HTC Teases Oct. 20 Smartphone Launch

HTC, the embattled Taiwan-based smartphone maker is preparing to launch a new smartphone in October.

HTC posted a "Launch" page to its website, teasing a new One smartphone. The announcement, which will be made as part of a "virtual" event rather than a standard press event, is slated for noon ET on Oct. 20.

Not surprisingly, HTC has kept its plans close to the vest, except to say the handset will run Android Marshmallow. Some recent rumors have suggested the phone will be the 5-inch HTC One A9 with midrange specs. HTC's hint, however, suggests the device—or perhaps another one that's announced in tandem with the A9—will deliver something special.

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iPhone 6s Features '3D Touch'. Here's Why It's Not Just A Gimmick

Apple’s latest iPhones feature a pressure-sensitive display that add another dimension to interacting with a touchscreen.

Following tap, swipe and gestures like pinch, which involve two or more fingers – branded ‘Multi-Touch’ – the iPhone 6s can also respond to the forces applied when pressing against its display. So as well as detecting finger movement in two-dimensions, along the X and Y axes, a device can sense if its screen is being pushed down along the Z-axis.

This ’3D Touch’ technology is being called ‘the next generation of Multi-Touch’.

But 3D Touch isn’t the same as ‘Force Touch’, the pressure-sensitive tech in the Apple Watch and MacBook trackpads. So what is it? How does it work? And why is it important?

What it does

3D Touch basically provides extra input controls. It’s like having two buttons on a mouse: tapping the screen is the equivalent of a left-click, pressing is like right-clicking.

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Verizon might not support Samsung Pay at launch

Samsung Pay, the company's mobile wallet that works across all the latest Galaxy smartphones, will launch in the US on September 28th. Similar to Apple Pay's rollout, Samsung has all three major credit card providers and several key banks behind the platform. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint are also listed among Samsung Pay's initial partners. But one big name is missing entirely: Verizon Wireless. The largest wireless carrier in the United States hasn't yet given its blessing to Samsung's payment tech and right now will only say that it's "evaluating" the service and will share more news as it's available.

The Verge contacted Samsung for a statement on Samsung Pay's standing with Verizon, and in an emailed reply, a spokesperson said "Samsung is in discussions with a number of partners to provide greater access and choice for customers. We will share more information when it becomes available." We're still over a month out from launch, so there's ample time for the two companies to come together on a deal.

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Apple mines big profits from Watch band

SAN FRANCISCO  - Nearly 20% of Apple Watch buyers are not only shelling out hundreds of dollars for the timepiece but are springing for a spare band too, giving the tech giant a profitable second dip into customers' wallets, according to data provided exclusively to Reuters.

The data from Slice Intelligence, a research firm that mines e-mail receipts, offers a rare window into the money-making potential of Apple's first brand-new product under CEO Tim Cook.

The ever-secretive company has yet to release how many units of the watch it has sold, let alone how profitable it is. Slice estimates the company has sold 2.79 million as of mid-June.

But if the band purchases are any indication, sales of the watch itself are just the beginning of Apple's profits.

Although the entry-level sports band retails for US$49, it costs only about $2.05 to make, according to an analysis of the 38-millimeter size by IHS, a technology research firm.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 Active hands-on vs Galaxy S6

Today we compare the Galaxy S6 Active to it's slightly less active counterpart, the original Samsung Galaxy S6. These devices are very similar where it matters most - in their cameras, their software, and their displays. The places where they're different is in their ability to handle the elements. Hence the name - Active. There's also carriers to think about. While the Galaxy S6 is available through most any carrier you like, the Active iteration is only available in the United States through AT&T. If you cannot roll with that, you cannot roll with this.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 has a 5.1-inch 1440 x 2560 pixel display - so does the Active. Both have Super AMOLED technology under the hood. It's like they're the same display. Without ripping both models apart to make certain, as far as we can tell, they are.

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OP-ED: Vietnam’s national pride issue and its Bphone

Hau Pham is a Vietnamese who works in Singapore as a senior associate finance manager for P&G Asia. He wrote the following piece as a status update on his Facebook page in response to current criticisms many Vietnamese people are leveling at the Bphone.

The smartphone was unveiled on Tuesday by local cyber-security firm Bkav, whose CEO Nguyen Tu Quang said during the debut ceremony in Hanoi that the device is now “the best smartphone in the world.” Quang is known for his blunt and pompous statements so many Vietnamese people have made fun of his device since the unveiling event, with tech geeks accusing the firm of copying the design from other makers and plagiarizing the ringtone Bkav said it had made exclusively for the Bphone. Not a few have frowned upon the smartphone, which the company claimed is the first Vietnamese-made device, saying Bkav might have bought parts from China and assembled them into the gadget instead of manufacturing it as it has advertised.

Tuoi Tre News carries this article, with language edits added, after securing prior permission from Hau Pham.

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iPhone 7 UK release date, specs & new features rumours: iPhone 7 coming out in August?

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus arrived in September, but now that we're well into 2015 it's no surprise that chatter about what's next for Apple's smartphone is getting louder and clearer. Here's everything we know about the iPhone 7 release date, specs, new features and design rumours and bring you the latest iPhone 7 speculation to help you stay up-to-date with the latest iPhone 7 news, rumours and leaks. When is the iPhone 7 coming out? Updated 22/5/15.

iPhone 7 rumours: Isn't it going to be the iPhone 6S?

Some of you might be thinking, isn't it going to be called the iPhone 6S next? After all, Apple has released an iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S and now iPhone 6 (alongside the iPhone 6 Plus). So if history repeats itself, it's likely that the next iPhone will be called the iPhone 6S rather than the iPhone 7. See also: iPhone 5S vs iPhone 6 comparison

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Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge receive small software update, still Android 5.0.2

Samsung has unleashed an update to the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge meant to soften some of the rougher edges from the launch build.

A 215-217MB update is available for both the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge on most carriers, bringing so-called “device stability improvements,” a performance boost, as well as unnamed new features.

The build, VLU1AOE1, is identical on both devices and across carriers, and was created on May 3rd. The previous build, VLU1AOCG, was built on March 28th.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 Active spotted in official website listing

The Galaxy S6 Active has been the object of various rumors for quite some time now. The alleged devices has now been spotted on numerous occasions - in press images and live photos. It's specs have also leaked through the cracks, so, at this point, we can be fairly certain that it is going to arrive, sooner or later.

All we really need now is some kind of confirmation from Samsung and today, one such item did, in fact, pop-up. The rugged version of Samsung's flagship appeared in a list of devices, as part of the Samsung Plus program. The platform in question is a meant to be a community for loyal Samsung fans, set up by the company itself, as well as a means of distributing special offers and offering benefits to the most devoted users.

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(Update: FCC cleared) Alleged photo of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active leaks out

Update, May 13:

A device with the SM-G890A code number has been spotted in the FCC database. Given that the AT&T Galaxy S5 Active was SM-G870A, it’s likely that we’re looking at the Galaxy S6 Active. While clearing the FCC regulatory process is no indication of when a device is coming to market, in most cases, it’s a matter of weeks at most. In other words, not that much to wait. (Via G4Games.)

Original post, May 12:

Samsung has offered a ruggedized variant of its flagship Galaxy S line of smartphones for a few years now, and it looks like the company isn’t giving up on them anytime soon. A new photo has just leaked out courtesy of GSMArena, giving us a first look at Samsung’s new Galaxy S6 Active.

Looking at the image above, the Galaxy S6 Active looks to feature a natural design progression from previous Active models. As you can see, the device features familiar rugged back and side panels, with the heart rate monitor sitting up top next to the camera module. The front of the device looks to feature a very similar design to the Galaxy S5 Active, complete with tactile recent apps, home and back keys. Much like the GS5 Active, this one doesn’t look like it will feature a fingerprint sensor, either.

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More Leaks On iPhone 7 Camera, Processor Emerge

While the analyst community has yet to decide whether the next Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone will be called the iPhone 7 or iPhone 6S, the rumors nonetheless keep flooding in. The latest murmurings on this flagship Apple handset are related to the alleged new processor and camera which are included.

iPhone 7 to be quad-core?
The rumors in question have been published by the website TweakTown, and make for interesting reading. According to this publication, Apple will be staying with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) for the manufacturing of its new A9 processor, and the Korean corporation will allegedly utilize its new 14nm FinFET technology. This could possibly point to the iPhone 7 becoming a pure quad-core device.

Dual-lens camera mooted
It is also stated that Apple will arm its flagship handset with a dual-lens camera. This has been a persistent rumor for some time, and it looks increasingly likely that Apple will be significantly stepping up the photographic taking capabilities of its flagship handset. Although the iPhone has always performed more than adequately as a picture taking device, the megapixel rating of the iPhone is significantly lower than lenses utilized in competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy range. It seems clear that Apple is intending to rectify this situation with the release of the iPhone 7.

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Samsung Galaxy S6: Ready to support businesses from day one

Gone are the days of press releases. Today, a native ad speaks volumes for an enterprise or its product with its purposeful content. What electronics giant Samsung has done is just this. 
The crisp editorial content about its newly launched Galaxy 6 and Galaxy S6 eliminates middlemen who style themselves as PR men or entities arranging for publishing of press releases. 
Instead of relying on such exercises, Samsung Electronics’ exhaustive description of its latest Galaxy smartphones highlights how beauty meets with purpose.
About its new smartphones, Samsung says the new devices aim to secure one’s business — from the Den to the Boardroom.

This is so because the workplace has changed dramatically since the Bring Your Own Device trend began to blur the boundaries between consumer technology and enterprise IT. 
Instead of relying on company tech, employees have chosen to create, collaborate and communicate with their personal devices at work.

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Rumor claims Apple’s 4-inch ‘iPhone 6c’ is closer to becoming a reality than we thought

We still don’t know whether Apple is actually planning to release a 4-inch “iPhone 6c” this year but a new report out of China indicates that Apple is at least starting to place component orders for the device.

According to GSM Dome, Apple has placed a significant order of camera sensors with Sony for the iPhone 6c, a move that puts pressure on Chinese Android device makers.

Two Chinese analysts familiar with the matter have learned that Sony can currently meet just 50% of the demand received from Chinese companies now that Apple has reserved a huge chunk of camera sensors for the iPhone 6c.

The iPhone 6c will launch in September, the report goes on to say, without revealing other details about the device. The analysts have not specified what kind of camera sensors the iPhone 6c will pack either.

Companies including Huawei, ZTE, Oppo and Coolpad are apparently turning to Sony’s rivals — including Samsung, Toshiba or OmiVision — to meet their own camera needs. HTC is also believed to have turned to Toshiba for cameras on its devices, after having been refused by Sony.

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Apple iPad Mini 3 Is Dying, Could iPad Mini 4 And Its Rumors, Leaked Photos Breathe New Life Into Apple iPad?

Apple iPad Mini 3 and Apple Mini 4 rumors circle the blogosphere daily. Recent iPad Mini 3 rumors show Apple fans tiring of the device, while iPad Mini 4 rumors point to a potential release date and some design and hardware specifications, some of which are rumored to leave a lot to be desired.

According to the International Business Times, the Apple iPad Mini 3 was supposed to be the greatest thing to happen to iPad since sliced bread, but it has not won any popularity contests recently.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI via 9to5Mac, the iPad Mini 3 is predicted to experience its slowest year ever. According to KGI figures, the iPad brand is already experiencing general decline in popularity.

Not to put too fine a point on the issue, but the brand peaked in 2013, and has declined ever since, according to KGI via 9to5Mac.


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Samsung Fights Success With The Galaxy S6 Edge

It looks like you can’t keep a good curve down. Samsung is reportedly bringing a third production line up to speed to build more curved screens for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Bloomberg Business believes that this will allow production of the innovative smartphone to jump from two million to five million units per month.

Samsung Display now has three plants that make displays using organic light-emitting diodes, or OLED, which offer sharper images at lower power than most liquid-crystal displays. The new production line uses a facility south of Seoul, located near one of the company’s existing plants making curved screens.

The Galaxy S6 Edge has picked up critical acclaim around the world alongside the standard Galaxy S6, and early indications are that the more advanced handset has been selling out, with customers ready to wait for more stock on the S6 Edge rather than switch sales to the vanilla S6. Samsung’s JK Shin has been forthright in the stock issues around the screen, citing lower yields than expected on the organic LED screen.

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How does Samsung let things like this happen?

It’s a universal truth: when it comes to branding and marketing, consistency is key. Tell your potential customers exactly what you want to sell them. Then tell them again, and again, and again. Consistency in marketing and advertising builds recognition, and that’s the name of the game.

Why hasn’t anyone explained this to Samsung?

Let’s consider Apple’s latest flagship iPhone for a moment. It’s called the “iPhone 6.” Apple markets it as the “iPhone 6,” it’s labeled “iPhone 6″ in print and TV ads, and all of Apple’s partners advertise it as the “iPhone 6.” Now, imagine how ridiculous it would be if the phone itself was branded “i Phone 6.”

As silly as that seems, it’s exactly what Samsung has done with its latest flagship phones.

For whatever reasons, Samsung has chosen to sell its latest flagship phones as the “Galaxy S 6” and “Galaxy S 6 edge” in the United States. These are the phones’ names. Not Samsung S6 and not Galaxy S6, Galaxy S 6.

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HTC One M9 Review: A Little Bit Meh…

There was a time when HTC could do no wrong. After the launch of the HTC One M7, the company became the darling of the Android space. It made premium looking phones that gave Apple’s designers a run for their money, and while HTC wasn’t shifting units in anywhere near the same volume as Apple's iPhones, the company had developed a very solid foundation from which to build on in the coming years.

Forget the HTC One Max. That handset never happened. Up next was the HTC One M8, the all-important and infinitely trickier “second album”. HTC made no bones about sticking to the design philosophy it had adapted for the birth of its One range of phones, and most were onboard with this –– if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The CPU was updated, there were some smallish tweaks to the shape and gait of the chassis, and that was about it… but most startlingly HTC, for whatever reason, DIDN’T ditch its grossly underpowered 4MP UltraPixel technology despite a veritable firestorm of criticism. Horror of horrors.

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New Samsung Galaxy Tab 5 specifications leak

A brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 5 has been spotted on TENAA, as well as in a Bluetooth certification. This means that the next iteration of the tablet family is well on its way, which, frankly, surprised us a little.

Earlier this month, the current generation Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, received a 64-bit processor upgrade and so did the Galaxy Tab 4 8.0, a few months earlier, so we naturally assumed Samsung was futureproofing its tech and thus postponing a fifth series.

A set of recently uncovered TENAA certification pages definitely says otherwise. According to the enclosed specifications, the pair of devices will come equipped with an 8.0-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. Both will also feature quad-core CPUs, clocked at 1.2 GHz, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage.

In terms of dimensions, the Tab 5 will be thinner than the previous Galaxy Tab 4, but perhaps, a little shorter and wider. The certification pages for both models seem to show little difference between then, so at this point, we can't really be sure what their main distinction will be. The SM-P355C is listed as being a little heavier and only with white color as an option, although its picture clearly shows a different pallet.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 vs Apple iPhone argument ends in stabbing

There are few rivalries as strong in the mobile world as the one between Samsung and Apple fans. Apple fans insist Samsung is nothing more than a cheap copy of Apple, Samsung insists that the iPhone is locked down and inferior to the Galaxy series. With the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge finally pushing their design forward, this argument is apparently about to get even more heated. How heated? At least in the case of two Tulsa area roommates, it’s a subject worth stabbing over. No, we aren’t kidding.

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Apple's plan to avoid 'bendgate 2' on the iPhone 7

Apple took the whole 'bendgate' fiasco quite seriously, and a fresh report suggest it is experimenting with some new materials to adapt into the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to ensure the issue won't be repeated.

The Apple Watch Sport uses Apple's own Series 7000 aluminium alloy which is designed to be stronger than the material currently used in iPhone models and a new rumour from Taiwan's Economic Daily News suggests it'll be launching on the new set of phones.

The material is 60% stronger than other aluminums but is still lightweight as it's a third of the density of stainless steel – the perfect material to be used on an iPhone.

Baby's got the bends

Apple received a lot of flack for the iPhone 6 Plus 'bendgate' scandal after creating a phone that could be bent easily than it should be, so it's not a big surprise the company wants to act on it for the next generation.

The rumour should be taken with a heavy helping of salt though as we can't see the source Economic Daily News has used, suggesting it's just speculation from the publication or other sources.

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Android 5.1 Lollipop Update Release Date Soon for HTC Devices: Taiwanese Manufacturer Skipping Version 5.0.2

HTC is known for releasing Android updates on time or at least a few weeks after the official update rolled out. However, it seems that for Android Lollipop, the Taiwanese manufacturer will be making an exception.

According to a report by Phone Arena, HTC's current devices that are now running on Android 5.0 Lollipop will skip the 5.0.2 update, which was released a couple of months ago.

Instead, the phone maker will head straight to Android 5.1, where there will be more changes and improvements.

The Android smartphone maker will release the Android 5.1 Lollipop update together with its new Sense 7.0 UI.

Some of the devices that will support Android's latest version include the HTC One M8, HTC One M8s, HTC Desire EYE, HTC Butterfly 2, and other handsets.

Of course, the latest One M9 and the upcoming One M9 Plus will get the update as well.

For many years, HTC has been one of the top Android device makers in the market. However, after peaking in sales in 2011, it has been a continuous downfall for the Taiwanese manufacturer.

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LG G4 specs and design revealed in microsite, 5.5-inch ‘Quantum’ display with handcrafted leather backing

LG is having a media event on April 28th to unveil the G4, its newest flagship smartphone. However, amidst all the spec leaks and press renders, LG has seemingly confirmed all the bells and whistles in its dedicated microsite. This could very well be an intentional PR move as the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, and the HTC One M9 went on sale yesterday in some countries.

LG points out three main characteristics of the G4: Artful Moments; Handcrafted Designs; and Personalized Experience. The text is all the same for all sections, currently stating, “Every day, people take more photos with phone than with any other camera. That’s because the camera makes it so remarkably easy.”

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Samsung Galaxy S6 shipments expected to break records

When Samsung dubbed development of its latest smartphones "Project Zero," it was sounding a note of desperation as sales tumbled and it lost pole position in the crucial Chinese market to rivals Xiaomi and Apple.

The results of its overhaul, the flagship Galaxy S6 smartphone and its curved-edge version the S6 Edge, go on sale in 20 countries on Friday, with Samsung expecting record shipments.

Samsung, which said "Project Zero" signified starting from scratch, is hoping a revamped design, a more intuitive interface and less clutter will help claw back lost market share.

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HTC unveils a China-only One M9+ with fingerprint sensor and larger screen

HTC has unveiled a new version of its flagship HTC One M9 for the Chinese market. The HTC One M9+ looks nearly identical to the all-metal M9, but comes with a slightly larger screen and a fingerprint sensor on the lower-front bezel. Like all of Apple's fingerprint sensors and Samsung's latest offerings in the S6 and S6 Edge, the sensor works with a touch — no need to swipe — although how fast it is remains to be seen.

In addition, the One M9+ offers a 5.2-inch, 2K screen — larger and sharper than the 5-inch, 1080p display on the regular One M9. There's also a new octa-core, 2.2GHz MediaTek Helio X10 processor inside for smoother games and video playback, and HTC has spruced up the M9's 20-megapixel lens with the Duo Camera hardware first introduced in the One M8.


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Samsung Denies Paying People To Attend Galaxy S6 Launch Event In China

 Samsung has denied a report that it paid people to pose as fans at the launch event for its new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge phones in Shanghai, China.

The Paper, a Shanghai-based news company, claimed that up to half of the 1,000 attendees were sourced by a recruiter and paid 30 yuan (US$4.80) for an hour of their time. The Chinese report — summarized in English by Want China Times — suggested that Samsung’s Beijing office vetted an initial 20 paid fans, but that number was later upped to 400-500.

Samsung called the report “totally groundless and bogus” in a statement issued this morning on its blog.

“Our findings have indicated that under no circumstances has anyone been hired or given money to attend the event. In fact, the more than 1,100 attendees, including consumers and industry officials, have all been formally invited to the Shanghai Culture Square where the event took place,” the company said.

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HTC One M9 vs. Samsung Galaxy S6: What’s the Best Phone?

Two great smartphones are hitting store shelves in April. Samsung’s new S6 smartphone and HTC’s new One M9 phone have both gotten solid reviews. For Android fans, it can be tough to decide which phone is worthy of their hard-earned cash.

Should you buy the HTC One M9 or the Samsung Galaxy S6? That depends on who you are, and what you’re looking for in a smartphone. We’ve compared these phones across four key areas: price, features, battery life, and camera quality. We’ll also see how these phones compare across key specs like display, processor, and RAM. Read on to see how these two flagship smartphones stack up against each other.

Still not sure whether the S6 or S6 Edge is better? Check out our comparison post on the S6 vs. S6 Edge.

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Review: Samsung Galaxy S6

The very best thing about the Samsung Galaxy S6 isn’t the new design or the gorgeous high-res screen. (Those are nice, though.) It’s the fact that no matter what you’re doing, no matter where you are on the phone, all you have to do is click twice on the Home button and you’re immediately launched into the camera. There’s no journey to the home screen, no swiping through a control panel menu; you just click-click, and tap to shoot.

The S6 is, as you could probably guess, the sixth in Samsung’s massively popular, industry-shaping Galaxy S lineup. Yes, it keeps some of the hallmark features of doesn’t-quite-get-it Samsung software, and sure, it looks a lot like the iPhone. Samsung apparently decided the best way to compete with the iPhone is to borrow from Apple. So what? Borrowing—from Xerox Parc, from those dozens of hideous MP3 players—is part of what made Apple great in the first place.

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Meizu MX Supreme Leaks Yet Again, Are Meizu And Nokia Partnering Up After All?

It was rumored a while back that Nokia and Meizu are working on a phone together. That seemed really far-fetched at the time, and Lin Bin himself actually denied that Meizu is working with Nokia back in January. Despite all of that, rumors and leaks kept on coming, which was odd considering Lin Bin’s statement. We’ve seen a couple of leaks recently, reportedly showing off this Meizu MX Supreme device. Well, another one came our way, let’s check it out.

If you take a look at the image above, you’ll notice a device which closely resembles the Meizu MX4 Pro. This handset, like the MX4 Pro, has the physical home button below the display. This home button is differently-shaped though, as we’ve seen in many leaks thus far. This button is oval, not rectangular like one the MX4 Pro. The rumors thus far are stating that Meizu is in charge of the design of this device, and Nokia will pick the internals and will take care of software. We still don’t know if that means that Nokia’s Android launcher will come pre-installed here, or perhaps the device will ship with Meizu’s Flyme OS, but some of Nokia’s software features will be included. The rumors were rather vague thus far, new reports will hopefully bring more info.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge: Australian pricing and availability

After revealing the Galaxy S6 and the S6 Edge back at the start of March, Samsung is working towards a global launch for both phones. This will see the new flagship and its Edge variant available in Australia -- and much of the world -- from April 10.

With the controversial removal of expandable memory from the S6 and Edge -- no more plugging in a Micro SD card -- Samsung is offering three different storage tiers across both phones: 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. Consumers will also get 100GB of storage on Microsoft's OneDrive when they purchase an S6 or S6 Edge.

The Galaxy S6 is priced at AU$999 for the 32GB version, AU$1,149 for 64GB and AU$1,299 for 128GB.

The Galaxy S6 Edge will cost AU$1,149 for the 32GB, AU$1,299 for 64GB and AU$1,449 for 128GB

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HTC's One E9+ is its latest phablet with a stunning screen

Just like that, HTC has quietly -- well, maybe unintentionally -- unveiled its latest phablet on its China website. With some minor differences, the One E9+ is pretty much what we saw on the certification database earlier this month. The biggest selling point of this half metal, half plastic device is perhaps its 5.5-inch Quad HD (534 ppi) display, making it the sharpest screen ever used on an HTC phone. Oddly, though, the website's spec sheet states a 1080p resolution, which we'll assume is actually meant for a lesser E9. Likewise with the 2GB of RAM instead of 3GB, as well as the 13-megapixel main camera instead of the 20-megapixel version mentioned on the product page.

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iPhone 7 To Stick To LCD Panels, No OLED On Cards

Going by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s annual upgrade cycle, the iPhone 7 is at least 16 months away from launch. But there have already been plenty of rumors about the device. The Cupertino company is expected to release the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus this year. Apple surprised the markets by moving to OLED with Apple Watch. But the tech giant will stick to LCD panels for the iPhone 7, says JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) analyst Narci Chang.

Apple Insider obtained a copy of Chang’s research note. JPMorgan believes that Apple is not fully prepared to switch from LCD to OLED technology for the high-volume iPhone lineup. So, the company will “use LCD panels through the iPhone 7.” Earlier this month, Japan Display announced that it would build a new $1.4 billion LCD plant in central Japan.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 versus Apple iPhone 6: What do the specs tell us?

The iPhone 6 and the Galaxy S6 are the two rival flagships of the smartphone world, but you might be forgiven for finding it increasingly hard to tell them apart.
Some of the obvious features that distinguished the Galaxy S5 from the iPhone 5s - the plastic body, the removable battery and microSD card support - are gone in the new glass and metal S6. At the same time, the iPhone 6 with its larger screen and support for NFC adds features that had previously been associated with the Galaxy range. So when it comes to specs, how do they match up?

But below is a non-exhaustive lists of the specs of both devices. I've tried to boil this down to the elements most interesting to a business audience, so any omissions are mine. You can find much greater detail on the specs of the iPhone 6 here and Galaxy S6 here.

It's also worth noting that Apple's handset was unveiled in September last year (check out the gallery of pictures from the launch at the bottom of this page) and Samsung's top of the range device isn't going on sale until next month, so we're not directly comparing like-with-like here.

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iPad Pro 2015 rumors: Stores clear iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3 stocks with big discounts

With rumors about the coming of the iPad Pro, retailers and stores are apparently trying to clean their inventory of its Apple tablets.

Though there is no official word on when the iPad Pro would actually be coming out, the frenzy of deals that stores like Best Buy, AT&T, Verizon and so on could signal that it will be out soon.

For the folks who have been longing to get one, this is perhaps the best time to do so. Imagine an iPad Air 16GB (gray model) dropping its price to $379.99 or the 32GB version for just $429.99? These are certainly great deals that customers would want to take on.

Best Buy and B&H are offering big price discounts on their remaining stocks of the discontinued iPad Air models and this should be the best time as ever to get hold of the high capacity tablet.

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HTC One M9 review

There are few more distinctive Android phones on the market than the HTC One line. The company that experimented with unibody metal when most smartphones were plastic, HTC’s critical acclaim is increasingly at odds with its commercial success — or lack thereof. They barely squeaked a profit last quarter, though it was the first time it spilled black ink in over a year, so with the One M9 it hopes to continue that ambling turnaround with a phone that is both a critical and commercial hit.


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HTC executive hints that the HTC One (M7) might get Android 5.1 after all

On Thursday, a tweet from HTC VP of Product Management Mo Versi broke the hearts of countless HTC One (M7) owners when he said that the phone would not be updated to Android 5.1 (except for the Google Play edition of the handset). After all, HTC's guarantee covers two years of updates after a device is launched, and the former flagship had already been on a magical journey from Android 4.1.2 to Android 5.0 in that time span.

But Friday night brought a new tweet from the executive. In this message, Versi said that he had heard all of the comments from One (M7) owners who own a carrier branded model of the device. He noted that most of the bug fixes to repair issues caused by the Android 5.0 update are already baked inside HTC's current software. He also added that he understands the concerns of One (M7) owners, and closed by giving them a ray of hope offered by two words, "Stay Tuned."

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Apple Loop: iPhone 6 Vs Galaxy S6, iPhone Rules China, Apple Watch Will Fail, Apple Disrupts Samsung

Taking a look back at another week of news from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop looks forward to the iPhone 6 vs Galaxy S6 rumble, the ‘failure’ of the Apple Watch, Tim Cook the Alchemist, iPhone 6 sales in China, the return of Launcher, iOS 8.2′s secret app, and the undeletable apps.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read our weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes).


The big topic of conversation over the next month will be the launch of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S6. With Samsung’s marketing budget and market share, it’s the Android device most likely to challenge the supremacy of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of unit sales and market share.

Gordon Kelly has taken a closer look at the two challengers from each side in 2015

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Samsung is working to make 128GB of storage a reality even for mid-range phones

Samsung late on Wednesday made an announcement that can be both very exciting and somewhat annoying for smartphone and tablet fans. The company seems to be on the right track fixing one of the two most annoying smartphone issues you might be currently dealing with – including built-in storage and battery life – but its solution isn’t necessarily something you’re going to immediately like. Specifically, Samsung is looking to improve storage needs for its Galaxy device buyers by increasing the amount of built-in memory users would have access to.


After announcing its 128GB UFS 2.0 storage module for smartphones and tablets a few weeks ago, the company now says it’s also making 128GB 3-bit NAND eMMC 5.0 storage for the same kind of devices. The UFS 2.0 kind of memory brings SSD-like performance to mobile devices, as the first Galaxy S6 data transfer benchmark tests have shown. But UFS 2.0 memory might be too expensive for mid-range handsets and tablets.

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HTC’s ‘Uh-Oh’ Protection is desperate — and awesome

HTC announced the One M9 several weeks ago, and the response has been tepid from most corners of the Internet. Samsung is getting much more attention for the big changes it’s making to the Galaxy S6 this year. HTC needed an angle to get people excited about the M9 again, and now it might have one: HTC Uh-Oh Protection will offer one free phone replacement within the first year, no questions asked. Is it a little desperate? Maybe, but it’s also potentially awesome if you’ve got a bad case of butter fingers.

Let’s imagine you have a Samsung Galaxy S6 and break the screen. You just made a multi-hundred dollar mistake, unless you’re paying monthly for phone insurance (which has its own drawbacks). With the One M9, you can give HTC support a ring, and a new phone will be dispatched with overnight shipping to replace your busted one. You send the old one back after you get it. This requires a $299 hold on your credit card, but you don’t have to go without a phone.

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Switch to iPhone, get money: Apple may offer gift cards to Android users who defect

Apple already gives some assistance to new customers switching over from Android, helping them move their photos, contacts, email accounts, music, and so on from their Android phone to a new iPhone. Soon, according to a report on 9to5Mac, that assistance could include cold, hard cash—well, cold hard gift cards, anyway.

Citing unnamed sources, 9to5Mac claims Apple will launch a trade-in program, wherein you turn in your smartphone—even an Android smartphone—and receive a gift card. This program is still unconfirmed (I’ve reached out to Apple PR for comment), so we don’t have details on when it’ll start or how much Android switchers can expect to get.

The Apple Watch launches next month, and an Ipsos survey recently found that up to 60 million American adults are at least considering buying one—and almost 13 percent of that chunk doesn’t already own an iPhone, meaning they’re considering buying an iPhone and an Apple Watch together. Apple is probably anticipating at least a small bump in iPhone sales (which are already fantastic) when the Watch debuts.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 to start at $250 in Canada, while Apple hikes iPhone 6 prices on falling loonie

Samsung announced Canadian pricing today for its new flagship phone line, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

And while Apple is substantially upping the prices of its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with the falling Canadian dollar, Samsung appears to be keeping its prices in line with its typical flagship releases.

The Galaxy S6 starts at $250 for a 32 gigabyte version with a two-year contract, with the S6 Edge a hundred dollars more at $350. With no contract, the same phones are $750 and $850.

The 64GB S6 is $360 for the S6 with a contract, $860 with no contract and $460 for the S6 Edge with a contract and $960 with no contract.

The 128GB S6 is $470 with a two-year term, $960 without; the Edge is $570 on a two-year term and $1,070 with no contract.

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The HTC One M9 finally has a release date – but not in the U.S.

The HTC One M9 is by far one of the best Android phones of the year, even if HTC may have lost the battle with Samsung at MWC 2015, at least when it comes to the attention received by their latest mobile devices during the show. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 models, and especially the S6 edge, surprised the audience, being completely new designs, while the HTC One M9 is more of a refinement of last year’s top HTC phone.

Even so, the HTC One M9 will certainly impress many potential buyers, and the phone already has a release date and pricing details for Taiwan. More interestingly, ePrice reports the phone will be available in two distinct versions, when it comes to storage.

According to the Taiwanese site, HTC has set a release date for both a 32GB version (the one that was announced in Barcelona, Spain) and a 64GB model. Both devices will start selling on March 16th, as confirmed by HTC North Asia general manager Dong Junliang, with prices set at 21,900 TWD (or $693) and 23,900 TWD (or $756), respectively.

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Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge review, including video, prices, specs and comparisons

Update: We've fleshed out the display section with results from DisplayMate's testing, and explained the S6's new UFS 2.0 storage technology. See the relevant section for more details

As expected, Samsung released not one flagship smartphone, but two at its MWC launch event in Barcelona: the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. And, just as expected, the phones represent a significant departure for Samsung in the design department, with both boasting a metal and glass construction reminiscent of the iPhone 4, and an attention to detail previously missing from its flagship handsets.

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Sony confirms Android Lollipop update will be released only for Xperia Z series smartphones

Users of Sony's Xperia Z series smartphones are in for a treat, as the Japan-based technology giant has revealed that the Android 5.0 (Lollipop) update will be released only for that series.

Replying to a query posted by an Xperia smartphone user, Sony tweeted that the Android Lollipop will be officially rolled out only for the Xperia Z series handsets, and not for other Sony smartphones.

The smartphone maker also apologised to other Sony smartphones users, notably the Xperia E and Xperia M series, as these users would not receive the Android Lollipop update.

Sony's latest update adds meat to earlier reports that indicated an impending Android Lollipop launch for the entire Xperia Z smartphone family.

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HTC releases two One M9 teaser videos

As you might start to expect after officially announcing their latest flagship phone at MWC this week,HTC has released a couple teaser videos for the HTC One M9. One of which is narrated by the man behind the Iron Man mask himself, Robert Downey Jr.

Both videos are, as mentioned, simply teasers. The first gives a few close ups, then simply shows the new 5-inch phone floating in space. Aside from this being an official video from HTC, it feels an awful lot like the fan renders of the One M9 we saw a little while back. Just the phone without many unnecessary embellishments.

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The last word: Is the Galaxy S6 an iPhone clone?

Ahead of Sunday’s huge Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge unveiling at the annual Mobile World Congress trade show in Spain, there was a lot of chatter focused on similarities between the Galaxy S6 we saw in leaks and Apple’s iPhone 6. Many people suggested that Samsung was getting ready to copy the iPhone once again with its new flagship phones — in some ways of course, that would be a good thing — and leaked images of handset prototypes certainly made it appear as though that would be the case.

Now that the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge are official and we have spent some time with both new models, it’s time to determine once and for all whether or not Samsung’s latest and greatest is the blatant iPhone ripoff many Apple fans have said it is.

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MEGA PATENT DUMP! Ericsson, Smartflash blitz Apple: iPhone, iPad menaced by sales block

Linkfest Emboldened by its $533m patent-infringement win against Apple just a few days ago, Smartflash is suing the iPhone maker AGAIN – and Ericsson is joining the fray.

Ericsson v Apple
The Swedish telecoms giant has filed two complaints to the US International Trade Commission (ITC) – one accusing Apple handhelds of ripping off Ericsson's patents on 2G and 4G mobile broadband connectivity, and the other claiming the California giant is using Ericsson's patents on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, radio electronics, and other technology without permission.

Ericsson wants the ITC to ban imports of Apple's China-built iPhones and iPads, which are allegedly infringing the Swedes' patents, into America. The Euro giant has sued Apple in the patent-holder-friendly eastern district court of Texas in the US, again alleging patent infringement, demanding jury trials, and calling for injunctions against Apple hardware.

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Android Circuit: Galaxy S6 Is Metal, Samsung Trashes Apple, Sony's Last Android Gamble

Taking a look back at the week’s news across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit highlights a number of stories including Samsung’s strong marketing around the S6, the metallic look of the new Galaxy handsets, Sony leaks its new tablet, pay to be seen in Google Play’s app store, Android’s marketshare dominance, Android for Work released, reviewing the LG G Flex 2, and the launch of Pebble Time.

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android over the last seven days (and you can read the weekly Apple news digest here).

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The HTC One M9 Looks And Sounds Utterly STUNNING

It's that time of year again where some of the biggest names in the Android mobile space push their latest flagship handset to the masses. Expect big things in the coming weeks. While Samsung is thought to be prepping at least one Galaxy S6 and Sony has a new Xperia Z4 in the pipeline, HTC has its own One brand due for the annual refresh.

The HTC One M9, as it is being called in rumours, is one of the most hotly anticipated devices at the moment - there's a loyal fanbase of users who love everything about the brand, and that's in no small part because it champions premium materials and luxurious design. It also has a few tricks that other manufacturers are yet to match - things like high-end, front-facing stereo speakers.

As we move through Q1 2015 we’re starting to see just how well technology’s biggest companies performed financially in the all important Q4 period of 2014. Apple smashed it. Big time. Lenovo showed solid growth and some impressive sales figures for Moto handsets and Samsung, while still a very big deal, showed it hadn’t stopped the rot just yet. 

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Samsung aims for variety with Galaxy S6, leaked photo suggests

Samsung may be planning to offer a variety of body styles for its much-anticipated Galaxy S6, according to exclusive images obtained by CNET Korea and sister site ZDNet Korea.

The images, provided by sources at a South Korean electronics distributor, purportedly show five variants of the electronics giant's new flagship smartphone, including an Edge-style version. While the Galaxy S6 isn't expected to be formally announced until the Samsung Unpacked 2015 event held on March 1, the rumour mill has been running overtime on what the world's largest smartphone maker might be offering in the new handset to revive its sluggish mobile-phone business.

The image shows five phones in what appears to be a 3D render. First on the left is what looks to be a standard Galaxy S6, while the second is the phone with a Verus-branded cover, one of the top South Korean smartphone cover makers.

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Forget iPhone for Life — Sprint will give you an iPhone 6, iPad Mini 3, and unlimited plan for $100 a month

Forget iPhone for life, now you can have Apple for life, thanks to Sprint’s latest promotion. Those who want to sign up for the carrier’s iPhone leasing program can get an iPad Mini 3 thrown in for free. The entire deal — including Sprint’s Simply Unlimited talk, text, and data plan, the iPhone 6, and the iPad Mini 3 — will cost you just $100 a month.

You’ll pay just $20 a month to lease the iPhone, $50 a month for the unlimited plan, and $30 a month for 2GB of data on your new iPad Mini 3. Sprint will cut out the activation fee, down payment, and $17 a month fee for the latest iPad Mini. It may not save you a ton of money, but it’s still a decent deal. Sprint is offering just the 16GB iPad Mini 3 and the iPhone 6 in this particular promotion, which ends on April 9.

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