New Droid phones to be announced on Oct. 27th
Verizon and Motorola are in fact joining forces once again for another sweet Droid smartphone. And not just one device, actually. The companies have just sent out an invite detailing the announcement on Oct. 27th (in New York City), specifically saying that new “Droids” will be unveiled.
We have previously suspected that a Droid Turbo successor would drop in late October, assumed to be named the Turbo 2. We haven’t seen murmur on any additional devices. Maybe it’ll be a successor to the battery-hefty Droid Maxx? Or a Droid tablet?
“Everything you expect from a phone will change.“
It won’t be too long until we know what that means. From the leaks, the Droid 2 is expected to have a 5.43″ QHD display, a 21MP rear camera, 3,760mAh battery, and will be powered by the Snapdragon 810 with 3GB of RAM.
This sounds like a pretty typical affair for a flagship phone. Fortunately, the Droid 2 is said expected to get the same customizability perk that the Moto X has via Moto Maker. But expect some Droid flare in there. Also, the display glass is said to have considerable reinforcement, being referred to as “Shatterproof”.
Are Verizon customers excited for some new Droid devices?
The post New Droid phones to be announced on Oct. 27th appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Verizon has new DROID phones coming on October 27
On October 27 in New York, Verizon and Motorola will be unveiling new DROID phones. The invite even says “DROIDs”, so you know for sure there will be multiples.
What will the new DROID line up look like? Well, we would assume the DROID MAXX 2 and DROID Turbo 2 will be among them.
There have been tons of leaks about these two new DROID phones, mostly about them being basically the same as the other new Moto phones. The Moto X Play is said to look pretty much the same as the new DROID MAXX 2. The only difference is branding on the back. The rumours are you even get the same Snapdragon 615 chipset, 5.5-inch 1080p display, 2GB of RAM, a 21-megapixel camera, and the coveted 3,630 mAh battery.
Come comment on this article: Verizon has new DROID phones coming on October 27
Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates roundup – October 14, 2015
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is here, and now the waiting game is on. “When will my phone get the Marshmallow update?” ask countless Android fans, and for good reason: while phone makers are doing a better job at keeping their devices up to date, the process is still lengthy and opaque. Worse, many models will inevitably be left behind. We’re here to shed some light on the issue.
In this post, which will be updated weekly, we are rounding up all the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update news, so you can get a good picture of what to expect.
Before we start
The release of Android updates for most devices is a complex operation, involving Google, chipmakers, device makers, and carriers. With so many players, and so many things that could go wrong, you should expect delays, slow rollouts, botched releases, and generally a lot of variation based on your specific model, your region, and your carrier.
Just because your device is listed here as officially announced to receive Marshmallow (or worse, just rumored to get the update), it doesn’t mean your particular model will receive it in a timely manner or even at all.
Conversely, just because your phone or tablet isn’t listed here, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be updated it. OEMs occasionally change their minds. In other cases, the lists that they put out are non-final.
Patience is advised.
See also: Android 6.0 Marshmallow – New features explained
Nexus Marshmallow updates
As in most cases, Nexus devices are first in line for updates. Google has released Android 6.0 factory images for Nexus devices on October 5. These images can be flashed manually, allowing you to bypass a potentially lengthy wait for the OTA update. Factory images are available for:
- Nexus 6
- Nexus Player
- Nexus 9 LTE
- Nexus 9 WiFi
- Nexus 5 GSM/LTE
- Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi
- Nexus 7 2013 Mobile
The Nexus 4, Nexus 7 2012 (both variants), and Nexus 10 will not make the jump to Marshmallow.
If you don’t want to wait, it’s relatively easy to flash a factory image, following our guide:
You can also manually flash the OTA zip files, which is the update file that would normally be pushed to your device from Google’s server. Note that in order to correctly install the update, your device must be running the firmware version mentioned in the link. OTA links via Android Police.
- Nexus 6 – not available yet
- Nexus Player – from 5.1.1 LMY48N to 6.0 MRA58K
- Nexus 9 LTE – from 5.1.1 LMY48T to 6.0 MRA58K
- Nexus 9 WiFi – from 5.1.1 LMY48T to 6.0 MRA58K
- Nexus 5 – from 5.1.1 LMY48M to 6.0 MRA58K
- Nexus 7 2013 WiFi – from 5.1.1 LMY48M to 6.0 MRA58K
- Nexus 7 2013 Mobile – from 5.1.1 LMY48P to 6.0 MRA58K
Android One Marshmallow updates
Like Nexus phones, all Android One devices are supposed to receive fast Android updates straight from Google. Factory images for various Android One phones sold in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Nepal are available below.
- Symphony Roar A50
- Cherry Mobile One
- Micromax Canvas A1
- Karbonn Sparkle V
- Spice Dream Uno
- MyPhone Uno
- Mito Impact A10
- Nexian Journey One
To flash these images, you can follow our manual installation guide.
Samsung Marshmallow updates
Like with previous versions, Samsung has not made any official announcements concerning the Android 6.0 updates for its smartphones and tablets. We do have however, some off the record information via SamMobile and T-Mobile.
The following devices are rumored to receive Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
- Galaxy S5
- Galaxy S5 LTE-A
- Galaxy S5 neo
- Galaxy S6
- Galaxy S6 Edge
- Galaxy S6 Edge+
- Galaxy Note 4
- Galaxy Note Edge
- Galaxy Note 5
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
These are all obvious candidates for an upgrade, so we’re pretty confident that Marshmallow will be available for most versions of these devices, sooner or later. As for what to expect from the update, Samsung has an infographic listing some of the features.
LG Marshmallow updates
LG has not made any announcements regarding the devices it will update to Marshmallow. T-Mobile’s update list mentions the LG G3, LG G4, and G4 Stylo, which are all obvious choices. Besides this, we can speculate that the recently announced V10 and the G Flex 2 will also be making the jump. We’re less optimistic about LG’s mid-rangers, including the Bello, Magna, Leon, and Spirit, though at least some of them can probably handle Marshmallow.
Motorola Marshmallow updates
Motorola has made a good name for itself in the Android community, thanks to its fast updates and focus on a smooth stock-like user experience. The Marshmallow rollout may change that positive perception though. It’s not that Motorola hasn’t been forthcoming about its plans; it’s the fact that those plans seemingly don’t include either version of the Moto E, the Moto X (2013), or some carrier versions of the Moto X (2014).
- 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
- 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
- 2015 Moto X Play
- 2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
- 2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
- 2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia (2nd gen)
- 2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE (2nd gen)
- DROID Turbo
- 2014 Moto MAXX
- 2014 Moto Turbo
- Nexus 6
HTC Marshmallow updates
HTC has revealed a tentative list of devices that will be updated to Android 6.0, and even a timeline. The One M8 and One M9 will see Marshmallow by the end of the year, while the other phones listed below will get the same treatment from early next year. Plus, HTC may launch one of the first non-Nexus phones running Marshmallow out of the box, the One A9.
- HTC One M9
- HTC One M8
- HTC One M9+
- HTC One E9+
- HTC One E9
- HTC One ME
- HTC One E8
- HTC One M8 EYE
- HTC Butterfly 3
- HTC Desire 826
- HTC Desire 820
- HTC Desire 816
Sony Marshmallow updates
Sony has published an exhaustive list of devices it plans to update to Marshmallow, including all the likely candidates, including the latest Xperia Z5 series. Unfortunately, Sony won’t bring Marshmallow to the 2013 Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact, as well as the older Xperia Z. On the flip side, at least there are a few mid-rangers on the list. Sony has also released AOSP resources and binaries for some of its devices, allowing the community to easily create custom ROMs. As for the update itself, Sony is running a beta program with 10,000 users that we hope to learn more about soon.
- T Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact, and Xperia Z5 Premium
- Xperia Z4 Tablet
- Xperia Z3+, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
- Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet
- Xperia M5, Xperia C5 Ultra, Xperia M4 Aqua and Xperia C4
Huawei Marshmallow updates
Huawei has a lousy record when it comes to releasing Android updates for its devices, but perhaps its involvement with the Nexus program will help nudge things along. Considering that the Mate 7, Huawei’s 2014 flagship, is yet to receive Lollipop, we wouldn’t hold our breath. That said, a rumor out of China suggests the Mate 7, P8, Honor 6 Plus and more devices will eventually see Android 6.0. We’ll update if any official info comes our way.
ZTE Marshmallow updates
Like Huawei, ZTE is known for not caring about Android updates. It remains to be seen if this year will be any different. ZTE is looking for a breakthrough in the Western markets with the Axon line, so perhaps the Chinese giant will deem it necessary to bring Marshmallow to it, at the least.
OnePlus Marshmallow updates
OnePlus is in a tricky place: its first phone, the One, still runs Cyanogen OS, and theoretically, Steve Kondik’s outfit should deliver the Marshmallow update in the following months. The OnePlus 2, meanwhile, runs OnePlus’s own OS, Oxygen, and its development is led by former members of the Paranoid Android team. Considering that the Oxygen OS team is still busy working on the current, Android 5-based release, the prospect of a Marshmallow release seems very remote.
Asus Marshmallow updates
All we have here is one sketchy rumor claiming Asus will bring Marshmallow to the Zenfone 2 series, including the Zenfone Laser, Deluxe, and Selfie. However, we wouldn’t put too much stock in it, as Asus is not known for fast updates.
Custom Marshmallow ROMs
When Android OEMs let us down, we all look up the developer community to pick up the slack, at least when it comes to Android updates. Unfortunately, the custom ROM scene is not as vibrant as it used to be, with only CyanogenMod left to carry the torch.
For now, we know that the CyanogenMod team has started working on the Marshmallow-based CM13, though we don’t have an official announcement yet.
Also keep an eye on independent developers – for instance, Dmitry Grinberg has come up with a working Marshmallow ROM for the Nexus 4.
More info and discussion
For a discussion on all the Android Marshmallow updates, check out the dedicated thread on the Android Authority forums.
Missed something? Let us know and we will update this post. Tell us your thoughts!
Magic Leap’s moving into Motorola’s old campus
We don’t specifically know what Magic Leap is doing, but we do know where all of this unknown stuff is going to happen. The augmented reality / VR startup is renovating a 260,000 square foot building on Florida’s West Sunrise Boulevard. It’s not the first time that the location will serve as the home to a tech firm with ties to Google — since it was Motorola’s campus until earlier this year. Magic Leap, which has raised around half a billion dollars for its HoloLens/Minority Report/Neal Stephenson-style endeavors, is seen as the next big thing in merging the real and virtual worlds. According to the Miami Herald, the firm will begin moving in towards the end of the year, so be prepared for plenty of stories about how enterprising journalists tried, and failed, to gain access to its secrets.
Via: Magic Leap (Twitter)
Source: Miami Herald, Florida Sun-Sentinel
Republic Wireless to begin selling the 2015 Moto G on October 27 for just $199
Republic Wireless has just announced its plans to begin selling Motorola’s third-generation Moto G starting on Tuesday, October 27th. The device will be available in both Black and White color options starting at $199 for the 8GB model, and $229 for the 16GB variant.
As a refresher, the 2015 Motorola Moto G features a 5.0-inch 720p LCD display, a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 1 or 2GB of RAM (depending on which storage option you choose), as well as a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera and a non-removable 2470mAh battery. If you want to make as little sacrifices as possible while saving as much money as you can, the Moto G is probably the best phone out there for you. If you’d like some more information about the Moto G, check out our full review by following this link.
See also: Moto G (3rd gen) announced: everything you need to know
As far as plans go, Republic Wireless offers a slew of plans that range from just $5 per month to $40 per month. The carrier will even refund you for unused data, which is a great feature we wish more service providers would adopt. If you’d like some more information about the Moto G on Republic Wireless, head to the link attached below.
More from Motorola
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Republic Wireless to launch the Moto G (2015) later this month
Republic Wireless, the carrier that prides itself on switching between cellular and WiFi networks, is ready to offer another Motorola device to customers at the end of October. The carrier will begin selling the Moto G (2015) on October 27 in two color options and storage sizes. This is in addition to Republic Wireless already offering the Moto E (2015) and Moto X (2014).
The carrier announced today that the Moto G will be priced at $199 for 8GB and $229 for 16GB of internal storage, a small increase over buying the handset from Motorola directly. Both storage sizes come in either black or white; therefore, it’s clear that Motorola is forgoing Moto Maker access for Republic Wireless customers this time around.
Combined with Republic Wireless’ affordable plans, the Moto G is an insane value. The carrier has plans for as low as $5 per month if all you need is calling and texting over WiFi alone. People that need much more from a carrier can spend $40 per month to get 2GB of data and unlimited calling and texting. Just keep in mind that Republic Wireless operates on Sprint’s network.
Source: Republic Wireless
Come comment on this article: Republic Wireless to launch the Moto G (2015) later this month
Moto G (3rd Gen) coming to Republic Wireless
Republic Wireless, a carrier known for offering low-priced smartphones and plans that take advantage of multiple cell and WiFi networks, announced today that the third generation Moto G would be available for use on the network soon. Launching with Republic Refund plans, the Moto G will be the third device officially offered by Republic Wireless (the second generation Moto E and Moto X are already available for purchase). The Republic Refund plans give users several options and price tiers, depending on what they need. Here’s the breakdown:
- The $5 plan will give users unlimited WiFi calling, texting, and data
- For $10, the Republic Refund Base Plan offers unlimited WiFi calling, texting, and data, as well as unlimited cellular text and calling
- The $25 Republic Refund Plan offers all of the above, plus 1GB of data on the 4G network
- For $40, that 1GB is bumped up to 2 GB
- Each additional GB after 2 will cost an extra $15
To refresh your memory, the third generation Moto G is packing a 5-inch 720 x 1080 display, Android 5.1, a 1.4GHz Snapdragon 410 processor, a MicroSD card slot, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera. It’s available in 8 or 16Gb variants, which come with 1GB or 2GB of RAM, respectively. Republic is pricing the 8GB Moto G at $199, and the 16GB model at $229.
We don’t have a release date as of yet, but the product page at Republic’s website says “coming soon.” We will continue to update you when we get more information on the Moto G and Republic Wireless!
The post Moto G (3rd Gen) coming to Republic Wireless appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Deal: Nexus 6 (32GB) now on Ebay for just $270
We’ve seen the Nexus 6 for as low as $300 at least a couple times now, but for those looking for an even better deal, Ebay seller guaranteecellular has your back. The highly-rated seller is offering up the 32GB Nexus 6 in midnight blue for just $269.99, the cheapest price we’ve seen for the phone yet.
Now that the Nexus 5x and Nexus 6p are official, the Nexus 6 might not be the latest member of the family anymore, but it is still a heck of a phone. This is especially true when you consider that the Nexus 6 offers a savings of $109 vs the Nexus 5x and $229 vs the Nexus 6p. But how does the phone compare, under the hood? While the Nexus 6 doesn’t offer the latest processor or special extras like a fingerprint scanner, it actually has a few things the newer Nexus family misses out on, like OIS for the camera and wireless charging support. The phone also already is fully upgradeable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow and offers pretty solid specs, despite being a year old.
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As a refresher, the Nexus 6 is powered by a Snapdragon 805 with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The display is 5.96-inches with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, and other specs include a 13MP camera with OIS, a 2MP front cam, and a 3220 mAh battery.
See also: Nexus 6P vs Nexus 6 quick look
Let’s be honest, the Nexus 6p is a pretty big upgrade over the Nexus 6 in terms of premium specs and special extras, but day to day performance probably won’t be that much different, especially considering they offer an indentical software experience once you upgrade the Nexus 6 from Lollipop to Android 6.0 Marshmallow. If having the latest and greatest isn’t a top priority for you, it’s hard to ignore the Nexus 6 at a price that is in line with lower-end mid-range devices yet with specs that still offer a flagship experience.
What do you think, is the Motorola-made Nexus 6 worth picking up at $270, or are buyers better off saving a bit extra and going with a newer member of the Nexus family?
Motorola Kinzie will be the Verizon DROID Turbo 2 with flagship hardware
We’ve been hearing plenty of rumors about Motorola and Verizon’s flagship DROID phone for the 2015 holiday season, and some new details have surfaced that clarify just about everything you’ll need to know about the phone.
The Motorola Kinzie appeared in benchmarks earlier this year, hinting at something bigger and better than the DROID Turbo, and just a few weeks ago some promotional material for the DROID Turbo 2 leaked, meaning something is coming sooner rather than later. Now it turns out the Motorola Kinzie is the DROID Turbo 2, and it’s slated for a Verizon launch relatively soon.
As far as hardware goes, the Turbo 2 will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 CPU with 3 GB of RAM underneath a QHD 5.5-inch display. We’re still expecting a 20 megapixel rear camera, a 5 megapixel front camera, and Turbo Charging with an enormous battery life.
October 28th marks the DROID Turbo’s first birthday, so hopefully we’ll see something about its successor by the end of this month.
source: Droid Life
Come comment on this article: Motorola Kinzie will be the Verizon DROID Turbo 2 with flagship hardware
Near-death experience: the uncertain future of Sony, HTC, and Motorola
The rise of smartphones has been meteoric, but as demand levels off, and prices begin to fall amid commoditization, a number of manufacturers are finding themselves in a precarious situation. Three of the biggest names in trouble are Sony, HTC, and Motorola. What are they doing about it? Can they turn things around? Is there a real risk that they won’t make it?
Sony’s make-or-break year
When Kazuo Hirai, Sony’s Chief Exec, unveiled the new Z5 range at IFA in Berlin, there was a palpable sense of excitement. Five iterations in and the electronics giant is producing some seriously good smartphones that should be capable of competing at the premium end of the market. The aptly-named Z5 Premium boasts the world’s first 4K display, and it dominated the headlines, but, beyond the display, its smaller companions, the Z5 and Z5 Compact, offer almost exactly the same hardware.
- Sony weighing up options if smartphones are unprofitable next year
- Sony to hand over more control to its profitable image sensor business
- Sony Xperia Z5 camera tops DxOMark mobile rankings
- Sony Xperia Z5 Premium hands-on and first look
- Sony Xperia Z5 Compact hands-on and first look
- Sony Xperia Z5 hands-on and first look
Sony is perhaps the only OEM offering cutting edge specs in a smaller handset with the Compact. It has also listened and learned after each new generation of Xperia. The Z5’s have superior battery life, fast cameras, plenty of raw power, a great fingerprint sensor, water resistance, front-facing speakers, all the connectivity you could ask for, a light-touch Sony UI, and a microSD card slot. The only obvious omission from most Android-fan’s wish lists is wireless charging.
If the Z5 range sells, then Sony is here to stay, but the mobile arm is still being restructured and is set to post losses of $480 million this year. There’s no word on a U.S. carrier picking them up as yet. The fact that Verizon dropped the Xperia 4v, a special version of the Z4 (Z3+ in Europe), is probably a good thing because it shows Sony focusing on the Z5 range, but does it mean Verizon will sell a Z5?
Much depends on the success of the Z5 trio. If it doesn’t sell, and Sony’s completed restructuring hasn’t plugged the leaks in its mobile division, then the Xperia brand could sink forever.
“We will continue with the business as long as we are on track with the scenario of breaking even next year onwards … Otherwise, we haven’t eliminated the consideration of alternative options,” said Kazuo Hirai recently, talking to Reuters.
It’s tough to see what else Sony can do here. It was in a mess, having missed the smartphone boat a few years back. It cut Ericsson loose, and adopted the six-monthly flagship update schedule in order to catch up. Arguably, it has done that now. Short of cracking the U.S carriers, which is definitely important when you’re selling high-end smartphones, Sony has made the right moves.
Is HTC doomed?
The original Android pioneer, HTC shed its white label roots just as Google’s new platform was taking off, and it soared to great heights. Sadly, those heights are a fading memory, because HTC has lost a great deal of its perceived value this year, a fairly steady downward trajectory that started in 2011. There has been acquisition talk, and a lot of analysts have written HTC off.
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You can point to a number of design and marketing missteps at HTC, but none were worse than the One M9. The company won plaudits for the One M7, so it understandably stuck with that design for the M8. But, despite being admired, the M8 didn’t sell very well. HTC ignored the warning signals and pressed ahead with the One M9, which was virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor.
Apple famously employs the “tick tock” method with its iPhone line, a big update, marked by a new number, followed by a modest one, marked with the S. HTC effectively went “tick tock tock” with the One M9 and it has been a complete disaster. It was exacerbated because it launched alongside a major “tick” from Samsung, in the S6 and S6 Edge.
It would be a mistake to write HTC off. It has resisted the acquisition talk, and it’s trying to expand beyond reliance on smartphones. The buzz about the HTC Vive, its new virtual reality headset, being produced in partnership with Valve, is getting louder. If VR takes off in a big way, HTC could ride that wave. The cameras and fitness bands are less exciting, but they do signal a clear intent to broaden its scope.
Mid-range HTC handsets have been doing better, but that end of the market is too competitive for HTC to adopt it as a strategy. It’s definitely going to need a serious new contender as its next flagship, if it wants to stay in the Android smartphone business.
Motorola in the middle
You could argue that Motorola is dead already, after the company was split in two and Google bought the phone-making wing, Motorola Mobility. It had perhaps the most illustrious of all mobile histories, delivering many innovations over the years, but it spectacularly failed to catch the first smartphone wave. Under Google, it soon became apparent that the spirit of innovation certainly wasn’t dead. It clawed its way back with budget devices and mid-rangers with eye-catching new features.
With an apparent turnaround on the cards, as Motorola worked toward profitability for the first time in ages, it was surprising when Google cut it loose. The company was sold to Lenovo last year and the combination propelled the pair into third place in the world’s smartphone seller charts. But it has since dropped to fifth, as Motorola sales have fallen, and Lenovo’s smartphone business recorded a loss of $292 million in the second quarter of this year.
Consider that sales for Lenovo’s computers and tablets are also in decline, and the recently announced job losses could spell serious trouble ahead. Lenovo can’t afford its smartphone business to be unprofitable for too long, and so the pressure is on Motorola to pull it out of the bag. As margins on budget phones continue to shrink, there’s little prospect that focusing on that end of the market is going to be enough, and Motorola has abandoned the premium end, so that leaves the middle.
Looking at the Moto X Style, you can see a pretty compelling set of specs for the price. Like Sony, it has obviously looked at what Android fans are asking for and tried to deliver it, with customized designs as an added USP. The fact it’s being offered at a price well below the current flagship crop, should drum up plenty of interest.
What if Motorola was to revive the Razr brand with a folding smartphone? Will it continue to make headway with new smartwatches by making them independent of phones? Both were suggested as future directions by Rick Osterloh, chief of Motorola Mobility, in a recent interview with The Information.
Who will make it?
It’s tough to predict where these three players will be in the smartphone market next year. Sony could decide to throw in the towel, if the Z5 range doesn’t sell well enough. Another tock for HTC would surely be the end of its smartphone days, though it may manage to shift into another market. If Motorola can’t innovate fast enough and generate some profits, there’s no telling what Lenovo will do.
Do you think the end could be nigh for one of them? Who do you think will make it? And who won’t?
AIVAnet 