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124 'Leaks' stories June 2011 - September 2015

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‘Project Lucky’ Samsung handset, likely the Galaxy S7, appears in benchmarks

Stephen Hall Sep 10 2015 - 12:12 pm PT

A Galaxy S7 render that’s not real at all

Samsung brought the Galaxy Note5 (sic) and Galaxy S6 Edge+ to market faster than expected (maybe to beat the Apple hype train?), and it looks like they’re pushing the next flagship Galaxy S handset — assumably the Galaxy S7 — through production just as fast. A Samsung device simply labeled as “Lucky-LTE” made its way through Geekbench yesterday, and now a report from the usually-reliable SamMobile claims that the device is indeed an early prototype of the Samsung Galaxy S7…
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Verizon-exclusive Moto DROID Turbo 2 revealed in leaked press render

Cam Bunton Sep 10 2015 - 6:45 am PT

Not long after Motorola officially announced the Moto X Play, X Pure and G at an event in NYC last month, it was rumored that the X Play would be making its way to the States, albeit it as a rebranded Verizon exclusive DROID. Only last week, a render was leaked showing a device code-named ‘Bounce’ or ‘Force’. In many ways, it looked a lot like the Moto X Play, albeit it with a few subtle differences. Today, the device has shown up again, but this time it has the official DROID and Verizon branding, corroborating those earlier rumors that this is the next DROID. Specifically, the DROID Turbo 2.

The Verizon-branded smartphone was leaked by @upleaks on Twitter this morning, and looks virtually identical to previous leaks:

[tweet https://twitter.com/upleaks/status/641946223121862656 align=’center’]

It’s expected that the Verizon DROID Turbo 2 will feature a 5.43-inch QHD resolution display, Snapdragon 810 processor and 32GB or 64GB storage options. What’s more, it could feature 3GB RAM as well as 21MP and 5MP rear and front cameras respectively. With 3,760mAh capacity, its battery is predicted to be larger than the impressive X Play, almost certainly to deal with the extra pixels on the display and more powerful processor. As specs go, it sounds a lot like a flagship phone, which the X Play certainly isn’t. We’re told to expect the supposedly shatter-proof phone to land on store shelves in December, just in time for Christmas.

Huawei Ascend Mate S photos and press render leak ahead of launch

Cam Bunton Sep 1 2015 - 7:48 am PT

Just one day before it’s due to unveil its next smartphone and give us a refreshed look at its smartwatch, Huawei’s next Ascend Mate has shown up in form of leaked photos and press renders. Previous leaks showed us pre-release versions of the device and suggested it would be an all-metal device, similar to the Ascend Mate 7. Taking design cues from the HTC One series, it has the familiar antenna bands on the top and bottom as well as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Rumored specifications suggest this isn’t a flagship phone. The supposed 5.7-inch display on the front has a resolution of 1080×1920, and it’s powered by a Kirin 935 processor with 3GB RAM. One interesting feature mentioned by Steve Hemmerstoffer is that the device could feature Force Touch-like technology, similar to the pressure sensitive touch screen tech found on modern MacBooks and the Apple Watch. The camera on the back is expected to pack in a 20MP sensor while the front camera will allegedly be 8MP.

Evan Blass had his say on the device today too, with what looks to be the official press render of Huawei’s Ascend Mate S. If accurate (which his leaks almost always are) we can expect the device to ship in black, white and gold hues.

It wasn’t long ago that Huawei started sending out invites to its IFA event. The invites themselves strongly hinted at the ‘S’ in the device name, a rumor which is seemingly confirmed on the screen of the leaked device. Sadly, for those who like a pure Android experience, it looks as though these devices will ship with the opinion-dividing EMUI custom skin. Still, it won’t be long until we finally see how a Huawei smartphone runs on stock Android. The Chinese manufacturer is expected to be one of Google’s partners for the two rumored Nexus phones due to land later this year.

Snapdragon 820 will be first chip to include Qualcomm’s anti-malware Smart Protect feature

Cam Bunton Aug 31 2015 - 6:50 am PT

In a press release this morning, Qualcomm announced a brand new technology to help keep us protected from potential malware threats on our smartphones. Smart Protect will be built into chips in the near future and provide “real-time, on-device machine learning designed to support accurate and effective detection of zero-day malware threats for improved personal privacy and device security”. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chip will be the first to feature the new technology when it hits the market in 2016.

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New renders show ‘Moto 360 Sport,’ purportedly coming in November

Stephen Hall Aug 31 2015 - 6:00 am PT

The Moto 360 is set to get a complete refresh at IFA later this week, and up to this point we’ve only seen what look to be two variants of the device. There’s apparently a smaller watch and a larger watch (reportedly called Moto 360S and Moto 360L, respectively). Now, well-known leakster Upleaks is giving us a look at a “Sport” variant of the smartwatch, featuring bright colors and some kind of fitness tracking software on board…
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Leaked BlackBerry ‘Venice’ photos show Android-powered QWERTY slider in the flesh

Cam Bunton Aug 29 2015 - 3:43 am PT

If there has been one thing missing from the Android smartphone market over the past few years, it’s a great device with a physical keyboard. In fact, ever since the T-Mobile G2 (HTC Desire Z) hit the market in 2010, there’s been nothing worth paying attention to. That’s why — to me — the rumored BlackBerry Venice is the most exciting phone of the year so far. At least, the most exciting unreleased phone of the year. As each week goes by, the chances of it becoming a real product get stronger. For the first time, the Android-powered BlackBerry has been shown of in real, leaked hands-on photos.

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Huawei Nexus prototype leaked in photos, corroborates rumors of metal chassis and rear fingerprint sensor

Cam Bunton Aug 24 2015 - 2:25 am PT

Update: The same source has posted more images of the purported Huawei Nexus, this time showing the bottom half rocking a USB Type-C port. The new USB-C standard is reversible, meaning there isn’t a right-side up and the male side of the cable can be flipped on either side and it’ll still plug into the device. They’re also bidirectional, able to send data and power in either direction. Google announced during its I/O conference that it has been working closely with device manufacturers to introduce phones which take advantage of it.

The purported upcoming Huawei Nexus is one of this year’s biggest rumors so far. It would mark the first time we’ve seen Google partner with a Chinese manufacturer for its ‘Pure Google’ smartphone, and could help the search giant finally get its Play Services running in China. Despite seeing multiple rumors, schematics and leaks, we’ve not seen any real physical evidence of the device’s existence. Until now. Steve Hemmerstoffer has published a couple of photos to his blog showing off what looks to be a pre-release or prototype model of Huawei’s stock Android phone.

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2nd-gen Moto 360 allegedly shows up in the wild, complete with “flat tire” and regular watch strap lugs

Cam Bunton Aug 23 2015 - 6:12 am PT

Not long ago, we revealed that Motorola’s next generation smart watch has made its way through testing and registration with the FCC in Brazil. That was after Motorola itself ‘accidentally’ leaked it. Now it seems, people testing the device in Chicago are just walking around and hopping on public transport wearing the unreleased wearable. Google Plus user, Gerrit Gödecke spotted one being worn while riding a Chicago commuter train and managed to snap a few shots.

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Samsung allegedly working on ‘Tahoe’, a giant 18.4-inch Android tablet

Cam Bunton Aug 21 2015 - 5:16 am PT

With Samsung’s most recent device launches being surprisingly restrained, you could almost be forgiven for thinking the company didn’t care so much about the showmanship of releasing high-specced products with ridiculous features anymore. Case in point being the elegant and well-made Galaxy S6 and Note 5 phones. No longer are they smartphones packed with eye-watering feature lists, or a slew of gimmicky features no one needs. But that doesn’t mean the company is completely giving up on trying new, interesting things. At least, not if a recent rumor from SamMobile is anything to go by.

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Sony Xperia Z5 Compact shows up in leaked promo image

Cam Bunton Aug 21 2015 - 3:18 am PT

A fresh, official-looking, image of the upcoming Xperia Z5 Compact has shown up in a new leaked promotional photo courtesy of Dutch tech blog, TechTastic. There’s nothing entirely remarkable about the image itself, but the very fact the device is showing up in promotional images prior to launch is a good indication that Sony is preparing its marketing ready for its arrival.

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Android-powered BlackBerry Venice render leaks, keyboard exposed

Cam Bunton Aug 19 2015 - 1:23 am PT

BlackBerry has been rumored to be working on an Android phone for quite some time. In fact, almost as soon as its CEO John Chen teased the portrait slider dubbed ‘Venice’, it was predicted it might run Google’s operating. We’ve seen a leaked render showing the front of the device with what looks like stock Android. We’ve even seen slides showing off some of the BlackBerry-inspired user interface elements. What we haven’t seen yet is that ever-elusive keyboard.

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Photo of rumored 2015 LG Nexus 5 leaked

Cam Bunton Aug 17 2015 - 3:50 am PT

LG and Google are purportedly working together to release a revamped version of the Nexus 5 for 2015. We’ve already seen a number of supposed specifications, a case leak and a detailed 3D render based on detailed schematics. But we hadn’t seen any real evidence of the device being real. Until now.

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High quality Huawei Nexus renders published based on “detailed blueprints”

Cam Bunton Aug 15 2015 - 3:38 am PT

Yesterday the well-known leaker, Steve Hemmerstoffer teamed up with uSwitch to leak digital renders of the purported upcoming LG-made Nexus. Today, the two are back with their first look at what could be this year’s flagship Nexus device. As rumored multiple times, this device is expected to be manufactured by Huawei, one of China’s biggest Android OEMs.

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Detailed LG Nexus 2015 renders leaked, show 5.2-inch screen, fingerprint sensor, more

Cam Bunton Aug 14 2015 - 3:05 am PT

For the past few weeks, rumors have surfaced suggestion Google will partner with two manufacturers this year for its Nexus phones. We’re purportedly going to see a smaller device made by LG and a larger model made by Huawei. Today we get our first look at some detailed 3D renders designed using hardware schematics sent to case-makers.

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Both LG and Huawei Nexus phones rumored to share features, including USB Type-C, fingerprint sensor, more

Cam Bunton Aug 12 2015 - 3:43 am PT

Alleged Huawei Nexus prototype/dummy

Well-known leakster, Steve Hemmerstoffer has leaked further information regarding the upcoming purported Nexus devices. Using his OnLeaks account, he shared some detailed specifications an features of both the rumored smaller LG device and larger Huawei-made smartphone.

Information passed to Steve by his sources suggests that both phones will feature front-firing speakers, USB Type-C compatibility and a fingerprint sensor on the back. Although both are rumored to likely feature a metal chassis, the dimensions will be different. LG’s Nexus is purported to measure in at 9.8mm thick, 147mm tall and 73mm wide while the Huawei device is allegedly going to be 8.5mm thick and measure at around 12.5mm taller and 5mm wider than LG’s Pure Google phone.

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Fresh BlackBerry ‘Venice’ renders leaked, again hint at Android presence

Cam Bunton Aug 10 2015 - 5:30 am PT

We’ve been hearing a lot about BlackBerry’s long-rumored Android smartphone over the past few months. In fact, almost as soon as BlackBerry teased the ‘Venice’ slider back at MWC in Barcelona, it was rumored that the upcoming device would ship with Google’s OS onboard. A previous render showed a pretty clear image of Android running on the BlackBerry slider, and now some more official-looking images appear via CrackBerry to hint at a Google-powered system.

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Galaxy Note 5 leaked in clearest images yet, complete with retail packaging

Cam Bunton Aug 10 2015 - 2:21 am PT

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 5 has been leaked in full, showing the device from almost every angle, complete with packaging and compared alongside the iPhone 6 Plus to show its relative size. As you can probably tell from the images, the photos were snapped by a retail worker. A Samsung rep had been in to his store with the two unreleased phablets (Note 5 and S6 Edge+).

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Upcoming Huawei device leaks ahead of purported September launch

Cam Bunton Aug 8 2015 - 9:33 am PT

With Samsung pulling out of IFA this year and opting for hosting its own event, you may be left wondering if there’s anything worth looking forward to at this year’s tech show in Berlin. Thankfully, it looks as though Huawei is preparing to show off one of its own new devices. Two leaks have shown up on Twitter today, one press render from Evan Blass and another picture of a pre-release device running AnTuTu benchmark tests from Steve Hemmerstoffer.

According to Evan Blass, better known as @evleaks, the device is going to be announced on September 2nd, at an event during IFA. Although he doesn’t know what the device’s name will be, he does state that it will feature ‘Force Touch’. If true, this will make it one of the first smartphones announced with a built in sensor to detect pressure on the touchscreen. Of course, Apple is expected to implement the technology in to its upcoming smartphones, but Cupertino isn’t likely to announce anything new until September 9.

Launching at IFA on 9/2. Features force touch. Branding currently unknown (D-series?). pic.twitter.com/5w2t7m7Nsx

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 8, 2015

Add that to the images of what is almost certainly a prototype, or pre-release test unit, and we start to get a clearer picture of the device. Looking at the information on screen from the benchmark tests suggests we’ll see a 1080p display, with an octa-core 64-bit processor. If you were to look at design alone, you might think this is perhaps the next generation Huawei Ascend Mate device. However, look closely and you’ll realize that can’t be the case.

You’ll also see that it has a 13MP camera and runs Android 5.1.1. But what’s really interesting to me is the claimed DPI count (better known as PPI or pixels per inch). The benchmark states that it has a pixel density of 480ppi. If so, using a pixel density calculator, it can’t possibly be a follow-up to the 6-inch Mate7. 1080×1920 over 6-inches is 367ppi. So this could perhaps be the mini version of Huawei’s Ascend Mate 7, with a screen measuring 4.6-inches diagonally. That’s not forgetting, the Mate 7 was only announced in March this year.

Of course, this is all just speculation for now. We’ll find out all about this device once it has been announced. It’ll be intriguing to see where in the market this supposed device will sit alongside the Huawei P8 and P8 Lite and if it’ll be restricted to just specific markets, or available globally. It’s unlikely that this is the long-rumored Huawei Nexus phone, if it is being announced at IFA.

Huawei Nexus prototype allegedly appears in sketchy leak

Cam Bunton Aug 6 2015 - 3:52 am PT

We’ve been hearing rumors for some time now that Google will partner with Huawei on its next flagship Nexus device. It may seem like a strange choice of manufacturer, but with its influence in China, Google sees a strong opportunity to piggy-back Huawei’s Chinese success and get its own services adopted there.

We’re supposedly expecting a device with a 5.7-inch QHD screen and Snapdragon 820 processor to be launched alongside a smaller LG-made device (refreshed Nexus 5 perhaps) sometime later this year. Today, a fresh leak has been published showing little detail, but what could be a prototype of the Huawei-made Pure Google device.

If you check out a few of the snapshot images originally taken from a blurry, unclear video, you’ll notice that the design is fairly similar to another Huawei smartphone. Although there are differences, you’ll see much of the design language is the same as the Huawei Ascend Mate 7:

The arrangement of the camera, fingerprint sensor and LED flash units is very similar in both. However, you’ll notice the camera on the supposed Nexus device is round, rather than square (matching the leaked LG Nexus cases). The LED flash is a long pill-shaped component rather than square, but the fingerprint sensor is much the same. Take a look at the original video leaked originally by Steve Hemmerstoffer:

Since the device isn’t powered on at all in the video, it’s hard to say with any certainty whether or not this really is the Nexus being leaked. Or even, if it’s a working prototype. For all we know, it could just be a tested physical dummy unit of a device Huawei is working on. Although, if it is genuine and this is the finished product, let me be the first to say that I’d love that all-black finish on a Nexus device. So dark, and stealthy.

Possible Sony Xperia Z5 and Compact leak shows larger power button with built-in fingerprint sensor

Cam Bunton Aug 4 2015 - 8:01 am PT

Having just launched its latest super mid-range smartphones, Sony will turn its attention to the next flagship launch which is surely just around the corner. If a recent leak holds any truth, the next Xperia could jump on the fingerprint sensor bandwagon and incorporate the feature in to its side-mounted power button.

An image tweeted by Vizileaks shows what it claims to be the next generation Xperia Z and Z Compact separated by an iPhone 5s. For the sake of saving confusion, we’ll call them the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact for now.

What’s really interesting about these images is that they clearly show fingerprint recognition setup screens on the display. The closest device (Z5) shows the progress icon, which isn’t too dissimilar to those we’ve seen on other phones. Look at the furthest phone and you can see a tutorial screen clearly showing the user how to register the fingerprint; by placing their thumb on the power button.

This power button seems vastly different in design to previous Xperia phones. It’s a large, pill-shaped button rather than a tiny, fiddly round button like the one featured on the Z3.

[tweet https://twitter.com/vizileaks/status/628208495758852096 align=’center’]

Like previous iterations of Xperia, it would appear that the next pair will feature very similar form factors to every other Android-based Sony smartphone in recent history. Although unsurprising, that is a little disappointing.

Sony announced a new Xperia Z at IFA last year, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the company chose to refresh its lineup once again at the Berlin tech show. It would fit in with the manufacturer’s release schedule, although there’s no guarantee Sony will choose to do so this year.

Purported Galaxy Note 5 specs leaked: Octa-core Exynos chip, 4GB RAM, more…

Cam Bunton Aug 1 2015 - 3:15 pm PT

Not long after he leaked the official press renders for the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, Evan Blass let us in on the next Samsung phablet’s likely specification list. The device code-named Samsung Noble, model SM-N920 will supposedly feature a 5.66-inch QHD display, 4GB RAM and an octa-core Exynos 7420 processor made up of two quad-core chips (2.1GHz plus 1.5GHz). Alongside those, it’s predicted Samsung will pack in a 16MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera and run it on Android 5.1.1.

Perhaps the least surprising specification, but most disappointing, is the purported lack of expandable memory. Like the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge launched earlier this year, Samsung is going to go with internal storage only and not offer Micro SD card support.

Rains->Pours. Samsung Noble (SM-N920/self-reported): Exynos 7420 SoC (4×2.1GHz+4×1.5GHz), 5.66″ 2560×1440, 4GB/32GB, 16MP/5MP, 5.1.1, no SD.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 1, 2015

Samsung is expected to announced the Galaxy Note 5 and its curved sibling at a press event on August 13. Let’s hope we have at least a few surprises from the Korean tech giant when the next Unpacked event kicks off. Right now, we seem to have a pretty clear picture of the next devices coming our way.

Press renders of Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ leaked

Cam Bunton Aug 1 2015 - 4:20 am PT

Barely a week goes by when we don’t get another piece of the puzzle to add to the ever-clearer image of what Samsung’s going to announce in two weeks time. We’ve seen leaked schematics, unofficial 3D renders and photos as well as the usual rumors on release date and specifications. Now, what looks like an official press render has leaked out courtesy of Evan Blass on Twitter.

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Purported 2015 LG Nexus cases leak, show protruding camera and possible fingerprint sensor on the back

Cam Bunton Jul 30 2015 - 4:48 am PT

A couple of days back we saw a leak purporting to show the outline, or silhouette of this year’s rumored LG Nexus device. It had two circular holes on the back, along with a more square-shaped cutout. We assumed at least one of the circular ones was for a camera, but were unsure of the purpose for the second hole. If these recent case leaks are genuine, it seems less likely that the secondary round cutout is for a camera. Rather, a fingerprint sensor.

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Moto G expected to launch July 29th with Moto Maker in stores

Cam Bunton Jul 27 2015 - 8:06 am PT

A new report claims that Motorola will be launching its next budget-friendly Moto in stores on July 29th, just one day after its launch event. But that’s not the most exciting part of the story. If the leaked retail memos are genuine, customers will be able to walk in to stores and order their personalized Moto Maker device from a physical, brick-and-mortar store…
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