Mid-range HTC ‘M4′ reportedly looks like a miniature HTC One
'Mini' HTC One could pack 4.3-inch, 720p display, dual-core CPU
HTC was won heaps of praise for the design of its new flagship smartphone, the HTC One. So it's natural that it might want to echo that same iconic look in its new mid-range product, and if the latest leaks are to be believed, that's exactly what's on the cards.
Prolific leaker @Evleaks, this time moonlighting for PhoneArena, brings us the first possible image of the HTC "M4," a device he says packs a dual-core CPU and a 4.3-inch, 720p display, 2GB of RAM and an 'UltraPixel' rear camera, powered by a 1700mAh battery. Naturally, it's a dead ringer for its big brother the HTC One, which carried the codename "M7" -- with key elements like the "BoomSound" speakers, unique two-button setup and chassis design making the transition over to the smaller handset. There's also some suggestion that the M4 might not use the same aluminum construction as the HTC One, on account of the duller look of the front and back panels in the render.
We should "expect [the M4] to ship with some manner of One branding," when it eventually appears, according to @Evleaks. (Our money would be on "HTC One Mini" or something similar.) The launch, he says, is scheduled for sometime in Q2, with LTE on-board, as well as Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Source: PhoneArena
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Samsung reveals its top-secret Galaxy S III design process
Dummy cases, hand-delivered prototypes and two designs that never saw the light of day.
The secrecy surrounding the Galaxy S III was crucial in building anticipation ahead of the device's launch, and today Samsung has revealed some details of the phone's top-secret development process. Only a privileged few within Samsung were able to see the device, with design and engineering work taking place within a secured area at Samsung's Seoul HQ. Discussion with outsiders was forbidden, and the phones were apparently locked inside secure boxes for transportation, even within buildings.
Most interesting is the revelation that Samsung fully designed and built three versions of the Galaxy S III to further reduce the chance of the actual design leaking out. That'd certainly explain the appearance (and leaking) of a buttonless S III a few weeks ahead of launch. In today's blgo post, Samsung R&D engineer Woo-Sun Yoon confirmed the use of dummy cases like the one above in field testing, to protect the phone's true exterior from prying eyes.
“We had to make three types of the GALAXY SIII to prevent the design from leaking. And on top of that, whenever any of these had to go out for testing, we put them inside ‘dummy boxes’, which are cases that hide the design of the device, to disguise it. Even if people, inside or out of the campus, saw the device, I doubt they would have known what it was.”
And the security didn't stop once the devices were completed. Samsung says units delivered to mobile operators were transported in person and hand-delivered by its employees, and testing was done under strict supervision. All this resulted in the final design remaining a mystery until just a week before launch, when a Samsung service manual outed what we now know to be the Galaxy S III.
For all Samsung's pre-launch secrecy, it's now being incredibly open when talking about that secrecy. You'll find a full run-down of exactly how the S III was kept under wraps over at the source link.
Source: Samsung Tomorrow
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Leaked T-Mobile docs give ICS update schedule for Sensation 4G, Galaxy S II, and Amaze 4G
TmoNews got their hands on a leaked enterprise calendar from T-Mobile corporate, and tucked in the rest of the news was the proposed dates for the Ice Cream Sandwich rollout for the Samsung Galaxy S II, the HTC Sensation 4G, and the HTC Amaze 4G. I won't tease:
- The Galaxy S II is slated to be updated May 14
- The Sensation 4G and Amaze 4G are expected to be updated June 16
Of course things like this are subject to change, but the time frame sounds about right. Be on the lookout for ROMs to leak, we sure will be.
Source: TmoNews
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ICS for the Droid RAZR/MAXX and HTC Rezound coming next week, says Best Buy memo
We don't want anyone to get too excited and set themselves up for a heartbreak just yet, but a leaked document from Best Buy pins the Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX for April 4, and the HTC Rezound on April 6. Anyone with a HTC Thunderbolt can tell you more about dates provided through Best Buy, and Motorola still hasn't given any type of ballpark date for the update for the RAZR and RAZR MAXX, which are still listed as being in the "evaluation and planning" stage. We've seen ICS leaks for both devices (the RAZR and RAZR MAXX run the same software) but nothing official from anyone involved. Both phones were to have ICS "soon" after release, but so far we're still waiting.
We want it to be true. We hope it's true. We're just naturally skeptical, especially when a third party like Best Buy is involved. We're sure nobody is trying to troll the Internets, but anyone who has worked in a corporate environment knows how things get fouled up. Here's hoping, and we'll know next week!
Source: Android Police
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