Here's what you can expect from the Apple Spring Forward event

MWC 2015 is now behind us, but that doesn't mean all is calm in the tech world. Apple might have skipped the Barcelona venue, but the tech giant has an event prepared for next Monday - March 9. It is entitled "Spring Forward" and will begin at precisely 10 a.m. PDT. It will be live-streamed on Apple's website, but, as usual, only for OSX and iOS devices. The event is most likely going to be centered around the Apple Watch, the company's highly-anticipated smartwatch. The watch is said to offer a set of premium materials and color choices, so a large part of the presentation will most likely be devoted to customization. Options range from rubber and a simple glass finish, through leather and steel straps and a sapphire glass, all the way up to gold, for the most extravagant users. Another key topic at the presentation will surely be the device's functionality. Apple has decided on a feature-rich approach for its first wearable, as opposed to Android Wear devices, which aim to be more of a convenient side assistant. Keeping this in mind, we are most likely going to see a large number of applications on the Watch that duplicate existing phone features, much like with the Samsung Gear S, but also dedicated new Watch experiences as well. This is surely going to be a huge selling point and we have no doubt that a large portion of Monday's presentation will be devoted to what applications the wearable is going to offer at launch and also what can be achieved using the company's WatchKit. Apple has invested a lot of effort in its future wearable ecosystem and developers have been actively participating along the way. Some estimates even claim that the Apple Watch will have as much as 100 000 apps at launch, but we'll just have to wait and see about that. Besides the Apple Watch, however, there have also been a few other rumors floating around, regarding what the Cupertino giant might bring to the show on Monday. One prevailing speculation is that a new 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina display is going to make the rounds on March 9. While this is not entirely in tune with previous release schedules it is very plausible, considering all the recent hype. Rumors also speculate that it will be joined by another 12-inch device, only this time it's a tablet. The 12-ich iPad Pro first popped up in the rumor mill in January and has been widely discussed since. The attention it generated was so great, that fans even produced gorgeous 3D renders of the alleged device. Another thing that is a lot more likely to make an appearance this Monday is the new version of iOS - 8.2. It has been in development for quite some time now and 5 beta versions have already seeded to developers. Seeing how the main features in brings to the table revolve around expanding the fitness tracking functionality and the compatibility with the Apple Watch, it is more than likely that it will be officially start seeding to end users come Monday. Last, but not least, a new music streaming service, based on Beats Music is on its way to becoming a part of iOS's stock music player. Recent reports hint at a likely delay with the new feature, but there is still a possibility we might see it on stage come Monday. All in all, Apple's "Spring Forward" event is shaping up quite nicely. Be sure to check back on Monday for our coverage of what Apple have in store for the tech...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/heres_what_you_can_expect_from_apples_spring_forward_event-news-11447.php

Galaxy S6 edge vs. Galaxy Note Edge: A camera shootout

We had the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge with us for a short time so we took a stroll though Barcelona with a Galaxy Note Edge also in our pocket for an impromptu shootout. We took some photos and videos and hurried back to HQ to compare them...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_edge_camera_mini_shootout-review-1224.php

Sony to release Android 5.0 Lollipop for Xperia Z series only

Sony Mobile introduced quite an interesting bunch of mid-range Android 4.4 KitKat devices last year. But the company's main focus remains on the Xperia Z series. While most other Android smartphones are getting the Android 5.0 Lollipop update, the owners of Sony Xperia devices inquired about the same for their devices. Sony surprised everyone by stating via its official Twitter account that the Lollipop update will be released only for the the Xperia Z series devices. That means, the Xperia E1, E2, C3, M2, M2 Aqua, T3, and T2 Ultra will not be getting the Lollipop update. @VIVSNO Hi. We can advise that the Android 5.0 Lollipop update is going to be released for the entire Xperia Z series only, we do apologise.— Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) March 4, 2015 Sony has been clear about the Lollipop update for the Xperia Z series since October last year and affirmed that at the MWC 2015 in Barcelona,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_to_release_android_50_lollipop_for_xperia_z_series_only-news-11456.php

Week 10 in review: MWC announcement, Apple rumors

Another week has passed and boy, was it intense! Our news section has been overflowing and almost everything has been about MWC. A lot of new phones were announced at the Barcelona venue and excited the tech world, but there is no doubt that Galaxy's latest flagship device stole the show. The Samsung "Unpacked" event was a grand spectacular in itself, but what really wowed the audience was the new Galaxy S6 and its curved variant - the Galaxy S6 edge. Both phones are at the tip of mobile innovations. The duo is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 7420 SoC and boast the latest and greatest 3GB LPDDR4 RAM modules. Of course, the double-curved screen of the S6 edge, really sets it apart from the competition in terms of visuals alone, if nothing else. HTC also captivated fans with its brand new top-of-the-line device - the HTC One M9. It was also unveiled at MWC and is a logical continuation of the One device line. So much so, that the design looks almost unchanged. The handset does offer a new specs sheet, featuring the beastly Snapdragon 810, as well as a single 20MP main camera. There were a few other notable device debuts at MWC 2015. Microsoft showed off the new Lumia 640 and its, hmm, larger brother - the 640 XL. BlackBerry had a few tricks up its sleeve. The Canadian company unveiled a brand new 5-inch, entry-level smartphone, called the BlackBerry Leap and also teased a very interesting slider phone, with a physical keyboard and a double-edged display, much like the one on the Galaxy S6 edge. In other news, Apple fans have been on their tips and are gearing up for the company's "Spring Forward" event, set for March 9. This anticipation has naturally sprung various talks and rumors concerning the next version of iOS, as well as the future iPhone 6s handset. The rumor mill has also been busy, discussing the Galaxy Note 5 Edge and the possibility of a double-edged screen in the future device, as well as Google's plans to collaborate with Huawei on the next Nexus device and a rather interesting benchmark of what looks like a new Nokia 1100 smartphone. If you think you might have missed something from the busy week, here is a list of what you, our readers, found most interesting in the tech world. .news-item .n-left { float: left; width: 16%; text-align: center; margin-left: -13px; } .news-item .n-right { float: left; width: 84%; } .news-item a { padding-bottom: 0; padding-left: 0; } .news-item .n-right h2, .reviews-item .n-right h2 { clear: both; padding: 0 0 3px 0px; font: 400 19px Oswald, Arial; margin-top: -4px; } .n-right p { line-height: 155%; } .news-item { padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px; border-top: 1px solid #ccc; } .news-item p { margin-left: 0; } .n-right h2 a { text-decoration: none; color: #000; } Samsung unpacks Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge at MWC 2015 The first Samsung unpacked event for 2015 brought us a duo of flagships - Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. Microsoft unveils 5-inch Lumia 640 and 5.7-inch Lumia 640 XL Both will launch with WP8.1 but will be updated to W10. The Lumia 640 XL packs a 13MP Zeiss camera. Check out the Samsung Galaxy S6 camera samples Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge went official today with 16MP F/1.9 rear cameras and OIS. HTC One M9 goes official with a refined design, Snapdragon 810 HTC One M9 comes with the same 5" 1080p display, but upgrades to Snapdragon 810 and 20MP camera. A Nokia 1100 with quad-core CPU and Lollipop spotted online The device named Nokia 1100 has popped up in a Geekbench result and is possibly in the works. HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6 have already been priced As you may have imagined, the two upcoming flagship smartphones will not be cheap at all. iPhone 6s rumored to sport 2GB of RAM, Apple SIM too Apple's next generation smartphones will bump up the memory capacity, a new report claims. HTC One M8s with slower CPU to replace the One (M8) soon The phone will be virtually identical to the One (M8) we already know, save for the different...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/week_10_in_review_mwc_announcement_apple_rumors-news-11444.php

Alleged HTC One M9 Plus photos make the rounds

Purported live photos of HTC One M9 Plus made the rounds online. The yet to be revealed handset is expected to be a version of One M9 with beefed up hardware. The unannounced device sports similar design as the regular HTC One M9 save for its main camera unit. The latter's cutout is circular as opposed to squarish in the One M9 that already debuted. HTC One M9 Plus might debut with two different chipsets - a MediaTek MT6795 model could cater to the Chinese market, while a Snapdragon 810 version will be sold elsewhere. The rest of the device's rumored specs include 5.2" QHD display, fingerprint scanner, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of expandable memory. Source | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_htc_one_m9_plus_photos_make_the_rounds-news-11455.php

JDI outs WQHD LCD display with in-cell touch integration

Japan Display Inc. took the wraps off a WQHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) LCD display with in-cell touch integration. The high-end component is the first of its kind to enter mass production. The newcomer will have a diagonal larger than five inches. It incorporates in-cell touch used in JDI's "Pixel Eyes" technology. In-cell touch integration has been difficult to incorporate in high-resolution displays, so the new LCD panel is quite an engineering feat. Viewing angles of the display will be larger than 160 degrees. Its surface luminance and NTSC ratio are 500cd/m2 and 85% respectively. The unit's contrast ratio is 1500:1. The component is certain to debut in a high-end smartphone at some point in the near future. JDI also made noise recently in a rumor about potential partnership with Apple. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/jdi_outs_wqhd_lcd_display_with_incell_touch_integration-news-11454.php

Moto E (2015) with 4G launched by Sprint, Boost, Virgin Mobile

The Moto E (2015) has been available in the US in unlocked form for a while, and today it's also gone on sale at a couple of carriers. Actually, we're talking about Sprint and one of its prepaid brands - Boost Mobile, to be exact. Sprint's other prepaid brand, Virgin Mobile, will launch the new Moto E on March 9 (which is this coming Monday). At Boost, you can already grab a Moto E (2015) - online or in stores. You can only have the white model though. The black phone is available for Sprint Prepaid in Best Buy and Radio Shack stores. The pricing is identical in all cases, the new Moto E goes for just $99.99, without any long-term contract requirement of course. Considering that this is the 4G-capable model which retails unlocked for $149.99, you're saving quite a bit of money if you get it from Boost, Sprint, or Virgin (it's a third cheaper). Then again, if you buy from one of these carriers, you'll need to use the handset on plans from that company, so there's that to keep in mind too. This year's Moto E comes with slightly refreshed specs compared to its predecessor. It boasts a 4.5-inch qHD (560x940) touchscreen, a 5 MP rear camera, a secondary VGA camera, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a microSD card slot for expansion, and a 2,390 mAh battery. The 4G LTE iteration (which Sprint, Boost, and Virgin are selling) is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 410 SoC, sporting a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and Adreno 306 GPU. The phone runs Android 5.0...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e_2015_with_4g_launched_by_sprint_boost_virgin_mobile-news-11453.php

Moto Maxx will be released in India as the Moto Turbo

Next Tuesday, on March 10, Motorola is holding an event in India. It's always been clear that the company will use this avenue to make the new Moto E (2015) official for the subcontinent. But now it looks like Motorola will have something else to announce too. It turns out that the company is planning to sell the Moto Maxx in India as the Moto Turbo. This information comes straight from Motorola's Indian website, believe it or not, which is currently showing the promo you can see in the image below. It's still unclear if this is intentional or if it's just an employee's mistake, but it's now obvious that the Droid Turbo will end up being sold in India as the Moto Turbo. This confusingly comes after the same handset has been introduced in other international markets as the Moto Maxx. So we're already up to three different names for the exact same phone, for whatever reason. While Motorola only says the Turbo is "coming soon", it would be odd for it not to get unveiled at Tuesday's event, especially now that it's front and center on the company's website. If the Moto Turbo will be identical to the Maxx and the Droid Turbo on the inside as well as the outside, then it should sport a 5.2-inch 2,560x1,440 OLED touchscreen, a 21 MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, and a 2 MP selfie snapper. Powering it is supposed to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, with a 2.7 GHz quad-core CPU and Adreno 420 GPU, aided by 3GB of RAM. The phone may be kept running by the same 3,900 mAh battery too. Like the Moto E (2015), the Moto Turbo could be exclusively offered in India through Flipkart, the country's biggest online retailer. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_maxx_will_launch_in_india_as_the_moto_turbo-news-11452.php

Verizon starts Galaxy S6 and S6 edge pre-orders on April 1

If you're impressed with Samsung's new Galaxy S6 and S6 edge and you live in the US, then you'll perhaps be happy to know that we now have the first carrier confirming when it will start taking pre-orders for the duo. The carrier in question is Verizon, and the day on which it will commence pre-orders for both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is April 1. No joke here, the company is looking forward to selling you some high-end Samsung smartphones. Unfortunately Big Red hasn't also unveiled when the two devices will become available, but Samsung has said they would be up for grabs in 20 countries on April 10. We assume the US is one of them. Hence, Verizon's launch should happen on that day too. So it's looking like a ten-day pre-order period followed by the release. Verizon hasn't announced pricing details just yet, but it's probably going to offer the S6 starting at $199.99 with a new two-year contract, and the S6 edge from $299.99 with the same arrangement. We'll surely find out more details pretty soon, since we're only about three weeks away from the starting point of the pre-orders. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_starts_preorders_for_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_on_april_1-news-11451.php

The Microsoft Lumia 640 is already up for pre-order in Europe

This year at MWC we saw not one, but two new Lumia smartphones. The Microsoft Lumia 640 and its bigger brother, the Lumia 640 XL. Only a few days later the former model has already been put up for pre-order in the Microsoft store for Germany, France and UK. There are, however some interesting inconsistencies across the stores. While the latter two offer the Dual-SIM version of the handset, the UK store has listed, what appears to be the single-SIM variant. To further confuse things, prices also appear to differ. The German store, which was indeed the first to put-up the offer, has set a price of EUR 159, whereas the smartphone goes for EUR 179 on the French website. This might be due to TAX differences, but the fact that the single-SIM model is listed for GBP 169.99, or about EUR 236 in the UK page is quite puzzling. All of the devices are, however described as LTE-enabled. The UK store does also state that the Lumia 640 will be available starting April 7, whereas in the German and French sites this date has been pushed forward to April 16. Despite the odd, inconsistent listing the fact is that Microsoft doesn't intend to waste any time getting the smartphone on the market. What is your take on the matter? And would you consider the Lumia 640 as your next phone? Source 1 (in German) | Source 2 (in French) | Source 3 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_microsoft_lumia_640_is_already_up_for_preorder_in_europe-news-11450.php

Xiaomi to launch a new device in India, should be Redmi 2

Xiaomi has a new contest in India, held via the official Facebook page. There you must find three words into a word puzzle and then you automatically participate for winning one of the three gadgets. The puzzle has words such as 'Quick Charge', 'Wide angle', 'expandable', 'matte' and 'Cortex'. These should suggest the Redmi 2, since the Redmi 1S is out of stock already, while the Mi Note Pro is yet to be released later this year. Hopefully Xiaomi doesn't make exclusive the Redmi 2 to Flipkart as it did with the previous Redmi 1S smartphone. The Redmi 2 is already available in China and it is about time Xiaomi launches it in India as well. The contest ends by the end of March 11. This means the announcement should happen in a week or so. Meanwhile you can learn more about the Snapdragon 410-powered Xiaomi Redmi 2 from our specs and our dedicated in-depth review. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_to_launch_a_new_device_in_india_should_be_redmi_2-news-11449.php

HTC A55 is HTC One E9 with QuadHD screen, MT6795 chip

HTC A55 made the rounds just a month ago with flagship-grade specs, but it was rumored as a Desire smartphone. Today we finally learn its retail name - it's indeed a flagship phone from the One series - the HTC One E9. HTC Hima Ace or HTC A55 should launch as HTC One E9 - a different flavor of the One M9. It will pack a 5.5" Quad HD display and run on the MediaTek MT6795 chipset with an octa-core 2.0GHz Cortex-A53 processor, PowerVR G6200 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The rest of the HTC One E9 specs are pretty much the same as the One M9 flagship - 32 GB storage, 20MP rear camera, 4MP UltraPixel selfie snapper, rich connectivity package (including a dual-SIM option) and Android 5 Lollipop plus HTC Sense 7 UI. In some markets the 4MP front sensor will even be replaced with a 13MP one. There is no information on when the official announcement will happen, but it is rumored to launch in China by the end of this month. The rumored paintjobs are White Rose Gold, Gray, and Brown Gold colors. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_a55_is_htc_one_e9_with_quadhd_screen_mt6795_chip-news-11448.php

Huawei P8 Max tipped, as the P8 gets teased in leaked photos

Two new alleged photos of the Huawei P8 have surfaced revealing the phone's thin profile. The company's upcoming flagship is rumored to measure just 6mm, 0.5mm less than its predecessor, the Ascend P7. Additionally, according to Chinese CNMO (the source of the photos), Huawei is preparing a P8 Max with a 6.8" display. The resolution isn't known yet, but knowing where Huawei's CEO stands regarding QHD resolution is hard not to suppose it's 1080p. For now, there aren't that many details regarding the purported Huawei P8 Max. As for the Huawei P8, rumors have been floating around suggesting a mid-April launch in a dedicated London event. It's believed to happen on April 15. Huawei will supposedly unveil the 5.2" smartpone featuring 1080p resolution and a 13MP camera with OIS. Under the hood, the Kirin 930 chipset with be in charge with 64-bit octa-core CPU built on the 16nm TSMC manufacturing process. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_p8_max_tipped_as_the_p8_gets_teased_in_leaked_photos-news-11446.php

iOS 8.2 leaked release notes, will probably start seeding next week

iOS 8.2 has been in the works for quite some time. Last month we reported that a beta 5 version of the software has been made available to developers and rumors point towards next Monday - March 9, as the official release date for the final build. This does fit together nicely with the "Spring Forward" event, which is also set for the upcoming Monday and will be centered around unveiling the new wearable. The new iOS version, which mainly adds support for the smartwatch has reportedly received one last GM build before the live update goes out next week and the release notes for the package have managed to slip through the crack. This gives us a sneak peek at what Apple is working on it terms of support for the wearable, as well as some big updates and stability fixes of the OS itself. Below is the full internal change log for what is cited as build 12D508: Health App improvements Adds the ability to select the unit of measurement for body temperature, weight, height, distance, and blood glucose Improves stability when dealing with large amounts of data Includes the ability to add and visualise workout sessions from 3rd-party apps Addresses an issue that may have prevented users from adding a photo in Medical ID Fixes units for vitamins and minerals Fixes an issue where Health data wouldn't refresh after changes data source order Fixes an issue where some graphics showed no data values Adds a privacy setting that enables turning off tracking of steps, distance, and flights climbed Stability Enhancements Increases stability of Mail Improves stability of Flyover in Maps Improves stability of Music Improves VoiceOver reliability Improves connectivity with Made for iPhone Hearing Aids Bug Fixes Fixes an issue in Maps that prevented navigating to some favorite locations Addresses an issue where the last word in a quick reply message wasn't autocorrected Fixes an issue where duplicate iTunes purchased content could prevent iCloud restore from completing Resolves an issue where some music or playlists didn't sync from iTunes to the Music app Fixes an issue where deleted audiobooks sometimes remained on the device Resolves an issue that could prevent call audio from routing to car speakers while using Siri Eyes Free Fixes a Bluetooth calling issue where no audio is heard until the call is answered Fixes a timezone issue where Calendar events appear in GMT Addresses an issue that caused certain events in a custom reoccurring meeting to drop from Exchange calendar Fixes an certificate error that prevented configuring an Exchange account behind a third-party gateway Fixes an issue that could cause an organizer's Exchange meeting notes to be overwritten Resolves an issue that prevented some Calendar events from automatically showing as "busy" after accepting an invite. Looking at the list, there are, indeed, some interesting new health features added in the mix, like integration with 3rd-party apps and different units of measurements for body temperature, weight, height, distance, and blood glucose. The pedometer will also, apparently, feature a privacy setting, slowing the user to turn it off at will. It does, however seem that despite all of the development and testing time Apple has had with iOS 8.2, this last-minute build does address a lot of bugs and issues, some of which sound pretty severe. Calendar time zone issues and audio transfer, for instance don't sound like things that should have been rolled over to the final betas, but there might be more to the story than meets the eye. Hopefully no major issues will come with iOS 8.2. We'll be sure to revisit the matter once we get the new update, so stay...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/ios_82_leaked_release_notes_will_probably_start_seeding_next_week-news-11445.php

Sony VP: Xperia Z3 is doing fine, focus shifts to user experience

Sony Vice President for Western Europe shared some interesting in-house info. According to the company's official the entire Xperia Z3 series - the Z3, Z3 Compact and the Z3 Tablet Compact - are doing very well on the market. Sony understands it doesn't need e new flagship that often and instead it will be shifting its focus on the consumer experience. Don't get this wrong - Xperia Z4 will come later this year, but Sony wants to improve its user experience first. Here is the official quote: "The innovation is not so much about launching and announcing a flagship with more and more megapixels and so on, it's about how can you make consumers' lives more innovative and more relevant as we go forward. This is what it's all about. We are focusing on bringing what is unique to the brand, bringing this content element into our proposition, such as Sony (Xperia) Lounge. This is what you need to understand. We will continue to launch beautiful hardware but it's not the only thing anymore." "The story is beyond that. It's whether you are expanding consumer experience beyond a technology standpoint, making sure these experiences are available to as many consumers as soon as possible, even those who bought products six months ago." Sony isn't moving to one-year product cycle either. According to the VP of Global Communication Sony will be adjusting the product releases, but the lack of announcement at the MWC isn't a shift to a new product cycle. Check this out: "Z4 is the next-generation of product that we'll be announcing. No, we haven't [moved to a more traditional 12 month product cycle]. As a general rule you will see some adjustment to the way we phase our products, but we're certainly not going to offer any specific details as to when we are going to bring our next products, beyond these, at this stage." "We haven't always announced a smartphone at MWC, sometimes we phase it and we'll have a smartphone or a tablet. This year we really wanted the emphasis on our story at MWC to be around expanding the mid-range offer and broadening the mid-range and obviously bringing in a super premium tablet as well. It's more a case of phasing the products in than anything else." "At IFA we announced three Z3 series products, the full sized smartphone, the Compact and the Compact Tablet. These are doing really well in the market and there is still quite a considerable amount of interest in those particular products and since we've announced them, we've updated a number of features. We've introduced Remote Play, there are more camera themes and there are more camera apps." So, the Sony Xperia Z4 is on the way, but it will be probably delayed for the spring or the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_vps_xperia_z3_is_doing_fine_focus_shifts_to_consumer_experience-news-11442.php

Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is receiving Android 5.0 too

It's clearly Android 5.0 Lollipop update season for Samsung smartphones these days (at least the high-end ones, that is). We've seen a lot of rollouts starting over the past few days, and the latest device to get to run the newest iteration of Google's mobile OS is the Galaxy S5 Active. This is the vanilla Galaxy S5's a lot more rugged sibling, which launched last year. And while the S5 itself has been enjoying Lollipop for quite some time, the Galaxy S5 Active is only now starting to taste it. The first rollout for this update is happening in Europe's Nordic region. People who purchased S5 Active units from the countries making that up can expect to see an update notification pop up soon. The file size for the download will be around 1.4GB, keep that in mind if you wish to get it via your carrier's network. After successfully installing the new software, you'll be running Android 5.0, build G870FXXU1BOB4. If you haven't received the update notification yet, you can manually check by using the option in Settings > About phone > Software update. Now that the ball's running, we should see the new software making it to Galaxy S5 Active units bought in other regions pretty...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_active_is_receiving_android_50_too-news-11440.php

Mobile World Congress 2015 is off to an end, here's our wrap-up

The time has come to wave goodbye to this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and look back at the wild ride it took us through. This year saw the announcement of many new smartphones and tablets, but also opened our eyes to new experiences - quite literally. But first, we can't turn a blind eye to the elephant in the room - the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge duo. Samsung certainly made it quite clear that it's betting high on design and innovation. The Galaxy S6 edge is the epitome of Samsung's new mantra and it hopes its dedication will pay off once the two phones launch in April. Build around an aluminum frame and covered on both sides with Gorilla Glass 4, the two smartphones feature high end specs including a QHD 5.1" display, the latest Exynos 7420 chipset with 14nm architecture and octa-core CPU as well as a 16MP camera. You can read all about the two smartphones in our extended hands-on coverage including camera samples and benchmarks. HTC also announced its 2015 flagship on the MWC floor - the One M9. More of an evolutionary than a revolutionary product, the One M9 is almost identical to the One (M8) safe for some fine external details. In addition to the updated innards of the phone including a Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB of RAM and a 20MP snapper, the phone also features a slightly larger camera than before at 2,840mAh. Moreover, HTC revealed the HTC Vive - it's a virtual reality headset done in cooperation with Steam. It's quite different from the majority of other alternatives on the market as it allows you to walk around the artificial environment and interact with it with a pair of controllers. Sony revealed the Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone and Xperia Z4 Tablet, as we're yet to see the company unveil the Xperia Z4 flagship. We also saw new smartphones from LG, Huawei, Alcatel, ZTE, Acer, Lenovo, Microsoft and even BlackBerry. Let's not forget the Nokia N1 and Jolla Tablet. The two Finnish companies aspire to soon make a dent in the industry and so far we're quite happy with the direction they're heading. You can check them all out in our neat Mobile World Congress 2015 coverage article, which is your gateway to everything that happened in Barcelona this week. However, we saw some very cool stuff from Chinese companies this year. The Gionee Elise S7 measures just 5.5mm thick, while Huawei Watch is one of the most beautiful Android Wear pieces we've seen yet. ZTE, on the other hand, revealed the Grand S3. It utilizes Eyeprint ID biometric technology. It scans your eyes and can be used for authorizing mobile payments, accessing secure content and unlocking the screen. We enjoyed our stay here, as Barcelona has warmly welcomed us here for yet another year. We shot a brief video of the major manufacturer booths for you to check out. We can't wait to see what Mobile World Congress 2016 will bring us. Check out our full MWC 2015...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/mobile_world_congress_2015_wrapup-news-11437.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge is Best new handset at MWC 2015

The LG G3 and iPhone 6 aren't the only smartphones to receive awards from the GSM Association, as it turns out. While those two got the "Best smartphone" title, keep in mind that voting for the category ended in November 2014. So basically they won the title of "Best smartphone of 2014" if we're honest. On the other hand, Samsung's newly announced Galaxy S6 edge managed to snag the title of "Best new handset, tablet or device" from the GSM Association. What that means is that the S6 edge got recognized as the best new handset launched during MWC 2015. This win is Samsung's second in a row in this category. Last year the Korean company got the same accolade for the Gear Fit. As you might imagine, Samsung is pretty proud of the achievement, noting in the official press release that the award underscores its "ongoing leadership in mobile technology development". Additionally, the company's Knox mobile security platform got rewarded by the GSM Association in the "Best security / Anti-fraud product or solution"...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_edge_wins_best_new_handset_at_mwc-news-11441.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge preview: Closer encounter

With the dust slowly settling after the initial clamor of the MWC announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6, we got to spend a few more relaxed moments with the Korean flagship pair.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_s6_second_encounter-review-1223.php

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is now getting Lollipop

The rollout of Android 5.0 Lollipop for Samsung devices continues. Mere hours ago we saw the new OS making it to T-Mobile's Galaxy Note 3, and now it's time for that phone's successor to taste something sweet too. In this case, however, we're talking about Sprint's version of the Galaxy Note 4. The carrier has posted official information about the update, and the over-the-air rollout has started today. Of course as is usual in such cases it might be a few days before your particular handset notifies you that the update is available, since the rollout is staged. Once you do get it, after applying the update know you'll be on software version N910PVPU1BOB7. Along with the bump in Android iteration (and every colorful thing that brings with it), this update also features some unnamed Wi-Fi calling enhancements, so if you use that functionality it might work better than before. If you're impatient, you can always manually check to see if the update is available for you by going to Settings > System > System update and (obviously) tapping Update...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sprints_samsung_galaxy_note_4_is_now_getting_lollipop-news-11439.php

LG G4 may pack a finger-print sensor after all

LG reportedly decided on using a fingerprint scanner on its next LG G4 flagship. Until recently the company was against investing into such technology though it has been following the trend since its revival with the iPhone 5s. Back in 2013 Apple had exclusive access to the best in-class sensors and that's the reason many companies, including LG, have decided to pass on the technology back then. At the MWC just few days ago Samsung launched its new generation Galaxies - the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge - both with fingerprint sensors and innovative Samsung Pay tech and services. Then Qualcomm announced a new type of fingerprint readers relying on 3D scanning and thus topping the Apple's TouchID in speed and security level. In the wake of the new events LG seems to be finally entering in the fingerprint/mobile payments race. As the insider sources from South Korea report, the LG is making a last-minute change into the LG G4, inserting a fingerprint scanner on its rear Power key. LG G4 announcement should happen this spring, so we'll know more soon. Until then take everything with a healthy pinch of salt, as those alleged last minute changes are easily done on paper, but it's entirely different story if they can actually made it to the real product in time. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_to_may_pack_a_fingerprint_sensor_after_all-news-11438.php

T-Mobile contest reveals Samsung Galaxy S6 priced at $699 for US

American telecom operator T-Mobile is hosting a contest for Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge on its official website. Though the registration page doesn't carry much information, the price of the Galaxy S6 has been listed on the Official Rules page. For the US, the Galaxy S6 32 GB model is priced at $699 in the list of prizes for the contest. Apparently, 16 GB iPhone 6 model was priced at $599. Quite likely that the Galaxy S6 edge is priced in the $799-$899 price range. Source|...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_contest_reveals_samsung_galaxy_s6_priced_at_699_for_us-news-11436.php

Motorola sends out Moto E (2015) launch invites in India

Motorola Moto E (2015) went official a week ago with new chipset and LTE support. A less-powerful 3G-only flavor featuring the old specs - a dual-core processor and 3G connectivity - is also available and it is already on sale in the USA. Motorola is yet to launch the new Moto E in India, but it is almost there. The company sent invites to the press for a dedicated Moto E event in New Delhi. There everyone will be able to try the successor of the best low-cost smartphone for 2014. The new Motorola Moto E brings a bigger 4.5" qHD display, a Snapdragon 410 chip with a 64-bit quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and 1GB of RAM, a 5MP cam and LTE connectivity on both the single-SIM and dual-SIM flavors. Allegedly, Flipkart will be offering the handset exclusively. In case you're interested, you might want to check out our Moto E (2015) hands-on straight off the MWC...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_sends_out_moto_e_2015_launch_invites_in_india-news-11435.php

Moto Maker to become available worldwide by the end of March

A spokeswoman has confirmed to CNET that the Moto Maker will make become available "world wide". Currently, Motorola's customization service is available only to customers in the United States, some countries in Latin America, such as Brazil and Chile, as well as in Western Europe. It's not yet known in which regions and countries the Moto Maker will hit first. The spokeswoman has said that this will happen later this month. Last week, the company revealed that you'll be able to customize the Moto 360 as well starting next month. Additionally, Motorola's President also made it clear that the company doesn't intend on making smartwatches with e-ink display and that the next Moto X will definitely not have a fingerprint sensor. Expect more details about Moto Maker's availability as it becomes available...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_maker_to_become_available_world_wide_by_the_end_of_march-news-11434.php

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge manuals now available online

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge were met with great acclaim at the MWC and are already available for pre-order in some countries. If you're itching to learn more about the S6 duo you can check out our hands-on from the MWC halls, but you can also read the user manual. The Galaxy S6 manuals are available in a number of languages: English, German, Spanish, French and Dutch. The Galaxy S6 edge manuals come only in English for now. These are lengthy 140 page manuals (145 pages in the case of the S6 edge) and cover the operation of both devices. How the Edge screen works is of a particular interest. You can assign different colors to 5 contacts for at-a-glance notification of who's calling. This works even when the phone is face down thanks to the curved sides of the display. There's plenty more the Edge screen can do - it offers an information stream from multiple sources, works as a night clock (like on the Note Edge) and plenty more. Details start on page 24. Thanks, Michel, for sending this in! Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_manuals_now_available-news-11433.php

The OnePlus One has been spotted running Sailfish OS

Martin Brook of Jolla just shared a quite interesting photo on Twitter. The shot is of a OnePlus One, running what appears to be Sailfish OS. This is definitely an achievement and puts the OnePlus among a select few devices that area capable of running the OS, besides, of course, Jolla's own tech. #twitter-widget-0 {width: 590px !important;} #SailfishOS on oneplus one. Thanks to @stskeeps for the hints. Doing it Together at #MWC pic.twitter.com/Ibbxpt2HCF— Martin Brook (@vgrade) March 5, 2015 This was achieved by using Sailfish OS's Hardware Adaptation Kit. The same process was employed to get the code running on the Nexus 4, 5 and 7, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4. The OnePlus One has an established reputation for being widely-loved by all sorts of developers. Running custom software and catering to tinkerers and mod creators is kind of part of its nature. Besides the CyanogenMod ROM, that it comes officially packaged with, the device can run modified versions of Ubuntu Touch, as well as almost every other major Android ROM modification in existence. So it does make quite a lot of sense to bring Sailfish to the OnePlus One. Martin also promised that he will share more about interesting project one he gets back from MWC in a few days, so stay tuned for an update. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_oneplus_one_has_been_spotted_running_sailfish_os-news-11432.php

MediaTek reportedly scored an order from Samsung

Samsung has been cutting back on its reliance on Qualcomm and is using its own Exynos chips for the Galaxy S6 flagships. New rumors claims the company is looking to partner with MediaTek to further pull away. The information is scarce, but it allegedly comes from the Deputy General Manager of MediaTek. The company's chipsets are used in several Sony and HTC but no Samsungs yet. There have been some rumors about Tizen phones with MT chipsets. The current Samsung Z1 is powered by a Spreadtrum chip. Spreadtrum is a Chinese fabless semiconductor company like MediaTek though not as well-known. A different possibility is that Samsung is looking for something to power its mid-range smart TVs and Blu-ray players, some of which use MStar chipsets. MStar is a fabless company from Taiwan. The MediaTek Helio chipset supports 120Hz displays and 4K video decoding, which would be of obvious benefit to TVs and MediaTek has experience in powering such devices. The Helio X10 chipset is based on eight Cortex-A53 cores, but MediaTek is working on a Cortex-A72 based chipset as well. Performance of the X10 is said to be comparable to the Snapdragon 810, so it will be well-suited for phones and tablets too. Again, none of this has been confirmed by either company. Still, with Intel partnering with Rockchip we're willing to give this rumor the benefit of the doubt. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/mediatek_reportedly_scored_an_order_from_samsung-news-11431.php

Oppo R1x launching worldwide in April

Some of you surely remember another visually appealing Oppo smartphone - the R1C, which was announced in January. The stunning sapphire-glass-back Oppo R1C will soon be available worldwide, under the name Oppo R1x. The handset is crafted up to the high standards of the rest of the manufacturer's lineup and employs the same high-strength CNC frame like the R5. It is also quite thin, at only 6.85mm and weighs only 130 grams. The R1x's most distinctive feature is the eye-catching sapphire-faceted back panel. The almost chameleon-style color effects on the phone are achieved through UV embossing of the layer, right underneath the glass, thus creating areas with different light-reflective capabilities. Oppo has definitely been working hard on its designs lately. Both the Oppo R5 and the N3 are gorgeously crafted, very thin phones that give off a definite premium feeling (and, of course, are also priced accordingly). Specs-wise, nothing will be changed in the international version of the Oppo R1 and it will be pretty identical to its, Chinese counterpart, except, of course, supporting GSM networks. The phone features a 5-inch "Pixel Eye" HD screen and is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 SoC, with four A63 CPU cores, clocked at 1.7GHz and another four at 1.0 GHz. This quite-capable mid-range chip is backed up by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard memory, along with a microSD slot for up to 128GB more. The main camera on the phone is a 13MP shooter and has an LED flash, while on the front there is a 5MP model. The R1x should hit international markets mid- to late April this year and will be available in two colors - sapphire blue and ice white. There is no official word on pricing yet, but we expect something around, or perhaps just a little bit over $400, which is what the phone goes for on its local...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_oppo_r1c_will_launch_worldwide_in_april_as_r1x-news-11430.php

Galaxy Note 3 also getting Lollipop OTA in India

Just hours ago we reported that Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N900T), which is the T-Mobile version is now getting an Android 5.0 OTA. Now, it appears, the much anticipated Lollipop update has reached India and is already seeding. Bear in mind that both devices in question are the Exynos (SM-N900) variant of the handset, which seems to currently have a higher update priority under Samsung's new market strategy. If you are currently waiting on the OTA in India, also bear in mind that the roll-out is surely going to take some time on the vast market, so be sure to check for the update regularly. The package itself carries the build number N900XXUEBOB2 and is available in two regions - INU and INS. It can also be flashed through Samsung KIES and is available for download from the following links, curtesy of samsung-updates.com: INU | INS (1.22 GB) As far as the more widely-spread N9005 Snapdragon version of the device, it is also getting Lollipop, but as of today the only available non-carrier build is from Poland. In four are interested in picking that one up and flashing it, check out our previous article. Thanks to everybody who sent this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/galaxy_note_3_also_getting_lollipop_ota_in_india-news-11429.php

VAIO smartphone retail packaging surfaces online

We revealed VAIO Corporation of Japan is preparing to launch a VAIO branded smartphone on March 12. Sony has no involvement since the VAIO brand was sold off to Japan Industrial Partners and relaunched independently. With imminent launch next week, the retail packaging of the VAIO smartphone surfaced online. We see a simplistic black colored box with VAIO branding on the front. Unfortunately, there are no real images of the VAIO smartphone as yet. The rumored specs of the VAIO smartphone include a 5-inch 720p display, a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 coupled with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB built-in storage. It will have a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, and run Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. As of now, there is no information regarding the price of the smartphone or its availability in other...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vaio_smartphone_retail_packaging_surfaces_online-news-11428.php

Android 5.0 arrives on Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for T-Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for T-Mobile began receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop. Samsung official support FAQs page revealed the news about the major OS update. Android 5.0 brings a host of new features to the Korean giant's 2013 flagship phablet. They include brand new ART runtime and Material Design makeover for Samsung's TouchWiz UX. Improved Wi-Fi calling is also included. If you are a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 user on T-Mobile, check for the update in your device's settings. Be aware that firmware updates usually roll out in stages. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_50_arrives_on_samsung_galaxy_note_3_for_tmobile-news-11426.php

Did HTC just reveal One M9's US retail price?

The HTC One M9, which went official just a few days ago, might carry a US price tag of around $599. The information comes from a new promotion, dubbed HTC One (M9) Sweepstakes, which allows US residents (age 18 older) a chance to win the new smartphone. The handset is currently available for pre-order in the official HTC store in Germany, where it will retail for €750. In the UK, pre-orders of the device begin on March 9 with EE, Carphone Warehouse, O2, and Three. Earlier, Best Buy US had also listed the One M9 for a short period of time, revealing a price tag of $649. As for the sweepstakes mentioned above, you can enter by visiting the company's website where a registration form awaits. The promotion ends on March 24, 2015 at 11:59 pm PT. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/did_htc_just_reveal_one_m9s_us_retail_price-news-11424.php

Huawei Watch will reportedly carry a massive price tag

According to a new report, the freshly announced Huawei Watch will carry a massive price tag. The Android Wear device will allegedly cost $1,000 when available. Considering that there is no official word from Huawei on the subject, we strongly suggest that you take this rumor with more than the usual amount of salt. While there's no denying that Huawei Watch looks premium, we will be beyond surprised if this is indeed the Chinese manufacturer's official pricing. Huawei Watch will be available in a variety of different finishes, so one of them could possibly hit $1,000. The gold version appears to be a likely candidate. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_watch_will_reportedly_carry_a_massive_price_tag-news-11425.php

Huawei's Honor 6 Plus arrives in India later this month

Just yesterday we heard that Huawei plans to sell the Honor 6 Plus in the UK in the near future. It's even got a partnership with an operator over there, ensuring the European launch will go as smooth as possible. Now it's surfaced that the Chinese company is also getting ready to launch the Honor 6 Plus in India. The release will happen before the end of March, but a more exact time frame hasn't been given sadly. And the same can be said for pricing information, which is especially important in emerging markets such as India. Given its past behavior, though, Huawei is expected to make the Honor 6 Plus quite affordable. Huawei is already selling the Honor 6 and Honor 3C in India, having introduced them last year. Huawei welcomes the launch of 4G in India, and it's planning on releasing many cheap 4G-capable smartphones in the subcontinent. The company hopes its wares will stand out through their quality, and it thinks the Honor 6 Plus will "take the market by storm", in the words of Dragon Yin, President of Honor International Business. The phone will be exclusively offered by Flipkart, India's biggest online...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huaweis_honor_6_plus_arrives_in_india_later_this_month-news-11423.php

iPhone 6s rumored to sport 2GB of RAM, Apple SIM too

If Apple will keep doing what it's been doing for a few years, in 2015 we're bound to see the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus launch. And now it looks like the first rumors about the duo are starting to surface. According to an unnamed "person familiar with Apple's future product plans, who has provided reliable information in the past", the iPhone 6s will boast 2GB of RAM. That's double the amount found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and it would mark the first bump in RAM capacity for Apple smartphones since the iPhone 5, which launched in 2012. Before the iPhone 5, the iPad 3 got 1GB of RAM first, and nowadays the iPad Air 2 already ships with 2GB, so if history repeats itself the increased amount of memory should make it to the next-gen iPhones. 2GB of RAM would obviously enable smoother multitasking, but it might apparently take a toll on battery life in the process. Regardless, this feels like a common sense move so it's probably going to happen. Less certain seems Apple's rumored decision to ship the iPhone 6s (and 6s Plus) with the Apple SIM that debuted alongside the aforementioned iPad Air 2 last year. On the tablet, this lets you quickly sign up for a data plan at any participating carrier straight from the Settings. It requires no contract signing and lets you switch carriers at any time. And those two things are exactly what would make shipping Apple SIMs inside iPhones quite unlikely. Carriers love contracts, and they aren't going to give them up - not even for Apple. What might happen is some sort of a compromise, perhaps with handsets bought from Apple itself coming with Apple SIMs, while those purchased at carriers would be locked to one network as before. The new iPhones could be outed in September, and released a few days (or weeks) after the official...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_6s_rumored_to_sport_2gb_of_ram_apple_sim_too-news-11422.php

Huawei Honor 4X is headed to the UK with new chipset

Following in the footsteps of the higher-end Honor 6 Plus, Huawei's Honor 4X is on its way to the UK too. In this case we haven't heard about an operator partner yet, but the Honor 4X should be up for grabs in the UK sometime in the second quarter of the year - so between April and June. A more specific release time frame isn't available at this point, but we do have pricing information. In SIM-free and unlocked form, the Honor 4X will be offered for just £149.99. The phone will be identical to the model of the same name that's already selling in China, save for one important difference. In the UK, the Honor 4X will be powered by Huawei's own 64-bit HiSilicon Kirin 620 SoC, coming with a 1.2 GHz octa-core CPU and Mali 450 MP4 GPU. This replaces the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 part found in the Honor 4X in China. It's unclear what prompted the swap, but in terms of performance there shouldn't be a penalty. Both CPUs have Cortex-A53 cores, the clock speed is the same, Huawei's SoC just comes with eight cores compared to four for the Snapdragon. Otherwise, you'll still find the same 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen inside the Honor 4X, along with the 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, 5 MP front snapper, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage (expandable via microSD), dual-SIM dual-standby functionality, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and the 3,000 mAh battery. The Honor 4X will run Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box (with Emotion UI 3.0 on top), but Huawei is promising a Lollipop update for the handset this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_4x_is_headed_to_the_uk_with_new_chipset-news-11421.php

OnePlus to start shipping in 16 European countries

OnePlus announced that it is expanding its market presence today. The company will start shipping in 16 European countries. You can check out the full list below. Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Greece Hungary Ireland Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Poland Romania Slovakia Slovenia To celebrate, Carl Pei - OnePlus Co-founder, Bridget Hickey - Director Digital Marketing & Insights as well as Ruta Klyvyte - Communications Manager will be vising some of the new regions that OnePlus will be shipping in. Namely, Warsaw, Poland on March 9, Prague, Czech Republic on March 10 and Budapest, Hungary on March 12. Sadly, exact information on pricing and launch dates for the new shipping destinations isn't available. OnePlus has promised to shed some light on the matter in the near future. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_to_start_shipping_in_16_european_countries-news-11420.php

Xiaomi to open its online Mi Store in Europe, but without the phones

Xiaomi announced recently its plans for market expansion over the USA. It won't kick off with phones however. Instead, the popular Chinese manufacturer will be selling wearables, headphones and power banks. We hope the Mi Pro Action Camera makes it too. As it turns out, Xiaomi plans to do the same in Europe. Company's VP Hugo Barra shared the Mi.com will be launching on the EU market this year. "It's going to be a different Mi.com experience from what we have in our markets in Asia, because we're not selling phones. We're only going to sell a small number of our hero accessories, things like the Mi Band, studio-grade headphones, in-ear headphones and the world's most popular power banks." Xiaomi's vice president also shared the company has no plans for selling phones and slates outside Asia. The current target is expansion in India and there is a lot of work to be done there. Due to the phones selling in limited batches in the so-called flash sales, it's already hard enough to get a Xiaomi phone in China, let alone in India. We guess Xiaomi phones will make it in USA and Europe through official channels someday, but until then, their fans will have to rely on expensive import via non-official...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_to_open_mi_store_in_europe_wont_be_selling_phones-news-11419.php

Huawei supposedly confirmed as the next Nexus phone maker

Kevin Yang, the Director of China Research at iSuppli, has shared on his Weibo account that Huawei is indeed chosen by Google as one of the makers of the next Nexus smartphone. While the information isn't backed up by any evidence, it comes from a reputable source, as iSuppli is one of the largest mobile analytics companies around.. A previous rumor, also originating from Weibo, but with an anonymous source, suggested that Google and Huawei have a deal for a Nexus smartphone, but the cheaper of two Nexus options in 2015. The more high-end Nexus smartphone will be made by LG and it's quite likely going to be an LG G4 variation of some sort. We can only guess that if Google opts for Huawei made Nexus smartphone, this will elevate Huawei and its proprietary Kirin chipset to a really good position in the developer's community. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_confirmed_as_next_nexus_phone_maker_by_isuppli-news-11418.php

LG plans to release a high-end smartphone above the G-series

LG had all but confirmed in advance, that it won't be unveiling the G4 at MWC and indeed, we didn't get to see the next-gen flagship in Barcelona. Instead, the company showed us four smartphones spanning the entire midrange, as well as the LG Watch Urbane and Urbane LTE. That should in no way lead you to believe the South Korean corporation isn't working on a sequel and LG Electronics mobile chief Cho Juno was quick to shed some light on the company's plans. For starters, as previously reported, an in-house chipset is in the works, with LG seeking to declare independence from Qualcomm in the years to come. While it's unlikely to be ready to actually make it to the G4, LG intends to implement it in future smartphones. Additionally, the LG G4 will be running an updated version of the company's UX Android skin. In its 4.0 iteration it will bring a major redesign and offer marked improvements in user experience, Juno was keen to point out. The UX 4.0 will be treated to its own dedicated launch, which will take place before the unveiling of the smartphone. Speaking of, the LG G4 is expected to see the light of day some time in April. LG wanted to distance itself from the craze of MWC and hold its own press event, with all of the attention focused on the G4. The new top-tier smartphone will bring improvements in build quality, where polycarbonate is said to be replaced by a metal-mixtured body. Even so, the G4 is going to lose its flagship status in the second half of this year, when the company plans to release an even higher-spec'd top-end smartphone. Industry pundits speculate the new model will command a 10% premium over the G4, for an end-user price of around 1M KRW ($900+). Little else was revealed about the said device, though. It's shaping up to be an eventful year for LG, one that will see the company try to catch up with arch-rivals Samsung and Apple, while in the meantime attempt to regain the third place in number of smartphones shipped, a position Xiaomi snatched last year. Source 1 2 | Via 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_plans_to_release_a_highend_smartphone_above_the_gseries-news-11417.php

Motorola Moto E (2015) import data reveals approximate Indian pricing

Motorola has started the sale of Moto E (2015) in United States but of 3G model at $120. Meanwhile, the company has already ramped up the plans to introduce the Moto E (2015) in India as well. According to the import data on Zauba, the Moto E (2015) XT1056IN is estimated priced at INR6,045 ($97). Zauba lists that 2400 units of the Moto E (2015) have been imported in India. Quite possible that Motorola will team again with Flipkart to host the flash sale of the new model. The new model features a 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 chipset, 5MP camera and 8 GB built-in storage. We reported earlier that the Motorola Moto E (2015) is expected to launch on Flipkart on March 10. Thanks for the tip...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_e_2015_import_data_reveals_approximate_indian_pricing-news-11416.php

Global Mobile Awards 2015 crown the iPhone 6 and LG G3

The GSM Association organizes the annual Mobile World Congress and along with it the traditional Global Mobile Awards (its 20th edition this year). The Global Mobile Awards 2015 are judged by more than 300 independent experts, analysts, journalists, academics, and in some cases, mobile operator representatives. The entry deadline was in November, 2014, meaning the awards go to last year's products. There's a multitude of categories, some of which may sound pretty obscure unless you are in the telco business, so we've shortlisted the few categories that we think would matter most to mobile phone enthusiasts (such as ourselves). Best smartphone is the most interesting category and the awards go to The Apple iPhone 6 and LG G3. The best low-cost smartphone award was grabbed by the Motorola Moto E (first-gen). Apple iPhone 6 specs review LG G3 specs review Motorola Moto E specs review Next up is the Best mobile tablet award, which went to the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. Best wearable mobile technology was claimed by the Motorola Moto 360. Finally, the Best Security/ Anti-Fraud Product/Solution award went to Samsung for its KNOX Workspace security suite. You can check out the full list of winners. Source .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...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/global_mobile_awards_2015_crown_the_iphone_6_and_lg_g3-news-11415.php

A Nokia 1100 with quad-core CPU and Lollipop spotted online

Recently there has been some movement on the Nokia front with the Android-powered N1 tablet selling out by the truck-load in mere seconds. This is perhaps why this alleged leaked benchmark sheet is so exciting. The prospect of Nokia coming back to the mobile front with an Android device, bearing the legendary 1100 model name is an astounding prospect, but also, sadly, highly unlikely. Most of you surely remember the Nokia 1100. Its immense popularity on various markets have turned it into a legend. The 2003 GSM device, complete with flashlight, of course, was even shortly resurrected back in 2009 after an alleged loop-hole in bank security systems ramped old unit prices to as much as $32,000. Since then not much has been spoken of the ancient device, even more so after Microsoft officially acquired Nokia's Devices and Services division. Since then the Finnish company has not been producing any mobile phone devices, apart from an alleged Nokia C1 concept, which, however turned out to a hoax. Out of curiosity, let us look at the revealed specs sheet of what is essentially a low to mid-range offer. It is built around a quad-core MT6582 CPU, clocked at 1.3 GHz. The display has a 720p resolution and oddly enough, memory is reported as 466MB, or in other words probably 512MB of RAM. The device is running on Android 5.0 and that is about as much as we know on the mystery unit. Bear in mind that faking a model number in Android is a revatively simple task and considering the current situation Nokia is in the Nokia 1100 is probably another hoax. Still we are hoping for the best and perhaps the N1's staggering success will help push things toward the resurrection of the legendary Nokia brand on the mobile market. What is your take on the matter? Is the benchmark fake and would you like to see a new shiny Nokia smartphone? Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_1100_with_quadcore_cpu_and_lollipop_spotted-news-11414.php

Gartner: Apple is now the world's top smartphone vendor

Apple dethroned Samsung to become the world's top smartphone vendor in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to a latest report from market research firm Gartner. As per the report, the Cupertino-based company sold a total of 74.83 million smartphones in Q4, compared to the 73.03 million units sold by the South Korean company in the same quarter. "Apple's strong ecosystem and its new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus drove strong replacements within the iOS base," the report said, adding that the new iPhones also offered users looking for larger screen phones a strong alternative to Android. "Samsung's performance in the smartphone market deteriorated further in the fourth quarter of 2014, when it lost nearly 10 percentage points in market share," said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at the research firm. "Samsung continues to struggle to control its falling smartphone share, which was at its highest in the third quarter of 2013. This downward trend shows that Samsung's share of profitable premium smartphone users has come under significant pressure." The third, fourth, and fifth spots were grabbed by Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi, respectively. The report also noted that smartphone sales last year totalled 1.2 billion units, up 28.4% from 2013, and represented two-thirds of global mobile phone sales. Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gartner_apple_is_now_the_worlds_top_smartphone_vendor-news-11413.php

Moto E (2015) with 3G-only goes on sale in the United States

Motorola Moto E (2015) with 3G-only connectivity is now available to order in the United States. The device can be ordered in 3G US GSM or 3G global GSM guise. The 3G Moto E (2015) costs $119.99 unlocked in black or white color scheme. For comparison, Motorola is asking $149.99 for the 4G LTE model with no contract. It is important to note that Moto G (2015) with 3G packs a less powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 chipset than the LTE model. The latter offers 64-bit Snapdragon 410 SoC. The rest of the 3G model's specs are unchanged. They include 4.5" qHD display, 5MP camera, and 8GB of expandable memory. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_e_2015_with_3gonly_goes_on_sale_in_the_united_states-news-11412.php

HTC One (M8) for Verizon gets Android 5.0 Lollipop

Android 5.0 Lollipop is now seeding to HTC One (M8) for Verizon Wireless. The Big Red version of the smartphone is the latest to receive the update - HTC One (M8) for Sprint and T-Mobile already got the treatment. The update is available over-the-air. It brings a host of improvements to the HTC One (M8) headed by brand new ART runtime and Material Design update for the device's native applications. We benchmarked HTC One (M8) with Android 5.0 Lollipop back in January. You can find out about the change in its performance in our blog post. Source | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m8_for_verizon_gets_android_50_-news-11411.php

ZOPO TOUCH with 2.5D curved glass launched at MWC 2015

The Chinese handset maker ZOPO Mobile launched the new TOUCH/ZP530 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. The new TOUCH features a 2.5D curved glass display similar to the one found in Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and BlackBerry Slider. Measuring mere 8.8 mm thick, ZOPO TOUCH has 9-membrane layers crammed in its back cover. Its display hugs a metal frame with a fancy micron sand blast and oxidation technology that makes the glossy durable. The device booth Android 4.4 KitKat. ZOPO TOUCH features a 5" 2.5D curved HD display with ON-CELL full-fitted technology, which can reach up to 95% NTSC value. Powered by 64-bit MediaTek MT6732 SoC with 1.5GHz quad-core CPU, TOUCH/ZP530 packs 1 GB RAM, 8 GB built-in storage, and full connectivity suite. TOUCH features 8 MP rear camera with LED flash and wide-angle 5 MP front-facing camera for selfies. Apart from that, the handset is loaded with several sensors - gravity sensor, accelerometer, range sensor, L-sensor and geomagnetic sensor. ZOPO has packed a 2100 mAh battery and has Dual-SIM (micro) support. The price and availability of the device will be announced...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zopo_touch_with_2_5d_curved_glass_launched_at_mwc_2015-news-11410.php

YotaPhone 2 to launch in the US via Indiegogo, priced at $600

Earlier this year we've heard that the YotaPhone 2 will be headed to the US via T-Mobile, but that seems not to be the case after all. The company behind the unique dual-screen smartphone has revealed that it will use crowdfunding site Indiegogo to launch the YotaPhone 2 in the US. The device will be priced at around $600, and the campaign will be live sometime this spring. The phone will support both AT&T and T-Mobile's networks, including LTE. If the Indiegogo launch is successful, Yota will bring the device to well known retailers such as Best Buy too. Yota is working on an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop for the YotaPhone 2, and this might come preinstalled for handsets offered in the US (or it may arrive shortly after the launch). The update will include an enhanced API for third party apps to be able to take advantage of the secondary e-Ink display. There will also be a white YotaPhone 2 released by late summer, which will have a black face but white back and sides. A cheaper version of the handset, called YotaPhone 2c, is in the works too. This will have the same large e-Ink secondary display on its back like the original YotaPhone 2, but will come with lower-end specs, including in the primary screen department. The YotaPhone 3 is expected to debut at CES next year, and it will obviously be the successor to the YotaPhone 2. Source 1 • Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/yotaphone_2_to_launch_in_the_us_via_indiegogo_priced_at_600-news-11409.php

Huawei Honor 6 Plus will be sold by Three UK soon

Huawei has been selling its Honor-branded smartphones in the UK for a while now, but so far only through third-party retailers and only in SIM-free and unlocked fashion. That's about to change, though. Three is going to become the exclusive operator partner for the Huawei Honor 6 Plus in the UK. The phone will become available to buy with Three's contracts, and select Three stores across the UK will showcase its design and features. Thus, Three customers will be able to "experience" the Honor 6 Plus before they buy one. If you aren't convinced by Three's plans, you'll also be able to pick up an Honor 6 Plus sans contract for just £250. A clear timeline for the launch hasn't been revealed yet, but it's safe to say that it should happen pretty soon. The Honor 6 Plus sports a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, dual 8 MP rear cameras with LED flash, an 8 MP front-facing snapper, 3GB of RAM, and a 3,600 mAh battery. It's powered by Huawei's own HiSilicon Kirin 925 SoC, pairing a quad-core Cortex-A15 and a quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU on a big.LITTLE platform, and boasting support for LTE Cat.6 networks (with theoretical peek download speeds of up to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_6_plus_will_be_sold_by_three_uk_soon-news-11408.php

Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is up for pre-order in Germany for €279

Sony took the wraps off the Xperia M4 Aqua yesterday morning in Barcelona at MWC, and today the new phone is already up for pre-order, at least in Germany. Right now Amazon is the only retailer doing the honors, and it's asking for €279 for the new device. That's €20 less than what Sony told us was the recommended retail price for the Aqua. You can get it in either black or white. Unfortunately no details about when it should start shipping are known just yet, but it may become available next month. The Xperia M4 Aqua comes with a 5-inch 720p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 5 MP selfie shooter, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,400 mAh battery. It's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 615 SoC, which boasts an octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1 GHz. It's IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, and it has support for Cat.4 LTE networks (with theoretical peek download speeds of 150Mbps). The M4 Aqua runs Android 5.0...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_m4_aqua_goes_on_preorder_in_germany_for__euro279-news-11407.php