Apple to seed iOS 8.2 next week, iOS 8.3 to follow shortly after


Apple might release the final version of iOS 8.2 to the general public as early as this Monday, as per a report by BGR. The last release was iOS 8.2 beta 5 at the start of February. iOS 8.3 is already in the works and is expected to have 4 beta releases. Currently, iOS 8.3 beta 2 is available to developers, leaving two more iterations until the final build is ready. This should happen in early April coinciding with the purported start of Apple Watch sales. Not that the Apple Watch can't launch without it, iOS 8.2 already supports it. The next version of the OS will introduce redesigned emoji picker as well as new emoji icons. Naturally, there's more the iOS 8.3 and we'll share with you as soon as anything new comes out. Apple is holding its "Spring forward" event on March 9 and the Apple Watch is the most likely guest of honor. The event should answer any remaining questions on pricing and...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_to_seed_ios_82_next_week_ios_83_to_follow_shortly_after-news-11356.php

Hello from Barcelona, as we get ready for MWC 2015


Barcelona greeted us with warm and pleasant weather as we anticipate the Mobile World Congress 2015 kick-off. Technically, it starts Monday but many of the major players in the industry including Samsung and HTC are holding their pre-MWC press events tomorrow, it's going to be quite busy. The Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and the HTC One M9 are all but confirmed at this point, so expect detailed hands-on and impressions on our end. Fira Grand Via will be the home of the latest in mobile technology in the following days, so stay tuned. We've also prepared a neat cheat sheet of all the MWC 2015 events complete with live stream links (where available) to make it easy for you to navigate...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/hello_from_barcelona_as_we_get_ready_for_mwc_2015-news-11357.php

Top 10 trending phones of the week


Samsung continues to dominate the popularity rankings, now the top 9 devices are all Samsung (there were 8 last week). Not all Galaxy phones though, the Samsung Z1 still clings on to fame, though it slipped from 4th to 8th place. The Top 10 trending phones chart is a recap list of the devices that gathered the most hits throughout the week. In other words, the chart represents the interests of the majority of you, our visitors, and is an indication of what currently interests you. The sole non-Samsung device in the Top 10 that remains is the Asus Zenfone 5. Announced in January 2014 (over a year ago!), the phone has serious staying power despite its mid-range position. There was a Microsoft Lumia 535 previously occupying the 10th position, but it has since slipped off the chart. The rest is pretty much Galaxy flagships, with the incoming Galaxy S6 holding second place behind the curiously popular Galaxy A5. The Galaxy A7 is the newcomer of the group and we'll be publishing its review once the MWC craze dies down. Anyway, other than the flagships, there's the Galaxy Grand Prime (an affordable mid-range device) and further down the ranks is the Samsung Z1 (a Tizen-powered entry-level handset). .news-item .n-left { float: left; width: 26%; text-align: center; } .news-item .n-right { float: left; width: 74%; } .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 { margin-top: 25px; 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 .phone-name { display: inline-block; width: 252px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: text-bottom; } .n-right h2 a { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } .flat-button{ text-align:center; text-decoration: none !important; font: 400 22px Oswald,Arial !important; //font-family: sans-serif; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-size: 150%; //background: #0CADA7; padding: 20px 60px !important; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; -moz-border-radius: 5px; border-radius: 5px; margin: 10px 0; -webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; -ms-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; -moz-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; -o-transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; color: #fff !important; } .flat-button-1 { background: #0CADA7; } .flat-button-1:hover { background: #0A948F; color: #666666 !important; } .flat-button-2 { background: #FF7E47; } .flat-button-2:hover { background: #EE7440; color: #666666 !important; } .n-right .rank-info { display: inline-block; font-family: "Oswald",​Arial,​sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 100; } .n-right .rank-info .current-rank { font-size: 23px; } .circle { background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #8fb28f; border-radius: 50%; height: 23px; width: 23px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 10px -1px 10px; } .arrow { width: 0; height: 0; border-style: solid; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 10px -1px 10px; } .arrow-up { border-width: 0 15px 25px 15px; border-color: transparent transparent #0cada7 transparent; } .arrow-down { border-width: 25px 15px 0 15px; border-color: #ff7e47 transparent transparent transparent; } Samsung Galaxy A5 RANK: 1WAS: 1 specs review Samsung Galaxy S6 RANK: 2WAS: 2 specs gallery Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime RANK: 3WAS: 3 specs review Samsung Galaxy A7 RANK: 4NEW IN specs gallery Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4 RANK: 5WAS: 5 specs review Samsung Galaxy S5 RANK: 6WAS: 6 specs review Samsung Galaxy A3 RANK: 7WAS: 7 specs review Samsung Z1 RANK: 8WAS: 4 specs gallery Samsung...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/top_10_trending_phones_of_the_week-news-11352.php

Google might be in talk with Huawei for a 2015 Nexus phone


According to the latest set of rumors, Google may be partnering with a Chinese phone maker for the next generation Nexus smartphone. The Weibo source cited by GizChina from where the information originates shares that the phone will be ready later in 2015. A mockup of a Huawei-made Nexus Additionally, there would be two different Nexus devices this year - one from LG and one from a Chinese maker. The last Nexus smartphone LG did was the Nexus 5 over a year ago. More interestingly, this will be the first time for Google to go with a Chinese phone maker, provided the rumor is true. The source of the information hints that the Chinese company in question is yet to decide whether to use its own chipset or a Qualcomm-made one. Clearly, this leaves Huawei to be the company in question. The mockups are based on the Huawei Honor 6 SlashGear has received a bunch of mocked up photos of the Huawei Honor 6 Plus rocking Nexus branding. Sadly, they're not the real deal, but give us a glimpse of how a Huawei-made Nexus device could look like. If true, Google is on track to release two Nexus smartphones this year - one more affordable made by Huawei and a high-end one done by LG. We'll keep our ears to the ground additional rumors on the matter. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_might_be_in_talk_with_huaewei_for_a_2015_nexus_smartphone-news-11355.php

Google might be in talk with Huawei for a 2015 Nexus phone


According to the latest set of rumors, Google may be partnering with a Chinese phone maker for the next generation Nexus smartphone. The Weibo source cited by GizChina from where the information originates shares that the phone will be ready later in 2015. A mockup of a Huawei-made Nexus Additionally, there would be two different Nexus devices this year - one from LG and one from a Chinese maker. The last Nexus smartphone LG did was the Nexus 4 nearly three years ago. More interestingly, this will be the first time for Google to go with a Chinese phone maker, provided the rumor is true. The source of the information hints that the Chinese company in question is yet to decide whether to use its own chipset or a Qualcomm-made one. Clearly, this leaves Huawei to be the company in question. The mockups are based on the Huawei Honor 6 SlashGear has received a bunch of mocked up photos of the Huawei Honor 6 Plus rocking Nexus branding. Sadly, they're not the real deal, but give us a glimpse of how a Huawei-made Nexus device could look like. If true, Google is on track to release two Nexus smartphones this year - one more affordable made by Huawei and a high-end one done by LG. We'll keep our ears to the ground additional rumors on the matter. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_might_be_in_talk_with_huawei_for_a_2015_nexus_smartphone-news-11355.php

Week 9 in review: MWC leaks, Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, One (M9)


With MWC 2015 mere hours away everybody is naturally excited about the impending releases and interesting mobile innovations. This has been the general vibe for the last month or so, but things have really been getting heated during the last week. All eyes are still on industry giants and their eagerly-anticipated flagship devices. This explains why the news section has been overflowing with various leaks and speculations about the Samsung Galaxy S6, its edged variant - Galaxy S6 Edge as well as the HTC One (M9). The former has been discussed so vigorously that Samsung decided to hop on the rumor train and fuel speculations even further by issuing a few over the top "official rumors" about the phone. Users in the US can also rejoice as AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are already teasing the new devices they are going to offer. Naturally HTC's One (M9) has also been getting a lot of attention. After an avalanche of cases and renders we finally saw precise images, as well as a few official teaser videos for the upcoming device. And while we are on the MWC topic, Sony still has a lot to show, despite the more-than-likely absence of the Xperia Z4. If rumors are true the Japanese manufacturer will bring a new midrange phone - the Xperia M4, as well as a tablet - Z4 Tablet to the Barcelona venue. Acer will also be present with what it says are "phones and a new wearable", but nothing more is known yet. A few other devices made an appearance in the last few days, so if you think you might have missed something, the following list shows what you, our loyal readers, found most interesting in the news section over the course of last week. .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; } More photos of the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge leaked Two glass panels clamped with metal frames does give both new devices a premium, classy look. HTC One (M9) images, specs leak in an online listing Images of the HTC One (M9) in gunmetal grey and gold on silver colors surface in online listing. Microsoft Lumia 640 specs and price tag make the rounds The previously leaked mid-range smartphone is likely to debut during MWC in Barcelona. HTC releases a new One (M9) teaser HTC UK has released a new video teaser, promoting the upcoming launch event on March 1. Samsung keeps tipping Galaxy S6 features in unconventional way Samsung Norway has released another round of over-the-top rumors about the upcoming Galaxy S6. New Galaxy S5 Lollipop update brings back silent mode The feature is missing in Google's interpretation of Lollipop, but Samsung brought it back. Sony Xperia Z4 tablet with 2K display leaks out The high-end Android slate will make its debut during the upcoming MWC in Barcelona. Screenshots allegedly show Sony Xperia Z4 Dual SIM UI A lot of Material design sprinkled with some Sony on top. The software is based on Android 5.0.2. VAIO might enter the smartphone market with a new phone A new rumor states that a VAIO brand smartphone will be unveiled on March 12. Leaked HTC One (M9) promo videos go live Update: the leaked videos have been removed shortly after appearing on YouTube. Huawei Ascend P8 prototype gets caught in live photos The Chinese tech giant is expected to reveal its next flagship smartphone in April. Asus Zenfone 2 launching in India in Q2, Zenfone Zoom in Q3 Most of the products that Asus announced during CES last month will also be available...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_9_in_review_mwc_leaks_galaxy_s6_s6_edge_one_m9-news-11346.php

Sony Xperia E4g is already up for pre-order in the UK


Sony unveiled the Xperia E4g just a few days ago, as the 4G-capable version of the original Xperia E4. And today it's already up for pre-order at a few online retailers in the UK. For now, all of them are only offering the phone in SIM-free and unlocked form. So if you're one to usually purchase your handsets with an operator contract attached, you still have some waiting to do before you can grab an Xperia E4g. If, on the other hand, you have nothing against paying full price for a smartphone, then the Xperia E4g can be yours for £110 at MobileFun, £125 at Clove, or £129.99 at Amazon. MobileFun and Amazon don't say anything about a release time frame for the device, while Clove mentions that its first stock of the Xperia E4g is expected in early April. So even if you do pre-order, it will be a while before the Xperia E4g is delivered at your doorstep. The Xperia E4g has a 4.7-inch 540x960 touchscreen, a 5MP rear camera with LED flash, a 2MP front snapper, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of expandable internal storage, and a 2,300 mAh battery. It's powered by MediaTek's MT6732 chipset, which comes with a 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_e4g_is_already_up_for_preorder_in_the_uk-news-11354.php

Xiaomi Mi Note review: Striking the right note


Proper flagships are coming in pairs lately as every maker is trying to cater for different crowds. Apple, Samsung, HTC and Sony - but also Oppo, Meizu, Huawei. Up and coming Chinese makers have really hit a stride. Xiaomi here has done a fair deal of watching and learning...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_note-review-1212.php

Here's what to expect from the Mobile World Congress 2015


The Mobile World Congress is one of the biggest events in the mobile industry and it's about to start this very Sunday. As usual, the event is held in sunny Barcelona, where key industry players will present their latest products. With so many product announcements happening in a few short days, it's bound to get confusing, so we though we'd come up with this cheat sheet to help you follow your favorite brands. .status { font: bold 8px Arial; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 2px 5px; position: relative; left: 5px; top: -1px; } .status.rumored { background: #f5e67e; color: #666; } .status.unlikely { background: #dbdbdb; color: #333; } .status.confirmed { background: #91d568; color: #fff; } #review-body #mwc-expect a{ font-size: 13px; } #review-body #mwc-expect li {padding-top: 3px;} #review-body #mwc-expect td { border: 1px solid #eee; overflow: hidden; position: relative; } #review-body #mwc-expect td img { margin: 5px 10px -1px 10px; } #review-body #mwc-expect th { font: bold 12px Arial; text-transform: uppercase; padding: 10px; background: #ddd; border: none; } #review-body #mwc-expect td.date { background: #f6f6f6; color: #fff; width:10px; vertical-align: middle; border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd; padding:0; } td.date span { transform: rotate(90deg) ; -webkit-transform: rotate(90deg) ; -moz-transform: rotate(90deg) ; -o-transform: rotate(90deg) ; -ms-transform: rotate(90deg) ; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; color: #555; display: block; width: 65px; font-size: 14px; text-align: center } #review-body #mwc-expect td:first-of-type { background: white; } #review-body #mwc-expect td.press { background: #f9f9f9; vertical-align: middle; text-align: right; padding: 0px 10px; width: 100px !important; } #review-body #mwc-expect td.company {background: #fff !important; width: 350px !important;} #review-body #mwc-expect td a { text-decoration: none; position: relative; line-height: 150%; border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa; } #review-body #mwc-expect td a:hover { border-bottom: 1px solid #F04F40; } .nobor { border:none !important;} #review-body h4 { font: 300 17px Oswald, Arial; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 5px; } MWC 2015 at a glance Devices Press conference Date LG Watch Urbane LTE Confirmed N/A Sunday March 1 March 1, 11:30 Barcelona Huawei Ascend P8Confirmed March 1, 15:00 Barcelona / 09:00 New York HTC One M9Confirmed HTC One M9 PlusRumored HTC PetraRumored March 1, 16:00 Barcelona / 10:00 New York / 23:00 Taipei. March 1, 16:00 Barcelona / 10:00 AM New York Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge Confirmed Samsung Z1 and Z2 Unlikely Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Rumored March 1, 18:30 Barcelona / 12:30 New York Lumia 635Rumored Lumia 1330Rumored March 2, 8:30 Barcelona / 02:30 New York Monday March 2 BlackBerry Z20 Rumored N/A Tuesday March 3 Sony Xperia M4 AquaConfirmed Sony Xperia Z4 TabletConfirmed No event No event scheduled Meizu MX4 (w/ Ubuntu Touch) Confirmed N/A Samsung The largest smartphone manufacturer is preparing to blast through MWC with a flagship duo in the face of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Dubbed "Galaxy Unpacked 2015", the event is scheduled for March 1, and for what we know so far, the focus will fall on smartphones. SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 AND GALAXY S6 EDGE According to the latest pieces of evidence, the Galaxy S6 will house a 5" QHD Super AMOLED display and set benchmarks on fire with an Exynos 7420 chipset with an...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/what_to_expect_from_the_mobile_world_congress_2015-news-11347.php

You can catch the Microsoft MWC Monday event online


Microsoft is all set for the MWC 2015. The company has just revealed it will be holding a press conference Monday, March 2 early in the morning. More specifically, the Redmond company will be sharing its new products 8:30am CET (that's 1 March 23:30PST). Microsoft is quite probably going to focus on the Lumia 635 with bumped specs. The Lumia 1330 is also expected to make a debut. It is tipped to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, 1GB of RAM, and 5.7" 720p display, and 32GB of onboard storage. The device's main camera is said to be a 14MP PureView unit, coupled with a 5MP front-facing snapper. We won't be surprised if the Redmond company reveals its future plans for its mobile software and services. Recently, Microsoft launched an Android tablet keyboard, so we may be in for a wild ride on this front. Microsoft MWC 2015 livestream Microsoft's live stream follows those of HTC and Samsung. They're happening on Sunday, so be sure to mark them on your...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/you_can_catch_the_microsoft_mwc_monday_event_online-news-11353.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge renders offer a clear glimpse at the design


The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge has been photographed in the wild, but a new cache of images has cropped up. They are clearly renders instead of actual photos, but the design appears to match the leaks we've seen so far. This makes them the clearest images of the S6 Edge yet. The renders give us a detailed look at the metal frame and the curved screen that slopes down on the left and right side. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge renders The images also show the protruding camera (a 20MP/2160p shooter), which sticks out quite a bit. The element that protrudes from the other side is the hardware Home key, which houses a fingerprint sensor (the non-swipe kind allegedly). Thanks to Steve Hemmerstoffer for sending this in! Via (in...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_edge_renders_offer_a_clear_glimpse_at_the_design-news-11351.php

Galaxy S6 teaser from Sprint hints at March 26 launch


We've seen the three shades of six appeal, but a verified Sprint employee posted a different teaser that shows both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Tucked into the lower right corner is a text reading "Offer ends 3/26/15" or in other words, March 26. The whole deal is that you can win one of six Galaxy S6 handsets if you pre-register for the S6 and S6 Edge announcement. It won't be outlandish to think the end of this offer is tied to the actual launch of the new flagship pair. The AT&T teaser was labeled "Spring 2015" and Spring starts on March 21 this year, so things are starting to line up. Before that Itskins, a case manufacturer, revealed it will ship its Galaxy S6 cases on March 15. So far everything points to a late March launch for the new Galaxy royalty, at least in the west. India will be getting it with a week or two delay in early April (according to a local site). One date is certain though - the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be unveiled on March 1 at the Unpacked event that starts at 5:30pm GMT. We'll be there live to bring you first-hand impressions, but you can also watch the unveiling with us on Samsung's live stream. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s6_teaser_from_sprint_hints_at_march_26_launch-news-11350.php

Asus Zenfone 2 aces Antutu, scores above the 50K mark


The Asus Zenfone 2 showed up in the Antutu database, posting impressive results. The 50401 figure in the screenshot is sufficient for the Zenfone 2 to inch ahead of the likes of Snapdragon 805 powered Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and Meizu MX4 with a Mediatek MT6595 inside. The Zenfone 2, which was tested, had a powerful Intel Atom Z3580 chipset with a quad-core processor, clocked at up to 2.33GHz. The GPU is not Intel's work, instead it's the PowerVR G6430, borrowed from Imagination. It should be pointed out, that the score was achieved with "only" 2GB of RAM on board. There's a catch though. With Asus' naming convention you rarely know which exactly device you're talking about. The smartphone in question sports a 5-inch display with 720p resolution, and the chipset has it easy, having to push out less than a million pixels. On the other hand, the Meizu MX4 has a 1,152 x 1,920px panel, which is more than double the amount. Not to mention the Note 4 and its QHD display with, you guessed it, four times as many pixels. Nevertheless, it's a very respectable achievement from the Atom and it's precisely what Intel needs to fight for a more prominent position in the Android...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_2_aces_antutu_scores_above_the_50k_mark-news-11349.php

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua spotted ahead of its official unveiling


A Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is expected to join the Xperia Z4 Tablet at the MWC announcement and though that's not for a couple of days, the phone couldn't elude the paparazzi any longer. Two photos show a classic Xperia design with a lot of similarities to the Xperia M2 Aqua. The phone is most likely the Sony E2303 that has leaked before, which would mean a 5.2" 720p display, Snapdragon 615 chipset running Android 5.0 Lollipop and a 13MP main camera and 5MP selfie camera, both shooting 1080p video. Benchmarks unfortunately can't tell us the IP rating, but the Xperia M2 Aqua has IP68, making it dust tight and able to survive dives up to 1.5m for half an hour. Thanks to the CoolKid for sending this...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_m4_aqua_spotted_before_its_official_unveiling-news-11348.php

Karbonn Titanium Dazzle with 5-inch display launched


Indian smartphone manufacturer Karbonn has updated its Titanium line of devices with a new budget smartphone. Dubbed Titanium Dazzle, the handset comes in white golden and black colour options, and carries a price tag of INR 5,490 ($88). The device is powered by a quad core SoC with 1.2GHz CPU, and sports a 5-inch (854 x 480 pixels) touch screen IPS display. It comes with 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal memory (expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card), and packs in a 1850mAh battery. In terms of camera, the dual-SIM smartphone features a 5MP rear unit with LED Flash and a 2MP front shooter. Connectivity options include 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS. On the software side, the Dazzle, which runs Android KitKat 4.4 operating system, comes with Gesture-enabled features such as Swipe, which allows you to shuffle to the next song by simply swiping your hand across the device's screen, and Smart Eye, which tracks eye movement and automatically pauses the video when you look away from the...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/karbonn_titanium_dazzle_with__5inch_display_launched-news-11345.php

Here's how to watch Samsung and HTC's pre-MWC events live


Both Samsung and HTC have revealed the live streaming details of their respective pre-MWC events, which are scheduled to take place this Sunday in Barcelona, Spain. HTC will live stream the event on its website, starting at 10:00 AM EST (Eastern Standard Time - US). On the other hand, Samsung's event will begin at 12:30 PM EST, and will be streamed live on YouTube. While the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer is heavily rumoured to unveil the One M9 as well as the One M9 Plus, the South Korean company is expected to take wraps off the Galaxy S6 and its curved screen variant. Source 1 | Source...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/heres_how_to_watch_samsung_and_htcs_premwc_events_live-news-11344.php

Panasonic's 64-bit Eluga U2 with Android Lollipop spotted online


Panasonic is ready to announce its first 64-bit mid-range handset - Eluga U2. As the successor of the Eluga U, this new handset comes with HD display and 4G LTE support (700/900/1800/2600 MHz). Eluga U2 is the company's first smartphone to run Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. It houses a 64-bit quad-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 mobile chipset paired with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB built-in storage. The Eluga U2 offers a 5-inch display with HD (1280x720) resolution, a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 2500 mAh battery. Panasonic Eluga U2 is priced at an affordable $254 for Taiwan. Availability for other countries is yet to be detailed....






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/panasonic_64_bit_eluga_u2_with_android_lollipop_spotted_online-news-11343.php

Apple captures record 88.7% of smartphone profits


According to a latest report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple iOS captured a record-high 88.7% global smartphone profit share in Q4, 2014, up from 70.5% in Q4 2013. On the other hand, Android took a record-low 11.3% profit share, down from 29.5% in the same quarter in 2013. In terms of dollars, Apple's Q4, 2014 smartphone operating profits stood at $18.8 billion, up from $11.4 billion in Q4, 2013, while Android manufacturers had operating profits of just $2.4 billion, down from $4.8 billion in the same quarter the previous year. "Apple's strategy of premium products and lean logistics is proving hugely profitable," the research firm said, adding that "Android's weak profitability for its hardware partners will worry Google." Overall, global smartphone operating profit stood at $21.2 billion in Q4 2014, up 31% from $16.2 billion in Q4 2013. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_captures_record_887_of_smartphone_profits_android_gets_just_113-news-11342.php

Apple took home 88.7% of smartphone profits in Q4, 2014


According to a latest report from market research firm Strategy Analytics, Apple iOS captured a record-high 88.7% global smartphone profit share in Q4, 2014, up from 70.5% in Q4 2013. On the other hand, Android took a record-low 11.3% profit share, down from 29.5% in the same quarter in 2013. In terms of dollars, Apple's Q4, 2014 smartphone operating profits stood at $18.8 billion, up from $11.4 billion in Q4, 2013, while Android manufacturers had operating profits of just $2.4 billion, down from $4.8 billion in the same quarter the previous year. "Apple's strategy of premium products and lean logistics is proving hugely profitable," the research firm said, adding that "Android's weak profitability for its hardware partners will worry Google." Overall, global smartphone operating profit stood at $21.2 billion in Q4 2014, up 31% from $16.2 billion in Q4 2013. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_took_home_887_of_smartphone_profits_in_q4_2014-news-11342.php

Sony to reveal something 'slimmer, lighter, brighter' at MWC


Sony has announced that it will reveal something "slimmer, lighter, brighter" at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC), scheduled to kick off in Barcelona next week. The company posted a teaser image (see above) on Twitter showing a person holding a white device, which looks similar to the Xperia Z4 tablet that leaked just days ago. The Z4 leak revealed Xperia Z3-like design with rounded metal edges, and it is said to carry a 2K display. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_to_reveal_something_slimmer_lighter_brighter_at_mwc-news-11341.php

BlackBerry Classic Non Camera is up for pre-order at Verizon


Today the BlackBerry Classic is scheduled to become available for purchase online at Verizon. But what if you like the Classic yet your employer doesn't let you go to work with any devices containing cameras? The solution is the BlackBerry Classic Non Camera. This is essentially the same smartphone we already know, but it's had both of its cameras removed. So it's a perfect fit for those working in secure environments. The handset is now up for pre-order at Verizon, with shipping set to start on March 31. Its price is set at $99.99 with a new two-year contract, or $399.99 without a long-term commitment. If you'd rather use Verizon's Edge installment plan, you can do that too, in which case you put down nothing upfront, then followed by 24 monthly payments of $16.66. Like the its camera-touting sibling, the BlackBerry Classic Non Camera comes with a 3.5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD), and a 2,500 mAh battery. It runs BlackBerry OS 10.3.1. Source | Via 1 (in Russian) • Via...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_classic_non_camera_is_up_for_preorder_at_verizon-news-11340.php

VAIO might enter the smartphone market with a new phone


As some of you might remember the VAIO brand was once part of Sony's vast enterprise, back when the company was enjoying its golden years. Ever since 2014 it has been in the hands of Japanese Industrial Partners (JIP), a move which at the time Sony justified with an intention to leave the PC market and focus on mobile phones and TVs. In a surprise move, new rumors now state that the brand will make a debut on the mobile scene with a smartphone. The release date is allegedly set for March 12 when a VAIO branded phone will be unveiled. As it turns out Sony did not entirely part with the brand and currently holds about 5% of its shares. This may not sound like much, but is enough grounds to fuel a partnership between the companies, which, as some speculate, has already resulted in the upcoming device. The above story might just turn out to be more than a fairytale as the mysterious new device has already popped up in a benchmark, offering some much-needed proof as well as a glimpse at its hardware. Seeing how the device is part Sony, part Vaya, it will probably bear a lot of resemblance to the Xperia line. According to the rumor, the VAIO phone will be powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 chipset, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. It will sport a 5-inch 720p display and a fairly decent camera setup, consisting of a 13MP main and 5MP front-facing shooter. The handset should also come with Android 5.0 out of the box. While the above surely sounds like a dream come true for a lot of Sony fans, it should be definitely taken with a grain of salt as the rumor mill can often be cunningly misleading. In any case, we intend to patiently wait it out and we will keep you updated if any new information surfaces. Source (in Japanese) |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vaio_might_enter_the_smartphone_market_with_a_new_phone-news-11338.php

VAIO might enter the smartphone market with a new phone


As some of you might remember the VAIO brand was once part of Sony's vast enterprise, back when the company was enjoying its golden years. Ever since 2014 it has been in the hands of Japanese Industrial Partners (JIP), a move which at the time Sony justified with an intention to leave the PC market and focus on mobile phones and TVs. In a surprise move, new rumors now state that the brand will make a debut on the mobile scene with a smartphone. The release date is allegedly set for March 12 when a VAIO branded phone will be unveiled. As it turns out Sony did not entirely part with the brand and currently holds about 5% of its shares. This may not sound like much, but is enough grounds to fuel a partnership between the companies, which, as some speculate, has already resulted in the upcoming device. The above story might just turn out to be more than a fairytale as the mysterious new device has already popped up in a benchmark, offering some much-needed proof as well as a glimpse at its hardware. Seeing how the device is part Sony, part Vaya, it will probably bear a lot of resemblance to the Xperia line. According to the rumor, the VAIO phone will be powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 chipset, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. It will sport a 5-inch 720p display and a fairly decent camera setup, consisting of a 13MP main and 5MP front-facing shooter. The handset should also come with Android 5.0 out of the box. While the above surely sounds like a dream come true for a lot of Sony fans, it should be definitely taken with a grain of salt as the rumor mill can often be cunningly misleading. In any case, we intend to patiently wait it out and we will keep you updated if any new information surfaces. Source (in Japanese) |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vaio_might_enter_the_smartphone_market_with_a_new_phone-news-11338.php

Apple announces March 9 event, probably for the Watch


Apple's first wearable is on track to be released in April. Ahead of that, however, the company looks set to hold a special press event just for the Apple Watch. This will happen on March 9, as has just been revealed by Apple itself through an invite sent to the press. This doesn't detail what the event will be about, but the consensus is that it will serve as yet another introduction for the Apple Watch. This time around, though, we're sure to find out everything there is to know about the smartwatch. Last fall when Apple first talked about it, it didn't offer any information about many features and specs. In the meantime we've heard tidbits here and there, but this upcoming March event should clear everything up. So we're bound to find out all about the watch's one-day battery life, the fact that it's splashproof, and maybe even that 100,000 apps will be available for it from the day it goes on...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_announces_march_9_event_probably_for_the_watch-news-11339.php

Meizu teases the MX4 Ubuntu edition for the MWC


The second Ubuntu phone is on its way and it's a version of the Meziu MX4. There's not a lot of info right now but the company has released a teaser image showing three MX4 phones showing a glimpse of the mobile Linux OS. The phone will be unveiled at the MWC (March 1, 16:00 Barcelona time, 10:00 New York) and the tagline is a rather optimistic "More than better." We'll have to wait until the event to find out a launch date and price, though if we had to guess it will launch soon at a similar price to the regular MX4. Unlike the BQ Aquaris E4.5, the Meizu MX4 is a much more premium affair - it has a 5.36" IPS screen with 1,152 x 1,920px, an octa-core processor (Cortex-A17 + A7 big.LITTLE) and 20.7MP camera with 2160p video. Normally, it runs Flyme 4.0 based on Android 4.4 KitKat, but there's also a Yun OS version. That's Android again, but customized by Alibaba. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_teases_mx4_ubuntu_edition_for_the_mwc-news-11337.php

More photos of the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge leaked


Just when we couldn't have enough of the leaked images of the Samsung Galaxy S6, more surface online. Samsung is set to launch the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge on Sunday, March 1. Two new leaked images show a better view of the both Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to affirm the possibility that there might be no microSD card slot or a removable battery. Also, the image does show the slopes on both sides of the display on the Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung has introduced a new design language with the new models. However, the new design does look like a mashup of Meizu MX4 and Xiaomi Mi Note along with the Apple iPhone 6 like metal frames. There's an IR Blaster and microphone on the top while the audio port is at the bottom next to a microUSB port and speaker pinholes. More details can be expected at the formal launch coming this Sunday. We will be covering the launch of Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live. Be sure to tune in to find out everything about the smartphone. Source • Source...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/more_photos_of_the_samsung_galaxy_s6_s6_edge_leaked-news-11336.php

Acer teases new phones and a wearable for the MWC 2015


We are now mere hours away from MWC 2015 and the hype is at an all-time high. Naturally, all eyes are on the major players and their much anticipated flagship devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the HTC One (M9), but the Barcelona venue also has a lot more mobile tech in store. Acer will not be skipping on announcements, but specifics are a mystery as to what the company might bring to the show. A new banner released on Acer Malaysia's Facebook page confirms that we will be seeing new phones and a wearable device at MWC. The teaser itself is very cryptic and holds little information, but it does carry across a lot of style. From the looks of things, Acer is going to accent on fashionable patterns and materials in its upcoming products. Three of the pictures in the banner show parts of devices, but it is rather hard to gather any information from the close-ups. Acer has set its official MWC event for March 1, alongside most major players, so we will just have to wait and see what they have in store. Thanks for the tip,...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_confirms_new_phones_and_a_wearable_device_are_coming_to_mwc-news-11335.php

Possible Nubia Z9 shows up in a video, promises premium build


The ZTE Nubia Z7, the top end offering in the company's Nubia line-up, may soon be treated to a successor, if we are to believe a video, posted on Chinese social media. It only gets a cameo in a fashion presentation, but that's about enough to reveal a few details on what will likely be the Nubia Z9. For starters, the new model will sport a shiny glass back with a central Nubia badge, very much reminiscent of the Z members of the Sony Xperia family. The boxy rectangular shape with a surrounding metal frame is not far from Sony's design language either. To be fair, though, the marginally rounded corners are a feature of the current Nubia Z7 as well. The previous model packed a 5.5-inch QHD display, and in the gentle model's hands it appears that the screen size will remain the same. She is, however, tapping on a black screen, so it could just be a mockup. Unfortunately, we're still in the dark when it comes to hardware. The alleged Nubia Z9 might make it to the MWC, merely a few days from now, so the wait won't be long. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/possible_nubia_z9_shows_up_in_a_video_promises_premium_build-news-11334.php

Gionee Elife E7 to get KitKat update in March


The long awaited KitKat update for the Gionee Elife E7 will be arriving shortly. The update is set to start rolling out in March and brings with it several key improvements. Other than the KitKat features, the E7 will also get the updated Amigo UI from the S5.1. There will be an improvement in battery life as well as the camera performance of the device. If you have the device, make sure to keep an eye out for the update next...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gionee_elife_e7_to_get_kitkat_update_in_march-news-11333.php

Denim update rolling out for the T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 925


The Lumia Denim update has started rolling out to the T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 925. It bumps the software version to 3051.50009.1451.0018, and brings along features like the ability to shoot 4K video as well as faster camera start-up and shutter speeds. The update, which is roughly 530MB in size, should be available for download OTA now. To check, go to Settings -> Phone Update and then tap on Check for updates. If you receive the error 'Update needs more space' while performing the update, head to this T-Mobile support page. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/denim_update_rolling_out_for_the_tmobile_nokia_lumia_925-news-11331.php

LG to showcase an LTE version of its Watch Urbane at MWC


Nearly a couple of weeks after unveiling the high-end Watch Urbane timepiece, LG has taken wraps off an LTE version of the wearable. Appropriately dubbed Watch Urbane LTE, the smartwatch will also be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona next week. In addition to LTE phone calls, the smartwatch also supports GPS location sharing, foreign speech translation, as well as walkie talkie-style voice chats. It also includes a payment tool that'll allow users to use the timepiece to make NFC-based payments. Specs-wise, the Watch Urbane LTE comes with a 700mAh battery and 1 GB of RAM, compared to 410mAh battery and 512 MB of RAM included in the non-LTE version. Rest of the specifications are largely the same. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_to_showcase_an_lte_version_of_its_watch_urbane_at_mwc-news-11330.php

Alleged live photos of Samsung Galaxy S6 leak out


Purported live photos of Samsung Galaxy S6 made the rounds on the web. The Korean giant's next flagship smartphone is scheduled to make its debut this Sunday, on March 1 alongside an Edge model with curved display. The photos reveal Samsung's new design language for the upcoming Galaxy S5 successor. The newcomer appears to sport metal frame with front and back covered by glass. Overall, the device looks like a massive step forward for the company in terms of design and tactility. If the images are to be believed, Samsung Galaxy S6 will offer non-removable back cover. Its camera will be protruding, with the heart rate sensor sitting on its right side. The SIM card slot of the smartphone is located on its right side, below the power/lock key. Its 3.5mm audio jack has been moved to the bottom this time around - there is nothing but an IR blaster, microphone pinhole, and antenna strips on top. We will be covering the launch of Samsung Galaxy S6 launch live. Be sure to tune in to find out everything about the smartphone. Source...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_live_photos_of_samsung_galaxy_s6_leak_out-news-11329.php

Xiaomi Mi 4 will be up for grabs in India without registration


Following in the footsteps of the Redmi Note 4G from earlier this month, Xiaomi's Mi 4 is set to go on sale in India without registration starting tomorrow. As always, the phone will be offered by Flipkart, as that's Xiaomi's exclusive retail partner in the subcontinent. The no-registration availability currently only applies to the 16GB model. Buying the 64GB Mi 4 still requires registration, and you can register right now for a chance to grab one on March 3 at 2 PM. But if the variant with less internal storage is something you'd consider, then starting tomorrow you'll be able to purchase one just as you would any other device - no flash sales to wait for, no registration requirement, and no need to click Refresh in your browser a million times when the big day comes. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_4_will_be_up_for_grabs_in_india_without_registration-news-11328.php

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua to join Xperia Z4 Tablet at MWC


Mere hours ago it emerged that Sony is going to unveil the Xperia Z4 Tablet at MWC next week. And now we find out that it won't be the only new device the company has in store for us. It will be joined in Sony's portfolio by the Xperia M4 Aqua, which, as its name implies, is going to be the successor to the Xperia M2 Aqua from last year. This has been on sale for much less than a year, so the introduction of a revised model seems odd. The information comes from the leaked document you can see above. It also lets us know that the Xperia M4 Aqua will launch running Android 5.0 Lollipop, which any new handset should - since it's already been out for months. Once again, Sony will be skipping a number here - there was no Xperia M3 Aqua. And because that "Aqua" moniker is in there, the M4 Aqua should be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, just like the M2 Aqua before it. Unfortunately other specs haven't been leaked yet, so it's anyone's guess what will go inside the new phone. But with MWC so close, we're bound to find out soon...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_m4_aqua_to_join_xperia_z4_tablet_at_mwc-news-11327.php

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini will get Android 5.0 Lollipop in Q2


Samsung is currently in the process of updating a few of its devices to Android 5.0 Lollipop. So if you have, say, a Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 3, or Galaxy S5 you're pretty much already covered (though some rollouts have only made it to some regions at this point). But what if your device of choice is the Galaxy S5 Mini? The Korean smartphone maker did promise that it too would receive Lollipop, but that hasn't happened yet. And it looks like you're still in for quite a wait. Samsung's French arm has revealed that the S5 Mini is slated to taste the latest version of Android sometime in the second quarter of this year. That starts in April and ends in June. So clearly Samsung's priority is to give its highest-end offerings the software update first, then starting to work on mid-rangers such as the Galaxy S5 Mini. This is no surprise, really, as it's been the company's modus operandi in the past too. Yet if you were hoping for the S5 Mini to receive Lollipop at the same time as the proper S5, well, then this will disappoint you. On the other hand, at least we now have another confirmation that the new bits are indeed on the way - even if the whole thing will take a while. Source (in French) |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_mini_will_get_android_50_lollipop_in_q2-news-11326.php

HTC releases a new One (M9) teaser


#twitter-widget-0 {width: 590px !important;} HTC's latest flagship device is definitely one of the most anticipated handset, scheduled to make an appearance ant MWC 2015. And with the Barcelona event just around the corner manufacturers are doing all they can to fuel the hype around the new models. While Samsung is entangled in an interesting "official rumor" campaign it seems HTC is currently relying on a more traditional approach. A new teaser video was recently released on HTC UK's Twitter page. It is, of course meant to promote the highly-anticipated One (M9) and in particular its launch event, set for March 1. From the looks of things HTC will be streaming the event live starting 10:00 AM UTC so you can check that out at the official website when the time comes. The new HTC One revealed 01.03.15. http://t.co/z1MlOkWlzX https://t.co/qWwrXSWybk— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) February 25, 2015 Other than that, the video does not really disclose any new information about the handset. It shows a rather abstract violet material being rippled, which could be a reference to the front-facing speakers or perhaps even a color option, but more likely it is nothing more than a visually appealing effect. The only bit of text in the clip reads: "let them share", which again may hint at some new social features or simply refer to the video itself. From what we have gathered so far, the new HTC smartphone will join the ranks of the select few high-end devices, powered by the Snapdragon 810. Presumably in will also pack 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board storage and up to 128GB microSD expansion support. Leaks also hint at a 5.0-inch Full HD display, a 20MP main camera with dual-LED flash and a 4MP UltraPixel front-facing one with a 2900mAh battery, all packed inside the 9.61mm thick...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_has_release_a_new_one_m9_release_teaser-news-11325.php

Motorola Moto E (2015) brings LTE, 64-bit chipset


Motorola just made the second generation of Moto E official - the screen size grew to 4.5", the chipset moved to a 64-bit one and also got 4G LTE connectivity. Oh, and the 5MP camera can now record 720p video and there's a VGA front-facing camera. There's no mention of a dual-SIM version yet though. The Moto E (2015) is slightly bigger, but practically the same thickness and weight as its predecessor. The screen is still at qHD (540 x 960px), which means it's not very sharp, at least it's an IPS LCD with Gorilla Glass 3 and a anti-smudge coating. The chipset is a Snapdragon 410 - a 64-bit quad-core Cortex-A53 at 1.2GHz with 1GB of RAM and Adreno 306 GPU. That's for the 4G LTE version though, the 3G version will arrive with an old-school Snapdragon 200, which goes back to 32-bit Cortex-A7 cores and the slower Adreno 302 GPU. The phone, of course, runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, which looks unmodified so it should get updates quickly, despite the change of ownership. There's 8GB of built-in storage (double what the 1st gen had) and a microSD card slot. The main camera is a 5MP shooter with an f/2.2 aperture and can record 720p video at 30fps. There are two microphones on the handset for stereo audio. There's a VGA camera on the front, not exactly a selfie dream but better than nothing (which is what the original model has). The Motorola Moto E (2015) has the same water resistance coating used on its bigger bros and a larger 2,390mAh battery (up from 1,980mAh). The phone costs $150 and is available in Black and White. You can also get a Motorola Band in Golden Yellow, Turquoise, Blue, Raspberry, Purple, Red if you want to add a touch of color. The 3G version will presumably cost less, though pricing isn't available yet. There's nothing on a dual-SIM version either (perhaps that will be the 3G...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_e_2015_brings_lte_64bit_chipset-news-11324.php

HTC One (M7) receiving Lollipop OTA in Europe


The original HTC One (M7) is finally getting the Lollipop treatment in Europe Reports have been flooding in from our readers that the two year old handset is getting the OTA all over the continent. The package itself contains an Android 5.0 build, weighs about 805 MB and brings important bug fixes, as well as enhancements. According to the changelog the lockscreen and notification system have been updated for a new material Android 5.0 look. Other additions include multiple pages within the recent apps interface as well as a new search function within the settings menu. The Google Play edition of the handset has been enoying the new OS version for quite some time now, but HTC did keep their word to bring Lollipop to the One M7 despite the skipped 90 day deadline form last November. The One (M7) is still a pretty capable phone and is more than deserving of a Lollipop overhaul. The combination of a Snapdragon 600 SoC with a potent quad-core Krait CPU, 4.7" of a 1080p display, an optically-stabilized camera, and built-in stereo speakers is still sounding pretty decent. So if you own one be sure to check for the update regularly and report back with any interesting finds. Thanks for the tips Nace, Onka and Adrian...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m7_receiving_lollipop_ota_in_europe-news-11323.php

Qualcomm teaser confirms Snapdragon 810 in the One (M9)


Qualcomm's latest and greatest mobile SoC, the Snapdragon 810 hasn't been getting a lot of love lately. Whether it was the whole overheating fiasco or Samsung's recent rapid development in terms of manufacturing technology and in-house Exynos capabilities if is a fact that Qualcomm is lagging slightly behind. So far we have only seen LG's latest flagship - the LG G Flex 2 powered by the beastly processor, but things might be looking up as Qualcomm has released a rather interesting teaser on Twitter. The post reads: "It's almost time for a new #Snapdragon 810 powered smartphone. #MWC15" and is accompanied by a rather inconspicuous vine video. In the short clip we see a rough outline of a phone which resembles recent renders of the HTC One (M9). The clip also features a few clock style numbers which also point in the direction of HTC's upcoming flagship. The video begins with a clock showing 8:10, a direct reference to the Snapdragon chip. After that it switches to 10:08, which ticks forward to 10:09. This definitely reminds of a transition from the One (M8) to the new One (M9). Nothing is officially confirmed yet, but this does seem to prove that the new HTC smartphone will join the ranks of the select few high-end devices, powered by the Snapdragon 810. As far as we currently know the much-anticipated One (M9) will pack 3GB RAM, 32GB on-board storage and up to 128GB microSD expansion support. Leaks also hint at a 5.0-inch Full HD display, a 20MP main camera with dual-LED flash and a 4MP UltraPixel front-facing one with a 2900mAh battery, all packed inside the 9.61mm thick body. We only have to wait until March 1 for HTC to announce the One (M9) and confirm whether the info we've gathered so far is authentic or not, so hold tight. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_qualcomm_teaser_hints_at_snapdragon_810_in_the_htc_one_m9-news-11322.php

Galaxy S6 Edge exclusivity guaranteed by low yield


Samsung is only days away from unveiling its next-gen flagship Galaxy S6 alongside its special little brother, the Galaxy S6 Edge, and we're ready to talk availability. A source from a Samsung-partnering carrier in Europe has shared their knowledge, but chosen to stay anonymous. For starters, quantities of the edge variant will be limited. This will come as a result of low yields of the dual-curved display. It is to be expected with any new technology, but with the Note Edge already out, you'd think Samsung should have gotten the hang of it by now. That said, the source reports that the edge flavor is a whole third of all S6 devices, which is in fact a huge number, compared to Note Edge/Note 4 proportions. Still, with all the hype around the Galaxy S6 Edge, we may actually witness a markedly higher demand in this case. Buyers will naturally need to be willing to pay a premium, though. The source confirms the numbers we reported earlier, meaning an unsubsidized price of €749, €849, and €949 for the 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB versions, respectively. That's €100 over the vanilla models with same storage capacity. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s6_edge_exclusivity_guaranteed_by_low_yield-news-11321.php

Apple ordered to pay $533 million for infringing Smartflash's patents


A US court has ordered Apple to pay $532.9 million in damages after the company was found guilty of infringing three patents owned by Texas-based patent licensing company Smartflash. The patents are related to digital rights management (DRM), data storage, and payment systems. Smartflash sued Apple alleging that the latter's iTunes software used these patents without permission, something which the Cupertino-based company rejected by claiming that the patents were invalid. The patent licensing company also said the iPhone maker intentionally did so given that its executives were already given a briefing on the technology, something which happened more than ten years ago. While Smartflash was seeking damages of $852 million, the iPhone maker said the patents were only worth $4.5 million. "Smartflash makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no U.S. presence, and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented," said an Apple spokesperson. The company is now planning to appeal the...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_ordered_to_pay_533_million_for_infringing_smartflashs_patents-news-11320.php

Samsung keeps tipping Galaxy S6 features in unconventional way


With MWC 2015 just around the corner the hype around Samsung and its new flagship device is at an all-time high. Rumors have been abundant ant kind of hard to actually keep track of, but one thing is for sure they are all stacking up that all important fan enthusiasm. The Korean giant is definitely not skipping on all the fun and has more than readily jumped on the rumor train. We already reported on a few over-the top teaser banners released on Samsung's Norawy website. While these are obviously meant to humor some of the more ridiculous speculations about the new Galaxy there is also a big chance that they hold a grain of truth. After the original three "official rumors" Samsung has opted to provide eager fans with two more. One of the new banners states - "It has been rumored that the new Galaxy will feature a larger display". That comes on top of what appears to be a schematic blueprint for an extendable display. Looking closer at the numbers on screen we do notice 5.6 written on the device display. This however is probably nothing more than a humorous joke, as current information puts the display of the Galaxy S6 at 5 to 5.1 inches, just a tad smaller than its predecessor. And frankly anything larger would significantly lessen the gap between the Galaxy and Note series, which is very unlikely. The second banner, actually fifth counting the original three, talks of "an all-glass Samsung Galaxy." As most of you surely know there has been a lot of talk about the supposedly metal body of the new flagship and how it is going to cope with signal interference. One widely discussed possibility is of an all glass back, which Samsung is obviously referencing in the rumor. A more recent leak states that a clever antenna design might be the remedy for the issue. Samsung seems to have really picked up on the whole rumor avalanche and is now strategically joining in to fuel the flames. This is definitely a clever PR stunt, but the real question is whether there is truth behind the mockery. We are sure to find out on March 1 at the official Barcelona event and until then all we can do is guesswork. If you missed the previous three Samsung rumors you can read about them in our previos...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_keeps_the_galaxy_s6_rumors_coming-news-11318.php

Huawei's Honor Holly available for purchase in Germany for $113


A couple of days ago, we reported that the Huawei Honor Holly, which was launched in India last year, is all set to go on sale in the UK next month with a price tag of £74.99 ($117). As it turns out, the device is already available in Germany. German consumer electronics chain MediaMarkt has the smartphone in stock for €99 ($113), although there's a shipping charge of €2 ($2.3) associated with it. Specs-wise, the Honor Holly is powered by the MediaTek MT6582 chipset, which sports a 1.3 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU and a Mali-400MP2 GPU. It features a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 2MP front shooter. The device comes with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable built-in storage, and packs in a 2,000 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out of the box. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huaweis_honor_holly_available_for_purchase_in_germany_for_113-news-11317.php

Chase Bank says it has activated over 1 million Apple Pay accounts


Chase Bank has revealed that more than one million of its customers are using their debit/credit cards with Apple's mobile payments service Apple Pay, which launched in the US in late October last year. It was also revealed that the bank's customers who use Apple Pay are on an average nine years younger and earn 21% more money than its other customers. Around 69% of the transactions they make are credit-based, the bank said. Recently, Bank of America revealed that nearly 800,000 of its customers have started using Apple's new payment method. The total number of financial institutions that support Apple Pay has now crossed...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/chase_bank_says_it_has_activated_over_1_million_apple_pay_accounts-news-11316.php

LG announces global rollout of its latest curved smartphone G Flex 2


LG has announced the global rollout of its second curved Android smartphone the G Flex 2, which was unveiled last month at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The company said major carriers in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Germany and the UK will be among the first to offer the smartphone, adding that key markets in North and South America, Europe, and Asia will announce the start of sales in the weeks following MWC, which ends on March 5. If you aren't already aware, the G Flex 2 is already available for purchase in the company's home country of South Korea, where it launched late last month. The device is up for pre-order in the UK, and will go on sale in Singapore starting March 14. Over in the US, the smartphone will be available through Sprint on March 13. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_announces_global_rollout_of_its_curved_smartphone_g_flex_2-news-11315.php

Android and iOS together account for 96.3% of smartphone market


Android and iOS combined accounted for a whopping 96.3% of all smartphone shipments worldwide in 2014, up from 93.8% in the prior year, according to a latest report from the market research firm IDC. Individually, Google's mobile operating system captured 81.5% of the market, up from 78.7% in 2013, while Apple's mobile OS claimed 14.8%, down slightly from 15.1% the year prior. "Many of the same drivers were in play for Android and iOS to tighten their grip on the market," said Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "A combination of strong end-user demand, refreshed product portfolios, and the availability of low-cost devices - particularly for Android - drove volumes higher." As for the rest of the players in the market, Microsoft's Windows Phone had the smallest year-over-year increase among the leading operating systems, growing just 4.2%, while BlackBerry saw its year-on-year growth decline by 69.8%. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_and_ios_together_account_for_963_of__smartphone_market-news-11314.php

Sony Xperia Z4 tablet with 2K display leaks out


Unannounced Sony Xperia Z4 tablet with 2K display leaked out. The slate made a premature appearance in Sony's Xperia Lounge Android application and was quickly taken down. The sole leaked image of the device reveals Xperia Z3-like design with rounded metal edges. Considering Sony's track record, we are all but certain that the device will carry IP rating for water and dust resistance. Aside the 2K display, there is no word on the specs of the Xperia Z4 tablet. The diagonal of the screen will likely be in the 10" ballpark. The leaked Xperia Lounge screenshot suggests that the tablet will make its official debut next week during MWC in Barcelona. We will be covering the event live, so be sure to tune in to find out all about Sony's latest hardware. Source...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z4_tablet_with_2k_display_leaks_out-news-11313.php

Leaked HTC One (M9) promo videos go live


Hot on the heels of the leaked press renders earlier today, a series of HTC One (M9) promo videos also made the rounds on the web. In line with past leaks, the videos leave nothing to imagination. The first from trio of clips showcase the design of the upcoming smartphone, as well a number of its hardware highlights. Key features of HTC One (M9) include metal body with two-tone finish, UltraPixel front-facing camera, 20MP main snapper, and BoomSound speakers with Dolby Surround. The remaining two videos focused on the Sense-d Android 5.0 of the device and its brand new camera. HTC has added a number of improvements to its latest custom UI like improved BlinkFeed and the ability to create your own theme among others. HTC One (M9) will debut this Sunday, on March 1 in Barcelona. Be sure to tune in to find out everything about the Taiwanese manufacturer's new flagship. Via...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_htc_one_m9_promo_videos_go_live_-news-11312.php

LG G Flex 2 is now up for pre-order in the UK


The LG G Flex 2 is now being offered on pre-order in the UK. We knew this would happen, but we were expecting pre-orders to debut on February 28, which is this Saturday. However, Carphone Warehouse has decided to jump the gun on this one. The well known retailer is giving you the opportunity to pre-order the G Flex 2 with contracts from Vodafone, O2, and EE. The handset can be yours for free with plans starting at £34.50 per month. For that amount Vodafone will give you 600 any network UK minutes, unlimited texts, and 1GB of 4G data. Obviously though, there are many more options, going as high as £58.50 per month. That particular plan is also at Vodafone, and it brings you unlimited minutes and texts along with 10GB of 4G data each month. If you pre-order a G Flex 2, Carphone Warehouse is throwing in the LG P7 Bluetooth speaker and Circle case for free. This bundle is apparently a £150 value. Pre-orders are currently expected to start shipping during or before the week commencing on March 16. So you still have some waiting to do if you're after the G Flex 2 in the UK. Source |...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_flex_2_is_now_up_for_preorder_in_the_uk-news-11311.php

9.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 has specs revealed


Samsung is working on successors for its Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Galaxy Tab S 10.5 tablets, as we've told you before. There will be two devices in the Tab S2 line too, but they will have different sizes - because Samsung has this time around opted to use 4:3 aspect ratios, favored by Apple for all of its iPads, and by Google recently for the Nexus 9. So far we've only known that the new Tab S devices would have Super AMOLED touchscreens just like their predecessors, and that they are going to be thinner than any iPad ever. Now though we have a pretty complete list of specs for the bigger, 9.7-inch Galaxy Tab S2. This is because someone testing such a device has decided to run a benchmark on it. And that benchmark stores information about the products that run it. So the bigger Tab S2 will sport a touchscreen with 2,048x1,536 resolution (like recent iPads and the Nexus 9), 3GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, an 8MP rear camera, and a 2MP front snapper. Ignore the 9.6" listing for screen size, as this particular benchmark can get that wrong sometimes. It also likes to underreport camera resolutions, which is why it says the rear unit in the Tab S2 is 7MP. As for RAM and storage, we assume it gives us free space. The Tab S2 runs Android 5.0.2 at the moment, and it's powered by one of Samsung's own Exynos chipsets, which has a big.LITTLE CPU configuration, with four Cortex-A57 cores and four Cortex-A53 ones. The maximum clock speed is 1.9 GHz. The GPU is a hexa-core Mali-T760MP6. So the SoC has been updated from the Exynos 5420 in the original Tab S tablets, which had older Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 cores. Meanwhile, the RAM amount has stayed the same, as have the cameras. The Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 will reportedly have a metal frame, and it's rumored to weigh just 407g, and come with the following dimensions: 237.1 x 168.8 x 5.4 mm. That would make it smaller than the iPad Air 2 in every respect, and lighter too. Source | Via (in...






Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/97inch_samsung_galaxy_tab_s2_has_specs_revealed-news-11310.php

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