Microsoft and Nokia have already seeded the GDR3+Lumia Black update to Lumia 1020, 925, 920 and 820, while the Lumia 1520 is running it out of the box. As of today Lumia 625 has also joined the Lumia Black bandwagon.
Nokia Lumia 625 phones in various countries around the globe are already getting the notification for both the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update and Nokia's Lumia Black improvements. In case your Lumia 625 isn't among those, you should be getting the update very soon as well.
The WP8 GDR3 update now allows you to close apps from the app switching UI, it also brings auto rotation on/off switch, Driving Mode, Bluetooth tethering, better storage management, custom ringtones for messages, and new accessibility options. Nokia's Lumia Black also update adds Bluetooth 4.0LE support.
Now that both updates have been optimized for Lumia phones with 512MB RAM so they work on the Lumia 625, we expect Lumia 520, 620 and 720 to get their updates shortly.
What's new? A lot apparently. (credit: Xperia Blog)
Not one but two lots of Sony Xperia Z2 screenshots have leaked in the last 24 hours or so. The first set, posted on the XDA Developers forum, is from an old build as it's running Android 4.3 and it mostly just serves to show some changes to the UI.
However the second set, revealed by XperiaBlog, claims to be from an Android 4.4.2 KitKat build and is far more revealing.
The camera has seen some upgrades since the Sony Xperia Z1, as the screenshots show that the Xperia Z2 supports 4K video recording and a 'Timeshift video' feature, which allows you to record video at a high frame-rate and apply slow motion effects.
The screenshots have revealed a bunch of other new features on the Xperia Z2 as well, such as the ability to wake the screen by double tapping it (as you can on the LG G2), use the touchscreen while wearing gloves and adjust the white balance of the display.
Smarter than your average phone
Then there are a couple of new 'smart' controls. Smart backlight control sounds a lot like Samsung's Smart Stay feature as it ensures that the screen stays on when you're looking at it.
While Smart call handling allows you to answer calls by bringing the phone up to your ear, reject them by shaking the device or mute the ringer by flipping the handset over. We've seen other manufacturers implement these features on their handsets and Sony now appears to be following suit.
It also looks like the Sony Xperia Z2 will have not one but two home launchers to choose from. There's the standard one, called 'Xperia Home' and another called 'Simple Home', which gives it a simplified layout while increasing the size of fonts and icons.
The screenshots show that the Xperia Z2 will also give users some control over the notifications screen and status bar, as you can pick exactly which apps display notifications and choose which icons to display in the status bar.
Then there's a 'What's New' feature, which you seemingly access by swiping up, in much the same way as you'd access Google Now. By the looks of things though it just highlights new features and content from Sony.
That covers the big changes, but the screenshots also show an enormous number of small changes and additions, such as a new 'Printing' option under system settings and a built in answering machine with a selection of greetings to choose from.
As if we weren't already excited enough about the Sony Xperia Z2 all this suggests an almost overwhelmingly feature packed handset. There shouldn't be long to wait for it now either, as the Xperia Z2 may break cover at MWC 2014.
After more information on the Sony Xperia Z2? Look no further.
The rumors surrounding the next generation Galaxy S smartphone are coming in thick and fast. Firstly, the device was tipped for a March release, which was even backed up by a statement from the company's VP, but we then had a Samsung executive saying that their flagship smartphone will not be showcased at the Mobile World Congress.
Now, we have another report from Mobile Review's Eldar Murtazin, who says that the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone will be announced on February 23. It has to be noted that the same guy had correctly predicted the Galaxy S4 launch date last year.
Samsung Galaxy S5 launch - 18.00. Barcelona. 23 February. Price the same. Launch - end of April. Specs - u know them :) new touchwiz ;)
Samsung will announce its 2014 flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone at a dedicated event in Barcelona on February 23, which is a day before the Mobile World Congress kicks off. Furthermore, Mr. Murtazin claims that the device will be available in the stores by the end of April, which alligns nicely with earlier rumors.
Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy S5 is expected to sport a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and the device is said to offer a choice between the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset and Samsung's next generation Exynos. The other hardware specifications of the Galaxy S5 include 3 GB of RAM, 16 megapixel rear camera, fingerprint sensor, new TouchWiz user interface and a 3,000mAh battery.
However, these are just speculations based on the previous rumors and there is no official confirmation at the moment. We will keep you posted when Samsung starts sending invitations for its next Unpacked event.
Apple is seeding the iOS 7.1 beta 4 to its testing partners. The previous beta iteration of iOS 7.1 was released almost a month ago in December, so it was about time we got a new one.
The company is rumored to release two more versions of the beta before seeding the full iOS 7.1. If it keeps the pace it's currently going at, Apple is expected to do so by the end of March.
The Beta 4 of iOS 7.1 is said to bring fixes to the keyboard, contacts app, changes to the phone UI as and more minor bugs. According to people who've tested the build, Apple has managed to fix large memory leaks that some users using iOS 7 suffer from.
Once Apple's testing partners are done with their job on the iOS 7.1 beta 4, the company will make it available to developers.
What's this? It's only a Samsung Galaxy S5 release date. Get out your diaries, grab that ballpoint and thumb your way to February 23... wait. What?
According to seasoned mobile leaker and blogger about town, Eldar Murtazin, Samsung will apparently launch the Galaxy S5 in Barcelona on the Sunday before MWC 2014 kicks off.
The tweet reads "Samsung Galaxy S5 launch - 18.00. Barcelona. 23 February. Price the same. Launch - end of April. Specs - u know them :) new touchwiz ;)", which sounds lovely and all - but we're not convinced.
Look at the facts
Samsung has steered clear of MWC in previous years, launching the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 at separate events after the show, allowing its products to garner the maximum amount of publicity instead of being lost in the noise of a trade show.
Various sources have also tipped the Galaxy S5 launch for March, with an event taking place in either London or New York - not Barcelona.
Either way we'll find out in a month's time if Murtazin was on the money, or off the mark.
Have we had our first glimpse of Sony's next flagship smartphone?
New leaked images, courtesy of XDA Developers, show off a supposed Xperia Z2 out in the open (or rather, sat on a table).
The Xperia Z1 may be only a couple of months old, but that hasn't stopped rumours regarding its successor rearing their head.
2K-O
Alleged specs circling the web point to a 5.2-inch, 2K screen, rocking a needle-sharp 506ppi. Naturally, all this pixel power means a bump in juice will be required, so a 3700mAh battery has also been mooted.
So is this really the Xperia Z2? Click on the video below and judge for yourself.
Back when Motorola announced the Moto G smartphone, we had heard that India will be one of the countries to get Motorola's latest smartphone. Now, according to sources at BGR India, Motorola will be launching the Moto G in India some time this week.
As some of you may be aware, Motorola does not have any official presence in India any more, after the company quit business in the country a couple of years back. Due to this, Motorola does not have any channels to distribute the phone any more, which is why it will be partnering exclusively with online stores to sell the Moto G in India. Flipkart is said to be one of those stores, although it's unknown if it will be the only one. It will be interesting to see how the after sales services are handled.
The Moto G to be launched in India will be the dual-SIM model. No word on pricing yet but the phone should be priced around INR 15,000-16,000 for the 8GB variant.
