More ‘iPhone 6s’ Part Photos Surface as Production Ramps Up
With less than two months before Apple is expected to launch the so-called “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus,” new photos of leaked components for the next-generation smartphones continue to surface from within the supply chain. The images support rumors that claim the next iPhones will have minimal design changes compared to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
The main part shared by French website Nowhereelse.fr is a purported iPhone 6s single flex cable that houses the volume rocker, mute switch, power button and LED flash. The blog also shared photos of the device’s Lightning connector and headphone jack assembly, rear-facing camera rings and home button enclosure, which appears to be anodized in a gold or champagne color.
Apple has returned to using a single flex cable for the iPhone 6s after splitting the flex cables for the iPhone 6, but otherwise that part and the Lightning connector assembly remain largely unchanged, which is unsurprising given Apple’s “tick-tock” refresh cycle for iPhones. Apple typically makes major changes in a “tick” year (iPhone 6) while focusing on smaller improvements and refinements in a “tock” year (“iPhone 6s”).
The leaked camera rings suggest that the “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus” could also have a protruding rear-facing camera lens, a design choice that Apple received some complaints over for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Particularly, some users expressed frustration at being unable to lay their smartphone flat on a table because the camera lens sticks out about one millimeter.
“iPhone 6″ and “iPhone 6s Plus” production is believed to be underway, with leaked images of the front panel, rear shell and logic board surfacing earlier this month. The smartphones are rumored to feature an A9 chip with 2GB of RAM, Force Touch, a faster Qualcomm LTE modem, an improved 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, 7000 Series aluminum and more.
Sony teases new Xperia phone on August 3rd
Sony Mobile has just let us in on a new Xperia phone coming our way soon. It’s just a tease, so not much was said. But we know that its camera abilities are in focus.
Lately, we’ve been seeing manufacturers ramp up autofocusing speed in their smartphone cameras, using either phase detection or laser autofocus methods. Last year, Sony revealed that they managed to squeeze their 192-point phase detection focusing technology into a mobile Exmor RS sensor. It was assumed that the Xperia Z4 would have arrived touting it, but now Aug. 3rd appears to be the day.
What’s also interesting is the timeframe of this announcement. This robust camera technology seems fit for an Xperia flagship. However, Sony typically launches their Fall flapship at IFA in September. Could Sony be following Samsung’s lead to move forward their launch to avoid butting heads with Apple?
Either way, we’re always excited for new smartphone camera development. Sony’s new sensor is said to be 21 megapixels and capable of 4K recording at 30fps (with HDR support at this resolution).
Assuming this phone comes stateside, are you excited to see another contender for the top smartphone camera spot?
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Android at Work expands to 40 partners; carriers now involved
Google on Thursday announced its Android for Work program has expanded to include 40 partners, including wireless service providers. Among those joining the initiative are AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile; Canadian providers Rogers, Bell Canada, and Telus Mobility are getting involved, too.
Launched earlier this year,is designed to provide security, device management, and other tools for smartphones. Samsung, for instance, brings its KNOX services to the table while Silent Circle’s Blackphone 2 will offer enhanced privacy and security features.
Working collectively, the consortium can make it easier for IT managers to remotely work with devices. Additionally, the BYOD space is more consistent when everyone chips in.
According to Google, more than 10,000 businesses are testing, deploying, or using Android for Work. Notable names already include the World Bank, the U.S. Army, SAP, and Guardian Life Insurance Company.
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Pebble Time Steel starts shipping next week
It may be a little later than planned, but the Pebble Time Steel, that’s the metal version of Pebble’s latest smartwatch, will begin shipping out to customers in the first week of August. However, there are some delivery delays for those who ordered the steel band too.
Originally, Pebble planned to include the steel band and smartwatch in a single shipment. However, manufacturing delays with the band mean that Pebble will ship the two separately, in order to get the watch into customer hands as soon as possible.
Disappointingly, it sounds like the metal wristbands won’t be available until at least the end of September. To help make things right, Pebble will be swallowing the extra shipping costs and will begin putting everything in a single package should availability improve. The Pebble Time Steel ships with a leather strap in the box anyway, so customers will still be able to wear their watch once it arrives.
The initial batch of Pebble Time Steel smartwatches left the factory on July 27th and the first wave of customers should begin receiving their shipping information next week. Keep an eye out for that email.
Alleged rear cover belonging to the LG-made Nexus phone has surfaced
OnLeaks posted on Twitter an image of the rear camera setup of the new upcoming LG-made Google Nexus. According to recent reports, the LG-made Google Nexus will not be based on the design of the LG G4, but the device will feature a 3D camera. The leaked image shows a drawing of what could be the rear casing of the new Nexus device.
The image shows two equally-sized circles nearly on top of each other and a rectangle next to the top circle. The two circles could accommodate two cameras for depth-focused shots while the rectangular shaped box is presumably for flash.
The LG-made Nexus could launch as early as October, alongside a larger Huawei-made Google Nexus.
Source: OnLeaks (Twitter)
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Sony posts $780 million operating profit for Q2, but mobile sales continue to decline
Sony’s second quarter numbers are in, and while overall things are looking up for the company, their mobile division is still floundering.
The company posted an operating profit of $780 million for the second quarter of 2015, with an overall revenue of $14.5 billion. Sony’s image sensor division had a fantastic year, bringing in $249 million, while its music portion made $260 million. The gaming division of Sony focused around its PlayStation consoles grew to $160 million. Mobile phones and tablets didn’t look so hot, though, with an operating loss of $188 million.
Sony has shifted their focus away from mobile phones, but they’re still committed to the high-end market with the likes of the Xperia Z4 that was released this year. But with how competitive the mobile market is, it just doesn’t make sense for the company to continue releasing half-baked phones that stand no chance of succeeding against giants like Apple and Samsung, not to mention how much market share is being eaten away by cheaper smartphones.
source: Sony
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Samsung is planning on giving the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge a permanent price cut
With the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus launching on August 13th, Samsung seems to be feeling the pressure. Very concerned about its smartphone sales, Samsung is planning on giving the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge major price cuts that will be permanent moving forward.
At this time, we have no word on how much the price cut will be, but with new handsets on the horizon, you can expect the discount to be a pretty penny. The company didn’t mention when and where the deal will take place, but stated it’s putting this deal into effect in order to maintain ongoing momentum. In case you have forgotten, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge didn’t include some features that were in previous iterations: water resistance, removable battery, and expandable storage. Samsung seemed to change its strategy when it comes to high-end devices, and so far it is proving to be a good move.
Source: CNET
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Silent Circle’s Blackphone 2 will be the company’s first to use Android for Work
Silent Circle has announced that their upcoming Blackphone 2 will be the first company’s first to use Google’s Android for Work platform that was announced earlier this year. Android for Work was built around giving businesses enhanced security without compromising features of the phone, which fits right in with Silent Circle’s phone philosophy.
Thanks to Android for Work, when the Blackphone 2 launches this fall it will ship with Google Play and Play Services, which was previously lacking from the company’s own security-focused Silent OS. On top of that, you’ll see all of the extra security layers that Android for Work brings to the table.
The Blackphone isn’t a device that most average consumers would ever want, but there’s definitely a need for highly secure mobile devices, and Silent Circle is filling that role extremely well.
source: Silent Circle
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Dashlane Launches One-Tap Password Changer for iPhone and Apple Watch
Dashlane today announced an update to its existing iPhone app alongside the launch of an all-new Apple Watch experience, both of which bring the service’s one-tap password changing feature from desktop to Apple’s mobile and wearable devices.
Dashlane unveiled the Password Changer feature late last year for the desktop, which allowed users to change multiple passwords at once so they can more easily update their password info if any of their data is ever breached. Today’s updates extend that sense of security for Dashlane users to iPhone and Apple Watch, which the company says is completely unique to the service.
Earlier this year, we introduced the first ever automatic Password Changer on Dashlane for desktop. And now, Dashlane is the first password manager to let you change multiple passwords with one tap when you’re on the go. In fact, we’re the only password manager that can offer this exclusive feature, because our engineers and design team have been dedicated for years to building a secure, full-featured password manager that you can use anywhere. Password Changer on Apple Watch and iPhone brings all the power of this time-saving security feature to your fingertips . . . and your wrist.
Alongside this new feature, the iPhone and Apple Watch Dashlane experiences both allow users to copy and paste passwords from one device to another and use voice search to more quickly parse through passwords. A caveat for Password Changer is that not every website supports the feature, which began with over 70 at launch and has grown to about 180 today. The update to the Dashlane iOS app [Direct Link] will begin rolling out today, and should appear on the Apple Watch automatically for users who have automatic downloads turned on.
Samsung posts Q2 2015 financial earnings, confirms a new device is coming
The second quarter for Samsung ended on June 30th and yesterday the company posted its quarterly financial results.
The South Korean company aimed to get back on top of things after experiencing a slowdown last time around. In hope of resurgence, Samsung released the high-end Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
Samsung reported a $5.93 billion operating profit with overall revenue standing at $41.7 billion. These numbers are a slight improvement over last quarter, but is not the return Samsung was hoping for. Samsung mentioned most improvements came after strong sales in the semiconductor business, such as processors and memory products. In addition, its TV business also played a large role.
More interestingly, in the smartphone category, Samsung posted revenues of $22.4 billion and net profits of $2.37 billion. Even though the new flagship handsets didn’t sell as great as the company expected, they still increased over last years Galaxy S5. Again, these are only slight improvements over last quarter. Blame was put on low-end and mid-range handsets which allegedly didn’t sell nearly as well, thus keeping the profits at a minimum.
In other news, the company made a statement following the posting of the financial results: Samsung will be “flexibly adjusting the prices” of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge and also release “a new model with a larger screen.” The new device with a large display is almost guaranteed to be the Galaxy Note 5.
More details about Samsung’s Q2 2015 financial results can be found at the source link below.
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
Come comment on this article: Samsung posts Q2 2015 financial earnings, confirms a new device is coming
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