The Latest Android News

[Poke]

5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy S7 (Edge Plus?) with 12 MP rear camera allegedly photographed

http://www.phonearena.com/news/5.7-...MP-rear-camera-allegedly-photographed_id77082

According to recent rumors, Samsung may be getting ready to release no less than four Galaxy S7 variants - two with regular, flat screens, and two with dual-curve screens (these will, of course, be part of the Edge series).

Yesterday, we showed you what could be the front panel of the regular 5.2-inch Galaxy S7, and today we have a photo that seemingly reveals a 5.7-inch Galaxy S7. Originally posted on Reddit, the photo - seen on the left - appears to be showing a 5.7-inch screen (with 1440 x 2560 pixels) that's curved - so this might be the Galaxy S7 Edge Plus.

The new image also suggests that this 5.7-inch Galaxy S7 is using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset (which includes a powerful Adreno 530 GPU), and comes with 4 GB of RAM. Moreover, the handset seems to feature a 5 MP front-facingcamera, and a 12 MP rear camera. A couple of months ago, we heard that Samsung was working on a new 12 MP camera (with a sensor larger than the one included in the 16 MP cameras of the Galaxy S6 family), so we won't be surprised if this really ends up being used for the Galaxy S7 series. A larger sensor usually means higher image quality, even if the pixel resolution is a bit lower, so the new 12 MP camera shouldn't be a downgrade from the old 16 MP one.


Naturally, for now, we can't confirm any of the details above. But Samsung is likely going to announce the Galaxy S7 line-up next month, at MWC 2016, so we'll see then if this 5.7-inch S7 Edge Plus is real or not.

source: Reddit via Cellphones.com.vn, Nowhereelse.fr (translated)

 

[Poke]

Android Auto will be available in select 2016 Fiat Chrysler vehicles

http://www.androidcentral.com/select-cars-fiat-chrysler-will-support-android-auto-2016

Fiat Chrysler has become the latest car maker to officially announce its support of Android Auto. It revealed as part of its CES 2016announcements that a select number of its vehicles will have Android Auto support sometime in 2016.

Details of that support are scarce at the moment, but Fiat Chrysler did say that the support will be included with its new fourth-generation UConnect systems with its 8.4-inch screen, along with a select number of other cars. Specific details, such as a launch date and the actual car models, have yet to be revealed. However, UConnect will be demoed at CES inside the 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit. This news comes a few hours after Ford revealed Android Auto supportfor all of its 2017 car models.

 

[Poke]

Samsung's Galaxy S7 phones may bring back microSD and water resistance

http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/4/10709444/samsung-galaxy-s7-microsd-storage-ip67-water-resistance

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S7 phones (both the regular and the curved-screen variants) will include expandable storage via microSD and IP67 water resistance, according to a report at VentureBeat. The S7 phones will also reportedly have larger batteries. That's in addition to the pressure-sensitive screen we heard about a few weeks ago. Adding back in expandable storage, water resistance, and a bigger (though not replaceable) battery is a kind of return to traditional Samsung form.

The Galaxy S6, its 2015 flagship, won some well-deserved praise for its design, but power users were unhappy with its battery life and storage options. It wouldn't be fair to say Samsung is turning back the clock on its design this year, but if these specs turn out to be true it's at least a sign that the company knows what its most dedicated users want — and plans on delivering it.


VentureBeat also reports that Samsung is changing up the camera on the S7, dropping the megapixel count down to 12 (while presumably improving low-light performance). It should also be flush with the rest of the phone, eliminating the camera bump. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported some of those details, along with the possibility that the S7 is coming in two variants: a regular version and a curved-screen Edge version that both look "largely similar" to the S6. It may be that the Edge variant won't be available in the smaller, 5.1-inch size, instead only coming at a larger 5.5-inch screen size. Both variants will likely use USB Type-C for its connector as well.

Samsung expected to release the S7 later this spring, probably at Mobile World Congress in February — though it's always possible the company will try to hold its own dedicated event to give the phone a bigger splash.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Micro SD capability is a necessity for me.

 

[Poke]

Micro SD capability is a necessity for me.

Yeah 64GB is more than enough for me heck I still had space left on my prior 32GB device I just don't store that much on a device and most of my data is music..

 

[Poke]

Details of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge emerge

http://www.neowin.net/news/details-of-the-samsung-galaxy-s7-and-s7-edge-emerge

Now, in the build up to what will be one of the first major conferences of 2016, Mobile World Congress (MWC), a source updated us all on Samsung’s plans, detailing some of the specs of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. According to the source, we are going to get the following:

• Storage & Memory – microSD card support for both handsets and a 1GB increase in RAM
• Battery – increased battery size
• Camera – MP count down, but better lens included (likely a better sensor to maintain image quality)

We didn't include the S6 edge in our comparison table, but the improvements to battery, storage, memory and camera are the same as the S6. There's no word on a successor to the edge+ just yet.

One major difference touted for the display is the inclusion of AOD, or always-on display, which can show downloaded content, and is said to consume just 1% of the battery per hour.

Design is reported to be nearly identical to the current Galaxy S6 models. We can only speculate slightly different button size or placement to accommodate the slightly changed internals. However the camera “hump” is reported to have gone! Colors are standard fare now, coming in black, white and gold.

We’re sure many of our readers are on the lookout for a new handset, but is there enough there to tempt you to the latest Galaxy model?

Source: Venture Beat | Image courtesy of Hot Digital News

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Will have to see if the Marshmallow upgrade, expected on the S5 in Q1, will boost the phone's functionality enough to want to keep it or make me want to upgrade to the S7. Would like to see my Verizon bill go down when the phone charge is gone.

 

[Poke]

You can now get the Nexus 6P in gold from Best Buy and the Google Store

http://www.androidcentral.com/get-nexus-6p-gold-best-buy-and-google-store-starting-today

Finally, the wait is over. You can now head to Best Buy or the Google Store in the U.S. and get the gold Nexus 6P — a right previously reserved only for those in Japan.

Aside from the champagne-like exterior things are identical on this model of the Nexus 6P — the one caveat being that there won't be a 128GB storage gold model available, just 32 and 64GB. Pricing is set the same, and you'll be able to pick up your gold Nexus 6P today if you're so inclined.

 

[Poke]

The Fossil Q Founder has two new designs; here's a quick look
Looks like a nice device.

http://www.androidcentral.com/fossil-q-founder-has-two-new-designs-heres-quick-look

The Fossil Q Founder Android Wear watch is quite new, but the watchmaker is already iterating on the platform with two new color options — a black and silver metal model with a link bracelet, and a rose gold model with a black leather band. Aside from the new external colors the watches are identical to the first wave of Q Founder models, from the Intel chip inside to the horribly large charging pillow required to juice it up.

The new black metal model is rather sleek, and has a bit of flair because it's a mix of different colors. The main case is a dark silver, and is mounted in a black metal area where the case connects to the links. The band is a brushed black metal, but with a brushed dark silver row of links running down the middle. It seems to be the same design and quality of the all-silver bracelet that was previously available, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. This one will definitely be appealing to a lot of potential Q Founder buyers out there.

The rose gold and black leather model is probably the most polarizing of all the Q Founder color options available, but may work for some people who want to stand out. It's very rose gold, and definitely won't be for everyone. Perhaps a different leather band would help lighten up the look a bit.

 

[Poke]

Casio's WSD-F10 Android Wear smartwatch is rugged, like manly man

http://www.androidcentral.com/casios-wsd-f10-android-wear-smartwatch-rugged-manly-man

asio's product material is heavy on mountains and forests and people wearing parkas, and when you strap on the WSD-F10 (there's that name again) you do sort of get the feeling that you might well have to wrestle a bear at some point during the day. (Or maybe that you want to wrestle a bear, but that's another thing for another time.)

Come to think of it, Casio's brochure also only features the watch on men. And when you strap on the bulky thing, it's immediately clear why. Few smartwatches are made with women in mind, but especially one that's got a MIL-STD-801G rating. It's big. It's bulky. It's WSD-F10.

Once we accept that fact, however, it's clear we've got a pretty serious outdoors-type watch on our hand(s) here.
The WSD-F10 — OK, we're just going to call it the F10 for a while and see if that feels any less silly — is good up to 50 meters underwater, which is a good bit more than most of us out there would fare. It's been tested against shock. And humidity. And solar radiation. And altitude. And temperature. And — OK, Wikipedia to the rescue. Point is this one's meant to be worn outside and banged around and gotten wet.

It's also meant to do things with that 1.32-inch display. You'll find built-in informational apps for hiking — sorry, "trekking" — cycling and fishing. Yes, fishing, which takes advantage of the on-board barometer to feed you information about atmospheric pressure so that you can feed yourself with fish. You've also got compass info, altitude and the usual speed and distance things. It'll come preloaded ViewRanger, MyRadar and Runkeeper to get you started.

 

[Poke]

Lenovo's future Moto phones will all have big displays and fingerprint readers

http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/12/10754184/lenovo-2016-moto-phones-rumor-big-displays-fingerprint

The 2016 lineup of Motorola Moto by Lenovo smartphones will be big across the entire family, according to recent interviews with SVP Chen Xudong. Last year, the Moto X's display was a pretty massive 5.7 inches, and it appears Lenovo is done with any size under 5 inches. So whereas the Moto E and Moto G have typically been decent choices for consumers who dislike phablets, those days may be coming to an end. But don't panic just yet; the Moto G already features a 5-inch screen and is totally manageable. Assuming Lenovo just upsizes the Moto E's 4.5-inch display to around those same dimensions, the lineup could still offer some variety for people with smaller hands.

Lenovo's exec also revealed that future Moto smartphones will include fingerprint sensors. Fingerprint authentication is a big feature of Android 6.0 Marshmallow— and we know the Motorola Nexus 6 was once planned to include a sensor — so this doesn't really come as much of a surprise. But it's good to know that Lenovo is finally coming around after keeping fingerprint-tied features off its 2015 roster of Motorola hardware.


Both of these design changes (plus a new brand) mean that the next Moto phones could look substantially different from their predecessors. But it's the same team behind them, according to Motorola CEO Rick Osterloh, so hopefully all the things consumers have come to love — Moto Maker, water-resistant design, etc. — will carry forward as well.

 

[Poke]

Samsung may launch Galaxy S7 edge, edge+ variants alongside standard S7

http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-may-launch-galaxy-s7-edge-edge-variants-alongside-standard-s7

Samsung will host its next Unpacked event on February 21, which is when we'll likely see theGalaxy S7 make its debut. It looks like the manufacturer will launch the Galaxy S7 edge and the Galaxy S7 edge+ at the same time, according to an image posted by serial leaker Evan Blass.

Honestly surprised by this (though it does explain a lot). pic.twitter.com/B7fL41qShm

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 12, 2016
With Samsung seeing higher-than-expected demand for the edge model last year, it is likely the vendor is looking to capitalize on the dual-curved screen option by introducing the edge+ variant at the same time. Rumors suggest that Samsung will stick to a 5.1-inch screen size for the Galaxy S7 and the S7 edge, with the S7 edge+ featuring a 5.7-inch display. This year's models are expected to feature the microSD slot and larger batteries.

Would you guys be interested in the edge+ variant if it debuted at the same time as the standard Galaxy S7?

 

[Poke]

Confirmed: Samsung changes Galaxy Note 5 internals to fix upside-down S Pen issue

http://www.androidcentral.com/confi...-note-5-internals-fix-upside-down-s-pen-issue

Company confirms it has changed the Note 5's internals to stop its stylus getting stuck

Back around the time that the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 first went to market, a few unfortunate owners found that inserting the S Pen the wrong way around would result in a permanently jammed stylus. The culprit? The new clicky mechanism of the updated S Pen getting stuck on an internal switch designed to detect the pen's presence.

Now, following reports in the past day that a subsequent Note 5 hardware revision has fixed the problem, we've confirmed with Samsung that this is indeed the case.


"Samsung can confirm that the Note5 internal S Pen mechanism has been changed to avoid the issue caused by inserting the S Pen incorrectly," A Samsung spokesperson told Android Central. "As always, we recommend following proper instructions for storing the S Pen."

Of course there's still no way to tell whether your Note 5 has the updated internals — at least not without jamming the S Pen in there the wrong way around, or taking it apart. Nor is Samsung saying exactly when this hardware fix was first implemented. So for now, you're best off heeding Samsung's advice, and making sure your S Pen is docked pointy end first.

 

[Poke]

Leaked photos show the LG G5 locked inside a secure case

http://www.androidcentral.com/lg-g5-strutting-its-stuff-leaked-images

The LG G5 is soon to be upon us — we're at least expecting to see something at MWC — and already new photos are making their way online to reveal just what LG's next flagship smartphone will look like. Kind of. Unfortunately, the shots that are reportedly of the phone show the unit secured in a case. That said, one can still gaze at the USB Type-C connector, massive display and more.

These images were shared by Droid Life:

 

[Poke]

Samsung Galaxy S7 rumored launch in the U.S. on March 11

http://www.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s7-rumored-launch-us-march-11

According to a new leak, it appears as though March 11 is possibly the date when the Samsung Galaxy S7 will release in the U.S. The information comes from Evan Blass (evleaks), a source who has a mixed track record when it comes to leaked information. Beyond the date of March 11, no additional details were provided.

Starting to look like a Friday, March 11th Galaxy release in the U.S.

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 22, 2016
It is not know if or when Samsung would hold an announcement event for the Galaxy S7 at this time. Be sure to keep it locked right here to stay up to date on all the latest Galaxy S7 news.

 

[Poke]

Android 6.0 Marshmallow updates reportedly approved by Samsung and await carrier release

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Andr...-by-Samsung-and-await-carrier-release_id77711

Samsung's update timeline for Android 6.0 Marshmallow has been somewhat in flux (if you want to be kind about it). The company has been pretty tight-lipped about when users should be expecting the software update, but that hasn't stopped internal documents from leaking and showing what Samsung had planned for the roadmap.
The original leaked roadmap had the Samsung Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ as the first devices planned to get Marshmallow as soon as December 2015, with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge in January 2016, and the Note 4 and Note 4 Edge in February. That obviously never happened, though we did see a leak of the Note 4 Marshmallow update in December along with beta tests for the updates. Though, you might notice that we're now closing in on the end of January and we still haven't seen the expected updates.

A new roadmap claims that we won't have to wait too much longer though. According to the leaked document, the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ are still planned to be the first devices to get Marshmallow, and the new ETA is February. After that, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are slated for the February/March time frame, while the Galaxy S5, Note 4 and Note Edge are all pushed to March/April.
Time will tell if this leak is any more accurate than the last ones. However, rumor has it that all of the updates have been approved by Samsung and are now just waiting on carrier testing before getting released to users.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

I stick with Android for the customization and personalization -- I like having my calendar on my home screen. But Apple does it better with firmware upgrades, that's for sure.

 

[Poke]

I stick with Android for the customization and personalization -- I like having my calendar on my home screen. But Apple does it better with firmware upgrades, that's for sure.

I think Android does a really good job considering how many different manufacturers they have to push things out to which is a lot more complicated compare to Apple. Apple is just that there not much there you have red and green that's about it just one set of hardware is all so it's way easier for them to do them without as many issues occurring.

 

[Poke]

LG’s next flagship phone will stand out with a unique accessory slot

http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/27/10839652/lg-g5-magic-slot-flagship-smartphone

Yesterday's earnings report from LG painted a bleak picture of the company's mobile business, which hasn't generated meaningful profit since about this time last year, and even then it was only moderately successful. Sources familiar with LG's plans now tellThe Verge that the company is going for a fundamental redesign with its next flagship smartphone, the LG G5. Unlike the G3 and G4 (pictured above) that preceded it, the G5 will not be an evolution of its forebears — it will look and feel "nothing like" those earlier Android smartphones.

The operating system won't be changing, of course, but LG's new flagship will have a significantly altered design, with our sources confirming it will feature a new accessory slot at the bottom, as first reported by Evan Blass over at VentureBeat. CNET Korea followed up with some renders showing the slot as essentially a cartridge receptacle that would make the battery user-replaceable, but we haven't been able to confirm the specific functions of this new slot. In any case, it will be a focal point for LG's efforts to differentiate the G5.

Another change in design for LG will be the relocation of the volume buttons from the back of the handset to the side, with the latter spot being a much more common and familiar one for most users. A number of G5 case leaks have suggested that the shifting of the volume buttons has been done, at least in part, to allow room for the addition of a second rear-facing camera. We've not been able to confirm that information yet, nor the reported "all-metal design" for the G5, though it does appear as though most of the early revelations and leaks about this handset have been accurate.


The G5 will be the first of two flagship smartphones for LG in 2016, and its launch date has already been scheduled for February 21st at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. It will be vying for the spotlight with Samsung's anticipated Galaxy S7, which marks yet another strategic change for LG. The company's flagship G series has traditionally been introduced a few months after Samsung's latest Galaxy flagship, allowing for some breathing room between the two, but it seems like LG has now decided to go directly against its nemesis.

Whether this newfound courage proves propitious or not will depend in large part on how LG uses the G5's enigmatic new accessory slot. At a time of growing nostalgia for old technology and boredom with smartphone spec wars, perhaps LG's new cartridges could be just what a phone company needs to stand out. We'll find out at MWC.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Seems we're approaching diminishing returns in smartphones. I have a Samsung S5 with Verizon. Unless some of the new phones are vast improvements in responsiveness, screen brightness, call quality, battery life and other real-life functions, I would just as soon pay off my phone and let my bill go down by thirty bucks.