Review TechRadar: Phone and communications news 07-20-2014

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iPhone 6 sapphire display flunks sandpaper test, isn't scratchproof after all Jul 19th 2014, 19:52, by Chris Smith The purported iPhone 6 sapphire display panel came off worse in an encounter with a sheet of sandpaper in a new video test, ending hopes the new screen tech would be completely scratchproof. After taking a knife and keys to the display with no negative impact, YouTuber Marques Brownlee decided to get serious with some rather coarse sandpaper, in his latest post. Compared with the Gorilla Glass iPhone 5S display, the iPhone 6 emerged from the battle in better shape, showing the new material is indeed tougher, but by no means invulnerable. That led Brownlee to the conclusion the display is not pure sapphire, which is higher on the Mohs scale of hardness than the sandpaper used in the test. Pure sapphire (a 9 out of 10 on the scale) would not have been scathed by garnet sandpaper, which gets a 7 out of 10 rating. TouchID sensor, take a bow Interestingly, the TouchID sensor on the iPhone 5S was undamaged by the sandpaper test, suggesting it is indeed a purer form of the sapphire material than that used in the rumoured iPhone 6 4.7-inch display. Brownlee says a mixed-material screen makes sense because: a) pure sapphire would be super expensive and b) the compound allows the screen to bend a little. You can view the sandpaper test in the YouTube video below. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ANcWQEUI8 In other news, Joe Rogan fired an arrow at the display using a sick bow and arrow. You can see how that worked out in the clip below. YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9TqkgqsZkJs Are sapphire displays the gem of the mobile world? Nokia MixRadio set to go it alone with a remix for iOS and Android devices Jul 19th 2014, 17:53, by Chris Smith It's all change at Microsoft with 18,000 job cuts announced this week, but one part of the business which won't fall on the sword is the Nokia MixRadio music streaming app. Plans are afoot to spin-off the Lumia-based music app into a separate, yet-to-be determined, third-party-owned company, away from Microsoft's watch. The plans are to eventually offer the service on iOS and Android devices while still being built into all Microsoft phones as standard. "I don't believe any digital music service can succeed in the long-term if it doesn't have a pretty ubiquitous experience because that's what consumers and listeners around the world expect," Jyrki Rosenberg, VP and head of Nokia Entertainment told Billboard. Highly personalised "Our strategy is unchanged," he added. "The focus remains on being the most personal listening experience, that's really simple to use but highly personalized. Hopefully with this change, the other services will expand and create additional opportunities." Nokia MixRadio (originally Nokia Music) has hardly set the world on fire since its relaunch last November, but it does bring a library of 32 million songs and more than 10,000 curated playlists to the table. It is also available in 31 countries, a reach that blows away services like Beats Radio, Pandora and iHeart Radio. It is particularly popular in India and China, according to Rosenberg. The VP refused to comment on how the Microsoft cutbacks will affect Nokia Music employees, but said he was in talks with investors over taking the company out of Microsoft's hands. Don't expect anymore Microsoft Android phones, OK? Galaxy Note 4 UV Sensor will warn users when they're getting too much sun Jul 19th 2014, 16:44, by Chris Smith The reported UV Sensor within the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will offer users assistance on gauging the sun's harmful rays, according to newly leaked information. The Sammobile site, which originally claimed the sensor would be present last month, now reports the UV sensor operation will sit within the existing S Health app. It'll be the first smartphone to include a UV light sensor and will require users to hold their phone to the sun at a 60 degree angle in order to get a reading. A 0-2 reading will mean there is a low risk of skin damage, 3-5 will represent a moderate risk, a 5-7 reading will show a high risk of damage, 8-10 is very high and 11+ will represent extreme risk. True or False? According to the report, Samsung will also include a host of true and false statements on sun protection to inform those poor souls who think that a sun tan is healthy. "You can't get sunburnt on a cloudy day, you can't get sunburned while in the water and UV radiation during the winter is not dangerous," will all be included as falsehoods, according to the report. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 will reportedly arrive in early September and be on display at the IFA tech show in Berlin, where we'll get the full skinny. Check out Google Fit: Mountain View's entry into the fitness game

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