Monday, March 2, 2015

Sony and Microsoft focus on mid-range smartphones at MWC

By Leo Kelion


Lumia 640XL
The Lumia 640XL packs more features than an earlier "phablet", the Lumia 1320, but will be cheaper

Sony and Microsoft have opted to unveil mid-range smartphones at the Mobile World Congress trade fair in Barcelona.
Microsoft indicated it would wait until the release of Windows 10 to announce a new flagship, despite its high-end Lumia 930 dating back to April 2014.
Sony's Xperia Z3 is less old, having launched in September. But the firm had previously refreshed its top model roughly once every six months.
Sony said its focus was on "broadening its customer base" at this time.
The companies' decisions to leave more high-profile launches until later has one immediate benefit: the flagships do not risk being overshadowed by Samsung's Galaxy S6, which was unveiled on Sunday evening.

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The M4 Aqua is waterproof despite a capless microUSB port

Even so, one expert said the importance of the fast-growing mid-range market should not be underestimated.
"It's much harder to win over people at the high-end than the mid-tier, and it costs more money to do so, especially if you're not one of the top few handset brands," said Carolina Milanese, chief of research at KWP ComTech.
"In the mid-tier there's also less loyalty - consumers switch around more - so there's a bigger proportion of the market to go after.
"And it's easier to demonstrate value, by offering a different balance of price and features.
"But the challenge is that you are competing with more firms and some of them are pretty ruthless when it comes to price."
LG, Motorola and ZTE also unveiled new mid-range smartphones in the days leading up to MWC.

Bundled Office

Microsoft is adding two models to its line-up, both of which run Windows Phone 8.1 and will be upgradeable to Windows 10 when it is released later this year.
The Lumia 640 offers owners both 4G data connectivity and ability to fit two Sim cards at once - a popular feature in India, where users often switch network provider when crossing states to get a better rate.
The phone's 5in (12.7cm) screen is bigger and higher resolution than the Lumia 635 it supersedes. It also gains a higher quality eight megapixel camera and an NFC (near field communication) chip for wireless payments and cordless connections to other kit.
The other new model, the Lumia 640 XL, has a bigger 5.7in (14.5cm) screen and a 13-megapixel camera. Both are being bundled with a one-year subscription to Microsoft's Office 365 productivity software suite, including access for an additional PC and tablet.
They will range in cost between €139 ($155; £100) and €219 ($245; £160), depending on the specification.

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The Lumia 640 is a dual-Sim model, which may help it appeal to shoppers in India

Shrinking appeal?

The Windows Phone platform saw its market share shrink from 3.3% to 2.7% last year, according to recently published figures.
The forthcoming launch of Windows 10 will allow a single app to run across Windows PCs, tablets and phones, rather than having different ecosystems.
Microsoft marketing director Neil Broadley said it would present a "tremendous opportunity" to attract new users.
But one expert said that delaying the release of a new flagship until that point might be misguided.
"The risk is that if Microsoft doesn't release a new flagship soon, its top-end hardware is going to look very old," said Ian Fogg, head of the mobile at the IHS Technology consultancy.
"Having a good flagship can have a halo effect, attracting people to the rest of the range.
"The new phones are upgradeable to Windows 10 anyway, so the fact the operating system is not out yet shouldn't deter Microsoft from releasing a new flagship now."

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Hundreds of new products will be launched at MWC this year

Budget cuts

Sony announced a policy change last month, saying that it was going to limit investment in its smartphone line-up as part of efforts to return to profit.
The Japanese firm's chief executive, Kazuo Hirai, added that he might later consider "an exit strategy" from mobile phones altogether, though he said no such plan was currently in the works.
Releasing the Xperia M4 Aqua may therefore fit Sony's mobile unit better than releasing another tent-pole device packed with expensive new technologies so soon after the last.

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The Xperia M4 Aqua's marketing materials make a virtue of its ability to be used in water

The 5in (12.7cm) phone's distinguishing features, all shared with one or more other pieces of Sony kit, include:
  • A 13MP main camera and a 5MP front one
  • Up to two days of normal use between charges, thanks in part to a relatively large 2,400mAh battery
  • Waterproofing to depths of 1.5m (4.9ft) for up to 30 minutes, with a capless microUSB port
It will cost about €300 when it goes on sale.

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Sony's Xperia Z4 tablet can work under water and stream PlayStation 4 video games

Sony has also announced a new tablet, the Xperia Z4
At 6.1mm (0.24in) thick, it said it was the thinnest 10in (25.4cm) such device on the market.
Dell has a slightly thinner, but smaller model.



Xiaomi launches cheap action camera


Cat wearing camera
Publicity stills show how the camera can be used on pets

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has launched a cheap action camera that costs only 399 yuan (£41).
The Yi Action Camera shoots video in 1080 high-definition, has a 16 megapixel camera and a wide-angle lens.
The device can also be used to make time-lapse films and is waterproof to depths of 40m.
The gadget could provide competition for Go Pro whose entry-level devices cost more than twice as much but are not as well equipped.
The device can be paired with a smartphone so it can be controlled remotely and to help share any video or images it captures.
However, available accessories for the Yi suggest it is more designed for domestic use than for people keen to film themselves taking part in extreme sports. So far, extras for the Yi include a selfie stick and a harness that allows it to be attached to a helmet, bike or even a cat.
In addition, the Yi's case is not toughened to withstand the knocks common when cameras are used outdoors or for sports.
The device is currently only available in China but Xiaomi is planning to open an online store that will let people outside the country buy some of its products directly.
Stuart Miles, founder of gadget site Pocket-lint, said the device was entering a market that was full of Go Pro "wannabes" and could struggle to find buyers.
"Go Pro has brilliant traction within the action junkie audience, and more importantly its devices work amazingly whether that's being attached to someone going for a run or jumping out of a spaceship," he said.
"That loyalty isn't something that can be replaced with a cheaper price," he added.



Sunday, March 1, 2015

Samsung S6 Edge with curved screen unveiled at MWC

By Leo Kelion


Media captionRory Cellan-Jones tries out the Samsung S6 handsets
Samsung will sell two versions of its next flagship phone, one of which has a screen that curves round its sides.
The Galaxy S6 Edge uses the feature to provide a quick way to stay in touch with select contacts, and to alert owners to important information.
It will be sold for a higher price than the standard S6, which otherwise has the same specifications.
Samsung lost market share to Apple and others after the S5 sold fewer copies than its predecessor in many countries.
Its replacements were unveiled in Barcelona, ahead of the start of Mobile World Congress. They go on sale on 10 April in 20 countries, including the UK.

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Samsung says the two phones feature a 64-bit processor it designed to be both more powerful and energy efficient than before

Metal frame

The South Korean firm said it had set out to address past "missteps", and had codenamed the devices "project zero" to reflect the need for a rethink.
Changes include making the TouchWiz user interface simpler to use by cutting the number of pop-up messages and introducing a metal frame and glass back instead of the plastic styling of earlier models.
The redesign has, however, meant some features have had to be jettisoned: the phones are not water-resistant, they do not have a microSD slot for extra storage and their backs cannot be removed to change their batteries.

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The Galaxy S6 Edge's curved screen lets it shine a colour on the table when face down, providing a signal as to who is calling

Even so, one expert praised the company's choices.
"Samsung has clearly listened to feedback - not just for the Galaxy S5, which just missed the mark last year costing the company greatly - but also the S4, which was a product that tried to cram in every piece of technology it could find," said Ben Wood, head of research at the CCS Insight tech consultancy.
"The software has been made into a much more crisp and clear experience, the design of the product has clean lines and looks very nice, and the marketing campaign is expected to only pinpoint three things - and that's certainly something that had been missing from Samsung's products for quite some time."
Others were more critical. Rob Kerr, from the price comparison site uswitch.com, declared: "The dual-curved display just seems too gimmicky, too niche, to really be a crowd pleaser."

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Samsung said the metal used in the Galaxy S6 Edge "would not bend" - a dig at Apple

Coloured contacts

The three topics Samsung is focusing on are:
  • Revamped designs, including the premium model's curved screen
  • Camera upgrades
  • In-built support for wireless charging, with support for two rival standards
The S6 Edge uses its curves to provide a couple of services.
The first is called People Edge, which provides a quick way to bring up calls, texts and other messages from five acquaintances of the owner's choosing. Each person is assigned a different colour, which the phone's edge flashes when it rings, providing a hint of the caller's identity even if the device is face down.
The second is Information Stream, which displays the time, weather and selected notifications on the curved part.
It appears Samsung has deliberately kept the functionality more basic than on its Galaxy Note Edge - a larger handset whose screen curves only around one of its sides. The older phone uses the extra space to both run apps of its its own and to add controls to other apps.

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Samsung's two Galaxy S6 models feature wireless charging support

The S6 phone's front camera has been upgraded to five megapixels, while the rear one stays at 16MP.
Both gain from a wider aperture, which should improve their ability to take photos and videos in low light conditions.
Samsung has also taken steps to make the camera quicker to use, saying it now takes less than a second to double tap the home key and snap a shot.
The firm is claiming a "world first" by embedding support for both the PMA and WPC's Qi wireless charging standards.
The Android-powered handsets are also faster to recharge, and should return to 50% battery strength within half an hour of being plugged in.
Samsung said that this was half the time it would take to charge an iPhone 6.

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Samsung said it had worked with Mastercard and Visa to add smart wallet features

Other improvements over the S5 include:
  • Increased screen resolution - now 577 pixels per inch - and the ability to go 20% brighter
  • A new 14 nanometre processor designed by Samsung, rather than bought from Qualcomm, that should be more energy efficient
  • The addition of Samsung Pay, a smart wallet service that allows the handsets to act as a credit or debit card when tapped against a shop's NFC chip reader or used to transmit magnetic stripe data. It will initially be limited to the US and South Korea
The firm also revealed it had developed a new version of its Gear VR virtual reality kit that uses the S6 models as a screen.

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Samsung has developed a new version of its virtual reality headset that uses the Galaxy S6 as a screen

Market share down

A lot is resting on the phones' appeal.
Samsung's head of mobile design was moved from his role in May after criticism ofthe Galaxy S5's styling, and last week Samsung Electronics announced it would freeze its workers' wages for the first time in six years following a drop in its annual profits.
Samsung is still the best-selling smartphone maker.
But it barely saw its total smartphone shipments grow in 2014. By contrast, Apple's decision to make its iPhone 6 models larger and the continued rise of China's Xiaomi, Lenovo and Huawei saw those firms report much bigger gains.
INTERACTIVE
  • April 27 2009: Samsung Galaxy

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    Samsung’s first Android-powered phone ran version 1.5 (Cupcake) of Google’s mobile operating system.
    It had a 3.2in (8.1cm) screen and was the first Android phone to include a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing normal headphones to be easily connected.
  • March 23 2010: Samsung Galaxy S

    ×

    The first of Samsung’s S-branded series had a 4in (10.2cm) screen, ran Android 2.1 (Eclair) and could shoot video in 720p high definition.
    A 4G variant of the device attracted the ire of Apple’s lawyers, and became part of a high-profile patent case fought by the two rivals.
  • 13 Feb 2011: Samsung Galaxy S2

    ×

    The S2 was marketed as the world’s thinnest smartphone, measuring less than 8.5mm (0.33in) thick.
    It had a 4.3in (10.9cm) screen and was powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).
    Samsung promoted the “zero lag” shutter speed of its main camera as being suitable for snapping fast-moving objects.
  • 3 May 2012: Samsung Galaxy S3

    ×

    The S3 used eye-tracking software to detect when it was being looked at, keeping its screen bright until its owner turned away.
    It had a 4.8in (12.cm) screen and ran Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
    The phone also introduced S-Beam, a way to send files and contacts between Samsung handsets.
  • 14 March 2013: Samsung Galaxy S4

    ×

    The S4 bordered on “phablet” status with a 5in (12.7cm) touchscreen, which could be used while wearing gloves.
    Running Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) it introduced a dual-video capture mode, allowing users to record footage from both cameras simultaneously.
  • 24 February 2014: Samsung Galaxy S5

    ×

    The S5 added dust and water resistance, promising to work after being submerged 3ft (0.9m) deep.
    It came pre-installed with Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) and introduced a fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor.
    Samsung promoted its “ultra power saving mode”, which let the device eke out a day of life when its battery fell below 10%.
As a result, Samsung's market share slipped from 31% in 2013 to 24.5% last year, according to research firm IDC.
The price of the new handsets has yet to be announced, but Mr Wood thought the S6 Edge in particular could mark a turning point.
"In a sea of sameness where nearly every smartphone is a rectangular touchscreen with a camera in the back, this will stand out," he said.
"It may be outside many people's budgets, but it will still act as a signature product that attracts people to the rest of Samsung's range."

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Analysis - Dave Lee, Barcelona


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Samsung said its phones' cameras take photos and record videos in low light conditions better than the iPhone 6 Plus' - one of many comparisons it made to Apple's rival products

It charges faster than the new iPhone. It has better cameras than the iPhone. The video quality is higher than the new iPhone.
And it doesn't bend.
That's the takeaway from Samsung's latest Unpacked event where it unveiled the next Galaxy phone, the S6.
Sleek and powerful, certainly - but it was a fairly bitter presentation. The firm took more than a few snipes at Apple, rather than leaving it to reviewers and users to draw their own conclusions about the Galaxy's many innovations .
The demonstrations of like-for-like pictures and video appeared to put the S6 streets ahead of the iPhone 6, but I imagine Apple would dispute the conditions.
Tellingly, there was no mention of China's Xiaomi - a company whose Android handsets have proved wildly popular in Asia, and which potentially presents a far bigger threat to Samsung's future.
You can follow Dave at MWC via his Twitter account @daveleeBBC.