Marshmallow update for AT&T One M8 and One M9 hit by further delays

Three of the Big Four carriers in the US have already rolled out Marshmallow to the HTC One M8 and M9 units on their network. So we can say the Marshmallow update for AT&T-branded M8 and M9s is already delayed. Worse still, it has been revealed that the update has been hit by further delays. The revelation was made by the Taiwanese company's VP of Product Management Mo Versi on Twitter. HTC One M8 & M9 AT&T owners - there's been a slight delay on M OS. We're in lab but looking at approval within the next couple weeks.— Mo Versi (@moversi) April 29, 2016 The reason behind the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/marshmallow_update_for_at_t_htc_one_m8_and_one_m9_hit_by_further_delays-news-18042.php

Xiaomi's new Mi Bunny is a smartwatch aimed at kids, costs under $50

Waiting for a Xiaomi smartwatch? Well, your wait is over, and you know what, it costs only $46. Whaaat? Not so fast - it's not actually the one most of us are waiting for - it's for kids, silly. Yes, Xiami has launched a kid-focused smartwatch dubbed Mi Bunny (cute, isn't it?). The device offers connectivity options including WiFi and Bluetooth, along with GPS/GLONASS tracking. It also features an SOS button pressing which sends the GPS location of the device along with a few seconds of audio recording. Also known as the Mitu Watch, the device sends alerts when the wearer moves...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomis_mi_bunny_is_59_smartwatch_aimed_at_kids-news-18039.php

AdDuplex: Lumia 535 pips Lumia 520 to become most popular WP device

After being the most popular Windows Phone device for almost 3 years, the Lumia 520 has finally been dethroned. According to latest data from market research firm AdDuplex, the Lumia 535 has now claimed the top spot. The Lumia 535 now has a market share of 12.5%, ahead of 11.3% claimed by the Lumia 520. The Lumia 630, 640, and 635 round up the top-5 with the first two claiming 8.3% share each while the latter claiming a share of 6.3%. The report also revealed some other interesting statistics. For example, Microsoft manufacturers over 97% of WP devices now, with around 80% of them...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/adduplex_lumia_535_pips_lumia_520_to_become_most_popular_wp_device-news-18041.php

Lumia 950/950 XL could get 'double tap to wake' feature if there's enough demand for it

Microsoft has dropped hints that the 'double tap to wake' feature - which, gives you an alternative for using the unlock key to wake up your phone - could be added to the Lumia 950/950 XL smartphones. Replying to a user query on Twitter about bringing the feature to the Windows-10 powered flagship device, Microsoft's Gabriel Aul said that it's a common request, and asked the user to upvote it in Feedback Hub. @RayVanEe Double tap on 950 is a common request, upvote it in Feedback Hub!— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) April 29, 2016 While that's certainly not a confirmation per se that the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lumia_950_950_xl_could_get_double_tap_to_wake_feature_if_theres_enough_demand_for_it-news-18040.php

Will.i.am's Dial smartwatch now available to pre-order

Remember musician will.i.am's Dial smartwatch which was unveiled back in February this year? Well, the timepiece is now available to pre-order - Three UK currently has the device listed on its website with an estimated delivery date of May 13. As for the price, it's available on a 2-year contract where-in you'll be required to pay £49.00 up front, followed by a monthly payment of £24.00 for 24 months. The plan includes 500MB data and 100 minutes of talk time each month. Of course, there are other plans as well. To refresh, Dial is the musician's second attempt at wearables after the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/williams_dial_smartwatch_now_available_to_preorder-news-18038.php

Meizu MX6 now tipped for H2 launch

If you're eagerly waiting for the successor to Meizu's MX5 smartphone, looks like your wait isn't going to end anytime soon. The device, which was previously rumored to be made official in April-May time-frame, is now said to be launching in H2, 2016. The latest rumor comes out of Meizu's home country of China, and if it's true, we'll have to wait at-least a couple of more months for the device. Being the subject of only a handful of rumors so far, the MX6 (which is what the device is likely to be called) is said to be powered by a MediaTek Helio X20 SoC with 10-core CPU and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx6_now_tipped_for_h2_launch-news-18037.php

Lenovo starts rolling out Vibe P1 Marshmallow update

Lenovo has started rolling out the Marshmallow update to its Vibe P1 smartphone, which was launched late last year. The Chinese company announced the roll-out in a post on its official forums. "We expect Marshmallow to be rolling out for the Vibe P1, P1A42, over the next few days," the post said. However, comments left by users following the aforementioned announcement post suggest that the update has already started hitting units in India. Given that the OTA roll out has just begin, it may take some time for the update to hit your device. However, if you're feeling impatient, you...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_starts_rolling_out_vibe_p1_marshmallow_update-news-18036.php

Second-gen Moto 360 and Moto 360 Sport get $50 price cut in US

If you are a Motorola fan and are in the market for a smartwatch, here is a deal for you: the company's second-gen Moto 360 and Moto 360 Sport watches will soon be available at discounted prices in the United States. The discount - $50 on both devices - is being offered by Verizon, and will be available starting next month (May 1 to be precise), with the deal running for the whole of the month. The carrier currently has the Sport version listed for $300, so it will be available for $250 post discount. As for standard Moto 360, the 46mm variant with metal band for example will be...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/moto_360_2015_gets_50_price_cut_in_us-news-18035.php

HTC 10 will be available at Sprint on May 13

It looks like Verizon may have some kind of short-term exclusivity on the HTC 10 for the US carrier market. Mere hours ago the company nicknamed Big Red started taking pre-orders for the device, with a "ship by" date of May 5. And now Sprint has officially announced availability details for the HTC 10 too, and it turns out it will launch the smartphone later than Verizon. The HTC 10 will be out at Sprint starting on May 13. Price-wise, the only information that the Now Network has put out so far is with regard to purchasing the device on an installment plan. The HTC 10 will be $0 down...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_10_will_be_available_at_sprint_on_may_13-news-18030.php

Upcoming LG K series smartphones get benchmarked with Snapdragon 430

LG is working on adding new members to its K family of smartphones. This has been made obvious by a couple of listings in a benchmark's online database. Someone has tested both the LG K530 and the K535 in Geekbench, and this has resulted in us finding out a few of their most important specs, courtesy of the benchmark's info tab. The K530 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 430 chipset (which has a 1.2 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU and the Adreno 505 GPU), aided by 2GB of RAM. The prototype tested ran Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. The processor's clock speed actually shows up as 1.4 GHz in the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/upcoming_lg_k_series_smartphones_get_benchmarked_with_snapdragon_430-news-18029.php

32GB Moto X (2nd Gen) is now down to $199.99 unlocked

The 2nd generation Moto X is undoubtedly very old at this point. In fact, in just a few months it turns two. That's a lot in the mobile world, as you may know. That said, this was a top of the line offering when it came out, so even today it can measure up to the best mid-rangers out there in terms of performance. Oh, and from this point on it can do the same in price, too. Motorola is currently offering up the 2nd gen Moto X for $199.99 carrier-free, and we're talking about the version with 32GB of storage. This is quite the price drop even compared to its previous level of...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/32gb_moto_x_2nd_gen_is_now_down_to_19999_unlocked-news-18034.php

HTC 10 goes on pre-order at Verizon, Bell is exclusively selling it in Canada

Right on its previously announced schedule, today Verizon has started taking pre-orders for the HTC 10. The phone is available for a limited time for $100 off its usual price, but only if you grab one using a device installment plan. If you do go that route, you'll pay nothing upfront, then followed by 24 monthly installments of $22.83. That all adds up to around $548, compared to the $648 full retail price. Verizon promises that pre-ordered HTC 10 units will be delivered to you by May 5. Up north in Canada, as you may know already, Bell is the exclusive carrier partner for the HTC...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_10_goes_on_preorder_at_verizon_bell_is_exclusively_selling_it_in_canada-news-18028.php

HTC starts Mother's Day promo for the One M9 and One A9

HTC is getting ready for Mother's Day with a special sale that's already available at its US online store. The offer is clearly targeted toward people wanting to gift a new smartphone to their mothers. You get a choice between the pink HTC One M9 and the "deep garnet" HTC One A9. The M9 can be had in unlocked form for $399, which is down $250 from its initial pricing of $649. You can pick up an unlocked One A9 for $389, which is $110 less than before. The One A9 version for Sprint is also available as part of this Mother's Day deal, but the price is the same as for the unlocked unit,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_starts_mothers_day_promo_for_the_one_m9_and_one_a9-news-18033.php

UK: Silver Galaxy S7 and S7 edge exclusive to Carphone Warehouse, available now

While the white color version for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge is exclusive to EE in the UK (and pre-orders have just started), it turns out that the silver hue for the Korean company's flagships is exclusive to Carphone Warehouse. However, if you're a fan of the silver S7 or S7 edge you don't need to wait any more before you purchase either device. They're already available at Carphone Warehouse. If you opt for a Pay Monthly arrangement, the recommended deal for the S7 has it costing £59 upfront with a £36 per month plan. This nets you 10GB of data and unlimited minutes and...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/uk_silver_galaxy_s7_and_s7_edge_exclusive_to_carphone_warehouse_available_now-news-18027.php

Google drops Moto 360 Sport from its store

After dropping the Nexus 9 tablet, Google has now removed the Moto 360 Sport smartwatch from its online store. The Moto 360 Sport is a variant of the Moto 360 second generation that comes with a few changes, such as AnyLight display that uses ambient light outdoors to illuminate itself, built-in GPS, and silicone bands. Unfortunately, it seems people didn't quite find that worth the $300 price tag. In fact, Motorola recently dropped the price to $200 but now Google has gone ahead and removed the device entirely from its store, which is odd as the watch only went on sale back in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_drops_moto_360_sport_from_its_store-news-18031.php

Two new Sony phones leak through benchmark, one has a 16MP selfie cam

Thanks to the entries in an online benchmark database, two upcoming Sony smartphones have been outed today. For now their exact names aren't known, they go only by their model numbers. According to information from GFXBench, the Sony F3216 has a 4.6-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 21 MP rear camera with LED flash, a 16 MP selfie snapper, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. It's powered by the MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 SoC, which comes with a 1.9 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU and the Mali-T860 GPU. The prototype tested ran Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Aside from its tiny screen size, this...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/two_new_sony_phones_leak_through_benchmark_one_has_a_16mp_selfie_cam-news-18026.php

Leica announces M-D (Typ 262) with no LCD

Leica has announced another model in its M-series of digital rangefinder cameras. This one is a bit different though. The Leica M-D (Typ 262) does not feature an LCD on the back like most digital cameras, instead wanting the photographer to focus on the art of composition and framing without being distracted. This is not the first Leica camera to lack an LCD; we saw the M Edition 60 before this forego the display, but the M-D (Typ 262) is the first serial production camera while the M Edition 60 was a limited edition. The M-D only comes with dials to adjust shutter speed, aperture,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/leica_announces_md_typ_262_with_no_lcd-news-18024.php

ZUK Z1 to reportedly land in India as Lenovo Z1

We already know that the Z1 smartphone from Lenovo subsidiary ZUK will be launched in India soon - Lenovo has started teasing the device and also sent out media invites for the launch event (date isn't yet confirmed). However, what's new is that the phone could shed the ZUK branding for its India launch. According a report out of China, the ZUK Z1 will be sold in India as the Lenovo Z1. There was, however, no word on why the Chinese company has decided to take this step. Given that the brand Lenovo has pretty good visibility in India, it would be reasonable to assume that the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/zuk_z1_to_reportedly_land_in_india_as_lenovo_z1-news-18023.php

Samsung brings Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy J7 (2016) to South Korea

The Galaxy J5 (2016) and J7 (2016), which were first unveiled late last month in China, have been officially announced by Samsung in its home country of South Korea. Carrying a price tag of KRW 290,000 (around $255) and KRW 363,000 (around $320), respectively, the handsets will be available for purchase from local carrier KT, which will be selling them in the black and gold color options. An important thing worth mentioning here is that the South Korean Galaxy J7 comes with 720p display and 2GB RAM, compared to the full HD display and 3GB RAM that the Chinese version features. In...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_brings_galaxy_j7_2016_and_galaxy_j5_2016_to_south_korea-news-18022.php

Samsung Gear 360 launched, priced at $350

As scheduled, Samsung has launched the Gear 360 camera. The device is now available for purchase in the company's home country of South Korea - it's currently listed online, but will be available in around 450 stores starting next month. Priced at KRW 399,300 (around $350), the camera - which was announced at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) - is currently compatible with the Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, and Note5. Aside from South Korea, the device is also expected to made available in select other countries. However, those in the United States are currently...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_launches_gear_360_in_south_korea-news-18021.php

LG G5 vs Samsung Galaxy S7: A rebel and a stunner

This is a battle of innovation versus refinement. LG let the designers off the leash and they went wild on the LG G5. Samsung brought in the perfectionists to polish the Galaxy S7.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g5_vs_samsung_galaxy_s7-review-1433.php

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 getting May security patch already

April hasn't even ended, and Samsung has already started rolling out the Android security patch for the month of May to its Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Weighing in at around 380MB, the update is currently rolling out to units in India. There's no clarity on exactly what else the update brings along - the change-log contains generic language like performance and stability improvements, and bug fixes. Rolling out OTA, the update carries a build date of April 22. This comes less than week after the device started receiving April security update in India. That update weighs in at around...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_4_receiving_may_security_patch_already-news-18020.php

Samsung says Gear VR users have already consumed over 2 million hours of VR content

Samsung has revealed that users of its Gear VR headset have already consumed more than 2 million hours of virtual reality content thus far. The revelation was made by John Pleasants, the company's executive VP of Media Solutions, at SDC 2016. If you calculate, that translates into over 228 years of continuous watching. And given that Samsung is one of the many players in the market, it does give an idea about the kind of interest consumers are having in the VR space. This comes just a day after the South Korean company confirmed that it's working on a standalone virtual reality...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/more_than_2_million_hours_of_vr_content_have_been_consumed_by_gear_vr_users-news-18018.php

Lenovo has sold half a million K4 Notes since launch

Lenovo has announced that half a million units of the K4 Note have been sold since the device was launched in India back in January this year. Aside from this, the Chinese company has also sold 100,000 units of the ANT VR headset. The VR headset was initially bundled with the smartphone, but was sold separately shortly thereafter. However, the company is bringing back the smartphone+headset bundle to celebrate the milestone. "To celebrate the milestone of 5 lakh happy customers, Lenovo is bringing back the VR bundle offer," a company spokesperson said. "Customers will be able to...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lenovo_has_sold_half_a_million_k4_notes_since_launch-news-18019.php

Update to Apple Music for Android brings music video support

Apple has updated its Apple Music app on Android, bumping it to version 0.9.8. The update brings support for music videos as well as family subscription option. "You can now enjoy thousands of music videos on Apple Music—view popular ones featured in New or search for the music videos from your favorite artists," the Cupertino-based company says in the change-log. As for the Family Membership, it costs around $15 a month and allows up to six members of a family to enjoy the streaming music service together. Source

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/update_to_apple_music_for_android_brings_music_video_support-news-18017.php

Rumor says Huawei Mate 9 will feature 20MP dual camera setup, Kirin 960 SoC

It's been just a few months since Huawei launched its Mate 8 smartphone, and rumors about the device's successor have already started pouring in. According to a latest one out of China, the handset will be powered by the homegrown, and yet-to-be-announced Kirin 960 chipset with octa-core CPU. Huawei Mate 8 In addition to the SoC, it was also revealed that the Mate 9 will sport a 20MP dual rear camera setup. This compares to the dual 12MP cameras that the Chinese company's newly-announced P9 and P9 Plus feature. There was, however, no word on whether - like the P9 duo - Leica will...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/rumor_says_huawei_mate_9_will_feature_20mp_dual_camera_setup_kirin_960_soc-news-18016.php

BBM for Android gains beta video chat support, coming soon to iOS

The latest update of BBM for Android, which should already be out in the Play Store, brings with it a much-requested feature: video chats. BBM has had support for video calls on BlackBerry OS 10, but this is now finally making its way to the two big mobile platforms - a release for iOS is apparently coming soon. Over in the Android app, the video chat functionality is still in beta, and marked as such. Hence, some hiccups may occur. Also, to make sure nothing will break with its backend infrastructure, BlackBerry is currently limiting the rollout of the new feature to the US and Canada....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/bbm_for_android_gains_beta_video_chat_support_coming_soon_to_ios-news-18014.php

Marshmallow is now out for the LG G3 on AT&T and T-Mobile

Although Google has already started testing Android N with developers, Android handset makers are still busy updating their wares to Marshmallow. Case in point: LG, and its G3. The flagship smartphone from 2014 is now receiving the update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow both on AT&T and T-Mobile, according to multiple reports from owners. T-Mobile's model isn't currently enjoying an over-the-air rollout of the update, so to download and install it you'll need to use LG's desktop software. Even so, the new release may not yet show as being available for everyone. If you bought your G3...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/marshmallow_is_now_out_for_the_lg_g3_on_at_t_and_tmobile-news-18015.php

Google Photos for Android receives new search bar, other useful additions

The Google Photos app for Android is in the process of receiving a new update today. Version 1.19 should already be available in the Google Play Store, and it comes with a few new features. First off, there's now a dedicated search bar at the top of the app. This replaces the search floating action button that used to be found in the bottom right side of the app. The search bar lets you find things more easily, and if you tap on it and then scroll down you'll get a list of faces, places, and picture types from your library. From this point on, you can customize the movies that...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_photos_for_android_receives_new_search_bar_other_useful_additions-news-18013.php

HP's new Chromebook 13 is thin and made out of brushed aluminum

HP has unveiled a new Chromebook today. It's called HP Chromebook 13 and was apparently designed in partnership with Google. That kind of shows when you look at it, as its brushed aluminum construction and 12.9mm thinness pretty much scream "high-end". That said, the Chromebook 13 is more of a Chromebook Pixel for the masses, as it starts at just $499. At that price you do get the looks, but only a measly Pentium processor. If you can pay more, then you'll get a choice of Core m3, m5, or m7 CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 3,200x1,800 resolution for the 13.3-inch non-touch display....

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/hps_new_chromebook_13_is_thin_and_made_out_of_brushed_aluminum_-news-18012.php

New Nexus 6P version gets benchmarked with Snapdragon 820, 4GB of RAM

Earlier today we once again heard that HTC is the company in charge of building this year's two Nexus-branded smartphones for Google. And now it looks like one of them may have just been spotted in a benchmark's database. An intriguing entry for "google Nexus 6P" is available in Geekbench's online score browser. The name is pretty much identical to the Huawei-made device that's been announced last year, but this Nexus 6P has different hardware. Namely, it's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 chipset (not the 810 like the 2015 model), and it comes with 4GB of RAM (up from 3 on the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_nexus_6p_version_gets_benchmarked_with_snapdragon_820_4gb_of_ram-news-18011.php

Schematic details the iPhone Pro with dual-camera, Smart Connector

With the 4" iPhone SE out of the gate, the rumor mill turns its attention back to the 5.8" iPhone Pro. A schematic (probably unofficial) shows the dimensions of the rumored Apple flagship. The schematic clearly shows the wider camera assembly - info so far points to a dual-camera setup. Will it be like the LG G5 (wide + narrow) or the Huawei P9 (color + monochrome)? That's unknown at the moment. Another interesting feature on the back is the Smart Connector. Apple debuted the three-pin connector with the iPad Pro and while it allows advanced functionality like connecting a keyboard, it...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/schematic_details_the_iphone_pro_with_dualcamera_smart_connector-news-18006.php

Xiaomi smartwatch coming in H2 2016

Back in March last year, there were reports out of China that Xiaomi is working on its own smartwatch, although no availability details were revealed at that time. Then, there were rumors that it will be unveiled at an event in November - that, we all know, didn't happen. Now, for the first time, Xiaomi has confirmed the existence of the wearable device. The confirmation came from the company's co-founder and VP Liu De, who also revealed that the smartwatch will be made official in the second half of this year. Sadly, he didn't reveal a specific launch date/month as well as any specs...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_smartwatch_coming_in_h2_2016-news-18003.php

Motorola sets event for May 17, likely to present the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus

Motorola has sent out press invites for its May 17 event in New Delhi. There, the company is expected to unveil the highly anticipated Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus. The Moto G (3rd gen) was announced in July 2015 making us even more certain the G4 duo will come to light. According to rumors, the Moto G4 will feature a 5.5" display of 1080p resolution. The Snapdragon 410 chipset of the old Moto G will be replaced by an octa-core CPU according to hearsay. RAM is reportedly 2GB The design of the phone is evolved from the previous generation and now has a metal-looking frame, although...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_may_17_event_in_india_likely_to_present_the_moto_g4_and_moto_g4_plus-news-18001.php

Huawei Honor 5C is official with a Kirin 650 SoC and 5.2" FullHD display

The Honor 5C has just been made official in China. The latest from Huawei's sub-brand has a lot in common with the yet unannounced P9 lite, for a price it's unlikely to match. Huawei Honor 5C press images The specsheet starts with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD with FullHD resolution. An in-house Kirin 650 chipset does the number-crunching with an octa-core CPU (4xCortex-A53@2.0GHz + 4xCortex-A53@1.7GHz), paired with 2GB of RAM. Onboard storage is 16GB, expandable by up to 128GB. Imaging is taken care by a 13MP primary shooter with an f/2.0 lens, aided in the dark by a single LED...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_honor_5c_is_official_with_a_kirin_650_soc_and_52_fullhd_display-news-18000.php

Samsung confirms it's working on standalone VR headset

At its ongoing developer conference, Samsung confirmed that it's working on a standalone virtual reality headset - one that doesn't rely on a smartphone, PC, or a gaming console to function. Image credit: Shara Tibken/CNET The confirmation came from the South Korean company's head of R&D, Injong Rhee, who said that the device will feature positional tracking. He also noted that features like hand and gesture tracking for the headset are currently being explored, and could be supported in the future. The company's aim is to create a Star Trek-type holodeck. "You enter a holodeck,...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/standalone_vr_headset_in_the_works_samsung_confirms-news-17998.php

IDC Q1 2016: Oppo and vivo replace Lenovo and Xiaomi in top-5 smartphone vendors list

Well known Chinese smartphone manufacturers Lenovo and Xiaomi are out of the top five vendors list, and have been replaced by two other - and comparatively lesser known - Chinese firms Oppo and vivo. This was revealed by market research firm IDC in its recently released Q1 2016 numbers. "Along China's maturing smartphone adoption curve, the companies most aligned with growth are those with products serving increasingly sophisticated consumers," said IDC's said Melissa Chau. "Lenovo benefited with ASPs below US$150 in 2013, and Xiaomi picked up the mantle with ASPs below US$200 in 2014...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/idc_q1_2016_lenovo_and_xiaomi_drop_out_of_top_5_oppo_and_vivo_are_in-news-17996.php

Google announces MODE bands for Android Wear

By far the best feature of the Apple Watch is the range of bands available for it, and the beautifully simple mechanism for attaching and removing them. Most Android Wear watches have nothing of the sort, with some not even offering the option to change bands. Google wanted to do something about this, so the company has announced something called MODE bands. These are snap-and-swap watch bands that come in a variety of colors in leather and silicone. The main feature here is the attachment mechanism, which, like the Apple Watch, comes off with just the flick of a...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_announces_mode_bands_for_android_wear-news-17999.php

Samsung Gear 360 won't be available in US at launch

Samsung has confirmed that its Gear 360 camera - which was announced at this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) as part of the Galaxy S7 lineup of accessories - will not be available for purchase in the US at launch, which will happen this Friday. The confirmation came following the revelation that the camera will be launched in "select countries" on April 29. There's, however, still no official announcement on the price tag the Gear 360 will carry, although the company's Netherlands website has it listed for €349.99. Interested in learning more about the camera? Head to our...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gear_360_wont_be_available_in_us_at_launch-news-17997.php

Samsung records better-than-expected Q1 growth thanks to Galaxy S7/S7 edge

Samsung has announced its Q1 2016 financial results, revealing a 5.7% increase in overall revenue and 12% increase in operating profit. The figures stood at KRW 49.78 trillion ($43.46 billion) and KRW 6.68 trillion ($5.83 billion), respectively, ahead of the KRW 49 trillion ($43.3 billion) revenue and KRW 6.6 trillion ($5.7 billion) operating profit the company's earnings guidance had suggested. "The first quarter saw overall earnings growth led by the early launch and successful sales of the flagship Galaxy S7 and S7 edge," the South Korean company said, while also attributing the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_records_betterthanexpected_q1_growth_thanks_to_galaxy_s7_s7_edge_-news-17995.php

HTC-made Nexus 9 no longer available from Google Store

The HTC-made Nexus 9 tablet from the year 2014 is now no longer available for purchase from the Google Store. In fact, the device has completely disappeared from the online store, with its listing page now being redirected to the store's home page and no trace of it in search results as well. Currently, Google's own Pixel C is the only tablet available on the company's online store. However, if you were planning to purchase a Nexus 9, you aren't completely out of luck as third party retailers like Amazon still have it in stock. Plus, you can purchase it directly from HTC as...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/htcmade_nexus_9_no_longer_available_from_google_store-news-17994.php

Another rumor claims HTC working on next-gen Nexus devices

Back in January this year, there were rumors that like 2015, there will be two Nexus phones in 2016 as well, and both will be manufactured by HTC. Now, another rumor has cropped up that not only adds weight to the previous one, but also reveals some new information. The latest rumor comes from the usually reliable leakster @evleaks, who also revealed that the two Android N-powered Nexus devices that HTC is manufacturing are internally being called as the M1 and S1. HTC is building a pair of Android N devices for Google internally dubbed M1 and S1 #nexus— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/a_couple_of_android_npowered_nexus_devices_said_to_be_in_the_works_at_htc-news-17993.php

Nextbit Robin "cloud phone" receives Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update

The Nextbit Robin smartphone comes with cloud storage integrated into its customized Android OS. And starting today it also comes running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow underneath Nextbit's additions. The update to the latest version of Google's mobile OS has started rolling out to Robin owners across the globe. It has all the goodies that you'd expect from Marshmallow, but it also comes with the most recent security patches. "Additional processor tuning" should give you better battery life and improved performance, and the all-new audio tuning at the driver level apparently makes the...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/nextbit_robin_cloud_phone_receives_android_601_marshmallow_update-news-17990.php

New deal drops unlocked BlackBerry Priv's price to $399.99

The BlackBerry Priv has certainly seen its fair share of price cuts recently. First, the Canadian company itself permanently slashed $50 off the price of the contract-free device, bringing the recommended amount down to $649. Then, just a few days ago one deal had it for only $450, which is a great price, but not as good as the one we have for you today. Over at Newegg, the unlocked AT&T model of the Priv is currently being sold for $399.99. That's $250 less than usual, so this is clearly one deal you need to take advantage of fast if you're interested in BlackBerry's first Android-running...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/new_deal_drops_unlocked_blackberry_privs_price_to_39999-news-17992.php

Two upcoming Android-powered BlackBerry devices get pictured

BlackBerry's next two Android-running smartphones have been portrayed by a few leaked images today. The handsets are apparently codenamed Hamburg and Rome, respectively, following the Canadian company's long-standing tradition of using cities for its devices' codenames. The Hamburg either doesn't have a physical keyboard at all, or it could be a slider like the already launched Priv. The two leaked images depicting it don't shine any light on that aspect, unfortunately. Still, we do get to see its entire front fascia, as well as two of its dimensions. It will be 146mm long and 78mm...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/two_upcoming_androidpowered_blackberry_devices_get_pictured-news-17988.php

Google outs Android TV remote app for iOS

Android Wear has been playing nice with iOS devices for a while, and now it's time for Google's other Android spinoff to do the same, sort of. The search giant has released an Android TV app for iOS, which is already available to download from the iTunes App Store. The app lets your iOS device act as your Android TV's remote. It has both a d-pad mode and a touchpad mode, while a microphone button lets you quickly start a voice search. There's also a built-in keyboard with which to input text on your Android TV. You can connect multiple remotes to your TV and use them for multiplayer...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/google_outs_android_tv_remote_app_for_ios-news-17991.php

EE is taking pre-orders for its exclusive White Pearl Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

In the UK, EE has started taking pre-orders for a new color variant of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the S7 edge. This is called White Pearl and it's a hue that will be exclusive to this particular operator in the UK. So if you live over there and want to grab one of Samsung's newest flagships in white, you'll have to go with EE as your network of choice. You can buy the Galaxy S7 for £9.99 when paired with a Pay Monthly plan that costs at least £45.99. For this amount of cash each month you'll get unlimited minutes and texts as well as 4GB of data. The S7 edge also starts at £9.99 upfront...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/ee_is_taking_preorders_for_its_exclusive_white_pearl_galaxy_s7_and_s7_edge-news-17987.php

LG G5 & Friends review: Best buddies

LG G5's modularity is the highlight of the company's G5 flagship but is actually more to it. The LG G5 has a few accessories, called LG Friends, which will make your experience complete. They were announced alongside the G5 in Barcelona and were meant to really complete the user experience.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g5_and_friends-review-1432.php

Meizu m3 records 450,000 pre-orders in a day

The Meizu m3 - which was announced a couple of days ago, recorded a total of around 450,000 pre-orders in just 24 hours. This was revealed by an official statement by the Chinese company. Priced at RMB 599 or around $92 (2GB/16GB version) and RMB 799 or around $125 (3GB/32GB version), the device comfortably surpassed the company's Pro 6 flagship in terms of first day pre-orders - the figure for the latter stood at 300,000. The handset will be available for purchase starting April 29 from the Meizu Mall and other official re-sellers in China. Via

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_m3_records_450000_preorders_in_a_day-news-17986.php

Intel wants to kill the 3.5mm headset jack too

Last week LeEco unveiled three new Android-powered smartphones that have one interesting thing in common - neither of them features a 3.5mm headset jack. Instead, you're supposed to use the USB Type-C port for all your audio needs. Rumors from Apple's supply chain keep talking about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also skipping the 3.5mm slot, this time in favor of audio routed through the Lightning port of course. And now Intel has emerged as another company that wants to kill the 3.5mm headset jack for good - at least when it comes to mobile devices. This port has become ubiquitous in...

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/intel_wants_to_kill_the_35mm_headset_jack_too-news-17989.php