Toshiba might be selling its sensor business to Sony

Toshiba seems to be in a bit of a tough spot lately after a troubling revelation that the company overstated earnings by $1.3 billion going back to fiscal 2008/09. Naturally this caused a veritable scandal, followed by a promise to restructure from the new CEO - Masashi Muromachi. A major part of this process is determining the faith of the OEM's system LSI semiconductor business, which has been barely making a profit. In light of this, industry sources are now claiming that Sony has lined up to purchase Toshiba's image sensor business - a major part of the aforementioned semiconductor division. Allegedly, an offer has already been made for about 20 billion CNY, which roughly translates to $165 million. This would most likely include ownership of Toshiba's image sensor manufacturing plant in Oita, southern Japan, in addition to technology and research assets and would effectively mean that Toshiba is pulling out of the sensor business altogether. This sounds like a very sound, albeit drastic step in restructuring some of the Japanese company's less profitable segments, but a buyer in the face of Sony is somewhat puzzling. On the one hand, the deal makes perfect sense, as Sony is already a major player on the image sensor business, especially in the mobile realm, supplying hardware to nearly every major brand out there. But, on the other hand, Sony's own mobile business is struggling to reform in some way, in the face of a serious deadline of a year or so to break a profit. Thankfully, despite its hurdles in the mobile realm, Sony as a whole is doing quite alright for itself, especially thanks to the PlayStation business, so such deal is definitely possible form a financial standpoint and it could potentially boost Sony's own expertise and manufacturing potential for image sensors. However, this can easily be interpreted as a sign that the Japanese giant is giving up on its mobile segment, which has been the stuff of rumors for a long time now and instead potentially focusing on delivering imaging hardware to third parties without putting out any more handsets on the market. Hopefully, Sony's long-standing mobile business will endure the hardships and find some way to regain profitability, before any such drastic measure are...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/toshiba_might_be_selling_its_sensor_business_to_sony-news-14661.php

Apple Music for Android screenshots leak before release

Apple is still sitting pretty on that Android version of Apple Music it promised back when the service was first introduced. But while the app will release eventually, here is a sneak peek at what it's going to look like courtesy of Mobilegeeks.de. The UI is a familiar combination of both Android UI guidelines and Apple Music design elements on iOS. The app maintains Apple's design for the category views while at the same time looks at home on an Android device due to the use of familiar Android action bar and hamburger menu. We don't know when exactly Apple Music is releasing but it's some time next month. Apple Music will be available for $9.99 per month. Source •...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_music_for_android_screenshots_leak_before_release-news-14664.php

Sales reports suggest the LG V10 isn't doing very well on its home turf

LG seems to be having a streak of bad luck lately. Both the G Flex 2 and the G4 have failed to meet sales expectations and now it appears the freshly announced V10 is heading down the same road. Initial numbers are coming in for domestic sales of the handset and they don't look very promising. The statistics are courtesy of ATLAS Research & Consulting, focus on the period between October 8 and October 14 and show that the V10 was only the 15th bestselling handset for the period is South Korea. This is quite a gloomy statistic and although the device is yet to be released in many other markets, it is not a good sign that the V10 can't rank in the top 10 within the first week of its announcement on LG's strongest market. Meanwhile, Samsung maintains a tight grip on the said top 10 list in Korea with the Galaxy Note5 leading the chart for a few weeks now and devices like the Galaxy Grand Max and the Galaxy A5 selling strong as well. This clearly shows that LG's problem is not an unfavorable market, as it is clear that people are spending in all price ranges. The real issues seems to lie with steep pricing, leaving LG's devices at a competitive disadvantage. In fact, this is far from an isolated occurrence, but rather part of an existing trend. Despite being quite well received, the company's latest flagship device, the G4 was initially supposed to sell 12 million units across the globe, but failed to do so. Retailers were having so much trouble moving stock that the G4 was offered with almost no profit margin. The LG G Flex 2 was in pretty much the same boat a while back. At this rate LG is steadily heading toward a sales crisis and things might actually get worse, before they get any better, considering the iPhone 6s duo is opening sales in Korea and preorders are already piling up like...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sales_reports_suggest_the_lg_v10_isnt_doing_very_well_on_its_home_turf-news-14662.php

New press renders of the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2 surface online

A fresh new pair of Motorola DROID devices is coming to Verizon, no doubt about it. The unveiling event for the Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2 is already set for October 27 and the pair is generating a lot of attention. Both models have already been featured in quite a few leaks, so we are now fairly certain about their appearance and specs sheets. Twitter's @Evleaks has been a fruitful source of info on the new Droids, most recently with a high-res render of the phones in a few color options. DROIDs (Turbo - Turbo - Turbo - Maxx - Maxx) pic.twitter.com/Y3DBPC1rTy— Evan Blass (@evleaks) October 23, 2015 The images look official, come from a reputable source and do coincide with a lot of what we have previously seen, as far as color options go. The first three handset from left to right are Droid Turbo 2 models, complete with a Verizon logo on the front and a Droid one on the back. The last two renders are of the Droid Maxx 2, with a clean front and both aforementioned logos placed on the back. As for the color options, it is clear that both phones will have a black and a white front, coupled with different back panels - a typical Motorola setup. The Droid Turbo 2 is shown here with three covers, two with a texturized back and the last - a smooth one. A recently leaked info sheet, however, also shows a fourth option. The said brochure is sadly black and white, but there does appear to be another black option, possible a smooth one. As for the Droid Maxx 2, we have already seen a few close-up shots of it, rocking a blue attire, just like the last unit from the new render. The white option seems like a natural addition to the mix. Still, it is good to note that Motorola usually spoils the user as far as customization options go and another recent leak does show a much richer array of cover options for the Droid Turbo 2. As for the specs on both phones, as far as we currently know the Maxx 2 will be a mid-range offer, quite similar to the Moto X Play. It will be equipped a 5.5-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 615 SoC, 2GB of RAM and a 21MP camera. The Droid Turbo, on the other hand, should be a flagship-model and run on a Snapdragon 810 chip with a QHD display. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_press_renders_of_the_motorola_droid_turbo_2_and_droid_maxx_2_surface_online-news-14660.php

HTC delays its Grip smartband yet again

The HTC Grip fitness tracking smartband was unveiled back in March at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC). At that time, the company said the $199 device would arrive in the US in spring, but that never happened. It was later revealed that an improved version of the fitness band will be launched later this year. However, looks like the device, which is built in collaboration with Under Armour, has been delayed yet again. In a statement to Phandroid, the Taiwanese company effectively confirmed that the product would be launched "early next year." Following is the full statement: "As we continue to develop the Connected Fitness platform and elevate our product offerings, Under Armour and HTC have decided to launch a fully integrated digital ecosystem of products early next year. This global launch will provide the tools needed to help athletes of all levels track, manage and improve their health and fitness. Our teams have done a remarkable job bringing these products to life and we're excited to share them with the public soon." Let's hope the Grip doesn't get delayed any...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_delays_launch_of_its_grip_smartband_yet_again-news-14659.php

Canadian carrier Telus confirms its BlackBerry Priv plans

While Rogers is already accepting pre-orders for the BlackBerry Priv in Canada, another local carrier has confirmed its plans for the Android device. Telus has revealed that it will begin selling the handset on November 6. @Im_Sure_ Hey Matt, no pre-order this year. The device will be available in-store and online on Nov 6th. :)— TELUS Support (@TELUSsupport) October 23, 2015 Interestingly, as you can see in the tweet above, Telus also confirmed that it won't be taking pre-orders for the device, which will be available for purchase both in-store and online. There was, however, no word on how much the Priv will cost when purchased from them. For those who aren't already aware, BlackBerry has also officially started accepting pre-orders for the device, offering it for $699, £559, and $899 in the US, UK, and Canada, respectively. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/canadian_carrier_telus_confirms_its_blackberry_priv_plans-news-14658.php

Apple Music dents Pandora's user-base

Nearly a month after Apple Music's launch back in June this year, Pandora's CEO Brian McAndrews said their online music streaming service was largely unaffected by the new competitor. However, it has now been revealed that the launch resulted in Pandora losing 1.3 million active users in Q3. The revelation was made by McAndrews himself, who also noted that this is approximately the same number of users the company lost when iTunes Radio launched around two-years ago. "I am pleased to say that, given the scale of press and consumer attention on this launch, the impact on our active users and listening hours was muted and was, in fact, consistent with what we experienced during the launch of Apple's radio service in 2013," he said. Pandora's total user base now stands at 78.1 million - while that's an y-o-y increase of 1.6 million, it's actually a sequential decline of 1.6%. On the other hand, months-old Apple Music currently has a total of around 15 million subscribers, of which an impressive 6.5 million are paying to use it. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_music_dents_pandoras_userbase-news-14654.php

OnePlus extends OP2 invite expiry period to 3 days

OnePlus has made a sensible move - the company has extended its invite expiry period to 3 days, which means you'll now have full three days to claim your OnePlus 2 invites compared to just 24 hours that the company gave you earlier. The reason it makes sense is that a 3 day period will reduce chances of users missing out on invites sent via email. In addition, the extended period will also give them more options to claim their invites at a time convenient to them. The move comes just over a week after the Chinese company started a limited-period contest, where-in selected candidates were allowed to trade-in their latest Samsung flagships for a brand new OnePlus 2...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_extends_its_invite_expiry_period_to_3_days-news-14656.php

Apple Watch landing in India on November 6

Apple has officially confirmed that the Watch will be available in India starting November 6 - the date is now mentioned on the Cupertino-based company's India website. While the date of availability has been revealed, the tech giant hasn't mentioned the price tag the smartwatch will carry in the country. FYI, local e-commerce website Grabmore.in, which sells products imported from the US and Europe, has been offering the wearable device for a starting price of INR 36,999 (around $570). The intelligent timepiece, which was announced last September and first went on sale this April, recently received watchOS 2.0.1 update, bringing new emoji characters and fixing a big number of bugs. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_watch_landing_in_india_on_november_6-news-14657.php

BlackBerry begins accepting Priv pre-orders in US, UK, and Canada

BlackBerry has finally started accepting pre-orders for its debut android smartphone. Priv pre-orders are currently live in the US, UK, and Canada, where the device carries a price tag of $699, £559, and $899, respectively. An important point worth mentioning here is that the model on offer in the US is not compatible with CDMA carriers like Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular. So, we'll have to wait and watch when a CDMA-compatible variant arrives. As for shipping, Blackberry is mentioning November 6 as the date for the US and Canada, and November 9 if you are in the UK. Source 1 2 3...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_begins_accepting_priv_preorders_in_us_uk_and_canada-news-14655.php

iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6 vs. Xperia Z5:

Some phones just can't be reviewed in a vacuum, the competition between them is so fierce - and their price tags so high - that they have to be compared against each other under a microscope to determine the best one for you. The Apple iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S6 are joined by the Sony Xperia Z5 for this three-way fight.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_6s_galaxy_s6_xperia_z5-review-1330.php

AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S5 finally receives Android 5.1.1 update

AT&T is now finally in the process of rolling out the update to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for its version of the Galaxy S5, Samsung's flagship from 2014. It's quite late, of course, seeing as how Google's already released Android 6.0 Marshmallow to its Nexus devices, but at least owners of the AT&T Galaxy S5 now have something to look forward to. Aside from bumping up the Android version to 5.1.1, the update also adds Android for Work, a few security updates, as well as a fix to Ultra Power Saving Mode for phones using on-device encryption. As this is an over-the-air rollout, it may be a few days before you receive the notification that the update is available for your handset. If you're impatient, you can always manually check for the new software by going to Settings > About device > Software update. Do note that you must use Wi-Fi to download the new release. The file size is around 609MB. After you've applied the update you'll be on build version LMY47X.G900AUCU4COI5. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/at_ts_samsung_galaxy_s5_finally_receives_android_511_update-news-14650.php

Sony officially denies selling its mobile segment, yet again

Jonathan Lin, who is Sony Mobile's General Manager in Taiwan has officially stated that the company won't be exiting the mobile market. His claim is backed up by a recent meeting of his with Hiroki Totoki, who also firmly denies analyst allegations, yet again. According to Mr. Lin, Sony Mobile will focus its energy on improving the business and the products it creates. The company's newly opened factory in Thailand dedicated to smartphone assembly should help in these efforts. The company's Xperia Z5 Premium flagship will launch in Taiwain in a month's time. The price of the handset is expected to be around the $500 mark unlocked. Sony Mobile's optimistically expects to grab 30% of the high-end Android smartphone market in the country. We're yet to see if the executives' words will hold water in case Sony's plans on breaking even don't materialize. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_officially_denies_selling_its_mobile_segment_yet_again-news-14648.php

Samsung Galaxy On7 and On5 go official in China

Samsung Galaxy On5 popped up on the official Samsung India website just two days ago, but the page was quickly taken down. We still managed to extract all the interesting details about the 5" Galaxy On5 and we are pretty much considering it as official. Today Samsung China official took the wraps off the Galaxy On7 and the Galaxy On5 smartphones - two entry-level offers with attractive designs. While both look a lot like the A series, they are made entirely of plastic with faux-leather rear covers. Samsung says those affordable phones come with "an unprecedentedly thin frames and bezels". The Samsung Galaxy On7 is 8.2mm thing, features a 5.5" 720p TFT display and runs on a quad-core 1.2GHz (Cortex-A53 probably) processor with 1.5GB of RAM. It packs a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie snapper, offers 8GB expandable storage and LTE support. The Galaxy On7 is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop (with Samsung Milk Music pre-installed). It will be available in white and gold flavors. The Galaxy On5, which we already met, has a 5" HD display and an Exynos 3475 SoC (a quad-core 1.3GHz Cortex-A7, Mali-T720 GPU) and 1.5GB RAM. It employs an 8MP rear snapper and a 5MP selfie shooter, there is 8GB expandable storage and LTE connectivity. The Galaxy On5 is also running on Lollipop (with Milk Music app), and has a beefy 2,600 mAh under the hood to power the whole thing. Both Samsung Galaxy On7 and On5 are going on sale in China very soon. We guess India will be next to get those two models, as the On5 briefly popped up on the official site. The expected retail prices are about $150 for the On5 and about $200 for the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_on7_and_on5_are_now_official_in_china-news-14646.php

Amazon boasts 23% increase in sales for Q3 2015

Amazon's financial results for Q3 2015 are in and the company is doing very well, as it's gearing for the holiday shopping season. The company recorded a 23% increase in sales to $25.4 billion compared to $20.6 billion in Q3 2014. The result of the boost in sales is a positive quarter balance with a $79 million profit. Amazon's success is due to a 28% rise of sales in North America and, according to analysts, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) segment. AWS is the world's largest public cloud service hosting websites and applications. It brought a revenue of $2.08 billion, which is up 78% from the same period last year. Operating income from AWS is $521 million, up from $98 million from a year ago. The company didn't provide any sales figures for its Fire TV sticks and tablets, though. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/amazon_boasts_23_increase_in_sales_for_q3_2015-news-14645.php

Google beats estimates in Q3, enjoys $18.7B revenue and $3.98B profit

Q3 2015 is one of Google's strongest as Alphabet announced the company's financial results for the quarter. Google's revenue for the period is $18.7 billion, a 13% year-over-year rise. Google's websites generated $13 billion of that revenue - a 16% year-over-year increase. Net income was also high at $3.98 billion, compared to Q3 2014's $2.74 billion. Google saw a rise in revenue across its devices and advertising businesses. Other revenue streams, including hardware sales brought $1.89 billion in. Average paid clicks were up 23%. Ruth Porat, CFO of Alphabet and Google, was quite happy with the results: Our Q3 results show the strength of Google's business, particularly in mobile search. With six products now having more than 1 billion users globally, we're excited about the opportunities ahead of Google, and across Alphabet. Operating costs were also up totaling to $6.93 billion up from $6.1 billion from the same period last year. Additionally, Alphabet revealed it will be buying back north of $5 billion in stock in the coming...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_enjoys_187_billion_revenue_in_q3_2015-news-14643.php

New render of the rumored Lumia Saana leaks out

A couple of days ago, there were reports that Microsoft is working on a new Lumia device (internally code-named Saana). The following was the first leaked render of the rumored device. Now, another render of the Saana has leaked (see the image below), showing the back of the mid-range handset. As for the specs, the smartphone (RM-1152) is said to be powered by a Qualcomm MSM8909 Snapdragon 210 chipset, and sport a 5-inch 720p display. It is expected to feature 8MP rear camera and microSD card slot, pack in a 2000 mAh battery, and include Glance Screen support. The photo also confirmed previous reports that the smartphone won't have a dedicated camera...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/heres_another_render_of_the_rumored_lumia_saana-news-14639.php

Facebook for iOS update fixes significant power draw issue

The Facebook app on iOS once again became a cause for concern after users started noticing the app drawing considerably more power and draining the battery. Facebook has now fixed the issue in the latest update, which was pushed out yesterday. Although Facebook didn't bother pointing out the reason to fix or even acknowledge the issue existed in the update log, Facebook engineering manager Ari Grant wrote in a Facebook post the two reasons causing the battery drain. The first cause is what Facebook calls CPU Spin bug in the network code that kept waking the CPU. The second one is where the app kept the audio session running in the background after a user watched a video in the app and then closed it. This is usually used by music players to keep the audio running but shouldn't be the case with Facebook. It prevented the app from idling after a while and kept running in the background. Questions have been raised regarding the legitimacy of Facebook's "bug", as some think Facebook was trying to get around Apple's restriction of allowing apps to run in the background consistently using workarounds and was eventually caught, so had to resort to calling it a bug. Whatever your stance is, the issue has been fixed...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/facebook_for_ios_update_fixes_significant_power_draw_issue-news-14641.php

Gigabyte unveils four budget phones: Classic and Classic Lite, Essence and Essence 4

Gigabyte dropped four new phones. Or is it two phones in two flavors each? Meet the Gigabyte Classic and Classic Lite plus the Gigabyte Essence and Essence 4. All four are 3G dual-SIM phones and cost under €100. Gigabyte Classic The best-specced of the lot, the Gigabyte Classic is still an entry-level device. It sports a 5" 720p screen (294ppi) and is thinner than the other three at 8.6mm. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop on Spredtrum chipset (quad Cortex-A7 + Mali 400 and 1GB RAM). The Classic has an 8MP main camera and a 5MP selfie camera. There's 8GB of built-in storage available, plus up to 32GB from a microSD card. The phone is powered by a 2,000mAh battery. Gigabyte Classic As we said, this is a dual-SIM phone (one mini slot and one micro) and has 3G connectivity up to 21Mbps. There's also Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS and FM radio. The Gigabyte Classic has a MSRP of €95. Gigabyte Classic Lite The Classic Lite has a 5" screen though with a more modest 854 x 480 resolution (196ppi). It's powered by the same chipset though downclocked slightly and with only 512MB RAM. Oh, and it runs an older version of Android, 4.4 KitKat. Gigabyte Classic Lite The camera duo has been bumped down as well to 5MP and 2MP. Storage remains at 8GB with microSD slot (up to 32GB). The battery is slightly bigger, 2,100mAh, but the battery life is roughly the same. The Gigabyte Classic Lite will cost around €75. Gigabyte Essence It's back to the basics with the Gigabyte Essence. It features a 4.5" screen with 854 x 480px resolution (218ppi). This one has the same chipset as the Classic Lite and also runs Android 4.4 KitKat. The cameras are the same too. Gigabyte Essence The thickness and weight are lower for the Essence, compared to the Lite - 8.8mm and 120g vs. 9.4mm and 145g. The battery is pretty tiny though, 1,600mAh. The Gigabyte Essence will cost a little bit less at €70. Gigabyte Essence 4 The most affordable of the bunch at just €55. It's based on the other Essence, but this one has the smallest phone - 4" 480 x 800px (233ppi). Gigabyte Essence 4 The chipset and camera have been slashed. The Gigabyte Essence 4 has only a 2MP main camera plus 0.3MP selfie snapper and a dual-core processor (MediaTek chipset). The storage has been halved as well, 4GB (plus microSD). The battery got even smaller at...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gigabyte_unveils_four_budget_phones_classic_and_classic_lite_essence_and_essence_4-news-14640.php

Chrome for iOS update brings Split View support on iPad

Google has issued an update to its Chrome web browser for iOS, bumping it to version 46.0.2490.73 and bringing features like Autofill as well as Split View support on certain iPads. With Split View support, you can now use the web browser side-by-side with another app, allowing you to, for example, chat while surfing the Web. The feature, however, will only be available on the iPad Air 2 and mini 4 - it'd be safe to assume that the upcoming iPad Pro will be part of the list as well. The update also brings Chrome's Autofill feature - already available on desktop and Android - to iOS, making life easier for you as you won't have to re-enter credit card information every time you buy something using your device. The updated app is now available for download from Apple's App Store (click the Source 1 link below). Source 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/chrome_for_ios_update_brings_split_view_support_for_ipad-news-14638.php

HTC exec on One A9's iPhone-like design: It's actually Apple who copied us

Ever since HTC launched its new One A9 smartphone, it has been heavily criticized for making a device that looks like an iPhone 6 clone. Now, a senior HTC executive has came to the defense of the handset as well as the company, saying that it was Apple who originally copied one of their phone's design in its iPhone 6. "We're not copying. We made a unibody metal-clad phone in 2013. It's Apple that copies us in terms of the antenna design on the back," said HTC's North Asia President Jack Tong. If you're wondering, Tong is referring to the One M7 smartphone from 2013, which sported an aluminium body as well as antenna lines on its back. So, while his statement does carry some weight given that the iPhone 6 came in 2014, it still doesn't justify the fact that the One A9 seems to have copied almost every other design aspect from Apple's new...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_exec_on_one_a9s_iphonelike_design_its_actually_apple_who_copied_us-news-14637.php

Microsoft quietly lays off another 1,000 employees

Just a few months after laying off a whopping 7,800 people, Microsoft has quietly cut another 1,000 jobs, which is approximately 1% of the Redmond, Washington-based company's total global work force. The fresh round of layoffs came after the software giant announced its Q3 2015 earnings, revealing a 54% year-on-year decline in the revenue of its phone business, although the results were better-than-expected overall. "The job reductions were spread across more than one business area and country and reflect adaptations to business needs," a company spokesman told The New York Times. While the earlier layoffs mostly affected the company's phone's unit, the latest job cuts are said to affect the financial and legal departments, although there is no official confirmation on the same. Via 1...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_quietly_lays_off_another_1000_employees-news-14636.php

OPPO R7s Plus and A33m receive TENAA certification

A couple of new Oppo smartphones have been certified by the Chinese regulatory agency TENAA. These include the high end OPPO R7s Plus and the mid-level A33m. Let's begin with the R7s Plus. As the name suggests, it should be an upgraded variant of the R7s that was made official early this week. As for the specs, it is powered by a 1.5 GHz octa core processor, and sports a 6.0-inch AMOLED Full HD display with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels. The device has 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory, and runs Android 5.1.1 OS out-of-the-box. In terms of camera, the R7s PLus features a 13MP rear unit and a 8MP front shooter. Weighing in at 200gms and measuring 158.18×82.3×7.75 mm, it will be available in gold and silver color options. Moving on to the A33m, the device is powered by a 1.2GHz quad core processor, and sports a 5-inch TFT display with 960×540 pixel resolution. It comes with 1GB RAM and 16GB expandable internal memory, and like the R7s Plus, runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. In terms of camera, the A33m features an 8MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter. It will only be available in the gold color...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r7s_plus_and_a33m_receive_tenaa_certification-news-14635.php

After announcing layoffs, Twitter's new CEO is now giving away a third of his stock to employees

Twitter's newly-installed CEO Jack Dorsey has announced that he's giving away one-third of the company stocks he owns to employees. If you're wondering, that's exactly 1% of the company, which translates into an estimated $214 million. He made the announcement in a tweet on the micro-blogging service. 🐥⚡️ I'm giving ~1/3rd of my Twitter stock (exactly 1% of the company) to our employee equity pool to reinvest directly in our people.— Jack (@jack) October 23, 2015 The move, quite clearly, is aimed at boosting the morale of the employees, given that the company is currently facing layoffs - just last week, it was announced that up to 336 jobs, which translates into 8% of the company's total workforce, will be cut. Dorsey has also recently given back 15 million shares of Square, another company he heads, to its employees. As for me: I'd rather have a smaller part of something big than a bigger part of something small. I'm confident we can make Twitter big! ✌️— Jack (@jack) October 23, 2015 If you aren't in the know, former executive officer of Microsoft Steve Ballmer recently announced that he has bought a 4% stake in Twitter, making him the third largest individual shareholder in the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/after_announcing_layoffs_twitters_new_ceo_is_giving_away_a_third_of_his_stock_to_employees-news-14634.php

Microsoft's phone business takes a hit in Q3

Microsoft has released its earnings report for Q3 2015, and while most of the company's businesses have performed well, the phone business has taken a hit - revenue was down a disappointing 54% compared to the same period last year. This means that the Redmond-based company managed to sell around just 5.8 million Lumia phones in the previous quarter, compared to 9.3 million it sold in Q3 2014. Quarter-on-quarter sales were also down - a total of 8.4 million Lumia's were sold in Q2 this year, which, for the matter of fact, was up compared to Q2 last year. For this quarter, the software giant is pinning its hopes on the recently announced Windows 10 Mobile flagships - the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Both are now available for pre-order across Europe, and are also listed on the US Microsoft Store website - the company has already confirmed that the Lumia 950 will be an AT&T exclusive in the US for a limited...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/microsofts_phone_revenue_takes_a_hit_in_q3-news-14633.php

BlackBerry Priv clears the FCC hurdle

BlackBerry's Android-powered Priv smartphone has cleared the FCC hurdle, which means it's now ready to go on sale in the United States. Three different versions of the device have been certified, having model numbers STV100-1, STV100-3, and STV100-4. This comes just a day after the handset briefly showed up on BlackBerry's official online store, revealing a price tag of $750 for the unlocked model in the US and $949 in Canada, as well as a shipping date of November 16. While a couple of retailers (Carphone Warehouse in the UK and Rogers in Canada) are already accepting pre-orders for the Priv, BlackBerry is expected to begin allowing consumers to pre-register for the smartphone on Friday (today). Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_priv_gets_certified_by_fcc-news-14632.php

T-Mobile gives you a Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Tab A for free with trade-in

T-Mobile is running an interesting promotion this weekend only. Starting today and until Sunday, you can in fact get both a Samsung Galaxy S6 and a Samsung Galaxy Tab A for free from the magenta carrier. The catch? Well, there are several, actually. First off, in order to get the devices for free you need to trade-in an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy Note 4, or Galaxy Note Edge. Only if you bring in one of these smartphones will you be able to pick up a brand new Galaxy S6 for free. Then there's the fact that you'll need to get wireless service from T-Mobile, which isn't surprising we assume. Yet if you cancel that, you lose the promotional pricing - meaning that you either have to return the S6 or actually pay it off in order to keep it. As for the tablet, to also receive a Galaxy Tab A 8.0 for free, you only need to add a data plan for it to your account. You can do this when grabbing the Galaxy S6, naturally. All in all a pretty compelling offer, this, especially if, for example, you own a Samsung Galaxy S5 from last year and would like to exchange it for this year's model without additional...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/tmobile_gives_you_a_galaxy_s6_and_galaxy_tab_a_for_free_with_tradein-news-14629.php

Redesigned Google Play Store is now rolling out

Last week an upcoming redesign of Google's Play Store for Android was first pictured, featuring a major reorganization of categories as well as more modern looks. And today this new Play Store design has started rolling out, with some people already seeing it on their Android devices. Unfortunately (or not), there's nothing you can do to speed up the process if you haven't got the new paint job already. The new design isn't part of a new version of the Google Play Store app for Android, instead it's something that gets activated by the search giant server-side. And since Google loves staged rollouts, we assume this too will take at least a few days to reach all Android devices out there. Still, at least from now on we know for sure that it's on the way. The update comes with two big sections, Apps and Games being one, Entertainment being the other. You'll find movies, TV shows, and books under the Entertainment heading from now...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/redesigned_google_play_store_is_now_rolling_out-news-14627.php

Leaked Verizon info sheet sheds more light on the Droid Turbo 2

As we're now mere days away from the grand unveiling of Verizon's new Droids, the upcoming Motorola Droid Turbo 2 understandably keeps on leaking every day. And the carrier itself has already unveiled the look of the device's back, through a short teaser video. Yesterday we got a look at the back cover models that will be available through Moto Maker, and today a purported info sheet originating at Big Red has been leaked. This is apparently meant for Verizon employees to get a quick hang of the Droid Turbo 2's main differentiating features. As you can see, the "shatterproof" screen we've been hearing so much about is confirmed once again. The Droid Turbo 2 is said to sport 48-hour battery life, as well as fast charging support, with 13 hours of charge being available after just 15 minutes plugged into a power supply. The camera is a 21 MP unit, probably the exact same one found in the already launched Moto X Style and Moto X Play, undoubtedly Motorola's best effort in the space in recent years. The selfie cam is a wide-angle affair with 5 MP resolution, while microSD card support will provide storage expansion capabilities up to 2TB. That's it for now, but you should probably expect to see more leaks about the Droid Turbo 2 until October 27, when it will finally become...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leaked_verizon_info_sheet_sheds_more_light_on_the_droid_turbo_2-news-14628.php

Garmin has three new smartwatches that running enthusiasts will love

Garmin is far from new on the smart wearable scene and the company does have its own signature twist. When it comes to such tech, Garmin makes sure to build on its extensive expertise in outdoor activities and fitness. The latest additions to its Forerunner device family are definitely no exception. Garmin just introduced three new models, specifically geared towards runners - a top-of-the-line Forerunner 630 model, as well as the more affordable 235 and 230. The Forerunner 630 is the successor to the 620 and it is now packed with even more sensors for data collecting and analysis. This includes things like stride length and vertical ratio, expanding on the existing cadence and oscillation metrics. All the data is put to good use, calculating recovery times, lactate thresholds, the all-important VO2 metric and even giving warnings for runner condition to limit the risk of injury. Interestingly enough, the Forerunner 630 has forgone the optical heart-rate sensor in place of a chest strap one. That does make sense, as the latter is a lot more accurate and if you are truly after pro-level performance, the sensor shouldn't really be a deal breaker. The tracker has also gotten a lot more useful while not exercising thanks to notification visualization from a connected smartphone, running the updated Garmin app. And if you really miss the handy wrist heartrate sensor, the Forerunner 235 has you covered. It has it built in, just like its predecessor, the 225, but there are small differences between the two - the updated model has ditched the Mio sensor for an in-house one, dubbed "Elevate heart rate technology". The 235 also has the aforementioned notification features and can estimate VO2. Last comes the Forerunner 230. It is mostly identical to the 235 model, minus the optical heart-rate sensor. It was replaced with a conventional chest strap one instead. All three watches are already up for purchase, but they do have a hefty price tag. The Forerunner 630 will set you back $399.99 for the tracker alone or $449.99, bundled with a heart-rate monitor. The 235 and 230 are priced at $329.99 and $249.99, respectively. Source 1 | Source 2 | Source...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/garmin_has_three_new_smartwatches_that_running_enthusiasts_will_love-news-14624.php

GSMArena ZUK Z1 giveaway: the lucky winner has been drawn!

The winner is: Mandeep S. The lucky winner of your ZUK Z1 giveaway has been drawn! Congratulations to our lucky visitor from India, to whom we'll soon send a brad new ZUK Z1, courtesy of HonorBuy. We'd like to thank everyone for taking part in this awesome giveaway. Over 7,000 people signed up for our inaugural giveaway, totaling nearly 25,667 valid entries. We hope to see even more of you get into the action in our upcoming giveaways. You can bet there'll be more like this one in the near future, so stay...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/gsmarena_zuk_z1_giveaway_the_lucky_winner_has_been_drawn-news-14622.php

iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6 vs. Xperia Z5: Blind camera test

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_6s_galaxy_s6_xperia_z5-review-1329.php

Watch Microsoft Lumia 950 XL tore down and put back together

Microsoft's Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL was announced just recently and should to hit the shelves in November. The PR campaign on those devices is now full steam with various commercial videos and tutorials on the Windows 10 features. But today we can give you a different kind of teaser - a video showing the Lumia 950 XL torn down and another one where it is put back together. Apparently the Lumia XL, and most probably the Lumia 950, won't be difficult to disassemble and assemble again, so if something bad happens - the repairs should be easy enough. Enjoy the videos. The Lumia 950 and 950 XL are scheduled for worldwide launch this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/watch_microsoft_lumia_950_xl_tore_down_and_put_back_together-news-14623.php

Sony to open a new smartphone factory in Thailand

Sony has announced plans to open up a new smartphone factory in the Pathum Thani Province in Thailand. The company already own a large production site there which has been suspended following the massive 2011 floods. The initial investment of several billion yen will give Sony the opportunity to start mass producing smartphones there starting in fiscal 2016. Initially the factory will have an output of several million units per year. Sony hasn't put up a new plant specifically for mobile devices since 1995. Twenty years ago, the company built a mobile communications factory in Beijing with three local partners. Back then, it participated with 51% of the investment, but now Sony fully owns the new Thai plant. Hopefully, this will make for more agile business decisions. In the beginning of October, the company CEO Kazuo Hirai gave the mobile division a year to start bringing in a profit, before resorting to "alternative options." Building a brand new factory to handle just mobile devices is an optimistic sign, which should breathe a sigh of relief to fans and investors alike. And that's exactly what Sony needs after its mobile communications business posted an operating loss of $1.82 billion for the fiscal year ending in March 2015. Through streamlined marketing, reforms and payroll cuts, the company has expressed its hope to turn to profit by March 2017. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_to_launch_a_new_smartphone_factory_in_thailand_-news-14621.php

HTC: One A9 design coming to One M and Desire series

Like the HTC One A9 design? Good, because you're about to see a lot more of it. "Starting with the One A9, our design language will enter a different and fashionable phase," says Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia. Both the One M series (the flagships) and the Desire series (which covers anything from entry-level to upper mid-range) will adopt the sleek look of the A9, which is an evolution of the HTC One design. Mr. Tong didn't say anything on the topic of material though. Much of A9's cool factor comes from the aluminum unibody and the One M series will almost certainly stick with metal. We're curious to see what will happen to the top dogs in the Desire lineup though. The fate of other design elements like the 2.5D glass over the AMOLED screen is unclear as well. We do hope HTC makes stereo speakers work with this new design though. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_a9_design_coming_to_one_m_and_desire_series-news-14619.php

Apple releases a bunch of Apple Watch commercials

Apple has unloaded a bunch of new commercials for the Apple Watch. The commercials are shot in the same new 15-second format that we saw for the previous set of Apple Watch commercials, set against a monochrome background. The new videos, named Dance, Kiss, Style, Play, Travel, Skate, and Move, run through various features of the Apple Watch, such as ability to control music playback through the watch using Siri, dismiss notifications easily, mix and match the design with various straps and body styles, get important notifications on your wrist without having to pull out the phone, quickly scan your eticket from your wrist at the airport, buy things using Apple Pay, and track your fitness, respectively. You can check out all the videos...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_releases_a_bunch_of_apple_watch_commercials-news-14620.php

Canalys: Huawei pips Xiaomi to become China's No.1 smartphone manufacturer in Q3

Huawei has replaced Xiaomi as China's largest smartphone manufacturer in Q3 2015, according to market research firm Canalys. This is the first time that Huawei has claimed the top spot in its home country. As per the market research company, Huawei's saw its year-on-year smartphone shipments increasing an impressive 81%, while Xiaomi's sales declined compared to the same period last year, something that has happened for the first time in the five-year-old company's history. Although Canalys did not share the exact shipment numbers for the quarter, the research company did say that all the details will be made available in a report towards the end of the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/canalys_huawei_pips_xiaomi_to_become_chinas_no1_smartphone_manufacturer-news-14616.php

Samsung Galaxy Note5 update brings call stability and battery optimization

The Galaxy Note5 has been around for some time now it's only natural for updates to start flying in. Despite its limited international availability, the Note5 is still the latest and greatest in the OEM's signature productivity line, so it is a good idea to keep an eye on software changes. Android 6.0 might still be some time off, but the Note5 did receive a new Android 5.1.1 OTA just recently. Users are reporting that the package (N920IDVU2AOJ4) is seeding in Singapore for all CSC codes - XSP, SIN, STH, and MM1. It weighs 144.2 MB and according to the changelog brings improvements to call stability and battery usage optimization. This all sounds great, but there is one more thing worth noting. Among other things, the firmware update claims to bring security improvements. Users are already reporting that this is accompanied by a KNOX update and does trigger an eFuse - a flag that used to be 1A is now 2A. Going by Samsung's track record, one direct consequence of this is most likely an inability to downgrade after the update, or at least without tripping KNOX, which could be problematic for some users, as it is essential for some secure features like Samsung Pay and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_galaxy_note5_ota_brings_call_stability_and_battery_optimization-news-14618.php

B&N Nook GlowLight Plus - an e-Ink reader with waterproof, aluminum body

We've seen a number of Samsung Galaxy-based Nooks, but now Barnes & Noble unveiled a new e-Ink reader. And it's waterproof, something that was Kobo's domain until now. Here's the GlowLight Plus, coming two years after the original. The chassis got a surprise premium treatment, it's made out of aluminum. The screen is guarded by fingerprint and scratch resistant polymer (which has been coated against glare, naturally). The e-Ink screen boasts 300dpi of pixel density, B&N's sharpest. The GlowLight Plus uses the company's lighting technology for reading in the dark. The Barnes & Noble GlowLight Plus is priced at $130 (10% off for B&N members). For comparison, Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi, built-in light) is $120 and the flagship Voyage is $200. They aren't waterproof or with metal bodies...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/b_n_nook_glowlight_plus__an_eink_reader_with_waterproof_aluminum_body-news-14617.php

Fossil announces Android Wear smartwatch and fitness trackers

Watchmaker Fossil has announced that it is jumping into the smartwatch and activity tracker segment in collaboration with Intel. The company announced the new Fossil Q series consisting of four devices. The most interesting of them is the Q Founder, an Android Wear smartwatch. Unfortunately, Fossil hasn't unveiled the design yet and all we know is that it will have a circular display. The Q Founder will be available by holiday season and starts at $275. Next is the Q Grant, which looks like a regular Fossil watch but has Bluetooth and stays connected to your phone and vibrates when you get a notification. You can also assign a color to your contacts through the Fossil app and the watch will flash the respective color on the LEDs on the side, so you know who's trying to contact you. The Q Grant will be available on October 25 and will cost between $175-$195. Next are the two fitness bands, Q Reveler and Q Dreamer. Both essentially do the same thing, track your activity and vibrate to alert you of notifications. The differences are in design and the bands available. Both will be available on October 25 for...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/fossil_announces_android_wear_smartwatch_and_fitness_trackers-news-14615.php

SanDisk is being acquired for $19 billion

Popular flash memory company SanDisk is being acquired by hard-disk drive manufacturer Western Digital for a total of $19 billion in a cash-and-stock deal. The value of the transaction, however, depends on the fate of China-based Unisplendour's already-announced investment in Western Digital. "If the previously announced investment in Western Digital by Unisplendour Corporation Limited closes prior to this acquisition, Western Digital will pay $85.10 per share in cash and 0.0176 shares of Western Digital common stock per share of SanDisk common stock," Western Digital said in a press release. "And if the Unisplendour transaction has not closed or has been terminated, $67.50 in cash and 0.2387 shares of Western Digital common stock per share of SanDisk common stock." It's worth mentioning that Japan-based Toshiba has an intellectual property sharing joint venture with SanDisk, which uses the former's foundries to make chips. Toshiba is supporting the deal, saying that it won't affect the JV in any negative way. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sandisk_is_being_acquired_for_19_billion-news-14614.php

Sony acknowledges Xperia Z5 Compact touch-screen issues; fix coming next week

A few weeks ago, there were reports that users of the Compact variant of Sony's new Xperia Z5 smartphone are facing issues with touch input - interestingly, the said issues were only reported with the white color model. Now, the company has acknowledged the problem. "We are aware of reports of a limited number of customers experiencing touch input issues on their white Xperia™ Z5 Compact devices," the Japanese company said in an official statement on the matter, confirming that other color versions of the handset are not affected by the issue. Sony also revealed that it is a software-related problem, and a new update will be released to fix it. That update, the company said, will be available on its support software PC Companion and Bridge for Mac from beginning of week 44, which is next week (October 26), although exact timings may vary depending upon region and/or operator. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_acknowledges_xperia_z5_compact_touchscreen_issues_fix_coming_next_week_-news-14613.php

All major US carriers now support Samsung Pay

Samsung has announced that all major carriers in the United States, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon, now support its mobile payments service Samsung Pay, which was launched in the country on September 28. "Starting today, October 21, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5 users on the major U.S. wireless networks will be able to download and install the Samsung Pay application directly from Google Play," the South Korean company said. Samsung specifically mentioned that those on Verizon, which recently jumped on the bandwagon, with devices that need to be updated to work with the service will be automatically prompted for the update when they install the Samsung Pay...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/all_major_us_carriers_now_support_samsung_pay-news-14612.php

Nextbit begins accepting pre-orders for its Robin smartphone

Nextbit has now started accepting pre-orders for its cloud-focused Robin smartphone. Those pre-ordering will have to shell out $399, and the handset - available in mint and midnight color options - is expected to begin shipping in February 2016. If you aren't in the know, Robin's selling point is the way it handles the internal storage, making sure that you never actually run out of space - everything that's important to you will be available offline, while the rest will be pushed from the cloud upon request. Nextbit not only promises 100GB available cloud space for everyone, but also says it won't charge for additional space if required. The company, which is run by former HTC and Google employees, took to Kickstarter for the funding of the smartphone, and raised a total of $1.36 million last...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nextbit_begins_accepting_preorders_for_its_robin_smartphone-news-14611.php

Apple patches exploits used in Pangu Team's recent jailbreak

Acting fast, Apple has fixed the exploits used by the Pangu Hacking Team in their recently-released jailbreak tool that works on devices running iOS 9 through 9.0.2. The tool in question was released around a week ago. Apple's new iOS 9.1 patches the two vulnerabilities found by the Pangu Team: one was a kernel memory corruption issue that allowed arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges, while the other was a heap based buffer overflow issue (in the DNS client library) that allowed privilege elevation. The Cupertino-based company even credited the Pangu Team for discovering the aforementioned vulnerabilities. Source |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_patches_exploits_used_by_pangu_teams_recent_jailbreak-news-14610.php

Priv briefly shows up on BlackBerry's official online store; detailed specs, price, and shipping date revealed

BlackBerry's debut Android smartphone, the Priv, will cost $750 for the unlocked model in the US and $949 in Canada, according to the official listings of the device on the Canadian company's online store. The listings, which have since been taken down, also revealed that the device will ship starting November 16 - for those who aren't already aware, recent reports have suggested that the handset will be officially up for pre-orders this Friday. Also revealed were the specifications of the handset: Snapdragon 808 SoC, 5.4-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 at 540 DPI, 3GB RAM, 3410mAh battery - claimed to last 22.5 hours, and 2MP front and 18MP rear camera (offering features like 4k video at 30 fps, OIS, and Phase Detect Auto...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/priv_briefly_shows_up_on_blackberrys_official_online_store_specs_price_and_shipping_date_revealed-news-14609.php

Ad suggests BlackBerry will start accepting Priv pre-orders this Friday

Last week, BlackBerry started allowing consumers to pre-register for the Priv, and now it looks like the Canadian company will officially start accepting pre-orders for its debut Android device this Friday. The information came courtesy of a recent advertisement that appeared online. As you can see in the image above, the ad in question clearly mentions Friday as the day when interested users will be able to start ordering the device. If you aren't already aware, retailers like Carphone Warehouse in the UK and Rogers in Canada have already started taking pre-orders for the Priv - while the former is offering it for £49($75)/month on a regular two year contract and £580 ($895) off contract, the latter will sell the device for CAD 399.99 ($305) on contract and CAD 799.99 ($610)...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/ads_suggest_blackberry_will_start_accepting_priv_preorders_this_friday_-news-14608.php

Back cover models for Droid Turbo 2 shown in new leaked image

Yesterday Verizon decided to start teasing its upcoming Motorola Droid Turbo 2 by showing us its back in a quick video. However, we have previously learned that the Turbo 2 is going to be the first Droid-branded phone to be available through Moto Maker, Motorola's online hardware customization service. Naturally then, we should expect to see many different back cover variations for the next Droid Turbo after its October 27 unveiling. And the newly leaked image you can see below handily shows us some (if not all) of the options. The first three covers from the left appear to be made out of leather, while the others could be kevlar, or some type of fabric. The Droid Turbo 2 is expected to sport a "shatterproof" screen, and top of the line specs. We're talking about a QHD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC powering things, 3GB of RAM, 32 or 64GB of storage, and a huge 3,760 mAh battery. At some point in the future, the Droid Turbo 2 will also be sold internationally, under the name Moto X Force. Source (in Chinese) |...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/back_cover_models_for_the_droid_turbo_2_are_shown_in_new_leaked_image-news-14607.php

YouTube Red launches on October 28 with offline and background playback, no ads

After almost a year since first announcing it, YouTube's subscription service is now ready for everyone to use. The beta tag will be taken off on October 28, which is also when a name change will happen - the service will be known as YouTube Red, and not as YouTube Music Key anymore. YouTube Red brings you quite a few things for $9.99 per month. You can view YouTube videos without ads, on any device, if you're signed into your account of course. On mobile devices, Red lets you save videos for viewing offline, and it also enables background playback - so when you turn your phone's screen off the music won't stop. Oh, and, "as a special bonus", if you pay for YouTube Red you also get to use the Google Play Music All Access streaming service for free - with all the many millions of songs it houses. This works the other way round too, so if you're already a Play Music subscriber, you'll also get access to YouTube Red for no additional cost. In addition, Google has announced a new mobile app called YouTube Music, which will be launched soon. As its name implies, this aims to make the process of listening to music through YouTube much more enjoyable than it is in the current app. YouTube Music doesn't have a release date yet, but it will arrive sometime in the near future. Starting next year, YouTube Red members will get exclusive access to new original shows and movies made by "some of YouTube's biggest creators". YouTube Red will come with a one-month free trial so you know how well it works for you before spending any cash on it. Like many things, YouTube Red seems to be limited to the US at first. As a final note, the free YouTube service and associated apps will obviously remain available to use in the exact same conditions as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/youtube_red_launches_on_october_28_with_offline_and_background_playback_no_ads-news-14606.php

Apple Watch gets watchOS 2.0.1 update today

We've already told you about Apple releasing both iOS 9.1 and Mac OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan today, but the company hasn't forgotten about its first wearable either. So watchOS 2.0.1 is now available as an update for the Apple Watch, improving upon watchOS 2 by adding new emoji characters as well as fixing a big number of bugs. After you apply this version, software updates should never stall, a managed iPhone should always be able to sync iOS calendar events to the Apple Watch, location information will always be properly updated, using a Live Photo as watch face won't cause instability anymore, and when you use Siri to measure your heart rate the sensors will not stay on indefinitely. Some issues that were impacting battery performance are allegedly gone now, as is another issue that could cause Digital Touch to send from an email address instead of a phone number. To install watchOS 2.0.1 onto your Apple Watch, it needs to be placed on its charger and have at least 50% battery left. To initiate the update you go into the Apple Watch app on your iPhone (which must be running iOS 9.1), and choose General > Software...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_watch_gets_watchos_201_update_today-news-14605.php