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HTC One M10 ‘Perfume’ rumored to come with Snapdragon 820 and MediaTek variants, launch after MWC

According to relatively well-known HTC leaker, @LlabTooFeR on Twitter, the Taiwanese manufacture won’t use MWC as its platform to launch its next flagship device this year. The usually reliable leaker corroborates a previous rumor, suggesting that the it’s more likely the phone will get its own separate event after MWC. An earlier rumor had suggested we won’t see it announced until March, with a retail launch due in April…


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Report: Huawei’s plans for 2016 include four P9 smartphone variants, one with unique dual-camera

Huawei went from being relatively unknown to being one of the biggest smartphone makers in the world over the course of 2015. This was thanks to a strong portfolio of devices, ranging from low to high end in prices and performance.

While the Honor sub-brand sold like hotcakes in Europe, it was the P8 which really opened our eyes to how well this company could make smartphones. Writing for VentureBeat, well-known leaker Evan Blass claims the follow-up could come in four variants


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Saygus V2 is finally about to start shipping, one year after announcement

Saygus first wowed us with the ‘world’s most advanced smartphone’ in CES last year. When announced, the Saygus V2 (or V-squared) seemed like an absolute monster in terms of specifications. Sadly, as is often the case with new companies and crowd-funded projects, the device was delayed. Now — after more than a year since it was first unveiled — the V2 is finally about to start shipping (apparently)…


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Sony sending out invites to February 22nd event at MWC 2016

With the Xperia Z5 having only just been officially confirmed for the US market (albeit without a fingerprint sensor), you could be forgiven for assuming Sony won’t announce anything at MWC in Barcelona this year. Turns out, you’d probably be wrong for doing so.

The Japanese tech giant is reportedly sending out invitations to an event which is due to take place at the main MWC venue, Fira Gran Via on Monday, February 22nd. According to the invitation published by XperiaBlog, the event is set to kick off at 8:30 Central European Time (2:30am Eastern).

We’re not exactly sure what to expect from Sony in Barcelona this year. We’d like to see a new Android Wear smartwatch, perhaps one with a little more style than its current offering. As much as we’re not ready to see the next Xperia Z generation yet, it wouldn’t surprise us at all if Sony unveiled the Z6 (or slightly boosted version of the Z5). They might even announce the recently leaked C-series device.

 

Oppo F1 is official, pre-orders now live for $249 octa-core, 3GB RAM-equipped smartphone

Having run one of the most unusual pre-release marketing campaigns I’ve ever seen, the Oppo F1 is finally here with the strap-line “#HelloMetal”. Oppo‘s latest phone is an almost all-metal, small smartphone equipped with specifications you’d expect from a mid-tier Chinese-made smartphone.

The Oppo F1 features a 5-inch IPS display boasting a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, with a respectable pixel density of 294ppi. Inside, there’s a new Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor paired with 3GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded by MicroSD card up to 128GB. Rear and front cameras are 13MP f/2.2 and 8MP f/2.0 respectively, while the non-removable battery holds 2,500mAh power, which should easily be enough to get through a day’s use in a phone this small.

At its thickest point, the phone measures just 7.25mm thin and comes in gold/white only. It runs Oppo’s ColorOS 2.1 on top of Android 5.1 Lollipop and is available to pre-order now from OppoStyle for $249.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKgmxsUGx4M]

We first caught wind of the Oppo F1 when it passed through TENAA in China a few weeks ago. All the specs seem to match, suggesting the F1 will launch with model number, A35.

As $250 smartphones go, the Oppo F1 certainly seems competitive enough. Although it doesn’t have the full HD screen found in the OnePlus X, or latest budget BLU smartphone, it still has enough about it to be worth the outlay, presuming the software and UI experience is as enjoyable and reliable. Its design gives it a luxury/high-end look, which should go a long way to convincing buyers to part with their cash. Let’s just hope none of them watched the awful #GoodbyePlastic videos, that would put me off a company for life.

Xiaomi misses 2015 target of 80M phones by 10M, but expands to UAE, Saudi Arabia

Xiaomi has announced that it sold over 70 million smartphones over the course of the entire 2015 fiscal year. The company didn’t state exactly how many smartphones were sold, but it has improved on its 2014 total by around 10 million units. It’s not all positive for Xiaomi though, it missed its own 80 million projection set for 2015 which itself was reduced from an original target of 100 million…


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Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact coming unlocked to the US next month

Hot on the heels of announcing the brand new pink version of its flagship smartphone, Sony has announced that it’s bringing the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact to the US market starting next month. Once they land, it’ll mark the first time the company has sold its unlocked smartphones in the States since the Xperia Z3.

Spec-wise, both phones are up there with the best of the phones from 2015…


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Samsung secure KNOX platform gets government blessing in China and France

Samsung announced in a press release today that it has received government certifications for its security platform, KNOX, from the appropriate regulatory bodies in China and France. Both the China Information Security Certification Center (ISCCC) and France’s National Agency of Computer Security (ANSSI) have given Samsung’s secure mobile platform their blessing…


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Xiaomi Mi 5 online listing seemingly reveals high-end specs

Not long ago,  Xiaomi’s co-founder indicated we should expect to see its next flagship, the Mi 5, launch sometime after the Spring Festival (also known as Chinese New Year). The only other fact we knew for sure was that it will be powered by Qualcomm’s newest processor, the Snapdragon 820, which is being built using Samsung’s 14nm FinFET process.

While there’s no guarantee that these are definitive, or accurate, there have been a couple more leaks pointing towards what we should expect from the Mi 5 and when we should expect to see it…


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Motorola: We’re not killing off the Moto G or Moto E

Recently, Lenovo’s chief made some comments regarding the future of Motorola and Lenovo smartphones. Those comments seemed to indicate that the Moto brand name would only be used for high-end smartphones, while Lenovo’s ‘Vibe’ lineup would form the bottom end of the companies product portfolio. Some saw this as confirmation that Moto G and Moto E handsets would be discontinued.

Speaking to The Verge, a Motorola representative was quick to debunk those suggestions:

“Although we are simplifying the combined Motorola and [Lenovo] portfolio, we have no plans to retire Moto G, our most successful smartphone, or Moto E.”

Despite the fact that Lenovo’s chief seemed to be indicating an end to the bottom-tier Motorolas, it seems that instead, the Moto and Vibe brands will be used in different markets. The Moto G and Moto E are incredibly successful in a number of markets, particularly North America. In Asia, the Vibe brand is a better fit. So it could be instead that it slims down its portfolio, while still continuing to build new models of affordable Moto-branded products.

Most of the confusion and interest surrounding Motorola and its phones stems from a recent discovery that the Motorola brand name will be dying. Since then, it seems as though everything has been up in the air, at least in the media. While Motorola is going away, the Moto brand is too strong to give up. Just like it did with ThinkPad, Lenovo is going to continue using the Moto moniker for its devices.

LG G5 rumored to feature metal unibody design, removable battery with unusual detachable bottom edge

As unusual rumors go, this is up there with the best of them. According to CNET Korea‘s sources, LG is planning and testing a G5 design featuring an all-metal structure, but with a semi-modular design for removing and replacing the battery.

The LG G5 is expected to be announced right before MWC next month, after the company sent out invitations to press for an event on February 21st in Barcelona.


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Moto X Style/Pure, 3 months later: Even better with Marshmallow

With any smartphone, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. And with every phone purchase, there’s almost always a ‘honeymoon’ period for the first few weeks, where you feel excited about what the device has to offer. Tech reviewers aren’t immune to these effects either and, often, we only ever get that honeymoon period. Review units get sent back, and we don’t experience what it’s like to use the phone on a day-to-day basis for months at a time.

As much as we can test individual features for quality, and get a general overall feel for the device, nothing quite beats living with and using a device for an extended period.

I’ve been using the Moto X Style (2015 Pure Edition) for a few months now, and I love it more now than when I first unboxed it…


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Sony Xperia Z5 gets a new pink coat

Sony published a blog post this morning to announce that it’s adding a new color variant to its Xperia Z5 lineup: Pink. The new Z5 Pink has all the same specifications and features as the rest of its family, but is in a fresh hue, which Sony claims took a long time to research and create.

According to the company’s lead designer, Rikke Gersten, it wasn’t just a case of making a pink phone. They wanted to find the right shade of pink to compliment the other frosty, subtle colors in the range.

“Choosing a colour is a detailed process. The material of the phone and the design of the curves and edges play an important role and has a great impact on which colour is best suited. We knew we wanted to add pink to the Z5 series from our very first moodboards and sketches as it seemed to compliment the colour palette to the rest of the range.

But to get the tone right with the frosted glass and aluminium frame did take some time. We researched many places in which the most beautiful shades of pink can be found, from nature and Japan’s own Sakura cherry blossom right through to the colours in the sky during a beautiful sunset. We wanted the colour to appear strong and modern, and here the material is playing an important role. I feel what we have achieved with the light dusky pink is fresh, contemporary and modern in the Z5 materials. ”

Of course, Sony isn’t the only company to release a pink version of its flagship smartphone. After Apple released the Rose Gold iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the number of pink premium phones has seemingly been on the rise. Samsung released a ‘Pink Gold’ Galaxy Note 5, LG has a pink leather G4 rear cover and HTC recently launched a pink version of its One M9 to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Sony’s new rose gold pink Xperia Z5 will be available to buy from next month. The company didn’t mention which specific markets or carriers would be getting the new shade. It’s most likely safe to assume that any retailers or carriers selling the Z5 in its current variants will also sell it in pink, although there’s always a possibility that certain resellers get short-lived exclusives.

All Moto phones in 2016 will have fingerprint sensors, screens larger than 5-inches

Following news that Lenovo would be phasing out the Motorola brand-name, tech enthusiasts globally were intrigued to hear what else the company’s new owners had in store for us. Will Moto phones be just as good as they have been in the past? Will they keep the stock Android experience?

Lenovo’s chief, having spilled the beans regarding Google’s plans to launch its Play Services in China this year was seemingly keen to also share his thoughts on the Moto brand and what the next couple of years has in store for the fashionable smartphone family. As with all changes made when new owners take over, there’s both good news and bad news…


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Unreleased Sony Xperia smartphone leaks with nearly bezel-free design, likely C6 model

Surprisingly few smartphone makers used CES as a platform to announce, or even tease, new Android products this year. Arguably, only Huawei took the opportunity to show off its new products at the biggest US-based trade show this year. With that said, Mobile World Congress is shaping up to be really busy this year. The conference kicks off at the end of next month, and many manufacturers are expected to unveil their spring/summer portfolios at the Barcelona event. Sony being one of them…


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Galaxy S7 Edge specs allegedly leaked on AnTuTu Benchmark, suggest 12MP camera, 5.1-inch screen

Recent rumors surrounding the upcoming Galaxy S7 have indicated that we’re expecting to see two different sized smartphones. Whether it’s going to be a 5.1-inch and 5.7-inch, or 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch screen (or combination of) depends on which rumors you’ve been reading. One seemingly constant rumor has been that the Galaxy S7’s dual-curve variant, the S7 Edge, will have a larger screen than the regular S7. Today’s leak suggests those rumors might be inaccurate.

A Weibo user published an AnTuTu Benchmark information screenshot for a device with model number SM-G935A. For those unaware, the upcoming Galaxy S7 allegedly has two model numbers: SM-G930 and SM-G935. The latter of those is the Edge variant. The ‘A’ at the end of this model could indicate that it’s an AT&T variant, or at least, a particular variation built for specific carriers/markets.

Looking at the specs above, the benchmark suggests the S7 Edge will indeed have a 5.1-inch screen, not 5.5″ or 5.7″. If true, this could mean Samsung is releasing two phones with the same sized-screens which makes a lot more sense than releasing a competitor to the S6 Edge Plus so soon after it landed. It could also mean that Samsung is releasing more than two variants of the S7. There has been vague speculation that the Korean tech giant will release 3-4 different models this year, but none of it has been even close to concrete.

Other claimed specs include the Snapdragon 820 processor, Quad HD resolution screen, 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Perhaps most interesting, however, is the 12MP camera. It’s a significantly lower resolution camera sensor than the one found in the S6 and Note 5, which boasts 16 million pixels. That said, it’s widely expected that this 12MP sensor will use Samsung’s new BRITECELL technology which produces much better quality photos, in a sensor that’s much smaller. This would make more room for other components, like the larger battery. It would also mean the protruding camera housing on the back would be visibly smaller.

As with any leak, it’s worth noting that even those which look legitimate come with the caution that they might not be genuine. File this under ‘sketchy, but interesting’ for now.

Lenovo chief: Google Play Services will be in China this year

According to a report by Tech.Sina, Google will finally bring its services in to China. Lenovo chief, Chen Xudong claims Google is on track to bring its Play Services to the nation at some point in 2016, and that its desire to do so isn’t a secret. Google wants its services back in China, but has faced strong opposition from the government in the past, heavily restricting its presence there.

While Android has long been the dominant smartphone platform in China, Google’s presence there is still very limited. In fact, Google Play Services are practically non-existent. Before the Nexus 6P was built, it was rumored by a reliable publication that Google had chosen Huawei specifically because of its influence in China. With Huawei being a Chinese brand, and the biggest seller of smartphones in the country, its influence is huge. What’s more, Google also recently partnered with (and took a minor stake in) Mobvoi, one of the most widely-used and advanced Chinese AI and voice recognition companies.

Clearly, with Android being the most widely-used smartphone OS in China, Play Services aren’t required or critical to the platform’s success. Bringing Play Services in to China would mostly be an effort to help end fragmentation in a country where multiple app stores exist for Android.

No specific timeframe was given in terms of when we might see Google Play back in China. One can only assume getting the service approved takes multiple jumps over political hurdles and cutting through endless miles of red tape. We’ll keep you updated when/if there’s any more to share on the issue.

Xiaomi Redmi 3 official, features compact diamond-patterned metal body, huge 4,100mAh battery, costs just $105

Having been teased by the manufacturer a few days ago, the new Redmi 3 has finally been unveiled by Xiaomi. The company took to its Facebook page to announce the new phone this morning. As with all things made by Xiaomi, it punches well above its price-point, offering a premium look and feel combined with decent specs, at an affordable price…


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Google Now’s new weather cards are colorful and way more useful (Update)

Update: Google has officially announced the refresh, as well as the ability to add and save multiple locations.

It seems Google is testing a new version of its weather cards in Google Now. Rather than seeing the usual, plain white Material-designed card that we’re used to seeing, some users are noticing a brand new richer design. The cards are colorful, and have far more functionality…


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Xiaomi Redmi 3 teasers reveal huge 4,100mAh battery in a 5-inch smartphone, launches on January 12

Just a couple of days back, Xiaomi‘s SVP revealed on Weibo that his company is ramping up full-capacity production ahead of a February launch for its next flagship, the Xiaomi Mi 5. What he didn’t say is that the company is also planning to launch a smaller, more fashion-focussed phone very soon. Xiaomi has revealed two teasers for the Redmi 3 which will be unveiled in just a few days time, on January 12…


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Samsung issues Q4 2015 guidance, profit up 15% year-on-year

Samsung has issued its earnings guidance for the fourth quarter of 2015, and things look to be heading in the right direction, albeit slowly. Samsung estimates that its profit for the quarter reached 6.1 trillion Korean Won, or roughly $5.1 billion US Dollars. That was based on estimated sales worth 53.0 trillion Korean Won ($44B USD).

While other Android smartphone makers are struggling to make any progress financially, Samsung’s Q4 estimates (if accurate) will see them beat last year’s final quarter profits by 0.8 trillion Korean Won, or approximately $666 million USD. That’s an increase of 15% year-on-year.

If anything, it shows that Samsung’s 2015 focus on creating fewer, but higher quality handsets is working. A big part of that focus was moving away from the plastic flagships of the past to make solid, glass and metal handsets with market-leading specifications.

Rather unusually, however, Samsung did see a quarter-on-quarter drop from Q3 2015, in which it made 7.4 trillion Korean Won. Holiday sales are usually stronger than any other quarter for most tech companies, so Samsung may be a little worried to see the 18% drop from Q3 even if Q4 was an improvement on the same quarter in 2014. One explanation, of course, is that Samsung released its last high-end flagship smartphone right in the middle of Q3, while many other competitors waited until October/November.

As 2016 rolls in, the competitive landscape is only going to get tougher for Samsung. Companies like Huawei and Xiaomi are expected to renew their focus on markets where Samsung is normally very strong. And, if Huawei’s 2015 performance is anything to go by, Samsung should definitely be keeping an eye over its shoulder.

Motorola offering $100 discount when you purchase new Moto X Pure and Moto 360 together

Running up to the holidays, Motorola was offering some great discounts on its older Android and Android Wear products. Sadly, those same deals didn’t apply to the newer and rather fantastic Moto X Pure and Moto 360 from 2015. That changes this month, as the Lenovo-owned company begins offering money off for customers buying both products together.

Anyone buying the new Moto X Pure Edition (2015) and 2nd gen Moto 360 together will get $100 off at checkout. There’s no promo code to remember, just add the two products to your basket at Motorola.com in the US and the discount applies automatically. That means a package deal combining the two devices will cost you $599 for the base models, rather than the usual $699. Of course, adding extra storage to your phone or choosing a more premium material for the phone’s back or the Moto 360’s watch strap will cost extra.

This is the first time we’ve seen either of the new products with a significant discount anywhere in the US. The deal is available until January 12th, 10:59 Central Time.