Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 07-16-2014

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Exclusive: Three UK confirms free London Underground Wi-Fi Jul 16th 2014, 13:40, by John McCann Until now Three customers have been looking enviously along the platform as those on EE, Vodafone and O2 enjoy free Wi-Fi on the London Underground, but that's about to change. TechRadar sat down with Three's Director of Customer Strategy, Danny Dixon, who revealed that the data-friendly network would finally hop aboard the free Wi-Fi express by the end of July. What does that mean? Well you'll be able to get online at 137 Underground stations (ticket halls, corridors and platforms should all be covered) free of charge. The service comes courtesy of Virgin Media who originally installed the Wi-Fi network ahead of the London 2012 Olympics (remember them?). London Underground Wi-Fi timeline March 2011 - TfL announces Wi-Fi hotspots plan June 2012 - Free Wi-Fi roll out starts July 2012 - 40 stations covered November 2012 - Pricing announced for upcoming paywall December 2012 - 120 stations covered January 2013 - Paywall up for those not on Virgin, EE or Vodafone April 2013 - O2 joins the free Wi-Fi club July 2013 - O2 customers get online after delay July 2014 - Three finally joins in Apps don't look so strange on the BlackBerry Passport after all Jul 16th 2014, 11:45, by Hugh Langley Ok ok, so we've all had a jibe at the BlackBerry Passport, but to give credit to the company, at least it's thinking a little outside of the typically-rectangular box. The super-square phone might have its benefits, however it's the 1:1 aspect ratio that's had us most concerned. But thanks to n4bb, we can fear no more. Some newly-leaked photos show a couple of Android apps scaling perfectly to the square display - no letterboxing, no awkward stretching. That's Android apps covered, but what about native BlackBerry 10 programs? We hope it's the same result but we can't know for sure just yet. LG's also thinking differently with the LG G Flex, but is it any good? Analysis: Why Apple is using IBM as a Trojan Horse to crack the enterprise market Jul 16th 2014, 11:14, by Desire Athow Apple and IBM have announced that they will team up in what they call an "exclusive partnership" that marries the best of Apple's hardware with IBM's software and services expertise. The move was welcomed by the stock markets with IBM's shares up by nearly 2% and Apple's gaining 1.72%. It also bears some similarities with a deal struck 33 years ago that saw Microsoft piggyback on IBM's PC platform to become the giant it is today. Clearly, though, the two companies complement rather than compete with each other with very little, if any overlap. Broadly, Apple will use IBM as a medium to crack the elusive enterprise market while Big Blue will get privileged (but not exclusive) access to the iOS ecosystem. Apple, for all its consumer clout, is still a minor player in the enterprise market where BlackBerry's domination is already ebbing away. With slowing growth, growing pressures on margins and increasing competition, it was only a matter of time before it looked elsewhere. Add the slew of announcements by Google and Samsung for the enterprise stack and it is clear that something had to be done to prevent Android from owning that lucrative segment. Good move for IBM As for IBM, having shed its less profitable business units (like its entry-level server range sold to Lenovo), it has embarked on a number of bold moves, with a clear focus on big data, business analytics, cloud computing and mobility. Its current CEO, Virginia Rometty, is tied to the financial roadmap set out by her predecessor, Sam Palmisano. He said that by 2015, IBM would deliver at least $20 a share with $70 billion returned to shareholders - and not reaching these expectations could have dire consequences. The company will commit human and financial resources to deliver iOS-specific cloud services as well as create more than 100 industry-specific enterprise solutions exclusively for Apple's iOS devices (Big Blue usually supports Nokia Symbian, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone as well). This will be done via its MobileFirst platform, one of what IBM calls one of a quarter of building bricks of enterprise mobile solutions, the other three being the apps themselves. They're made up of mobile service and support and are handled jointly by IBM and Apple as part of a packaged service offerings offered by IBM. That said, Apple is unlikely to prevent IBM rivals, such as Oracle, Microsoft or SAP from developing similar solutions on iOS for the enterprise market. In fact, it is likely to encourage them to come up with their own versions of MobileFirst as soon as possible to profit from the rise in interest in mobile enterprise solution generated by the announcement. The winner? Apple. Apple, it seems, will be the one benefitting the most from the partnership, with IBM doing the lion's share of the heavy-lifting. The deal gives it access to an enterprise expertise that's second to none, and 100,000 IBM-backed industry and domain consultants and software developers will act as salespersons for its iPhones and iPads. Setting up something similar would have cost Apple billions in terms of investment and taken years, not to mention the risks involved and a potential shareholder revolt. A partnership with IBM is therefore safer, cheaper, faster and will allow Apple to learn more about businesses. Who knows, both may even merge to create the world's first trillion dollar company. We wouldn't be surprised if, despite recently published comments, BlackBerry decided to side with the lesser of two evils and embrace Android, something it has already been doing by supporting native Android apps (or Oracle could buy it). Apple and IBM will be holding their respective earnings calls over the next few days and it is likely that they will elaborate more on yesterday's announcement. Rometty also said that the alliance wants to bring the same level of transformation to the way people work as Apple did in the consumer market. For all the excitement that the partnership has generated, one would struggle to fathom the disappointment it would cause if both do not deliver on their promises. In Depth: Why the Nokia X is the best phone you'll never buy Jul 16th 2014, 10:50, by James Rogerson Page one - The Nokia X: what's its secret? While 2014 will likely be remembered for its Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony and Apple flagships, it's a trio of budget Nokia handsets that have been among the most unexpected and surprising releases so far. We're talking of course about the dramatically named Nokia X and its siblings the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL. They're phones which had tongues wagging ever since they were first rumoured for the simple reason that they were Nokia devices running Android. When they were finally revealed there was perhaps a sense of disappointment at just how low end they were, but that hasn't stopped the Nokia X from selling. According to Saulo Passos, Head of Communications, Mobile Phones at Microsoft Devices Group it's "getting a tremendous consumer response. In Russia, for example, it is the number one smartphone according to GfK market research firm. "The phone also enjoys that position in Pakistan. We are seeing great momentum also coming from China, Indonesia and Brazil." So what's the key to its popularity? The most obvious answer is that it's cheap, as in really cheap, so of course it's likely to sell well. That's even more the case when you consider that it's aimed primarily at developing markets, such as India and China where there are a huge number of people but many of them either haven't owned a smartphone before or can only afford entry level devices. Even so, you'd think there'd be a lot of competition. Nokia itself makes the Asha feature phone series which goes down well in many such markets while there are a number of locally made budget handsets in India from companies such as Karbonn, Lava and Micromax. It's all in the name Yet just as we'd be sceptical about the quality of such unknown quantities here, so too are Indian consumers according to The Times of India, which argues that before the arrival of the Nokia X the only real brand name smartphone available to entry level buyers was the Samsung Galaxy Star. With so little choice it's no wonder the Nokia X is doing well and speaking of brand names, Nokia is one which people trust. It's been around for a long time and even in developing markets a lot of people have had experience of it thanks to the Lumia 520, the Asha range and earlier feature and dumb phones. Indeed Azeem Ullah Hassan, a writer at the Pakistan based ProPakistani, tells us that "it is a huge influencing force in this region when buying a phone. Most people have bought a Nokia as their first phone so it remains a huge factor. Needless to say, then, that a large number of people buying the phone are buying because of the name." So the Nokia X is selling on its name and its price tag, but there's a lot more to it than that, after all if that's all it took then Nokia could just throw out another Asha or low end Lumia and be done with it. Page two - The Nokia X: what's its secret? Robot love What we inevitably come back to is what we started with - the fact that the Nokia X runs Android. Even over here where we're drowning in Android phones that's an intriguing notion, as the much loved Finnish firm has long been in bed with Microsoft, so an Android handset has been nothing more than a fantasy until now. But Android is far and away the most popular smartphone OS on Earth with a 78.6% global smartphone market share in 2013 according to IDC, so for a popular smartphone maker to get on board with such a popular operating system was bound to lead to sales. Yet with all that Android competition there could have been a risk of the Nokia X getting lost in a sea of similarly specced handsets. But that was avoided too because the Android you get on the Nokia X is not Android as you know it. It's more akin to Amazon's take on the open source OS, in that it's taken Android as its basis but stripped out all of Google's services (including access to Google Play) and put Nokia and Microsoft services in their place. The absence of Google Play sounds like a big deal, but in some places it might not be such a factor. Passos explained that "there are many countries, such as China, where Google Play is not available. In others, it's not the primary choice" and users still have access to third party app stores. The Nokia X and its siblings have also been heavily skinned to include a tile based interface that looks more than a little like Windows Phone. So it stands out from the Android crowd and buyers of the handset can fall safely into the arms of Android while experiencing many aspects of Windows Phone, potentially pushing them to switch to a true Windows Phone handset when they upgrade. More specifically a Lumia handset, since this is a Nokia phone we're talking about and it's even decked out like a Lumia. Indeed that's clearly part of the strategy, as Passos explained that "Lumia remains our primary smartphone strategy, while the Nokia X family, which includes the X, X+ and XL, serves as an introductory system to Lumia. The Nokia X user interface ties directly into our strategy of providing an 'on ramp' for Lumia." Of course even users that stick with the Nokia X will find themselves in Microsoft's fold, as the handset uses Bing, One Drive and other Microsoft and Nokia services in place of their Google counterparts. Passos agreed, saying that "one of the great benefits of the Nokia X family is that it will help to introduce millions more people to popular Microsoft services that work across Nokia X and Lumia. Those services will become central to the online lives of the next billion and they will be able to access them using either Android or Windows phones." And the key point is that this is a strategy that is getting users over to Microsoft's side rather than Google's. It's using Android to keep users away from, well, Android. That's something that wouldn't be as easy with Windows Phone, as it's a relatively unpopular operating system, with a global smartphone market share of just 3.3% in 2013 according to IDC, but with the heavy skinning of the Nokia X the awareness of the Windows Phone experience will grow, even while people aren't actually using Windows Phone itself. And by offering three different handsets in the 'X' range Microsoft arguably has the low end of the market sewn up, with the Nokia X being aimed at the very entry level, the Nokia X+ aimed at those who want slightly better specs and the XL at users who want something with a larger screen. Looking forward Passos wouldn't be drawn on what the future of the Nokia X brand will be, but it's seemingly been a hit so far and the Nokia X2 is now launching in various countries around the world, just half a year after the initial model was announced. So it seems that Microsoft is committed to the brand for now at least and while it's too early to get sales figures for the X2 we'd expect that it will do well. That said, the X2 is almost as low-end as its predecessors so it seems more aimed as a replacement for the Nokia X than a higher end option. By sticking to low-end devices Microsoft and Nokia are presenting anyone who wants to upgrade with a tough choice: either ditch Microsoft's services and move to a standard Android handset or ditch Android and move to Windows Phone. Presumably Microsoft is banking on the latter happening, but Hassan is sceptical, saying that "I think most people will buy an Android device (for their next phone). The idea of migrating to a less-mature OS with lesser apps seems unlikely. It's highly probable that the phone will be higher end and Nokia doesn't make a higher-end Android phone right now. "Yes, Nokia has worked hard to transmute the OS into Windows Phone but I don't think most people can be lured." Passos meanwhile is optimistic about the Nokia X range, saying that "one billion more people will be connected to the internet in the next few years. We know that they live mainly in high growth markets, they are mostly young people and their first experience of the Internet will be on a mobile device. "We see this as a huge opportunity to place mobile phone innovation and Microsoft services into their hands, to enable their first experiences of the internet, apps and the cloud." In other words Microsoft wants to be at the forefront of bringing in the next billion smartphone users and with the Nokia X and Nokia X2 it just might manage it, but whether those users will stick around when they need a new phone is another matter entirely. The Nokia X isn't the only cheap smartphone around. Sony Xperia Z3 looking more likely than ever Jul 16th 2014, 10:43, by John McCann It's looking increasingly likely that the Sony Xperia Z3 will be launched before the year is out, and a handset which has just passed through inspection in the United States could be the much-rumoured smartphone. Spotted on the official FCC site, the Sony D6603 is shown as having LTE, NFC and microSD support along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Hardly a surprisingly set of specs for any smartphone these days, but the D6603 ID has been linked to the Xperia Z3 in previous rumours, adding more fuel to the fire that the handset exists and is on its way. More of the same Previous reports suggest the Xperia Z3 will only be a minor upgrade over the Xperia Z2 which launched at the start of the year, with a full HD display, quad-core processor and 20.7MP camera all mooted. We're expecting the Sony Xperia Z3 launch to take place at IFA 2014 at the start of September, and TechRadar will be reporting live from Berlin with all the news. Everything you need to know about the Xperia Z3 First Android One phone tipped for October release date Jul 16th 2014, 10:06, by John McCann Google didn't just talk Android L at its I/O conference earlier this year, it also launched Android One - a project aimed at delivering smartphones to emerging markets. The search giant did say the first handset would arrive in "the fall" of 2014, but a new report from the Economic Times reckons it will touch down in October. Apparently Google is going to push the $100 (about £60, AU$106) smartphone in a big way in developing countries, such as India, with a huge marketing campaign planned for the arrival of Android One. Google's low cost X factor It's not clear what the final specs of the first Android One device will be, but it's expected to be produced by Micromax and an example unit at Google I/O sported a 4.5-inch screen, dual-SIM, an SD slot and FM radio. The Android One program is unlikely to make it into more developed markets, certainly in the short term, but if it proves a success - and a competitive rival to the Nokia X - we could see Google widening its availability. The Nokia X is the big rival for Android One Leaked LG G3 S manual could be the key to G3 Mini Jul 16th 2014, 09:30, by John McCann Cut-down flagships are all the rage and we've already seen the HTC One Mini 2 and Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini surface this year, so it's no surprise to see leaks surrounding a paired down LG G3. The latest leak comes via MyLGphones, which claims to have a German manual for a handset called the LG G3 S and sporting a model ID of LG-D722v - that matches the D722 code which passed through the FCC and export site Zauba recently. According to the leaked user manual the LG G3 S sports a sizable 5-inch, 720p display, 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front snapper, 4G, NFC and a 2540mAh battery. There's also with Google's Android 4.4 KitKat onboard. That's hardly an awe-inspiring set of specs, but it does mean the LG G3 Mini falls in line with the mini HTC and Samsung - apart from screen size. Not so small In fact the screen size is rather surprising, as previous rumours surrounding the G3 Mini suggested it would either stick with the same 4.7-inch display of the G2 Mini, or perhaps reduce its size to 4.5 inches to match the competition. At 5 inches, the LG G3 S would be far from "mini": the HTC One M8 has a 5-inch display, while the Samsung Galaxy S5 is only a shade larger at 5.1 inches. There's no word on a G3 S release date or price, although with the volume of leaks at the moment we can't see it being too far off. Read our in depth LG G3 review Apple and IBM join forces to take over the workplace Jul 15th 2014, 21:35, by Michelle Fitzsimmons Apple and IBM have partnered for a major initiative to bring more iOS devices and solutions to the workplace. And by more, we mean a lot. The exclusive partnership centers around a new class of business apps that will infuse IBM's data and analytics prowess into the iPhone and iPad, turning Apple's consumer-centric tech into more enterprise-friendly tools, though that's not all. As part of the deal, IBM will develop more than 100 industry-specific apps developed exclusively for Apple's mobile devices, including native applications. Furthermore, IBM will provide cloud services optimized for iOS that include device management, security, analytics and mobile integration, a new AppleCare for Enterprise service and support tailored to enterprise. IBM also plans to launch new packaged offerings for device activation, supply and management. It will sell iPhones and iPads equipped with industry-specific solutions to its global corporate customers. Better together IBM and Apple are historic rivals, but the two are ready to put aside the past and focus on building mobile solutions for big business. "For the first time ever we're putting IBM's renowned big data analytics at iOS users' fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an announcement. "This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver." In an interview with Re/code, Cook noted that to provide the solutions Apple and IBM can come up with together on its own, Apple would have to start a brand-new division. "We're good at building a simple experience and in building devices," Cook told the site. "The kind of deep industry expertise you would need to really transform the enterprise isn't in our DNA. But it is in IBM's." The partnership broadens IBM's MobileFirst initiative into MobileFirst for iOS Solutions. These "made-for-business apps" will focus on retail, healthcare, banking, travel and transportation, telecomm, insurance and more, and are due out beginning this year and into 2015. The new AppleCare for Enterprise will provide IT departments and end users 24/7 support, while IBM will provide on-site service. Is the MacBook Pro right for your business? Apple has apparently solved its 5.5-inch iPhone 6 battery problem Jul 15th 2014, 20:56, by Michael Rougeau The rumored 5.5-inch iPhone 6 phablet is going to be enormous, though Apple obviously still wants it to be thin - and therein lies the problem that's reportedly been plaguing the device since April. Apple's normal manufacturing partners were supposedly having trouble making a battery that was thin yet powerful enough to meet Apple's standards for the new iPhone. However, that problem has apparently been solved. Apple has partnered with a new supplier, a Taiwanese firm known as Simplo, that quickly provided a battery that will get the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 back on track for release, according to Taiwanese site UDN.com. Three's a crowd The original report back in April said Apple couldn't find a battery that was just 2mm thick while retaining a sufficient lifespan, but Simplo has apparently delivered just that. The new battery is reportedly flexible as well. That means that one of Apple's old battery suppliers, Dynapack, is now out of the picture, though one called Desai will continue to work with Apple alongside Simplo, according to UDN. In addition there may be a third supplier - Sunwoda - which was already rumored back in June to have solved the battery issue. Size matters It was rumored earlier in July that the iPhone 6 phablet will pack a 2,500mAh battery, a massive increase from the iPhone 5S's (though perhaps not sufficient for such a large device, by some estimates). An increase is appropriate, given the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone's larger surface area and the more substantial demands of powering a larger screen and other components, but you can see where Apple may have run into trouble if it wants to keep the phone as thin as possible. The remaining question is whether this massive new iPhone will arrive in 2014 or be delayed into next year. Read TechRadar's iPad Air review Google Project Zero aims to stop the Heartbleed Bug from happening again Jul 15th 2014, 20:32, by klee Google has a number of ongoing pet projects; from hot air balloons providing internet to driverless cars, the next thing on its agenda seems to be net security. The search company announced it has put together a crack team of security engineers to help secure the web in a mission it has called Project Zero. On the company's online security blog, Google explained the team will crackdown on "zero day" vulnerabilities, otherwise known as security loopholes inside services and software that hackers can easily exploit. One the of the world's most famous and relatively recent zero day vulnerabilities was the Heartbleed bug. Ultimately Google does not want another leave another widespread vulnerability unchecked to affect the entire web world. Worldwide web watchdogs Project Zero won't just look out for flaws in Google's websites, services, or Android but the entire web. If the Project Zero crew discovers a vulnerability it promises to contact outside companies and organizations to quickly work with them to fix the issues for users. "We're not placing any particular bounds on this project and will work to improve the security of any software depended upon by large numbers of people," Chris Evans, head of Chrome security at Google, said in a release. For an extra element of transparency, Google also plans to document every bug it discovers in a public database once it's fixed. Concerned web browsers can view this bug report to see how long it took programmers to correct the exploit, discussions on the problem and other information making it essentially the Wikipedia of web vulnerabilities. Google is also looking to hire security researchers who want to join the fight. It's a headstrong effort by Google to take on the role of web security watchdog that should benefit everyone in the end. Now the question is how many companies will be comfortable working with the internet giant prodding around with their security protocols. The hacking utopia of Watch Dogs is real Step right up and buy an unlocked Lumia 1020 from Microsoft Jul 15th 2014, 20:03, by JR Bookwalter Never mind the fact that it's rumored to hit End of Life status this fall: Microsoft is now offering an unlocked model of one of the best Lumia smartphones to date direct from its online store. The Microsoft Store added a welcome new product listing today in the form of an unlocked Nokia Lumia 1020, ready to work on AT&T, T-Mobile or any GSM-based network abroad that works with traditional SIM cards. Priced at $549 with free shipping and free returns, this is the same Lumia 1020 you already know and love, complete with 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, 41-megapixel camera and 32GB of onboard storage. However, it's available only in black rather than the stunning yellow shown above. Aside from being carrier unlocked to work on any GSM network around the globe, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is also ready for Windows Phone 8.1, which just started rolling out to additional Lumia-branded devices today. Same as it ever was "The popular Nokia Lumia 1020 now comes unlocked to give you the flexibility you need. It's the perfect solution whether you're an international traveler looking for reliable coverage in-country or someone who doesn't want to be tied to a contract," the Microsoft Store product description reads. TechRadar awarded the Nokia Lumia 1020 three and a half stars in our review, touting the great camera, slim design and good battery life despite the then-$299 asking price with a two-year agreement. Although it's nearly double the upfront cost, the unlocked Lumia 1020 is a good candidate for international travelers, assuming you can live with the traditionally weak selection of Windows Phone apps. The only potential downside for this offer is a tweet from famed leaker @evleaks earlier this week claiming the Nokia Lumia 1020 will hit End of Life status on September 14 - which is only two short months away. Fancy a newer Lumia? Check out our hands-on review of the Nokia Lumia 930! Google search isn't a default option on some Lumia phones Jul 15th 2014, 18:21, by Chris Smith Microsoft is preventing some Windows Phone users from accessing Google as the default search engine in Internet Explorer. Owners of new, unlocked Nokia Lumia 930 and Lumia 630 handsets shipping with Windows Phone 8.1 are apparently unable to switch from Bing to Google within the Internet Explorer app. Previously, The Verge reports, WP users were able to choose default search engines in IE, but the Lumia 930 and 630 are the first to ship since the Microsoft-acquisition was finalised. That would give credence to the suggestion it's a deliberate move from Microsoft rather than an oversight. Clarity According to the report, other devices that have been updated to Windows Phone 8.1 this week are not experiencing the same issues and can still select Google as a search client within Internet Explorer. Some European unlocked Lumia 930 and Lumia 630 handsets still have the option enabled, adding an extra layer of mystery to the proceedings. Until Microsoft clarifies, no-one can be sure. TechRadar asked the folks in Redmond what gives and will update this article should we hear back. Windows Phone 8.1 is now live on Nokia handsets Mozilla, Facebook team up to make JPEG files leaner & meaner Jul 15th 2014, 17:35, by JR Bookwalter Netflix streaming may not be the only thing gobbling up your online bandwidth: Two internet titans are joining forces to bring renewed life to those crusty old JPEG files by cutting them down to size. Mozilla today announced that the decades-old JPEG file format is about to get a little more efficient when it comes to bandwidth consumption, thanks to the combined resources of the creators of Firefox and social networking giant Facebook. The new partnership builds upon the second generation of Mozilla's mozjpeg encoder, a home-brewed solution capable of shaving an average of five percent off the size of JPEG files without a noticeable loss in quality. In many cases, Mozilla claims mozjpeg 2.0 can even reduce file sizes even further, all without having to throw the baby out with the bath water by adopting an entirely new image format specifically designed for the web. Setback for WebP Facebook has good reason to embrace such technology: After all, the social network processes millions of photos each and every day, and even a seemingly modest five percent could reap big rewards when it comes to bandwidth. "We look forward to seeing the potential benefits mozjpeg 2.0 might bring in optimizing images and creating an improved experience for people to share and connect on Facebook," said Stacy Kerkela, the social network's software engineering manager. The alliance with Facebook is likely to be viewed as another setback for Microsoft's JPEG XR and WebP, a Google-backed image format supported by Opera, which Mozilla criticized last year for failing to offer any significant improvements over JPEG, a standard that dates back to 1986. Mozilla is actively recruiting other as-yet unnamed websites to adopt Mozjpeg 2.0, while simultaneously donating a $60,000 (about UK£34,998, AU$64,050) contribution to further develop the technology, with an eye toward Mozjpeg 3.0. Find out the latest news on Microsoft's upcoming Windows 9! HTC's CMO and Operations President resign Jul 15th 2014, 16:12, by Juan Martinez Updated: 1:30 PM EST HTC Chief Marketing Officer Ben Ho and President of Engineering and Operations Fred Liu have resigned from the company, according to reports. The resignations come amidst 11 consecutive quarters of revenue decline at the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer. HTC founder Cher Wang will replace Ho as Chief Marketing Officer. Ho joined the company in January 2013. Ho told The Wall Street Journal he is on a sabbatical leave for an undisclosed period, and declined to say he has resigned. However, numerous outlets, including Bloomberg, which broke the story, claim Ho has resigned. He is HTC's third CMO to leave the position in the past two years. Liu will be assigned to oversee manufacturing and sales services. His previous responsibilities will be split between Chief Financial Officer Chialin Chang and Chief Engineering Officer David Chen. We can neither confirm nor deny When asked for a comment on the resignations, HTC provided the following written statement: "HTC's dedication to innovation drives us to pursue our goals. We are taking the necessary steps to create a resurgence of the HTC brand. As a company, we will continue to push forward, making the hard decisions needed to continue growing as a global presence. "We are confident that the business steps we have taken, and continue to take, are the right ones to lead to a strong resurgence of the HTC brand. HTC continues to invest in talent and recruitment as part of our broader human resources strategy to ensure the continued strength of our company's organizational structure." What happened? Earlier this month, HTC announced a return to profits, following a run of three straight quarters where it lost money, despite making some of the best smartphones on the market. Thanks to the success of HTC One M8 sales the firm made $75.5m (around £44m, AU$80.7) in the three months leading up to June 30, an increase of 80% compared with last year. However, revenue still declined from the past year, and Wang has outwardly criticized the company's marketing efforts. Things had gotten so rocky at HTC that an impending Lenovo buyout was rumored late last year. The company plans to launch a wearable device by the end of the year. Competitors LG, Sony and Samsung have already demoed their own devices to critical success. What are the 10 best smartphones? Via Bloomberg Updated: Sony Xperia Z3 release date, news and rumors Jul 15th 2014, 16:11, by James Rogerson Sony Xperia Z3 release date, news and rumors Sony is serious about becoming a heavy weight smartphone player. While most companies are content with releasing one flagship each year, Sony has started bringing a new one out every six months or so. As the Sony Xperia Z2 hit shop shelves early this year we're already looking ahead to what Sony will launch next, namely the Sony Xperia Z3 (or we're guessing that's what it will be called anyway) and we might not have long to wait for it either. In the meantime, here's all the news and rumors that we have so far. Cut to the chase What is it? The successor to the Sony Xperia Z2 When is it out? September probably What will it cost? Around £550 / $943 / AU$1006 we reckon Sony Xperia Z3 release date The Sony Xperia Z3 could be with us as soon as August, according to IT168. Don't start queuing just yet though, as it's far more likely that it will be announced at IFA 2014 in early September, as the 2013 show was when the Xperia Z1 was announced. There's other evidence for a September launch too. DooMLoRD claimed on his Twitter feed that we'll see it in September, while a competition held by the German branch of Vodafone runs till the end of September and involves buying an Xperia Z3, suggesting that it will be launched before the end of September. Sony Xperia Z3 price Nothing has yet been whispered regarding the price of the Sony Xperia Z3, but with most recent flagships retailing for around £550 / $943 / AU$1006 SIM free at launch, we'd imagine the Xperia Z3 would be priced at around that too. Sony Xperia Z3 display It's not looking like much is going to change on the display front. Early rumors from IT168 suggest that the Xperia Z3 will be getting a 1080p screen and DooMLoRD agrees. That would be the same as the Xperia Z2 and most other flagships out there, but a fair bit lower resolution than the QHD LG G3. Since then Xperia Blog has leaked a screenshot supposedly snapped on an Xperia Z3 and it has a 1080p resolution, again pointing to a full-but-not-quad HD screen. We can't be too harsh on it, as many other phones still have 1080p screens, but we're expecting the next wave of flagships to largely be equipped with QHD displays, so it's a bit disappointing. As for the size of the screen, judging by the images we've seen it's probably going to be around 5 inches. It's unlikely to be smaller than the 5.2-inch Xperia Z2, but it may not be much if any bigger either. That's ok though, having the screen size increase with each generation could get highly impractical very quickly. Sony Xperia Z3 chassis It seems like the Sony Xperia Z3 might look a lot like its predecessor, the Xperia Z2, which wouldn't exactly be surprising given that the Z2, Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z all look a lot alike too. We first got a proper look at it, or at least at something that's supposedly the Z3, at the beginning of July, when an image of it popped up on Digi-wo side-by-side with another phone, believed to be the Xperia Z3 Compact. The phone in the image is certainly reminiscent of the Xperia Z2, though the position of the earpiece actually makes it look more like the Sony Xperia T3. Since then we've got some slightly clearer images of what's apparently the Z3, including some with the screen on, from Weibo. It's in a different colour this time, suggesting that the handset might be available in both black and white, but otherwise it seems to match the previous image. Digi-wo gave us a look at the side and back of the handset, revealing a slim build and what appears to be a glass back and rounded metal frame. The Xperia Z2 isn't quite as rounded as this looks, so that's one possible design difference. However the image of the back of the phone also reveals a 20.7 megapixel camera lens, which is the same as the Z2 and Xperia Z1 before it had. It also looks like the speaker has been moved to the left of the handset and what appears to be an NFC symbol is adorning the back, not that there was much doubt we'd get NFC. We've also seen a photo of it next to a Samsung Galaxy Note, courtesy of Xperia Blog. As you can see it appears to be around the same length as the 146.9mm Note, but quite a lot thinner than Samsung's handset, which comes in at 83mm across. Xperia Blog has also got hold of another image showing what seems to be a notification light on the top left of the handset. But before all these images flooded in we saw a photo that was purportedly of the Z3's metal frame. In and of itself it didn't reveal much, beyond the fact that it's seemingly very slim, which is looking increasingly likely to be true, as Twitter tipster DooMLoRD claims that it's just 7mm thick. But IT168, the site that shared the image, also revealed that it will apparently have a PVD coating, which could give it a mirrored, stainless steel look. That's not the only advantage of PVD either, as it would also make the Xperia Z3 more environmentally friendly, corrosion resistant and resilient to scratches, as well as giving it improved impact resistance. So there are a whole lot of benefits to it and while we haven't heard anything yet we would assume that the Z3 will be dust and water resistant like its predecessor, which in combination with a PVD coating could make it one of the more durable phones around. The only thing which doesn't quite match up so far is that DooMLoRD claims the Xperia Z3 will have a new design, yet everything we've seen so far looks similar, albeit not identical to the Xperia Z2. He could be wrong or overstating the changes or it could be that the images we've seen so far are fake, right now anything is possible, but we'd be surprised if it looked radically different to the Xperia Z2, given that Sony has used variations on that design a number of times. Sony Xperia Z3 power There's some dispute as to whether the Sony Xperia Z3 will be a modest upgrade over the Xperia Z2 or not really an upgrade at all. Sadly nothing so far points to an enormous boost in power though. On the one hand we've got Chinese site IT168, which claims that Sony's new phone will have a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 420 graphics chip clocked at 500MHz. That would be the modest upgrade we were talking about, as the Xperia Z2 has a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 graphics chip clocked at 578MHz. On the other hand DooMLoRD reckons that it won't have a Snapdragon 805 processor, which given the comment was accompanied by a frowny face suggests it will have something worse, in all likelihood a Snapdragon 801, just like the Xperia Z2. Unfortunately that second rumor is gaining traction, as Xperia Blog got hold of an image supposedly showing the 'About Phone' screen on the Xperia Z3 and it listed a Snapdragon 801 chipset, which along with the rumors of a 1080p screen and 20.7 megapixel camera make it sound a lot like its predecessor. Sony Xperia Z3 operating system The Xperia Z3's operating system might get the ever so slightest of bumps, as Xperia Blog has got hold of a screenshot showing it as running Android 4.4.4, while the Xperia Z2 runs Android 4.4.2. That would make for a negligible difference but it's all that can be expected given that the next major release, Android L, isn't out yet and may not even launch until after the Z3. We'd wager Sony's new flagship will be in line for an upgrade though soon after it does launch and you never know, Sony might make some big changes of its own to the interface, but we haven't heard about any yet. Sony Xperia Z3 camera Our only real information on the camera so far comes from an image taken from Digi-wo supposedly showing the back of the handset and visible above in the chassis section. On it you can clearly see a 20.7 megapixel camera with a G lens and a 1/2.3-inch sensor, all of which is an exact match for the Sony Xperia Z2. Samsung has a new flagship in the works too. Sony Xperia Z3: what we want to see It seems like the Sony Xperia Z2 has barely been available any time at all and yet already there are a few rumors circling around the Sony Xperia Z3. That's not entirely surprising, the smartphone world is fast moving at the best of times and while most companies bring out one flagship a year Sony has started releasing one every six months or so, which means the Xperia Z3 may not actually be all that far off. You've read all we've heard so far but with the Z3 potentially launching just a few months from now we expect that more leaks and rumors will start pouring in soon. In the meantime, this is what we want to see: A sleek design There's no denying that the Sony Xperia Z2 looks good with its metal frame and glass back, but it also looks a bit industrial and its angular design can make it uncomfortable to hold. Not to mention the fact that the large bezels above and below the screen detract from the otherwise premium design and make the whole handset bigger than should be necessary. So for the Xperia Z3 we'd love to see more curves and smaller bezels. The good news is that we may well get that, as one of the rumors doing the rounds is that the Z3 will have slimmer bezels and a new design. Improved 4K video recording The Sony Xperia Z2 can record high quality 4K video, but the phone gets worryingly hot in the process and longer videos can cause it to crash, so hopefully Sony will sort out these quirks for the Xperia Z3 or the 4K functionality may remain little more than a novelty. More power While the Sony Xperia Z2 is certainly a powerful phone there are times when it struggles a little, such as when using Background Defocus on the camera. Its Geekbench 3 score also puts it a little behind the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8, so a bit more power would be desirable. With so little time between the Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z3 we can't realistically expect a huge difference here, but giving it a Snapdragon 805 processor and a slightly faster clock speed would surely help as perhaps would some software optimisations. A 5.2-inch screen This might seem an odd thing to wish for given that the Xperia Z2 already has a 5.2-inch display, but smartphone screens are growing at a worrying rate. While there's certainly a market for phablets we're not convinced that 5.5-inch screens and above have the same mass market appeal as say 4.7-5.2 inch displays. 5.2 inches is a good size. It's big enough to comfortably watch videos, play games and browse the web and is still just about compact enough to operate with one hand. Any bigger and it risks becoming cumbersome, so we hope Sony resists upping the screen size again. More built in storage Sure, the Xperia Z2 has a microSD card slot and we fully expect the Xperia Z3 to follow suit, meaning that storage isn't a huge issue. But it would still be nice to have a decent amount built in rather than feeling like a microSD card is essential from almost day one. The Xperia Z2 only had 16GB of built in storage and we'd like to see the Sony Xperia Z3 double that at the very least. Better battery life The Sony Xperia Z2 already has great battery life by smartphone standards but smartphone standards just aren't good enough. We want a phone that can last all week and while it's not realistic to expect that from the Xperia Z3 we'll take any improvements we can get. A QHD display LG has brought Quad HD (QHD) smartphone displays to the mainstream with the LG G3 and while it's questionable how much difference it really makes on screens this size it's certainly a selling point. Now any phone that doesn't have a QHD display risks being unfavourably compared to the G3, so Sony won't be doing itself any favours if it sticks with a 1080p screen. We're dreaming about the Samsung Galaxy S6 too.

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