Apple iPad mini 4 nearing, case leak reveals

It was only yesterday that we told you that the original Apple iPad mini was pulled off from the company's online store. A subsequent leak now gives us a hint as to the logic behind its disappearance. A set of live images, portraying what is allegedly a bumper case for the upcoming iPad mini 4, showed up online, courtesy of @OnLeaks. It's commonplace to have case manufacturers a step ahead of the crow in terms of dimensions an layout of new devices, and it's no different in this instance. Alleged Apple iPad mini 4 bumper case It's not like there's something revolutional to speak of in these photos though, after all the dimensions of the previous three generations of iPad minis remained the same. If anything, the bumper protector gives credibility to the previous leak, where we were treated to a video of the future tablet's casing. It's not difficult to deduct then, that the launch of the iPad mini 4 is approaching, and statistically its release is to be expected in the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_ipad_mini_4_nearing_case_leak_reveals-news-12738.php

Huawei Honor 7 purported to be priced at $599

Huawei is ready to launch its new flagship Honor 7 on July 30 in China. The specs of the Honor 7 were leaked before, but no info was revealed on the handset's pricing. Well, new intel now claims that the Honor 7 is expected to be priced at $599. The smartphone will feature a 5-inch 1080p display and will be powered by the new Huawei Kirin 935 chipset. The standard edition will pack 3GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage while the special edition will up the RAM to 4GB and internal storage will be four times as much at 64GB. At the rear, the 13MP snapper along with LED flash and optical image stabilization will keep the shutterbugs happy. The dual-SIM smartphone will pack a 3280 mAh battery inside what is likely going to be a full metal body. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_7_purported_to_be_priced_at_599-news-12737.php

Samsung Galaxy A8 passes TENAA certification

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a8_passes_tenaa_certification-news-12736.php

LG G4 launched in India for INR 51,000

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_launched_in_india_for_inr_51000-news-12735.php

HTC One M9+ to launch on EU markets in Q3

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_m9_to_launch_on_eu_markets_in_q3-news-12731.php

Yuphoria gets an incremental Cyanogen OS 12 update

YU Televentures started rolling out a new Cyanogen OS 12.0 update for the Yuphoria. This new YNG1TBS2P2 software is an incremental update packing few features and enhancements. Based on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, the new Cyanogen OS 12.0 update addresses heating issues that were mostly reported in early batch of Yuphoria units. The camera app has also been tweaked for better low light images and macro shots. Truecaller integrating Dialer has been improved as has been the touch screen responsiveness of the handset. Revised audio chipset code promises richer bass and clearer audio experience. The update measures roughly 38MB and will be reaching all Yuphoria owners in coming 2-3 weeks. The Cyanogen OS 12.1 update will be pushed for Yuphoria and Yureka after it passes final testing phase. Yuphoria features a 5-inch 720p Gorilla Glass 3 display, quad-core 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 mobile chipset, 2GB of RAM, 16 GB built-in storage, 8MP rear snapper, 5MP front cam, and 2230 mAh battery. Take a look at our Yuphoria review to know more about...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/yuphoria_gets_an_incremental_cyanogen_os_12_update-news-12730.php

Moto X 2013 starts getting Android 5.1 in US, Brazil and Canada

Motorola has announced that the Android 5.1 Lollipop update for the Moto X 2013 has started rolling out in the US, Brazil, and Canada. The announcement was made by David Schuster, Senior Director of Software Product Management at Motorola. It's worth mentioning that the update is currently only rolling out to retail units in the US and Brazil, and units on Rogers in Canada. This means that those with a carrier variant of the device in the US and Brazil will still need to wait a bit. Click the Source 2 link below to access the full release notes of the update. Source 1 | Source 2 |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_x_2013_starts_getting_android_51_in_us_brazil_and_canada-news-12734.php

ZTE rumoured to unveil Nubia Z9S on June 30

Less than a couple of months after ZTE unveiled the bezel-less Nubia Z9 smartphone, it is being rumoured that the Chinese company will announce a slightly updated version of the flagship on June 30. Dubbed Nubia Z9S, the device is said to bring Cat 9 LTE connectivity. This compares to the Nubia Z9, which was limited to Cat 4 LTE. For those who aren't in the know, Cat 9 LTE theoretically supports download speeds of up to 450Mbps, while Cat 4 maxes out at 150Mbps. The alleged photo of the Nubia Z9S (see above) shows the device reaching a download speed of around 250Mbps. Aside from the Nubia Z9S (if the rumour is true), the Huawei Honor 7 and the Meizu MX5 will also be unveiled on June...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_rumoured_to_unveil_nubia_z9s_on_june_30-news-12733.php

LG G4 now available for purchase in Canada

Earlier this month, LG confirmed that its latest flagship smartphone - the G4 - will go on sale in Canada on June 19, and now the handset is available for purchase in the country. All major Canadian carriers are offering the device. Rogers is selling it for CAD 199.99 ($163) on contract and CAD 699.99 ($571) outright. Wind Mobile has priced it at CAD 499 ($407) on WindTab and CAD 649 ($529) outright. The G4 is also available on Bell, Telus, and Videotron, which are selling it for CAD 199.95 ($163), CAD 200 ($163), and CAD 199 ($162) on contract, and CAD 699.95 ($571), CAD 700 ($571), and CAD 699 ($570) outright, respectively. It's worth mentioning that Videotron is also offering CAD 130 ($106) worth of free accessories - including an extra battery, a charger, and a 32GB memory card - with the device. Via 1 | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_now_available_for_purchase_in_canada-news-12732.php

Amazon Fire OS 5 Preview now out based on Lollipop

Sure, Google may already have put out the Android M Developer Preview, but Amazon is only now getting round to basing its Fire OS on the previous release. Today the mega-retailer announced a Developer Preview of its own, for Fire OS 5 that is. This iteration of Amazon's OS based on Android will be using the Lollipop codebase. If you're a developer you can try it right now, but if you're just a consumer rocking an Amazon device you'll need to wait until "later this year" when Fire OS 5 will be officially released. The fact that Amazon is only now using Android Lollipop as a base for its forked version of the OS shouldn't be surprising, considering that the update to Fire OS which used KitKat code only went out to devices at the beginning of May. So it's pretty clear that by the time Fire OS 5 (based on Lollipop) will actually be out, Google will have released Android M already. The Fire OS 5 Developer Preview can be installed on a Fire HD 6 or Fire HD 7 tablet. If you don't have one to test on, Amazon is offering you a $50 discount on the Fire HD 7. You do however need to be a registered developer to take advantage of this deal. The whole procedure is described in detail at the Source link below, which is also where you can find the link for the Fire OS 5 download. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_fire_os_5_developer_preview_now_out_based_on_lollipop-news-12729.php

Meizu MX5 will be unveiled on June 30 with "full metal jacket"

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx5_will_be_unveiled_on_june_30_with_full_metal_jacket-news-12728.php

Vodafone launches 5.5-inch Smart Ultra 6 phablet for £125

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vodafone_launches_55inch_smart_ultra_6_phablet_for_125-news-12727.php

Sony Xperia Z3+ is now available in the UK

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_z3_is_now_available_in_the_uk-news-12726.php

LG G4 vs. Samsung Galaxy S6: Next door rivals

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_vs_galaxy_s6-review-1266.php

HTC 8X to reportedly gain access to Windows 10 Preview

Pretty much all of the WP8 Lumia smartphones are compatible with the Preview version of the upcoming Windows 10 OS. Many people have tried the test builds and helped shape the final version of Windows 10, which should kick off later this year. There are lots of Windows Phone devices outside the Lumia lineup, but until today just one got the Windows 10 Preview treatment - the HTC One M8 for Windows. Today's rumor suggests another phone will be added to the list. As the report has it, the HTC 8X will be also getting access to the Technical Preview for Windows 10. It will be also included in the Windows Phone Recovery tool. The compatibility update should become available soon. All Windows Phone 8 smartphones will receive an update to Windows 10, but merely a fraction will get to try the Preview...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_8x_reportedly_to_gain_access_to_windows_10_preview-news-12723.php

Samsung pleading against $548 million payment

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/the_war_wages_on_samsung_pleading_against_546_million-news-12722.php

Lenovo sold 1 million 4G phones in India this year

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_says_sold_1_million_4g_smartphones_in_india_via_flipkart_-news-12721.php

EXCLUSIVE: Oppo Mirror 5 coming soon, check out its photos

Oppo Mirror 5 is an upcoming smartphone with an attractive rear panel, just like the gorgeous Oppo R1x. The Mirror 5 will tempt the users with a mirrored rear back with diamond pattern, latest Android OS and advanced camera tech. Oppo Mirror 5 Oppo is yet to reveal the full details of the Oppo Mirror 5, but for now we can confirm the Mirror 5 will feature a rear camera with PureImage 2.0+ interface and a 5MP selfie snapper with Beatify 3.0 functions. The Mirror 5 will rely on 2GB of RAM and offer 16GB internal storage. The Mirror 5 will launch in 20 markets by the end June or early July and will be available in 3G and LTE flavors, depending on the market. The first market to get it is Taiwan. Oppo Mirror 5 official announcement should happen very soon. Its Mirror 3 predecessor that launched in January was a decent mid-ranger, so we could expect the same from the Mirror 5. Until then you can enjoy the Mirror 5 beautiful official...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/exclusive_oppo_mirror_5_coming_soon_check_it_out-news-12720.php

OnePlus One coming to Flipkart soon

Looks like the OnePlus One smartphone, which was launched in India back in December last year and is currently exclusively available through Amazon, will soon be offered by Flipkart, too. The online retailer has posted a teaser (shown above) suggesting the same. It is being said that the 64GB Sandstone Black model of the smartphone will be offered by Flipkart beginning June 22. This comes just days after there were reports that the successor to the device, dubbed OnePlus 2, would be announced in July, and would cost at least $349. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_coming_to_flipkart_soon-news-12718.php

HTC One Max starts getting Android Lollipop update

The One Max, which was released by HTC back in October 2013, has started receiving the Android 5.0 Lollipop update. Weighing in at around 760MB, the over-the-air (OTA) update is currently rolling out in select Asian and European countries, including Taiwan, France, Italy, Poland, and Czech Republic. For those who aren't in the know, according to a previously leaked schedule, the One Max was expected to start receiving the update back in March this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_max_starts_getting_android_lollipop_update-news-12716.php

Blackberry's first Android phone rumoured to come in August

A few days ago, there were rumours that the Blackberry's first Android-powered smartphone - codenamed Venice - might arrive in November. However, a new report is suggesting that the Venice might not run Android at all. As per the report, the Canadian company's debut Android phone will instead be called Prague. Aimed at emerging markets, it will be a low-end, all-touch device, with form factor similar to that of the BlackBerry Z3 (shown in the image above). The handset is expected to be released in August this year, the report notes. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by the company, so take it with a pinch of salt. Via 1 | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberrys_first_android_phone_rumoured_to_come_in_august-news-12715.php

Samsung Galaxy J7 and J5 with front-facing flash are now official

The Galaxy J7 and J5 - which have been part of various leaks over the past few weeks - have been officially announced by Samsung in China, where they will go on sale this week. Specs-wise, the J7 is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor, and sports a 5.5-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixels. On the other hand, the J5 is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, and sports a 5-inch 720p display. They measure 152.2 x 79.1 x 7.9mm and 142 x 73 x 8.5mm, and pack in a 3000 mAh and 2600 mAh battery, respectively. The rest of the specs are identical: 1.5 GB RAM, 16 GB expandable storage space, and 13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras. In addition, they offer LTE and dual SIM capabilities, run Android 5.1 Lollipop, and come in black, white, and gold colour options. It's worth mentioning that these are the South Korean company's first smartphones that come with front-facing LED flash. As for the price, while the J7 carries a price tag of 1,798 CNY ($290), the J5 will set you back 1,398 CNY ($225). It isn't yet clear if and when the handsets will be available outside of China. Source 1 (translated) | Source 2 (translated) | Via | Image...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_j7_and_j5_are_now_official-news-12714.php

5.5-inch Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 arrives in Canada on June 30

After having made its way to the US already, Alcatel's OneTouch Idol 3 is now headed to Canada too, in its 5.5-inch iteration. Alcatel has officially announced that the Idol 3 will land in Canada on June 30. Over there you'll be able to purchase one from no less than three carriers: Bell, Telus, and Videotron. All of them will have the handset available both online and in stores. That's quite the launch compared to the US, where Alcatel resorted to using its own official store (powered by Amazon) to offer the Idol 3. Unfortunately pricing information for Canada hasn't been announced yet, but keeping in mind that the normal price of the phone in the US is $249.99, it should probably retail for around CAD 300 or so unlocked. The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash, an 8 MP selfie cam, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and a 2,910 mAh battery. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. It's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset, which has an octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at up to 1.5...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/55inch_alcatel_onetouch_idol_3_arrives_in_canada_on_june_30-news-12713.php

The next generation Apple Watch might have a FaceTime camera

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/second_generation_apple_watch_tipped_to_arrive_with_facetime_camera-news-12712.php

Nokia will launch new smartphones in 2016, CEO now says

Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri (pictured below) seems to have finally given up on saying that his company will not return to the smartphone market. Following one denial last year and another in April of this year, Suri now says the company is in fact planning on putting its name on new smartphones starting in 2016. There is a catch, however. Nokia will use the same strategy for its re-entry in the smartphone space as it did for creating the N1 tablet. Namely, while the Finns will design the devices and the company's name will be used, Nokia won't actually be producing the handsets. That task will be fulfilled by "suitable partners" Suri is hoping to find from this point on. That said, given how much brand recognition Nokia still has, this should not be an issue. Foxconn, which is the licensee for the N1 tablet, could be one interested party. Nokia can't even do this licensing dance before the second half of next year because of the terms of the deal through which it sold its mobile division to Microsoft in 2013. Since the N1 tablet runs Android, we assume future Nokia-branded phones will go the same route. While Microsoft hasn't been able to grab any significant smartphone market share after acquiring Nokia's mobile business, maybe Nokia itself will once again rise in that space even without any production capacity of its own. Source (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_will_launch_new_smartphones_in_2016_ceo_now_says-news-12711.php

Acer Liquid Z630 leaks through benchmark

Acer probably isn't a name you instantly associate with smartphones, but it's been churning out Android devices left and right for many years now. And it turns out the Taiwanese company is currently working on a new phablet. It will be called Liquid Z630, and most of its specs have been leaked by a benchmark database. This obviously means someone with a prototype took the time to run said benchmark on it. So, the Liquid Z630 is unashamedly a midranger. It sports a 5.5-inch 720p touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash, an 8 MP selfie snapper too, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, Bluetooth, a compass, GPS, Wi-Fi, and a gyroscope. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. At the helm we find MediaTek's MT6735 chipset, boasting a 1.3 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU and ARM Mali-T720 GPU. Since the SoC supports 4G LTE connectivity, we assume the Acer Liquid Z630 will come with that too. These are all the details we have for now, but we obviously expect this phone to be pretty cheap, considering the specs. Via (in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/acer_liquid_z630_leaks_through_benchmark-news-12710.php

OnePlus 2 will have underclocked CPU and cost at least $349

Yesterday OnePlus revealed the first piece of the puzzle regarding its next device, namely the chipset it will use. Unsurprisingly, the company went with the latest iteration of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 for the OnePlus 2. However, it assured us then that thanks to using an improved version of the SoC, along with some heavy cooling material inside the case, the OnePlus 2 will not suffer any overheating issues. Today OnePlus feels the need to clarify some of that, apparently because some rumors about its chipset choice have made its staff "mad" for whatever reason. So, it turns out that while the company may indeed be putting thermal gel and graphite on the SoC, one of the main reasons you'll see less heat generated by the S810 in the OnePlus 2 will have to do with underclocking. Namely, the four high performance Cortex-A57 cores will be limited to 1.8 GHz, which is 200 MHz or 10% less than the CPU can handle. It's still unclear how much thermal throttling we'll see in this Snapdragon 810 v2.1 employed in the OnePlus 2, and thus how much time the Cortex-A57 cores will actually be able to spend running at 1.8 GHz all at the same time, even in intensive tasks. But perhaps an announcement about this is due for tomorrow, since it seems like every day OnePlus has something new to share in this period. Moving on, a recent rumor said the OnePlus 2 would be priced from $322 in China. Now though the company is clearly stating that "the price of the 2 will certainly be higher than $322". In the best case scenario, that means its starting price (for the lower internal storage version) might be $349. Then again, we could be looking at a minimum level of $399 or even more. OnePlus explains this with the cost of the aforementioned Snapdragon 810 chipset, which apparently goes for around 60% more than the Snapdragon 801 used in last year's OnePlus One. If this is true, it's a pretty strange move for Qualcomm to charge so much for a part that's more well known right now for its overheating problems than for its actual...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_2_will_have_underclocked_cpu_and_cost_at_least_349-news-12709.php

UK gets Blue Topaz and Green Emerald Galaxy S6 on July 1

Samsung detailed the UK availability of the long-awaited exclusive color options of the Galaxy S6 lineup. Both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are currently available worldwide in White Pearl, Black Sapphire and Gold Platinum. But both were promised an exclusive paintjob since the official announcement - Blue Topaz for the Galaxy S6 and Green Emerald for the S6 edge. Samsung officially launched the special flavored editions on May 18, but those come in limited stock and availability. Today Samsung detailed the UK release of those two exclusive colors - both will be available for purchase on July 1. UK users will be able to get the Green Emerald Galaxy S6 edge from all major retailers and carriers, but the Blue Topaz Galaxy S6 will be available exclusively through Samsung Experience Stores and Carphone Warehouse. The Carphone Warehouse's exclusivity on the Blue Topaz edition ends on August 12, when more retailers should be able to get stock of the beautiful...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/get_blue_topaz_and_green_emerald_galaxy_s6_flagships_on_july_1-news-12708.php

Samsung and LG allegedly working on iris recognition

Thanks to devices like the Fujitsu Arrows NX F-04G and the vivo X5 Pro, iris recognition seems to be becoming trendy once again. In fact, the technology was quite a buzzword last year and rumors were floating around of the LG G3 and Galaxy S5, flagships at the time, making use of the extra security feature. Obviously, this didn't come to pass, but, the rumors have been rekindled and industry sources now claim that both major Korean players are already working on their respective solutions for bringing iris recognition to their handsets. Rumors even go beyond, claiming that we could see such tech as early as next year's lineup. None of this is officially confirmed, but it could, be true, as the aforementioned Fujitsu did make a lot of headlines, solely because of employing the new tech. Both Samsung and LG have to stay trendy and relevant on the extremely dynamic mobile market and if iris recognition is the next gimmick to start a craze, neither can afford to be late to the show. As far as practicality and usability goes, we are not quite sure if those are currently the main reason for working on iris recognition for mobile devices. Security might be, but only to some extent. It is doubtful whether the new sensor will do a better job at protecting our privacy than the fingerprint readers, which only recently appeared on smartphones in a wave of their own. Let's just admit it - we want to look and feel as cool as possible when using our shiny new phones an iris recognition seems like a perfect new toy to play with. Frankly, however, there is nothing really wrong with this mindset, as it opens the way for even wilder innovations and awesome tech. Source (in Korean)|...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_and_lg_allegedly_working_on_iris_recognition-news-12707.php

Huawei T1 10 is an affordable tablet heading to UK

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_t1_10_is_an_affordable_slate_heading_to_uk-news-12706.php

Meizu m2 shows up in TENNA certification

Chinese manufacturers have really been setting the bar high with entry-level headsets recently. Customers are now spoiled for choice as devices such as the Xiaomi Mi 4i, Redmi 2, and Redmi 1S bring modern smartphone features on the cheap. The Meizu m1 is another prime example of this class of devices and its successor, the Meizu M2 promises to be even better. The said phone was recently spotted in a TENAA certification entry, meaning that it is already on its way to consumer markets. It is hard to say how far along it is in the development process, but, considering the company has set an event for June 30, it might be just around the corner. The m2 note was released not long ago with a price tag of about $200. The naming similarity is no coincidence, as the new Meizu phone takes after its note sibling visually. The shape of the device is almost identical and so are the controls, down to the physical home button on the front, in place of the once signature circle. It is, however, slightly smaller and measures 140.1x68.9x8.7 mm. The display is 5.0 inches in diagonal and only offers 720p resolution, but, some sacrifices must be made to keep the price down. It does come with two SIM slots. Under the hood, there is a 64-bit MT6735 SoC with quad-core CPU, which boasts an extensive list of network connectivity options, including dual standby with 4G LTE. The rest of the specs sheet looks pretty good for a budget device. The m2 packs 2GB of RAM and a 2,700mAh battery. The camera setup consists of a 13MP shooter on the back and a 5MP one on the front. The phone should boot Android 5.0.1 out-of-the-box. We are yet to hear anything on pricing and availability, though. Come June 30, we will hopefully have more info on the Meizu M2. Still, there is the possibility that the said event is organized for the company's 2015 flagship - the MX5. Either way, we will keep a close eye on the announcements. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_m2_shows_up_in_tenna_certification-news-12705.php

Cyanogen OS 12 incremental update for OnePlus One released

A new Cyanogen OS 12 incremental update has been released for the OnePlus One smartphone. The update carries the build number YNG1TAS2I3, and brings along fixes to several issues. The issues that the update claims to fix include those related to touchscreen sensitivity, Bluetooth connectivity with several in-car systems, and MMS sending on several carriers. While the OTA update is expected to roll out soon, you can download the YNG1TAS2I3 build directly from the Cyanogen website. Those on build YNG1TAS17L can also download and flash the 20MB zipped OTA file instead. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one_receiving_incremental_cyanogen_os_12_update-news-12701.php

Vertu Signature Touch Lizard collection gets two new colors

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/vertu_signature_touch_lizard_collection_gets_two_new_colors-news-12704.php

Micromax Canvas Sliver 5 is the thinnest phone... without bumps

Micromax unveiled today the Canvas Sliver 5, the world's thinnest phone without any bumps, with a waistline measuring only 5.1mm. True, the Oppo R5 and vivo X5Max are slimmer, but so much so that engineers couldn't fit the entire camera module inside. The Canvas Sliver 5 comes with a 4.8-inch AMOLED display of yet-unquoted resolution with Gorilla Glass 3, and the company was keen to stress how that has helped bring thickness down compared to IPS panels and Gorilla Glass 2. The new smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset with a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM. Internal storage is 16GB, and that's all you get, as there's no microSD slot for expansion. The primary camera, which designers have managed to make flush with the back, employs an 8MP Sony IMX219 sensor. On the front there's a 5MP selfie shooter as well. The phone is not only thin, but very light too, at a mere 97g. It still packs a 2,000mAh battery, which may not sound like much, but given the design priorities, it's good to see that Micromax hasn't gone lower. That said, the 0.3mm thinner X5Max has 2,300mAh battery. We had the opportunity to spend a few brief moments with the phone and shot some live images. Micromax Canvas Sliver 5 in the flesh The smartphone comes in a single-SIM configuration only, but it does support LTE and boots Android Lollipop. Priced at INR 17,999 (~$280), the Micromax Canvas Sliver 5 will be available for purchase starting next month, both online and in physical...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/micromax_canvas_sliver_5_is_the_thinnest_phone_without_bumps-news-12703.php

Nokia Lumia 735 now available on Verizon, $80 on contract

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_735_now_available_on_verizon_80_on_contract-news-12702.php

LG G4 Pro rumoured to be powered by Snapdragon 820 SoC

Less than a week after there were reports that LG is considering a metal body for its next flagship smartphone - allegedly dubbed G4 Pro, alleged specs of the device have surfaced. According to a post on Chinese social media site Weibo, the handset will be powered by Qualcomm's yet-to-be-released Snapdragon 820 SoC and sport a 5.8-inch screen with a 1440 x 2560 resolution. It will come with 4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB of internal memory. In terms of camera, the G4 Pro is said to feature a 27MP rear unit and a 8MP front shooter. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by the company, so take it with a pinch of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g4_pro_rumoured_to_be_powered_by_snapdragon_820_soc-news-12700.php

Sony Xperia Z3+ now up for pre-order in Indonesia

Just a day after there were reports that the Sony Xperia Z3+ could be launched in India next week, the device is now up for pre-order in Indonesia. The handset can be pre-ordered exclusively through online retailer DinoMarket, which is charging IDR 9,499,000 ($714) for it. The smartphone is also available as part of various bonus packages that include products like Sony SmartWatch 3. The pre-order period lasts through the end of this month, and the device will start shipping on July 6, 2015. It's worth mentioning that the Z3+ is already up for pre-order in Europe. Source | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xperia_z3_now_up_for_preorder_in_indonesia-news-12699.php

Android 5.1 for both 1st and 2nd gen Moto X to roll out next week

The Android 5.1 update for both the first and second-gen Moto X is currently undergoing soak testing in over a dozen markets, and if everything goes fine, full deployments will begin next week, according to Motorola's David Schuster. These markets include Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, and Sweden for the Moto X (2nd Gen), and Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and United Arab Emirates for the Moto X (1st Gen). The news comes exactly a week after Schuster said that the Android Lollipop update for the Moto X (2013) will be available in a week. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/android_51_for_both_1st_and_2nd_gen_moto_x_to_roll_out_next_week-news-12698.php

MetroPCS Lumia 640 said to cost just $39 after instant rebate

The Microsoft Lumia 640 is set to arrive at MetroPCS stores on June 18, and will be officially launched by the prepaid carrier on June 22, according to a leaked internal memo (see image below) which was first accessed by WindowsCentral. As for the price, although the device carries a tag of $129, the T-Mobile subsidiary is offering a $90 instant rebate, which means that the handset will set you back only $39. It's worth mentioning that T-Mobile has already launched the Lumia 640 - the carrier is selling it for $129.84 without any agreement, and $5.41 per month on a regular 2-year contract. Via 1 | Via...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/metropcs_lumia_640_said_to_cost_just_39_after_instant_rebate-news-12696.php

Samsung has a patch for the SwiftKey hack on the way

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_has_a_patch_for_the_swiftkey_hack_coming_in_a_few_days-news-12697.php

BlackBerry Venice tipped to arrive in November with Snapdragon 808

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_venice_tipped_to_arrive_in_november_with_snapdragon_808-news-12695.php

OnePlus 2 officially revealed to sport Snapdragon 810 SoC

It's now been officially revealed that the OnePlus 2 will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 SoC. This isn't much of a surprise actually, since an alleged benchmark result for it accurately leaked the chipset being used. It also makes sense, since last year OnePlus also went with the best Qualcomm chipset available at the time. Of course whenever there's talk of the Snapdragon 810 inevitably one wonders about overheating, since basically all phones that have this chipset have in some way or another been accused of such behavior. OnePlus feels very confident that its next device will not overheat. The company says it's using the v2.1 iteration of the S810, which apparently is an improved version of the chipset. "All the necessary precautions and beyond" have been taken to prevent the overheating behavior from occurring on the OnePlus 2. OnePlus will layer both thermal gel and graphite on top of the SoC, which should ensure that the heat generated by the chipset will be dissipated evenly, as opposed to being concentrated and thus leading to performance issues. The OnePlus 2 meets "the industry standard for phone temperature, even with hours of use", OnePlus has noticed "after rigorous testing" - whatever that may mean. Furthermore, the company's Oxygen OS based on Android is going to be specially optimized to work with the S810. It will "intuitively" know which CPU core is to be used for which task, and it will avoid using two cores that are next to each other if it can. All of the major internals of the OnePlus 2 are to be revealed one by one in the near future, in a continuous teaser campaign that's similar to the one employed for its predecessor last...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_2_officially_revealed_to_sport_snapdragon_810_soc-news-12694.php

Huawei Nexus phone allegedly confirmed by employee

For many months now we've heard that Huawei might be working with Google on the next Nexus smartphone (or one of them, since LG may apparently develop the other model). And now a publication claims to have received confirmation that this is indeed happening from an unnamed Huawei employee in the UK. Make sure you have your grain of salt nearby for this one, then. Not many more details have been outed. The phone should become available by the end of the year. Huawei and Google are said to be working "closely" on the new device. It's pretty clear what Huawei is hoping to get out of this cooperation - more name recognition in developed markets, where simply the association with Google in such a project could help it boost its profile. If this does happen, it will create an interesting situation for Huawei, as the company basically won't be able to sell its Nexus smartphone in its home market. That's because most Google services are banned in China. Referring to this, the aforementioned anonymous source was confident that Huawei would be able to "work something out", whatever that may mean. Perhaps a device with identical hardware will be released in China with tweaked software. Huawei officials did not confirm this information on the record, while Google declined to comment. Previous leaks talked about the Huawei Nexus coming with a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 chipset. It's unclear if it will share any design elements with the P8, Huawei's current flagship handset (which is pictured...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_nexus_smartphone_allegedly_confirmed_by_employee-news-12693.php

16GB Xiaomi Mi 4 sees its price cut in India too

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/16gb_xiaomi_mi_4_sees_its_price_cut_in_india_too-news-12692.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 once again rumored to launch early

A while back a few rumors started making the rounds, saying that Samsung would launch the Galaxy Note 5 earlier in the year than its predecessors - namely, in July. Samsung then officially denied that this is going to happen, and things went quiet on this front. Until today, that is, when a new rumor is claiming that the Note 5 will get an early release. Only this time around the given time frame isn't July anymore, so at least it won't be that early. According to mumblings from Asia, Samsung very much wants to have the new Note in stores by the end of August, or in early September at the latest. In the case of its predecessors (all of which are pictured above in a family photo), the unveiling took place in early September with availability commencing a few weeks after that. Now though Samsung is apparently worried about the effect that the launch of the new iPhones in late September might have on the Note 5, in terms of sales. So it desperately wants to get its next flagship phablet out before Apple releases its new devices. The late August / early September target is based on the assumption that Apple will have a similar schedule to last year's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch, which occurred towards the end of September. Of course all of this is just an unconfirmed rumor, so don't make too much out of it yet. We'll have to wait and see if Samsung decides to publicly deny this one too. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_5_once_again_rumored_to_launch_early-news-12691.php

Apple iPhone 6S to pack Force Touch display, stronger aluminum

KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo might be a name that doesn't ring a bell, but the guy has a good track record of guessing the next iPhones right, well before the official announcement. Today he supplied us with a new portion of details about the upcoming iPhone 6S generation. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the next iPhone will offer a major change - Force Touch display. The tech is already available on the latest MacBook 12" and MacBook Pro lineup, as well as on the Apple Watch. If true, this will offer an entirely new way of interactions with the iOS 9. It will add some extra 0.2mm on all sides of the iPhones though. The iOS 9 beta version is now available, while public previews are on the way. The developers are already digging through the code of the upcoming OS and already begun unraveling some interesting facts as mentions of a LED flash for the FaceTime camera. If a Force Touch addition is indeed coming with the iPhone 6S, the iOS 9 code should spill the beans on it rather soon. Another suggestion Ming-Chi Kuo makes is Apple will be using the Series 7000 aluminum for the iPhones. It is up to 60% tougher than the current aluminum alloy and is already in use on the Apple Watch Sport. Finally, the next iPhones may launch in Rose Gold in addition to the current paintjob trio - Space Gray, Silver and Gold. This rumor has been around for a while and it may as well finally become a reality. The next generation of iPhones should go official in September. The Fall will also mark the release of the iOS 9 and Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_6s_to_pack_force_touch_display_stronger_aluminum-news-12690.php

T-Mobile begins selling Microsoft Lumia 640

Nearly a week after a leaked internal memo revealed that the Microsoft Lumia 640 will be launched by T-Mobile on June 17, the carrier has started selling the device. As for the price, the handset carries a tag of $129.84 without any agreement. It is also available on a regular 2-year contract, where-in you'll have to pay $5.41 per month. It's worth mentioning that the Lumia 640 is already available on Cricket, and is expected to arrive on AT&T sometime this month. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_begins_selling_microsoft_lumia_640-news-12689.php

Microsoft Lumia 640 XL arrives at AT&T on June 26

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_lumia_640_xl_arrives_at_at_t_on_june_26-news-12688.php

Apple Watch in-store pickup now available worldwide

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_watch_instore_pickup_now_available_worldwide-news-12687.php

Asus Zenfone 2 with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage debuts in Taiwan

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_2_with_4gb_ram_and_128gb_storage_kicks_off_in_taiwan-news-12685.php