Android rumor roundup
While some
Android rumors are expected to come to a head at
CES,
others are just getting started. This week saw the emergence of new
chatter around the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and HTC M7 as well as a new
devices from ZTE and LG.
December 29, 2012 - January 4, 2013
Galaxy S4 (January 4, 2013)
The first alleged image of the Samsung Galaxy S4 has found its way online, via
SamMobile. Rumored to arrive sometime this spring, the photo shows a device that looks equal parts
Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Premier. Considering the
level of secrecy that shrouded the release of Samsung's current flagship phone, I would be very surprised if this is the real deal.
Is this the Galaxy S4 or the first of many fakes?
(Credit:
SamMobile)
HTC M7 (January 4, 2013)
The rumored flagship HTC smartphone will have a "huge facelift" and a "simple and clean" user experience, according to
HTCSource.
The HTC blog reports software tweaks that include on-screen volume
controls that jump directly to the handset's volume settings. Their
source, however, was not able to confirm rumors of on-screen buttons,
which
also surfaced this week.
In terms of form factor, the M7 supposedly takes design cues from the HTC
Droid DNA and features a black shell with a beveled edge along the screen. Flying in the face of
previous rumors, the source claims the handset will not offer a unibody aluminum shell.
ZTE is expected to jump into the phablet waters with the P945.
ZTE P945 (December 27, 2012)
ZTE will jump into the
"phablet" game this year and is expected to debut a 5.7-inch experience
late in the first quarter. The details, which come from
Unwired View, include a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 3,000mAh battery.
Unlike other large-screen devices, however, the ZTE P945 will feature
a 720p display. The first leaked image render suggests China Mobile
will be the first -- and perhaps only -- carrier to offer the
smartphone. Presumably, ZTE will announce this handset at Mobile World
Congress in late February.
LG Optimus G2 (January 3, 2012)
LG will introduce a 5.5-inch Optimus G2 at
CES next week, according to
Digitimes.
The outlet reports that the LG smartphone will feature a 1080p HD
display and a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Prime processor. Digitimes leads
aren't always reliable, but for what it's worth, this is the
second such LG rumor this week.
December 22-28, 2012
T-Mobile's HTC One S getting Jelly Bean soon (December 26, 2012)
Although Android 4.1 is
now available for global HTC One S phones,
T-Mobile's version isn't part of the rollout yet.
However, it's at the second stage of a beta testing, reports
TmoNews.
T-Mobile is apparently inviting some users to participate in the
Android 4.1 testing. It is unclear how far along the update is, however,
this beta may indicate a public rollout is in the near term.
ZTE Grand S (December 27, 2012)
New details for the ZTE Grand S, which we've
been following since December 7, suggest the Chinese handset maker is cooking up quite an experience for CES in January. Previously
disclosed as being a quad-core device with a 5-inch full HD display, we now have a
clearer picture
as to what awaits us in but a few short days. A 13-megapixel camera,
2GB RAM, and a 2,500mAh battery are reportedly packed into a svelte,
6.9mm-thick chassis.
Sony 'Yuga,' 'Odin' get names (December 27, 2012)
The long-rumored
Sony Yuga and
Sony Odin are set to get more formal Xperia models for CES, according to multiple sources. The C660X Yuga is
slated to arrive as the Xperia Z, whereas the C650X
should debut
as the Xperia X. The two models are nearly identical in terms of specs
and should make their way to Las Vegas in early 2013, possibly appearing
at Sony's
January 7 press conference.
December 15-21, 2012
Polaroid IM1836 (December 17, 2012)
Polaroid is allegedly working on an Android-based digital camera with interchangeable lenses, according to
Photo Rumors. Looking very much like a
Nikon 1 J
series camera, the Polaroid is reported to feature an 18.1-megapixel
sensor. Additional details include Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a
3.5-inch touch display, a pop-up flash, HDMI-out, and Wi-Fi
connectivity.
Polaroid is prepping its own Android-based camera in the form of the IM1836.
(Credit:
Photo Rumors)
HTC M7 (December 17, 2012)
New details spilling online for the
HTC M7
suggest the phone may be released across multiple carriers. Verizon and
Sprint are already tied to the device, and both AT&T and T-Mobile
are rumored to be in the running. Presumably offered in one form factor
across them all, the M7 will boast a display with a downright ridiculous
468 pixels-per-inch density.
How so? Rather than go with the soon-to-be-popular 5-inch screen
size, HTC will opt for the 4.7-inch display size employed in the
One X+.
Additional specs uncovered by
Unwired View
include a second-generation quad-core Qualcomm 1.7GHz processor, 2GB
RAM, 32GB internal storage, 4G LTE connectivity, and a 2,300mAh battery.
Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and HTC Sense 5, the M7 could boast a
13-megapixel CCD camera with a f/2.0 lens and improved image sensor
(Cinesensor) as well as a Beats amplifier and stereo speakers.
Last week's rumor had HTC hoping to move
4 million to 5 million units of a new device in Q1 2013.
Red Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Note 10.1 (December 17, 2012)
Samsung will introduce a "garnet red" color for the Galaxy Tab 2 line, says
SamMobile.
Rumored to arrive before Valentine's Day 2013, it is not clear if this
will be exclusive to any carriers or retailers. The new color is tipped
for 3G and Wi-Fi
tablets flavors of the
Galaxy Tab 2 7.0,
Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, and
Galaxy Note 10.1. Samsung has already given this shade to AT&T exclusively for the
Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, Note 10.1 to get a new color option in red.
(Credit:
SamMobile)
Amazon Kindle Phone (December 17, 2012)
In rumors that just won't die, Amazon has tasked Foxconn with building the Kindle Phone,
Taiwan Economic News
reports. Allegedly expected in mid-2013, Amazon has already ordered 5
million of the smartphones, which are said to run $100 to $200 each. If
this is the case, we could anticipate a skinned Android experience which
resembles that found on the
Kindle Fire.
Huawei Ascend D2 (December 18, 2012)
Huawei will announce a 5-inch Ascend D2 at CES in early January, reports
Unwired View.
Specifications are par for the course, matching up closely with other
currently rumored devices. Hardware for the presumed flagship smartphone
should include a 5-inch 1080p display, 1.5GHz CPU, 13-megapixel camera,
and 3,000mAh battery.
Acer's next Android tablet could be the B1-A71 Tab.
(Credit:
Engadget)
Acer Icona B1-A71 (December 20, 2012)
Acer may soon
announce an entry-level B1-A71 Tab if recent benchmarks and FCC
documentation are to be believed. The details, picked up by
Engadget,
point to a 7-inch (1,024x600 pixels) Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
experience with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and PowerVR SGX 531 GPU. As
of now, only a Wi-Fi model appears to be on the horizon.
Samsung Galaxy Young (December 18, 2012)
Samsung will announce a Galaxy Young and Galaxy Young Duos at Mobile World Congress, according to
SamMobile.
Thus far, only the model numbers (GT-S5360 Galaxy Y, GT-S6102 Galaxy Y
Duos, GT-S6312 Galaxy Young Duos) and color options -- grayish blue
(yep, that's what they're calling it) and white -- are suggested.
Historically, the Duos models are offered internationally as single-SIM
and dual-SIM models.
Sony Yuga (December 17, 2012)
The
5-inch Sony Yuga will pick up a more traditional Xperia Z name when it debuts at CES,
XperiaBlog
suggests. The tech blog points to water- and dust-resistant features as
well as an OptiContrast panel for the screen. Other, far-reaching
chatter this week
say that the phone will have 3GB RAM, 128GB storage, a 16-megapixel camera, and a 3,000mAh battery.
ZTE U887 should be a low-end 5-inch Android experience.
(Credit:
Engadget)
ZTE U887 (December 19, 2012)
ZTE appears to be
cooking up a low-end 5-inch experience in the form of a U887; however,
it may only be offered in China. Details gleaned from
Gizchina
and TENAA's certification database paint a picture of a dual-core
1.2GHz processor, a 5-inch 800x480-pixel display, and 512MB RAM. The
U887 is said to feature dual-band support (TD-SCDMA and GSM), and is
also expected to include a 5-megapixel rear camera.
December 8-14, 2012
Could LG launch its Optimus G successor so soon?
(Credit:
Josh Miller/CNET)
LG Optimus G successor (December 6, 2012)
LG could release a follow-up to the
Optimus G,
but it's improbable that they'd announce something as soon as CES.
Mobile World Congress, which takes place in late February, seems like a
more likely time. As to what handset could make for the successor, the
E940 could be a likely candidate.
Details
picked up in recent benchmarks
suggest
that LG's next big device should feature a 1080p HD display, a
Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, and an Adreno 320 GPU. While the E940 could
be bound for AT&T, it's also possible that an international model
(F240) may touch down in the Korean market.
Samsung Galaxy S4 (December 6, 2012)
The
Galaxy S3's successor will probably be the
talk of the Internet over the next few months. Fanboys were treated to a
false alarm this week when rumors pointed to an S4 announcement at CES.
The responsible party? A teaser video posted by Samsung
promising only "something new" was enough to get the ball rolling. Samsung, for its part, has
downplayed the rumors of a CES debut in the past.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (December 12, 2012)
Samsung will allegedly offer a 6.3-inch model for its next Note "phablet," according to the
Korea Times. Applying a bit of string theory, we've previously heard that Samsung
might soon have a Galaxy Note device that falls between the current model and the 10.1-inch tablet. Could these be one and the same?
And also...
