What We Expect: Sony Sirius
A brief overview of what Sony has in store for us
With Samsung, HTC, and LG readying their next wave of flagship phones we would expect that Sony might do the same. Indeed, it appears they are working on their next big release and it may come as soon as Mobile World Congress.
Known by its codename of Sirius, the D6503 looks to help Sony keep pace with the competition. We’ve taken this opportunity to gather up some of the juiciest and most likely rumors around the device, putting them in one place. What you’ll find below is a growing list of things we expect or feel strongly about as it pertains to the Sony Sirius.
As always, if you see something that doesn’t look right or something we may have missed, let us know! We will update this post as we learn more about the Sony smartphone.
UPDATED: February 11, 2014
The Name
Given the specifications and details that follow we might be looking at more of a Xperia Z1 refresh than an Xperia Z2.
Specifications
Leaks, rumors, and benchmarks surfacing over the last few weeks suggest the Sirius will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. Additional hardware figures to include 3GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, and a 3300mAh battery.
In terms of display, we should look for a 5.2-inch screen but resolution is not clear yet. We’ve seen stuff that says it could be Sony’s first with a 1440×2560 “2K” pixel resolution but most of today’s devices are 1080p Full HD.
Leaked photos show the phone as having two speakers on the front face of the device. Similar to the HTC One, this one should have one fine slit at the top above the LED indicator and one at the very bottom.
Long a key feature in Sony smartphones, the Sirius’s camera looks to be no exception. We should anticipate a 20-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 4K video recording, and various shooting modes.
Other tidbits we’ve picked up along the way include microUSB, microSD expansion, and three microphones. Like the other Sony models of late, we ought to count on waterproof coating as well.
Android and UI
We should expect Android 4.4 KitKat at the minimum, likely the 4.4.2 version. Sony will, of course, sprinkle in its own touches and UI elements but it’s one of our favorite custom builds.
Launch
Pretty much everything we’ve heard so far tells us that Sony will bring this guy to Mobile World Congress, introducing it in late February. As for release, March seems to be the most likely.
Carrier support
Although Sony has been pretty tight with T-Mobile in the U.S. leaks say Verizon will score this one. We’re not sure if this is exclusive or whether other carriers will be in line, too. If anything, Sony will likely sell this one unlocked through its website or Amazon.
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iPhone 6 Said to Adopt ‘Bezel-Free’ Display
Apple’s iPhone 6 will reportedly gain a “bezel-free” display when it launches later this year, according to a report from The Korea Herald focusing on both the next-generation iPhone and Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S5 smartphone.
Mockup of iPhone 5s compared to larger bezel-free 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 sizes
No significant details about Apple’s plans for the iPhone 6 are shared in the report, with the majority of it focused on the Galaxy S5 and only a few sentences noting that Apple is working on a “similar” prototype with bezel-free display and fingerprint sensor. Samsung will reportedly be using a more standard fingerprint sensor than the display-wide fingerprint scanner or iris scanner that had previously been rumored for the device.
“Scanning fingerprints on the entire screen, which was much talked about recently, will be available in the latter half of this year as there are still technological hurdles to overcome,” [the source] added, hinting that the production yield for the full-screen fingerprint scanner is still far from satisfactory.
The source said that Samsung’s top rival Apple is also testing a similar prototype sporting a bezel-less screen that features a fingerprint scanner.
Last November, Bloomberg reported that the iPhone 6 was planned to feature a larger display with “glass that curves downward at the edges”, perhaps alluding to a bezel-less design in which the edge of the device is formed by the display glass itself rather than a separate bezel. A report last month from The Wall Street Journal claimed that the iPhone 6 “won’t include a curved display”, but it is possible that both reports could be correct if the design were to include a flat display panel fused to glass (or sapphire) cover that curved at the edges.
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Apple’s iTunes Division Now Nearly Half the Size of Google’s Search Business [Mac Blog]
Apple’s quarterly earnings may be stagnant, but at least one division within the company is showing extraordinary growth. As noted by Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, Apple’s iTunes/Software/Services division grew by 34 percent year-over-year after taking into account the 70% Apple pays to developers for App Store purchases.
Dediu estimates that Apple’s gross revenues from the iTunes/Software/Services group are almost $7 billion per quarter, with a total of $23.5 billion for 2013. This includes growth categories such as third-party content (+46.6 percent), Services (+37 percent) and apps, which grew 105 percent year-over-year. This division is remarkable when compared to rival Google and other Fortune 500 companies.
Click for larger
Although iTunes/Software/Services are not usually included in a “sum-of-the-parts” total contributing to Apple’s overall enterprise value, the scale of volume and value of transactions is becoming harder to ignore.
To illustrate this, I plotted the history of gross iTunes revenues vs. Google’s search business.
On a yearly basis iTunes/Software/Services is nearly half of Google’s core business and growing slightly faster.
The iTunes “empire” of content and services would be ranked as number 130 in the Fortune 500 ranking of companies (slightly below Alcoa and above Eli Lilly).
Despite reporting its highest revenue ever and its best quarterly sales for the iPhone, iPad and Mac, Apple is still under fire for not being a growth company. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Tim Cook argued that Apple is still growing, just at a slower rate, and said the company has significant opportunities in both existing and new product categories. 
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Engadget giveaway: win an iPad Air courtesy of YesVideo!
Sometimes memory lane is paved in VHS and Beta bricks, other times it’s wound around a film reel. Either way, you should really flip those classic video moments up to the cloud already — it’s 2014. With Valentine’s Day rolling through, YesVideo — purveyors of digitized nostalgia — have taken it upon themselves to offer one Engadget reader the tools to do it. It’s ponied up a new iPad Air so you can watch those classic wedding, honeymoon or prom vids in Retina clarity on a slate that weighs little more than a pile of sweet nothings. YesVideo is also giving the winner a $100 gift certificate for its video digitizing and cloud storage services to help them expunge those old formats and make room for that ridiculous darling pink Valentine’s bear. You’ve got to be in it to win it, so head down to the Rafflecopter widget and take a chance. It might just be your lucky day.
The Rules:
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. One (1) winner will receive one (1) Apple iPad Air – 16GB, WiFi, Silver (MD788LL/A).
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. YesVideo, Apple and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until February 12th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt
LG’s heart rate-tracking earbuds could arrive in the US soon
Back at CES, LG was talking up the Lifeband fitness wearable and a pair of heart rate-sensing earphones, but neglected to mention when we’d actually see them in stores. Thanks to the FCC, however, we can get a reasonable idea that the latter device will arrive shortly. Now that the Bluetooth earphones, packed with Valencell’s optical heart rate-monitoring technology, have been deemed fit for human consumption, it shouldn’t be too long before this gear is available to buy — and we can get back to wondering when the Nike-troubling Lifeband will make an appearance.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Wearables, Mobile, LG
Source: FCC
HP will make some server operators pay extra to get firmware updates
Many PC users are used to getting free firmware updates, even after the warranty runs out. HP won’t be quite so generous with its server customers in the near future, though. Starting February 19th, the company will only dish out system-level firmware updates to ProLiant server owners if they’re either under warranty or have bought extra support. Those who don’t qualify will still get some peripheral updates and urgent patches, but nothing else. HP contends that the move helps it invest in future upgrades, and that it isn’t pushing companies into support contracts. However, customers aren’t buying the claims. They note that other server makers (including Dell and IBM) aren’t cutting off firmware updates, and they’ll still have to go through administrative hassles just to get bug fixes for older machines. The policy won’t affect those with regular PCs, but there’s concern that it sets a bad precedent — few want to pay extra just to get a computer that works as promised.
Via: Wall Street Journal, GigaOM
MediaTek sets sights on U.S. market with new octa-core chip
Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek announced a new processor on Monday which could have big implications in the U.S. and European markets. Making its debut later this year and into 2015, the MediaTek MT6595 chip features eight cores, four of which employ ARM’s A17 design. More notably, however, these are the company’s first to offer LTE support. The goal is to bring about lower cost LTE smartphones; hopefully as low as $99-$199 with contracts.
The mobile processor space is a crowded one with Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and Intel already battling for market share. MediaTek has done a decent job as of late in other areas of the world and we invite more competition locally.
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Samsung teases new Touchwiz UI with Unpacked 2014 image
It’s no secret that Samsung has been in dire need of a new user interface on their smartphones. It’s big, it’s bulky, and it’s time for a change. Recently, they announced their Unpacked event for the first night of MWC, which will most likely be the official announcement of the Galaxy S5.
In a recent image regarding the new event, Samsung reveals some new icons, possibly hinting at a new UI on their upcoming flagship. Nine icons are listed, including Speed, Outdoor, Curiosity, Fun, Social, Style, Privacy, Fitness, and Life.
Also, if you look really closely, you may be able to find a few “5′s” in the image. Check back for more info on the Unpacked event and MWC!
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
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Despite $1B loss, Sprint Q4 beats expectations
Wireless provider Sprint has posted its results for the fourth quarter of 2013, coming in better than what analyst expected. Although they report a loss of $1 billion over the quarter, Sprint was able to add 58,000 postpaid subscribers.. The carrier indicates there were some 5.6 million smartphones; 95 percent of postpaid customers, 66 percent of prepaid customers. With a total of 53.9 million subscribers at year end it’s Sprint’s highest level to date.
If these sort of things are your bag, you can read the full financial details at Sprint’s website.
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Sprint Sells 5.6M Smartphones in Q4 2013, Stops Reporting iPhone Numbers [iOS Blog]
Sprint today announced that it sold 5.6 million smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2013 and 20.5 million smartphones for the year. It is unclear how many of those smartphones were iPhones as the carrier is following Verizon Wireless and AT&T in not breaking down its smartphone sales or activations by platform.
Sprint added 682,000 customers in the last three months of the calendar year, bringing its total customer base to 53.9 million subscribers. Total retail postpaid churn was 2.15%, down slightly from the 2.18% measured in the year ago quarter. The company reported a loss of $1 billion, which is less than the $1.3 billion it lost in Q4 2012.
Sprint ended the year with 53.9 million Sprint platform subscribers – its highest level ever – after adding 58,000 postpaid subscribers, 322,000 prepaid subscribers and 302,000 wholesale and affiliate subscribers in the fourth quarter. Sprint sold 5.6 million smartphones in the fourth quarter and 20.5 million smartphones for the year with smartphone sales mix reaching 95 percent for postpaid and 66 percent for prepaid in the quarter.
Earlier this year, Sprint competitor Verizon announced smartphone activations of 8.8 million along with 1.7 million new subscribers in Q4 2013, while AT&T activated 1.2M postpaid smartphones and gained 809,000 new subscribers in the quarter.
Sprint becomes the first US carrier to lose money this quarter as it continues to struggle. Recent rumors suggest Sprint parent company Softbank may be interested in acquiring rival T-Mobile, but regulators have already expressed opposition to the deal.
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