Breaking up is hard to do: Samsung is behind iPhone 5S A7 chip

Want some dip with that Samsung chip? (credit: Chipworks)

When Apple announced the iPhone 5S 10 days ago, it revealed a more powerful next-gen processor was ticking along for the ride.

The 64-bit ARM A7 was a widely expected edition to the Apple SoC line-up, and some thought Apple might finally turn to a chipmaker other than arch-rival Samsung to produce the silicon in its new flagship.

Alas, Apple apparently couldn't cut the cord, as research firm Chipworks confirmed through "early analysis" that the chip is the product of Samsung's fabrication Foundry.

Through some microscopic dissection, the Chipworks crew came to the conclusion the A7 is built using the same 28-nm HKMG process as Samsung's Exynos 5410 CPU, the processor found inside the octa-core version of the Galaxy S4.

Blood is thicker than water, we suppose.

Made a break with M7

Apple is stuck relying on Samsung for its mobile CPUs it would seem, though perhaps by the time the iPhone 6 lands the company will have made a clean break.

There is, however, one third-party chip claim Apple can stake with the 5S.

Chipworks identified the M7 co-processor, which collects and processes accelerometer, gyroscope and compass data, as an NXP Semiconductors product.

• Read our iPhone 5S review, and check out the iPhone 5C review right after.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/breaking-up-is-hard-samsung-behind-iphone-5s-a7-chip-1182827

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BlackBerry will pull back from consumer market, warns of huge loss and layoffs

Bye bye BlackBerry as we know it

BlackBerry released its preliminary second quarter financial results today, and as jargon-y as that sounds, the company dropped a few big bombshells.

We'll start with the news that will affect consumers directly: BlackBerry has decided to shift its future smartphone portfolio from six devices to four. Cost saving measures are to be expected, but there's more.

The phone maker will now focus on making "enterprise and prosumer-centric targeted devices," producing for that space two high-end devices and two entry-level devices. All-touch and QWERTY models are in the offing, but the days of BlackBerry plying phones ardently to consumers are over.

What's more, following the announcement of the BlackBerry Z30, BlackBerry will re-tier its predecessor, the disappointing Z10, making it available to "a broader, entry-level audience."

BlackBerry reiterated a special committee continues to explore strategic alternatives for the company's future, which it has stated include an all-out sale.

Money pit

Of course, BlackBerry wouldn't just up and decide to shift its attention to the enterprise space. It would have to be losing bucket loads of money. And it is.

According to the company's preliminary calculations, it expects a net operating loss of approx. $950 million to $995 million.

A huge portion of that - $930 million to $960 million - is a primarily non-cash, pre-tax inventory charge "resulting from the increasingly competitive business environment impacting BlackBerry smartphone volumes."

A pre-tax restructuring charge of $72 million is factored in there as well.

Cutting even deeper to the quick, BlackBerry's restructuring will result in the lay off of approx. 4,500 employees.

As for whatever positives there are, BlackBerry expects to pull in second quarter revenue of approx. $1.6 billion and sales of 3.7 million smartphones. It plans to chop its operating expenditures by about 50% by the end of the first 2015 fiscal quarter.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/blackberry-to-pull-back-from-consumer-market-1182808

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BlackBerry will cut 4,500 jobs, lose almost $1 billion in Q2

In line with yesterday’s WSJ report, BlackBerry announced that it will cut 4,500 jobs as part of a plan to reduce its operating expenditures over the next year. Furthermore, the struggling Canadian company is expected to post a loss of almost $1 billion in the fiscal Q2 of 2014.

The eye-watering loss is a result of lackluster sales of the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. The company will take a hit against inventory and supply commitments involving the failed smartphone. Going forward the device will be priced to appeal to “entry-level” audience, thus leaving the freshly announced BlackBerry Z30 as the company’s flagship.

In order to make its way out of the woods, BlackBerry will reduce its portfolio to four devices – two high-end and two entry-level ones. Future products will be focused away from the mainstream consumers, back to the company’s former stronghold – the enterprise and prosumer user base.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_will_cut_4500_jobs_lose_almost_1_billion_in_q2-news-6833.php

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Will Oppo N1 be the first to get the CyanogenMod Inc. treatment?

The latest Oppo N1 teaser surely is the most interesting one to date. Instead of focusing on the upcoming Android smartphone’s design and features, the short YouTube clip features no other, but CyanogenMod’s founder Steve Kondik.

As you can see in the latest trailer above, Steve Kondik says that he will be attending the Oppo N1 unveiling. He also promises “exciting news ahead.”

Steve Kondik’s appearance in the teaser could well be a less than subtle hint that the Oppo N1 will be getting the treatment from the newly-founded company CyanogenMod Inc. Oppo’s own love for the Android ROM flashing community points even further in this direction.

The Oppo N1 will break cover on September 23 in Beijing. We will be covering the event live from the spot, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the Chinese smartphone.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/will_oppo_n1_be_the_first_to_get_the_cyanogenmod_inc_treatment-news-6832.php

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Apple reportedly pushing for increase in gold iPhone 5S production

Sneaky gold iPhone

If you shrugged off sleep, kept your track-pad finger hovering over order options at the online Apple Store, or camped out/paid someone to in front of a physical one overnight, you're helping the new iPhones get off to a rousing start.

"Demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and we are currently sold out or have limited supply of certain iPhone 5S models in some stores," an Apple representative told AllThingsD.

But you really have to look no further than the long lines and extended shipping dates to know that.

The gold iPhone 5S looks of particular interest to consumers, and Apple is reportedly preparing to give them more of what they want.

All that glitters

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has tugged on suppliers' ears to up production of the new gold iPhone.

Apple apparently wants production to jump by another third based on the strong demand it's seeing for the champagne-colored handset. AllThingsD noted in a separate report that Apple's manufacturing partners have been asked to "significantly" up gold iPhone 5S production.

The Journal's report focused on Hong Kong demand, but in the U.S., the gold iPhone's ship time has been pushed to October on all four carriers and in all storage configurations. The white and space gray models, meanwhile, are able to ship within seven to 10 business days from any carrier in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB options.

Supplies of the iPhone 5C, meanwhile, appears to be holding steady, and will get to U.S. customers in one to three business days.

• Read our review of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C to see if the phones are worth the wait.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-reportedly-pushing-for-increase-in-gold-iphone-5s-production-1182756

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Apple fan's iPhone 5S pickpocketed in store, no chance to even set up Touch ID

Hey, lads! I've got a new iPho...and it's gone

Apple's new Touch ID fingerprint sensor might safeguard the iPhone 5S against thieves, but it wasn't much good to one poor Apple fan who had his handset robbed before leaving the Apple Store on Friday.

After queuing (probably for hours) at the flagship Apple Store on Regent Street in London, the unlucky fella unboxed his handset and placed it in his pocket, only to be pick-pocketed by a light fingered little toe-rag.

He only realised the iPhone was gone after he left the store and now cops, who were out in their droves on Friday and still managed to miss the incident, are looking at CCTV footage to determine what happened.

"It's not clear what happened, because the store is so busy," a Met police source told The Register. "This is why we draft in extra officers. There's always going to be people having their new phones nicked."

More blips!

Some more blips, with less heartbreaking iPhone thievery, can be seen here

• Madonna and BitTorrent sticking it to the man
• HTC One going for gold?
• Harry Potter spin-off flicks on the way. And games too!

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/apple-fan-s-iphone-5s-pickpocketed-in-store-no-chance-to-even-set-up-touch-id-1182742

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Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet shows up again in a close-up shot

Now that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Sony Xperia Z1 announcements are out of the way, the next big unveiling to look forward to in the mobile industry is the upcoming Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet.

The live images and the press render of the Nokia's first phablet are already out and we now have yet another leak, which shows the 6-inch smartphone very closely. The latest leak also shows the Nokia branding on the top and three capacitive touch buttons at the bottom of the phablet.

Meanwhile, the Nokia Lumia 1520 is confirmed to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and the device will feature a 20 megapixel PureView camera.

We will know more about the Nokia Lumia 1520 when the Finnish manufacturer officially announces the phablet at its upcoming press event on October 21.

Head down to the source link below to check out the image in full size.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_1520_phablet_shows_up_again_in_a_closeup_shot-news-6831.php

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