Sony Xperia Cosmos Leaks in Live Picture Again

The latest smartphone announced by Sony Mobile, the Xperia M4 Aqua is expected to arrive on the market sometime in April. Until then though, the Japanese company might unveil another mid-range handset.

The unannounced smartphones leaked about a week ago and is condenamed Cosmos. The Xperia Cosmos is a mid-range smartphone that is supposed to come with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and LED flash. We also know that Sony Xperia Cosmos might be equipped with an octa-core processor manufactured by MediaTek. We suspect that the mid-range handset will ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system out of the box, just like the Xperia M4 Aqua. Apart from that, there aren't many details on Xperia Cosmos' specs, so we can only wait until more info emerges online or Sony makes the smartphone official.

The latest picture provided by @upleaks shows the phone's front camera more clearly now, as well as the LED flash to its right. Since the flow of news about the Xperia Cosmos has become thicker now, we expect Sony to come forward with an official announcement very soon. If you're a Sony Xperia fan, then stay tuned as we'll be keeping an eye out for more details on the matter and report as soon as we have more info.

Sony Xperia Cosmos
Image credits to @UpLeaks

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Sailfish OS Alpha Build Is Now Available for the OnePlus One

Earlier this month, we told you that Jolla’s own Martin Brook posted an interesting image on Twitter depicting the OnePlus One handset running on the Finish company’s Sailfish OS platform.

Sailfish OS is currently running on devices offered by the mother company, but in the near future we might end up seeing more manufacturers take up this OS and use it on their devices, especially since Jolla has opened up licensing. Anyway, if a few weeks ago we were only giving you a quick look at how Sailfish might look on the OnePlus One, the good news is that Jolla has rolled out the alpha version of Sailfish OS for this particular handset.

Since the build is in alpha state, don’t expect all the functionalities to be up and running, as you’ll probably notice some of them are missing. For example Wi-Fi connectivity and the camera app are currently inoperable. On top of that, support for Android Apps isn’t available just yet and neither are OTA updates. If you decide to go forward and install the alpha build, you can do so by following the instructions provided by Jolla itself.

We've also attached a video showing the OnePlus One running the OS, so you can get an idea of what you’re in for.

Sailfish OS alpha build is available for OnePlus One

Sailfish OS runs on OnePlus One, shows apps

How to access events view on OnePlus One

Picking up a call on the OnePlus One
Images credits to Jolla

SailfishOS pre-alpha1 on #oneplus one
Video credits to vgrade100

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HTC One M9+ Stacked Against the HTC One M9, Here’s the Difference

The HTC One M9+ was nowhere to be seen at the company’s New York event last week, but that doesn't mean the phone will not be unveiled at some point, one way or another.

The phone has leaked numerous times before, and the exact dimensions of the upcoming model have been revealed for the world to see. According to the rumor mill, the larger HTC One M9 version will measure 5.94 x 2.85 x 0.4 inches / 150.9 x 72.5 x 10.44 mm. And since we know the supposed dimensions of the upcoming phone, serial leakster @OnLeaks designed a mock-up of the upcoming device and pitted it against the current One M9, so we can get an idea of the differences between the two. @OnLeaks was inspired in his endeavor by a bunch of pictures that are supposedly showing a real One M9+ prototype. Rumors say that the HTC M9+ will arrive in the wild with a 5.2-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution and a hefty pixel density of 565ppi.

Under the hood, it is said that we should see either an octa-core Snapdragon or a MediaTek chipset moving things along depending on the region, working hand in hand with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. We’re also expecting to see a 20.7MP camera on the back, plus a 4.1MP front-facing camera, and a 2,840 mAh battery keeping the phone alive. The phone will probably arrive with a fingerprint scanner of the touch variety too. While we wait to see whether HTC will launch this particular model or not, take a moment and check out the One M9+ and One M9 lying next to each other.

HTC One M9+ vs. HTC One M9
Image credits to @OnLeaks

Purported image of HTC One M9+

HTC One M9+ from profile

HTC One M9+ back and front
Images credits to GSM Arena

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Lenovo K3 Note Launches with 5.5-Inch FHD Display, Octa-Core CPU and $128 Price

It’s a good time to be a Lenovo smartphone fan in China, as the company has just rolled out an interesting-looking new phone that will help it compete against the likes of Meizu and Xiaomi in the country.

Say hello to the Lenovo K3 Note, a phablet arriving in the wild with a hefty 5.5-inch display and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (401 ppi), plus an octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor pumping juice on the inside (as reported by Mobile Dad). Lenovo also throws in 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 13MP/5MP camera combo. The phablet is maintained alive by a 3,000 mAh battery which should give it enough juice to last you throughout the day.

The phone is 0.3 inch / 7.6 mm think and is made of bright yellow polycarbonate. But the interesting part is the protruding Lenovo logo located on the back of the device, right in the middle. Also on the back we can find a loudspeaker, while the dual LED flash is also visible. Albeit being called Note, it doesn't seem that the phone packs any sort of digitizer. However, it does have a two-SIM slot, one for 4G LTE use and one for exclusive China Unicom release (supports international 3G network bands).

The phone is sporting a rather appealing price tag of between $128 / €117 and $166 / €152. Hopefully the budget device will make it onto other markets soon enough.

Lenovo K3 Note frontal view

Lenovo K3 Note in white

Lenovo K3 Note back view

Lenovo K3 Note, display 

Lenovo K3 Note in profile

Lenovo K3 Note showing protruding logo

Lenovo K3 Note camera detail

Lenovo K3 Note speaker detail

Lenovo K3 Note frontal view

Lenovo K3 Note display on

Lenovo K3 Note frontal camera detail

Lenovo K3 Note virtual buttons detail

Lenovo K3 Note has removable battery

Lenovo K3 Note back detail
Images credits to Mobile Dad

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Prototype of Oppo’s Purported Bezeless Phone Leaks in First Images

This weekend we’ve seen LeTV’s upcoming smartphone leak online in its entire splendor, revealing a device almost completely devoid of bezels.

The company aims to deliver a display experience that is comparable to the one offered by Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. However, the methods employed by the two companies to deliver it differ drastically. Samsung has a very challenging technology to port the curved display panels on the Galaxy S6 Edge, but companies like LeTV might not have the available funds to invest in such costly affairs. Alongside LeTV, Chinese manufacturer Oppo is embarking on the quest of creating a unique edge-to-edge display for their handsets, but they will be doing it by shrinking down the bezels to the extreme.

Oppo has a unique recipe for making smartphones bezeless

According to a new surfaced patent, Oppo is working to implement a system that allows covering a traditional rectangular module with what the company is calling a panel with “special light guide structure.” To be clear, this doesn't translate into a completely bezeless screen, but one with very slimmed-down bezels. How will Oppo achieve this impressive feat? From what it can be understood from the patent, a special curve at the end of the transparent overlay diffracts light from the panel in a way that it is actually projected on it, expanding beyond the actual display unit. That’s how the bezel of the display module manages to remain hidden to the eye of the beholder.

A few hours after the patent appeared in the wild, disclosing the manufacturer’s plans for the future, a few pictures showing the purported prototype employing Oppo’s new technology surfaced online (as seen at GizChina). We’re currently not 100% sure whether this is actually a real Oppo device or just a really clever fake. But the phone does look extremely gorgeous with its almost non-existent bezels. The model seems to be running Oppo’s Color OS, which by the way has just been released as a Beta 2.0 version based on Android 4.4 KitKat for the Find 7 smartphone.

So what do you think? Are we dealing with the real deal and we’re going to see Oppo launch an amazing transparent bezel phone soon?

Oppo's purported bezeless smartphone

Could this be a real Oppo product?

Images from the Oppo patent
Image credits to GSMArena

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Xiaomi Denies Partnership with Microsoft, Says It's an “Experimental Program”

There's been a lot of talk surrounding Microsoft's partnership with two of the most successful Chinese brands, Lenovo and Xiaomi. The former will launch its first Windows Phone in the coming months, while the latter will put Windows Phone on some of its Mi4 smartphones.

However, it looks like Xiaomi seemed a little bit upset that Microsoft's announcement was bit too optimistic when it comes to the Chinese company's contribution to this project. In that regard, Xiaomi's VP Hugo Barra issued an official statement in which it explains that his company has not signed any partnerships with Microsoft Barra claims Microsoft is running (and leading) an experimental program with Mi fan community in China. Xiaomi does not have any contribution to this program, but the Chinese company is supportive of users who want to try new things.

This is the main reasons Xiaomi allowed Microsoft to work directly with members of the Xiaomi Forum in China. It's also important to mention that this program will only be available in China.

Xiaomi continue to bet on Android ecosystem

According to Barra, Microsoft's Windows Phone ROM that will be made available as a separate download on the Xiaomi Forum, will not be running on top of Android nor be available as a dual-boot option. Basically, Xiaomi Mi4 owners who want to test Windows 10 Technical Preview on their smartphones will be able to manually re-flash their devices with this ROM, in the same way they would re-flash other Android ROMs. Last but not least, Xiaomi reiterates its support to Android operating system through its proprietary user interface and many other in-house developed apps and services.

“Xiaomi continues to fully embrace the Android ecosystem through our MIUI software platform and we’re moving ahead full steam building many exciting new Android-based features and services,” said Hugo Barra.

Xiaomi Mi4
Image credits to Xiaomi

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ZTE Nubia Z9 Running Windows 10 Caught in Live Pictures

Apple of China, Xiaomi is now working with Microsoft to bring Windows 10 for Phones to Mi4 power users, while Lenovo has already confirmed it will launch its first Windows Phones in mid-year 2015.

But these are not the only Chinese companies to take interest in Microsoft's Windows Phone platform. It turns out that ZTE might be interesting taking the Windows Phone route with some of its devices. ZTE is well-known in China, but the company did manage to get into the US market with too many of its cheap smartphones. The company's next flagship smartphone, ZTE Nubia Z9 is expected to be unveiled on March 29. We expect the Nubia Z9 to be released globally in the next couple of weeks and we're also expecting the phone to be cheaper than other flagships that will go on sale in March / April timeframe.

Even though we've confirmed that ZTE Nubia Z9 will ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system out of the box, here is something interesting for Windows Phone fans.

Microsoft may prepare a Windows Phone ROM for ZTE's flagship phone

Chinese blog MyDrivers has just find out that ZTE Nubia Z9 can run Windows 10 for Phones without problems. The smartphone seems to have been showcased at WinHEC conference where Microsoft announced that Windows 10 for Phones will be launched sometime this summer. This means that the Windows Phone ROM that Microsoft plans to provide to Xiaomi Mi4 power users might be available to other brands as well. ZTE Nubia Z9 could be another smartphone that Microsoft plans to add to this “experimental program” it debuted this month.

We doubt that ZTE will announce the availability of the Nubia Z9 in Android and Windows Phone versions, but Microsoft might allow owners to install and test Windows 10 Technical Preview. We'll be keeping an eye out for more on this one, so stay tuned.

ZTE Nubia Z9 Windows 10 home screen

Cortana on ZTE Nubia Z9

ZTE Nubia Z9 (back)
Images credits to MyDrivers

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Huawei Ascend P8 Leaks Out in Image, Shows Metal Frame

Huawei is expected to host a big event in London on April 15 and we’re anticipating to see the company’s next flagship, the Ascend P8 make a debut.

While we are waiting for the big announcement, serial leakster @OnLeaks is treating us to an image showing the Ascend P8 in the wild. As you can see for yourself, the phone looks quite premium, boasting a metal frame and an atypical glazed back coating. If what the rumor mill is saying turns out to be the real deal, the Ascend P8 will arrive with a 5.2-inch display with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and will take advantage of a ceramic unibody.

Huawei’s own octa-core Kirin 930 CPU will be powering things on board together with 3GB of RAM. It is also said the phone will take advantage of a setup of two 13MP cameras on the back. Naturally, the Chinese company will be putting its latest Emotion UI version (based on Android 5.0 Lollipop) on top of the phone. A 2600 mAh battery will power the device, but given a recent teaser which highlighted the battery, we might end up seeing the phone arrive with a chunkier power source.

Huawei Ascend P8 leaks out
Image credits to @OnLeaks on Twitter

Earlier teaser for Huawei Ascend P8
Image credits to Weibo

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Sony Xperia J1 Compact Goes Official in Japan with Metal Frame, Snapdragon 800

We might have to wait a while until we see the Sony Xperia Z4 grace us with its presence, as sources are indicating that the phone will make a debut at IFA 2015, but while we wait for that to happen, Sony has a new phone for us.

Or for the folks living in Japan to be more precise, because the handset in question will be sold exclusively in the country, at least for the time being.

Sony Xperia J1 Compact is a new premium handset

Now, come and meet the Xperia J1 Compact, which is quite similar in size to the Xperia Z3 Compact. It offers a 4.3-inch HD LCD display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor clocked at 2.2GHz and working hand in hand with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD card). So that you can get an idea of the phone’s dimensions, we’ll tell you the J1 Compact measures 5.04 x 2.56 x 0.38 inches / 128 x 65 x 9.7 mm, so it’s a little bit bigger than the Xperia Z3 Compact (5.00 x 2.56 x 0.34 inches / 127 x 64.9 x 8.6 mm). In terms of design, Sony is offering the Xperia J1 with a metal frame, so the device will feel a lot more premium than the Xperia Z3 Compact.

Other specifications include an advanced 20.7MP camera on the back, plus a 2.2MP front-facing sensor, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, LTE and NFC. Everything on board is maintained alive by a 2300 mAh battery with Stamina Mode software to prolongue the device’s life cycle as much as possible.

The smartphone runs an outdated OS

Puzzlingly enough, the phone was launched with Android 4.4.4 KitKat pre-installed on it, which is pretty odd especially since the company didn’t mention anything about a possible update to Lollipop. As is characteristic of Sony, the phone arrives with IPX5/IPX8 water and dust protection. However, Sony might soon abandon its habit of making its phones waterproof, as rumors are suggesting the Xperia Z4 will arrive devoid of water protection.

The phone is SIM-free and will be made available starting April 20. Pre-orders for it will start on March 27 for a cool $454 / €425.

Sony Xperia J1 Compact arrives in JapanImage credits to Sony Japan

Sony Xperia J1 Compact boasts a smaller form factorImage credits to Phone Arena

Sony Xperia J1 Compact runs on KitKat
Image credits to Sony Japan

Sony Xperia J1 Compact is a premium modelImage credits to Phone Arena

Sony Xperia J1 Compact has a powerful camera onboard
Image credits to Phone Arena

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HTC One M9+ (Not Plus) Launching in Late March or Early April

HTC fans, disappointed that their favorite company did not improve its flagship smartphone like other companies did, will be pleased to know that there might be another device the Taiwanese handset maker has in the pipeline.

The so-called HTC One M9+ (not Plus) is rumored to go on sale sometime later this month or in early April at the latest. The smartphone will be an improved version of the HTC One M9 and will be released globally, not just in some regions. Although this information is only a rumor now, @upleaks, a reliable source that brought us numerous tips in the past, claims such a smartphone exists and will be released in less than a month. Moving on to specs, the One M9+ won't be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 processor, which seems to have overheating issues that haven't been solved yet. Instead, HTC opted for a MediaTek MT6795 64-bit octa-core processor.

The CPU will be complemented by 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. No word on microSD card slot, but since the smartphone will feature the same form factor and design as the standard One M9, we don't see why HTC wouldn't add one. Furthermore, the One M9+ will boast a 5.2-inch Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) capacitive touchscreen display that should feature Corning Gorilla Glass 3 coating for extra protection.

Duo Camera and 2,840 mAh non-removable battery

On the back, the smartphone will feature a 20.7-megapixel photo snapper, along with a 2.1-megapixel camera (Duo Camera), while in the front there will be an impressive 13-megapixel camera for great selfies and video calls. BoomSound, Bluetooth and touch-based fingerprint sensor in the front will be included in the One M9+ as well. It's also worth mentioning that the handset will be powered by a 2,840 mAh non-removable battery. According to rumors, HTC One M9+ will ship with Android 5.0.2 Lollipop operating system and Sense 7.0 UI on top right out of the box.

So there you have it folks, if HTC One M9 is not enough for you, then perhaps the upcoming One M9+ will appeal to you more.

HTC One M9+
Image credits to UbuntuTeam Weibo

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