The Latest Android News

32GB Nexus 5X now on sale for $349 at B&H Photo, 16GB model down to $299 at Amazon too

http://www.androidcentral.com/32gb-nexus-5x-now-sale-349-bh-photo-16gb-model-down-299

Holding out on a deal for the LG Nexus 5X? B&H Photo has you covered, as the retailer is offering the 32GB Nexus 5X for $349, a discount of $80 on the phone's list price of $429. The 16GB model is also getting a similar price cut, and is now at just $299 from both B&H Photo and Amazon. The promotion includes a $25 B&H Photo gift card as well.

The discount is valid on all three color variants of the Nexus 5X — Black, Mint and White, and the promotion itself will be available until November 30

Huawei's Black Friday savings include up to $100 off the Watch, $50 off the P8 Lite
http://www.androidcentral.com/huaweis-black-friday-savings-include-100-watch-50-p8-lite

Huawei is offering some Black Friday savings on both its Watch and the P8 Lite. The company is offering up to $100 off when purchasing the Huawei Watch today, depending on which configuration you opt to go for, as well as $50 off its entry-level P8 Lite. Here's where you can save from Huawei:

• $100 off the Black Stainless Steel with Black Stainless Link Band
• $80 off the Stainless Steel with Steel Mesh Band
• $80 off the Stainless Steel with Stainless Steel Link Band
• $50 off the Stainless Steel with Black Leather Band
• $50 off the P8 Lite smartphone

Remember, these deals are valid for today, Friday, November 27 only. If you are interested, you'll want to act quickly.

Unlocked 32GB Nexus 6 down to $199 on Amazon, 64GB version selling for $259

http://www.androidcentral.com/unlocked-32gb-nexus-6-down-199-amazon-64gb-version-selling-259

Amazon is currently offering the 32GB Nexus 6 for just $199. The 64GB model has been discounted to $259. The deal is valid only for today, and is applicable on both the Cloud White and Midnight Blue color options.

No idea how long the retailer's stock will last at these prices, so be sure to get your order in if you've been holding out on the phone.

Project Fi subscribers are receiving a care package with a Lego kit and USB Type-C cable

http://www.androidcentral.com/proje...ng-care-package-lego-kit-and-usb-type-c-cable

It appears as though a number of Project Fi subscribers are receiving another kit from the team with some Legos and a USB Type-C cable. There has been a few reports over the last couple of days of users receiving these kits, though we are unable to tell whether all Project Fi customers are getting them, or just a select number. The kit includes a Lego set in Fi colors that turns into a phone stand, along with a USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable as well.

If you're a Project Fi subscriber, be sure to check your mailbox and see if you've received one as well. In the event that you have, or do, let us know in the comments below if you got the same kit.

The Moto 360 Sport goes on sale in the US in January

http://www.engadget.com/2015/12/01/moto-360-sport-price-release-date/

The new Moto 360 was a definite step up over the original model, but we found it wasn't particularly well-suited to workouts. Motorola appeared to know that right off the bat, as the company announced it was working on a "sport" model specifically for the athletically-minded. Now, the company's finally telling us when it'll be available. The Moto 360 Sport will go on sale in the UK and France on December 18th and will follow in the US on January 7th. The $299 watch will also be available in Best Buy stores all around the US on January 10th.

The biggest difference between the standard Moto 360 and the new Sport model probably comes down to the materials its made of -- Motorola says the new watch's silicone construction will resist stains and fading and won't absorb sweat. It also features "side ventilation channels" to keep your wrist feeling cooler. There's also a new display that the company calls AnyLight. It's a hybrid screen that works like an LCD is lower light but also features a front-lit reflective mode that should work better in bright sunlight. There's also a built-in GPS, the better for tracking your runs, particularly if you go without a phone.

It sounds like a decent package for Android Wear fans who also want a good fitness tracking device, but there are a few downsides over the standard model. Most notably is the fact that you can't swap out the band: what you choose is what you're stuck with. Motorola is offering black, white and orange models for starters, and it wouldn't surprise us to see more colors come later, but there's no Moto Maker customization to be found here.

Second generation Samsung Galaxy A5 specs leak

http://www.neowin.net/news/second-generation-samsung-galaxy-a5-specs-leak

Despite fierce competition from Apple and Xiaomi and warnings of declining profits and revenue earlier this year, Samsung continues to forge ahead with a more sustainable approach to its smartphone strategy. A year ago, Samsung announced that it would cut phone production by up to 30% after sobering reports that sales had tumbled 60% between 2013 and 2014.

In a recent certification from Chinese regulatory authority, TENAA, further details of the forthcomingSamsung Galaxy A5 2016 have been leaked subsequent to the FCC certification last month. This model supersedes the original Galaxy A5 launched last year.

Android co-founder Andy Rubin may want to start a new smartphone company

http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/2/9837770/google-android-andy-rubin-new-phone-business

Andy Rubin, the co-founder of Android before it became a central part of Google, is eyeing a return to the smartphone market. Instead of making smartphone software, however, Rubin is reportedly interested in developing an Android handset, according to a report today from The Information. The man responsible for co-creating the world's most ubiquitous mobile operating system is trying to recruit people for the new venture, the report adds, but it's unclear whether Rubin would take a leadership role with the new project or simply fund it.

The phone company may be financed through Playground Fund, Rubin's startup incubator he founded this year after departing from Google last fall. Playground has raised around $300 million thus far, and Rubin has been active in the venture capital community since becoming a partner at Redpoint Ventures in April. He's put money toward artificial intelligence and smart home initiatives, but reportedly still sees the Android phone market as a ripe area for new business.

Android handsets expected to have 81.2% of the global market by year's end

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Andr...1.2-of-the-global-market-by-years-end_id76404

The other day, we told you that researcher IDC estimates that global smartphone growth will slow to 9.8% this year, with 1.43 billion units shipped in 2016. When we passed this information to you, we discussed how certain countries like China are seeing a slowdown in first time smartphone purchases thanks to saturation of the product in the country.

Today, we have some further forecasts from IDC, which includes estimates of how the major operating systems will do this year. The guys at IDC whipped out their trusty abacuses and figured out that when the final seconds of 2015 are over, there will have been 1.16 billion Android handsets shipped over the year for a 9.5% increase from 2014's figure. That will give Google's open source OS a whopping 81.2% of the global smartphone market.

Apple will ship 226 million iPhones this year, according to iOS. That gives the company a 15.8% slice of the smartphone pie. More importantly, it represents growth of 17.3% over last year. The big question is whether Apple can keep up this momentum with a newly designed Apple iPhone 7.

IDC estimates that 31.3 million Windows Phone units will be delivered in 2015. That will give Microsoft's mobile OS a 2.2% global market share. On a year-over-year basis, the number of shipped Windows Phone handsets will decline 10.2%.

The research firm also decided to look ahead to 2019, and estimates that in four years, 1.54 billion Android phones will be delivered. That will account for 82.6% of the global smartphone market. Year-over-year growth will drop in half from this year's figure, to 4.8%. Android will enjoy a compounded annual growth rate of 7.7% from 2015 to 2019.

IDC expects Apple's compounded annual growth rate to be 6.5% over the same time period. That will result in 263.4 million iPhones shipped in 2019, good enough for a 14.1% market share. That will give Apple a 3.1% year-over-year growth rate in 2019.

With 43.6 million units expected to be shipped in 2019, Windows Phone will have 2.3% of the market in 2019, estimates IDC. But there is still hope for fans of Microsoft's mobile OS. While the platform's five-year compounded growth rate will be 4.5%, Windows Phone will have a higher year-over-year growth rate in 2019 than iOS or Android, at 11.4%.

For 2019, IDC predicts that 1.86 billion smartphones will be shipped. Smartphone deliveries will grow at a compounded annual rate of 7.4% from 2015-2019. Keep in mind that anything can happen between now and 2019 that can throw off these estimates. A stunning new feature, or even a brand new operating system could make these numbers look ridiculous in four years.

source: IDC via MobileSyrup

Samsung Galaxy S7 design allegedly revealed, Galaxy S7 Plus could sport a 6-inch screen

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sams...y-S7-Plus-could-sport-a-6-inch-screen_id76448

Last week, we heard that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 would not bring a major design change compared to the Galaxy S6 series. Now, thanks to several leaked renders, we may have an early look at what no major design change actually means.

Said Galaxy S7 renders were revealed by case maker ITSkins, and show a device that largely resembles the regular Galaxy S6, with one noticeable differences: the home button is now rectangular, and doesn't have the rounded shape of the home buttons included on the Galaxy S6 family. Reportedly, the Galaxy S7 measures 143.37 x 70.8 x 6.94 mm, being just about the same size as the Galaxy S6 (143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm), though a hair thicker. The rear camera bump is there to stay, and so is an accompanying LED flash, plus a heart rate sensor. If these dimensions are correct, the Galaxy S7 certainly sports a 5.1-inch display, like its predecessor.

More interestingly is the fact that, allegedly, there's also a Galaxy S7 Plus handset that measures 163.32 x 82.01 x 7.82 mm. This means the S7 Plus is larger than the 5.7-inch Galaxy S6 edge+ (154.4 x 75.8 x 6.9 mm), being about the same size as the 6-inch Galaxy Mega 2 (163.6 x 84.9 x 8.6 mm). Thus, we can assume that the Galaxy S7 Plus sports a 6-inch display.

Of course, for now there's no way to verify the details presented above. Samsung will likely announce the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Plus in February during MWC 2016. What do you hope to see from the S7 series?

Looks like some nice watches..
Fossil's Android Wear watch goes on sale for $279

http://www.engadget.com/2015/12/08/fossil-q-founder-android-wear-on-sale/

A company that specializes in designing watches has released an Android Wear model you might actually wear to dinner. Fossil's Q Foundersmartwatch is now available on Google Play for $275 in leather (coming soon), with the stainless steel model priced at $295. Like the Tag Heuer Connected, it's powered by an Intel Atom CPU rather than the Qualcomm chips used in most Android Wear models. Other specs include 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, 24-hour battery life and a 1.5-inch, 360 x 326 display (240 ppi) display. Sensor-wise, it packs an accelerometer, gyroscope and ambient light sensor.

Samsung Pay now lets you buy and use gift cards

http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/10/9885574/samsung-pay-now-supports-gift-cards


As promised, Samsung today released an update for its Samsung Pay mobile wallet app that adds support for gift cards. The company says "50 popular merchant gift cards" can be used at launch from stores including Gap, Banana Republic, Staples, GameStop, Toys R Us, and Whole Foods. Gift cards from Regal cinemas, eBay, and a pretty random mix of other businesses can also be used starting today.

The list of merchants looks pretty similar to what you'd see walking over to the gift card rack at a grocery store — and that's probably the point. Alongside enabling support for gift cards, Samsung Pay also now includes a built-in store where you can purchase them, either for your own use (why would anyone do that?) or as gifts for other people.

Gift cards show up in a separate tab from the credit and debit cards you've got stored in Samsung Pay. And using them is really no different from what you get with Apple's Wallet app (which also supports gift cards) or Android Pay. Merchants can scan the gift card details on your screen or enter a code; Samsung isn't using its cool magnetic secure transmission (MST) technology to mimic a physical card like it can with regular mobile payments. Oh well. At least the app is growing more comprehensive if you're someone who's tired of keeping track of plastic cards for multiple stores. The company has said that support for Discover credit cards will come in 2016.

Samsung's Galaxy S7 will have a pressure-sensing screen: WSJ

http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/14/10094872/galaxy-s7-specs-release-date-wsj

Samsung's Galaxy S7 is coming in March and will feature a pressure-sensitive screen similar to the 3D Touch display Apple introduced with the iPhone 6S, The Wall Street Journal reports. Like Samsung's current flagship, the Galaxy S6, the S7 will also reportedly have an "Edge" variant with a curved screen; one source says the regular, non-Edge version is likely to have expandable storage, unlike both S6 models.

The WSJ says the S7 will look "largely similar" to the S6, but while the camera is said to have been improved, there will reportedly be no "bump" on the back of the phone to accommodate the optics. Other mooted features include a USB-C port with fast-charging capability, and the possible inclusion of a retina scanner to "some versions" of the Galaxy S7. Samsung was rumored to be considering an iris scanner for the Galaxy S5 in early 2014, but the company never brought the idea to market.

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are said to be planned for a mid-March US release after an announcement timed for Mobile World Congress in late February. Samsung recently installed Dongjin Koh at the head of its mobile division, with longtime chief JK Shin stepping down to focus on future strategy and new businesses.

HTC's Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade schedule leaked

http://www.neowin.net/news/htc039s-android-60-marshmallow-upgrade-schedule-leaked

Android 6.0 Marshmallow is Google’s latest and greatest mobile OS, but only some phones on the market will be getting the upgrade. Luckily for HTC owners, the upgrade schedule has become a lot clearer thanks to a leak.

If you own one of HTC’s recent handsets there’s a good chance that you’ll get Android 6.0 on your phone at some point. However, you might have to wait longer than expected. That being said some phones won’t get the upgrade at all so in this case, later really is better than never.

The info comes from @LlabTooFeR who has posted reliable leaked info in the past, so we believe this is generally on the mark. According to this info, and the screenshot seen above, lots of recent handsets are on the upgrade path to the newest Android release. Some unlocked devices, like theHTC One M8 have already started receiving the update. The newer HTC One M9 will be next on that list, with its upgrade scheduled as early as this month. Other handsets, including some Butterflys and Desires will be getting the upgrade much closer to next summer though.

Lots of questions on this, so quick update: M9 unlocked Marshmallow OS update and A9 6.0.1 (with updated emoji) is on target for this month.

— Mo Versi (@moversi) December 7, 2015
Interestingly enough it looks like HTC might be moving even faster than the leaked info would suggest. Alternatively, it might mean that this info is a bit old at this point and that some plans may have changed; or that the leaked dates actually refer to completion of the update rollout for allvariants of each device, not just those that are unlocked. That's because the company's VP of Product Management has already confirmed that Android 6.0.1 will be hitting the brand new HTC One A9 this month - much sooner than the January release date noted above.

Rumor: The Galaxy S7 to be the first-ever Snapdragon 820-equipped smartphone

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Rumo...er-Snapdragon-820-equipped-smartphone_id76718

Let's start with an interesting reminder – when early reports about the Snapdragon 810's overheating and throttling issues first surfaced last year, Samsung was quick to decide to build its Galaxy S6 and S6 edge flagships with its own, home-made Exynos 7420 processor under their hoods. One may think that this would put the relationship between Sammy and Qualcomm on rocky ground, but it seems quite the opposite has happened. Recent reports say that the new Snapdragon 820 is not only going to be the beating heart under the Galaxy S7's chest (or at least half of the Galaxy S7s in the world), but the SoC has also been developed in partnership with Samsung, employing its 14 nm LPP process to achieve high performance and power efficiency.


It seems that the bond between the two companies is even stronger than it initially appeared, as a very recent rumor, coming from a leakster profile on Chinese social media site Weibo, claims that the first Snapdragon 820-equipped smartphone that will be launched commercially will be a Samsung. Other brand handsets with the latest and greatest Qualcomm SoC will not hit store shelves before April, the rumor says.

The aforementioned piece of information is posted in the context of anticipation for the Xiaomi Mi 5, which is expected to be another Snapdragon 820-equipped smartphone. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun took to social media earlier, saying the company will not try and race to be among the first to launch a handset with the new SoC — but it seems that's a doomed effort in the first place. Through the kind-of-broken Google and Bing translations of the Weibo post we mentioned earlier, it looks like Sammy has been promised the first Snapdragon 820 units for its Galaxy S7 flagship. Sounds about right, considering that Samsung lent its own tech towards the creation of the new chips, one would expect that the company would be the first one to get to sell devices equipped with them.

Samsung Galaxy S7 reportedly coming in two sizes

http://www.androidcentral.com/samsu...sizes-initial-production-run-5-million-phones

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S7 may well come in a couple of sizes, according to reports from Reuters. In addition (and less meaningful to end users), its initial production run will include 5 million units. The report, which comes from Reuters, claims that Samsung will be offering a 5.2-inch version of the Galaxy S7, and that its curved counterpart, the Galaxy S7 edge, will come equipped with a 5.5-inch display. Samsung is said to be producing more of the flat-screen variants than the rounded-edge version.

This isn't the first time we've heard about the Galaxy S7 line coming in more than one size, asAndroid Central has heard similar reports on the screen sizes. February announce dates also have been rumored, which fits in line with previous launches. Samsung announced the Galaxy S6 line back at Mobile World Congress on March 1, 2015.

Ford is bringing Android Auto to all 2017 models

http://www.androidcentral.com/ford-bringing-android-auto-all-2017-models

Ford has announced the Sync 3 infotainment platform, adding support for Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay. The carmaker has announced that all 2017 models — starting with the Escape — will come with the infotainment unit as standard, and that 2016 models will be able to upgrade to the system later this year.

Also announced were several new additions to the manufacturer's AppLink platform, which gives apps direct access to a vehicle's data:

• AAA/CAA: The app for AAA members in the U.S. and CAA members in Canada uses vehicle GPS data to allow users to access fuel prices, locate fueling stations and use the Here2there route planning feature, which includes traffic, on the move.
• Concur: Upon starting a Ford vehicle, Concur users receive a prompt asking if they want to log a business trip. The app then starts clocking mileage from the odometer using vehicle data. Each time the car is turned off, this constitutes one trip recorded in the Trace Trip Journal. At the end of the day, the journal is complete, and the driver is prompted to reconcile the day's trips.
• Eventseeker: Users can discover events from behind the wheel that fit their interest profile based on vehicle location data, finding out more about artists playing nearby, wherever they travel in their Ford vehicle Cityseeker: Vehicle GPS data brings the best restaurants, nightlife and other attractions in more than 500 cities worldwide directly to the driver.
• Tencent Chelian: Drivers can access China's most popular social media platform, QQ's messaging app, as well as music, real-time traffic conditions and streaming radio.

In addition, Ford has announced Sync Connect, which allows you to remotely start, unlock the doors of your car, as well as checking its fuel level and parked location, all from your smartphone.

Source: Ford