Samsung has announced a new materials partnership, which could signal a desire to move away from its reliance on plastic for Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

Following widepsread criticism of the build quality of recent handsets, the company has alligned with the SGL Group, which specialises in the much tougher carbon fibre material.

The 50/50 partnership, which will be known as Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials, will provide tech for use in the company's consumer electronics products, according to a press release on Monday.

"The cooperation is expected to provide a stable long-term supply of carbon fiber materials for Samsung and promote its use in various Samsung products and applications such as consumer electronics, medical devices and engineering applications," the release read.

Leading player

Samsung said the partnership is aimed at making the company a leading player in creating carbon fibre products, a sure sign that it plans to leave the plastic devices behind.

"Lightweight materials have become an important factor not only in industrial applications but also the consumer end markets such as digital media," Yoosung Chung, President & CEO of Samsung Petrochemical said.

"This partnership will position Samsung as a leading player in the development and application of carbon fiber-based products," he added.

The company had previously defended the use of plastic in devices like the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4, saying it allowed the company to produce the handsets faster and more efficiently.

However, the aluminium HTC One smartphone, along with the existing iPhone 5 device, left Samsung trailing in the wake of its rivals in terms of premium build quality. Is that about to change?

Chinese manufacturer Huawei has today unleashed a new Android tablet device which, if you're unfazed by the prospect of funny looks and giggles, will also function perfectly well as a smartphone.

The MediaPad 7 Vogue tablet is, as the name suggests, a 7-inch rival to the Samsung Galaxy Note series and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean beneath the version 1.5 of the company's own Emotion UI.

It packs a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, which can be boosted through the microSD card slot.

However, thanks to the built-in mobile receiver, it "provides the perfect mix of functions from a tablet, smartphone and entertainment center in one stylish and portable device," the company said.

Middle of the road

The display is a relatively low-res 1024 x 600, while everything is supported by a 4100mAh battery pack, which Huawei claims is good for playback of four HD movies back-to-back.

In terms of cameras there's a VGA webcam for video calling and a 3-megapixel camera you probably won't want to rely on for capturing precious memories.

The device will launch on home soil later this month, with international releases promised thereafter.

There's no official news on price or release date on western territories just yet, but we would expect this to sit around, if not beneath, the price points of the Nexus 7s and Kindle Fires of the world.

LG is poised to unveil its LG Optimus G successor, the Optimus G2, at a special event on August 7, but a new report says that's not all that will be revealed.

The South Korean phone maker will also show off two other devices, according to TechTastic - an Optimus L9 2 (model number LG-D600) and something called the LG-D500.

The site claims a source tipped it off to the impending announcement of those two unannounced devices, and it's also got specs on hand for both.

It looks like the L9 2 is a mid-range successor to the Optimus L9, while the LG D500 is even lower on the spectrum.

Middle children

Neither unannounced new LG handset is a flagship like the Optimus G2, TechTastic claims.

The LG Optimus L9 2 is a mid-range device with a 4.7-inch 720p display, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 8-megapixel camera, NFC and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

The D500 on the other hand is a low-end device with a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor, Adreno 302 GPU, 540 x 960 display, NFC, a 5-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 4.0, and Android 4.1.2.

Neither comes close to the Optimus G2's specs, in particular the next-gen Snapdragon 800 SoC that's been confirmed for the new handset.

In addition to that, the G2 is rumored to feature a 5-inch 1080p display, Adreno 330 GPU, 2GB of memory, a 13-megapixel camera and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

• We think the LG Optimus G2 will compete mainly with the Galaxy S4, but with an announcement on August 7 it could also head off news of Samsung's Galaxy Note 3.

A lot of the iPhone 5S talk these past few weeks has focused primarily on the supposed dual-LED camera flash being spotted in leaked photos.

While there have been a few shots of the possible insides and casing of the new Apple handset, there's still been little confirmation about what hardware the latest iteration of the iPhone will be rocking.

On Monday that changed, when MacRumors got its hands on some leaked shots of the inner-workings of what could be the iPhone 5S.

Even though there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of information to glean from just a few images, the new processor is in clear focus, giving us an idea of just what kind of chip will be powering the next iPhone.

Lucky number seven

Earlier leaked images from the site didn't provide a clear look at the potential processor beyond a "1243" code, which indicated the prototype build was from October 2012.

These latest shots provide a better look at the chip inside, and indicate the iPhone 5S may indeed be packing an ARM A7 processor.

The etched codes on the border of the new chip read "APL0698," which falls in line with the A6's "APL0598" designation, and the A6X's "APL5598" (found in the new iPad) branding.

Additionally, it's possible to see the "1239" marking for the 1GB of DRAM, suggesting that portion of the chip was crafted in September 2012, with the completed prototype phone reportedly being put together in December 2012.

This isn't the first time we've heard reports about an iPhone coming with an A7 processor, but it is the first time we've heard such tales about the iPhone 5S rather than the iPhone 6.

However, since the prototype model's chip doesn't have the same tiered numbering as the A6X processor, it's certainly within reason to speculate the iPhone 5S will be the recipient of the next ARM chip upgrade.

Win some, lose Samsung

In May, we first heard reports Samsung would no longer be responsible for the manufacturing of Apple's processors, with TSMC ready to step in and take over.

The new chip spotted in these leaked photos may provide some truth to those rumors, as new markings for the manufacturer don't fall in line with previous Samsung etchings.

The "K1A0062" tag is a mysterious one, as Samsung's codes typically begin with an "N," but it's not exactly clear to which company the "K" belongs.

It's entirely possible TSMC could be prepped to take over production for Apple's chips, but that would go against the previous belief the Taiwanese manufacturer wouldn't step in until 2014.

Whatever Apple's true plans, we likely won't learn more until later this year, but at least now we've got some more potential details on the iPhone 5S beyond its new camera.

• How does iOS 7 stack up against the competition? Check out our comparison for a look at how Apple's latest operating system performs.

Already tempted by the Asha 501, Nokia's featurephone disguised as a smartphone? Well the phone is about to roll out globally, meaning it won't be long until you can pocket Nokia's vibrant little number.

The Finnish phone maker confirmed that the Lumia-like handset will be launching in Thailand and Pakistan this week and then roll out to Europe and other countries in "subsequent weeks". This one won't be hitting the US and Canada for now.

Don't get too excited about the specs though - with only 2G connectivity on offer, the 501 is the budget buyer's choice. It also packs a 2-inch QVGA display, 3.2MP camera, along with a 4GB memory card in the box.

The phone runs on Nokia's overhauled Asha software, which brings in the big Windows Phone icons and simple swiping. Meanwhile there are two main screens, the 'Home' and the 'Fastlane'. The former has the traditional grid of apps while the latter is a feed of messages and updates, as well as recently-used applications.

Phoenix from the Ashas

Still, set at a recommended retail price of €75 (about £65), it promises to be perfect for those bridging the gap to a full smartphone, or for festival-goers looking for a decent backup handset that won't break the bank.

Not only will it be coming in at a budget price, it'll also be presenting itself in six colours: yellow, cyan, bright red, bright green, black and white.

Nokia claims that the phone will also offer 47 days of battery life on standby, and 17 hours of talk time. Not bad if you ask us.

The creator of the new Firefox OS platform, Mozilla, has confirmed that it's not planning to produce its own hardware alongside its mobile software.

Speaking to Digitimes, Mozilla's mobile device senior vice president Gong Li explained it was leaving the manufacturing process to its partners who include ZTE, Alcatel, Huawei, LG and Sony.

We saw a couple of handsets sporting Firefox OS at MWC this year in the form of the ZTE Open and Alcatel OneTouch Fire - both of which are low cost offerings aimed at emerging markets.

Li said if Mozilla started producing own-brand devices it would create unnecessary competition with ODMs, which could put them off developing for Firefox OS - and it's on a drive to recruit as many manufacturers as it can.

Samsung and HTC not in

Two noticeable absentees from the list are Samsung and HTC, which have decided to stick with Android and Windows Phone for the time being, although Li hasn't ruled out involvement from both in the future.

"Firefox OS is a new operating system. For vendors, the question of whether to adopt and when to adopt is based on considerations varying from one to another," he said.

"Some vendors will stick to Android and need not choose Firefox OS for the time being, others want to choose non-Android platforms but may not adopt Firefox OS."

It's still early days for the HTML 5-based Firefox OS and we're unlikely to see it make any great strides in the UK, US or Australia in the near future, but if it takes hold in the developing world it could become an overnight hit.

Windows Phone 8 fans: listen up. You could be getting a new toy to play with this year in the form of the HTC One.

Launched earlier this year running Android Jelly Bean, rumours are now suggesting HTC's flagship smartphone - and the best phone in the world today - could get an OS reboot before the year is out.

According to the folks at Neowin, an inside source has revealed that the Taiwanese firm is working on a handset which will look similar to the HTC One, with a screen somewhere in the region of 4- to 5-inches.

One plus 8

The unnamed source stressed that the device in question wouldn't be identical to the One, although you should expect a metal chassis, Beats Audio technology and, obviously, Windows Phone 8.

It's thought that the handset will also borrow the UltraPixel camera technology found in the Android flagship, although specs are far from confirmed.

HTC has already dipped its toe in the Windows Phone 8 water with the HTC 8X and 8S which were launched alongside the platform last year, with the former hand-picked by Microsoft to be its signature WP8 device.

However it's been all quiet since then over at HTC, so it's not a huge surprise to learn that the manufacturer may be planning its next onslaught.

Apparently we could see the Windows Phone 8 smartphone announced this Autumn, with a release date close to Christmas - this is definitely one to watch.

The world's worst-kept secret, aka the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, has emerged in another deluge of leaks, with two photos showing a svelte, bezel-challenged handset tipped for an August release.

The two photos, which come from two separate anonymous sources over in China, aren't giving that much away, although we can see that the handset is pretty slender despite being housed in an ugly case.

There's no guarantee that the other picture is of the Note 3 either, but it shows a large looking screen that stops just shy of the edge of the handset and its photographer says that the screen "takes up 84 per cent of the front surface of the device".

Take note

However, as Unwired View points out, there's a worrying lack of front-facing camera (looks like just a proximity sensor) does leave us pondering whether this is just a fake. You can see the full images below:

Not much more concrete is the word from one loose-lipped Samsung wireless business division insider who claims that the handset should enter mass production in August.

Talking about a drop in orders for devices like the Galaxy S4, s/he told ET News: "Since we will start placing orders for follow-up models, such as Galaxy Note III, from August, the impact to suppliers will be minimal."

The word on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 so far has included a possible metal chassis, a 6.3- or 5.99-inch display, Android Key Lime Pie, a super-powerful octa-core chipset, 3GB of RAM and a 13MP camera.

• Find out everything we've heard about the Note 3 so far here

Any surprises left, Samsung? We're hoping to find out in August, or at IFA 2013 which takes place in September.