Samsung rumoured to unveil Galaxy S6 at CES 2015

Although Samsung typically announces its Galaxy S series smartphones in the February-May period, rumor mills are abuzz that the company could unveil its upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S6, a bit earlier this time.

According to a report from Korean online publication Chosun Biz, which cites analysts from South Korea-based Mirae Asset Securities (MAS),

the Galaxy S6 could be unveiled between January 6 and 9. That coincides with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Furthermore, if the latest rumors are to be believed, we might see the curved screen variant debut alongside the Galaxy S6.

MAS analysts also predict that the South Korean company is aiming to sell a total of around 45 million units of the Galaxy S6, including 10 million units of the Edge variant. Needless to say, none of this has been officially confirmed by Samsung, so like all rumors take it with a pinch of salt.

The Galaxy S6 is expected to feature an Exynos 7420 octa-core processor, 5.5-inch QHD (1440×2560 pixels) display, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB internal storage. The device is said to have a 20-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front snapper.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge has a curved edge display, but do you really need it?

The 5.6-inch Note Edge is a variant of the Galaxy Note 4, the latest iteration of Samsung's large-screen stalwart. 

The Edge's main display curves around the right edge of the phone to create a side display for notifications and one-tap access to apps, headlines and tasks.

That side screen is useful in a few ways. When using the camera horizontally, the shutter and other controls are up top, just like a regular camera. 

When listening to music, playback controls are instantly available. At night, the weather, current time and wake-up time are displayed on the side, so you can easily check as the phone lays on a nightstand.

The Edge needs more apps to take advantage of that side screen. 

There are about a dozen, but few of which I care to have. And the side text is sometimes upside down when the phone rests face up. 

It's a first-generation feature, and it'll take time for Samsung and app developers to figure out what works best.

Samsung Gear VR 'Innovator Edition' Goes on Sale

Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition, which was formally announced last month at a developer conference,

 has now been launched in the US at a price tag of $199 (roughly Rs. 12,250), 

and notably requires a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone (which currently costs Rs. 58,300 in India)

 to be used.The newly launched Gear VR Innovator Edition by

 Samsung is however said to be still in Beta mode for now,and not ready for general consumers.

The $199 standalone headset also comes with a touchpad and back button placed on the right side of the 

While the volume controls are also placed on the right side of the Gear VR, the focus dial is placed.

Available to buy from the company website, 

the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition also features 

wireless connectivity along with some pre-loaded content on the 16GB inbuilt storage, 

states the AT&T website, which is the first carrier to sell the wearable. 

More games can be downloaded from the Oculus VR app.

New Samsung SM-E700H Spotted With Mid-Range Specifications

Three deputies to the head of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's (005930.KS) mobile division are leaving, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday, as the world's largest smartphone maker faces a rapid decline in profit.

The person, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the executives directly report to division chief J.K. Shin, who this week retained his post despite sagging smartphone sales and expectations the company will see its worst annual profit in three years in 2014.

The departures included global marketing chief D.J. Lee, the source said, confirming earlier media reports.

Samsung Electronics declined to say if any executives were leaving the company as it announced its annual reshuffle for executive-level staff.

But the announcement showed Samsung had made 165 executive-level promotions, the lowest number in at least four years, underscoring the strains the South Korean company is under.

"Shin was given another chance, given his past contributions, but he will definitely continue to feel the pressure going forward," said IBK Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo ahead of Samsung Electronics' staff announcement.

Samsung's share of the smartphone market has fallen year-on-year for the last three quarters, squeezed by Chinese rivals like Xiaomi Technology Co Ltd [XTC.UL] at the low-end and Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhones in the premium segment.

Samsung Electronics is expected to announce its annual business reorganisation plan by next week.

The company has kept mum about the details but the Joongang Ilbo newspaper reported earlier that Samsung will reduce executive-level positions for its mobile communications business by 25 percent. Other media reported the company could hive off its medical equipment business.

Samsung earlier this week said it will sell its fibre optics business to U.S. speciality glass maker Corning Inc (GLW.N), its second exit from a non-core business this quarter.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date: What We Know So Far about Galaxy S5 Successor

Samsung Electronics is tight-lipped on the release date and specifications of its upcoming flagship smartphone dubbed as the Galaxy S6 and it is very likely to keep the secrecy till the device is officially launched, but interestingly, major features of the product have been leaked over the last few weeks.

The South Korean electronics giant is expected to unveil the Galaxy S6 in the first quarter of 2015, and it won't come as a surprise if it is announced at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC 2015) event to be held from 2 to 5 March, 2015. However, official release date of the device is still not known.

Not much is known about the Galaxy S6 but if one is to go by the recent reports, it may have significant change over its predecessor, the Galaxy S5. The device's codename - Project Zero – that was leaked earlier has given a clear hint that it would be very different from other smartphones.

The Galaxy S6 will take on the recently released iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and the HTC One (M9) is also likely to be launched at around the same time. So, Samsung is expected to bring drastic change to Galaxy S6 with an aim to beat its rivals in the smartphone market.

According to reports, Samsung's upcoming smartphone may sport a 5.5-inch display with a 1440 x 2560 quad HD screen  (554ppi) or a 3840x2160 display resolution. The device is expected to have a new look, possibly a curved display, and full metal body.

Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 or Exynos 7420 processor, run on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and come packed with 32/64/128GB internal memory. It will house 4GB RAM, a 21MP main camera and 6MP front snapper, and 4000 mAh battery, 

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to be launched on September 3: Report

Samsung Electronics will unveil the Galaxy Note 4 in Berlin on September 3, the Korea Times said. Samsung hopes the Galaxy Note 4 will counter Apple's new iPhone 6 which is also due for launch in September.

"Samsung will hold an event in Berlin to announce the Note 4 on September 3," a company executive was quoted as saying.

If rumours are to be believed, the upcoming Galaxy Note 4 will come with an ultraviolet sensor to measure UV radiation and consequently alert users about possible precautions they should take.

The Galaxy Note 4 is expected to come with a screen size bigger than the Galaxy S5 and could sport a 2K resolution display. The Galaxy Note 4 is speculated to come engineered with an octa-core Exynos CPU or a Snapdragon 800-series SoC, 4GB of RAM, and a 20.1 megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation.

The South Korean company hopes that the Note 4 will help it get a fresh momentum to lift its handset business at a time when the company is being threatened by the rise of Chinese budget handset manufacturers.

Samsung Galaxy Core 2 Duos and Galaxy Pocket 2 Briefly Listed Online

Samsung might soon announce the next iterations of two of its popular budget Android smartphones, the Galaxy Core and Galaxy Pocket, if a new online listing (now pulled) is to be believed.

The yet-to-be-announced Samsung Galaxy Core 2 Duos and Galaxy Pocket 2 were briefly listed at a Vietnamese online retailer named Mainguyen before being pulled down. However, GSMArena has obtained the complete specifications and also the press renders of both the rumoured Galaxy Core 2 Duos and Galaxy Pocket 2.

Notably, the Samsung Galaxy Core was launched in June last year, while the Galaxy Pocket was announced back in 2012.

According to the leaked specifications, both the briefly listed Samsung Galaxy Core 2 Duos and Galaxy Pocket 2 run Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box. The Galaxy Core 2 Duos is said to come with dual-SIM support, as the name suggests. The smartphone will come with a 4.5-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) display and will have a pixel density of 207ppi.

The other specifications listed of the yet-to-be-announced Galaxy Core 2 Duos include a quad-core Cortex A7 processor, 768MB of RAM. It features 4GB of inbuilt storage and comes with expandable storage via microSD card. It is said to sport a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and also include a VGA camera.

GSMArena, citing the online listing, claims that the Galaxy Core 2 Duos comes with 3G connectivity option in one SIM, apart from Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE and Wi-Fi. A 2000mAh battery is said to back the alleged Galaxy Core 2 Duos and it will measure 130.2x67.9x9.8mm and weigh 138 grams.

The other yet-to-be-announced smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Pocket 2, is said to come with dual-SIM support and a 3.2-inch QVGA (320x480 pixels). It is powered by 1GHz processor clubbed with 512MB of RAM, according to the online listing. There is a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front camera on board. The rumoured Galaxy Pocket 2 is said to come with a 1200mAh battery and weigh 110 grams.

As of now, there is no word from Samsung on the launch of both the Galaxy Core 2 Duos and Galaxy Pocket 2 smartphones.

Samsung Launches Terrain Home Android Launcher With Google Now-Like Features

Samsung has released a new home screen app dubbed Terrain Home: Sidebar and Search on Google Play, a launcher that brings some features that are similar to the Google Now launcher.

The beta version of the Terrain Home app comes from a Samsung-backed startup, Terrain, which is funded by Samsung Accelerator. The Terrain Home app brings three main feature according to the Google Play listing, namely - sidebar, search, and apps drawer. The app essentially lets users swipe in different directions to access the sidebar (right), search (up), and apps drawer (left).

The Terrain Home sidebar is where users can organize their favourite apps, tools, contacts and news content. Users can pick content from the library and add them in the form of cards.

The apps drawer on Terrain Home is meant for quick navigation, with a search function and alphabetical indexing.

The Terrain Home search feature functions as a local phone search, enabling users to find content such as contacts or apps on their phone quickly.

"Search with Android is Web first," stated Dwipal Desai, founder and CEO of Terrain to Recode. "We wanted search that is phone first."

The Next Web notes that the Terrain Home cards, like Google Now cards, can be stacked in any order. It has been also noted that developers who want to add a card to Terrain, can sign-up now for an SDK, which is said to arrive in coming few weeks.

Developers will continue work on the Terrain Home screen app after it gets a decent fan base. Desai further added that in order to reach out to more users, Samsung might make distribution deals to ensure the app doesn't remain unknown. The beta version of Terrain Home application is sized at 7.4MB and requires Android 4.1 and later OS versions to run.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime Tipped to Feature Ultra-Slim Bezels in Leaked Image

Samsung's much-rumoured Galaxy F smartphone, also known as Galaxy S5 Prime, has once again been leaked in an image, this time alongside a Galaxy S5 handset and showcasing a thinner bezel that similar to those on the recently announced LG G3.

The alleged image showing the rumoured Samsung Galaxy F, courtesy Phonearena, not only highlights the smartphone's LG G3-like thin side bezels, but also the slightly slimmer bezels on top and bottom also as compared to the Galaxy S5 , giving more room to the screen while maintaining a smaller profile.

A couple of days ago it was noted that the rumoured prime-variant of the Galaxy S5 might feature the Exynos 5433 SoC and Intel XMM7260 modem, like indicated in previous reports.

Earlier this week, the alleged Samsung Galaxy F's black colour variant was again teased in an image showcasing the brushed metal back panel. Other than that, the alleged premium Galaxy S5 variant will also have an aluminium chassis instead of the chrome plastic frame, as from an earlier report.

Some of the rumoured specifications of the handset include a 5.3-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixel) screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, and 3GB of RAM. It is also reported to be a limited edition smartphone, due to the expensive nature of its Super AMOLED QHD display.

The Galaxy S5 Prime is expected to launch sometime in September alongside the iPhone 6. Samsung, with its to-be-announced Galaxy F smartphone could finally step away from its plastic image with the anticipated metal rear panels. For now, the firm has its metal Galaxy J smartphone out but that is only available in their home turf and has not been made available globally.

Alleged iPhone 6 Compared With Samsung Galaxy S5 in Leaked Image

Apple's much-anticipated next iPhone, expected to be called the iPhone 6, has been speculated about and leaked in images several times over the past few months. And it seems there's no stopping till the date Apple officially reveals its next-generation iPhone devices - leaks have been tipping there will be two display size variants - 4.7- or 5.5-inch.

After being compared with the Apple iPhone 5 on Thursday, a new leaked image posted byGSMArena shows the alleged iPhone 6 pictured beside the Samsung Galaxy S5.

The alleged wider, thinner iPhone 6 seems to feature a 4.7-inch display, and is slightly shorter than the Galaxy S5 (which sports a 5.1-inch display) in side by side comparison. The alleged iPhone 6 in the leaked image also appears to be thinner than the Galaxy S5 , which is 8.1mm thick.

Apple's rumoured iPhone 6 is widely anticipated to sport curved edges, doing away with its currentstraight-edge design. Further, the next iPhones' sides are said to house the power button positioned on the right panel of the device, instead on the top panel seen on current iPhone models. Meanwhile, the side panels are likely to include a slightly modified volume buttons.

A Taiwanese celebrity named Jimmy Lin on Thursday posted an image of the alleged iPhone 6 compared alongside iPhone 5 and also shared his first-hand experience with the unannounced iPhone. According to Lin, the alleged iPhone 6 with 4.7-inch display had a great display and was easy to grip despite of its large display size.

A recent report claimed that Apple's next iPhone would hit the shelves on September 19.

The Cupertino-based company has been rumoured to be testing a higher screen resolution on at least one of the two iPhone models likely to debut this year. An earlier report suggested that one of the two alleged iPhone 6 models would come with a 960x1704 pixels resolution screen, compared to the 640x1136 pixels resolution found on the current iPhone models that sport 4-inch displays.

We remind readers however, that nothing is official yet, and that all such leaks must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Samsung Jet: Smarter than a smartphone?

1. Samsung Mobile unpacked their most ultimate innovation at Communicasia 2009.

2. Samsung Jet, made its mark with a breathtaking, simultaneous launch at three international locations, London, Dubai and Singapore.

3. Jet is rocket-powered, with 800 MHz processor! It's faster than the iPhone 3GS with a 600 MHz processing speed.

4. Jet certainly has enough power and appeal to tackle the hottest smartphones on earth. It is the ultimate solution to smartphone problem, i.e., waiting time.

5. With the 800 MHz application processor, Jet gives fast and instant multimedia and Internet access

6. Its Touch WIZ 2.0 UI gives an unrivalled user experience and includes features such as motion UI, smart unlock, customisable widget screen.

7. There is photo album, music player, video player, FM radio, game and internet around the six faces of the cube.

8. It holds, not just the latest in technology but is 'made' intelligently.

9. With motion recognition engine, you can access a lot of activities on the phone including the motion dial feature.

10. Unlock your mobile by drawing a predetermined shape with your finger called "Smart Unlock". You can do this in three ways - simply unlock, unlock and call, unlock and launch an application.

11. Zoom in and out with just one finger. Jet makes the most of its fast user interface.

12. Its new Dolphin Web browser lets you have a customised web experience, flash objects, initiate multiple downloads consecutively.

13. A rare feature to have in a phone is the Microsoft Exchange and a PC active sync option

14. The Jet lands in India, this month. Samsung will price it around Rs 24,000 and believes that Jet will make its mark as a phone smarter than a smartphone.

15. Specification:

• 800 MHz processor
• Touch WIZ 2.0 UI
• 3.1 inch, 16M, WVGA, AMOLED screen
• 480x800 Resolution screen
• Microsoft Exchange with PC active sync
• Dolphin web browser for customisable web experience
• Geo tagging and traffic update features
• 5 mega pixel camera

Samsung Galaxy S III Neo With Android 4.4 KitKat Listed on Company's Site

Samsung has listed the Android 4.4 KitKat-based Galaxy S III Neo with model number GT-I9301I on its German website without price and availability.

The Galaxy S III Neo (GT-I9301I) is different from the Galaxy S3 Neo (GT-I9300I) launched in Indiaearlier this year at Rs. 26,200, featuring single-SIM support, and a slightly faster quad-core SoC (1.4GHz instead of the Galaxy S3 Neo's 1.2GHz quad-core SoC) instead.

Back in January, Samsung had also launched the Galaxy S III Neo+ smartphone for the Chinese market.

Notably, Samsung Galaxy S III Neo is a 'lite' variant of the company's 2012 flagship smartphone, theGalaxy S III. The smartphone looks similar in design to the Galaxy S III; however, the specifications are different.

The Samsung Galaxy S III Neo (GT-I9301I) features a 4.8-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) Super AMOLED display. The Galaxy S III Neo comes with 1.5GB of RAM and supports expandable storage up to 64GB, while featuring built-in storage of 16GB. It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera accompanied by an LED flash and features CMOS sensor, while there is a 1.9-megapixel front-camera also onboard.

Connectivity options on the Galaxy S III Neo include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB and 3G. The smartphone measures 136.6x70.7x8.6mm and weighs about 132 grams. The Galaxy S III Neo packs a 2100mAh battery.

Nokia Showcases Two-Fold, Three-Fold Flexible 5.9-Inch OLED Displays

Nokia seems to be progressing with the idea of foldable displays, as it demoed two such OLED displays last week in an exhibition at San Diego.

Nokia Corp, along with Semiconductor Energy Laboratory or SEL, gave a glimpse of what the firm holds for future as it displayed two 5.9-inch foldable OLED screens during the Society of Display Information or SID's exhibition.

The Nikkei Technology report notes that while one of the two screens is a two-fold display, the other one is a three-fold display. Both flexible screens come with 720p HD resolution and 249ppi pixel density.

It is worth noting that Nokia and SEL used the "WTC" structure to make these foldable displays. The WTC (white tandem+top emission+colour filter) structure combines white light omitting OLEDs and colour filter. The display is said to be created by fusing two different sets of layers. The first set includes the release layer, sealing layer and colour filter layer on a glass substrate, while the other set includes a release layer, sealing later, TFT layer and an OLED layer on another glass substrate.

Then, the colour filter layer and the OLED layer are attached and the glass substrates are replaced by flexible substrates. This brings the colour filter, OLED and TFT layer fixed together between the sealing layer and the flexible substrate. It has been further reported that the book-type two-fold and the three-fold displays can bend up to 2mm and 4mm curvature radii respectively. It has been added that these displays can be bent more than 100,000 times.

We first saw such flexible OLED displays, dubbed as Youm displays, at the CES 2013 event by Samsung. The firm is yet to make such display screens available in its devices. Samsung however came out with a curved display handset, Galaxy Round as a Galaxy Note 3 variant. Challenging Samsung, LG last year unveiled its LG G Flex handset, which sports a curved, flexible display.

Samsung Z smartphone will have Tizen OS instead of Android

Well, it looks like Samsung finally managed to do what it has been trying to do for a painfully long time — the Korean manufacturer has made its first Tizen-powered phone official. Called the Samsung Z, the phone features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display of 1280×720 resolution and is powered a quad-core 2.3GHz processor (most like a Snapdragon 800), and runs on version 2.2.1 of Tizen. The Z comes with a new look that should come as a breath of fresh air for those who have gotten bored of Samsung’s design language on Android devices (let’s face it, who hasn’t?), though the overall design seems to be along the same lines as the company’s previous efforts.

The Samsung Z also sports a fingerprint and heart rate sensor and comes with features such as Download Booster and Ultra Power Saving Mode, things that debuted on the Galaxy S5. The hardware specs include2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera with the usual camera modes that we’ve seen on Samsung’s Android phones (and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera), 16GB of internal storage and a microSD slot, connectivity features including LTE-A, NFC and an IR sensor, and a 2,600 mAh battery. It’s basically a mix of the previous three Galaxy S flagships, and for a first device with a new OS, doesn’t really have anything impressive or different to offer.

As for Tizen itself, Samsung is touting fast, optimal performance with “improved memory management”, a quality web browsing experience, a “distinctive home and application layout,” and the ability to customize how the interface looks using built-in themes. Just how good an experience Tizen offers in real-world usage remains to be seen, though we’re hoping it’s not as resource-heavy or bloated as the software on Samsung’s Android phones,

Like the hardware on the Samsung Z, Tizen doesn’t really seem to bring anything new to the table, but that isn’t exactly surprising considering Samsung would want its consumers to have a similar experience no matter which OS they choose (though the lack of the Galaxy branding might mean consumers won’t be that attracted to Tizen at the moment.) Even the overall look and feel of the software remains similar, which would certainly help in keeping the learning curve for users to a minimum.

The Z will launch in Russia in Q3 and expand to other markets later on, and will also be showcased at Samsung’s Tizen developer conference on June 3rd. However, as Samsung has said in the past, don’t expect to see any Tizen phone in the US and some European markets, as the Korean manufacturer doesn’t believe such markets are ready for a new OS yet. Pricing details weren’t announced, but we’re guessing it will be similarly priced to Samsung’s Android flagships.

So, who’s looking forward to buying the Samsung Z?

Samsung trademarks Galaxy Wear, could beits first Android Wear device

Microsoft's rumored "major restructuring" looks set to be unveiled by July 1st. All Things D reports that the reorg, which will focus on the devices and services vision, is being led by CEO Steve Ballmer without the consultation of all Microsoft's executives. 

The upcoming changes are said to be major, leaving some executives worried for their own positions and the plans for the company as a whole. All Things D quotes one insider as saying they're "titanic" changes, noting they might be attached to Ballmer's legacy at the company. "It’s the first time in a long time that it feels like that there will be some major shifts, including some departures," says the alleged insider. 

Could Windows and Windows Phone move closer together? Ballmer is reportedly considering a new structure that would create four separate divisions: enterprise business, hardware, applications and services, and an operating systems group. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the OS group could be jointly led by Windows Phone chief Terry Myerson and head of Windows engineering Julie Larson-Green. 

Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans have revealed to The Verge that the new structure would see a significant focus on further aligning the Windows and Windows Phone operating systems. Microsoft moved to a shared Windows 8 kernel in October for Windows Phone, but applications that run on both platforms still need tweaking by developers, and the two Windows stores remain separate. Microsoft is heading to San Francisco on Wednesday to host its annual Build developer conference. 

The software maker will unveil improvements to its Windows 8 OS in the form of a Windows 8.1 update that will enter public preview this week. Microsoft plans to finalize and ship the Windows 8.1 update in time for new 7- and 8- inch devices later this year. It's also expected to play a role in new Surface devices expected for the holidays. Any reorg news, internally at least, would likely come during the Build conference as Microsoft switches to its new financial year on July 1st. 

If Ballmer's rumored reorg takes places then it will be the first company-wide structural change at Microsoft under Ballmer's leadership. The 57-year-old took over the CEO role from co-founder Bill Gates in January 2000, and made some significant changes in 2008 ahead of the company's Windows 7 software. Ballmer recently let former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky go, in an unexpected move just weeks after the company shipped Windows 8. 

It's clear a significant change is underway at Microsoft, and Ballmer has detailed a "fundamental shift" in Microsoft's business as it moves to a combination of hardware and software.

Samsung targets kids in Southeast Asia with a new content subscription service for tablets

As Android phone manufacturers
increasingly fight for the attention of
consumers, Samsung is taking to content
subscription services in a bid to lure
potential users.
After taking a big step into the music-
streaming fray with the launch of its own
mobile app called Milk Music, and entering
the video-streaming space with its own
digital rental service for TV shows
called Project Glued in Singapore and the
Philippines, Samsung announced today a
content subscription service for children
aged three to seven years old.
The children’s content subscription service
comes in the form of a mobile app, called
Samsung KidsTime, which can
be downloaded for free from the Google Play
store today and Samsung Apps from June 14
onwards. It is optimized for Samsung tablets,
and will land first on the Galaxy Tab 3 and 4
series, then expand to the Galaxy Note series
by the end of the third quarter this year.

KitKat hitting Sprint Galaxy Note 2 andinternational Mega 6.3

Samsung is busy pushing updates to many of its recent devices, and today we have a double feature for you, comprising of KitKat servings for Sprint’s venerable Galaxy Note 2 and the international version of the Galaxy Mega 6.3 .

Starting with the Note 2, according to Sprint’s update status page, software update L900VPUBNE2 will bring Android 4.4 KitKat and nothing else. While the changelog is cryptic, we know from updates to other models, that the Note 2 will gain features like support for cloud printing, NFC tap-to-pay support, all white icons in the status bar, full- screen album art, and the ability to put a camera shortcut on the lockscreen. There’s also the promise of improved performance and reduced battery consumption, as well as various stability fixes.

Sprint Note 2 users should get an update notification soon, but you can always try your luck with a manual check from Settings > About Phone > Software Updates.

Moving on to the aptly named Galaxy Mega 6.3, users in Russia report (model GT-I9200) that they are now able to update their phone/tablet to Android 4.4.2 KitKat via the Kies companion software. There are no reports of OTAs just yet, but those shouldn’t be far behind. Changes should be similar to those listed above for the Note 2. The update brings firmware number to I9200XXUDNE4.

Now that the update wave for the Mega 6.3 has started, expect more countries to get it, with unlocked models getting first dibs, followed by carrier models down the road. And, considering how similar the “smaller” Mega 5.8 is to the 6.3, its KitKat update shouldn’t be far behind either.

Samsung Making Budget Android KitKat Phone to Compete With Moto E: Report

Samsung might not be making headlines
in the sub-Rs. 10,000 category these
days with its Galaxy Android
smartphones, but that doesn't mean
that the top handset maker is out of
the competition completely without
putting up a fight.

An import/ export data website listing
seems to indicate that the South Korean
major is gearing up to launch its new
budget smartphone with model number
SM-G350E in India.

Notably, few days ago, Sammy Today
spotted a Samsung handset on the
company's Swedish support page, which
listed a device with model number SM-
G357F. Sammy Today reported that the
alleged handset spotted at company's
support listing has three variants - SM-
G357M, SM-G357F and SM-G350E
(dual-SIM).

The report also leaked some of the
specifications of the alleged Samsung
SM-G357F thanks to a GFX Bench
result listing which revealed Android
4.4.2 KitKat; 4.3-inch display (480x800
pixels); 1.2GHz dual-core processor; 1GB
RAM; 8GB of inbuilt storage; 5-
megapixel rear camera and 0.3-
megapixel front camera. Other
rumoured features on the alleged
Samsung handset include an
accelerometer, as well as Bluetooth, GPS,
and Wi-Fi connectivity options.
If a new leak is to be believed, the
alleged Samsung SM-G357F will have
identical specifications as the SM-
G350E (dual-SIM). The import/ export
site Zauba, which track imports and
exports from certain companies to and
from India, has listed the alleged
Samsung SM-G350E with a value of
roughly Rs. 6,000, and was first spotted
by Gadgets to Use.

The new Zauba listing for the SM-
G350E suggests that the alleged
handset will sport a 4.3-inch display, as
leaked in the GFX Bench result of the
SM-G357F.
Motorola's comeback in emerging
markets is becoming a nightmare for
many companies, and in India,
established handset vendors are
responding. Motorola is definitely
hitting the right notes by pricing its
smartphones - the Moto G

The popularity of the Moto E
smartphone, with its highlight feature
being the Android 4.4 KitKat software
version in the sub-Rs. 10,000 category,
is now pushing many handset
manufacturers to release smartphones
with the latest Android version. The
latest to join the bandwagon are
Micromax's Unite 2 and Canvas Engage ,
and Lava's Iris X1 - all of which are
priced below Rs. 10,000 and run the
latest Android KitKat version.

Apple and Samsung working on settlement talks once again

According to Korea Times, the legal battle
between the tech giants of Apple and Samsung
may be coming to an end. Of course we’ve seen
that before, only to also watch it crash and burn ,
but according to the Korean news publication,
both companies have resumed talks to settle
patent disputes out of court and if all goes
according to plan, will end the multi-year battle
between the two companies as early as the end
of summer. Both are discussing royalty payments
and the possibility of cross-licensing to avoid
future court battles.
This news does come of last week’s
announcement that Apple would be dropping
patent disputes with both Motorola and Google.
Should the two companies come to an agreement
in ending the great patent wars, this will bode a
different direction for all companies involved as
there are also discussions about a cease fire
(cease litigation) for a certain period of time on
future disputes.

Sony Hong Kong now says Sony Xperia Z2 is delayed until June

The delayed launch of the Sony Xperia
Z2 has become a major problem for
the Japanese manufacturer. After all,
this particular model is expected to
take on competitors like the Samsung
Galaxy S5 and the HTC One (M8) . Early
news about the delay had the phone
launching in late April/early May
. Nearly two weeks later, Sony U.K.
was telling retailer Clove not to
expect delivery of the handset until
May
.
But even that time frame might be too
optimistic. Sony Hong Kong is now
confirming that the flagship phone
won't be released until June. This has
to be disheartening for those who saw
the phone unveiled at MWC in late
February and have been patiently
waiting for the release of the Xperia
Z2. In the U.S., there is speculation
that the phone will be a Verizon
exclusive with a Q2 launch
.
Sony might have boxed itself into a
corner. With the Japanese
manufacturer releasing a new flagship
model every 6 months, by the time the
Xperia Z2 sees the light of day, its
successor could be due. Remember,
Sony Mobile’s Creative Director
Kurozumi Yoshiro called the Xperia Z2
Sony's flagship model for the first half
of the year. If the delay stretches out
any longer, buyers might decide to
wait for the Sony Xperia Z3
which would force Sony to take a
hatchet to its pricing for the Xperia
Z2. Shortages of parts needed for the
device are being blamed for the delay.
source: XperiaBlog via AndroidCentral