In a 3G patent damages trial held in the popular court of Mannheim, HTC has reported that its shipments for Germany have been held by the customs officers after IPCom, a license manager for patents had applied for import ban of the company's 3G smartphones.
The patent monetization company had failed to get the HTC devices held by customs during the CeBIT trade show, last year, according to a report from Foss Patents. IPCom has been suing HTC and Nokia for the last five years but has failed to get an injunction so far.
There is no official confirmations if the goods seized have been released, but HTC has confirmed that there is no shortage of any of its smartphones in Germany for now.
M7, like a G6, but also nothing like it. (credit: PocketNow)
What's that coming over the hill? Another monster smartphone, you say? Well, you may just be right as word continues to spread about the HTC M7 - although the volume of reports from various sources make it likely it will be called the HTC One.
The HTC One X and One X+ look to be on their way out at the top of the Taiwanese firm's tree, with the HTC One the hotly-tipped successor.
HTC is looking to break the dominance enjoyed by Samsung and Apple over the past year and recapture the success it had with the original Desire.
HTC M7 name
In case you're confused: the HTC M7 and the HTC are one and the same thing; at least, according to the rumour mill. Here's why:
Although not officially announced, HTC boss Peter Chou has already flashed us the M7 briefly during an appearance at the firm's end of year party in Taipei.
You can also hear Chou and co chanting "HTC One", which at first we thought was just overexcitement from the firm about its One range of handsets, however as mentioned new reports suggest this will be the name of the M7 when it is launched. Other sources online have since 'confirmed' the same thing, although we won't know the exact name of the phone until the
If the handset does turn out to be the HTC One then things may get a little confusing considering we already have the HTC One X, One X+, One S, One V and co.
HTC One release date
Originally the HTC One was rumoured to make an appearance at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, but alas those reports didn't come to fruition.
It now looks like the HTC One launch has been set in stone with the Taiwanese firm sending out invitations to events in both London and New York scheduled for February 19.
Although the invite itself gives nothing away, TechRadar sources have said that this is indeed the HTC One launch event and the handset will be the firm's next flagship smartphone.
It's interesting that HTC has decided to announce the M7 before MWC 2013 begins in Barcelona later in the month… clearly the Taiwanese firm is worried about being lost in the noise by revealing the handset amid the fervour in Spain.
As far as the HTC One release date is concerned it looks like we'll only have to wait a couple of weeks for the handset to land in stores, with the latest rumours suggesting it will touch down on March 8.
However, in the US the release date is expected to be something a little later, with March 22 the latest time being given to rush down to your local emporium to get your hands on something a little bit fancy.
HTC One design
We've seen a few images pop up online claiming to be the HTC M7 and while none of them can be taken as gospel, it looks like the new flagship will follow in the design footsteps of the HTC 8X.
Next up was a more official looking press shot claiming to be for the HTC M7, with the design of its Windows Phone 8 touting brother the 8X apparent.
The smooth curved back, less flamboyant camera and squarer finish is one we're fond of, and if this shot turns out to be legit the M7 could be one fine looking smartphone.
However, things have turned a little more interesting as a new design has emerged, with a sleeker metal body and dual front-facing speakers, compared to the 8X-alike square design we've seen previously.
The Twitter account which leaked the first image on display here has dropped the new design, but this time @evleaks uses the HTC One name instead of M7.
Design wise the handset looks very similar to the one displayed in the initial leak, but this time we see it with the screen turned on which potentially shows the new HTC Sense 5 homescreen, as well as just two navigation buttons below - a departure from the usual three.
A countdown has also appeared online, ending unsurprisingly on the date when the new phone will be announced. What is interesting is the HTC One / HTC M7 is shown off in a lens flare-heavy video too, showing a metallic body and concentrating quite strongly on the camera too.
This means the newer pics do seem the most likely, which is a shame given the above design did look pretty tasty; that said, metal always does feel more premium, so let's wait and take a look to see what HTC can bring to the table.
A new picture of the phone has emerged in black, and boy, does it look like the BlackBerry Z10 - again, this one comes from @evleaks:
A fan has even put together a video showing the hints dropped by HTC countdown; take a look and decide for yourself how the final phone will look:
HTC M7 price
The HTC M7 is going to be a flagship smartphone and therefore will carry a flagship (read: expensive) price tag.
According to French site FrAndroid, the HTC M7 will probably set you back around €649.99 (£560/$880/AU$855).
HTC One screen
Early rumours suggested that the HTC One would roll up with a 5-inch display, which would have put it firmly in competition with the Xperia Z, Huawei Ascend D2 and ZTE Grand S.
This no longer seems to be the case with a number of subsequent reports all pointing towards a 4.7-inch display - which is the same size as the screen on the One X and One X+.
The key difference is that the HTC M7 display will have a full HD 1080p resolution, which still makes as, if not more, attractive compared with the three 5-inch handsets mentioned above.
HTC M7 operating system
Leaked images of the HTC M7 along with various rumours all point towards the handset running Android Jelly Bean, which certainly is no great surprise - although we're not sure if it will be version 4.1 or 4.2.
More interestingly some reports suggest that the arrival of the HTC One will also see the launch of a new version of HTC's famed Android overlay - Sense 5.0.
The current iteration of Sense is version 4+ which arrived alongside One X+ (see what they did there), so we wouldn't be surprised if a more major overhaul was on the cards.
This thinking was then backed up a few days later when screenshots appeared online claiming to show off Sense 5.0, sporting a more streamlined homescreen and cleaner approach.
On top of that, more screenshots of HTC's Sense 5.0 have leaked on a different device: the HTC G2, so it seems very likely we'll get a new version of the brand's overlay at the forthcoming launch.
HTC One processor
No surprise in the power department as we hear the HTC One processor will be a Qualcomm 1.7GHz quad-core offering, which will provide more than enough get up and go for Android Jelly Bean.
It looks set to be a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro offering with 2GB of RAM behind it to ensure everything keeps ticking over nicely.
Specifications
As well as the hotly tipped full HD display, quad-core processor and Jelly Bean platform the HTC M7 is also expected to pack some other treats.
UnwiredView goes on to claim the HTC M7 will feature 4G connectivity, next-gen Wi-Fi technology and Beats Audio from Dr. Dre.
In terms of storage the HTC One is looking set to pack 32GB and follow in the footsteps of the flagship One X, One X+ and 8X with no expandable storage option.
Battery life in HTC's flagship smartphones has come under scrutiny recently and we hope the rumoured 2,300mAh power pack, which would be the biggest battery the firm has put in a smartphone to date, will be able to cut the mustard.
The high resolution display and powerful processor of the HTC One does leave us a little worried, so fingers crossed the Taiwanese firm has done it power consumption sums if this is true.
HTC One camera
According to HTCSource and UnviewedView round the back you'll probably find a 13MP with modes such as HDR and slow-motion, while the front of the M7 will play home to a 2MP snapper.
And there's a strong rumour that HTC will be breaking new ground on the camera phone with the introduction of Ultrapixels bringing more colourful and sharper images than ever before, thanks to packing three sensors under the hood - possibly with a 4MP sensor only, but we've yet to see how HTC's going to explain THAT one to the masses.
The beefed up M7 camera with ultrapixel technology has been given more credibility after HTC produced an info graphic hinting at a 'new sound and camera experience' for this year.
And now we have word that a 'Zoe camera' will be making its debut - whether this will be the actual name for Ultrapixels or not isn't clear at the moment, but it is another confirmation that only a 4MP sensor will be used - we're excited to see how this plays out at the official launch event.
The Optimus G Pro is LG’s answer to the Samsung Galaxy Note II and it will be heading to North America and Japan after the South Korean launch. Not immediately – those launches are scheduled for some time in Q2, while the Korean launch will be later this month. Reports pointed to an April launch for Japan.
The LG Optimus G Pro offers the same screen size as the Note II but with a 401ppi pixel density (compared to 267ppi). The bezels are quite thin and the phone is narrower than the Note. The Optimus G Pro will be one of the first devices powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 chipset (four of the revamped Krait 300 cores and Adreno 320).
The Optimus G Pro has a 13MP main camera and 2.1MP front-facing camera and they can record simultaneously, plus there’s object tracking for improved focusing.
Unfortunately, LG’s press release left out details like price and carriers for the Optimus G Pro launch, so we’ll have to wait for more info on that one – and we might get it at the MWC.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 could only be a month away and therefore leaks are happening on an almost daily basis, with the latest supposedly revealing the specs of the flagship device.
According to a PDF document 'leaked' by a Korean financial services firm the Galaxy S4 will sport a 5-inch, 1920x1080 display, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and run the latest version of Android Jelly Bean, 4.2.
In terms of a Samsung Galaxy S4 release date the document has March listed, although this is more likely to be the date of the launch event rather than the time the handset goes on sale.
Not so fast
The information has hardly come from a compelling source so we're not getting carried away with the features listed here, nor is there a strong case for the firm to even be in possession of said details (often, this is a researcher building a case from internet rumours) but it does seem to tally up pretty well with other rumours surrounding the handset.
In a separate report, a couple of images have popped up on Picasa claiming that they were taken on a Samsung GT-I9505, thought to be the international version of the Galaxy S4.
The blurry shots showing the rear of a computer tower are hardly awe-inspiring, plus the EXIF data attached to the snaps revealing the device they were taken on can be easily forged.
Both images sport a 2322 x 4128 resolution which would suggest the Samsung Galaxy S4 is packing a 13MP camera, although we're not pinning much hope on the authenticity of these pictures.
What we do know though is that the Galaxy S4 won't be making an appearance at MWC 2013 next week, with Samsung looking set to launch some new tablets such as the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy Tab 3 range at the Barcelona show instead.
You could be popping down to the Google Shop to pick up Christmas presents this year, as it looks like Google may open up some high street stores.
"An extremely reliable source" told 9 to 5 Google that stand-alone Google retail outlets would open in "major metropolitan areas" in the US in time for the festive shopping season.
It's a step on from the Google-branded zones in Best Buy in the US and PC World in the UK, where customers can already get some face time with Chromebooks and Nexus products before they invest.
Expertise
With more tablets and smartphones coming from Google itself and Google Glass on the horizon, it makes a certain amount of sense for there to be somewhere you can try the whole Google family out before buying.
Indeed, the source reckons that the imminent release of Google Glass prompted the decision to open stores because it's such a complex product - and the fact that Apple Stores do so wonderfully well won't have hurt the idea either.
As this speculation resides firmly in the realm of rumour at the moment, there's no word on whether the UK, Australia or any other areas of the world will see that familiar primary colour swirl pop up next to H&M and Gap - but, rest assured, we'll be keeping an eye out.
The HTC M7, or HTC One as it's becoming more commonly known, looks set to sport some fancy camera tech, with a 4MP "Zoe" camera leaked.
Hearts may sink a little when 4MP is read as the high-end smartphones of today are boasting 13MP snappers, but word is that ultrapixels could be at play in the HTC One to mitigate that.
Twitter user @flapic last week tweeted a picture claiming to show the HTC One in black along with the message: "New HTC One press shot leaks. Confirmed S4 Pro 1.7GHz, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage and 4Mpx ZOE room."
Focus on camera
We're not sure what the user means by "Zoe room", but HTC has also teased camera related tech for its February 19 event after it tweeted a photo (above) of camera lenses alongside the date: "19.2.13".
There's certainly a lot of hype around the Taiwanese firm's next flagship device, with some impressive specs being mooted including a full HD 4.7-inch display, quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
We'll be at both the London and New York launch events on February 19 to bring you all the latest on HTC's next handset and any new tech it may have packed inside.
LG took the wraps off the Optimus Pro G last week but the announcement was curiously devoid of any useful specifications. Now, the company has announced the phone for the Korean market and thankfully, there are now some specs for us to drool at.
You may already be acquainted with the 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution display on the Optimus Pro G, which LG says is the largest on any of its phones yet. The display is surrounded by a narrow bezel, which makes the phone 76.1mm wide, narrower than the Galaxy Note II, which is 80.5mm wide and has an identically sized display.
Inside, the Optimus G Pro runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset, with a 1.6GHz quad-core Krait 300 CPU and Adreno 320 GPU. Then there is 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory, with a microSD card slot. The Optimus G Pro runs on Android 4.1, Jelly Bean.
On the back the Optimus G Pro has an 13 megapixel camera with LED flash and on the front a 2.1 megapixel camera. With a new feature called Dual Recording, the phone lets you record a video with both the cameras enabled simultaneously, with the feed from the front camera inserted into the main video for a picture in picture effect.
Lastly, the Optimus G Pro has a 3,140mAh battery with wireless charging support, which should hopefully be enough to power the phone long enough.
The phone will go on sale this week in Korea and will be displayed at MWC later this month.
