M were smartphones, a 24% increase. The smartphone sales are reported to be the reason for the boost in full-year consolidated revenue to $55.91B. The figures of the mobile subsidiary are only average for the corporation as a whole. LG Home Entertainment Company (the one making HDTVs) is the top dog with a 31% percent increase in revenue to $18.35B. More importantly, the combined net profit of the conglomerate has skyrocketed to $474.81M, a massive 125% increase over 2013 numbers. Operating profit has seen a notable 46% growth to $1.73B, as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_mobile_reports_16_increase_in_annual_revenue-news-10977.php

Apple ties Samsung as world's top smartphone vendor in Q4, 2014

Thanks to the record-smashing sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has tied with Samsung to become the top smartphone vendor in the world in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to a Strategy Analytics report. The Cupertino-based company shipped a total of 74.5 million smartphones in the last quarter, up from 51 million it shipped in the same quarter in 2013. On the other hand, although Samsung too shipped the same number of handsets, there was a decline compared to Q4, 2013, when the company had shipped 86 million smartphones. For the year as a whole, Samsung remained at the top with total shipments of 317.2 million, which translates into 24.7% share of the market. This compares to 2013, when the company's overall smartphone shipments stood at 319.8 million, giving it a 32.3% market share. "Samsung continues to face intense competition from Apple at the higher-end of the smartphone market, from Huawei in the middle-tiers, and from Xiaomi and others at the entry-level," the report said, adding that the company "may soon have to consider taking over rivals, such as Blackberry, in order to revitalize growth this year." Apple came in next with total shipments of 192.7 million units, capturing 15% of the smartphone market. That was up from the 153.4 million shipments the Cupertino-based company reported for 2013. Chinese players Lenovo and Huawei captured the third and the fourth spots with 7.2% and 5.8% market share, respectively. Overall, 380.1 million smartphone units were shipped in Q4 2014, up 31 percent year-on-year, while a total of around 1.3 billion smartphones shipped for the whole...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_ties_samsung_as_worlds_top_smartphone_vendor_in_q4_2014-news-10976.php

Alleged image of the second generation Moto E leaks

Purported image of the second generation Moto E made the rounds online. The successor of Motorola Moto E XT1021 is expected to make its debut in the near future. The alleged press render gives us a clear look of the front and the back of the upcoming device. The appearance of the newcomer follows closely that of the model it is bound to replace, save for the lack of a speaker grille below the display. It is worth noting that the device in the image appears to be wearing a bumper cover, which is more rugged than the out of the box solution. The accessory debuted alongside the first generation Moto G for the first time. Recently rumored specs of the second generation Moto E include Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC (up from Snapdragon 200), 4.5" qHD display, and a gig of RAM. In line with what the image above reveals, the device will boot Android 5.0 out of the box. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_image_of_the_second_generation_moto_e_leaks_-news-10975.php

Samsung's latest earnings report reveals declining profits

Samsung released its earnings report for Q4 of the fiscal 2014. The Korean giant posted operating profit of 5.29 trillion won ( about $4.87 billion) from revenue of 52.73 trillion won ($48.6 billion. The results show a decline from the same period a year ago by over a third. Samsung posted operating profit of 8.3 trillion won last year from 59.28 billion won of revenue. The company's net income has now declined on an annual basis for four straight quarters. Samsung's mobile division posted 26.29 trillion won of revenue and 1.96 trillion won of profit for the quarter thanks to strong sales of Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The profit is down by more than 60% from 5.47 trillion won ($5.09 billion) a year ago. The company expects its mobile business to grow throughout 2015 in emerging markets such as India and China. Expansion of 4G LTE services globally will also help its cause. Samsung will also focus on "new materials, innovative design and differentiated features" in order to make its future devices stand out from the crowd. The newly launched Galaxy A series of smartphones will drive the company's performance over the next quarter until the launch of Samsung Galaxy S6. On the tablet side of the business, Samsung will focus on both premium and affordable devices. The company will continue to push forward in the market for wearables as well. The manufacturer's processor and RAM businesses unsurprisingly did well during the quarter. Considering Samsung's plans to utilize its own silicon in future products, expectations point at a strong year ahead for the units. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_earnings_report_reveals_declining_profits-news-10974.php

Galaxy J1 now official, listed on Samsung Malaysia website

Just a few hours after we gave you an exclusive sneak peek at the device's photo and specs, the Samsung Galaxy J1 has been made official - it is now listed on the company's Malaysia website. Pretty much in-line with what we've already noted, it's an entry-level smartphone powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. The device sports a 4.3-inch WVGA (480 x 800) display, and comes with 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory (expandable up to 128 GB via a MicroSD card). The smartphone features a 5 MP camera with LED flash on the back, a 2 MP front snapper, and also packs in a 1850 mAh removable battery that the company claims provides up to 10 hours of talk time. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS + GLONASS. On the software side, the device boasts a Palm Selfie function that the company claims can detect the movement of your hand, so you can easily snap a photo with a simple hand gesture. There's also a Tap to Take Pics feature that lets you take photos by simply tapping anywhere on the screen. The smartphone also features Ultra Power Saving mode. Weighing in at 122 grams and measuring 129 x 68.2 x 8.9 mm, the J1 comes with Android 4.4 KitKat on board, and is available in blue, black, and white. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_j1_now_official_listed_on_samsung_malaysia_website-news-10972.php

Qualcomm confirms Snapdragon 810 snub by a "large customer"

Qualcomm confirmed that the high-end Snapdragon 810 chip will not feature "in the upcoming design cycle of a large customer's flagship device." The San Diego-based chipmaker announced its first quarter results for the fiscal 2015. A series of rumors point at Samsung Galaxy S6 as the most likely device to ditch Snapdragon 810 for another solution. The Korean giant's next flagship smartphone will likely utilize a beefy Exynos 7420 chipset with 14nm architecture and octa-core CPU. Qualcomm posted a stellar net income of $2.1 billion from $7.1 billion of revenue for the quarter it reported. However, due to the Snapdragon 810 snub and increased competition from China, the company lowered its earnings expectations for the second half of the fiscal 2015. Overall. Qualcomm somewhat confirmed the floating rumors about Snapdragon 810 not being up to snuff. Losing a "large customer" is certainly not something the company is used to - its silicon featured in just about every high-end smartphone over the past couple of years. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/qualcomm_confirms_snapdragon_810_snub_by_a_large_customer-news-10973.php

Midrange HTC One M8i is in the works, rumor claims

If you've been wondering what other smartphones HTC has in the pipeline for this year aside from the One (M9), then you'll be very interested in this. According to a new (and yet unconfirmed) rumor, the Taiwanese mobile device maker is going to release a handset called One M8i at some point this year. It's currently codenamed M8_QL. The name in use here implies that it will resemble the One (M8), which is pictured to the left, perhaps in terms of design. On the inside, however, the M8i will be a midranger through and through. It will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset, namely the MSM8939. This has an octa-core Cortex-A53 processor. Four of its cores can be clocked at up to 1.7 GHz, while the rest only go up to 1 GHz. Unfortunately we don't yet have any other specs to speak of, but the chipset choice indicates we might also see changes in other hardware areas compared to the One (M8). As always with rumors though, don't take anything you just read too seriously, at least not until we get some more leaks and details about this device - if it exists at all, that...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m8i_is_on_the_way_with_midrange_specs_rumor_claims-news-10971.php

Huawei Mate 7 Compact allegedly shown in live images

A couple of days ago we told you that Huawei might announce a new smartphone at MWC this March, namely the Mate 7 Compact. As its name clearly implies, this is going to be a smaller version of the already launched Mate 7 phablet. The Mate 7 Compact is rumored to get a 5.5-inch display, half an inch smaller than the 6" panel on the 'full size' Mate 7. And today it's allegedly been seen in the first live images, which you can feast your eyes upon below (click the thumbnails for the full pictures). Huawei Mate 7 Compact This leak unfortunately doesn't bring us any additional details about the Mate 7 Compact, just those two photos. Since we have no way of verifying that they are in fact real, don't forget your grain of salt for this one. For now the screen size is all we have to go on in terms of specs. That said, seeing a HiSilicon SoC inside the Mate 7 Compact would not be surprising at all, given Huawei's general preference for using its own chipsets in its...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mate_7_compact_allegedly_shown_in_live_images-news-10970.php

Vodafone UK to offer the LG G Flex 2 starting March 19

The LG G Flex 2 is indeed heading to Vodafone in the UK, just like we heard it would earlier this month. What's more, this particular operator will even be the exclusive seller of the bendy handset for the first six weeks of availability. Pre-orders for Vodafone's G Flex 2 are set to start at Carphone Warehouse on February 28. The phone will finally be in stock on March 19. So there's still a lot of waiting left to do if you're in the UK and crave a G Flex 2. But at least the release details are now out. Carphone Warehouse has put up a special page for the device, where you can register your interest. If you do that, you'll apparently be contacted when you can order one. The G Flex 2 was announced at CES as the successor to the original bendy handset from 2013. It has a 5.5-inch 1080p curved touchscreen, and it's powered by Qualcomm's latest and greatest, the Snapdragon 810 SoC - which sports an octa-core CPU in a big.LITTLE configuration. You have four Cortex-A57 cores clocked at 2 GHz, and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_flex_2_goes_on_sale_in_the_uk_at_vodafone_on_march_19-news-10969.php

Juniper Research: Phablets to claim a 20% market share by 2019

Market analyst Juniper Research has just published a report, stating that phablets will surpass one fifth of total smartphones shipped in 2019, with 400M large-screened pocket devices sold. The phablet term encompasses devices within the 5.5-6.9" screen range, according to the company. Juniper Research notes several market tendencies that will lead to the phablet's prominence. The constant increase in screen sizes will likely put most company flagships within the quoted range by year 2019, a trend we're already seeing. The larger displays provide a more appropriate stage for mobile gaming and multimedia content consumption. With Apple finally yielding to market demand and launching a 5.5-inch iPhone, the segment has seen further exposure, the report indicates. That being said, the majority of those 400M devices are projected to be budget offerings. Another point the researchers make is that smaller-screened tablet sales will take a hit, with smartphones catching up to them in size. On the other hand, the higher asking prices of larger tablets might drive consumers away entirely. This grim outlook on tablet future is, however, largely applicable to China, where the smartphone is the predominant means of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/phablets_to_claim_a_20_market_share_by_2019-news-10966.php

Meizu m1 note with Snapdragon 615 unveiled for China

Among the clamor of the Meizu m1 announcement today, a new version of its bigger brother, the m1 note, almost flew under the radar. The China Telecom dedicated variant packs a Snapdragon 615 chipset, as opposed to the Mediatek silicon of the regular version. The Snapdragon 615 is Qualcomm's upper midrange 64-bit offering, sporting an octa-core processor with performance cores clocked at up to 1.7GHZ (1.5GHz in m1 note's case) and power-efficient cores ticking at 1.0GHz. Graphics are handled by the Adreno 405 chip clocked at 550MHz. The rest of the hardware has remained unaltered. The smartphone packs a 1080p 5.5-inch display with minimal bezels. 2GB of RAM is on board, internal storage is non-expandable and is either 16GB or 32GB, depending on the version. The main camera sports a 13MP imager behind an f2.2 lens, while selfies are taken care of by a wide angle 5MP snapper. The Snapdragon 615 version carries a CNY100 price premium over the Mediatek models and the 16GB option costs 1,099CNY ($176) with the more spacious 32GB of storage setting you back 1,299CNY ($208). Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_m1_note_with_a_snapdragon_615_in_a_carrierspecific_version-news-10964.php

Galaxy A3 and A5 to be available in UK starting February 12

Two representatives of Samsung's new metal A-series - the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 are apparently making their way to the UK market. The devices will be available starting February 12 from Samsung UK, as well as a number of retailers, like Carphone Warehouse, O2 and EE. Preorders should start today for both the Pearl White and Midnight Black color options, but pricing is still unclear. The two smartphones themselves are mid-range offerings, despite their flashy metal finish. They come equipped with a Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 SoC and an Adreno 306 GPU. The main difference being the displays - a 4.5-inch 540 x 960 pixel unit on the Galaxy A3 and 5-inch 720 x 1280 pixel on the Galaxy A5 and RAM which is 1 GB and 2 GB, respectively. We will be keeping a close eye on availability and if you are in the market for a mid-range Samsung device you could look into the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 in our reviews. Hopefully The Korean tech giant is planning to push along the Galaxy A7 as soon as possible and offer a broader range of hardware choices with the new metal design. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_a3_and_a5_to_be_available_in_uk_starting_february_12-news-10963.php

ZTE Blade S6 brings LTE and Lollipop on a budget

The ZTE Blade S6 was announced today and will be headed around the world to deliver dual-SIM, LTE connectivity plus Lollipop on 64-bit power on a budget. The phone is built around a 5" IPS LCD with In-cell touch tech and 720p resolution. It runs ZTE's MiFavor 3.0 interface and Smart Sense motion gestures, which can activate play music, snap a series of photos or turn on the flashlight. ZTE Blade S6 will also come in Matte Pink The Blade S6 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset and will be among the very first to run Android 5.0 Lollipop on that chipset. The chipset has eight Cortex-A53 cores (half clocked at 1.7GHz, the half at 1GHz), those are 64-bit cores too. Lollipop is the first Android version to make proper use of the new instruction set. Anyway, there's 2GB of RAM and Adreno 405 GPU. The storage is 16GB out of the box plus whatever you add with a microSD card. The main camera packs a 13MP sensor (Sony IMX 214), while the selfie camera is a 5MP shooter with a wide-angle lens. The phone measures 7.7mm thick and will be available in matte Silver and Pink. ZTE Blade S6 official photos Connectivity combines practicality with speed - LTE gets up to 150Mbps and there are two nano-SIM slots. There's also a side dish of Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio and A-GPS too. The phone is powered by a 2,400mAh battery. AliExpress will sell the ZTE Blade S6 has globally at $250, in select markets it will also be available through Amazon and eBay. In Hong Kong there's an exclusivity deal with carrier...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_blade_s6_brings_lte_and_lollipop_on_a_budget-news-10968.php

Gigabyte introduces three new Android smartphones

Gigabyte announced today a trio of new Android smartphones which cover the high-end, mid-range and entry-level market segments. They're the GSmart Guru GX, GSmart Mika MX and GSmart Roma RX, but let's kick things off with the GSmart Guru GX, the most premium of the three. The Guru GX is built around a 5" 1080p IPS display covered with Gorilla Glass 3 resulting in a pixel density of 441 ppi. The phone is quite thin measuring 139 x 69 x 7mm and features a non-removable 2,300mAh battery. Gigabyte estimates it will be good for 14 hours of talk time and 200 hours of stand-by. Under the unibody design, the Guru GX is powered by a Snapdragon 615 chipset featuring a 1.5GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU and 2GB of RAM. Internal storage is 32GB and is expandable via the microSD card slot. At the back, the Guru GX sports a 13MP camera with Sony Exmor-RS sensor, while at the front a 5MP camera, again with BSI sensor, takes care of selfies. The phone runs Android 4.4 KitKat and is expected to debut in March. Gigabyte GSmart Guru GX Next up is the GSmart Mika MX, which has a 5" qHD IPS display and is powered by a Snapdragon 410 chipset with a 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 and 1GB of RAM. The phone measures 143 x 72 x 9.8mm and weighs 165 grams. Part of the added weighs is the 3,000mAh battery, which is also removable and can last up to 20 hours of talk time. At the back, there's a 5MP camera with auto-focus and a 2MP at the front. Internal storage is 8GB with an additional option to expand it via the microSD card slot on board. Gigabyte GSmart Mika MX Connectivity options include Cat 4. LTE, Wi-Fi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. The Mika MX runs Android 4.4 and will be available in a dual-SIM version starting in February. Finally, there's the entry-level GSmart Roma RX with a 5" FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels) display. Its measures are similar to the Mika MX at 142 x 73 x 9.5mm and the weight is set at 155 grams. However, it has a significantly smaller 2,000mAh battery. Under the hood of the Roma RX is a MediaTek MT6582 with a quad-core 1.3GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. Internal storage is 4GB plus a microSD card slot to expand it further by 32GB. At the back of the phone is a 5MP camera with fixed-focus and a VGA at the front. Gigabyte GSmart Roma RX Expect the Roma RX to launch in February. Sadly, Gigabyte didn't provide pricing for any of its new...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gigabyte_introduces_three_new_android_smartphones-news-10959.php

HTC One (M9) and (M9) Plus official photos leak

Weeks of leaks and rumors on the HTC One (M9) and One (M9) Plus have inevitably lead us to the first official images of the upcoming HTC flagship duo. The treat comes courtesy of notorious leakster Evan Blass on his twitter feed. The images confirm previous info of an all-glass front panel, resulting in a redesigned speaker solution, a Nexus 9 style slit. The bottom speaker appears to be salvaged on both models, putting at rest fears that the fingerprint scanner in the home button will do away with the company's signature stereo sound. And yes, the Plus size model is indeed equipped with a hardware home button, which the regular model lacks. It makes little sense to design a hardware button on one model solely to house a fingerprint scanner, and then do a different implementation sensor on the other model, so it looks like the HTC One (M9) will come without this functionality. Another key feature, revealed by the single photo is the center-mounted front camera. Could it be the 13MP front snapper of the Desire Eye, making its way to the company flagship? The official unveiling will take place at HTC's "Utopia in progress" event in the beginning of March. Judging by the intensification of leaks though, we may get to see the new devices...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m9_and_m9_plus_official_photos_leak-news-10967.php

Asus Zenfone 2 to hit Malaysia as early Q2 2015

The good news from Malaysia just keeps on coming. Yesterday we reported that Asus is releasing a new entry-level addition to its lineup - the Zenfone C. Now new information from the Taiwanese company states that the Asus Zenfone 2 could be available in Malaysia as early as April 2015. The Zenfone Zoom is will also by hitting the market, although possibly at a later point in time. As most of you surely remember the Zenfone 2 made its first appearance at CES 2015 and has been generating attention ever since. For a lot of people the smartphone is just what they are looking for in their next device. It offers formidable hardware for a pretty tantalizing price tag. For a better overview of the Zenfone 2 you can check out our hands-on review from the Las Vegas venue. The Zenfone 2 uses a quad-core, 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor (Z3560 in some regions) and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with the latest ZenUI from Asus. It boasts a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display and an impressive 13MP main camera with dual LED flash. A lot of memory options are available with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB units. The choice extends even further with 2GB or 4GB of RAM. Pricing is still unclear, but seeing how Asus has a track record of sticking with roughly the same price as its home market a good guess would be that the 2 GB version will go for about $199, while the 4 GB should set you back $299. Following the same logic the Zenfone Zoom should be sold for about $399 once it becomes...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_2_to_hit_malaysia_as_early_q2_2015-news-10958.php

HTC launches Desire 526G+ dual sim in India

HTC has launched a new budget phone in India. The Desire 526G+ has a 4.7-inch qHD display, octa-core 1.7GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 8/16GB internal memory with microSD card slot, 8 megapixel rear camera with 1080p video, 2 megapixel front camera with 720p video, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, dual SIM support, 2000mAh battery, and Android 4.4 with HTC Sense. The Desire 526G+ is priced at Rs. 10,400 ($170) for the 8GB model, and Rs. 11,400 ($185) for the 16GB model. Both models will be available last week of January...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_launches_desire_526g_dual_sim_in_india-news-10961.php

LG denies rumors that it will sue Qualcomm

The Snapdragon 810 has become an endless source of controversy in the smartphone world over the past few months. The purported overheating issues of the chipset lead to an exchange of reports stating that Samsung will abandon the problematic piece of silicon, Qualcomm allegedly responding with a modified version of the SoC for Samsung's use. This dedicated release in turn fueled rumors, claiming that LG may sue Qualcomm over the matter. LG, however, has been quick to dissipate those rumors - the Korean company reached to us with the following statement. "Rumors regarding LG taking legal action against Qualcomm are unfounded and a complete fabrication of the facts. Given the source of this rumor, we're surprised it's being taken seriously at all." As unequivocal as it gets, LG's wording should hopefully put an end to the rumor and confirm the excellent relationship between the two companies. LG has already announced its curved phablet offering, the G Flex2, featuring the said chipset. The company has denied experiencing any issues with the hardware in the smartphone, which is expected to hit its home market any day...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_denies_rumors_that_it_will_sue_qualcomm-news-10960.php

iOS 9 running on iPhone 6 spotted in benchmark results

Apple typically announces new iOS versions at the WWDC, which is scheduled for June every year. While there's about four months to go, the first benchmark coming from an iOS 9 running on an iPhone 6 have hit the Basemark OS II database. Performance seems to be on par, except for the web score. Keep in mind that WWDC is some time away and even when it comes Apple will release a version to developers only, the consumer update is even further out. So the numbers are likely to change until the new version hits users' iPhones. .atable tr:first-child th { font-weight: bold !important; } .atable { width: 100% !important; } iOS 8 iOS 9 Difference Total 1620.94 Total 1600.06 -1% Memory Group 2.0 942.79 Memory Group 2.0 948.44 1% System Group 2.0 3107.1 System Group 2.0 3190.69 3% Graphics Group 2.0 2348.77 Graphics Group 2.0 2327.42 -1% Web Group 2.0 1088.54 Web Group 2.0 930.62 -17% There's just the one result in the database for now and no score for Basemark X, the graphics benchmark. Anyway, the best changes about a new iOS version are typically new features, rather than increased...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/ios_9_running_on_iphone_6_spotted_in_benchmark_results-news-10965.php