Samsung might release first smartphone with flexible screen this week, unveils 5.7" unbreakable bendable display

Samsung confirms that it will outpace its Korean rival with a 5.7” flexible screen of its own and with a real device featuring the technology. Good news is that Samsung’s first flexible screen smartphone is expected to launch… this week, according to Korean media reporting on the flexible display unveiling. The new alleged flexible screen will be extremely lightweight at just 5.2 grams, lighter than LG’s 6” display. It will also be remarkably thin at just 0.12mm. The screen will support the full 1080 x 1920 pixel full HD resolution, just as the current AMOLED on the Note 3. An interesting new measure to compare flexible screens is just how much they bend. Samsung’s display is the champion in that regard as it sports a curvature radius of 400mm, more than twice that of LG’s rival technology.

LG confirms production of 'bendable and unbreakable' smartphone displays

The company has confirmed that it will begin mass-producing a new lightweight 6-inch panel that, it claims, is the world's first flexible OLED panel for smartphones. The display is built from plastic substrates that give it bendable properties, allowing it to fixed inside devices with curved designs. Reports suggest LG could include its first flexible screen inside the G Flex, a new 6-inch smartphone set to be announced next month, but the company points to new products with "enhanced performance and differentiated designs" coming next year. Something tells us LG may move quickly to announce its first such product, with Samsung strongly tipped to unveil its own exotically-shaped smartphone next month. It's probable that both devices will be artistically bent to achieve their form, so we'll probably have to wait a little longer for something that actually bends into our jean pockets. For more details…

Samsung preparing own Gear Glass wearable, plans April-May 2014 release date

Samsung is working on a wearable computer similar to Google Glass that it is planning to release under the Gear Glass brand somewhere around April and May next year. Do you know anything else about this supposed Samsung Gear Glass? But we have to once again stress how wide and deep Samsung’s portfolio is and how the company has been willing to experiment with everything including its new Gear smartwatch.

Nokia ending support for MeeGo and Symbian January 1

Nokia announced that it will be dropping support for the Symbian and MeeGo operating systems at the end of this year. While apps will still be available for download to customers (and developers will still continue to receive revenue for published apps), developers will no longer be able to publish or update apps on the Ovi Store after the January 1 deadline.

Sharp's Aquos Phone Xx is almost all screen

Sharp announced Aquos Phone Xx that can disgust team because 80.5 percent of its 5.2-inch front is all screen. At 70 x 132 x 9.9mm, the Xx is more compact than Sony's rival 5-inch phablet, the Xperia Z1, but its collection of top shelf specs gives it a fatter profile. The Android device, which joins Softbank's 4G LTE lineup this December, crams a 1080p display, 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 running Jelly Bean 4.2, 2,600mAh battery and a 16.3-megapixel rear camera and water-resistant frame. It also features pre-loaded translation software to make sense out of captured English text -- handy if you're, Japanese. We realize this is an unfair mobile tease for those of you green-eyed monsters living in the Western world; you'll likely never see the Xx make that transcontinental trek. But it's always nice to dream. For more information…

Samsung claims 100 million people use its ChatOn messaging service

Though we haven't received any ChatOn messages ourselves lately, Samsung says that its messaging service has caught on with some. In fact, it's just chalked up a "global subscriber base" of 100 million folks in around two years, thanks to its availability on diverse platforms like iOS, Android, Bada, the web and Windows Phone. Samsung singled out China and India as key markets for the service and touted features like drag-and-drop media sharing and the ability to hand-write messages with an S Pen-equipped device. Though the numbers sound good, we're not sure if the Korean company is counting active users or just those who registered out of curiosity because it came pre-installed on their phones. By contrast, WhatsApp counts 300 million subscribers who use the service monthly. We've reached out to Samsung to confirm and maybe we'll get around to registering for the service ourselves, some day.

HTC One Max has October 17th release date?

The HTC One Max is one of the most eagerly awaited Android models expected to launch before the end of the year. The phablet resembles a giant HTC One and pictures of the device have revealed that a fingerprint scanner is on board A published report out of China on Friday says that the HTC One Max will finally be launched on October 17th. The HTC One Max will feature a 5.9 inch screen with 1080 x 1920 resolution. Unlike the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, which powers the normal sized HTC One, the phablet brings little more speed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 powering the phablet. Or is it a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 2GB of RAM that will be on board? One person who tested the phone found a new UI for the camera and also reported that the fingerprint scanner was flawless. The "recognition rate is very high, there was no awkward situation [with using it]," said the tester.  We expect the camera to offer HDR video recording, three levels of blemish correction and a beauty mode. For details...

Toshiba's new dual camera module brings 'deep focus' imaging to smartphones

 Toshiba is bringing dual camera with technology that you're much more likely to use. Its new module uses two 5-megapixel cameras to record depth and images at the same time, producing a "deep focus" picture where everything is sharp. The technique offers a Lytro-like ability to refocus, even after you've taken the shot; it also provides gesture control and very fast digital autofocusing. You'll have to wait a while before you're snapping deep focus vacation photos, though. Toshiba doesn't expect to mass produce the sensors until April, and finished products will likely come later. Read more…

EA's free-to-play FIFA 14 arrives on iOS and Android

Whether you refer to it as fútbol, football or soccer, there's no denying that the FIFA franchise is one of the sports' best options for gaming across the various existing platforms. Now, following in the footsteps of its relative Madden 25, FIFA 14 is available for iOS as well as Android. As with its sporting game sibling, the renowned title's latest mobile edition can be downloaded at no cost, with EA hoping to bring in revenue by way of in-app purchases -- which includes anything from Ultimate Team points to the unlocking of additional game modes (such as Manager and Tournament). Be prepared to make some room for FIFA 14 on your device though, since the app's size is a little more than 1GB in both the App Store and Google Play.

Next Vivo phone might come with a 1/1.7'', 20.2MP sensor and a Nikon SLR chip

In a world where words such as Samsung and Apple have become synonymous for a smartphone, it's a rough life for the many no-name brands that may not be particularly bad or even at all. In a growing number of instances, that seems to have a fair bit to do with the companies' lack of marketing “chops” (= money), when compared to that of the big guys. Especially in the Western hemisphere.This same situation is quite different in the East, however, which, most agree, will stage the next clash for superiority in the industry. Relatively unknown brands such as Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Meizu and others are just getting their names heard, and it will probably be a longer while still, until you start spotting them in the mainstream. At the same time, those very brands are generating waves in their home markets, and are already readying quite a surprise for their behemoth, but laggard rivals.

One such brand is BBK. You've probably never heard of it, though you may have heard of Oppo and, recently, Vivo – currently holding the world's thinnest smartphone title with the X3. Oppo, along with Vivo, are both the brainchildren of BBK. And though it might take a not-too shabby nudge to get most to see quality under a name different than the prior-mentioned giants of technology, phones like the about-to-be-unveiled Oppo N1 have been proving why they deserve attention. Read more...

Oppo announces its update Color OS running on the new Oppo N1

Oppo, at its Beijing event for the camera-centric N1, showed the latest update to its latest Android OS overlay which it calls Color OS. As before, the proprietary UI follows the basics of Android but has a deeply overhauled look – from icons to its heavily gesture-based functionality. According to Oppo the OS was developed with lots of research from users and is accompanied by some 43 patents.

Some features include getting the weather info for whoever you’re dialing, opening the camera from just about everywhere with a three finger gesture, and more.

iPhone 5 touchscreen found to be over twice as fast as its Android-based rivals

Touchscreen latency is the time lag between an input on the screen and the device reacting to it. It affects the user experience directly and a high latency is what causes the perception of lag on devices.In a test conducted by a company called Agawi, we get to see how some of the current smartphones on the market fare when put in front of a high speed camera shooting at 240fps and a custom built measurement device called Touchscope. They compared the iPhone 5, the iPhone 4, the Galaxy S4, the Lumia 928, the HTC One and the Moto X. The result, Apple’s devices being way ahead of the rest.

As you can see in the graph above, the iPhone 5 (not the new 5s, mind you, but the last year’s model) is way ahead of its Android based competition. It’s nearest competitor is the iPhone 4, released in 2010, and the nearest Android based rival being the Galaxy S4, with over twice the latency.

This is one of those things that is never mentioned in spec sheets but has a real impact in everyday performance. It’s also why in subjective tests the iOS devices feel much smoother and responsive than Android devices. And now you have actual data to back up these subjective tests.

Chaos Computer Club says it's beaten Apple's Touch ID fingerprint reader

Already feeling secure about using just your fingerprint to unlock the new iPhone 5S? European hacker association Chaos Computer Club claims it can be circumvented with "easy everyday means." According to CCC hacker "Starbug", tactics laid out in a how-to from 2004 are all that are required, with just a higher res fake needed to beat the Touch ID reader. The process, requires a 2400 DPI photograph of someone's fingerprint from a glass surface, which is then laser printed at 1200 DPI and used to create a thin latex sheet that serves as the fake. Simple, right? It's a bit more labor intensive than the old way (just watching someone input their passcode or pattern) but users may want to consider fingerprint access as a measure intended more for convenience than security.

LG Vu 3 official: 5.2-inch 4:3 display, Snapdragon 800, 13MP camera, LTE-A

Considering LG's G2 was leaked many times before it became official, we're a little surprised that the company managed to keep the Vu 3 under wraps before today. The Korean firm's latest Android smartphone drops the Optimus tag of its predecessor, but keeps the Vu series' signature 4:3 aspect ratio for its 5.2-inch IPS display (1,280 x 960 resolution). Specs include a Snapdragon 800 processor, 13-megapixel camera and LTE-A radio. Aside from the stylus, translucent QuickView cases and a couple of LG software titles we recognize (like guest mode and KnockON), there's not much else to glean from the Korean press release. If your linguistic skills (or Google Translate translation skills) are better than ours, however, the source awaits you.

Android Device Manager will soon feature remote password changing and device locking options.

Google recently launched its own service, which allows you to locate your misplaced Android smartphone and to protect your privacy if your device is stolen. Initially, the latest service came with ability to locate your smartphone on Google Maps via the Device Manager website. The Android Device Manager also offered you to wipe your device’s data or make your smartphone ring from the web interface. Now, it looks like Google is also set to add a few more features to its service, according to the leaked APK of the upcoming version of Google Play Service.

The teardown of the Google Play Service APK has revealed the addition of the remote password changing and device locking features to the tracking service.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and 10.1 will support multi-user functionality in the nearest future.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and 10.1 comes with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on board, but unfortunately, both the slates does not come with all the goodies of the 4.2 version. It looks like Samsung omitted the multi-user capabilities for both the tablets in its final software. However, Samsung has will be adding support for the multi-user functionality on both the tablets through their upcoming respective software updates.

According to a few screenshots from a test firmware, the multi-user support will soon be making its way to both, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and 10.1 tablets. The latest software addition will allow you to share your tablets with others without having to worry about your personal content being viewed or used by others.

Google will no longer offer the Nexus 4 in the United States.

According to a fresh report, the LG Nexus 4 has reached the end of the line in the United States. The smartphone is currently out of inventory in the Play Store and, according to The Verge, Google has no plans to restock it.The US Play Store’s stock of the Nexus 4 in the United States got depleted shortly after the devicereceived a massive price cut. The device is still on sale by Google in some countries, but once it’s sold out, it will not return to the shelves.

The end of the Nexus 4’s commercial availability arrives amid increasingly frequent leaks of its potential successor. The upcoming LG-made smartphone will likely be launched as Nexus 5 during the second half of October.

Nokia's Windows Phone handsets outsell iPhones in Middle East

Smartphone sales have picked up in the Middle East, according to a report from International Data Corporation. The volumes are up to 16.4% in Q2, 2013 when compared to the same quarter last year. IDC's Middle East region includes Turkey but does not feature Egypt and North Africa. 

With 45.2% share, Nokia leads the overall Middle East mobile market (that's both smartphones and featurephones), followed by Samsung that accounts for 18.3% of the market in the second quarter.

Just for smartphones, Nokia's market share climbed from 9.7% in Q1 to 11.8% in Q2, 2013, thanks to its Lumia series of Windows Phone lineup. That's enough to overtake Apple and its iOS, which held 11.4% of the market.

BlackBerry's latest smartphones - the Z10 and Q10 were off to a slow start and accounted for only 13.3% of the sales in the Q2. However, BlackBerry has managed to hold on to its second position as the vendor in the smartphone sector.

As one can expect, Android is still the most popular operating system in this region with 60% share of the overall smartphone volume. But, it is reported that the Google OS is not gaining any market share due to the rise in iPhone and Windows Phone sales.

Jolla announces that Sailfish OS can run on Android phones and tablets, supports Android apps too.

Jolla just announced that its Sailfish OS has reached two-fold compatibility with Android – it can run Android apps but also the OS itself can run on Android phones. This is major news as it solves the two big problems facing any upstart OS – it’s difficult to get hardware manufacturers to make devices for it and difficult to get devs to make apps for it. By the looks of it, if a maker wishes to have a spin, it could put Sailfish on a phone or tablet that was designed with Android in mind.

“We believe Sailfish with Android compatibility is a highly relevant mobile operating system option for major mobile companies in Europe and in Asia. We are already in discussions with several major Asian vendors regarding this opportunity,” says Tomi Pienimäki, Jolla CEO.

Jolla also is fully aware of the effects of the Nokia-Microsoft deal and say these events have strengthened the young company’s position. Also, the team is evoking Finnish nationalism and offering a second round of pre-orders of its first phone aimed at Finns “who want to express their passion for the Finnish mobile industry,”.

We’ve seen Android apps run on other OSes in the past – it hasn’t worked out great for BlackBerry 10, which suffered from the Android-specific UI not working great on BB OS. Having an Android 2.3 Gingerbread runtime didn’t help either.

Unfortunately, Jolla’s press release is mum on the Android API version that Sailfish supports. It’s also not clear if Jolla will be offering Sailfish to makers only or if users will get to flash their Android devices too, a la CyanogenMod.