| Apple plans bigger iPhones, cheaper iPhones, all the iPhones, say sources Jun 13th 2013, 14:11 
Now that iOS 7 has been announced, attention has turned to what hardware Apple will launch alongside it, be it an iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6. Today several insiders have told Reuters that Apple has been mulling over the possibility of a 4.7-inch iPhone as well as a 5.7-inch device straying in the direction of the 'phablet' arena. What's more, these chatty source-types have conceded that Apple has 'floated' the idea of a cheap iPhone model with a price tag of $99 (that's around £63 or AU$103), with the budget range coming in up to six colours - a rumour we've heard before. TechnicolourBut before you chuck your Samsung Galaxy Ace out the window and run down to form an orderly queue outside your local Apple Store, take a knee. The plans are still being explored, the four people "with knowledge of the matter" say, with plans laid out for cheap iPhone launches over the next four years. The bigger-screened iPhones, however, are supposedly set to launch next year which means that one could feasibly be known as the iPhone 6. Although one tipster told the news agency that Apple "constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment" so there's no way to be sure of what the company really and truly has in the pipeline, it's not outside of the realms of possibility that Apple wants to stomp all over the Samsung Galaxy Note 2's turf. So, that's bigger iPhones, smaller iPhones, more expensive iPhones, cheaper iPhones and multi-coloured iPhones all coming within the next four years. At least one of these rumours has gotta be right. But which?     |  | Updated: Nokia Lumia 925 release date, news and features Jun 13th 2013, 11:28 
The Nokia Lumia 925 has been officially announced after a whole heap of leaks (see below). The 925 is Nokia's new flagship smartphone that's designed to go up against genre-defining handsets such as the HTC One. It's actually an overhaul of the good-but-heavy Nokia Lumia 920, and has plenty of features for photographers. Originally dubbed the Nokia Catwalk in earlier leaks, we've been able to get up close to the new handset at a launch event today - Nokia says the handset is a "new interpretation" of the 920. Does that mean a completely redesigned handset or just some iterative updates? Read on to find out. Nokia 925 designThe new handset introduces a metal band for the first time to the Lumia range, bringing increased robustness according to Nokia. The handset does retain the polycarbonate back from other Lumia devices and this comes in white, grey or black. There's no surprises in the operating system department with the Lumia 925 tipped to run Windows Phone 8 - which is the sole platform used by Nokia in all its smartphones now. 
Nokia 925 displayThe 925 boasts a 4.5-inch display but doesn't have full HD resolution (plumping for 1,280 x 768 instead). The screen is made from sculpted Gorilla 2 Glass and features a High Brightness Mode with Sunlight Readability. You can also use the touchscreen with gloves or just with a nail, something other Lumias are also capable of. Nokia 925 processor and storageThe handset features the same 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor as in the 920, but the internal memory has been dropped to 16GB (in some cases 32GB is available, keep reading) and there's no microSD card slot. Purchasers will also get 7GB of free SkyDrive cloud storage. 
Nokia 925 cameraA lot of the phone's attention is on the camera though, offering an 8.7 megapixel rear snapper (the same as the Lumia 920) with advanced lens technology for grabbing low-light images. An extra lens has been included which means better low light images. 
Nokia Smart Camera mode is also a new addition to the handset, letting you snap ten images at once and edit, animate and enhance pictures straight away with features such as Best Shot and Motion Focus. Nokia also announced that Smart Camera Mode will also be rolling out as an update to all Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices. Hipstamatic's new app, Oggl, will arrive on Nokia Lumia smartphones, allowing people to take and share pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr, Flickr and Instagram. The PureView camera has had some great advancements made. Lumia 925 release date The Lumia 925 release date is June, and some retailers have already got early stock in. As well as Europe, the 925 will be introduced into the US by T-Mobile and into China by China Mobile and China Unicom. The handset will launch first in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and China, followed by the US and a number of other markets Nokia 925 price and networkCosting 469 Euros in Europe and £499.99 SIM-free in the UK (around $610, AU$610), the new Windows 8 Phone handset is already available in the UK in June, while it will roll into the US and elsewhere soon. Vodafone will be offering the Nokia Lumia 925 in Europe and will also exclusively offer the 32GB version in black. Three has also announced it will stock the phone, but it gives no idea of when. O2 has said it will be stocking a white model from June 13. Nokia 925 batteryThe 925 has a 2000 mAh battery, but wireless charging has been taken out and made available via an extra cover - which isn't going to please those that got on board with Nokia's wireless promise. We've kept our older Nokia 925 rumours below. The not-so-big screenWhile many manufacturers seem to be stuffing gigantic screens into smartphones Nokia is apparently being a little more reserved with the Lumia 925. According to reports the 925 is set to sport a 4.5-inch display, although don't expect to see the full HD resolution we've been treated to on the current crop of superphones. A leak over in China suggests the Lumia 925 will feature a 1280 x 768 resolution - which would match the offering on the 920. Say cheese, in the darkRound the back the Lumia 925 is said to carry a 8.7MP camera which once again puts it in line with the 920, although it could come with even better low light qualities. Over in the States we've seen various leaks and adverts for the Nokia Lumia 928, which is presumed to be the US variant of the Lumia 925 - with billboards screaming "the best low-light smartphone camera". Bold claims indeed and we've got to admit we were mightily impressed with the 920's performance in near darkness, so the 925 has its work cut out - especially now we have the ultrapixel-toting HTC One is knocking about. Some may be a little disappointed that Nokia may not plump for a snapper similar to the 13MP lens found on the Sony Xperia Z, or even take its crazy 41MP Pureview technology to stick inside the phone - but remember none of this information is confirmed so we'll just have to wait and see. More of the sameIt doesn't get much more exciting with a mooted dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 2000mAh non-removable battery, which all smacks of a phone that came out last year and one that isn't particularly cutting edge. Let's hope Nokia has a trick or two up its sleeve. Tipped to ditchOne of the big differences between the Lumia 920 and the rumoured Lumia 925 could be the chassis, with the latter tipped to ditch the polycarbonate, found on Nokia's current crop of smartphones, for a premium aluminium finish. This is now 'confirmed' by a leak of a press picture of the handset a day before the final reveal: an @evleaks...leak... has shown a phone with a metallic rim on top of a seemingly-similar screen to the Lumia 920. 
There's an ongoing debate over what material our smartphones should be made from. In one corner there's the plastic brigade headed up by the Galaxy S4 who talk up the material's flexible and lightweight assests. In the other is the premium glass and metal fans who want a device which feels like the price they paid for it, with the likes of the Xperia Z, iPhone 5 and HTC One flying the high-class flag. While Nokias have always been well made its current handset crop has been described as looking a bit toyish, and a brushed aluminium finish on the Lumia 925 would see it elevated above these. As well as sporting a new material the Lumia 925 is also said to be lighter and thinner than the 920, with Nokia shedding 50g of weight and 2.3mm round the middle - which would wedge it in between the Galaxy S4 and HTC One.     | | Exclusive: Acer: 'We'd love to do a Windows Phone 8 handset' Jun 13th 2013, 11:16 
Microsoft is keen for manufacturers to build smartphones for its Windows Phone 8 OS, but Acer isn't willing to bite this time. Acer isn't alien to the Windows Phone game as it launched the Windows Phone 7.5-toting Allegro in 2011, but it's yet to venture into the latest version of platform. Allen Burnes, Acer's VP of Smartphones for EMEA told TechRadar: "We are looking at Windows Phone 8, we think it's a great OS. The integration with Xbox is nice, the enterprise suite is nice, but I think no one knows about it." Burnes continued: "You'll find everyone in our smartphone team would really like to deploy Windows OS, but in relation to where we are as a company we have to make our decisions in relation to what we think will sell out. Waiting game"We've made the decision not to launch a Windows Phone 8 device this year. Next year, depending on how we see the growth go this year, we may well do." Acer wants to hear more from Microsoft on the new platform. "What they [Microsoft] has to do is communicate. They can't rely on Nokia, which has its own challenges of rebuilding its brand, to do it for them," he said. The Taiwanese firm is also looking at the bigger picture when it comes to Windows, with clear benefits across its PC, laptop, tablet and smartphone divisions. "The way WP8 integrates in with the rest of the Windows ecosystem is phenomenal," Burnes says, "so yes we are looking at Windows Phone 8, yes we do believe in it, it just doesn't sell enough at this moment, otherwise we would deploy it this year."     | | Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie to land alongside Nexus 5 in October? Jun 13th 2013, 10:58 
Many of us were hoping that Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie might drop at Google I/O 2013 and although it ended up being a no-show, we might have just got a release date by less official means. The Jelly Bean successor is said to be touching down in late October, and, interestingly, will also be optimised for older devices. VR-Zone, which also dropped the first pictures of the HTC Butterfly S earlier, was the one to break the news, and claims that 5.0 will work on devices with 512MB of RAM and above. Pie insiderThe October timing would mean the OS launch lines up perfectly with the Motorola X Phone and Nexus 5, which are both rumoured to drop within that window. While these are all still rumours, the time scheduling makes perfect sense for Google. It's also good news for Android handset makers who will be able to ensure their phones land with the latest Android OS.     | | Sony's June 25 event in London could usher in Xperia ZU phablet Jun 13th 2013, 10:14 
Sony Mobile UK has just sent out an invite for an event in London on June 25, where it promises that we'll "see the next breakthrough in the Sony design story". The invite continues: "join us as we unveil the newest addition to the Xperia range. Discover our unique approach to design as we share our focus for 2013 and beyond." It's thought that there's a phablet in the offing going by the name Sony Xperia ZU, although early rumours noted it as the Sony Togari. Germany and France have already received separate invites for local events on June 25 and July 4 respectively, so it's no surprise the UK is getting in on the action. What's that coming over the hill?Rumours suggest the Xperia ZU will sport a monster 6.44-inch full HD display and 2.3GHz quad-core processor which would seriously set it apart from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Huawei Ascend Mate and ZTE Grand Memo. In terms of a potential Xperia ZU release date and price, well we're still in the dark as Sony hasn't even announced it yet, but we'd expect it to hit shelves in the next month or two. TechRadar will be at the event to bring you all the details on what Sony has to offer, including any potentially oversized smartphone.     | | BoomSound-boasting HTC Butterfly S flutters into view Jun 13th 2013, 09:46 
It looks like the HTC Butterfly is about to become very real, and some leaked candid snaps show the new specimen giving the camera an early teaser. The dimensions of the new handset appear to be then same as the original Butterfly, however the speaker on the rear has become stereo speakers on the front. HTC's BoomSound feature, as it's known, first appeared on the HTC One, and later on the Desire 600. The leak appears to show that the phone is keeping the 5-inch 1080p display, and that Sense 5 will also be showing itself again. Butter me upIt was VR-Zone that spotted the new handset. We don't know many other specifics of the device, though it's rumoured to be running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. 
The camera is expected to use the One's UltraPixel technology too, but there's nothing in the pictures to tell us if this is a sure thing. We expect to hear the official word on the Butterfly S from HTC on June 19, when the Taiwanese company is holding a special media event, so hold tight.     | | Will the Samsung Galaxy S5 sport a metal frame? Jun 13th 2013, 09:24 
The Samsung Galaxy S4 hasn't been around long, but rumours about its successor are already doing the rounds with a familiar topic at the centre of the early chatter. According to Android Geeks, an "inside source" has "confirmed" the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be the first smartphone to come from the Korean firm sporting a fully aluminium chassis - although we're not getting too carried away just yet. Numerous rumours, leaks and tip-offs claimed that the Galaxy S4 would follow in the footsteps of the iPhone 5 and HTC One, joining the premium material brigade and finally putting plastic to rest - but that wasn't the case. Design 3.0Lo and behold, Samsung decided its fans weren't ready for a metal body and stuck with the trusty polycarbonate to wrap their best selling, record-breaking handset in. The Galaxy SV will apparently kick off a new design direction for Samsung which is currently being dubbed "Design 3.0", which will see the Korean firm move away from the now familiar look of the Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3 and the fleet of Galaxy S4 branded devices. This new design language will supposedly see the Galaxy S5 feature a unibody design which ditches the firm's long-standing alliance to a removable battery, which could be a real deal-breaker for some. The unknown sources did not provide anything on the way of specifications for the Samsung Galaxy S5, but you can rest assured that this is the first of many, many rumours surrounding the handset.     | | Exclusive: Acer: Android isn't broke so we won't try to fix it Jun 13th 2013, 08:35 
Phone manufacturers love a good Android overlay, just take a look at Sense 5.0 on the HTC One, TouchWiz on the Samsung Galaxy S4 or even the Emotion 1.5 UI on the Huawei Ascend P2 - they just can't let Google's creation be - but that's not the case over at Acer. The Taiwanese firm spoke to TechRadar and explained that it would rather not get tied up in the whole Android UI business and instead focus on enhancing some core aspects. "We found from our previous experiences of creating Android UIs that they are very difficult to maintain, especially keeping track with Google's migrations," explained S T Liew, the President of Acer's global smartphone division. "Android actually does a great job at serving up the right user experience and it allows people to migrate from one Android phone to another with relative ease. "With each phone we assess its main features and we enhance those experiences with small UIs, such as the camera app or the note taking capabilities and multi-tasking tools on the Acer Liquid S1." Easy to do, lots to gainFor Acer this approach makes business sense too, as the various enhancements generally don't require too much input for a decent return. "We don't have to rewrite Android," said Allen Burnes, Acer's VP of Smartphones for EMEA, "the overhead we put into that is relatively low, but the consumer benefit is very high. "People know Android, they like it, and we don't want to try and change their behaviour." The Android overlay debate will probably always divide people, but we're not surprised that some manufacturers are looking at toning down their involvement in the software.     | | Goodnight, sweet prince! Nokia set to end Symbian's suffering this summer Jun 13th 2013, 00:56 
Nokia will halt shipments of handsets bearing the self-built Symbian operating system sometime this summer, according to reports on Wednesday. AllThingsD brings word from sources that the dying embers of the old faithful OS will be soon be extinguished and the remaining handsets will only be sold in emerging markets to deplete stockpiles. While that might take a little while, there's still a demand for some of the low cost handsets in some parts of the world, where Nokia does good business. The decision will bring to an end a slow painful death for the OS, which has been considered hugely dated by most observers (barring a section of hardcore Nokia fans) since the iOS and Android platforms took over years ago. Fitting endAn end for Symbian would, of course, mean that Nokia's fate would be completely bound to that of Windows Phone. The company has built some high quality handsets bearing Microsoft's mobile operating system, but sales have not reflected the critical acclaim devices like the Lumia 920 have received. The company stopped short of confirming the reports, but did say the Nokia 808 Pureview handset, the last Symbian handset the company produced, would be a fitting end for the once-beloved system. "We can't confirm when Symbian shipments come to an end, unfortunately," a Nokia spokesperson said. "In general, though, regarding Symbian, the last Symbian phone we introduced was the Nokia 808 PureView, and that's fitting. This phone extended the platform's pioneering tradition, and acted as a bridge for the next wave of innovation now seen in our latest models, like the Lumia 925."     | | Is this HTC One Mini leak the real deal? Jun 12th 2013, 22:24 
We've heard much about the miniaturized version of the HTC One, inventively referred to as the HTC One Mini. A report from yesterday laid out much about the still-unconfirmed device, but today Engadget claims a "trusted" source has given it an image of the HTC One Mini along with specs of the supposedly soon to be announced phone. The image is blurry at best and could certainly be a fake, but so far this is all we have, and for now, we'll take it. If it's the real deal, the slimmed down 4.3-inch screen version of the popular HTC One could become the next big hit. The rest of the leakThe handset bears the similar metallic body of the HTC One and reportedly has Beats Audio branded on the back. The Mini is running a "Sensed-up version of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean" with Blinkfeed built and boasts a 1.4GHz dual-core, which may just be Snapdragon 400 from Qualcomm - similar to the less popular HTC First. No word on when the UltraPixel camera was leaked, but the source claims the rear camera can shoot full HD video with Zoe share capture. Of course, until the actual HTC One Mini is announced this all could very well be some very nifty craft work. Even if true, these specs might change before the phone ever gets announced.     | | Is an ad-free ITV Player app worth four quid a month to you? Jun 12th 2013, 21:41 
ITV has launched a subscription-based model for its ITV Player app for iOS devices, allowing users to skirt commercial interruption for the first time. The £3.99 a month premium subscription will provide a substitute for the revenue the broadcaster makes from commercials on its catch-up service. It gives users who complain about the ads (i.e. most of us) the chance to put-up-or-shut-up by handing over their monthly dues to enjoy Corrie and Emmerdale. without the Go Compare man ruining it. Naturally, the scheme only applies to the catch up offerings on ITV1, 2, 3 and 4, and CITV and not to the live simulcasts also offered through the service. Pay your money, take your choiceUsers will be given the option to sign up for an ITV Player Premium subscription next time they update the app, but can continue enjoying catch-up content and live telly for free if they don't opt in. Steven Power, Product Manager for ITV Player on Mobile, said: "As ITV Player on mobile devices continues to grow – over 7 million downloads on iOS to date – it is important we deliver innovative business models and adapt the product to the evolving market. I'm genuinely excited that we're the first commercial broadcaster to offer viewers the choice to watch content with or without advertising." There's no news yet on whether ITV plans to roll the functionality out to the Android app or web-based player.   | | E3 2013: 'Mario for iPhone? Not on my watch,' says Nintendo chief Iwata Jun 12th 2013, 21:03 
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has reaffirmed his staunch unwillingness to offer the company's most popular games on smartphone or tablet devices. The gaming giant has continually resisted the clamour from fans (and even shareholders) for classic franchises like Mario and Zelda to arrive on iOS and Android platforms, despite the ongoing slump in console sales and ensuing financial losses. However, Iwata said launching Super Mario Bros. and co. for the iPhone or iPad would only be a short-term money-spinner for Nintendo, while abstaining could ensure the company is still standing in 20 years. He told the Wall Street Journal: "If I was only concerned about managing Nintendo for this year and next year - and not about what the company would be like in 10 or 20 years - then I'd probably say that my point of view is nonsense. "But if we think 20 years down the line, we may look back at the decision not to supply Nintendo games to smartphones and think that is the reason why the company is still here." Ploughing onInstead the company will continue ploughing on with its attempts to engage gamers with its own handheld gaming device, the Nintendo 3DS and, of course, the struggling Nintendo Wii U console. Both devices can expect an influx of top-level games throughout 2013, but whether they'll be enough to increase the uptake remains to be seen. Nintendo announced Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World at E3, this week, but developers are hardly clamouring to make games for the consoles. EA, for example, appears to have walked away from the Wii U completely. Do you agree with Iwata's stubborn stance or should Nintendo cash in while the going's good? Let us know in the comments section below.     | | Opinion: Why is Samsung ruining the Galaxy S4? Jun 12th 2013, 17:22 
Samsung has been churning out some interesting devices – but in doing so is ruining its flagship handset. It's a conundrum many brands face: do you try to create loads of recognisable ranges of products, or do you get everything to revolve around one key product? It's a strategy that works both ways: for every iPad, there's an HTC Desire. Sometimes moniker-linking products together can really help the sale of an otherwise anonymous device, and other times it can dilute the effect of the hero product. That seems to be what Samsung is doing with the Galaxy S4. While we can see the logic in releasing a Galaxy S4 Mini (want the brand but can't afford the phone? Do we have a deal for you!) but doing it so soon after launching the main S4 means cannibalising sales; at least with the Galaxy S3 Mini many months had passed before Samsung got its shrink-ray out. Too many cooks...But now we've got not only the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, but also the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active (for the rugged, athletic members of the human race) and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom (for, erm, those that like chunky phones and really, really need a decent camera around at all times). And we haven't even mentioned the S4 Nexus... Imagine walking into your local phone emporium and being greeted with all of these options at once. You might be drawn instantly to the main S4, but then your eye will fall on the cheaper model. "Do I really need to spend all that money when I can get most of the features for less?" you might muse. Then your hand will brush the rugged Galaxy S4 Active – instantly taken by its tough exterior, you'll think "Oh, is the 'normal' S4 not that strong then? Maybe I should go for this one just in case… even though it doesn't have that awesome AMOLED screen." And you'll be confused once more. And then, in the middle of all the confusion and umming / ahhing, you'll notice the Galaxy S4 Zoom. Before dismissing it as you've realised you've already got a camera and that's one hefty beast. More isn't always betterSure, more options can be great. Samsung will obviously point to the fact it's always offered choice, and it's now the number one smartphone manufacturer, with robust sales in all segments of the market, and this is just a continuation of that policy. But really, these should be products in their own segment. The Mini should be a W or an Ace, the Active an Xcover and the Zoom… well, just a camera. Using the Galaxy S4 name reduces the lustre of the main brand, and that's something you can't put a price on. Well, you can: Samsung's stocks tumbled recently when analysts predicted that sales of the S4 were set to come in under estimates, pointing to the lower margin products obviously bringing in less cash, as well as the dilution of the brand caused by multiple S4 models. I'm sure Samsung will still sell bucketloads of Galaxy S4 device, in the same way Apple is shifting record numbers of iPhone 5 units despite a general indifference from many Apple fans at the new device. But long term, Samsung needs to make sure it preserves the hero status of its key products. Make them something consumers yearn for, not offering them halfway-house versions of the same thing.     | | In Depth: 5 things Apple's iOS 7 won't let you do Jun 12th 2013, 16:25 
The all-new Apple iOS 7 - launched at WWCD 2013 this week - features all sorts of goodies, including a shiny new interface, and - was this was inspired by one specific crisis, perchance? - easy, one-swipe access to the torch function. But Apple notoriously giveth and taketh away (hello, Google Maps). So, with all these new improvements, what won't iOS 7 let you do? 1. Wriggle out of your responsibilitiesYeah, sorry. You won't be able to handily "forget" those pesky dental appointments, company away-days or haranguing text messages now that iOS 7 is on the horizon. The Today view summarises your daily schedule together with the weather forecast in friendly plain English - so you'll know exactly how much sleet to expect en route to your root canal session. And Notification Center will list all your missed calls, emails, new texts and social networking requests, so you'll be able to keep track of all those emails from Nigerian princes and Google+ requests from outlandishly-named strangers, too. 2. Pursue a career in iPhone theftIf, like us, you've ever left your iPhone in a cab and tracked its progress using Find my iPhone only to have the signal blip out of existence after half an hour, you'll know that iPhones are notoriously easy to hack. Canny iBurglars can even bypass the locked screens just by wiping the handset. However, a new iOS 7 feature called Activation Lock will render lost or stolen iPhones worthless until the owner inputs their Apple ID - even after being wiped. Take that, iBurglars! 3. Have a Memento-style memory breakdownEver stared blankly at a blurry shot of an unknown floor in your camera roll, and wondered where the hell you were at the time and what the hell you thought you were doing? Well, no more. iOS 7 brings a host of new camera and photo features, including automatically grouping photos by date and location. You can even pinch a photoset closed to see a whole year's worth of photos, still showing all relevant location information. Basically, if Guy Pearce had had iOS 7 instead of a Polaroid camera in the film Memento, the story would have been about Guy Pearce looking confused, looking at his phone for a minute, then looking quite sad. The end. 4. Escape the insidious Instagramming of all humanityiPhone 5 users will be able to choose between nine Instagram-style photo filters (vintage, constrast, black-and-white, and presumably one calibrated for 'selfies') while lining up the shot in the camera app. Those with iPhone 4S or 4 are less lucky, but can apply filters to existing shots in the camera roll. That's right. Not only can you organise your photos in such a way that Facebook and/or PRISM will have no doubt as to where you are and when, you can also Instagram your life before it happens. Which, we're pretty sure, is how Skynet started. 5. Use iOS 7Apple iOS 7 will only be available for iPhones 4, 4S, and 5; for the iPads 2, third and fourth generation, and mini; and for the iPod touch fifth generation. Previous versions, like the iPhone 3GS, won't support the new system - so if you're an owner it's worth either upgrading, or storing your phone under your mattress along with your gas mask, rolls of cash and tins of gravy browning.     | | Apple edges further into gaming with iOS 7 controller support Jun 12th 2013, 16:10 
Not content with the impact the iPhone has already had on the handheld gaming market, Apple has fully opened up iOS 7 to standardised third-party game controllers, Third-party controllers have been usable on iOS in the past but now Apple is introducing specific regulations that developers can follow to ensure their games will work with any Apple-standard controller. Developers will be able to step outside the touchscreen and target games to use. The idea is that once you've bought one controller you'll be able to use it on any game. iGamepadThe news has come as developers have begun playing with the new iOS, which Apple made available in its beta form at WWDC on Monday. Apple announced iOS 7 support for third-party controllers via a slide during its WWDC keynote which referenced MFI game controllers. But a new image dug up on Apple's developer portal gives us a clearer idea of what it has in mind. - Find out what else is going on with iOS 7
And of course, this could apply not only across iPhone and iPad but also to Apple TV via AirPlay mirroring, which could see Apple getting more serious in the home console space too. Apple tells developers, however, that game controllers should be optional and not a requirement, meaning that those without will still be able to jump into a game without the need for peripherals.     | | Is this Android 4.3 Jelly Bean running on the Galaxy Nexus? Jun 12th 2013, 14:40 
Android 4.3 leaks having been trickling through for the past few months and the latest one apparently reveals the updated OS running on a Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Google is yet to unleash a new version of its Android operating system this year and while Key Lime Pie no longer seems to be next in line after Android 4.2 the search giant failed to announce the much talked about Android 4.3 Jelly Bean last month at its annual IO event. A new report out of Bluetooth SIG now seems to suggest the Android 4.3 update is almost ready to roll out as the Galaxy Nexus has been put through its paces to ensure it still meets the various Bluetooth standards. Ready yet?Although the report doesn't specifically say which version of Android the Galaxy Nexus is running, the folks over at Android Geeks reckon it's being reassessed by Bluetooth SIG purely due to the fact it's about to receive the Android 4.3 upgrade. The Google Nexus 7 has also recently been spotted passing through the same tests, which seems to suggest the search engine is tooling up its homegrown devices ahead of an impending launch. In terms of an Android 4.3 release date it's still not clear, and with rumours suggesting Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie will be with us before the end of the year Google may want to get a shift on - unless, that is, it's decided against 4.3 and these devices are actually running version 5.     | |
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