Android Authority

---

• The wall between Google and Motorola could go down in the future – WSJ
• Rumor: HTC M8 coming in 2014, HTC One refresh later this year, and plastic One to replace Butterfly
• Sony sends out invites to its press conference at IFA 2013. Is Sony bringing the Honami with it?
• Watch out Samsung, Motorola can spend half a billion to market the Moto X
• New Motorola DROIDs bound for Verizon leak in all their glory
• “Value Pack” update rolling out to AT&T Optimus G Pro customers
• LG outs world’s thinnest full HD LCD panel, basically confirms display on LG G2
• Chromebooks comprise about 25% of sub-$300 PC sales
• HTC One Google Play Edition review (video)
• High-end device, low-end price: the race to the middle
• LTE-packing Sony Xperia Z arrives in the United States, exclusively through T-Mobile
• Phone upgrades up to twice a year? That’s exactly what you get with T-Mobile’s new JUMP program
• Leaked document shows Sprint may be changing up their ‘Everything’ plans
• Samsung and HTC may be supporting ZigBee home automation
• Google shuts Latitude down
• HTC One is actually easy to open with a special tool, says HTC lead designer
• AT&T asks us to “get ready for what’s next in wireless” on July 16th
• Droid Ultra release set for August 8, purported ad storyboard says
• 20nm ARM processors could be 30% faster, pushing for the 3GHz mark
• Samsung looking to supply chips to Amazon, NVIDIA and Sony
• Android Authority Q & A – July 10, 2013
• Korean report: “Nexus 5” to be based on LG G2, to come in early October with Android 5
• Expect even more smartphone models from Samsung
• Google Maps still available offline via “OK Maps” easter egg in Android app update

The wall between Google and Motorola could go down in the future – WSJ Posted: 11 Jul 2013 01:36 AM PDT You know the firewall between Google and Motorola that Android VP Hiroshi Lockheimer talked about at MWC ? Well, the wall is there, for now, but it could easily go down in the future. That’s the gist of a report from the Wall Street Journal that quotes "people familiar to the matter" talking about the complicated relationship between Google and its subsidiary Motorola. According to the report, at least some Google executives that are not working at Motorola "partially" consider the storied phone manufacturer an "insurance policy against the rising influence of Samsung". Motorola's strategic importance as a counterweight to Samsung's influence on Android has long been discussed, but this is one of the few occasions when we learn with some degree of certainty that people at Google actually feel threatened by Samsung's dominance. The wall exists, but it could go down if the relationship between Google and Samsung changes While for the moment Google does avoid offering Motorola any "special technological advantages" over the rest of the Android manufacturers, that could change if the relationship between Google and Samsung ever goes sour, said the insider quoted by the WSJ. The Wall Street Journal is as solid as press gets – when the publication reports based on "people familiar with the matter", you can be sure that the inside information is accurate and relevant. With that said, we have to keep in mind that today's report could reflect a minority opinion inside Google and may it not necessarily be the view of the company's leadership. The relationship between Google and the largest Android manufacturer has been a source of controversy in the past months. Many have speculated that Google sees the rise of Samsung and the Korean company's efforts to flesh out its own platform as a threat to Android and Google's interests. The speculation heightened after the launch of the Galaxy S4, which Samsung seemingly tried to delimitate from the Android brand. However, the visit of Larry Page in South Korea from April and a series of statements from both sides temporarily quenched the speculation that there's any hostility between the two companies.

Rumor: HTC M8 coming in 2014, HTC One refresh later this year, and plastic One to replace Butterfly Posted: 11 Jul 2013 01:06 AM PDT A new batch of HTC One-related rumors supposedly reveal some of the company's plans for the following months and next year, with a variety of One models being reportedly in the works. Let's take a look at them chronologically, at least according to what Pocket-lint has learned from sources familiar with HTC's plans. Refreshed HTC One in 2013 Apparently HTC may be considering launching a refreshed HTC One model later this year, a device that could pack different internal components when compared with the current model. One likely change is the move to a Snapdragon 800 processor instead of the Snapdragon 600 that's currently powering the HTC One, but nothing is confirmed at this time. Since we're already approaching mid-July, it'll be interesting to see when such a model will be launched, if the rumor is accurate. If this sounds all too familiar, that's because HTC did the same thing last year, with a HTC One X+ (October 2012) being released a few months after the HTC One X (April 2012). Let's also not forget that HTC has a One Max reportedly in the works (also known as T6) which should take on the already launched Sony Xperia Z Ultra and the upcoming Galaxy Note 3 models. And of course, there's also the One Mini coming to take on all the other minis from the competition. HTC Droid DNA or Verizon’s Butterfly (left) and the HTC One X+ (right) HTC Butterfly to become the One While a new Butterfly model is already official, it looks like HTC may be interested in merging its two flagship families, in order to create a more powerful Android line. After getting into the One family, future Butterfly models may be sold as plastic HTC Ones. Nothing is official at this point though, so don't get too excited about cheaper future HTC One flagship handsets. HTC M8 coming in 2014 Speaking about flagships, the HTC M8 is going to be the HTC One successor according to the same sources. Since M7 was the internal codename for the HTC One, it makes sense to hear about an M8 for next year. Apparently the company is already "in discussions regarding the HTC M8, although it is using different codenames for the device with external contacts," most likely in order to keep leaks down. While M8 does make sense as an internal product name, it will certainly be interesting to see what the commercial name of the product will be. The HTC One 2 sounds way too crazy, and HTC One S is already a distinct product. It would make a lot of sense to see the company keep a generic HTC One name in place – like Apple is doing with its iPad models – rather than use any numbers. As for numbers, naming its flagship family the One may not have been the best decisions the company took, even though the name is a clever choice at the same time. What matters here is that HTC seems to be working hard to have a strong handset family, capable of taking on the Galaxy brand, and everyone else in the process. We’ll just have to wait and see whether any of these new rumors will be confirmed.

Sony sends out invites to its press conference at IFA 2013. Is Sony bringing the Honami with it? Posted: 10 Jul 2013 11:53 PM PDT Sony has been very busy this year in both the smartphone and tablet markets, hoping to recapture its former glory. Now Sony is starting to send out invitations for its press event at IFA 2013 on September 4 (2 days before the official event begins). Remember how Sony had an event in Paris earlier in the month, and we were all adamant that the Honami (Xperia i1) would be announced at the event. Well that event came and went, and we were still without the Sony Honami. With Sony holding a press event at IFA 2013, it would be the perfect time to launch the Sony Honami and possibly take a bit of shine off of the other big smartphone release at IFA, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. By all accounts the Sony Honami will be a beast of a smartphone, and is rumored to feature a quad-core Snapdragon 800, a 20-megapixel back facing camera, 2GB of RAM, a 3,000 mAh battery, and a 5-inch Full HD display. If the Honami is launched at IFA 2013, the normally calm floors could turn into a battleground for two titans of the smartphone market in the Note 3 and the Sony Honami. Would you like to see the Sony Honami unveiled at IFA 2013? Sony Honami or Galaxy Note 3?

Watch out Samsung, Motorola can spend half a billion to market the Moto X Posted: 10 Jul 2013 11:47 PM PDT Ricardo Bilton/VentureBeat To be successful in the smartphone business, it's not enough to make the best hardware or the prettiest looking device. Marketing is just as important, and, some say, the biggest factor that decides the ultimate fate of a product. The living proofs are Samsung and Apple, the two behemoths of the smartphone industry and the only two companies to actually make meaningful profits out of it, which both spend lavishly on marketing. Several hundred million dollars—and possibly upward of $500 million With Google's blessing, Motorola is planning to follow Samsung's and Apple's lead in big marketing, reports the Wall Street Journal. According to the prestigious publication, which cites the usual "people familiar with the matter", Google is willing to do whatever it takes financially to get the Moto X of the ground. This means that Dennis Woodside, the CEO of Motorola, will get to spend "several hundred million dollars—and possibly upward of $500 million" to market the upcoming flagship smartphone. The money will be spent to spread the word about the Moto X in the US and other markets, including in Europe, says the WSJ. Big marketing budgets weigh heavily in the carriers' decision to sell a smartphone. Motorola's brimming war chest is probably one of the reasons all major networks in the US have agreed to carry the Moto X. According to the WSJ report, the device will become available "this fall". Another piece of good news is that Motorola managed to convince carriers not to stuff the Moto X with bloatware, the mostly useless apps and features that carriers love to fill devices with. This is another sign that Motorola has a promising product on its hands. The report goes on to confirm the ABC News leak that said customers would be able to select the color of the Moto X' casing and pick a text to be engraved on the device. Google may end up spending more money than {Apple and Samsung} on the Moto X phone alone Half a billion dollars is a lot of money to spend on marketing for one device. For perspective, Apple and Samsung spent $333 million and $401 million respectively for advertising in the US last year, but that covers their entire range of devices, which in Samsung's case is quite extensive. It's not clear from the WSJ's report how Motorola would spend the marketing budget, and we have to consider that the money will be used in other markets besides the US. Even in these conditions, "Google may end up spending more money than that on the Moto X phone alone" said the insiders. One last important tidbit in the WSJ report: the Moto X may not be as cheap as we thought – the price of the device may, in fact, be comparable to that of competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, or iPhone 5. This goes against rumors and speculation that the Moto X would sell for $299 or less, contract free. We'll have to see which report turns out to be accurate, but we don't have to tell you what we hope for.

New Motorola DROIDs bound for Verizon leak in all their glory Posted: 10 Jul 2013 11:09 PM PDT How is it, like clockwork, photos of unreleased Motorola phones leak weeks before their official unveiling? Whatever the means, we're grateful the folks at @evleaks were able to get their hands on press images of Moto's refreshed Verizon DROID trifecta. The left-most phone is the Droid Mini, the center the Droid Ultra, and the right-most phone the Droid MAXX. Judging solely by their respective exteriors, the new DROIDs don't seem all that different from last year's models. Internal specifications remain elusive, but the ULTRA and MAXX may each feature a quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 5-inch, 1080p display. One DROID MAXX aspect of note is its alleged battery life: according to leaked marketing documents, its battery is capable of lasting up to 48 hours without recharge. Numbers like that are naturally suspect, but the impressive battery performance Motorola's achieved before does lend credence to the rumor. In addition to press renderings, @evleaks also tweeted an image reportedly taken by the DROID ULTRA. Recent leaks suggest the ULTRA will pack a 10-megapixel camera with and RGBC sensor, which is said to improve white balance and exposure by taking in more light. Regardless, the pictures look sharp and natural, although quality is difficult to judge without the phone in hand. Motorola's been coy about a launch window for the new DROIDs, but sources point to an August 8 launch for the ULTRA. It's anyone's guess when the others will launch, or if there will be a press event.

“Value Pack” update rolling out to AT&T Optimus G Pro customers Posted: 10 Jul 2013 10:24 PM PDT The LG Optimus G Pro is a brilliant smartphone, and if there's one thing we as consumers love to see, it's updates to make our smartphones even more brilliant. Originally announced in March, LG has now begun rolling out the "Value Pack" to AT&T customers. The update is still Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, so no change in the Android version, however, it offers new features like: Dual Camera: The Optimus G Pro already has the ability to record video with both the subject and the video taker in the video, and now you can also take pictures in a similar picture in picture fashion by using both the front and back-facing cameras. Smart Video is a feature which automatically pauses a video you are watching when you look away and automatically plays it when you look back. The update allows you to control an LG Smart TV from 2012, either by using the Optimus G Pro as a “Magic Remote Pad” (kind of like a trackpad on a laptop) or as an input device for easy internet browsing and typing. You'll also receive the ability to pause and resume a video recording, so that it can be saved as one continuous file. and Over 800 new color emoticons will also be available for you to annoy and bug your friends with. Like all updates, expect lots of bug fixes and other improvements. The update is rolling out OTA (over the air) right now, and if a notification hasn't popped up already, you can check for the update by selecting Menu > Settings >General > About phone > Software update > Update Now. With all of these new features you'd expect it to be a rather large update, so make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi before downloading the update on your Optimus G Pro. Have you recieved the update yet?

LG outs world’s thinnest full HD LCD panel, basically confirms display on LG G2 Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:10 PM PDT The LG G2, also known as the LG Optimus G2, is one of the more anticipated smartphones coming out in the second half of 2013. So far the rumors are plentiful but not much has been set in stone yet. This may have changed as LG recently sent out a press release for a full HD smartphone panel. Given that the LG G2 is the next big thing coming out of LG, it’s not a giant leap in logic to guess that this state of the art HD smartphone panel is for LG’s next state of the art smartphone. Here is everything about the panel as per the press release: It is a “state-of-the-art 5.2-inch panel.” The screen is 2.2mm thin. It has a 2.3mm bezel. Uses LG Display’s One Glass Solution. According to LG, “Dual Flexible Printed Circuits, superior to a single circuit, have been inserted between the panel and touch film, reducing the number of lines on the panel by more than 30 percent.“ 1080×1920 Full HD resolution. LG makes it a point to tell everyone about the brightness. Apparently, Intertek has confirmed that this screen is capable of performing just fine in “strong outdoor sunlight” the photo at the bottom shows LG accepting a certificate from Intertek to this affect.   It’s hard to get overly excited about a display but LG seems to have put enough info into this display for it to actually be a little exciting. As you can see from the pictures above and below, this screen is ridiculously thin, bright, and colorful. Of course, only time will tell if it looks this good in a smartphone as it does in these photographs. LG also claims that the thinness of this display will also help improve grip. Again, though, these are things we won’t know for sure until this bad boy is released on a smartphone. The most important part is that this hasn’t been 100% confirmed as the screen for the LG G2. It might as well be, but LG hasn’t directly come out and said that this will be on their LG G2 behemoth. Rumors state that the screen will be between 5 and 5.5 inches and be 1080p. This screen satisfies all that criteria. Also, as this screen has an official press release and the rumored unveil for the LG G2 is less than a month away on August 7th, there’s no reason to believe it won’t be prepared to be inserted into the G2′s body. To read the press release for yourself, we’ve put it in below. LG Display Introduces World's Slimmest Full HD LCD Panel for Smartphones New panel will enable sleeker Full HD smartphones delivering superior viewing experience Seoul, Korea (July 11, 2013) – LG Display [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220], a leading innovator of display technology, today announced that it will unveil the world's slimmest Full HD LCD panel for smartphones. The state-of-the-art 5.2-inch panel is an exciting advancement for the premium mobile device market enabling sleeker Full HD smartphones featuring better "grip-ability" and a superior viewing experience. Only 2.2mm thin with a 2.3mm bezel, LG Display's new panel is both slimmest and narrowest among existing Full HD LCD panels designed for mobile devices. This world's slimmest Full HD LCD panel will provide larger visible display space on smartphones, critical as mobile devices are used for multimedia viewing more than ever before. Additionally, the panel will make devices easier to grip as well as lighter in weight. Key to realizing the world's slimmest panel is LG Display's Advanced One-Glass-Solution (OGS), the latest touch technology enabling an enhanced touch screen experience, developed and applied to the new panel for the first time ever. Dual Flexible Printed Circuits, superior to a single circuit, have been inserted between the panel and touch film, reducing the number of lines on the panel by more than 30 percent. Utilization of a direct bonding system has also resulted in Optical Clear Resin between the panel and touch film for greater brightness. The new panel's superiority in displaying resolution, brightness, and contrast ratio results in enhanced outdoor readability. By utilizing 1,080X1,920 pixels consisting of Red, Green, Blue (RGB) sub-pixels, the panel is a true Full HD display. And with a brightness of 535 nits at maximum, LG Display's panel outperforms all current mobile Full HD LCD panels. Finally, measuring contrast in real-life surroundings with Ambient Contrast Ratio results in a reading of 3.74:1 based on 10,000 lux, confirming the perfect performance of the panel even in strong outdoor sunlight conditions. Renowned testing firm Intertek has officially certified these results. "Today's introduction of the world's slimmest Full HD LCD panel represents an exciting advancement for the high-end smartphone segment, and is possible due to our world-class expertise in IPS and touch technologies," said Dr. Byeong-Koo Kim, Vice President and Head of LG Display's IT and Mobile Development Group. "LG Display will continue its commitment to developing products that maximize consumer value as well as opening new doors for the mobile and tablet PC industry." ### About LG Display LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is a leading manufacturer and supplier of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels, OLEDs and flexible displays. The company provides TFT-LCD panels in a wide range of sizes and specifications for use in TVs, monitors, notebook PCs, mobile products and other various applications. LG Display currently operates nine fabrication facilities and seven back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China, Poland, and Mexico. The company has a total of 56,000 employees operating worldwide. For more news and information about LG Display, please visit www.lgdnewsroom.com <http://www.lgdnewsroom.com/>. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Additional information as to factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements can be found in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Chromebooks comprise about 25% of sub-$300 PC sales Posted: 10 Jul 2013 06:49 PM PDT While the PC market shrinks, Chromebooks continue to defy the trend. Whereas the ubiquitous Samsung Chromebook has dominated Amazon for some time, Chromebooks have now also taken about a quarter of the sub-$300 PC category. As a Chromebook daily driver, I'm not surprised. The devices are wonderful; lightweight machines that will fit the needs of many. As Chrome OS continues to grow, so will the market share of Chromebooks. The richer the environment they exist in, the more attractive they become to consumers. For what they are, Chromebooks are taking the mantle they deserve: lightweight devices, meant to ease consumers into the sublime brilliance of Chrome OS. The world is moving toward a more mobile environment. Mobility is an important factor in our digital lives, and no laptop offers that better than a Chromebook. We no longer wish to sacrifice utility for mobility, and Chromebooks offer the best compromise for users. As packaged apps become a reality, the critics of Chrome OS will start to fade, and the platform will have true solutions for everyone. This news should also highlight the difference in needs between those who would like to spend $300 or less for a computer, and those who need more. By Google's own admission, Chromebooks are great as secondary machines. Many owners, as proud as they are, still need more utility. It's great to see Chromebooks find their footing, but let's not lose sight of the larger picture: they have a long way to go. Comparatively, there aren't many Windows computers at that price point, either. Those that do are often short-term deals at Best Buy, and come with dated processors that can't properly handle Windows. They disappoint with their terrible performance, which probably helps Chromebooks gain traction with annoyed consumers. For what they are, Chromebooks are taking the mantle they deserve: lightweight devices, meant to ease consumers into the sublime brilliance of Chrome OS. When we hear this same news about the $500-600 Chromebooks in a few years' time, we'll know the platform has truly arrived.

HTC One Google Play Edition review (video) Posted: 10 Jul 2013 05:30 PM PDT The Samsung Galaxy S4 wasn’t the only device that got the Google Play Edition treatment. HTC’s own One has been Google-ified, as well. So if you’re not a fan of HTC Sense and the overall software on the One, the Google Play Edition may just be something to look into. After all, it goes back to the basics — the coveted, vanilla Android. Let’s take a look and see how the HTC One Google Play Edition performs, shall we? While nothing has changed on the outside, we’ll give you a brief refresher of what the HTC One is sporting, and then get into the stuff that’s really changed — the operating system. If you’re in a rush, jump straight to the video, otherwise, stick with us as we take a closer look at this bad boy. As you might expect, this phone is nearly identical to the original HTC One.  So, as we mentioned, we’ll only be taking a quick look at it. If you want to find more out about the HTC One itself, be sure to check out the review done on the original device by my colleague, Kris Wouk. The HTC One — an aluminum clad smartphone — brought a refreshing, industrial look into the smartphone market. It has a nice metal smooth texture, and although a Stealth Black model of the original can be obtained, only the Glacier Silver model can be found in Google’s Play Store. The standard for screen sizes on our smartphones is quickly becoming 5-inches, but this isn’t the case with the One. Instead, HTC opted for a 4.7-inch display, capable of 1080p resolution rated at 469ppi. Overall, the stock Android experience looks gorgeous on this display. Sense 5 worked really well in the original device, but the Google Play Edition’s Jelly Bean (4.2) speeds through just about everything as quickly as ever. Looking at the performance of this handset, we have the same, great Snapdragon 600 processor clocked at 1.7GHz, backed by the tried and true, Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. It goes without saying, this is a premium performance package here, and it’ll be able to handle just about anything you throw at it. As for hardware, the HTC One doesn’t have expandable memory or a removable battery like the Galaxy S4 does. However, 32GB of onboard storage provides plenty of space for work and play. If that’s not enough, though, AT&T offers a 64GB model. While the battery can’t be replaced, it does provide a good amount of longevity. The main attraction here is the two front facing BoomSound speakers. They sound just as great on this version of the HTC One, and it makes sharing media straight from the handset a pleasant experience. While a lot of things did get stripped from the HTC One to make it a Nexus-like device, Beats Audio is still loaded into the package, thankfully. With that out of the way, we get to the camera, one of the parts of the handset that made the HTC One excel.  It sports the same 4-megapixel shooter as the original device. These are HTC’s patented Ultrapixels, which is supposed to increase picture quality by focusing on good light capture, instead of the high megapixel count. It’s a nice way to make the HTC One standout in such a crowded market. As you would expect, the camera app has been stripped of all of its features, opting for Android’s standard, stock camera. In other words, you won’t get to play around with awesome features that made the HTC One an excellent point-and-shoot camera, such as HTC Zoe and the original interface. The stock Android camera app is stylishly simplistic, as the whole screen becomes the viewfinder, and only a few buttons lay on the side. The settings are accessed by touch and swipe navigation through arches. As far as modes go, there are a few standard, preset scenes — HDR, and of course, Photo Sphere. Picture quality is just as good as the original HTC One, as the optics in the camera remain unchanged. Low light performance is still good, though it seems losing the software optimizations in the original camera pp causes the photo lose a bit of fidelity. I will have a full VS that will go in more depth on the camera, but I can say that the stock Android camera performs just below the original. And finally, we get to where things have really been changed up — the software. At least for me, one of the best parts about the original HTC One was its upgraded Sense UI. BlinkFeed helped to make Sense 5 more attractive and useful. Well, you lose all of that in the Google Play Edition and gain the stock Android experience that many of us pine for. And really, it is a very welcome change. The real Jelly Bean experience translates very well to the HTC One Personally, as far as operating system experience goes, I would have fun with either stock Android or Sense 5. It made more sense to change the game with the S4, as Samsung’s TouchWiz UI is definitely getting old. The experience is quintessential Android — you have your homescreens, your app drawer, and the notification dropdown with the elegant shade for frequently used settings. You also get the Daydream app to make the HTC One a clock or extra display while charging. Lockscreen widgets are available, as well. Oh, and you can't forget about the coveted Google Now. Jelly Bean is a well featured operating system that opts for simplicity and utility over numerous extras or, quite honestly, trying too hard. It fits right into the HTC One's design and should please just about anyone who puts down the money to enjoy it. Speaking of the price, it’s quite possibly the most difficult part to swallow about the HTC One Google Play Edition. Sure, it’s gotten the Nexus treatment, but it sure didn’t get the Nexus price. Although, it does come out $50 cheaper than the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition. That said, you can expect to shell out $599 for the fully unlocked model in the Play Store. And so, there you have it — the HTC One with the real, Google experience. I actually think the HTC One makes even more sense to get Google-fied because much of what was included with the original handset has or can be translated over to this model. For instance, if you miss BlinkFeed, there are plenty of other, social media aggregators like Flipboard out there. Miss HTC Zoe? No problem — Quirky camera apps can be found all over the Play Store. When it comes to hardware, the front facing BoomSound speakers and the Ultrapixel-powered camera can still be enjoyed through the vanilla Android operating system. After all, these features really don’t have much of an effect on the software at all. So why change it? Yes, the price point is extremely difficult to swallow, which is the reason why the expected exodus to these Google Play Editions hasn't quite happened yet. But I do want to present a possibility — if you have ever wanted to get that stock Android experience, rooting and flashing custom ROMs is definitely a route. In fact, it’ll probably be easier than ever with the Google Play Edition’s now available to the public. Anyone previously skeptical about doing it can look at the GPEs and see that Google is basically saying 'it would be okay.' Especially if you don't feel like you'd miss the few main extras included with the original, rest assured that the quintessential Android experience really is a great way of experiencing your HTC One. No wonder we love our stock Android. Video review Brad Ward contributed to this post.

High-end device, low-end price: the race to the middle Posted: 10 Jul 2013 04:36 PM PDT With so much going on in the world of Android, it’s often hard to sleep  at night. Lovers of mobile tech around the world, with visions of even better devices, dancing in their heads. And why not? There is not a single other industry that is as intensely competitive, that yields massively improved technology each and every year. Anyway, I digress. Cannacord Genuity’s Mike Walkey recently released some findings that led him to alter up his outlook for the 2013. Whereas he had previously estimated that 2013 would yield 979 million units, he now suggests that there will be around 959 million smartphones sold in 2013. For 2014, Walkey cut his estimates from 1.29 billion to 1.25 billion. The S4 effect Samsung’s S4 took three of the four top spots at tier one carriers like Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. For AT&T, the iPhone 5 continues to be the bastion of best selling glory, most likely to the carriers chagrin due to the exorbitant costs associated with carrying it. Samsung and Apple maintained top share of the U.S. smartphone market. In fact, our carrier store surveys indicated the Samsung GS4 was the top-selling smartphone at Verizon/Sprint/T-Mobile and #2 selling smartphone at AT&T behind the iPhone 5. Other top selling models included the iPhone 5 at all four tier-1 carriers, the HTC One at AT&T/Sprint/T-Mobile, and the Galaxy S III at Verizon. Mike Walkley Canaccord Genuity If you’re reading this, and I’m sure you are, then you’re likely on the very bleeding edge. The Galaxy S4 is likely old news for you at this point. What’s next? Sony’s Honami? Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3? ZTE’s Tegra 4 beast? LG’s insanely thinly bezelled G2?  Our surveys indicated more affordable sub $400 Samsung Galaxy S IIIs and iPhone 4s continued to sell better than our expectations, while the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4 sold below our expectations. While we all celebrate thinner bezels, higher pixel densities, 4k video recording, HDR video and picture capture, more robust and sizeable batteries, there is a huge, like insanely huge market for devices that pack great technology and hit a price point that more consumers find easier on the wallet. It’s a very large world out there. Indian, Chinese and African consumers alone comprise nearly 50% of the global population. Thankfully, what’s happening in the US, Canada and Europe is a harbinger of things to come. The fact is simple: smartphones are, more or less, good enough. The average consumer will never be able to distinguish anything beyond a 1080p display, and these will, by simple consequence of economies of scale, get cheaper and cheaper to produce. The same goes for SoC’s, which Qualcomm is churning out at a record rate. At the end of the day, consumers vote with their dollars. Picture this – you’re a Mom of three kids, and they are all screaming for new devices. You go into your carriers’ store, and you see devices that, for all intents and purposes, appear to be the same. Both have ‘quad core’, both have HD displays, both have great cameras, but the price is either $99 or $249. Which one are you going to pick? The research and surveys conducted by Cannacord Genuity’s Mike Walkey simply affirm the fact that the high end market has become saturated, and that consumers continue to opt for devices that blend compelling technology and aggressive pricing. Even though Samsung, for example, reported record earnings of 8.2 billion for the second quarter, investors were still displeased.  our surveys indicated more affordable sub $400 Samsung Galaxy S IIIs and iPhone 4s continued to sell better than our expectations, while the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S4 sold below our expectations. Mike Walkley Cannacord Genuity Why? With billions of dollars at stake you know the world’s top financial research firms have invested heavily into being able to spot market trends before the market itself spots them. And, it is with this in mind that we can better understand why the market hasn’t lauded Samsung as it once did before. Meanwhile, savvy analysts know that Samsung’s real financial engine in its smartphone business is in its lower and mid-tier offerings. What about Windows Phone? It’s been a tough go for Microsoft, and for Nokia. Microsoft’s darling actually lost market share over the past several months, and it doesn’t look like the situation is going to change any time soon, despite the substantial investment Microsoft has made, and continues to make in advertising. Despite gradual momentum for the Windows Phone ecosystem in the U.S. market, our surveys indicated consumers still mostly enter retail stores with the intent to purchase either an iPhone or an Android smartphone, resulting in Windows smartphone sales trailing these two ecosystems by a wide margin While it’s still too early to say whether or not Microsoft has a legitimate chance of increasing its marketshare, it isn’t looking likely that they will be able to break beyond the sub 5% mark anytime soon. Achieving inertia in this business is no easy task, as we all know. So much to choose from, how can you lose?  So, where does this leave us? High end devices will keep improving, there’s no doubt to that. My personal prediction is that manufacturers will realize that their high end offerings are being increasingly cannibalized by their and competitors more compelling mid tier offerings, and that they will have to adopt a new approach to differentiate their highest end offerings. I predict that their will be a new class of devices, dubbed either premium, elite, or signature, and that they will contain more or less the same technology, but will be encased in more premium materials and will carry a more signature look. One important element that is often not considered in the massive multibillion dollar smartphone market is the concept of face. Face is, more or less, the notion of what others think of you, of what the public’s consensus is on you and your worth, as an individual. In highly developed economies, like in Japan, South Korea, or Hong Kong for example, HTC’s One was selling at an incredible premium of nearly 2 times its actual MSRP because of  its lack of availability and also because it was immediately evident that you owned a very premium device, to which you were accorded higher status by an ever, hyper materially focused public. Both these two factor led the market to put a near 200% premium on its actual value. Bi-winning In the end, we all win. Market forces dictate that manufacturers, in order to be competitive, must release products at all tiers of the spectrum. And, it just so happens that we’ve hit a bit of a plateau as far as specs are concerned. Sure, we could all do with better battery life, and devices with improved and more substantial batteries are on the horizon. Take Motorola’s rumoured approach, for example. Their alleged device portfolio seems to be strangely absent of an absolute bleeding edge, high end heavy hitter. Think back to Google I/O. With no new Nexii announced, Google was more keen to show what they’ve been working on, behind the scenes. And, what they’ve been working on is making our devices, our experiences, and the way we interact with our mobile tech more contextual. And this trend, and this paradigm shift in general aren’t just limited to Android and mobile technology specifically. It’s a simple fact that data is getting cheaper to crunch, and that more and more of it will be done in the cloud, and not locally on our devices. Complex associations and intelligent, preemptively determined suggestions are the new horizon for Android, for Nexus, for Google Now, and for how we interact with technology in general. Anyway, it’s all good from here on in. High end offerings for great new smartphones will likely continue to fall in price until they hit the $500 USD mark by the end of 2013 / early 2014. Samsung and other ambitious manufacturers will likely release signature editions of their highest end offerings, and while some will be eager to lap them up, all consumers will reap the benefits of great technology at very aggressive price points, meaning we will get more for less, which is a very good thing. And how about you? Do you care about marketshare? Do you really care what company manufacturers your device? What is the sweet spot for you, as far as price is concerned? Do Samsung and Apple deserve to be at the top of the podium? Any fan favorites in the crowd? As always, we greatly appreciate your comments. I’d love to know what you think!

LTE-packing Sony Xperia Z arrives in the United States, exclusively through T-Mobile Posted: 10 Jul 2013 03:35 PM PDT The Sony Xperia Z is not only a sexy handset, but it also has reasonably powerful hardware and excellent water and dust-resistant capabilities. Unfortunately, the phone hasn’t exactly made a major impact on the U.S. market, largely because the only way to get the phone is to buy the non-LTE version directly from Sony. The good news is that this changes starting today. Sony is now offering the handset with T-Mobile 4G LTE support for $579.99 outright. T-Mobile will also sell the Xperia Z come July 17th for $99.99 down with 24 monthly payments of $20. If you pre-order on the 16th, you will even receive a free Sony Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – while supplies last. For those that need a refresher on the specs, the Xperia Z features a 1.5GHz quad-core S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD, a 2,330 mAh battery and the power of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. These might not be bleeding-edge specs, but the Z is certainly no pushover. Not sure if the Xperia Z is right for you? Check out our full review to learn more about the handset. What do you think, planning on picking this one up or not?

Phone upgrades up to twice a year? That’s exactly what you get with T-Mobile’s new JUMP program Posted: 10 Jul 2013 02:55 PM PDT Twenty-four whole months just to get your hands on a new handset? That's not exactly an ideal situation considering the speed at which mobile phones evolve, but it seems to be the industry standard in the United States. The good news is that one of the major carriers is looking to do away with this standard and instead give us more options. As you probably know already, T-Mobile recently changed things up with its "uncarrier' approach, doing away with contracts and instead giving us the option to either buy phones outright or spread out the payment over 24 months. While T-Mobile's strategy is different, it really doesn’t change the fact that 2 years is a long time to wait for a phone. That's where the newly announced T-Mobile JUMP program comes in. So what the heck is JUMP? "Just Upgrade My Phone" is a special plan that allows you to swap out your old device for a new phone twice a year, as long as you’ve been enrolled in the program for at least six months. JUMP also works as an insurance plan. If your phone is lost, damaged or stolen, you simply need to pay a deductible in order to pick out a new device as a replacement. With JUMP, you simply give back your old phone and all the original payment plans tied to the device are canceled with no further obligation on your part. From there you can simply choose a different device, with all the same 'discounts' and promotions that any new customer would receive for the handset. Besides giving you a way to trade out your old device, JUMP also works as an insurance plan. If your phone is lost, damaged or stolen, you simply need to pay a deductible in order to pick out a new device as a replacement. As you might expect, there is a small catch to JUMP: it's an optional monthly service with a $10 fee. Is it really worth paying $10 for the option to get out of your payment plan and 'start over' with a new device? The answer to that question depends on what type of user you are. If you enjoy having the latest and greatest devices, then sure. If you are the kind of buyer that sticks with the same phone for 2-4 years, probably not. What do you think of T-Mobile's new JUMP program interested or not? T-Mobile Announces Boldest Moves Yet as America's Un-carrier – Unveils JUMP!™ — a groundbreaking approach to more frequent phone upgrades – Rapidly expands 4G LTE network to cover 157 million people in 116 metro areas – Launches four-line family plan for $100 per month NEW YORK — July 10, 2013 — T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) isn't resting after turning the industry upside down with its "Un-carrier" approach to wireless earlier this year. It's picking up the pace and continuing to revolutionize wireless for consumers. At an event in New York today, America's Un-carrier announced a groundbreaking new program, JUMP!™, which enables people to upgrade their phones when they want, up to twice a year as soon as six months from enrollment. "At some point, big wireless companies made a decision for you that you should have to wait two years to get a new phone for a fair price. That's 730 days of waiting. 730 days of watching new phones come out that you can't have. Or having to live with a cracked screen or an outdated camera," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile US. "We say two years is just too long to wait. Today, we're changing all that with the launch of JUMP! Now, customers never have to worry about being stuck with the wrong phone. And, yes — it's really as good as it sounds." In addition to JUMP!, T-Mobile today announced a major expansion of its 4G LTE network to reach 157 million people in 116 metro areas across the United States. The company also unveiled a program enabling families to get four phone lines with unlimited talk, text and Web and up to 500MB of high-speed data for only $100 per month — with no credit check or annual service contract required. Today's news builds on months of momentum since T-Mobile announced a series of bold moves in March. The announcements included dramatically simplifying its lineup of consumer rate plans to one affordable plan for unlimited talk, text and Web on a nationwide network; eliminating the need for consumers to sign annual service contracts; and enabling customers to get popular smartphones whenever they want for amazingly low upfront pricing. Since then, market data indicates the company has nearly tripled its flow of postpaid net-new customers from AT&T and shows T-Mobile gaining more net-new customers in May than each of the other major wireless carriers in New York; Los Angeles; Houston; the San Francisco Bay Area; Miami; San Diego; and Washington, D.C. An Easy "JUMP" to Phone Upgrades JUMP! from T-Mobile is designed to provide customers with total protection for one of their prized possessions: their smartphones. It offers the freedom to upgrade to a new device more affordably and protects against malfunction, damage, loss or theft — all for just $10 per month, per phone (plus taxes and fees). That's just $2 more than most customers have been paying for handset protection alone. Beginning Sunday, July 14, customers can choose to upgrade when they want, not when they're told with JUMP! Here's how it works: Customers can upgrade to a new phone, financed through T-Mobile's Equipment Installment Program (EIP), twice every 12 months after they've been in the JUMP! program for six months. Simply trade in an eligible T-Mobile phone in good working condition at a participating store location. Any remaining EIP payments will be eliminated, and current customers can purchase new phones for the same upfront pricing as new customers, with device financing and Simple Choice Plan, a no-annual-service contract. With JUMP!, current customers never pay more for their new phones than new customers.1 T-Mobile's 4G LTE Network Rapidly Expanding Having a great device means little without a fantastic network supporting it, so T-Mobile is also moving at incredible speed to make its already lightning-fast network even better and faster for customers. Today, T-Mobile announced that its 4G LTE network now reaches 157 million people across the United States — far exceeding the company's stated midyear goal of reaching 100 million people — and is live in 116 metropolitan areas. Major metropolitan areas where T-Mobile's 4G LTE network service has launched include New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, Miami, and many others. The company debuted 4G LTE less than four months ago. T-Mobile remains on target to deliver nationwide 4G LTE network coverage by the end of the year, reaching 200 million people in more than 200 metropolitan areas. In addition, T-Mobile's 4G HSPA+ network service is available to 228 million people nationwide. By combining 4G HSPA+ and LTE network technologies, T-Mobile can provide customers with a strong, seamless nationwide 4G network experience. Launching Breakthrough Family Option with No Credit Checks T-Mobile today is also extending its Un-carrier strategy to families by addressing a huge customer headache: being denied premium family-plan rates because of less-than-premium credit. Beginning July 14, families can get four Simple Choice Plan lines with unlimited talk, text and Web and up to 500MB of high-speed data for only $100 per month (plus taxes and fees) — no credit check and no annual service contract required. An average of one in three consumers who apply for wireless service do not have strong enough credit to qualify for the best wireless rates, according to industry data. Other customers prefer to avoid the hassle of a credit check. As a result, these customers may forego service from a top provider or purchase several prepaid lines. But with T-Mobile, all families can now access a great multi-line deal with no credit check. Simply put down a deposit (roughly equivalent to one month's bill) to get the same incredible multi-line rates and network experience as other customers. The Simple Choice Plan has been wildly popular with families since its introduction in March. About 80 percent of customers who have signed up for the plan have opted for multiple lines. Continues to Expand 4G LTE Device Lineup T-Mobile also is quickly growing its premium lineup of 4G LTE-capable devices. Today, the company announced pricing and availability for three new devices, bringing its portfolio to nine 4G LTE-capable smartphones. The new devices include the following: · Xperia® Z from Sony. T-Mobile will be the exclusive U.S. wireless company to offer Sony's flagship water-resistant Android™-powered smartphone to customers this summer.2 The Xperia Z will be available for $99.99 down, with 24 equal monthly device payments of $20 for well-qualified buyers for 0 percent APR on approved credit3 through T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers, as well as online at http://www.T-Mobile.com starting July 17. On July 16, customers can also pre-order the device online from the same website and receive a free Sony Wireless Bluetooth Speaker gift with purchase (while supplies last). Customers may also purchase the device beginning today at any of the 38 U.S. Sony Store locations, including the flagship store in New York, or online at http://www.Sony.com/xperiaz/tmobile and will be eligible to receive the free Sony speaker as a gift with purchase (while supplies last). · Nokia Lumia 925. Also starting July 17, T-Mobile's first 4G LTE Windows Phone will be available for $49.99 down with 24 equal monthly device payments of $20 for well-qualified buyers for 0 percent APR on approved credit3 through T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers, as well as online at http://www.T-Mobile.com. · Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 2 10.1. T-Mobile will provide current Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 users with an over-the-air software update that will enable customers to take advantage of T-Mobile's 4G LTE network in the coming weeks. Well-qualified customers may also purchase the device with the 4G LTE capability for $99.99 down with 24 equal monthly device payments of $15 for 0 percent APR on approved credit3 through T-Mobile retail stores and select retailers, as well as online at http://www.T-Mobile.com today. JUMP! may not be available in all locations. See your sales associate at participating T-Mobile retail stores, or go to http://www.T-Mobile.com for details.

Leaked document shows Sprint may be changing up their ‘Everything’ plans Posted: 10 Jul 2013 12:57 PM PDT Many considered simplicity to be Sprint's one redeeming quality, but that could be changing. Phone Arena has been tipped that Sprint may soon be changing things up a bit, offering more variety in their plan structure. The picture, which you'll see below, outlines a few new options for Sprint customers. These new plans position Sprint closer to "traditional" carrier pricing and plan structure. The plan options are nicely structured, but we wonder if they're necessary. The brilliance behind Sprint is their simple "Everything" plan, in which you just pay your bill and get it all. There is no fussing with data plans, or staggered pricing. No concern about hitting a text limit or shared data. These new plans position Sprint closer to "traditional" carrier pricing and plan structure. Pay for your basic phone plan, then add-ons weigh you down. We'll applaud Sprint for not going with the staggered data limits, as the image shows an "Unlimited" or "1GB" data plan, but this all seems needlessly complex. The new "Everything" plan also adds 5GB of hotspot service, but consumers rarely use a hotspot, so why is that important? As their deal with Softbank closes, and the stars have aligned, it's sad to see Sprint take the one big selling point they had and complicate it. To be fair, these are still more economical than the competition, and offer much more. We just wish Sprint would have kept it simple with their plans and pricing.

Samsung and HTC may be supporting ZigBee home automation Posted: 10 Jul 2013 10:50 AM PDT Home automation sounds sublime; everything we want, at the push of a button. Whether at home or away, we could control the lights, set the temperature, and who knows how many other household tasks can be accomplished remotely. ZigBee or not, an industry standard moving forward would be ideal. The problem? We don't have a unified service. Samsung appliances and phones have that ability, but then you've got to outfit your home in Samsung. That's not always feasible, or desired. There are workarounds, but that's quite a bit of tinkering, and the average Joe probably won't want to do that. Pocket Lint has learned that the ZigBee Alliance will be offering their service on Samsung devices, with HTC said to be very interested as well. If ZigBee isn't familiar to you, that's because it hasn't caught on widely yet. Even though it's been around for a decade, and claims "millions" of annual implementations, ZigBee has yet to become a recognizable brand. Using the 2.4GHz radio frequency and the R4FCE protocol, ZigBee is ideal for home automation. Samsung is no stranger to ZigBee, either. They're part of the Alliance, and have previously produced products using the standard. Pocket Lint also notes their source is mentioning a new line of home smartphones, which could simply be a device that operates at that 2.4GHz frequency, but has an interface which allows for home automation. Interesting news, and we'd be happy for true home automation. ZigBee or not, an industry standard moving forward would be ideal.

Google shuts Latitude down Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:54 AM PDT Remember that infographic we showed you a little while ago about shuttered Google services? Break out a sharpie, because Latitude is going on that list. Starting in August, the location sharing service will be dropped from Maps. This change is effective because Maps is seeing an update. With the new interface and features of Maps, Latitude just didn't have a place. Instead, there will be social functionality, and users can check in on Google+ for Android, or share their location. There is no iOS feature set right now, but they're working on it. From the Google Blog: One important change you should know about is that Latitude and check-ins are no longer part of the new Google Maps app, and will be retired from older versions on August 9. We understand some of you still want to see your friends and family on a map, which is why we've added location sharing and check-ins to Google+ for Android (coming soon to iOS). More details about Latitude and check-in changes can be found in our help center. Google Blog This is a very natural progression for Maps and Google+. Latitude was a relic of Google past, a time when services were born and sometimes forced to work together, but often times didn't. Google+ is the social thread that binds so many services together, meaning things like Latitude can be jettisoned easily. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a great Maps app than Latitude.

HTC One is actually easy to open with a special tool, says HTC lead designer Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:50 AM PDT Back in March, iFixit went to work on taking the HTC One apart to give us all a better look at the phone's insides and determine how easy (or hard) the phone would be to repair. The verdict? Just 1/10 – with 1 being ultra hard and 10 being easy as pie. The reason for the low score is that the HTC One is very hard to open without damaging the rear case. The good news is that the phone might be hard for everyday users to take apart, but HTC does have a special method for prying open the handset in the event that the phone needs servicing under warranty. According to HTC’s senior manager of the One design team, Justin Huang: “During the development [of the One], there was another team inside HTC who looked at the repair process.“ "So every phone sent to HTC, they have a special tool to disassemble the back cover, to let us have the ability to access all the components inside.” In other words, you might not be able to self-repair or send it in to a third party for cheap and easy repairs, but at least you can rest assured that you can send it in directly to HTC. Unfortunately for those looking to get their phones repaired cheaply, this isn’t exactly great news. On the plus side, if a tool like this really does exist, it is probably just a matter of time before a Chinese knock-off tool becomes available online. What do you think, does the HTC One’s low repairability score matter to you or not?

AT&T asks us to “get ready for what’s next in wireless” on July 16th Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:08 AM PDT In just a few hours T-Mobile will take the stage in New York City to discuss some of its "boldest moves yet". Not to be outdone, AT&T is now sending out a teaser for an announcement on July 16th, asking us to "prepare for what's next in wireless". Similar to T-Mobile's event, we really don’t know for sure what to expect from AT&T, but we can certainly speculate. The announcement could be as simple as unveiling a few exclusive smartphones, or AT&T could be planning something more aggressive. Perhaps the rollout of some new wireless tech, a change in customer phone plans, or even the rumored Beats music streaming service that supposedly could come bundled with future AT&T plans? Any of these things are certainly possible. In the teaser, AT&T simply says “July 16th” with no actual location or time for the event. This could mean the announcement take place in formal press event, or even a simple press release.  If it is an actual public event, we can expect location details to arrive shortly. Whatever AT&T does reveal, odds are it won't be nearly as exciting as AT&T leads us to believe with its pre-announcement hype, though we'd love to be wrong. What do you think AT&T has in store for us on July 16th?

Droid Ultra release set for August 8, purported ad storyboard says Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:04 AM PDT After seeing the Droid Maxx detailed in a purported ad storyboard earlier today, a similar image for the Droid Ultra suggests that the phone could be launched on August 8. While the Droid Maxx's storyboard revealed it could offer 48 hours of battery life, the Droid Ultra ad seems to focus on the phone's durability. According to the image, the phone will pack a Gorilla Glass screen and a Kevlar case – not that we're surprised to hear that sort of details – allowing it to survive accidental drops and other mishaps. Interestingly, the image also suggest that the phone will come with some voice recognition features. The Droid Ultra owner in the ad will apparently tell the handset to play a Spotify mix: “Hello Moto. Open Spotify. Play Coltrane mix.” That may not appear to be as exciting as the  voice recognition and contextual awareness features the Moto X is said to have, but it’s definitely interesting. The ad ends with this voice-over message: Fortified with Gorilla Glass. Encased in Kevlar, the new Droid Ultra. When it matters it matters. Droid does. Finally, the ad will tell us that the handset is coming "only on Verizon" and it will show what looks like a launch date: "8-8-13" or August 8, 2013. The Droid Ultra has appeared in a variety of leaks so far, but it's yet to be made official. Assuming this storyboard is the real deal, then we may soon see this ad start airing, but not before Motorola actually launches its new family of Verizon-bound Droids.

20nm ARM processors could be 30% faster, pushing for the 3GHz mark Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:02 AM PDT Credit: Extremetech Semi-conductor manufacturing firms TSMC and Globalfoundries are both expected to have their 20nm mobile chip foundries up and running by 2014, which means that a new wave of faster and more energy efficient ARM processors should be heading our way sometime next year. According to TSMC, the shrink down to 20nm could see clock for clock performance improvements of up to 30 percent and a decrease in energy consumption of 25 percent, along with 1.9 times higher transistor density on the chip. That certainly sounds like good news for our poor smartphone batteries, and it also means that we could see some pretty nippy processors in our handsets come next year. On top of all that, the lower power requirements of these chips will leave plenty of headroom for higher clock speeds. With the current top of the line 28nm based processor, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800, already peaking at around 2.3GHz, a jump up to 3GHz is the next likely target for mobile processors, which would make for some very fast mobile devices. Ok, but it's time for a bit of a reality check. We often here about massive performance improvements and record breaking benchmarks, only to be let down by products in real world applications. So what can we expect in reality? Clock for clock, 20nm processors will be faster and less power hungry than their 28nm counterparts Firstly, power consumption will definitely come down and performance will be up based on identical 28nm designs, but exact boosts in each department will depend on what the developers choose to do with their designs, and the limits of the chips themselves. Companies could choose to keep the same clock speeds as current 28nm chips and reap the benefits of lower energy consumption, faster clock for clock speeds, and cooler chips. Alternatively, we could see a jump up in processor speeds, but the extra voltages required will start eating into those energy savings. And besides, not every chip can aim straight for 3Ghz either. Secondly, the 25 percent energy performance increase is a great start, but don't expect that to translate directly into 25 percent longer battery life. Remember than screens are massive battery drainers, and there are other components inside smartphones and tablets which won't be affected by these energy savings, such as network and WiFi antennas. Looking at what else will be on offer in 2014, Intel will hopefully have its own 14nm Atom chips out by the end of the year, GlobalFoundries has also set its sights on 14nm manufacturing too, and the next generation ARM Cortex A50 series will be heading our way as well. We've already seen some really impressive stuff in the first half of 2013, and I know it's a bit early, but 2014 is setup to be an even better year for processor technology.

Samsung looking to supply chips to Amazon, NVIDIA and Sony Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:58 AM PDT According to industry sources, Amazon, NVIDIA, and Sony are emerging as potential new clients for Samsung's semiconductor business. Samsung could certainly do with finding some new buyers for its chips, as the company not too long ago lost its smartphone rival Apple as one of its key buyers. Samsung and Apple have an agreement whereby Samsung will supply various components until the end of 2014. Importantly though, under the deal, Samsung will manufacture Apple's processor chips for the upcoming iPhone 5S and iPad only until the first half of next year. This forms a major part of Samsung's business model, which, according to IC Insights, netted Samsung $4.33 billion in revenue last year, with Apple making up a massive 89 percent of this value, to the tune of around $3.8 billion. Samsung will no doubt be keen to have new contracts lined up before the end of its deal with Apple, which is exactly what one of the sources suspects is going on. Samsung is eyeing Amazon, Sony and NVIDIA as customers to offset the lost volume caused by the Apple's decision to reduce purchases Supposedly, Samsung is already in talks with Sony and NVIDIA over a potential deal, but the company hasn't made it that far with Amazon yet. But this could be due to the fact that Amazon is developing its own processors for its future devices, possibly for use in its range of Kindle tablets. If any of these deals were to go through, it could open the door for some Exynos powered handsets from the likes of Sony, or alternatively Samsung could end up manufacturing some new chipset developed by NVIDIA, which would be interesting to see. We also already know that NVIDIA is looking to license out its graphics technologies to other developers, so perhaps an NVIDIA/Samsung relationship could be on the cards? We'll just have to wait and see. But if any of these deals do go through, it will be interesting to see how this affects Samsung's grip on the mobile market, and whether such a move will threaten Qualcomm's position as the largest smartphone chip designer.

Android Authority Q & A – July 10, 2013 Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:49 AM PDT Welcome to another installment of Android Authority Q & A. Each week we take questions from you, our wonderful readers and viewers, and answer them both here and in video form. In a hurry or don't like to read? Skip right to the video. Q: Ruben asks: When do you think the HTC One Max (T6) might be released? Also what specs do you believe might be official on the handset? Thanks and keep up the great work! A: Thank you, Ruben. As of right now, there is still nothing official on when we can expect a release date for the One Max, but last month a financial analyst said that he expected that we'd see it in the second half of 2013. Specs can always change, but I think it's a safe bet to say that the HTC One Max will have a Snapdragon 800, at least 2 GB of RAM and of course HTC's Ultrapixel camera. The screen size is rumored to be 5.9 inches, which sounds about right to me. We'll see. Q: Peter says: Hey Kris, I'm thinking of buying the Samsung Galaxy S4. What are some of the more common problems with it? A: There are two main complaints I see about the Galaxy S4. The first is lag in a few areas, like the home button and scrolling through menus. Luckily we did a Tips & Tricks for the Galaxy S4 which includes remedies for both of these problems. The other problem I hear about somewhat often is overheating. This can be caused by a bunch of things, but not everyone seems to have this problem. For example, I never ran into it, even with fairly heavy testing. Q: Vikramjit asks: When is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date? Will it be coming to any U.S. or Canadian Carriers? Galaxy Note 3 concept A: Last month we talked about a few rumors that we might see the Note 3 sooner rather than later, but since Samsung's Premiere event came and went without unveiling the Note 3, it's safe to say that we'll probably see the Note 3 announced at IFA and released in September, just like the Note 2 last year. And yes, the Note 3 is one of Samsung's biggest phones of the year (in more ways than one) right alongside the Galaxy S4, so we'll definitely be seeing it on quite a few carriers in the U.S. and Canada. Q: Mata asks: Is there any way I can use my HTC One S as a TV remote control like you can with the Galaxy S4? Maybe an app? A: Well, kind of. It won't function exactly like the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, because for that you need a built in IR Blaster, like both of those phones. Depending on your setup though, there are a few possibilities. XBMC and Plex both have remote apps, so do some smart TVs from companies like Samsung, LG and Panasonic. Q: Gary asks: Does the Samsung Galaxy S4 support 64 GB microSDHC cards? A: Yes, it does. Q: Adrien says: I'd like to use lock screen widgets and shortcuts on my Galaxy S4 when I have it on a pattern or pin. Will Samsung be releasing a patch for this? A: This is something that bugs a lot of people, and with good reason. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any official word of an update that addresses this. We've got our fingers crossed, but who knows when or if this will happen. Q: Maris says: Kris, I'm a new owner of the HTC One and I was wondering: is there any official news that the One will be updated to Android 4.2 or 4.3 A: Well, I don't know where you live, but an update to Android 4.2.2 is rolling out for HTC One users in Europe, so it seems that it should begin to arrive elsewhere pretty soon. When it comes to 4.3, there is no official word right now, but it looks like the Google Play edition of the HTC One was spotted running Android 4.3. When that will end up in the hands of customers is up in the air, but it's pretty safe to assume that we'll see it eventually. Q: Frank asks: Will the Motorola X be available on AT&T? Or just Verizon, like other Motorola Droid phones? A: Last week it was confirmed that the Motorola X isn't going to be a "Droid"-branded phone, though it will be coming to Verizon. According to filings with the FCC, it looks like AT&T, Sprint and U.S. Cellular will be also 0getting the Moto X. There you go. Video Join us next week for more questions and, of course, more answers! If you would like to, head over to the Q & A page to ask us some questions of your own.

Korean report: “Nexus 5” to be based on LG G2, to come in early October with Android 5 Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT It's looking more and more likely that the next Nexus smartphone will be manufactured by LG. The latest report that supports this prediction emerged today on the Korean tech site Daum. If the report is accurate, the successor to the Nexus 4 is currently being developed based on the hardware platform of the LG G2, the follow up to the Optimus G. The device is reportedly going to be launched in early October and will come with a new version of Android on board – Android 5 Key Lime Pie. Moreover, Daum specifies that the name of the smartphone co-developed by Google and LG will be Nexus 5. Full specs of the LG G2  In the same report, Daum clarifies a few of the remaining unknown details about the LG G2. In addition to the Snapdragon 800 processor, which is the only officially confirmed spec, the device will feature either 2GB or 3GB of RAM (the site claims that the decision isn't final), a 13MP camera with OIS, which is supposed to snap greatly improved images, a 2700 mAh battery, a 5.2-inch display Full HD IPS display, and LTE-A support. The LG G2 is said to come with Android 4.2.2 out of the box, which is a bit questionable, considering that the release of Android 4.3 is widely believed to be imminent. How credible is this report? Getting back to the upcoming Nexus, the report claims that the LG G2 and the Nexus 5 are being developed in parallel, and that the two phones will share specifications. Last year, the Nexus 4 and the Optimus G shared the same specifications, and the two companies may be following the same strategy. We can't be sure this isn't some speculation presented as fact. With that said, the report seems plausible. How credible is this report? To be clear, this might be a piece of speculation presented as fact or simply an inaccurate rumor. With that said, the report is quite plausible, given the previous rumors we've heard, the fact that the Nexus 4 was developed in the same way, and the fact that we haven't heard any reports so far about a Nexus device from another manufacturer. In May, an executive apparently denied that LG wants to make the successor to the Nexus 4, but the Korean company's PR department was quick to issue a clarification to the statement, saying that LG is open to continue the collaboration with Google. Just days later, Korean media reported that LG already presented Larry Page, the CEO of Google, with a prototype of the Nexus 5. The WSJ has recently confirmed that the "K release" of Android is coming this fall, which seems to corroborate with today's report from Daum. We expect to see more details about the LG G2 emerging in the next weeks, and, if what happened last year is any indication, perhaps even some early leaks on the upcoming Nexus.

Expect even more smartphone models from Samsung Posted: 10 Jul 2013 05:50 AM PDT Samsung is pretty well known for offering a wide range of products, as well as just its flagship Galaxy smartphones. Recently the company seems to have adopted a trend of offering numerous side models to accompany a new release, such as the Mini, Active, and Google Edition Galaxy S4s. But what if I told you that the company was about to take this even further? According to ETNews, Samsung Electronics is gearing up for a change in its smartphone marketing strategy. The technology giant is actually planning to sell even more models than it currently does, in a bid to appeal to a broader consumer base. So, the rumors that we've heard about four, or possibly eight, different versions of the upcoming Galaxy Note 3 appears to be the first of many future ranges which will offer consumers a broader choice of options within each product line. But is this really such a good idea considering that the smartphone market is already ultra-competitive? Do we really need any more choice? Samsung certainly seems to think so. Well that's actually the point, according to Samsung. The smartphone market is already so heavily saturated with products, smartphone penetration has already surpassed 70% in North America, Europe and East Asia, that manufacturers need to look further afield in order to find new business opportunities. Emerging markets like South America and Africa are areas which Samsung would love to break into, but the company currently can't compete with the price point of cheaper products coming from China. To combat this growing problem, Samsung supposedly intends to attract budget orientate consumers through product diversification and customized services. In other words, Samsung wants to offer consumers more choice, and products that fit with the particular type of market. Our strategy is to maximize the market share with a number of small hit models, not one single mega hit model Looking at the Galaxy S4, it's certainly possible that sales were hindered by increased competition in saturated Western markets from the likes of the HTC One, Xperia Z, and other high-end handsets, and that the price point was simply too high for emerging markets. Samsung appears to acknowledge that there have been some issues with the sales of the Galaxy S4, but intends to learn from them. We will turn the crisis caused by Galaxy S4 into an opportunity to accelerate new innovations But perhaps another concern is whether or not a change is strategy will affect Samsung’s premium brand image if catering? It's certainly a business strategy that Apple has been keen to stay away from for that very reason, but as Samsung already offers a range of products, perhaps it will be the company to get this one right. The most important thing for us though, it what this means in terms of products. If this is the direction that Samsung takes in the future, then I suspect that we'll probably end up seeing a lot more variation within product ranges rather than hundreds of different names, just like what we're now expecting with the Galaxy Note 3. We already have some choice when it comes to storage models, and being able to choose between camera quality, screen types, or RAM amounts seems equally reasonable. But, do consumers really want to spend time picking and choose parts to suit your budget and needs, or will more choice simply be lost in an already massive market?

Google Maps still available offline via “OK Maps” easter egg in Android app update Posted: 10 Jul 2013 03:37 AM PDT Google Maps offline easter egg: perform an “okay maps” search to save map for offline use | Image credit: TechCrunch The Google Maps for Android update has arrived bringing a new design and new features, while removing others and sort-of hiding the offline mode. Luckily, there's a sort-of easter egg feature that will let you still enjoy offline maps whenever there's no Internet connection available. The feature is called "OK Maps" – or better said that's what you’ll have to search for inside the app to enable offline maps. In order to save maps and access them offline, you'll have to go to the map region that you want to save, type "ok maps" into the search bar (or "okay maps" as shown in the image above by TechCrunch) and the map area will be saved for offline browsing. The feature may not be as straightforward as the old "make available offline" button, but it will still help you cache a copy of the area you want to access while offline using Google Maps. Naturally, Google Maps features that require an Internet connection will not work on the saved map. Furthermore, the "My Maps" functionality is now available in this version, but should return in future updates of the app. We did say that some Google Maps features have been removed from Google Maps and these are Latitude and check-ins. They'll be retired from old Google Maps versions starting with August 9, so even if you don't update to the most recent Google Maps version – or if your device isn't compatible with the latest Google Maps update – you won't be able to use them in the future.

You are subscribed to email updates from Android Authority To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610