Perhaps this won’t come as a surprise considering some of the other disappointing tidbits we’ve heard lately about Google’s forthcoming Pixel flagship. Not only will the phone come at a premium, it appears more with every new leak that it won’t be much of a premium phone no matter the cost. The latest is word (via Android Police) that the phone won’t be waterproof — it’ll only be rated at IP53…
Among the features people came to love about the Galaxy S5 that were removed in the big design overhaul brought by last year’s S6, water resistance was possibly the most noticeable. The plastic ruggedness of the S5 was replaced in favor of a sleeker, more elegant design. But with the Galaxy S7, Samsung managed to bring back the best of both worlds, delivering a gorgeous-looking device with all the functional utility provided by IP68 certification.
In order to protect the phone, it looks like Samsung has built an internal safeguard which is triggered any time remains of water are spotted in the proximity of the microUSB hole. The phone shows a message “moisture detected in the charging port,” which could potentially prevent both the handset and the cable to malfunction or fry altogether. It sounds like a handy feature to have…
When the Xperia Z family first launched a few years ago, Sony proudly advertised their waterproof capabilities. For almost every generation of phone, up until this year, the hardware manufacturer used imaged of phones being used to take photos in swimming pools, or in the sea, as a way to sell its products. They’ve even come with some impressive-sound IP-rated certificates to prove their durability under water. And, while the the Xperia Z5 range comes with IP68 rated waterproofing, you might want to refrain from taking them to the beach to take your own underwater pics…
Sony this morning announced their latest entry into the tablet market with a super-slim device called the Xperia Z4 Tablet, as well as an update to the mid-range Xperia M smartphone series, the Xperia M4. The former claims to be the world’s slimmest 10-inch tablet, packs a 2K-resolution display, and has the Snapdragon 810 (the chip in many of this year’s flagship smartphones) built inside. The Xperia M4 is a “no compromises” smartphone that packs waterproofing with some decent spec bumps.
For the third quarter, HTC has announced that it earned $21 million in profit on revenue of $1.37 billion. Although this is a huge improvement over the hundred million dollar loss they reported in the year-ago quarter, the company remains in a shaky financial situation. Most of the return to profitability is accounted for by a drastic cost-cutting policy rather than increases in device sales.
Sales actually fell 8% in September year-on-year, following a 33% fall in July and a 10% improvement in August. Apple and Samsung remain fierce competition for the Taiwanese company, despite good hardware advancements in the HTC One M8.
Granted that isn’t Samsung’s official reason for launching the ruggedized version of the Galaxy Tab, which is both water and dust resistant, and protected against 1.2 metre drops. Samsung says that the Galaxy Tab Active is likely to appeal to business users who need to use tablets in places like construction sites and transport depots.
Along with the protective casing, the device has what is described as a tougher C-Pen stylus. You might wonder how many Galaxy Tab variants are needed, but the company says that it consulted with Fortune 500 companies to determine what was needed from a professional tablet … Expand Expanding Close
With just about everyone in the tech industry getting in on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for ALS (including Apple’s own Tim Cook and Dr. Dre), Samsung decided it would also be an appropriate time to mock the iPhone and others in the process. Expand Expanding Close
Sony has a knack for producing waterproof devices, so much in fact, the outfit recently released a set of aquatic-friendly applications. Today, the company announced release plans for a water resistant version of its Xperia M2, aptly named the M2 Aqua. Set to launch sometime this fall, this IP65/68 rated waterproof smartphone is ready to battle the elements.
It’s no surprise that Samsung’s IP67 certified Galaxy S5 can survive an extended stay underwater, but what about the LG G3? Well, on paper the G3 isn’t built to withstand any amount of water torture, but a surprising new video seems to prove otherwise…
Sprint has made a few announcements today for new devices and services coming to its customers on its Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA prepaid brands. The company announced today that the Samsung Galaxy S III will be landing on both Boost and Virgin beginning in June. Both devices will be available on the two carriers’ no contract plans but Sprint didn’t make any details available for pricing on the device yet.
Also announced today is the waterproof Kyocera Hydro Edge smartphone, a 4.1-inch Android 4.1 device that’s capable of submersion up to 3.28 feet. No exact launch date or pricing as of yet, but Sprint will be making it available through both its Sprint and Boost Mobile brands later this summer.
The app allows users to load cash into their wallet at Boost Mobile stores, send money to 135 countries, and Sprint will also be giving out reloadable Visa prepaid cards for ATM access: Expand Expanding Close
