As part of our new video podcast series, here comes the latest installment – Sean P and I discuss the latest and greatest from ALL the leaks surrounding the Google Pixel 4 device, scheduled to be launched next month. We talk about everything in detail and this part 1 is available now – so go check it out (part 2 to follow shortly)
Rumors
LG’s next flagship coming in August 2017
LG typically has 2 flagship mobile phones: the G-series and the V-series, starting with the V10 a few years ago. 2016’s V20 was a larger drastically different from the original version that turned off those that preferred the rugged and audio friendly V10. But the good news is that the V30 appears to be ready to burst onto the scene next month.
[Rumors] What’s coming up next?
While we enter a bit of a doldrums phase, what with most of the early device launches over and Google I/O recently ending. That doesn’t mean there is a shortage of phones coming on the horizon though…some of them are even shaping up to be pretty cool.
While we work up our 2016 Buyers Guide for the first half of the year, check out some of the latest rumors of what’s to come…
It looks like Motorola via Lenovo will be coming out with some wild stuff. Whether its good or bad remains to be seen, but first we had the info on the new Moto G devices, and now the latest talk is that the Moto X line will be replaced by the Moto Z. AndroidPIT has some info and a few pics here. Whether or not this is going to be as solid a phone as the Moto X Pure Edition was in 2015 remains to be seen…but one thing is for sure – Lenovo is doing things with Motorola that no one saw coming.
OnePlus 3
For a startup who’s motto is “Never Settle,” OnePlus has made some unusual choices in their devices. The OnePlus 1 was an intriguing device, and the OnePlus 2 went to a different place, removing NFC and wireless charging but sporting a USB-C connection port. Android Authority did a great comparison of the 2 devices head to head here, a solid read on what OnePlus has done before. While their device releases have mostly been a mixed bag of annoying and downright embarrassing, the OnePlus 3 rumors paint a picture of a solid device that can be a great value. We are rapidly approaching their launch announcement, and some details can be found via TechRadar at this link. While the design leaks have it looking like a HTC 10 clone, OnePlus does have a track record of putting out devices that sport some really nice features and a really good price point.
Samsung Note 6
If you’re a fan of the Note line from Samsung, as my partner Sean P is, you’ll probably be REALLY excited for the rumors about the upcoming Note 6. Taking some of the best features of the terrific Galaxy S7 line, and making it bigger and badder can’t be terrible, right? Things like a 4000mah battery, a whopping 6GB of RAM, and IP68 water resistance are just a start. There are even rumors of as many as 4 versions of this guy floating around. Check out some of the details from Forbes here. Even more rumors can be found from Android Authority at this link.
So there you have it…some great rumors about some upcoming devices. We’ll probably touch a bit more on these in an upcoming Silicon Theory Podcast, so keep an eye out for more news on that to come.
[Rumor] HTC to annouce One Max phablet on 10/15/13
The latest rumors are in – and its BIG folks…get it? The latest phablet superphone is coming, and allegedly soon. HTC seems poised to launch the XL version of their very well reviewed HTC One device on October 15th. As this is just a few days away, we should be able to confirm or deny this very, very soon.
Invitations have been sent out, to multiple international regions, and (according to translation of a Chinese site) the actual announcement date will be the 15th. Anyone (other than Sean of course!) looking forward to making this their next smartphone phablet purchase? See some of the leaked photos below.
*Photos courtesy of Droid-Life
*Source: Engadget
[Rumor] Galaxy S4 to launch in black & white
| Possilble Galaxy S4 render |
The latest rumor as we approach the middle of the month and the launch date for the Galaxy S4 is that Samsung will be kicking off their new flagship with 2 colors – the staple white and black. In addition, there should be 16GB/32GB/64GB variants, all available for purchase (at some point) – this is in addition to the expandable SD card slot already pretty much a done deal. Will there be carrier exclusive colors? Will we see Pebble Blue ever again? Stay tuned for more details!
*Source: Droid-Life
[Rumor] Is this benchmark for the Verizon Galaxy S4?
A recent benchmark showed up for a smartphone with the device ID “SCH-I545” – this just may be the latest flagship from Samsung, the Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S3 for Verizon bore a device ID of “SCH-I535” and several other Samsung smartphones have similar code names on Verizon as well.
As you can see from the bench mark, we’d expect this phone to sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a full 1080p display, and the Adreno 320 GPU. The Samsung event is scheduled for 03/14/13, and no doubt it will be one of the most hyped events of the year for tech enthusiasts.
*Source: Droid-Life
[Rumor] HTC M7 to be released at "HTC One"
| HTC’s One X+ (but it could be the HTC One also) |
HTC is getting ready to launch that flagship that’s for so long been known as the M7 – until the latest rumor has surfaced. The latest news from HTC is that the new device could actually be known simply as the “HTC One.” This would put it in line with previously released devices like the One X, One S, and the One X+ – however; this might end up confusing consumers, as all these other devices were released before this newest one.
To top it off, the M7 most closely resembles the recently released Droid DNA, released on Verizon, and if Verizon gets the M7, its unclear why the Droid DNA would have ever been sold to begin with. It’s no secret that around here, the 2 Tech Geeks are puzzled by HTC’s business strategies of late, most notably with the battery technology they put in their phones. In any event, HTC has a long road ahead of it if they want to get back into the smartphone race…does anyone think the rumors of the M7 device are the way they do it?
*Source: BGR
[Rumor] LG to push up launch date of Optimus G Pro?
In advance of the juggernaut that will likely be Samsung’s Galaxy S4 launch, LG is rumored to be considering launching their new flagship, the Optimus G Pro, later on this month – probably near the end of February. Why do this? To hopefully steal the Galaxy S4’s thunder, of course! Well…its probably more along the lines of hoping to get consumers to purchase the not-unimpressive Optimus G Pro before they get wind of the GS4. For a full spec sheet on the Optimus G Pro (OGP?), check out this article.
*Source: Phone Arena
[Rumor] Google to launch new Nexus 7 tablet
If you’ve read my review of the Nexus 7, you’ll know I surely love it and think it likely the best Android tablet on the market. It’s been a very good seller for Asus (the maker) and Google as well…and it looks like its about to get a refresh. The latest rumor from DigiTimes is that Asus is partnering with Google again to give us an updated Nexus 7, with perhaps an HD panel display, smaller side bezels, and an “upgraded version of Google’s Jelly Bean operating system” – whatever that means.
Plunkett called this in one of his Fearless Predictions…it will be interesting to see if it comes true. I’m sure we will know by May, in time for Google’s I/O event. Carry on Google and Asus!
*Source: Droid-Life
[Rumor] Galaxy S4 coming in 2nd quarter 2013
| Samsung’s Galaxy S3 |
As we move forward into this new year, we are likely to see a slew (maybe even 2 slews) of “mega” smartphones unveiled – the first to come could very well be Samsung’s Galaxy S4. The latest rumor is that a big reveal might be coming in March, with the go-live sale date coming shortly thereafter in April. This would be a fast launch by Samsung’s standards, and would be great news in light of a somewhat disappointing CES earlier this year.
As noted in this article, this GS4 is likely to to feature the newest 8 core processor, as well as possibly 2GB of RAM, a 13MP rear camera, 2600mAh battery, a 4.99 inch FHD Super AMOLED display, and Android’s newest operating system (probably 4.2 or 4.2.1). I’m sure more leaks will be forthcoming as we get closer and closer to March. As the GS3 was (and is) a huge hit for Samsung, its likely that this new GS4 will be as well…provided that there are still a few people left who didn’t buy the GS3. More rumors as they hit the web!
*Source: Droid-Life
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