Samsung Galaxy S6 Dual-Edged Display Variant Seemingly Confirmed, Could Include 4GB RAM

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is no doubt going to be one of the biggest smartphone launches of the year. While we know a lot about the Galaxy S6 by now, confusion still remains regarding the Galaxy S6 Edge variant. Some rumors have claimed that the S6 Edge will be launched alongside the Galaxy S6, while others claim the product has been scrapped by Samsung. Now a new report has surfaced courtesy of SamMobile that claims Samsung will indeed launch a Galaxy S6 variant with a curved edge display. What’s interesting is that the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature a dual-edged display, instead of the curved edge on just the right side like on the Galaxy Note Edge.

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S6 double-edged display variant will carry the model number SM-G925. While the model number has been confirmed, it is still unknown if the device will be called the Galaxy S6 Edge like the Note Edge or something else entirely different. The Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature all the panels that we have seen on the Galaxy Note Edge. These include Finance, News, Pedometer, Sports, Contacts and other panels. These panels will be available for download on the Samsung App Store for the owners of the dual-edge display variant of the Galaxy S6, just like the Galaxy Note Edge. While for the most part the software on the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to be similar to the Galaxy Note Edge, a few notable differences will be seen too. As the Galaxy S6 Edge will have the edge panel on both the right and left curve of the display, you will be able to choose which panel you want to activate, depending on whether you are right-handed or left-handed. The Galaxy S6 Edge is also said to include the Glance Lighting feature that uses the Edge panels as notification lights by lighting up whenever you have any new notifications or an incoming calls and your device is turned over. This feature will include customization options as well, allowing you to choose the color of the light for specific contacts as per your choice.

Yet another report out of Korea also seems to confirm the existence of the Galaxy S6 Edge and claims that the Galaxy S6 may come with 4GB of RAM. The report claims that Samsung may include 4GB of RAM on the curved edge display variant while the main Galaxy S6 variant may include 3GB of RAM. However, since the SM-G925 specifications were leaked on Antutu a few weeks back and we know that it will come with 3GB of RAM, it doesn’t look like the S6 Edge will be the one with 4GB of RAM. Instead, we could see the main Galaxy S6 variant with higher 4GB RAM. Or it could be that the SM-G925 that was leaked on Antutu was an early prototype and both the main variant and the Edge variant of the Samsung Galaxy S6 could launch with 4GB RAM on-board. We will need to wait a few more weeks until Mobile World Congress to find out everything about the Galaxy S6 and its dual-edged display variant.

HTC One M9 Release Date Set for March 1st

Folks, it seems we have the HTC One M9 release date! It’s no longer a mystery that the Taiwan-based company will release a successor for their highly-appreciated HTC One M8. We’ve heard previous rumors about the said device and word has it that it’s known internally as Hima.

Now, the Taiwan-based phone maker started to send in media invitations for a mystery event held Sunday, March 1st. We incline to believe that this is where the HTC One M9 flagship would be officially introduced to the public. The said event will be held in Barcelona. As you may know already, between March 2 – 5, Barcelona will host the Mobile World Congress event. It’s not surprising at all to see that HTC have set the One M9 release date a day before MWC 2015 opens its gates, as it’s typical for companies to try to capture as much attention as possible for their products.

Unfortunately, the press event invitation itself doesn’t reveal to many details about the HTC One M9. It has a starry background, with “utopia in progress” tagline, and information on where and when the event will be held.

If the rumors are to be believed, HTC One M9 (Hima) will arrive with an appealing hardware platform. Even though it was initially reported that the One M8 follow-up might arrive with a 5.5-inch Quad HD screen, the latest leaks are suggesting that it might actually sport a 5-inch Full HD screen. The handset could also integrate a 64-bit Snapdragon 801 processor, 3 GB of RAM, and a 2,840 mAh battery. We’ve heard that One M9 might sport a 20.7 MP main shooter, while the user-facing camera could be either a 13 MP sensor or a 4 MP UltraPixel unit. Hopefully, HTC’s next-gen flagship will be at least as good-looking as its predecessor.

Sony Xperia Z4 Picture Leaks Courtesy of Leaked Email

After weeks of spec-sheet rumors and speculations on design, we finally have the first leaked image of the Sony Xperia Z4. The leaked image was found in the leaked inbox of Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton that was hacked recently. It isn’t clear if the design shown in the picture will be the final design for the Xperia Z4, but it does seem pretty convincing to us. The overall design doesn’t seem to be vastly different from what we have seen earlier and looks similar to the Xperia Z3 in many ways.

The images of the Xperia Z4 were reportedly emailed to Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO for discussing product placement in the upcoming James Bond flick Spectre. Apart from the one clear render of the device, there are a few other images as well that show off the design of the device. The Xperia Z4 will apparently feature a 1.2mm thin glass panel, mirror front and back finish and resin bezel. There is also an image that seems to show the new UI changes with a unique clock design. A new yellow color option is seen as well, likely to be offered when the device launches next year. However, since it is not clear if this is indeed the final design and when exactly the email was sent, we cannot be sure just yet. What is certain is the fact that these images are definitely the real deal and come directly from Sony Mobile. Overall, it does feel a little disappointing to see that Sony isn’t yet ready to give up its obsession with the Omni-balance design theme and continues to use it for their 2015 flagship as well. The Xperia Z4 will be the fourth flagship device to continue with the same design that we have been seeing since the Xperia Z1 launched last year. Even though the Sony flagship devices are well built and do look quite good, the design is getting long in the tooth now.

The Xperia Z4 isn’t the only unannounced Sony product that can be seen in the leaked images. There is also an image of a smart wearable product. From its appearance, it doesn’t quite seem to be a smartwatch as there doesn’t seem to be a display on it. It could perhaps be a fitness tracker of sorts, similar to the Sony Smartband Talk that was launched recently.

If Sony does market the Xperia Z4 in the next Bond flick, it could be a great opportunity for the company to make a splash in the US market. The company had made a similar effort in the past when it launched the Xperia T in the US market with AT&T with a prominent placement in the movie Skyfall. That didn’t exactly pay off the Xperia T didn’t quite manage to catch the attention of US buyers due to its lackluster hardware. Things might be a little different with the Z4 as it is expected to be a beast with a Quad-HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB RAM, 20.7MP camera, and bring a few other major improvements over the Xperia Z3 according to recent rumors.

Alleged Image of Samsung Galaxy S6 Metal Frame Leaks

Looks like the Samsung Galaxy S6 could be the most leaked Samsung Galaxy flagship by the time we get to the actual announcement of the device next year. Earlier today we told you about the Galaxy S6 showing up on Indian import tracking portal Zauba, and now we have yet another Galaxy S6 leak. This time the leak comes from nowhereelse.fr, a website that does seem to have a pretty decent track record with Samsung leaks in the past. They seem to have received a photo of the metal frame that could belong to the Galaxy S6. The website does claim that the leaked image showing the metal frame may not necessarily be used for the Galaxy S6, and might be meant for another unannounced Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

The various images posted on the website show the aluminum frame in different stages of processing. A report on Italian blog HDBlog.it had claimed that the Galaxy S6 will arrive with a full-metal body and dual-sided curved display. So if the metal frame pictured here indeed belongs to the Galaxy S6, it doesn’t look like the Galaxy S6 will really be arriving with a display that is curved on both the sides. The full-metal body does seem to be getting confirmed by these pictures though. However, since the sources of the images don’t seem to be sure about the part belonging to the Galaxy S6, it will be a bit too early to assume that. Also, the metal unibody frame means that users will not be able to replace the battery on the Galaxy S6. While most other Android OEMs do not offer removable back covers on their flagship devices, Samsung has always allowed users the ability to swap batteries on their Galaxy flagship devices. The company’s newest flagship smartphone – Galaxy Note 4 features a metal frame but does offer a user-replaceable battery.

The Galaxy S6 is expected to sport a completely new design and bear no resemblance to its predecessor the Galaxy S5. Even if the leaked metal part doesn’t belong to the Galaxy S6, it does seem pretty certain by now that Samsung is going to use metal in the construction of its next flagship smartphone. One of the main reasons behind the Galaxy S5’s lower than expected sales is its uninspiring design and polycarbonate build quality. Samsung has been losing market share over the past few quarters and analyst data for the past quarter reveals that Samsung continues to slide in the global smartphone and its sales have plummeted further this year. Samsung managed to sell 73.2 million smartphones in Q3 this year, which was down from 80.4 million units for the same period last year. For the same quarter, its market share dropped from 32.1% last year to 24.4% this year. Clearly, Samsung desperately needs the Galaxy S6 to be a major success. A report recently claimed that Samsung could propone the Galaxy S6 announcement to bolster its sales in the high-end segment by gaining the early advantage over other Android OEMs.

HTC One M9 Rumors Point to a 5.5 Inch Quad HD Display, Snapdragon 805 & 16 MP Camera

As we head closer towards the New Year, rumors about 2015 flagship devices are starting to intensify. We have already heard some substantial rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Sony Xperia Z4 so far, and now it’s the turn of the HTC 2015 flagship. Chinese technology website MyDrivers seem to have accessed some information on the HTC One ‘M9’ flagship smartphone that is expected to arrive in stores next year. Much of what the report claims isn’t very surprising, but there are some bits that seem a bit doubtful to us.

According to MyDrivers the One M9 will come with a 5.5-inch display with Quad-HD 2560 x 1440 resolution. This is definitely the least surprising bit of info as most flagships next year are expected to sport Quad-HD displays. As far as the internals go, they claim it would be equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and 3GB RAM. The mention of Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 instead of the Snapdragon 810 does seem a bit weird as flagships are expected to use the more powerful Snapdragon 810 chip next year, and Qualcomm has already claimed that the chip will be ready for devices by early next year.

Even though the UltraPixel camera technology did not receive wide acclaim from the consumers as well as reviewers, HTC has not changed its mind regarding the tech and continued to use the 4MP UltraPixel sensor unchanged on this year’s One M8 flagship smartphone. In a recent interview, a top HTC executive reiterated the company’s insistence on the UltraPixel tech and claimed that the company isn’t going to abandon it anytime soon. But according to the Chinese report, the One M9 would feature a 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. If that does indeed turn out to be true, it would definitely be great news for HTC fans and consumers who have been staying away from beautifully built HTC flagships only because of the low resolution 4MP UltraPixel rear camera.

Another main highlight of the HTC One line of smartphones has been the Boomsound stereo speakers. But if we believe the sources of the Chinese website, HTC might drop the Boomsound branding on its next flagship smartphone. HTC has apparently partnered with premium Audio brand Bose for the audio on One M9. Could we perhaps see tiny Bose stereo speakers on the One M9? That is definitely going to be pretty impressive, even if it might seem a bit too far-fetched at this point.

The battery capacity and overall battery stamina on the One M8 is slightly disappointing, especially in comparison to its direct rivals. The One M9 will supposedly pack a 3500mAh capacity battery. So battery life on the One M9 should be quite good if the report is accurate that is. Lastly they mention it will come with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, which is a given.

The report also mentions about a “Prime’ variant of the One M9. No other details regarding the model have been provided though. We heard rumors about a One M8 Prime earlier this year that was allegedly going to feature a Snapdragon 805 chipset and a Quad-HD display. We all know what happened to that. So let’s hope that these rumors and the One M9 Prime won’t end up disappointing like the One M8 Prime rumors.

Samsung Working on “Project Zero” aka Galaxy S6?

Some exciting rumors have arisen lately, according to which Samsung is working on their next big thing, code-named “Project Zero”. According to most leaks so far, this is Samsung’s secret name for their next flagship release, the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Samsung Galaxy S6 rumors begin surfacing

The reason why Samsung has taken a more mysterious approach to this release, code name and all, is because they are planning the Galaxy S6 to be a total game changer. According to most sources right now, the tech giant is planning some drastic changes, seeing as how their previous flagships haven’t been as popular as they wanted them to be. Samsung Galaxy S6 is set to debut next year, and is currently in the early stages of development.

It’s not the first time that Samsung has used code names for its early prototypes, for instance we can remind you of the Samsung Galaxy S4 which was codenamed “Project J”, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 which was nicknamed “Project T”. We also had “Project K” aka Samsung Galaxy S5. Every new flagship brings forth significant changes to the way Samsung operates, and recently the company went from plastic to metal, marking one of the most significant changes yet, in terms of design.

There’s not much known about the future Galaxy S6 release, but new leaks are guaranteed to emerge pretty soon. That’s always the case with new releases, when everyone struggles to find out new info by digging through certification tests, and all sorts of sources, trying to find anything valid or interesting. What we do know is that Samsung is trying to change things radically, because it seems that their current strategy just isn’t working. There are a lot of ways in which they could surprise us, one of them being that the device could come with Android 5.0 L equipped by default. Both way, this is all exciting, and we’re hoping Samsung will make a few statements about the device soon.

Google Nexus 6 US Release Date Closer Than Ever

Just in time for its release, Google’s Nexus 6 phablet has passed the FCC certification test. Google is set to start accepting pre-orders for the device starting on October 29th from the Google Play Store, and two model names related to the Nexus 6 have passed the certification test today.

Nexus 6 gets FCC clearance

The two models which went through the FCC certification test are IHDT56QD2 and IHDT56QD1, and we can assume that these two different models are the international version and the US version. FCC certification tests always help confirm a few features ahead of a device’s release, but in this case, we were quite surprised to see some unmentioned Nexus 6 networking features. Google’s phablet will come equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 3.0 and 4.0, NFC, and Qi wireless charging.

LTE bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 17, 25, 26, and 41 are also included in the famous device, but oddly enough, its international variant only supports the following LTE bands: 5 and 41. These two LTE bands are only helpful in China and South Korea, so this may hint that the Nexus 6 might not be coming to Europe, at least not anytime soon. The phone’s late European release isn’t certain though, as the North American model is also missing two LTE bands.

Other than that, FCC has basically confirmed the tech specs that were being speculated so far: 6.0-inch 1440 x 2560 pixel AMOLED display with 493 ppi, a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, and an Adreno 420 GPU. Other tech specs include 3GB of RAM, 64GB of native storage, expandable using an external microSD card up to 128GB, and a 13MP primary shooter, accompanied by a 2MP frontal camera.

We’re expecting a great volume of sales for the Nexus 6, especially since the device also comes with Android 5.0 L pre-installed, which is partially why everyone is trying to get their hands on it. The release of the Nexus 5 was fraught with problems as the device was out of stock within hours, and the international release was similarly a very slow process. Thus, Google is expected to have a much larger stock prepared for the Nexus 6.

New HTC One M8 Release Could Deliver Improved Camera

The HTC One M8 was announced and released back at the end of March and has been an extremely popular smartphone throughout the year, with one major flaw. That being the improved “Duo Camera” on back featuring two 4 UltraPixel cameras for a unique set of features. However, a new and improved option is reportedly coming soon.

The original HTC One had the same 4 UltraPixel camera, and in 2014 HTC added a second camera on the back of its flagship phone in order to deliver tons of new features, but many complained about the dip in resolution, and lack of the option to crop photos.

The One M8 received heavy praises from most reviews in all aspects except the camera, and it sounds like HTC is listening to its fans because two new rumors have surfaced this week suggesting a new HTC One M8 release could be coming next month with a 13 megapixel Duo camera setup instead. Simply called the HTC One M8 Eye.

The 4 megapixel “UltraPixel” camera delivered on the phone simply can’t compete with the 8 megapixel iPhone 6, or even the 13 and 16 megapixel cameras in smartphones like the Moto X, LG G3, or the Galaxy S5.

As a result, HTC is apparently set to release another smartphone with a long and odd name, and two new reports are confirming that. While we’ve yet to see any leaks or hear anything of this sort from HTC, a few sources have all the details. Popular HTC developer LlabTooFer posted the information this week on Twitter, and a second source is reporting something similar.

@Upleaks doesn’t reveal as much as the other, but simply states that there is a new HTC One M8 coming with the 4 UltraPixel camera being swapped out to offer a 13 megapixel Duo Camera (still two cameras on back) and it is called the HTC One M8 Eye. This may not be the final name upon release, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Speaking of release, LlabTooFer claims the new smartphone is actually set to be announced and released in October along with some changes. The current HTC One M8 only runs Android 4.4.3 KitKat, but the new M8 Eye will have the absolute latest Android 4.4.4 KitKat, HTC Sense 6.0 UI on board, and of course the better camera.

It’s worth noting that HTC released a plastic variant of the One M8 on Sprint earlier this year with a 13 megapixel camera called the HTC One E8, which could have set the groundwork for this new and improved smartphone.

The HTC One M8 is arguably one of the best smartphones of 2014, save for the camera, and another option with this issue addressed could sway a few of those iPhone 6 buyers to look back to HTC before years end.

@Upleaks also confirms the front camera will still be 5 megapixels, like the HTC One M8, and the new phone will offer an all aluminum design. Most likely we’re looking at the exact same smartphone with a different camera, but will have to wait and see. If so buyers can expect a 5-inch 1080p HD display, quad-core processor, 32GB of storage, the new 13 and 2MP Duo Camera options on the back, and a decent 2,600 mAh battery on this new phone.

Samsung Galaxy S5′s Cousin, Galaxy A5 Caught on Camera

Samsung Galaxy S5′s Cousin, Galaxy A5 Caught on Camera

The hype from IFA is starting to die down as fans are now focusing on Samsung Galaxy Note 4′s release (October 17th). The tech giant has surprised us recently with a set of leaks confirming a new device, the Samsung Galaxy Alpha 5, referred to as SM-A500F in the leak. The device is supposed to be part of a series of three upcoming Samsung Galaxy A gadgets, and will come with a unique body which is not metal or plastic, but rather, a material that feels cold. The information comes from SamMobile, known to provide trustworthy leaks in the past regarding other devices.

Samsung Galaxy A5 tech specs

Nothing is certain about the Samsung Galaxy A5, but we have some vague information regarding its tech specifications. The gadget sports a 5-inch 720 x 1280 pixel Super AMOLED display, a 13MP primary shooter which should have a very high quality and photo resolution, Galaxy Note 4′s TouchWiz, a Snapdragon 400 processor, a 2,330mAh battery, 16GB of internal storage expandable by an external microSD card, and a 5MP secondary shooter for taking selfies. The device is an elegant rectangular-shaped gadget made out of a new material we haven’t received a name for, just the fact that it’s not metal or plastic. Could it be something that makes the phone invulnerable to dropping and such?

The news is very interesting, because we expected the rest of the quarter to be calm and silent after the Berlin-hosted IFA event where companies announced all their devices. We expect Samsung to make further statements about the device pretty soon, setting a few details straight. In the meantime, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Nexus 5 Successor to Feature Android L 5.0 Update

Nexus 5 Successor to Feature Android L 5.0 Update

Nexus 6/Nexus X is a very mysterious device right now, but it’s set to be the next iteration of Google’s flagship phone which has been sold to tens of millions worldwide. A French retailer, fnac, has recently showcased this device on their website (along with some info) before Google actually unveiled the device. The news comes as a surprise, because if we look at the situation right now, it’s possible that the tech magnate is set to release not one, but two Nexus devices this year, including the Nexus 8.

New Information Leaks Regarding the Nexus X’s OS and CPU

Fnac reports that Google’s new phone will come with Android L straight out of the box, packing a 5.2 inch display, a Snapdragon 805 CPU, and a 13MP rear camera. The Android OS it runs also comes under the name “Android 5.0 Lemon Meringue Pie”

The model listed on fnac is XT1100, a codename for a phone developed by Motorola, which suggests that the two tech companies are working together on this one. It’s a common thing these days for companies to work together to produce better working phones, and better software. This collaboration is particularly interesting because Motorola is currently developing some very interesting accessories and smartwatches, so we’re curious to see if they’ll join forces with Google in that regard.

Nexus X is said to come in two variations: a 32GB version and a 64GB version. No sign of a 16GB version, though. As for the price, it’s rather steep, but worthwhile. The Nexus X 32GB version was priced at €419.99 which translates to $419.99 off-contract in the United States, while the Nexus X 64GB version is priced at €449.99.

As a final word, TK Tech News reported that the fnac website is very prone to hacker attacks occurring, so as always, take this information with a pinch of salt.