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- Analysts say Samsung Galaxy S 4 to push Samsung back ahead of Apple
- Samsung Galaxy S 4 To Get Qi Wireless Charging Accessories
- Motorola ‘Ghost’ heading to all four major U.S. carriers, ‘Yeti’ and ‘Sasquatch’ to AT&T
- Samsung Orb Photo Feature Could Debut In Galaxy S 4 With Android 5.0 Update
- T-Mobile LTE update for Samsung Galaxy Note II pushing out
- How HTC Can Get Its Groove Back
- ASUS will launch an Intel-powered smartphone in June
- Samsung Galaxy Note and Galaxy S II to get Android 4.2.2 update, while the Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 will see Android 5.0
- Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S 4 to cost £530 at Unlocked Mobiles
- Sony unveils the Xperia L for the budget-minded who wants a best in class camera
| Analysts say Samsung Galaxy S 4 to push Samsung back ahead of Apple Posted: 18 Mar 2013 02:07 PM PDT
As Apple and Samsung continue to bounce the crown for best-selling smartphone between each other, analysts at Nomura say the latest Galaxy device will push Samsung back to the top spot. Nomura was not impressed with the latest device in Samsung’s Galaxy line, the Samsung Galaxy S 4. Nevertheless, the changes that they describe as “evolutionary” as opposed to “revolutionary” should be enough to propel Samsung to the top spot. During the fourth quarter of 2012 Apple sold around 27.4 million iPhone 5 devices versus 15.4 million Samsung Galaxy S III units to retake the title. Nomura’s analysts think Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II will combine for sales in the range of 35 to 40 million units per quarter during 2013. The analysts also expect a shift to occur during the upcoming sales quarters as both Apple and Samsung will have to start working on stealing users from each other rather than the smaller players in the smartphone market. Besides ratcheting up the acrimony that already exists between the two companies, this will probably result in more price-based competition. Such a situation will be good news for consumers but it will impact margins for Samsung and Apple and it will make life difficult for other manufacturers trying to capitalize on the market. source: BGR
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| Samsung Galaxy S 4 To Get Qi Wireless Charging Accessories Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:53 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S 4 will always be able to charge the traditional way, but if you’re wanting to charge it wirelessly, Qi charging accessories will be coming soon. Qi issued an official press release today announcing their work on wireless charging accessories for the S 4. They didn’t mention a release date or price, but with the latest flagship Samsung smartphone coming out towards the end of April, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect the accessories available around then. Currently, Qi is used in products by Motorola, LG, Sony, Toshiba, Nokia, HTC, and many more. Source: Business Wire
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| Motorola ‘Ghost’ heading to all four major U.S. carriers, ‘Yeti’ and ‘Sasquatch’ to AT&T Posted: 18 Mar 2013 01:08 PM PDT
Last week we got word of a new Motorola device with the model number XT912A. We have heard that the Motorola “X” phone refers to more than one phone, so this could be just one variant. It showed up in the GLBenchmark database with the codename “Ghost”, and it will be a mid-range device with a 720p display and a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro. This one is rumored to be headed to all four major U.S. carriers, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. It could wind up in the Google Play Store as well, but that’s just a hunch. Yes, this one is mid-range, but more than enough for the average consumer. If they can price this one right as in $199 to $249 off contract, it could be a hit.
There are two more handsets that popped as well and they are called the “Yeti” and the “Sasquatch.” The latter was spotted in the 0xbenchmark database on March 13th and is running Android 4.2.2. The former is just a name floating around, but supposedly it’s also running Android 4.2.2. Although AT&T is mentioned specifically, it doesn’t rule out the possibility they could be headed to all four major U.S. carriers just like the “Ghost”. Who knows, one of them could even be the higher-end Motorola “X” phone we have been hearing about, but we will have to wait until more information is uncovered. Sources: GLBenchmark, 0xbenchmark
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| Samsung Orb Photo Feature Could Debut In Galaxy S 4 With Android 5.0 Update Posted: 18 Mar 2013 12:44 PM PDT
Samsung Orb will allow users to take 360 degree panorama photos, and is rumored to be introduced on the Galaxy S 4 when Android 5.0 is released. According to an insider, the decision to delay Orb until the Android 5.0 update isn’t finalized yet, but is expected to be. Orb is very similar to Photo Sphere which is part of the Nexus 4 experience. This will be a nice value add for photo taking S 4 owners, however, Android 5.0 won’t make its way to select Galaxy devices until after Google I/O in June when a Key Lime Pie announcement is anticipated. Source: SamMobile
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| T-Mobile LTE update for Samsung Galaxy Note II pushing out Posted: 18 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT
Owner’s of a Samsung Galaxy Note II on the T-Mobile network may notice an update is available for their device. The update is probably one you will want to grab as it enables a connection to T-Mobile’s new 4G LTE service. T-Mobile indicates the service should be available in Las Vegas and Kansas City by the end of this month. At some point this summer the new service should be lit up in enough areas to reach 100 million people and by the end of the year it should reach 200 million people. For comparison, the Verizon 4G LTE network reaches 275 million people. In some testing that was conducted using a Galaxy Note II, speeds were found to be in the 59 Mbps down, 25 Mbps up range. Granted, there were probably no other users accessing the signal. As fast as the 4G LTE connection is, T-Mobile customers will also benefit from HSPA+ 4G when they find themselves in an area with no 4G LTE coverage. source: PhoneArena
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| How HTC Can Get Its Groove Back Posted: 18 Mar 2013 09:59 AM PDT
Around the summer of 2010, my contract was coming to an end and the HTC EVO 4G on Sprint was very appealing. Touted as “America’s first 4G phone”, it featured a large display and great specs at the time. I desperately wanted this phone and every Sprint store, Radioshack, or online store, was out of stock for four to six weeks. With my contract ending in just a couple weeks, the options were simple: Either buy the EVO 4G for full price and then some due to demand, or just grab a Blackberry. Unfortunately, an outdated BlackBerry Curve it was. In the Spring of 2011, I finally got my hands on a slightly used EVO 4G. It was a great investment and I was even using it up until the fall of last year before I was due for an upgrade, going with the Samsung Galaxy S III. Fast forward to now and HTC has taken quite a hit because it doesn’t have quite the zing or product support as we’d seen in the past. In fact, over the last several years, declining profits and market share have pushed the Taiwanese company further down the list. Earlier this year, CEO Peter Chou blamed poor marketing as the reason for their decline. However, he said the same thing last year and nothing really changed. Samsung has quickly grown to be the world’s number one Android manufacturer, capturing a massive 40% of all Android smartphones and tablets. They capitalized on HTC’s poor marketing and lack of clear vision with a product line. In 2012 alone, Samsung spent $401 million advertising its mobile devices in the US. In today’s marketplace, great devices do not sell themselves: great marketing does. By comparison, HTC cut its advertising budget by 45%. It’s pretty clear that Samsung’s advertising push is paying off, then again, they’re selling devices like hotcakes which makes it much easier to invest so much money. What makes Samsung’s latest flagship device particularly appealing isn’t the specs but the software features. At Unpacked 2013, the South Korean giant really pushed its new software features from Smart Scroll eye-tracking technology to new sensors that work with S Health to help users stay more active. When you break it down, the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One have very similar specs: 1080p HD display, quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, up to 64GB of storage, and so on. In all reality, trying to sell the One based on specs and quality isn’t going to cut it. HTC announced a slew of new features as well and they need to utilize those as selling points. I personally think the One is a higher quality phone as opposed to the Galaxy S 4, but consumer’s are going to buy the phone that gives them the most features. Samsung clearly wins in that category, and is something HTC needs to change in the near future. The One seems to recapture the special feeling the EVO 4G had and with its interesting features such as Zoe and Boom Sound and that’s what mainstream consumers really care about. This is where their focus needs to be instead of bashing Samsung in some desperate attempt to grab attention. At this stage of the game, HTC simply can’t revert to their old ways of talking and not doing. With the One hitting US carriers towards the end of March and the Galaxy S 4 not launching until the end of April, they do stand a chance of selling a good amount before the inevitable rush of Samsung fans upgrade. However, HTC might not have enough new features to attract enough consumers. Can HTC recapture the consumer’s attention? It’s anyone’s guess at this point. Maybe Peter Chou is serious this time. While highlighting the One’s features are important, one can’t forget that it all comes down to marketing. Sure, HTC isn’t profiting hand over fist, but they’ll have to reach deep into their pockets to make it happen, and I hope they do.
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| ASUS will launch an Intel-powered smartphone in June Posted: 18 Mar 2013 08:43 AM PDT
Since ASUS is already working with Intel on the FonePad, it’s no surprise that they could be prepping an Intel-powered smartphone for June. According to DigiTimes, it will sport the Intel Atom Z2580 processor (Clover Trail+), which has a 2GHz dual-core CPU. This one will compete with the Lenovo K900 as it will sport a display around 5 to 5.5-inches. DigiTimes also mentioned that ASUS would have an updated Nexus 7 tablet for Google I/O, which further confirms what we heard in January. source: DigiTimes
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| Posted: 18 Mar 2013 08:03 AM PDT
We already know that Samsung is committed to bringing the best support possible for its legacy devices, but it appears that Samsung is certainly on its way to becoming the next Google when it comes to software updates of its devices. Let me explain— a “pre-list” has recently surfaced indicating which Samsung devices will be qualified for some major updates on the way in the near-future. According to the list, many 2012 or pre-2012 devices such as the Galaxy S Advance, Galaxy S II and original Galaxy Note smartphones are slated to receive the Android 4.2.2 update. Additionally, a handful of devices such as the Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy 10.1, Galaxy S III and Galaxy S 4 are eligible for the not-yet-announced Key Lime Pie update. Moreover— while many of the mid-range devices may not qualify for the Android 5.0 update, Samsung is working on some sort of “value pack” update, which gives the older legacy devices some addtional functionality that other devices won’t have. If you’re an owner of a Sammy device, it’s pretty exciting to know that Samsung is likely continuing to show some much-needed love to your old toy, isn’t it? source: SamMobile
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| Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S 4 to cost £530 at Unlocked Mobiles Posted: 18 Mar 2013 07:33 AM PDT
As we get closer and closer to the Galaxy S 4′s imminent release in a little over a month’s time, various retail outlets are coming out with coveted pricing details for customers, starting with Unlocked Mobiles. Considering the device will feature some topline specs and some amazing features, Unlocked Mobiles will offer the Galaxy S 4 for £529.98 including VAT or £441.65 excluding VAT, so those of you out here in the States can expect to pay upwards of $700 or $800 to ship the device to your front door. Sure the smartphone is probably going to cost you a king’s ransom, but hey— other devices like the Xperia Z are priced similarly, so it doesn’t sound too unreasonable really. The device is expected to ship to prospective owners on or around April 26th. source: Android Central
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| Sony unveils the Xperia L for the budget-minded who wants a best in class camera Posted: 18 Mar 2013 06:58 AM PDT
Sony Mobile unveiled two phones today. We already told you about the Xperia SP, and now it’s time for the Xperia L, which is a low to mid-range device for people who put a bigger importance on the camera. It sports a 4.3-inch (854 x 480) display, a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, 8GB of internal storage, microSD slot,1,700mAh battery, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Sure the specs are nothing to write home about, but those into taking pictures will be happy to know that it sports an 8-megapixel camera with an Exmor RS sensor and is able to take HDR stills and video. It even sports a dedicated camera key that will take it from sleep to snap in just over a second from a locked screen. As with all Xperia phones, you will also get the “WALKMAN”, “Album” and “Movies” apps. You should be able to get your hands on one in Q2, but no pricing was specified. Hit the break for the full press release and overview video.
Click here to view the embedded video. Sony Mobile adds two new Xperia smartphones to its Spring line up, bringing best of Sony experiences to a broader device range Two new models added to the Xperia™ range of premium smartphones with Xperia™ SP and Xperia™ L offering unique Sony features at new price points · Xperia L provides a stylish design with best in class Sony camera experience for perfect pictures and videos every time 18th March 2013, London, United Kingdom – Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) today announced two new Xperia smartphone models to join its 2013 line up – the Xperia SP and Xperia L. The Xperia SP delivers 4G LTE performance and an exceptional viewing experience, with a razor sharp HD screen housed in a beautiful design. The Xperia L provides class leading camera technology with HDR for both photos and videos complemented by a high quality screen. Both the Xperia SP and Xperia L offer the best of Sony with stunning premium designs and a range of technologies including a high quality screen for the ultimate viewing experience; the latest camera features for impressive pictures and videos; NFC connectivity for One-touch function; Battery STAMINA Mode for extended battery life; and Sony’s signature media apps for enjoying photos, music, movies and games on the go. “Xperia SP and Xperia L are ideally suited for those seeking stylish class-leading smartphones that don’t compromise on features”, said Calum MacDougall, Director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile Communications. “Both of our new models benefit from Sony’s proven innovation and engineering expertise – whether you want to enjoy premium HD quality entertainment over 4G LTE on our mid-range Xperia SP or capture every moment in perfect detail with our more affordable Xperia L.” Xperia SP – High Definition brilliance in a premium design The Xperia SP utilises expertise from Sony’s BRAVIA® TV engineers to create its stunning 4.6″ HD Reality Display for razor sharp pictures and superior brightness. The latest Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2 delivers an even better viewing experience by analysing your content type and adjusting the image automatically, making it one of the most intelligent smartphone screens around. The engine will make the adjustment by adding new real-time contrast optimisation to the sharpness enhancement, high-quality colour management and noise reduction. As well as delivering brilliant experiences, the Xperia SP looks beautiful too with a precision-crafted co-moulded aluminium frame, for a seamless look that is both sleek and solid. Adding to the unique design innovation is the colour-changing ‘transparent element’ with customisable illuminations which you can personalise to alert you of incoming calls and text messages. And you can even set the illuminations to pulse to the beat of your favourite music. Key features for Xperia SP · Precision crafted co-moulded aluminium frame · Super-bright 4.6″ 720p HD Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2 · One-touch functions with NFC to display content on your TV or to share music and photos between devices · 4G LTE for superfast entertainment and browsing · Unique ‘transparent element’ can be personalised to change colour when notifying you of all your incoming messages and calls. Or simply set it to pulse to the beat of your music to stand out from the crowd. · 8MP fast-capture camera with “Exmor RS for mobile”, HDR and Superior Auto for the best photos, even at night or against a strong backlight · Battery STAMINA Mode for optimum battery life · Available in white, red and black colour variations Xperia L – the perfect smartphone camera experience The stylish and functional Xperia L features an 8 megapixel camera with Sony’s unique “Exmor RS for mobile” sensor technology for vivid colours and stunning clarity. HDR (High Dynamic Range) ensures that both your photos and videos are captured clearly, even at night or against a strong backlight. And with the dedicated camera key that goes from sleep to snap in just over a second even from a locked screen, this fast-capture camera will ensure that you’ll never miss another moment. Get the most out of your viewing experience with the high quality 4.3″ FWVGA screen that is ideally suited to enjoy all of your content. Key features for Xperia L · 8 megapixel fast-capture camera takes sharp pictures in any light · Enjoy all your content on the generous 4.3″ FWVGA display · One-touch functions with NFC to display content on your TV or to share music and photos between devices · Fast performance with dual-core processor · Battery STAMINA Mode for optimum battery life · Available in white, red and black colour variations Sony entertainment on the go Both Xperia SP and Xperia L benefit from Sony’s media applications offering a consistent entertainment experience across the range. The “WALKMAN”, “Album” and “Movies” apps, provide online and offline content through a single access point with new ways to enjoy and share that content. The “WALKMAN” application provides access to all your downloaded music, plus Music Unlimted* with over 18 million songs to explore from, and Facebook social integration. The “Movies” application gives consumers access to over 100,000 movies and TV series from Video Unlimited* while the “Album” application enables easy access to Facebook friends’ photos as well as browsing photos by location. One-touch functions for easy content sharing Also featured on both models are Sony’s One-touch functions, allowing you to easily and instantly enjoy music and photos across an array of devices, such as Sony’s SRS-BTV5 speaker and latest range of NFC-enabled BRAVIA TVs, with just a single touch. It’s sharing made easy with no wires, cables, or fiddling with settings necessary. The new Xperia SP and Xperia L from Sony Mobile will both be available worldwide from Q2 2013.
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