Hot Android News: Desember 2013

Sony rumored to consider launching a WP device in 2014

According to a report in The Information, Sony is planning to add another OS to its stable of mobile devices. The tech giant is allegedly considering the launch of a Windows Phone device in 2014.

Reportedly, a future Sony smartphone running Windows Phone will be launched as early a mid-2014 as part of the Vaio product line. The latter is well-established by making hardware running Microsoft Windows for quite some time.

A Windows Phone device from Sony’s mobile unit will represent a massive shift from its current state of affairs. All Sony mobile devices are now running Google’s Android OS.

Microsoft on the other hand, after acquiring Nokia devices and services, is still looking for new hardware partners to help it expand the Windows Phone ecosystem. A possible path to a Sony partnership for Microsoft would be lowering the Windows Phonen licensing fees. Currently, the Redmond giant’s mobile platform is all but synonymous with the Finnish company’s products.

Sony had a Windows Phone 7 prototype in the past. The Japanese company hasn’t officially launched a mobile phone with Windows OS from the days of Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, X2, and Aspen.

Source (registration required) | Via

Moto G is coming to Verizon for $100 off-contract

Just when we thought that the price of the Moto G couldn't get any lower, it did just so. The handset's price tag got knocked down to $100, therefore making it the best spec'd Android phone for the money.

Don't get too excited however, as this offer is currently only available for the Verizon-only version of the Moto G, so anyone who resides outside of the US will be out of luck. The Los Angeles Times reported the lower priced CDMA variant of the Moto G, indicating that it will be sold through Best Buy retailers all over the US.

Best Buy spokesperson Jonathan Sandler confirmed the news: "The phone is currently landing in stores and is available for sale as soon as it arrives."

If you're interested in the Moto G and are currently living in the US, you may want to consider picking one up and using it with Verizon's new and more affordable prepaid smartphone plans.

Our team wishes you a Happy New Year 2014!

It's time to bid a farewell to the year 2013 and when we look back at our work in the past 12 months, we are proud of where they took us. Of course, the credit goes to you, our loyal readers for supporting us.

According to the independent internet statistics Alexa.com, our website is now one among the Top 350 websites across the globe (currently at the 334th spot) and we are very thankful to you for pushing us all the way up.

We have been working round the clock to improve the browsing experience for all our users. We moved to CDN servers, which tangibly reduces the page load times, to make your stay pleasant.

Our blog has seen a significant rise in the past year with our extended coverage that had news from all sorts of tech fields. We are also happy to share that our exclusive features such as phone unboxing and battery tests are among the most popular stories out there.

We are thankful to all our readers who favor our video reviews in our YouTube video channel. In the past year alone, our channel ramped up more than 13 million views and we're growing from strength to strength.

The biggest boost came from our social networks and our Facebook community more than doubled to 670,000 members. We also enhanced our presence on Twitter and have more than 60,000 followers in a matter of few months.

It was a great year for news reporting as well and we managed to cook nearly 2,200 news articles along with 1,400 blog posts in 2013. We also published almost 180 of our customary in-depth reviews.

We hope to get off to a flying start in the year 2014 with one of the most popular events just around the corner. Starting from January 7, we will be reporting live from the Consumer Electronics Show in the US and we will also bring you the live coverage from the Mobile World Congress a couple of months later.

Once again, we thank you for your support in 2013 and we promise to work even harder to bring you some great things in 2014. So, we hope you will stick around to witness all the new stuff.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones, we wish you happiness, peace and success. Cheers!

The GSMArena team

Android 4.4 coming to 10 Micromax smartphones

The Indian cell phone manufacturer Micromax doesn't immediately come to mind as a top player in the cell phone game, but it is sure putting forth an effort to keep its Android handsets up to date.

An internal document reveals that the number 2 Indian cell phone maker will upgrade 10 of its handsets to Kit Kat: the A250, A240, A210, A200, A116, A116, A116i, A111, A110Q, and A110. The leak doesn't indicate a timeframe for the updates, however.

New Year KitKat Surprise! ETA unspecified. #SurpriseCANGiftHappiness pic.twitter.com/w5IcQLpe4v

— @MMXNewscaster (@MMXNewscaster) December 29, 2013

Micromax is best known for its Canvas series of phones. The upcoming Canvas Turbo is being heavily promoted with the help of Hugh Jackman, which most of you probably know as the Wolverine. The Australian actor was named the company's brand ambassador back in October.

Celebrity endorsements aside, Micromax should expect a steady growth if it continues to produce quality handsets, with constant updates, at affordable prices.

XOLO Q3000 goes official with 5.7" display and 4000mAh battery

The Indian manufacturer of mobile devices XOLO sent 2013 off by launching a new model. The company took the wraps off the XOLO Q3000 - a dual-SIM Android 4.2 Jelly Bean phablet with massive 5.7” FullHD IPS display.

XOLO Q3000 press photos (click to enlarge)

The XOLO Q3000 is powered by MTK 6589 Turbo SoC with 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and PowerVR SGX544 GPU. The device features 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in memory which can be further expanded via microSD card slot.

The main camera of the XOLO Q3000 is a 13MP unit with BSI 2 sensor, capable of recording 1080p video. A 5MP snapped with BSI+ sensor sits at the front.

Connectivity features of the XOLO Q3000 include quad-band GSM, tri-band WCDMA, USB 2.0, MHL, USB OTG, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot functionality. The device is equipped with accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, ambient light, and proximity sensor.

The measures of the XOLO phablet are 164.8 x 81.6 x 8.9mm. The device is powered by a massive 4000mAh battery.

The XOLO Q3000 is available in black or white color scheme for 20,999 ($339). It will ship with a free flip cover and OTG cable in the retail box.

NSA is able to install spyware on all iPhones

A leaked NSA document proves that the agency is capable of easily deploying spyware on all iPhones and can have access to user data including SMS messages, contacts, and even a user's location by utilizing cell tower information. What's even scarier is that the NSA can remotely access an iPhone's camera and microphone that is infected with the spyware.

According to the leaked intel, the initiative, named DROPOUT JEEP, began in October of 2008. The document delineates that the NSA would need physical access to the device in order to install the software, which doesn't sound too bad.

However, the German Magazine, Der Spiegel, which also published the DROPOUT JEEP data, believes that the NSA rerouted shipments of brand new iPhones before they went out to consumers to install the spyware. Even worse, there was some speculation a while back from Edward Snowden, that suggests Apple may have allowed the NSA access to their products. The news was reported by Jacob Applebaum, who has a more detailed lecture (that he gave yesterday) about DROPOUT JEEP and the state of cell phone spyware today. You can watch it here.

It's harrowing enough to think that the NSA is infecting iPhones without Apple's knowledge. It's even more harrowing if Apple is helping the US government to spy on its customers. We will provide more info on this story as it develops.

Nokia wins an injunction against all HTC devices in Germany

Another one of Nokia’s lawsuits against HTC in Germany ended favorably for the Finnish manufacturer. Nokia won a patent injunction against all Android devices of the Taiwanese manufacturer, including the trio of HTC One devices.

HTC was found to infringe patent number EP1148681. It is related to a method for transferring resource information which allows users to directly connect two HTC devices over Bluetooth or NFC. The patent is deemed not standard-essential, thus meaning that Nokia doesn’t have any FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) obligations.

According to the ruling, Nokia can enforce the injunction on a provisional basis, and recall all infringing HTC devices from the market. In order to do so, the Finnish company must post a bond of €400 million.

HTC is certain to appeal the German court’s decision. The process however, could prove challenging.

Google is also concerned about this litigation. The search giant has filed a nullity complaint which challenges the patent, which can potentially threat the entire Android eco system.

The latest German court ruling comes hot on the heels of another one from earlier this month. Another decision on the case which involves the two companies is expected on January 9, 2014.

HTC has been in a legal tussle with the Finnish company in the United Kingdom as well. It managed to get the UK injunction which Nokia won suspended for the time being.

LG reportedly sold three million G2 smartphones

According to a report in Yonhap News quoting local analysts, LG has sold three million G2 smartphones globally since the device's launch. The latest sales number is higher than the previously reported two million units sold by the Korean manufacturer.

One million LG G2 units were sold between August and September - hot on the heels of the flagship's New York City launch. The remaining two million devices got into customers' hands in the last quarter of this year. Out of the three million units, 900,000 are said to be sold in LG's home market in South Korea.

While three million units is undoubtedly a stellar sales number, LG still has a way to go before it reaches its targets for the G2. Back in September, LG announced its intentions to sell 10 million G2 units.

Source (registration required) | Via

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 photos leaked

We recently posted some pictures of the Ascend Mate 2 from less than ideal angles, but now there is an entire photo gallery dedicated to Huawei's upcoming phablet.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2

The photographer was kind enough to take pictures of the Mate 2 with the original Mate smartphone to give a better idea of the aesthetic changes the Chinese manufacturer put into the newer device. The Mate 2 is slightly thinner and has a more curved backside. The most intriguing updates, however, are under the hood.

A 13MP primary camera, 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, 16GB internal storage, and 2GB RAM. It has been reported, however, that the screen will not be updated on the Mate 2. It will most likely sport the same 6.1 inch, 720p display as the original Mate, which may be a bit disappointing, considering that the screen is the star of the show. Expect the Mate 2 to debut at CES 2014, which takes place from January 7-10. You can check out the leaked photos, courtesy Engadget China, at the source link below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs. Nokia Lumia 1520: Bigger, better, faster

Nokia Lumia 635 Moneypenny to have LTE connectivity

Rumors surrounding the most recent Lumia smartphone in development, codenamed "Moneypenny," continue to come fast and fresh, and the latest one indicates that at least one of the Moneypenny variants will have support for 4G LTE.

The leaked shot comes by way of @evleaks, and shows off the Windows Phone 8 OS running on what is purportedly the Nokia Lumia 635 (as indicated by the time). The icon and antenna clearly shows off a 4G connection in the upper left.

We first heard about Moneypenny last week, when @evleaks again released a screenshot showing off a WP8-powered device with a dual-SIM interface - a first for Windows Phone.

It's assumed that that variant of the Moneypenny will see the light of day as the Nokia Lumia 630, again based on the time in the shot. Due to its dual-SIM configuration, it'll likely be available in emerging markets, while the 4G-capable Lumia 635 is expected to hit more developed regions.

Nokia Lumia 525 goes on sale for $100 in China

Samsung announces 4GB DDR4 mobile DRAM

Samsung has been working hard this holiday season and today announced its 8Gb (that's 1GB) LPDDR4 mobile DRAM chip. This is not only the industry first LPDDR4 mobile DRAM, but it's also the first mobile DRAM to fit such a high density (8 gigabits) on a single die. Four of those dies can successfully be combined for a total of 4GB of mobile memory - an amount that so far has not been achieved commercially.

Fabricated on the 20nm manufacturing process, the new mobile LPDDR4 chips are reportedly 50% faster than the fastest LPDDR3 memory on the market, while also consuming 40% less power at 1.1 volts.

Here's what Young-Hyun Jun, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics said regarding the new product.

This next-generation LPDDR4 DRAM will contribute significantly to faster growth of the global mobile DRAM market, which will soon comprise the largest share of the entire DRAM market

The data transfer speeds the new 8Gb LPDDR4 DRAM chip can achieve are 3,200Mbps per pin - twice the speed of currently produced 20nm LPDDR3 DRAM.

Samsung also hints that the resulting 4GB RAM modules will be included in "UHD smartphones, tablets and ultra-slim notebooks," which says something about the jump in smartphone screen resolution during the next year. Perhaps even the upcoming Galaxy S5 may be one of those UHD smartphones.

Mind you, to utilize that kind of memory, the Galaxy S5 will need a 64-bit CPU architecture. Good thing Samsung promises it's 64-bit SoC will be ready in time for the phone's announcement (usually in the first half of the year).

Asus teases 4-, 5-, and 6-inch smart devices for CES 2014

In anticipation of 2014's first big trade show, Asus is looking to draw some hype to its anticipated smartphone announcements with a second CES teaser. Take a look:

The balls raining down from the sky are labeled with the numbers 4, 5, and 6, which most likely indicate that Asus is preparing smartphones with those display diagonals. The larger size indicates that Asus is looking to enter into the phablet realm, which saw life in 2013, and looks to continue to grow in popularity next year.

In case you missed Asus's first teaser, here it is showing off an upcoming convertible tablet that's speculated to run both Android and Windows in a possible dual-boot configuration.

Be sure to check back with us on January 6 for full coverage Asus's pre-CES press event, as well as full coverage of CES 2014 from Las Vegas from January 7-10.

Samsung to release Galaxy Note 3 Lite by end of Q1 2014

We reported on rumors of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Lite a little while back. To refresh your memory, the Galaxy Note 3 Lite is Samsung's planned lower-end version of its popular Note smartphone. There were also talks of it being leaked in four different variants earlier in the year. Well it seems that the rumors are still alive and it is quite possible that a Note 3 Lite may be released by the end of the first quarter, 2014.

Rumors say that the Note 3 Lite should make use of an LCD of either 5.5 or 5.7 inches. Apparently, the Korean manufacturing giant is testing both sizes. Since it is a "lite" version of the phone, it would be safe to assume that they will go with the smaller screen.

The source of the new rumor is SamMobile's twitter:

SM-N7505 - Samsung GALAXY Note 3 Lite LTE - Green - 2014 W12

— SamMobile (@SamMobiles) December 27, 2013

The tweet also tells us the model name for the LTE version of the smartphone - N7505. It's a safe bet that the non-LTE version will be labeled N7500. The Note 3 model names are N9005 for the LTE version and N9005 for the 3G version.

Specs-wise there isn't much news, but it is thought that the "lite" moniker will replace the "mini" series of phones, as there are rumors of a Samsung Galaxy Grand Lite in the works as well. Like Samsung's mini models, expect a downgrade in tech specs compared to their big brother variants.

LG's Odin octa-core chip benchmarked by AnTuTu

LG's looking to start early in the octa-core chip race, and their processor has just been benchmarked by AnTuTu. The results are good, but not Snapdragon 800 good. It's quite on par with Samsung's octa-core Exynos chipset.

Nicknamed the LG Odin, LG's octa-core chip performed similarly to the quad-core Samsung Exynos 5410. This probably means that the Odin isn't a true octa-core processor, but that it only uses half of the cores at once for the real dirty work, and the other half for menial tasks.

It's also worth mentioning that the AnTuTu benchmark results revealed that the Odin was clocked at a low speed (100 MHz-1GHz). This probably bodes well for the actual every day use of LG's octa-core processor. One, because its performance was that good at these low speeds, and two, it will only get better if it's speed increased when the chip comes to market.

Graphical performance is expected to be great on LG's SoC, as its GPU will be the Power VR Series 6. So gamers interested in potentially getting a G3 in the future can rejoice.

30% of all Windows Phones are Lumia 520 or 521

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you sell a handset with decent specs at an attractive price. As a result of Nokia's aggressive pricing with the Lumia 520 and 521, they now account for 30% of all Windows Phone handsets sold worldwide.

The news was reveled on AdDuplex's Alex Mendelvich's Twitter account. In the US, the 520 has even outdone sales of the Lumia 920, which previously held the number 2 spot.

AdDuplex #WindowsPhone stats teaser: Lumia 520 crosses 30% share worldwide.

— Alan Mendelevich (@ailon) December 28, 2013

If the numbers for the Lumia 520 and 521 are anything to go by, then the Lumia 525 should be a real hit as well. It is nearly identical to the aforementioned two models but for one important difference: it has double the RAM (1GB). This will allow 525 users to enjoy virtually all apps on the Windows Phone marketplace, giving them even more bang for their buck. Let's see if Nokia can win the bargain smartphone race, where it certainly does well now.

Samsung teases more powerful Exynos-powered gadgets at CES

CES is right around the corner - just days after New Year’s Eve, tech companies and journalists will be flooding the halls in Las Vegas. Samsung is bringing along something with Exynos inside.

The Samsung Exynos Twitter account posted the a teaser titled “Flying even higher in 2014”.

#CES2014 is right around the corner. Are you ready to #UnlockExynos?: http://t.co/TnRR07LeIY

— SamsungExynos (@SamsungExynos) December 27, 2013

So, what does #UnlockExynos refer to? True octa-core support on Exynos chipsets is already official, though we have yet to see a real device with one. Other tweets mention “pioneering Widcon Technology”, which offers higher memory bandwidth (to feed those 8 cores). 64-bit support has also been officially promised for 2014.

On a side note, @SamsungExynos is running a promotion, which involves prizes if you tweet #UnlockExynos.

Best Buy drops iPhone 5s to $125, 5c to $0 on contract

Nokia Lumia 1520 now available for just $50 on contract

Judging by its performance in our Smartphone Champions League, the Nokia Lumia 1520 is a favorite to quite a few of our readers. And the great news to those of you based in the US is that the phablet is now available for the tempting $50 on contract through Amazon.

Of course, AT&T is still your only option (unless you pay the full $629 price), but that’s quite a lot of savings to be had if you don’t mind going with it. The promo is available on all available colors of the Nokia Lumia 1520 – black, red and yellow and white, so you don’t need to make any sacrifices there.

Proceed this way if you want to take advantage of the deal and start the New Year with a brand new Nokia phablet.

HTC VP and others indicted in Taiwan for corporate espionage

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, top HTC senior executive and vice president of product design Thomas Chien has been indicted along with five other HTC employees by the Taiwanese courts for corporate espionage. The charges include leaking company secrets, falsifying expense reports, and taking kickbacks.

Chien has been accused of leaking interface designs based on the upcoming Sense 6.0 UI, as well as receiving some 33.57 million New Taiwan dollars ($1.12 million) through kickbacks from suppliers.

HTC has declined to comment on Chien or confirm who the other charged HTC employees are, but released this statement:

"The company expects employees to observe and practice the highest levels of integrity and ethics. Protecting the company’s proprietary and intellectual properties, privacy and security is a core fundamental responsibility of every employee. The company does not condone any violation."

Chien had supposedly leaked the interface designs to a partner he had planned on starting a new business with. Three employees from unidentified HTC suppliers have also reportedly been indicted.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 pictures leak

Someone's been snapping some pictures of Huawei's upcoming Mate 2 handset, and it being 2013, the photos ended up online. Although the shots are taken from less than ideal angles, they give a pretty good impression of the Mate 2's aesthetics.

The original Huawei Ascend Mate is an enormous device with a 6.1 inch screen, so expect the Mate 2 to continue this trend of phablet gigantism.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 leaked photos

We can gather from these leaked Mate 2 pics that Huawei has decided to make some nice cosmetic changes. The device has a curved posterior, akin to the Moto X. Huawei's also given a brushed metal trim to frame the device. Overall, this phone is looking fairly attractive.

Hardware specs are nothing but rumors now, but expect the same 6.1 inch display with a possible bump up to 1080p resolution. Under the hood it seems that a 1.6 GHz quad core processor with 2GB of RAM is likely.

No word has been made on whether or not the Ascend Mate 2 will be available outside of China, but we sure hope so. We'll keep you updated on any further developments.

Nokia Lumia 1320 premiers in China

The Nokia Lumia 1320, Nokia's lower-powered Windows Phone phablet, is launching to customers in China today. And in the coming weeks people will find it in Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries.

The Lumia 1320 is the more affordable version of the Lumia 1520 phablet. It offers the same size screen covered by Gorilla Glass, but cuts corners in display tech, processing and camera by going with a 720p 245 ppi display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 and a 5 MP camera.

Other than that, the big handheld offers the same premium suite of Nokia apps, a super sensitive touchscreen expandable storage and much more. Here's a promo video of the Lumia 1320 that would serve as a nice refresher.

LG, HTC, Huawei set to lose market share due to low sales

Nokia Lumia 2520 review: First take

TCL (Alcatel) announces 2GHz octa-core Idol X+ for $330 in China

TCL has officially announced their newest flagship phone: the Idol X+, and its specs are very impressive. While you may not have heard the name, TCL is the Chinese phone manufacturer that owns and actively uses the Alcatel brand outside China.

We first reported on the Idol X+ back in November. Essentially an update to their Idol X smartphone, the X+ will sport a 2GHz octa-core MT6592 chipset, along with 2GB of RAM. The other thing they've beefed up is the battery: it now stands at 2,500 mAh as opposed to 2,000 mAh. Other than that, the Alcatel Idol X+ has the same 5-inch 1080p IPS display and 13mp camera as it's predecessor.

TCL also upped the ante by including a Boom band with the phone. It's essentially a Bluetooth sports wristband that's available in multiple colors. It allows you to track your performance with fitness applications, use it as a proximity alarm in case your phone gets stolen or you are separated from it, and will work with other Bluetooth applications that take advantage of wearable tech.

Even though the specs of the Idol X+ alone are enough to satisfy any tech junkie, what's most attractive about the idol X+ is the price: $330 unlocked and free from any carrier subscriptions. There's no word as to whether or not the Idol X+ will be available outside of China, but we have our hopes high.

If you're interested in pre-ordering the phone, head to jd.com. The Idol X+ will be available starting January 15th.

LG may release a G-Arch smart watch and a sports band soon

With Samsung making a big push to sell customers wearable devices to pair with their higher end devices, one would expect another certain South Korean manufacturer to jump in on bandwagon, too (cough, LG, cough cough).

Rumor has it that, in concurrence with the launch of the G3, LG will be releasing the G-Arch smart watch and the G-Arch fitness band. The names of the devices are self explanatory, so expect them to have features similar to the Galaxy Gear smart watch and Nike fuel band respectively. In fact, LG had a device akin to Nike's fitness recorder at CES 2013 called the Smart Activity Tracker, so they definitely do have their eyes on wearable tech.

LG hasn't confirmed any specific details on potential wearable devices, but they did confirm that they were planning to release a "wearable product" in the future. A debut at CES 2014 is a safe bet.

Would you be interested in wearable tech from LG? If so, what kind of features would you want? Sound off about it in the comments!

Pepsi teams up with Oppo for a special edition N1

The marriage of soft drink beverages and smartphone technology seems a bit far-fetched to us. That hasn't stopped Pepsi from teaming up with Oppo to release their very own version of the N1.

A Cyanogen Mod edition N1 makes total sense. The team of hackers have been modifying and improving Android software for a very long time now and hackers around the world laud their exploits all across the internet. But a Pepsi edition? Well, that's China for you.

The Chinese Pepsi N1 edition comes in a retail packaging sporting the Pepsi colors, and the phone itself is rocking a back cover with the iconic red, white, and blue logo. There's no word on any special software that will come with the phone, aside from a pre-installed Pepsi theme.

If you're a huge Pepsi fan or want this fizz-inspired cola handset, your only shot at getting one is participating in a dedicated contest, held by Pepsi in China. You know, the usual stuff, buy a Pepsi for your chance to win. If any of our lucky readers happens to win the Pepsi N1, let us know, we'd love to share some live images with our readers!

Nokia Normandy might be an Asha running Android

The rumor mill is churning at full force, and this time, Nokia and Android are the subject of conversation.

Allegedly, the Finnish manufacturer is looking for an operating system to beef up their budget Asha line and Android might end up as their platform of choice.

The first test device making use of the alternative OS is supposedly codenamed Nokia Normandy. If it gets to production, it will be released in a variety of colors (typical of Nokia's lower end offerings) and will have a 4-inch screen and dual SIM support. The product code for the phone is said to be RM-980.

A Nokia Asha feature phone

Development on the Normany is lead by Egil Kvaleberg and Peter Skillman (UI), the same people who brought us the Asha line of phones.

This story should be taken with an entire tablespoon of salt, as getting this sort of a device into production would be highly unlikely considering that Nokia just recently decided to sell its smartphone business to Microsoft and the Finnish company will probably can the entire Asha lineup altogether.

We will keep you up to date with any additional developments on this story.

Oppo Find 7 to have a 5.5-inch screen with 2K resolution

Vulnerability found in Samsung Knox Software

The corporate world has made a substantial migration from the Blackberries of old to iOS and Android. In a scramble to pick up that corporate market share, Samsung created Knox, its own security software designed to fortify Google's OS, and make it secure for business environments. However, a "serious vulnerability" has been found in Knox which could put users' data at risk.

According to cyber security researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, emails and data communications on Samsung devices are among the data susceptible to the exploit. Hackers are able to record and "easily interpret" the data which is supposed to be protected. The worst part of the vulnerability is that a capable malicious attacker could insert hostile code via the breach, thus creating system-wide harm.

The chink in Knox's digital armor was reportedly found earlier this month. Samsung has denied the severity of the vulnerability and has argued that the handset which was tested did not have all of Knox's features installed.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is being considered for use by the US Department of Defense's staff, including internal use in the Pentagon. If a foreign manufacturers' handsets aren't deemed secure, then there is no way the US government will consider using the phones. Samsung could therefore be losing a lucrative government contract if Knox can't make the cut.

NTT DoCoMo bound Tizen smartphone clears FCC

NTT DoCoMo could be the first carrier to offer a Tizen powered device. A smartphone powered by Samsung's own OS with model number SC-03F has obtained FCC certification.

The SC-03F is rumored to feature design which is similar to the current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4. Samsung's upcoming device is said to be 136.1mm long and about 69.1mm wide. There is no word on the hardware specifications at the moment.

Samsung smartphone with Tizen OS has been making rounds in rumorland for quite a while now. The Korean giant is expected to showcase its first Tizen device at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Gold color HTC One Max hits the shelves in Taiwan

A gold color HTC One Max quietly launched in its homeland Taiwan. The new color scheme for the phablet joins the red and black versions which were released earlier this month.

The phablet’s new color scheme is the same as the one of the mass-market gold HTC One which launched in late November. It is finished in gold-colored aluminum, not 18 or 24 carat gold we’ve seen the HTC One Max’s smaller sibling get treated to.

There is no change in the specs of the gold HTC One Max. They include a 5.9” 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon 600 SoC, and 4MP camera.

Source (translated) | Via

We wish you a Merry, Merry Christmas

We hope that you've accomplished everything you've set your mind on during that past year. If not, let 2014 be the year of your personal success. We wish you all the love in the world along with the peace to enjoy it.

We ourselves have been enjoying a wonderful readership from all over the world this past year and we hope to see you all back next year. There are some of you not celebrating Christmas, but we know that the Christmas values are there deep inside everyone. Compassion, sympathy, and love for each other is what makes us humane no matter what God you believe in and how you celebrate it.

So we're sending the warmest Christmas wishes to you and your family. Let Love, Peace and Joy fill your world this Holy season.

The GSMArena team

Gionee Elife E7 Mini goes official with 4.7" screen

Gionee has officially announced the Mini variant of its flagship smartphone, the Elife E7. The E7 Mini comes with a rotatable camera module, which was first seen on the Oppo N1 a while ago. The folks at FoneArena have managed to get their hands on the Gionee Elife E7 Mini and you can check some live photos below.

The Elife E7 sports a 4.7-inch HD display and is powered by the MediaTek MT6592 chipset with 1.7 GHz octa-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. The device features a 13 megapixel swivel camera, 16 GB of inbuilt storage, dual-SIM support and the usual set of connectivity options.

Gionee's latest addition packs a non-removable 2,100mAh battery and comes to you with a price tag of INR 18,999 (about $307).

CyanogenMod Oppo N1 is now selling for $599

Just as promised Oppo is now selling the CyanogenMod N1. The first CyanogenMod retail smartphone is going for $599, which was the initially expected price.

In Europe, the smartphone is selling for €448 for the 16GB version. Just like the regular Oppo N1, this one comes with the O-Click accessory, but in addition will also receive a special CyanogenMod cover as well as a special sticker pack.

If you happen to own the standard Oppo N1, you can go ahead and download the CyanogenMod image that the ROM maker has released today. The second source link below will also give you access to the Kernel image that you'll need to flash in order to install CyanogenMod on your N1.

Currently, the CyanogenMod Oppo N1 is running CyanogenMod 10.2 based on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. However, the team behind the custom ROM is hard at work on CyanogenMod 11 (based on Android 4.4 KitKat) so an update for the N1 is coming shortly.

Source, Source (2)

Apple iOS 7.1 beta 3 now in developers' hands, out in March

According to a report by BGR Apple has commenced the distribution process of iOS 7.1 to developer partners. More specifically, the Cupertino company is currently seeding the Beta 3 version of iOS 7.1, which naturally brings bugfixes and new features.

Sadly, the source of the information hasn't specified what features and bugfixes come with the new release. Additionally, the new Beta 3 isn't yet available to developers, who have just gained access to Beta 2 of the operating system.

While Apple is usually releasing new iterations of iOS to the general public in January, it's said that in 2014 that won't be the case. Rather, the company is eying March as a possible time frame for the release of iOS 7.1. The delay is believed to be caused by the new iOS in the Car feature.

Nokia 'Moneypenny' leak hints at dual SIM Windows Phone

Te acquisition by Microsoft doesn't seem to have hindered Nokia at all as it continues to work on new devices. According to the latest leak by evleaks, Nokia is also working on a dual SIM Windows Phone 8 device.

Codenamed 'Moneypenny', the phone is expected to be a budget device aimed primarily at Asian markets where dual SIM phones are popular. Judging by the time on the screen, the phone could likely be named Lumia 630. Also, we can see that 3G is available on both the SIMs, which is rare as most phones have 3G on one and 2G on the second.

Not much else is known about this phone at the moment other than it would be the first dual SIM Windows Phone device. We'll keep you updated on this device as we learn more.

HP rumored to unveil large-screen Android handsets this month

According to a new report, HP has plans to reenter the smartphone market. The electronics giant allegedly has plans to release large-screen Android smartphones by the end of the year.

The six and seven inch devices are said to be headed to emerging markets such as India, China, the Philippines, etc. Their off contract pricing will reportedly range between $200 and $250.

The new rumor about the return of HP to the smartphone market matches with past reports. The company’s CEO Meg Whitman has also indicated to media that HP will ultimately release a smartphone.

The low-cost orientation of the rumored devices also falls right in line with the company’s budget-friendly Android tablet range. Earlier this month, HP launched a quartet of affordable Android slates.

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Upcoming Geeksphone Revolution to feature an Intel CPU

Geeksphone Revolution, the upcoming smartphone from the Spanish manufacturer, is said to be powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. The current range of Geeksphone smartphones utilizes Qualcomm chipsets, though it looks like the company will be making the shift.

Apart from the processor, Geeksphone Revolution is rumored to sport a 4.7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. The upcoming smartphone will feature an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash, expandable storage and a 2,000mAh battery.

If the rumors are to be trusted, the Geeksphone Revolution will start shipping in the first quarter of 2014, but there is no official word just yet.

5" Oppo R1 goes official with 8MP F/2.0 rear camera

Oppo has been teasing its R1 smartphone for a quite a while, and we even saw live images of the device a couple of days ago. Now, the Chinese manufacturer has officially announced the R1, a new addition to its mid-range smartphone club.

Oppo R1 sports a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. It is powered by a MediaTek MT6582 chipset with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor along with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory.

Oppo's latest addition comes with an 8 megapixel rear camera with F/2.0 wide aperture, which according to the company, is capable of delivering excellent images in low light conditions.

Furthermore, there is a 5 megapixel front facing camera and the smartphone runs on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean-based Color OS. Oppo R1 measures 142.7 x 70.4 x 7.1 and weighs about 140 grams with its 2,410 mAh battery.

Oppo R1 is already listed on the company's online store and the unlocked version of the smartphone costs CNY2,498, which is about $410. Unfortunately, there is no word on the global availability of the device at the moment.

Jolla preview: First look

Android 4.3 rolling out to Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Xperia Tablet Z

Sony announced its Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update whitelist a while ago and the update is now officially rolling out to Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z.

The Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update comes with a couple of new features and a few performance tweaks to enhance the overall user experience. You can check out the change log below.

• Google’s Android 4.3; Jelly Bean as standard – bringing Project Butter performance & UI optimisation and a smoother graphical experience

• Launched with Xperia Z1, we’re now bringing Sony’s Smart Social Camera to these devices – our signature camera experience, that lets you download, access and enjoy “Xperia camera apps” directly from within the viewfinder

• We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, Sony Select and…

• Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, offering seamless access to both local and cloud content

• The launch of our unique custom interface experience: “Xperia Themes”, with downloadable UI packs from Sony Select – more on this soon…

• The latest Android security enhancements, matched with Sony’s mobile enterprise solution: Xperia in Business

• Battery STAMINA Mode – updated version of Sony’s power management app, now withrefreshed interface and more smart options for prolonging battery life

• Increased user control for Xperia Tablet Z, with “Restricted Profiles”; option to createisolated, secure spaces with individual local storage, home screens, widgets and settings

The Android 4.3 update should be at your door steps any moment now, so keep an eye on your notifications. Shortly, Sony will be keeping on its other promise and will be rolling the Jelly Bean updates for its Xperia T, Xperia TX, Xperia V and Xperia SP smartphones.

A Nokia Lumia 929 case put up for sale, complete with pictures

Cellphone case makers often jump the gun on product announcements these days - the Nokia Lumia 929 is the latest phone to be exposed by one. It’s the Armor Stand case listed on Wireless Ground that is specifically for the unannounced Lumia 929 and there are even images of the phone inside the case.

The Live Tiles on the home screen are arranged in three columns as opposed to mere two, which tells us it's a Windows Phone device with an extra large screen running the latest software.

Live photos of the Lumia 929 have leaked a number of times, along with even a video (now taken down). All the leaks so far point to a Verizon-bound device that is essentially a 5” smartphone version of the 6” Lumia 1520 phablet.

That means a 5” 1080p screen, Snapdragon 800 chipset and the trademark 20MP PureView camera. Unfortunately, there’s no indication of when the device might be announced. The US-centric CES is coming in a couple of weeks, but Microsoft-Nokia will probably hold a separate event for the Lumia 929 announcement because in the recent years both companies haven't participated in the trade show.

Unannounced Sony devices surface in Postel and AnTuTu

The Postel and AnTuTu stars have aligned for a sizeable Sony leak. Several device model numbers have hit Postel, the Indonesian wireless authority, - five phones and a tablet. They match up with model numbers in the AnTuTu benchmark database.

The new devices are D2005 and D2105, presumably entry-level Android phones for next year, and the SGP521 tablet. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is SGP321, so this could be an update in the 10.1” class from Sony (now that the Xperia Z Ultra covers the phablet segment).

The C2005 is the Sony Xperia M, while the C2105 is the Sony Xperia L. That would probably make the D2005 and D2105 their replacements and it shows from the AnTuTu benchmarks.

The other three Sony devices arrived in the Postel database even earlier. The list of replacements continues - the D5303 succeeds the C5303 (Xperia SP), the D6503 succeeds the C6503 (Xperia ZL). The D5503 has no current equivalent, but judging on previous leaks, it may be the Sony Xperia Z1S / Z1 mini. Its score entry isn’t new, but we’re including it for the sake of completeness - these phones will probably be Sony's lineup for the first half of next year.

Here’s a chart showing how each phone performs against its 2013 counterpart. The Z1S is matched up against the Xperia Z1 since both should have the same chipset.

AnTuTu

Higher is better

Sony D5503 Xperia Z1S

34376

Sony Xperia Z1

30850

Sony D6503

29745

Sony C6503 Xperia ZL

20743

Sony D5303

30145

Sony C5303 Xperia SP

15874

Sony D2105

13001

Sony C2105 Xperia L

9746

Sony D2005

12790

Sony C2005 Xperia M

9902

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

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Phablets to outsell small tablets in 2014

Long-term analyst in the field of smart technologies Bob O'Donnell, prior of IDC and now of his own TECHnalysis Research, has come out and said that phablets will outsell small tablets globally in the coming year.

According to him phablets will score some 175 million sales globally to top the 165 million expected small tablet sales.

In his views a phablet is any device with a screen measuring 5" and above, placing devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 (5") and LG's G2 (5.2") in the same category as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (5.7"), Nokia Lumia 1520 (6") and the HTC One Max (5.9"). As for small tablets, those would be slates with screens of 8" or smaller.

Demand for phablets is most strong in South Korea, where two thirds of smartphones are of the above-5" variety. Also strong in that regard are Europe (Germany, Great Britain), Brazil, Taiwan, and China. The US is apparently trailing and considers devices with above-5" of screen estate too big.

It's all well and good dealing with analysis and prediction and phablets may very well outsell small tablets like the Nexus 7 or iPad mini 2. But if we count devices such as the LG G2 and Samsung Galaxy S4, which are solidifying themselves as the norm of flagships the 175 million number may reach even higher.