The iPhone's popularity may have lent Apple an unfair advantage in negotiations
The European commission is investigating claims that Apple used its considerable influence in the mobile world to bend network operators to its will, said a report today.
According to the Guardian, the European competition authority is sending questionnaires to mobile networks that ask whether they were coerced by Apple into anticompetitive behavior.
The questionnaire asks whether companies are required to purchase a minimum number of iPhones, whether they're forced to agree to treat the iPhone preferentially, and other questions that could reveal unfair terms set by Apple.
The document also asks about any technical limitations Apple may be imposing on the iPhone on certain networks.
Apple could be in trouble
The questionnaire is prefaced by an explanation that the European commission "is currently investigating alleged anti-competitive behavior in the EU/European economic area…relating to the distribution of Apple's smartphones ('iPhones') and the limitation or exclusion from use of technical functions on 'iPhones.'"
Regardless of how the documents are filled out, it would be difficult to prove that Apple is in fact the dominant force in the EU, as Samsung is actually the top phone maker.
On the other hand, Apple's influence on the market is undeniable.
The iPhone maker could be found in violation of article 101/102 of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union and article 53/54 of the European Economic Area agreement, which have to do with competition and antitrust laws.
When will the next iPhone be revealed? Whether it's the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6, TechRadar has all the rumors in one convenient place.
Sky has announced that its suite of Android apps have been restored to the Google Play store, following last weekend's hacking incident at the hands of the Syrian Electronic Army.
The company had temporarily removed the likes of Sky Go, Sky+, Sky Wi-Fi and Sky Movies when the Google Play pages were compromised, with logos and app descriptions replaced.
The broadcaster's Twitter support account was also taken over, with tweets sent out advising users to uninstall the apps until further notice. Later that day Sky itself issued a statement, telling users not to do so.
The company affirmed that the apps themselves had not been affected, but only the Google Play pages housing them.
Now the apps are back, with the @SkyHelpTeam Tweeting: "All our Android apps, which we removed from the Google Play last weekend, are now available to download!"
Who's next?
The hack was the latest in a series of attacks on the western media, believed to be perpetrated by the Syrian Electronic Army, a group sympathetic to the country's government.
The Financial Times, BBC, The Guardian and US-based network NPR also fell victim. Where will the group strike next?
What's this, another one for the oversized smartphone bandwagon? But before HTC jumps headfirst into the over-hyped and badly named "phablet" market, perhaps it should take a minute to read this.
In theory, a handset with a seriously huge display is great. Samsung, ZTE, Huawei and LG are all churning these things out - but that doesn't mean this is the right direction for HTC.
One and only
HTC has already got a hero handset, and it should be fixing all its attention there. The HTC One is only the third phone ever to win a five star review on TechRadar. This is the mobile to get the Taiwanese firm back to the top.
So why launch a monstrously huge handset which will undoubtedly overshadow the HTC One - especially when the One needs its full share of the limelight?
Launching the much rumoured HTC T6 will only distract consumers from the flagship phone. And while the HTC One has seen decent sales, it hasn't reached Samsung Galaxy S4 levels of 10 million in less than a month. HTC has no reason for complacency.
It's worth noting that the HTC One isn't exactly a small handset anyway, with a more than serviceable 4.7-inch full HD display. Does anyone really need any more than this from a smartphone?
A 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate might sound tempting, but get one of these porkers in your palm and you'll see what I mean when I say it's just too much.
I'd probably recommend the HTC One to anyone trying to decide between it and a bigger option. That, coupled with the Note 2's dominance, means that there's very little reason to believe the T6 has a market at all.
Range down
If HTC is looking for a big win in the mobile market without cannibalising the the sales of its flagship, it needs to start by thinking smaller.
The mid and low-end regions of the industry are overflowing with various Android and Windows Phone devices, but if HTC can bring what it's learned from the One to smaller, more affordable handsets it could be onto a winner.
Currently there's no standout phone in either the budget or mid-tier arenas and if HTC can nail both, the payoff could be huge - even huger than an ungainly phablet screen.
HTC has history in the lower levels of the mobile world. I loved the One S when it launched last year - it was the perfect example of a mid-range smartphone - although the likes of the One V, Desire X and Desire C were less of a draw.
HTC needs to concentrate on building a solid range of three or four handsets which span the main price points in the market. Only when it's cemented a respectable position across all tiers should it look at pushing the mobile boundaries.
The T6 won't ruin HTC, but it won't help either. The One deserves to be the king of mobiles, so why hide it behind another ridiculous lump of a phablet?
Arriving a little earlier than anticipated, Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S4 Mini, the fresher, younger, and of course smaller version of its flagship, which will offer a slightly more budget-friendly option that keeps in line with Samsung's high-end design.
But where might you be able to get your tiny hands on the scaled-down handset, and when will it actually arrive on UK shelves?
While we don't have a firm release date right now - though we'd say July is looking pretty good - we do know of a few names who will be stocking the Galaxy S4 Mini when it arrives.
Three
For those hankering for something better than still photos, operator Three has posted a video giving an up-close-and-personal look at the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, putting it side by side with the standard Galaxy S4 and the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega.
Unsurprisingly, the network has also confirmed that it will be offering the phone, though it hasn't spilled anything on date or price yet.
Phones4U
Phones4U became the first UK retailer to announce it be offering the new handset, and has given the phone a tentative release date of July.
You can "register your interest" over on Phones4U's dedicated Samsung Galaxy S4 mini microsite right now to be alerted with updates as soon as they happen.
EE
EE confirmed to TechRadar in a statement that is plans to stock the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini "from launch".
It also stated that the phone will be available on its speedy 4GEE service, as well as on the 3G-only Orange and T-Mobile networks. EE's keeping schtum on price and availability for now though.
Carphone Warehouse
Carphone Warehouse will of course be offering the Mini too. It's not spilling anything on price or release, but it's also launched its own S4 Mini microsite for those keen to get in line right away.
O2
O2 has confirmed it will be offering the handset when it arrives, but like all the rest, there's nothing more concrete than that for the time being.
Vodafone
Vodafone is much the same, confirming it will be stocking the phone but not giving any details beyond that.
Whatever angle you look from, it's definitely a smaller S4
When is a launch not a launch? When it's a Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini launch. Rather than keep its powder dry until the official launch date on June 20, Samsung has decided to tell us everything well in advance. So what's the story? According to our resident phone expert Gareth Beavis, while it "packs a number of top end features in a diminutive package", it also "does away with a lot of the 'innovation' we saw in the S4". That's a good thing: the so-called innovation was generally rubbish.
Hardware-wise the Mini is pretty much what everybody expected: a 960x540, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1.7GHz dual core processor, 8GB of storage (5GB available) and a microSD slot. There's a nice camera, Android 4.2.2, a low-ish price tag and a July release date.
Samsung isn't the only firm to spill the beans way in advance of a product launch: Motorola's at it too. The Google-owned handset maker's latest flagship, the Moto X, won't be out until October - but CEO Dennis Woodside teased this week's AllThingsD conference by saying it was in his pocket but he couldn't show it to anybody. You might think that sounds like the sort of behaviour you grow out of aged six. We couldn't possibly comment.
The Moto X will slip into the Motorola line-up
No such tactics for Huawei: its Ascend P6 will be unveiled on June 18, and if the teaser product image is anything to go by the entire internet is going to say, "Man! It looks like an iPhone!". Rather worryingly the phone's USP appears to be its thinness. While ever-thinner smartphones are impressive from an engineering point of view, we'd much rather have exciting features or better battery life than a slightly slimmer case. Hopefully the P6 has some surprises up its super-slim sleeve.
State of the 8
While Huawei gets ready to unveil a phone, Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to Windows 8.1, the operating system formerly known as Windows Blue. New screenshots suggest that as rumoured, the Start button really is coming back - and you'll be able to boot into Desktop mode, although that won't be the default option.
Is 8.1 going to be the big fix for Windows 8?
We've got most of the puzzle pieces now, and while Windows 8.1 isn't going to be a dramatically different OS it should address the most common criticisms of Windows 8. As ever, we have all the Windows 8.1 information you could ever possibly need online, and we'll be updating it constantly between now and Microsoft's Build 2013 conference at the end of June when Windows 8.1 will be officially unveiled.
Cooking something up
What's American and doesn't say much for more than an hour? That's right: it's Tim Cook! The Apple CEO's second year at AllThingsD was as successful as his first, if by "successful" you mean "inscrutable". Despite the hosts' best efforts Cook refused to be drawn on Apple's plans, the existence of an Apple TV set, the iWatch, whether his name was really Tim Cook, what day it was or whether the sun was shining, and we suspect that we'd have got just as much information if the hosts had attempted to interview a spy, or perhaps a mime.
We're not surprised, of course: Apple prefers to announce Apple things at Apple events, such as WWDC, coming up in a fortnight. Hopefully WWDC will have more interesting news than a slightly cheaper iPod.
Apple patents a feature that no one liked in the Galaxy S4
A new Apple patent reveals that future iOS devices could incorporate gaze technology that rival Samsung's "Smart Pause" and "Smart Scroll" features found in the Galaxy S4.
The "Electronic Devices With Gaze Detection Capabilities" patent lays out several benefits for iPhones and iPads capable of detecting when a user is looking at the device.
"When the device detects that the user has looked away from the device, the device may dim a display screen and may perform other suitable actions," indicates the U.S. Patent and Trademark filing.
In addition to battery-saving benefits, the capability could regulate video playback for only the right, eyes-on-the-screen moments.
"The device may pause a video playback operation when the device detects that the user has looked away [and] resume the video playback operation when the device detects that the user is looking towards the device."
Patent for a pressable, flexible display
A more original Apple patent entitled "Embedded Force Measurement" was also published today, discovered Apple Insider.
"[It's a] force detection system that detects force exerted on a flexible display based upon changes in resistance and/or capacitance," reads the patent's abstract.
Such pressable, flexible technology would allow the company's two-dimensional multitouch screen to add a third dimension in the form of a z-axis.
The best real-world example of this new screen technology being used in an app comes from the patent's GarageBand example. The virtual keyboard would be able to detect how loudly notes should be played.
All of a sudden, the ability to play chopsticks on a virtual piano may have just gotten a little more advanced beyond the original iPad mini commercial.
Excited about new iPhone technology? Read up on the iPhone 5S rumors for the latest.
The man who was behind Windows 8 thinks that sales of Microsoft's newest operating system aren't all that bad seven months after its launch.
"It's hard for me to look at selling 100 million of something and not be happy," said the former President of Windows division, Steve Sinofsky, according to AllThingsD.
"It will take a long time for things to play out," he cautioned at the D11 conference. "It's exciting but it means while it is going on you have to resist the urge to pick winners and losers."
Sinofsky's former company revealed that Windows 8 reached 100 million sales in its first six months of availability.
When asked to comment on Apple and Google, Sinofsky said that there are positive at negative challenges at both of Microsoft's rivals.
"It's beautiful to use an iPhone — as long as you want do the things it supports," he said digging in at Apple's lack of developer and user customization.
"[At Microsoft, it was exciting to be part of a project that changes the design paradigm," he said of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 flat look that a skeuomorphic-free iOS may adopt.
"If people follow, it can be even better."
Uses an Android phone
Sinofsky held up a Surface RT tablet, which he helped spearhead while at Microsoft, but he also pulled out an HTC One smartphone during the D11 conference.
"Using this Android phone. It is amazing in its openness and all its variety," he said, commenting that having many people be part of Google's success is "a big force multiplier."
"[But] the subtlety of being open is hard to get across. There are nefarious app developers out there. Not malware but just developers trying to make their app get seen."
"They might have a great calculator but they want to show up everywhere."
Sinofsky's future
Asked whether he thought about joining Google or Apple follow his departure from Microsoft, Sinofsky deflected the question.
"Right now I am in learning mode."
"The industry is undergoing a tremendous amount of change," he said earlier in the D11 interview. "I think that is exciting and it means a lot of opportunity."
The number of free Wi-Fi hotspots O2 customers can connect will fall dramatically from July 1 when the network's four-year partnership with BT Openzone comes to an end.
Until now, those who get their smartphone service from the Sean Bean-voiced carrier have been able to log-on to BT's five million Wi-Fi hotspots around the UK, completely free of charge.
However, once the month of June comes to a close, O2-ites will have to make do with the 8,000 O2 Wi-Fi hotspots dotted around the nation, if they wish to save monthly data allowance while on the move.
The company has added a page to its website, detailing the switch, and promises that its Wi-Fi network, which is free for all to use beyond its customer base, will continue to grow.
Forget the networks
Currently O2 Wi-Fi is available in retailers like McDonald's, Debenhams, Costa Coffee, All-Bar-One, House of Fraser, Café Rouge, Toni & Guy and at O2 Stores around the country.
However, it's a pithy return given the scope of BT's offering. The company has fiendishly built Wi-Fi hotspots into the routers of residential and business routers, which has allowed it to create a mammoth network.
On its web post O2 has included instructions for users to prevent smartphones automatically attempting to join BT hotspots whenever they're in range.
Basically, the instructions consist of telling the device in question to forget all of the networks they're familiar with, almost as if they never happened.
Somehow the "Goodbye BT Openzone. Hello O2 Wi-Fi" boast doesn't quite seem like something the network should be shouting about at this stage.
Google Play Music All Access is taking on competitors like Spotify and Xbox Music
Google Play Music All Access will head to iOS in the next couple weeks, the company has revealed.
Google's Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome and Google Apps Sundar Pichai broke the news at the D11 conference this week.
"In Google's DNA, we wanted to be universally accessible," Pichai said, speaking with tech journalist Walt Mossberg. "The goal with search was to make it work for everyone in the world, and I think that philosophy extends today."
"We brought Google Now to iOS. A couple weeks from now we will launch Google Play Music All Access for iOS, the teams are working like crazy to do it."
All Access will compete with services like Spotify, Xbox Music, and Pandora.
During the event, Android Engineering Director Chris Yerga called it "radio without rules."
Google Play Music All Access is available now in some countries and will head to others soon.
The privacy question: Android guest accounts?
When asked how Google can innovate in privacy, Pichai responded that Android guest accounts could be in the cards for the future.
"When we did Chrome, we did a full incognito mode. That's one example [of Google's innovations in privacy]," he explained.
"But we do want more things like that. There's a lot of things from a security standpoint, from a perspective of children and parents. There's no reason we can't do something like guest accounts on Android."
Wondering how Google Play Music All Access stacks up to the competition? Read TechRadar's comparison of Google's service versus Spotify.
Nexus has seen a bit of a resurgence this month, with Google outing a stock Android Galaxy S4 at IO and HTC unwrapping news of a Nexus UX One landing next month today.
Google itself isn't done with the Nexus line of products either, at least according to Android/Chrome chief Sundar Pichai.
On stage at the AllThingsD D11 conference, Pichai was asked whether Google is done making Nexus products.
"The goal with Nexus was to push forward hardware with partners," Pichai said, as reported by the ATD live blog. "That will continue as well."
Short and sweet, but it looks as though Google plans to continue a two-pronged approach; work with manufacturing partners to maximize Nexus' reach while pushing out its own custom products. Pichai, by the way, had with him the Sense-less HTC One, a phone that will hit Google Play June 26 for $599 (around UK£395, AU$622).
Be not afraid
Pichai also fielded a query as to whether Google sees a problem in Samsung's dominance of the Android hardware market.
"We actually owe a lot of success in Android to what [Samsung has] done," he answered. "A vast majority of their phones are based on Android, so I see a pretty symbiotic relationship, and we intend to keep it that way. Look at Intel and Microsoft, they collaborated for many years."
Apparently it doesn't really matter for Google whether there are one or many major players in the Android space.
"It's not just the operating system, but it's the services on top of it, the cloud services," Pichai posed.
"Look at search, Maps, YouTube - we do crazy things to make Maps happen - fly planes, drive cars. And we have more coming. We have Google Now. And I think that's where the innovation lies. I don't see it as a zero-sum game because the industry is exploding."
Pichai noted that even though Motorola is developing the Moto X from within Google, he's no more excited about it than a device coming from Samsung. Very diplomatic, Mr. Pichai.
There are three full weeks before the Samsung Premiere 2013 event on June 20, but Galaxy S4 fans won't have to wait that long before getting a peek at the specs for two companion handsets launching there.
In addition to the Galaxy S4 Mini already announced, new Galaxy models aimed at shutterbugs and those with more active lifestyles could be launched soon.
Active appears to feature a five-inch Super AMOLED Full HD display powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor with Adreno 320 GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage plus micro-SD slot and a 2600mAh battery.
Bearing a closer resemblance to the Galaxy S4 Mini, the Galaxy S4 Zoom puts the focus on the 16MP rear-facing camera, equipped with the requisite 10x optical zoom for getting that much closer to the action.
The remainder of the specs are somewhat less impressive, with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a 960 x 540 resolution, dual-core 1.6GHz processor, a modest 8GB of internal storage (plus micro-SD slot) and 1900mAh battery.
Of course, anything can change between now and Samsung's London event on June 20, which could also see the debut of new ATIV-branded Windows Phone handsets.
Samsung's just-announced Galaxy S4 Mini will be coming in an LTE variant in the UK, courtesy of EE, who confirmed they'll be stocking the phone from launch.
EE will be offering the phone on its 4GEE service, while the handset will also be available on the 3G-only Orange and T-Mobile networks.
After months of speculation, Samsung made the S4 Mini official today. The handset is slightly smaller on the specs, running on a 1.7GHz dual-core chip instead of its bigger brother's quad-core.
More Blips!
While you wait for Facebook verification, why not read some more Blips?
There have been rumors about Motorola’s upcoming smartphone which will go against the iPhone and Galaxy devices, and now Dennis Woodside and Regina Dugan have confirmed the existence of the device at the AllThingsD D11 Conference.
Woodside decided to bring the flagship in his pocket but didn’t show it to anyone at the event. It would have been nice if we got a peek at the device, but we will probably be able to do that via a leak sometime soon.
He said, “We have a hero device that’s coming out that’s going to be called Moto X”. The device, which will arrive in October, is coming with sensors which will make the device ‘contextually aware’. It will know what the user is doing with it and can adjust itself for it. And the handset will be built in the US, with processors coming from Taiwan and OLED screens from Korea. The price of the device could be a tad higher than other high end smartphones due to the Made in USA tag.
And also talked about were electronic tattoos and vitamin pills. Those are not for some high tech patient but for the users of future Motorola smartphones.
According to Dugan, “There’s so much information on your smartphone that makes you so much more vulnerable to identity theft now. After 40 years of computing we’re still authenticating the same way”. Motorola’s tattoo (with an antenna and circuits) and pill (with a chip powered by the stomach’s acids) will make the phone’s owner an authentication token or password.
Apple is likely to introduce finger print tech in future iDevices. It’s good to see that Motorola is thinking about new stuff rather than trying to copy though it seems to be a bit too much of authentication. What do you think?
We’ve been hearing about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini for a while now, with most recent indications pointing to an announcement on June 20th. It looks like Samsung decided to reveal the news early, as the phone is finally official.
So what does the smaller brother of the GS4 bring to the table? As you would expect, it isn’t exactly a high-end device, but it is also no pushover. The phone has a 4.3-inch qHD display, a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM and 8GB storage. There is also microSD support, a 1,900 mAh battery, an 8MP back cam, 1.9MP front cam and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean onboard. The GS4 Mini will also be just 8.94mm thick and will weight 107 grams.
This one isn’t going to blow anyone away, but if you really prefer smaller screens but want to stick to the classic Sammy Galaxy look – this could be exactly what you are looking for. Unfortunately, no word on pricing or availability at the moment.
We do know that it will come in a few different versions: a 3G model, a 4G LTE model and a 3G dual-SIM version. It will also come in White Frost of Black Mist color options.
What do you think, do you hope this phone comes to your local market or could you care less? Let us know in the comments below.
Is this the second Windows Phone 8 device from Huawei? (credit: @evleaks)
The Huawei Ascend W2 has popped up again and this time instead of a blurry snap shot we've been treated to what looks like a press image of the Windows Phone 8-toting smartphone.
This latest leak comes from the oft-reliable @evleaks, who provided the picture along with the words "Huawei Ascend W2, 2013" - and nothing more.
Left in the lurch
What this means is that apart from knowing that the Ascend W2 will likely make an appearance sometime this year. Details on specs, release date and price are still a relative mystery.
Previous reports have suggested the Ascend W2 will sport a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 2000mAh battery and an 8MP rear camera with 1080p HD recording.
If the press shot does transpire to be true then Huawei may be onto a winner as the Ascend W2 looks set to be an attractive smartphone, with a definite design upgrade from the toyish Ascend W1.
In an attempt to balance out its supply chain, Apple is said to be using Foxconn competitor Pegatron for production on a certain budget handset that's been rumoured for some time.
Pegatron, which sounds one of the forgotten Transformers, has actually made some iPhones and iPad Minis for Apple in the past.
It's also reported that Pegatron is upping its work force by up to 40 per cent during the second half of this year, adding further fuel to the cheaper iPhone fire.
It looks like Apple may have taken this on board in its decision to share the load a bit more, and while a competitor, it'll mean less of a burden for Cupertino's favourite supplier.
The existence of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini was hardly in question after the raft of rumours and leaks we've seen over the past few months - even the Korean firm managed to let slip on its own website.
Following on from the Galaxy S3 Mini, the S4 Mini has received a modest boost in terms of specifications, but don't expect to see any eight-core power or full HD displays here.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini release date
In terms of a Galaxy S4 Mini release date the trail is pretty cold for the moment, although we hope to find out more at the London event on June 20, so we shouldn't have too long to wait.
Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S4 Mini will be coming, with more details to be announced "in due course". Phones4U in the UK was the first to give any indication, tentatively reckoning the Galaxy S4 MIni will appear in July.
We're equally in the dark when it comes to the Galaxy S4 Mini price, but if the Galaxy S3 Mini is anything to go on you can probably expect it to set you back around £320 (around $485, AU$500) SIM-free.
When it comes to the display on the Galaxy S4 Mini you're greeted with a 4.3-inch, Super AMOLED qHD display - that's 960 x 540 - so it's certainly no match for the full HD offering on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The good news it the S4 Mini's display is an improvement over the 4-inch, WVGA offering we got on the Galaxy S3 Mini - and this helps make the handset that bit more appealing.
It's worth considering that even though Mini is in the name, it's actually got a bigger screen than the 4-inch iPhone 5 - plus it's also cheaper - although the iPhone's Retina display has a far better resolution.
Internal grunt
Under the hood the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini packs a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, backed up by a not too shabby 1.5GB of RAM.
Once again that's up on the S3 Mini and should see things run smoothly on screen, and 8GB of internal storage sounds acceptable - that is until you read that only 5GB will be available to the user.
Thankfully the S4 Mini's saving grace is the inclusion of a Samsung smartphone tradition - a microSD slot, which supports cards up to 64GB in size.
That power will be responsible for running the latest version of Google's mobile platform, Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, which Samsung has sprinkled with its TouchWiz interface.
This means you'll also get a raft of Samsung apps, such as Samsung Knox, S Voice and S Travel, included on the S5 Mini, which some may find useful, but others will just view them as unnecessary bloatware.
Well connected
All the expected bells and whistles are present on the Galaxy S4 Mini with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS all featuring inside the 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94mm, 107g plastic frame.
There are some added extras however, with an infra-red blaster, NFC technology and 4G connectivity also finding their way inside.
In some regions the Galaxy S4 Mini will only be available as a 3G handset, which also doesn't feature NFC, although it's not clear which markets will receive which model just yet.
And the rest
So what else can you expect from the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini? Well it's got an 8MP rear facing camera complete with LED flash, plus there's a front facing 1.9MP snapper for those pouty profile pictures and important video calls.
There's a 1900mAh battery hiding round the back which we hope will give a decent amount of life, although we'll put that to the test in our Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review.
You'll be able to pick from two colours as well - White Frost and Black Mist - although we wouldn't be surprised if more colours appeared later this year, especially as Samsung has confirmed new shades for the Galaxy S4.
We hope to spend some time with the handset at Samsung's event in London in a few weeks time, so keep your eyes peeled for our hands on Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review.
Or are you just standing further away from the S4?
Samsung has taken the surprising route of announcing the phone-we-all-knew-about Galaxy S4 mini ahead of the expected launch event in June.
The new S4 mini packs a number of top end features in a diminutive package, with things like S Translate, Group Play and an upgraded camera system. However, it does away with a lot of the 'innnovation' so Smart Scroll and friends don't seem to have got a look in (which, if you read our review, is a good thing).
In terms of hardware it's as expected: a Super AMOLED qHD (960 x 540) 4.3-inch screen sits on top of a polycarbonate phone (coming in White Frost and Black Mist... or white and black) with dimensions of 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94mm. It's going to be super light too, with a weight of just 107g.
All the speeds
Coming in both 4G and 3G flavours, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will have a dual core processor clocked at 1.7GHz, although the South Korean brand hasn't confirmed whether this will be the expected Snapdragon 400 or an older S4 chip – the former would really help the phone whip along through the arduous tasks thrust on it by a modern smartphone user. Or a parent prodding at the new phone bought by their offspring.
Samsung has delivered a strong nod to the recent 'Internal Memory-Gate' (working title) of the Galaxy S4 by noting that while the S4 mini only comes with 8GB of storage, 5GB of that is user accessible and 'may change after a software upgrade'. It does have microSD slot capable of reading cards up to 64GB, and 1.5GB of RAM doesn't sound to shabby at all.
Android 4.2.2 is adorning this little number, so you'll be getting all the fancy menu systems and layouts offered to the S4 proper, and an 8MP camera on the rear should be enough to keep you snapping happily too.
It's a mini adventure
Is it better than the Galaxy S3 mini, which we weren't overly impressed by? In like for like terms, of course it is, with nearly everything upgraded. However, the clarity of the screen is the same as the predecessor, something we had an issue with, and we can't help but wonder if Samsung has done enough to the phone to make sure that the dual core processor can handle all the new elements that Samsung us throwing in.
The good news is we'll have our answer in the not-too-distant future, with the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini on show at the 20 June event in London. We sadly don't have a release date just yet, nor anything approaching a price, but we're going to make it up: The Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available from July 5 and will start at £329 for the 3G version.
Apple could keep a phone with the smaller 3.5-inch display
Apple is reportedly working on not one but two iPhone models this year, including what sounds like the long-rumored iPhone Mini, according to a report out of Taiwan this week.
The company plans to launch both an iPhone 5S and a low-cost iPhone model in the third quarter of 2013, claims industry sources who talked to the sometimes-reliable DigiTimes.
The cheaper iPhone's specs are said to be comparable to the smaller iPhone 4S model, which syncs up with what we have heard about the iPhone Mini.
While the low-cost smartphone may have a less advanced display and processor, the iPhone 5S is rumored to double its predecessor's pixel count to almost 1.5 million.
'We haven't so far'
This iPhone Mini news comes at the same time Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company decided against releasing multiple smartphones at once.
"We haven't so far," said Cook at the to All Things Digital in response to a question about why there aren't a range of new iPhone models out every year.
"It takes a lot of work, a lot of really detailed work, to do a phone right, when you manage the hardware, software and services around it."
"We've chosen to focus our energy on getting those right. And we've made the choices in order to do that. So we haven't become defocused [by] working on multiple lines."
Cook's "so far" comment leaves the door open to Apple making multiple iPhone models simultaneously in the future, just as the company did with the iPod years ago.
All iPhones on September
The iPhone 5S and rumored iPhone Mini are expected to start mass production in June and be released in September.
Although a low-cost iPhone has been predicted before every smartphone-focused Apple press conference in recent history, 2013 may be the year the rumors actually pan out.
That's because Samsung may come out with a smaller version of its Galaxy S4 smartphone, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, making an iPhone Mini all the more relevant.
Between now and the new iPhone launch, read our WWDC coverage for more information on Apple's upcoming computer hardware announcements.
HTC and Samsung's relationship appears to have soured
Samsung has been using its dominant position in the mobile component business to harm rivals, according to a senior HTC official.
Jack Tong, the president of HTC North Asia, has reportedly said Samsung "strategically declined" to supply his company with the AMOLED displays that had featured in 2010's brilliant HTC Desire handset.
According to the Focus Taiwan report, Tong accused Samsung of using components as a "competitive weapon" to sabotage companies it sees as a threat to its market-leading position in Android devices.
"We found that key component supply can be used as a competitive weapon," he said.
Keeping it local
Tong said that since Samsung's change of heart, HTC and other Taiwanese companies such as Acer and Asus have sought to keep mobile component makers working in the country to ensure a good supply.
He also said those companies are attempting to persuade foreign parts manufacturers to relocate to Taiwan in order to lower manufacturing costs.
X did mark the spot: Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside announced today that the company's new "hero" handset will be called the Moto X.
Woodside, speaking at the AllThingsD D11 conference, uttered the name of the device, putting to bed all the "Motorola X Phone" name rumors. This will be the first major product to come out of Motorola since Google purchased the company last year.
In fact, the device is already out in the wild...sort of.
"It's in my pocket, but I can't show it to you," Woodside teased. Android head Sundar Pichair has also apparently laid eyes on the device, though Woodside assured the company doesn't use its proximity to Android to gain an unfair advantage.
Halloween haunt
The Moto X will be built the same Texas plant where Nokia handsets used to come to life. Seventy percent of the handset will be built on U.S. soil, making it the first smartphone built in the country, Woodside said. It will be broadly distributed, which isn't the clearest phrase but could very well mean international availability.
The hero phone isn't all: Woodside said that people should expect a "handful" of new Motorola handsets by October.
Besides tempting us to pick his pocket, Woodside revealed that the Moto X will house a number of tightly integrated sensors that will, for example, cause the handset to act differently if a car is traveling 60 miles per hour, allowing for safer user interaction.
The device will also draw little power, Woodside noted, and we expect now that the cat is out of the bag, we'll hear much more on this X phone soon.
The first non-leaked photo of the Huawei ascend P6
Huawei took to Facebook today to confirm that the super slip Ascend P6 Android phone will be officially unveiled on June 18.
"On June 18th, Huawei will unleash an intimate experience to consumers," reads a post on Huawei's official Facebook page with a close-up photo of the Ascend P6.
The June 18 date was previously teased when Huawei Device Chairman Richard Yu posted on the Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo that the Ascend P6 will be revealed during a London event on that day.
This is the first confirmation we've received that the P6 will be present at that event, though.
Bragging rights
Huawei used this opportunity to brag about the Ascend P6's signature feature: its thinness.
"We do everything to the fullest," the Chinese company wrote. "The Huawei Ascend P6 challenges all phones to be the thinnest, smallest, and one of the most compact smart phones with a screen that can rival it's competitors.
"Care to guess how large the screen to body ratio is?" it added.
We've no idea, but the 6.2mm-thin phone will be the slimmest on the market when it debuts.
Its rumored specs include a 4.7-inch HD display, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 5MP camera and Android Jelly Bean.
Facebook thinks slow and steady will win the social race
Facebook may be one of the most dominant social networks of all time, but the company has struggled to find its footing beyond the confines of the world wide web.
It's strange to think of Facebook Home having 1 million users being a bit of a disappointment, but when you consider more than one billion members comprise Facebook globally, the disparity is hard to ignore.
That doesn't seem to bother the executives at the social network though, as they see the adoption and growth of Facebook Home as a long haul effort.
Homeward bound
Speaking at the D: All Things D conference on Wednesday, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg talked a bit about the network's vision for Home.
"I think it will be a long road. [The smartphone is] an incredibly powerful device and social device," Sandberg said.
"We believe that the phone will get reorganized around people — Home is the first iteration of that."
Even those who have been brave enough to make the jump to Home have a fair share of complaints, but Sandberg promised those voices are being heard.
"We consider [Home] a v.1, a very early version," Sandberg said. "We would love if we could put out a v.1 version and get everything right."
Home is supposed to be updated monthly, and time will tell if Sandberg and the rest of the Facebook team are right in believing Home has what it takes to survive amidst the rapidly changing smartphone landscape.
"The important thing to remember about WWDC is that it is a developer conference," The Loop wrote.
The event is Apple's annual opportunity to catch developers up on the company's software plans for the next year. As such it's expected to focus on announcements concerning OS X and iOS 7.
"[The iPhone and iPad] are Apple's flagship products and they demand separate events," the site continued. "Entire industries watch these products because they shape what will happen in the mobile space. They are that important."
How about a new Mac?
While The Loop predicted that WWDC 2013 will focus on iOS 7 and changes to OS X, the blog also suggested that a new Mac announcement is not out of the question.
"The Mac is still an important part of what Apple does, but I don't know that Apple would hold a special event specifically for a Mac product anymore," the site wrote.
"If they did, it would have to be quite a spectacular product."
OS upgrades incoming
There may be some big changes headed to Apple's mobile OS with the impending reveal of iOS 7.
English designer Jony Ive is known to be redesigning iOS, and his input could result in a massive overhaul.
Then again, it could remain largely the same - we'll have to wait until it's revealed to find out.
Meanwhile, just because the iPhone 5S and iPad 5 won't be revealed at WWDC doesn't mean they aren't coming eventually—Apple is just staying secretive for now, like it always does. Who knows, maybe all these predictions are wrong and we will see a new iPhone and iPad next month.
EE has given Brits the opportunity to experience the joys of 4G mobile speeds without signing up for a lengthy contract for the first time.
The new 30-day SIM-only contracts allow users to sign up month-to-month from just £23 with 500GB of data and unlimited texts and minutes.
For £28 a month its possible to sign up for 1GB of data, while £33 will give users a little more piece of mind with 3GB data.
The deals range all the way up to £63 a month, but for that EE is offering the luxury of 20GB a month, which'd be tough for the most avid video and music streaming enthusiasts to exhaust.
Getting 'em hooked
EE is offering the deals in the hope that users will try the no-strings approach and be so amazed with the difference over 3G that they'll sign up for a one or two year contract.
The company, which pioneered 4G in the UK, will also be mindful that competition from the likes of Vodafone, O2 and Three Mobile will arrive later this year, so will want punters to try its offering first
Will you be more likely to sample 4G under the contract-free terms? Let us know in the comments below.
It seems a long time ago that LG was helping dominate the mobile market, with phone offerings such as the LG Chocolate. In reality, 7 years is more than a long time in tech, with LG's more recent mobile offerings often failing to hit the same mark they did before.
That said, LG's partnership with Google created not only the latest (and possibly last) Nexus 4 device, but also one of the hottest pieces of mobile tech that easily rivalled the Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5.
Much like Samsung, LG is banking on its Optimus range, now equipped with the Optimus G Pro and Optimus 4XHD, to take on the world. Aimed at the budget end of the market, LG created the L Series, now in its second iteration, packed with the LG Optimus L3 2, Optimus L5 2 and the upcoming Optimus L7 2.
LG is hardly reinventing the wheel with the design of the Optimus L5 2, with a very square all glass front and prominent home button sat front and centre, just below the screen.
We can't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed with this kind of design, as we love design innovation, but the Optimus L5 2 is a very smart piece of kit.
Measuring in at a 117.5 x 62.2 x 9.2mm, and weighing in at 103g, LG has created a slim and light device. The Optimus L5 2 sits very comfortably in the hand and the pocket, and at only 66 per cent the weight of the Ascend G510 is a lot less noticeable. Despite the weight, or lack of it, the build of the Optimus L5 2 still feels sturdy.
As we said, LG's L Series was designed to be the budget range, with the Optimus L5 2 sitting right in the middle of the Optimus L3 2 and L7 2.
With this in mind, we weren't expecting mind blowing specifications, and the 1GHz single-core processor alongside 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage seem to fit with the pricing, although LG has seen fit to equip the L3 2 with the same specs.
Interestingly, the LG Optimus L5 2 seems to have near identical specifications to the lower powered Huawei Ascend G330.
This is more than a little confusing. LG does equip the Optimus L5 2 with Android Jelly Bean, with a basic overlay. In the form of camera sensors , the Korean firm have interestingly only given the L5 2 a 5MP rear facing sensor.
Whilst disappointing, given that the aforementioned Ascend G510, Xperia J and Galaxy Ace 2 all have a front facing snapper, we can be a bit forgiving as the low resolutions that were on offer almost made them redundant.
LG has also graced the Optimus L5 2 with a 4-inch screen at 480 x 800 pixels, so by no means the HD definition that we've become accustomed to on flagship powerhouses, yet still clear enough for day to day use. Elsewhere, the L5 2 comes with 3G, Bluetooth and NFC.
We said that L5 2 sits comfortably in the hand, and the 4-inch screen is easy enough to hit with one hand. Thankfully, LG has placed all the standard buttons in familiar (unlike on the Huawei Ascend G510) and easy to hit places, with the power/lock button on the right hand side, with the volume rocker sat on the left, just below a customisable quick key (more on that later).
Just below the screen sit the almost traditional backlit soft keys, replacing the need for Android's on screen controls.
We only mention the backlighting as we found that its exclusion on the Ascend G510 meant that the buttons were a little hard to see. The back and menu key sit either side of a physical home button.
The home button has a nice LED light behind it, that illuminates whilst charging, during calls and alarms as well as for notifications and missed events. Downloaded apps can also make use of the light.
In the way of ports, the Optimus L5 2 comes with the obligatory 3.5mm headphone jack (on the top) and the microUSB data/charge port in the base.
We're big fans of the placement or the microUSB as it makes using the L5 2 easier whilst charging, as for the headphone port, the positioning debate will continue long after this review.
The back cover is smart and fully removable, wrapping around the sides of the L5 2. The plastic has a brushed metallic look, and whilst completely smooth, provides a decent level of grip so you don't drop it. Along with the LG logo, are the loud speaker, camera sensor and LED flash.
With the back cover wrapping around to the front of the L5 2, there is no set place with which to work the cover off. That said, we found it pretty easy to work our short finger nails under it at any corner, or buy using the gap for the microUSB port.
The ease of removal left us a little worried about dropping the Optimus L5 2, but on the one occasion we did drop it (on carpet), we're pleased to say it stayed on.
Behind the back cover there is access to the 1700mAh battery, the standard SIM slot, as well as the fiddly, hot swappable microSD slot.
First impressions of the LG Optimus L5 2 are pretty promising. The plastic feel, and standard layout match the price tag, but being light and easy to use one handed show LG may have hit a sweet spot.
We're expecting Samsung to lift the lid on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini box at its June 20 event, but as for the specifics inside, most of it has been a lot of guess work until now.
Now German blog All About Samsung claims the Galaxy S4 Mini will be powered by a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor. We'd previously heard that the Mini would arrive with a Snapdragon S4 processor, so if true, this is good news.
The diminutive device will also have 1.5GB of RAM with a 8-megapixel rear camera, 2.1-megapixel snapper on the front, and a 540 x 960p qHD resolution display. We're also expecting the S4 Mini to arrive with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Nice and snappy
Of course, the Mini won't be as beefy as the older S4, but we're still impressed with that Samsung will be packing into the phone if these benchmark results are true.
With Apple's WWDC 2013 developer conference just around the corner, we're about to learn more details on the forthcoming iOS 7 update for the the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
The last major iOS 6 update for Apple's mobile devices was mostly hit, but there was a big Maps-shaped miss.
Lots of people were rightly angry about Apple ditching Google data, but beyond that mis-step there were things to like: a more useful Siri (App launching plus the recognition that a world exists outside of the USA), shared Photo Streams, handy Phone app controls such as 'send to voicemail', and major improvements to Mail, Safari, accessibility and the Camera app.
iOS 7 release date
it looks like the new operating system might be running a little behind schedule. John Gruber believes that iOS 7 is "running behind", with engineers being pulled from OS X 10.9 to work on it.
We're expecting a September or October release date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll almost certainly see a reveal at WWDC. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X", Mobile web traffickers such as Onswipe have already reported seeing iOS 7 pop up in their logs.
Find out what our TechRadar experts want to see from iOS 7 in the video below:
iOS 7 design
A greater synergy between hardware and software design is something Apple is looking to achieve as it moves towards iOS 7. That's according to the Wall Street Journal in late March 2013, which also suggests that Jonathan Ive is pushing for a starker and simpler design for iOS 7 - that reminds us a little of what Microsoft has done to the desktop in Windows 8. In late May it seemed that iOS 7 had found its way out into the wild, as sources have given loads of details on the 'flat redesign'. The first major change indicated by the sources was a distinct lack of skeuomorphic style, as the fake textures and effects you're so used to seeing will be swapped out with a more basic design sense.
It seems that everything starts with a new Lock screen, where the glossy image and clock have been replaced by a stark black screen with supposed improved gesture controls. Even the security code pad has been altered, and instead of the familiar overlay, a new interface with round, black keys with white text has emerged.
It will be almost immediately apparent just how different everything looks as base apps like Calendar, Camera, Game Center and Safari will be pared down quite a bit from their current incarnations.
Longtime iPhone users may be in for a bit of a surprise, as the leak suggests iOS 7 will replace the vibrant look and feel of the phone with a more minimalist, monochromatic approach.
What else do we want to see in iOS 7?
The rest of this article explores a dozen of the features we're clamouring to see in iOS 7. (And by 'clamouring', we of course mean 'asking really nicely'. C'mon, Mr Cook - pretty please?)
1. Hide Apple apps
Pretty much everyone we know with an Apple device has a folder entitled 'Apple'. This isn't filled with must-have apps from the geniuses at Cupertino, but all the junk Apple installs that you can't get rid off. To be fair, what each individual considers junk is different, and these apps—Compass, Stocks, Voice Memos, Passbook, and so on—have their fans; but is it too much to ask for a switch in Settings that will hide those we don't use?
2. Better app management
Change for change's sake is rarely a good thing. Recognition is key to satisfying experiences with technology. That's why we're not yelling at Apple to change how iOS home screens work. What we would like to see is improvements to app management: more screens; by default saving app data on delete; and an alphabetical list of installed apps, perhaps accessible from Spotlight.
3. Change app defaults
We're pretty certain this request would be met with wide-eyes from Apple CEO Tim Cook, swiftly followed by a full twenty minutes of belly laughing, but we want the ability to use non-default apps for important things like email and calendaring. Apple's own apps would remain the defaults, but you should also be able to pick your own in Settings.
4. Provide a guest account
It's extremely unlikely that Apple's ever going to enable multiple user accounts on iOS devices—they are, after all, designed as extremely personal computers. What is perhaps more realistic is some kind of guest account you could switch to when handing your device over to someone for a short while; something similar already exists on the Mac in OS X.
5. Change Siri's voice
OS X is blessed with dozens of high-quality voices that witter away to you in various dulcet tones. By contrast, Siri is Siri. In the US, you get a slightly robotic woman; in the UK, Siri's that bloke who did The Weakest Link for a decade. It'd be great if you could choose the voice your device uses to speak. (Possible exception: Yoda voice.)
6. Provide App Store demos
Apps and games might be cheap, but that doesn't figure cheapskates into the equation. Too often, people are unwilling to risk 69p on the latest release, forcing devs into irritating freemium models or making them clutter up the App Store with 'lite' versions of their output. Apple should just allow demos: 24 hours from first launch and then you buy or the app won't run. Boom.
7. Power up 'Do Not Disturb'
Fed up of getting woken up in the middle of the night by the marketing efforts of [redacted, but quite possibly a well-known mobile network] or Game Center fanfares? Do Not Disturb is a great feature that enables you to time when your phone will quit bugging you. But you can define only a single schedule, and we want to see alternative options for weekends.
8. Make locking location-aware
Locking is a great thing on iOS devices, making it at least a little harder for some scallywag to get at your data if they pinch your shiny Apple joy. But it could be more intelligent, locking on a location-aware basis, and not when you're, say, happily sitting at home on the sofa.
9. Improve the lock screen
There's something to be said for Apple's minimalism regarding the iOS lock screen, and it's mostly that it's too minimal. We're not sure we want to see Android-style widgets sprayed everywhere, but a little more functionality wouldn't go amiss. For example, artwork from a currently playing song is displayed on the lock screen, but there are no controls for pausing or skipping to the next track, until you double-press Home, which isn't hugely discoverable. And beyond notifications, nothing else shows up there at all.
10 Cut all iTunes ties
In recent years, Apple's made great leaps away from iTunes, and you can technically get away with never using the monstrous jukebox. However, there's still no way to easily get your existing music collection nor your photographs on to your device, and there should be. (Alas, with Apple wanting to push iTunes Match and the iTunes Store, there almost certainly never will be for the first of those.)
11. Make more icons dynamic
We're hesitant at arguing Apple's home screen icons should be more like Windows 8 tiles, but there's something to be said for dynamic updates when such things work well. With iOS, you get update badges and a live calendar. It'd be nice at the least if Apple made its own Clock and Weather icons dynamic.
12. Enable cross-platform installs
On a device, you now often see iOS-style banners on websites that when tapped take you right to the equivalent App Store app. But if you're browsing elsewhere, you have to email yourself a reminder and then install later. How good would it be if you were surfing on your PC, saw a great app and could install it across your devices without going near them, nor even to iTunes?
