Mobile Phone News

Samsung launching tougher version of Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy s4
Samsung Galaxy s4

Samsung is following in the footsteps of Sony by producing a water resistant version of its high end Android handset, according to info and images published by GSMArena.

The Galaxy S4 Active will feature most of the same components as the standard model, including a quad core processor and a full 1080p HD five inch display. The only aspect which is slightly less capable is the eight megapixel camera, which will be a little bit less stunning than the 13 megapixel unit found on the less durable Galaxy S4.

Samsung has yet to officially unveil the Galaxy S4 Active, although leaked images suggest it will come with a flashy red finish on the rear, as well as some clever design elements intended to prevent water and dust from penetrating the chassis.

This will give it the opportunity to fight back against the Sony Xperia Z, which has boasted the most durable design of any high end handset for the past few months.

Consumers are clearly attracted to hard wearing handsets, particularly if they are able to disguise their rugged capabilities beneath stylish exteriors, which is certainly the case with the Xperia Z and the Galaxy S4 Active.

iPhone 5S could feature colourful makeover

iPhone 5SApple has generally been uneasy about launching iPhone models in colours other than the standard black or white, which is in keeping with the cool, premium nature of the company as a whole.

However, new reports from BGR, suggest that the iPhone 5S might come in a wider array of hues than any of its predecessors.

One sneakily snagged SIM card tray for the next iPhone is apparently endowed with a dull gold colour, which might mean that Apple is working on a slightly gaudier edition of its next handset.

It is also being rumoured that the iPhone 5S will feature a built in fingerprint scanner, making it much more secure than most other smartphones and allowing only legitimate users the opportunity to access its features and private data.

The finger print scanner rumour has surfaced in the past, most recently as part of a speech given by PayPal executive, Michael Barrett. As well as unlocking the phone, the scanner could be used to validate transactions carried out through the iPhone, which would make mobile shopping sprees all the more secure.

Hopefully, we will be getting official information on the next iPhone from Apple in the next few months, as it could still be on for a summer launch.

BlackBerry Q5 revealed

BlackBerry Q5
BlackBerry Q5

This week BlackBerry gave the world’s media a first look at the brand new Q5 smartphone, which is set to go on sale in the UK during July and will act as a budget alternative to the Q10 and Z10.

The Q5 is a little chunkier and longer than the Q10 and while its 3.1 inch screen shares the same 720×720 resolution as its costlier sibling, it uses an LCD panel, as opposed to Super AMOLED.

Aside from these minor differences, the two handsets look largely identical on paper, since the Q5 has the same 1.2GHz dual core processor and 2GB of RAM combo that should give it enough power to run the BB 10 operating system with ease.

You also get a full QWERTY keypad for quick and accurate typing, along with a touchscreen interface, which is a real improvement over previous BlackBerry operating systems.

What remains a mystery at the moment is the potential pricing of the Q5, which should definitely be cheaper than the Q10 and Z10. Ho

Samsung develops 5G mobile networking

samsung-5G
Samsung 5G

In the UK, we may only just be experiencing the beginnings of 4G networking, but South Korean mobile manufacturer, Samsung, has this week revealed that it is already well on the way to perfecting 5G technology.

With 4G data speeds at the moment you can achieve between 10Mbps and 20Mbps downloads when you are out and about, but 5G completely blows this out of the water, at least in lab tests.

Samsung told the Wall Street Journal, that its 5G connectivity will be able to deliver data speeds of 10Gbps, or gigabits per second.

This means you could easily stream a 4K Ultra HD movie direct to your handset without any need for buffering, at least in ideal circumstances.

Samsung even suggests that this could be used for the distribution of remote medical services in the future.

We will not be seeing 5G connectivity available commercially until the end of the decade, so there is still quite a way to go before consumers can actually use it. But by this point, the big increase in download speeds will be a boon.

For now, smartphone fans will have to make do with 4G-ready devices like the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

UK release of Huawei Ascend P2 confirmed

huawei ascend p2Chinese manufacturer, Huawei, has gradually been entering the British mobile marketplace over the last few years, but in 2013 it is going for glory by launching a number of impressive devices on our shores.

The latest will be the Ascend P2, which is the most powerful device currently produced by the firm and could trouble class-topping competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S4.

It sports a 4.7 inch high-def display, a quad core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and even an impressive 13 megapixel camera.

Huawei is keen to keep its smartphones running for longer, so the Ascend P2 has a 2420mAh battery, all of which is packed into a chassis that measures just 8.4 millimetres thick.

The good points keep on coming, since the Ascend P2 is compatible with 4G networking and is likely to be a little cheaper than many of its contemporaries when it is released in the UK in June, according to TechRadar.

It is good to see new manufacturers emerging to shake up the mobile market and keep dominant firms like Samsung and Apple on their toes. The value-oriented nature of Huawei’s products should also make it a hit with consumers.