Writing for VentureBeat, notorious leaker Evan Blass has revealed new details of HTC’s next flagship device. The One M10, codenamed the Perfume, will have a Snapdragon 820 processor and quite interestingly will be returning to using an UltraPixel camera.
Xiaomi has already confirmed that it will reveal its next flagship smartphone, the Mi 5, at a media event in Barcelona during MWC next month. While we know when the phone will be launched, and that it will be equipped with a Snapdragon 820 processor, little else is close to confirmed. Even the design has been something of a mystery since all we’ve seen so far is a couple of sketchy leaks and a supposed render.
Today, further evidence has risen suggesting the earlier render was accurate. Images posted by well-known leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer show what appears to be a warehouse with multiple empty white boxes stacked on a pallet, seemingly ready for shipment to assembly lines.
The boxes themselves show a device almost identical to the previous renders, and shows them in four different fashionable colors: gold, pink, white and black.
Design-wise, the devices look very much like a Galaxy S6 with its rounded metal frame plus the glass front and back panels. The glass curves towards the edges on the back, similar to the design of the Note 5. As a reminder, these are the earlier leaks which claimed to show the Mi 5’s form factor previously:
While the company has been expectedly vague with any details regarding the Mi 5, we are expecting a device with specs to match most of the top flagship phones for 2016. The SD820-powered device is rumored to feature a Quad HD display, as well as an advanced f/2.2 aperture 16MP camera with 4K video recording. If it’s anything like previous Xiaomi devices, it will cost considerably less than the Galaxy S7, which Samsung is allegedly planning to launch during the first quarter of this year.
Not long ago, Xiaomi’s co-founder indicated we should expect to see its next flagship, the Mi 5, launch sometime after the Spring Festival (also known as Chinese New Year). The only other fact we knew for sure was that it will be powered by Qualcomm’s newest processor, the Snapdragon 820, which is being built using Samsung’s 14nm FinFET process.
While there’s no guarantee that these are definitive, or accurate, there have been a couple more leaks pointing towards what we should expect from the Mi 5 and when we should expect to see it…
As unusual rumors go, this is up there with the best of them. According to CNET Korea‘s sources, LG is planning and testing a G5 design featuring an all-metal structure, but with a semi-modular design for removing and replacing the battery.
The LG G5 is expected to be announced right before MWC next month, after the company sent out invitations to press for an event on February 21st in Barcelona.
Recent rumors surrounding the upcoming Galaxy S7 have indicated that we’re expecting to see two different sized smartphones. Whether it’s going to be a 5.1-inch and 5.7-inch, or 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch screen (or combination of) depends on which rumors you’ve been reading. One seemingly constant rumor has been that the Galaxy S7’s dual-curve variant, the S7 Edge, will have a larger screen than the regular S7. Today’s leak suggests those rumors might be inaccurate.
A Weibo user published an AnTuTu Benchmark information screenshot for a device with model number SM-G935A. For those unaware, the upcoming Galaxy S7 allegedly has two model numbers: SM-G930 and SM-G935. The latter of those is the Edge variant. The ‘A’ at the end of this model could indicate that it’s an AT&T variant, or at least, a particular variation built for specific carriers/markets.
Looking at the specs above, the benchmark suggests the S7 Edge will indeed have a 5.1-inch screen, not 5.5″ or 5.7″. If true, this could mean Samsung is releasing two phones with the same sized-screens which makes a lot more sense than releasing a competitor to the S6 Edge Plus so soon after it landed. It could also mean that Samsung is releasing more than two variants of the S7. There has been vague speculation that the Korean tech giant will release 3-4 different models this year, but none of it has been even close to concrete.
Other claimed specs include the Snapdragon 820 processor, Quad HD resolution screen, 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Perhaps most interesting, however, is the 12MP camera. It’s a significantly lower resolution camera sensor than the one found in the S6 and Note 5, which boasts 16 million pixels. That said, it’s widely expected that this 12MP sensor will use Samsung’s new BRITECELL technology which produces much better quality photos, in a sensor that’s much smaller. This would make more room for other components, like the larger battery. It would also mean the protruding camera housing on the back would be visibly smaller.
As with any leak, it’s worth noting that even those which look legitimate come with the caution that they might not be genuine. File this under ‘sketchy, but interesting’ for now.
With Samsung expected to launch its next flagship Galaxy S lineup within the next couple of months, the frequency and number of leaks is increasing. Over the past 24-48 hours there have been a few notable leaks showing off the front panel of the redesigned smartphone, along with specifications and models numbers of the next generation Galaxy devices…
The BlackBerry PRIV has officially been on the market now for a couple of months, and is seen by many as the device which will make or break the Canadian smartphone-maker. While the first ever Android-powered BlackBerry has been available from AT&T and Verizon for a little while now, the US’ #3 carrier T-Mobile, is yet to start selling the device through its own official retail chains. That could all be about to change according to a leaked roadmap obtained by PhoneArena.
The calendar details retail launches and events T-Mobile staff need to be aware of and prepare for. The January roadmap clearly indicates that employees should be preparing for a ‘BlackBerry Venice Launch’ on January 26.
Having dealt with leaks from T-Mobile like this a lot in the past, I can say it certainly looks like the genuine article, and there’s little to suggest it’s not legitimate. But with every leak comes the usual note of caution. Plans can — and often do — change. T-Mo has been known to change things up because of leaks, or because they’re simply not ready when they thought they would be.
With T-Mobile’s recent comments on BlackBerry, it’s clear the company has a lot of time for the former smartphone giant and plans to offer its products. Following a very public fallout, the two firms finally made up when the carrier officially started selling the BlackBerry Classic a few months back. Now it seems T-Mo is willing to offer more of the manufacturer’s wares on its store shelves.
Yesterday, a report stated Samsung would look to make the regular and ‘Edge’ versions of the Galaxy S7 in two different sizes. While the Galaxy S7 would features a 5.2-inch screen, it’s reported that the S7 Edge will have a larger 5.5-inch display with curved secondary screens on either side of the screen. A leaked schematic — created by Shai Mizrachi and published afterwards by Android Authority — reveals a little more detail, and shows the size differences more clearly.
In the leak, the S7 and S7 Edge are shown alongside the current Galaxy S6 and, perhaps of most interest, is that the S7 has the same dimensions as the S6, despite having a larger screen. This would indicate that Samsung has worked a little on trimming down the bezel further. It’s also interesting to note, the S7 appears to have curves near the edges on the back, similar to the Galaxy Note 5, presumably to make it more comfortable to hold.
As for the difference between S7 and S7 Edge dimensions, the schematic indicates we’ll see a 2.5mm difference in width and 8mm difference in height.
There are a couple of other tidbits worth noting. Firstly, the metal frame shown in the top-down view suggests Sammy is changing the design somewhat. The S7, as previously mentioned, has bigger curves on the back, while the S7 Edge has them on the front. What’s more, the camera protrusion appears much smaller on the upcoming models, while the IR blaster seems to have been removed completely.
Otherwise, it’s very much the same from Samsung. As previously rumored, the design doesn’t look as though it’ll change much from this year’s form factor.
With Samsung having launched its Galaxy A-series phones for 2016 and BLU launching the first sub-$100 1080p smartphone at the end of this year, it looks as though the trend of releasing premium-looking smartphones at affordable prices is set to continue in to 2016. One company known for releasing great, affordable smartphones is Oppo, and the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is about to launch its next small, powerful and budget-friendly smartphone…
With only a couple of months (or possibly weeks) left until Samsung reveals its Galaxy S lineup for 2016, a bunch of cases for the unreleased phone have shown up online. Some cheap cases now on sale from DHGate.com allegedly fit the S7 and S7 Plus…
There are many leakers who use Twitter to dispense information, but there is now a leaker on Reddit who claims to know the LG G5’s specifications. While this is definitely sketchy, the rumor is given a small amount of validity as it features a purported picture of the G5’s dual-camera setup…
A short while ago a hands on video and promotional poster leaked indicating that Samsung will be launching a bigger version of its Galaxy A-series smartphone for 2016. It shared the same design language and some of the same specifications of the recently launched Galaxy A3, A5 and A7, albeit in a larger package. Although it’s yet to be officially announced by Samsung, the A9 has appeared on TENAA, suggesting a launch is right around the corner…
HTC hasn’t officially announced the One X9 yet and already it’s seen its fair share of press coverage. An official TENAA listing gave away the important information a few weeks ago, while a more recent leak showed the handset in more detail. Over on Chinese tech site, iMobile, there is what appears to be an insanely in-depth article, multiple pages long, going over everything from hardware to software, benchmarks and everything in between…
This year’s Moto X has only been out for a couple of months, and already we’re seeing rumors and leaks for next year’s models. While that’s not exactly surprising, it’s always worth taking any early leaks and images with a suitable amount of skepticism. What appears to be an early machined prototype dummy has leaked online and suggests Motorola might go with a new design for next year’s Moto X, switching from a metal pill-shaped panel to a glass, circular enclosure. Unlike last year’s model, the dual LED flash is placed in a segment at the bottom of this panel, rather than in a translucent ring around the camera module.
HTC has taken something of a new direction recently — following the likes of Huawei and OnePlus — in delivering premium-looking smartphones with mid-range prices. Its latest phone, the One A9 aims to deliver a flagship experience at a lower price. Its upcoming One X9 is likely to be a slight step down from that, but more importantly, it’s a step up and possibly step away from its plastic-body Desire range…
Rumors about Samsung’s next mid-range metal smartphone have been circling the web for a few months now. While most has been speculation and sketchy leaks, the device has finally made an official pre-launch appearance on TENAA, China’s equivalent of the FCC. As usual, the listing comes with the customary front, back and side profile images as well as a collection of important specifications…
Having recently shown up on TENAA, China’s certification body for consumer electronics, the metal version of Xiaomi’s flagship Redmi Note 2 has been teased by the company’s co-founder. As we’ve already seen from the TENAA images, the press render shows a device with a metal back panel, adding a more premium look to the range which, so far, has only been available in a variety of colored plastics…
It seems HTC isn’t quite done this year, as the One X9 looks to be close to a launch sometime sin the near future. As we suspected when rumored (unbelievable) specs were published, it’s not going to be competing with the next year’s flagships, but is built to compete with large mid-tier Android phones…
Back in August, Xiaomi launched the colorful plastic Redmi Note 2 phablet. The device featured a powerful 64-bit octa-core Helio X10 processor along with a full HD 5.5-inch screen, dual SIM support, 13MP Samsung camera and a huge 3,060mAh battery. On the specification side, the phone seems like a winner. Apparently, it just didn’t look like one. A leaked set of images from TENAA (China’s FCC equivalent) reveals the company is about to launch an almost all-metal version with a fingerprint sensor.
Update: A new leak corroborates the front design of the A9, although the back makes it look a lot like the Huawei Nexus 6P. Image at the bottom of this post.
Having recently launched the iPhone-lookalike One A9, HTC looks set to release yet another One-series phone. A leaked press image on Weibo suggests that HTC will be releasing a new phone with BoomSound speakers in tow. The One X9 poster uses typically vague strap lines like ‘pursuit of brilliance’ and ‘packed with city smarts’, right in line with what we expect from most manufacturers. Given its in English (and assuming it’s genuine) it hints at a launch in English-speaking markets…
Huawei is on something a roll this year. Having recently released its first Nexus device, overtaken Xiaomi as the top smartphone vendor in China and secured the third highest number of smartphone shipments globally, it’s all going swimmingly for the Chinese manufacturer. But its year isn’t over yet. According to its official handle on Weibo, Huawei is preparing to announce another device…
Value for money in the smartphone industry has never been as good as it is now. As OnePlus revealed last week, it’s possible to bring specifications which we’d have considered top-tier just 12-18 months ago and sell them in a device half the price of today’s flagship phones. Samsung, it seems, is keen to follow suit with the follow up to its Galaxy A5. A benchmark result over at GFXBench suggests that we’ll see a phone — model number SM-A510F — launched by the Korean tech giant with a full HD screen…
The BlackBerry PRIV is officially on its way after months of leaks, but despite announcing that it is coming, BlackBerry hasn’t been forthcoming about the device’s full features or spec list. Still, thanks to some recent leaks and launch of its pre-order page, we have a good idea of what to expect. The latest leak — posted to CrackBerry’s forums — shows off the purpose of the PRIV’s curved screen edges…
OnePlus’ next handset has been the subject of many a post in recent days and weeks. Dubbed the OnePlus X, one of the only things we’ve been unclear on is the price. We’ve known all along that it won’t be a OnePlus 2 replacement, but rather, a more budget-friendly phone. A poster leaked by MyDrivers suggests the price will be 1699 Chinese Yuan, roughly $267 USD at time of writing…