Google Glass Enterprise Edition with improved features coming soon

Google is soon coming out with a new edition of Google Glass which is internally referred to as Enterprise Edition or EE. Information about its hardware has been leaked which shows that this new iteration of Google Glass will be using a larger prism which extends further and will reduce strain on the eyes. Users can now look up directly and comfortably instead of looking up and towards the right which they have to do in the first gen device causing eyestrain on prolonged use. There is no clear indication if its screen resolution has been changed but there are reports that the screen has improved compared to that in the Explorer Edition.

The Enterprise Edition of Google Glass will have an Intel Atom chip inside and although the exact model is not known, it will be clocked faster than the chip currently used in top Android Wear smartwatches. Sources confirm that the battery life will be improved moderately and the new Intel Atom chip will provide better performance and heat management.

Photoshop comparison of prism of Explorer Edition on the left vs. prism of Enterprise Edition on the right

The next edition of Google Glass has been seen with an external battery pack and although it is not known how much power it packs, it will surely add substantial battery life to the Glass. This battery pack will be helpful to users who have more intensive use for the Glass all day long or use power-intensive apps.

About a week back, a new wearable device”A4R-GG1” listed simply as a “Bluetooth device” was spotted passing through the FCC. This device supports WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. It is confirmed that the new Glass edition will support 5GHz band to enable streaming of certain video apps developed for the Enterprise Edition. Hence, the device passing through the FCC is thought to be the Google Glass Enterprise Edition.

Google Glass Enterprise Edition with improved features coming soon

Rumors say Apple Watch 2 Screen will Have no Changes in Shape, Size or Resolution

A fresh report out of South Korea says that Apple Watch 2 display will have the same shape, size and resolution as the first generation Apple Watch. Looks like Apple is sticking to the same square face for its next gen smartwatch. If the report is true, fans who were expecting a round watch face from Apple will be disappointed.

Apple Watch 2 will apparently have the same 1.32-inch 272 x 340 resolution OLED display for its 38mm version and 1.5-inch 312 x 390 resolution display for the 42mm version like Apple’s current Watch. Currently, LG alone supplies glass screens for the Apple Watch but according to the new report, Samsung will also be supplying the flexible OLED display to the Cupertino giant along with LG. This contradicts earlier rumors claiming that LG will remain the sole display supplier for the next gen Apple Watch too.

It is said that to accommodate a bigger battery, the Apple Watch 2 display might be thinner compared to the precious version. Lower battery life is one of the main issues with the Apple Watch. Improving the battery capacity will keep the Apple fans happy. There are also rumors that the upcoming Apple Watch 2 will be a standalone device like Samsung’s Gear S so it can make calls and receive calls and notifications by itself without requiring it to be paired with an iPhone.

The Apple Watch 2 is expected to be launched by the company next year.

Rumors say Apple Watch 2 Screen will Have no Changes in Shape, Size or Resolution

LG develops tiny hexagonal battery for smartwatches with 25% more battery life

Most smartwatches have a problem of low battery life because the batteries powering them are so small. Even with light usage they last for a day with difficulty. Luckily, LG’s chemical engineering arm LG Chem has come out with a solution to this problem. They have developed tiny hexagonal battery which has more capacity and offers an improved battery life.

This hexagonal battery has been developed specifically for smartwatches and its hexagonal shape is ideal for circular displays. LG Chem has already started shipping these batteries to global smartwatch manufacturers. The company says that these hexagonal batteries offer 25% more storage capacity compared to the traditionally used batteries. According to the company, more IT firms will be introducing smartwatches with round displays in the second half of the year.

Woo Byeong-Min, spokesman for LG Chem told The Korea Times, “LG Chem has started selling hexagonal batteries to global tech firms. The batteries, manufactured in Nanjing, China, where LG operates massive battery factories, will be used in upcoming smart watches.”

Mr. Woo said that the hexagonal battery was the first such battery in the industry and has been developed in collaboration with a top technology company though he declined to reveal its name. Although he did say that it was not Apple or LG Electronics.

He also claimed that this battery adds four hours to the battery life and these batteries will also be used in circular smartwatches which the company plans to launch in future. LG also plans to launch batteries in different shapes for other devices such as an L-shaped battery or a rectangular one with a hole in the center.

LG Chem plans to become the top global supplier of tiny batteries by 2018.

LG develops tiny hexagonal battery for smartwatches with 25% more battery life

Lenovo’s new Magic View concept smartwatch has a ‘private’ second display

At its tech world event held in Beijing, Lenovo announced a new concept design ‘Magic View’ for its smartwatch. The Magic View concept features dual displays – the main round traditional display and the second small display below it, just above the strap. The secondary display, also called the Virtual Interactive Display (VID), offers you a new way to watch pictures and videos.

According to a report by Android Central who tested out the prototype of the Magic View concept watch at the event, the watch face is round like the Lenovo-owned Motorola’s Moto 360 (flat-tire cut-off, thin bezels)  and its size is the same as LG’s Watch Urbane LTE. The watch doesn’t run Android Wear but an Android-based custom software.

The VID of the concept watch is located below the main LCD panel. It looks opaque from far but when you hold it near your eye, you can see the images. Lenovo gave a demo of the VID in the prototype watch. The image clarity was quite good indoors but it can’t be said how it will fare out of doors in daylight. They also showed a 360⁰ panorama view of a stadium with sensors of the watch controlling the image motion. This view was also impressive. The only thing is you have to hold the screen right up to your eye as this is a private view which only you can see.  The optical reflection technology enables the viewers to see the images up to 20 times the size.

Well, this is only a concept smartwatch and we can’t say when it will be available to consumers. Also, how the second display impacts the smartwatch battery life remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, have a look at the Magic View concept smartwatch video below:

 

Lenovo’s new Magic View concept smartwatch has a ‘private’ second display

Fitbit files for Initial Public Offering of $100 Million

Fitbit is a leading manufacturer of fitness and health tracking gadgets. The company has recently filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise $100 million through stocks.  The lead underwriters for the IPO are Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merill Lynch.

The fitness tracker wearables market is on the rise thanks to the growing number of fitness enthusiasts across the world. Even big companies are now plunging into this field and introducing new wearables and smartwatches. Latest among them is the Apple Watch.

Fitbit was founded in the year 2007 by James Park and Eric Friedman and specializes in making tracking devices to monitor health and fitness. The devices are colorful and can be clipped or strapped on to the body and can measure steps taken, distance, calories burnt, heart rate, activity levels, sleep etc.  The company also provides companion software which is accessible on more than 120 Android, iOS and Windows smartphones.  There is also an all-in-one app that shows you the stats , analyses them and gives you tips. Users can enter what they have eaten during the whole day and track their calorie intake and other health parameters.

Fitbit devices include Surge super watch, Charge and Charge HR wrist bands and other smaller devices as well as the Aria weighing scale and apparel. The company has sold 10.9 million devices in 2014 registering a rise of 142% over 2013. Most of the sales were through retail channels in the US. This year, Fitbit’s sales were 3.90 million in the first quarter itself.

The company faces huge competition from Apple Watch which offers a whole range of health and fitness services apart from a variety of features like phone calls, text messages, music, photos and GPS.

Fitbit wrote in its filing against the label ‘risk factors’:

“We expect competition in our market to intensify in the future as new and existing competitors introduce new or enhanced products and services that are potentially more competitive than our products and services.”

Fitbit files for Initial Public Offering of $100 Million

Apple releases three new Apple Watch Ads ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ highlighting its usefulness

Apple has released three new Apple Watch ads on its YouTube channel just prior to its official worldwide launch. The new ads titled ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ focus on three important uses of the device: Time, Health & Fitness and Communication. These are the three aspects which Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted while introducing the Apple Watch.

Many feel that there is really no need for a smartwatch, that it is more of a style statement. The entry of Apple Watch has surely generated some excitement in the smartwatch market and Apple is highlighting its functions through ads so that people get interested and convinced to buy one.

The first ad “Rise” shows people using their Apple Watch for their morning activities, to wake up, see & answer incoming messages and use it when they commute.

The second ad “Up” shows people using the health and fitness features of the watch for working out and other activities like setting up fitness goals or using it while exercising etc. It also highlights the “stand” notification which alerts users with “Time to Stand” when they are working or commuting.

The final ad “Us” focuses on the Apple Watch’s communication features such as draw pictures, send animated emojis, heart beats or taps to the wrists of others wearing the Apple Watch.

At the end, all the three ads declare “The Watch is here”. Apple’s earlier marketing campaign focused on showing Apple Watch on the wrists of celebrities, models and athletes but now it appears that Apple is showing the device being used by common man.

Apple releases three new Apple Watch Ads ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ highlighting its usefulness

Android Wear App updated with new design and features

Google has announced updates for its Android Wear app which is now available on Google Play Store. Android Wear is Google’s operating system for smartwatches. Google had earlier announced a major Android Wear firmware update which includes Wi-Fi support, always-on app support and other usability upgrades. Your smartwatch will first have to receive this firmware update for some features of the new Android Wear app update to take effect. The firmware update will be rolling out for all the Android Wear smartwatches starting with LG Watch Urbane.

The new Android Wear app update comes with several changes to the settings of your smartwatch.  General settings will be just a click away and through them, you will be able to block notifications and choose which calendar you want shown on the watch. You can adjust settings to show card previews. Your watch will remain always-on although its battery life may decrease somewhat.

In the settings, there will also be a new “Cloud Sync” feature which you can opt for, but it will work after you have installed the latest firmware on your Android Wear watch as it will enable Wi-Fi connectivity on it.  If you enable the Cloud Sync feature, you can receive notifications and also search even though your watch may not be connected to your Android phone via Bluetooth. If you disable Cloud Sync, the Wi-Fi connectivity will be turned off on all the Android devices you have. On turning Cloud Sync again, your watch will get back its WI-Fi connectivity.

You can install the Android Wear app update on your Android phone through Google Play Store.

Android Wear App updated with new design and features

Samsung’s next smartwatch could sport a much more flexible display that could turn into a smartphone!

The South Korean giant Samsung has been working on curved and flexible display technology for several years now. Samsung’s Gear S smartwatch, Galaxy S6 edge and  Galaxy Note Edge all have curved displays but the company is working to achieve something much more than that.

A new patent filed by Samsung has been revealed by the US Patent and Trademark office. It shows a device with a great amount of flexibility. This new invention is a wearable device that can transform from a curved wrist band to a flat device like a smartphone.

 

It can be seen in the pic above that the device can be wrapped around a wrist like a smartwatch or a smartband. However, when it is removed, it becomes flat and can work just like any regular smartphone. The device will support phone calls as well as other multimedia functions like games etc.

The device consists of a flexible display panel, a transparent protection panel and a touch panel for inputs. The body will have a processor, an input-output unit, a communication module and an image and audio processing unit.

Several small segments would be connected together sequentially below the OLED screen so that they are rotatable and can curl up into a bracelet form to fit on the wrist of the wearer. They could also straighten up into a flat shape to become a smartphone.

According to PatentlyMobile, Samsung has filed this patent application in the third quarter of 2014 but it is not known when this product will come into the market. It is a cool concept though.

 

Samsung’s next smartwatch could sport a much more flexible display that could turn into a smartphone!

Huawei officially unveils Huawei Watch, its first Android Wear Smartwatch at the MWC

After yesterday’s teaser videos, Huawei has today officially announced its first Android Wear smartwatch dubbed the Huawei Watch. It is quite an impressive looking watch having a circular display and a design which the company says has been “Designed by a team of experienced watch designers that have a rich history in creating fashionable and timeless watches”.

The circular Huawei Watch sports a 1.4-inch AMOLED display with 400 x 400p resolution (286 ppi) at a high contrast ratio of 10,000:1. It is made from high quality stainless steel and is a scratch resistant. There is a 2 o’Clock press button for control.

Specs include a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and Bluetooth 4.1 for connecting to smartphones. Huawei Watch is Huawei’s first Android Wear smartwatch and is compatible with smartphones that run Android 4.3 or a higher version. The watch also has a 6-Axis motion sensor, a barometer sensor and a heart rate monitor that monitors wearer’s activities such as heart rate, calories burned, steps taken, distance travelled and height climbed.

The Watch is available in 3 colors – Gold, Silver, and Black. There are 40 different watch faces and a whole range of straps of various materials and styles to choose from. The Watch will also have a magnetic charging station.

The Huawei Watch will become available in over 20 countries which includes US, UK, Australia, Russia, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, , Norway, Philippines, South Korea, and UAE. The company has not disclosed its price yet and has said that it will be announced in the local markets when it hits the shelves there.

Have a look at the Huawei Watch:

Via PhoneArena

Huawei officially unveils Huawei Watch, its first Android Wear Smartwatch at the MWC

Huawei announces 4.5G Smartband, the first LTE-M wearable in the market

Huawei has announced a new 4.5G Smartband at its event in London. As the name suggests, it supports the next gen 4.5G LTE connectivity and the company claims it to be the first wearable supporting LTE-M network. The Huawei 4.5G Smartband will be rolling out commercially next year.

Huawei has not revealed specifications of the wearable but more details are expected at the next week’s MWC. If the 4.5G Smartband is similar to its current smartband TalkBand B1, it may sport a 1.4-inch OLED screen, Bluetooth connectivity and NFC. It will also have dust and water resistance.

The company however revealed that the device will incorporate an LTE-M chip made by Neul, a startup it had acquired last year. Huawei claims that the chip will make “cellular Internet of Things (IoT)” a reality.

Like other smartbands, the Huawei 4.5G Smartband will track wearer’s fitness and monitor the heart rate. It will also pair with other IOT gadgets like energy readers and small thermostats. Huawei’s 4.5G LTE network will deliver up to 1GB/sec data speeds and will enable technologies such as Drones and virtual reality, and also boost industry applications like smart metering.

Huawei’s president of products and solutions, Ryan Ding, said that the 4.5G network will be “the first time that a mobile network is not focused on people, but on people and things“.

Huawei says, “4.5G supports up to 100K per cell connections via LTE-M, 100 times that of 4G. LTE-M also provides better coverage. Receivers require just 1/100th of the signal of existing 2G system, 20dB gain, using low-power terminals.”

The company is expected to showcase its new 4.5G Smartband at the MWC next week and we will know more details about it soon.

Source The Inquirer

Huawei announces 4.5G Smartband, the first LTE-M wearable in the market

Acer to introduce a new Windows 10 smartphone at MWC alongside a new Android-powered Jade phone and a wearable device

As the Mobile World Congress 2015 is drawing closer, we are getting more and more news about the devices that will be showcased there. There is also a mounting curiosity and excitement about what other surprises the event will bring. Well, the news from Taiwanese company Acer is that it is going to introduce a brand new Windows 10 smartphone at the MWC.

Taiwanese company Acer is better known for its PCs and Laptops but it has also been rolling out a few smartphones over the years. A majority of its phones have been Android-based and very few were Windows-based, that too before Windows Phones came on the scene. Acer is now back in the Windows phone market after more than three years with its new Windows 10 smartphone at the MWC. Along with it, the company is also set to release a new Android-based Jade series smartphone and a new wearable device.

There is no information about specs, pricing or availability of the Acer Windows 10 phone. Windows 10 was officially launched in September last year but Microsoft is still giving some finishing touches to it and the OS only will be released in fall this year. So Acer’s Windows 10 smartphone will probably become available after that.

Meanwhile, we will keep you posted about Acer’s various announcements at the MWC as and when they occur. Stay tuned!

 

Source Focus Taiwan

Via PhoneArena

Acer to introduce a new Windows 10 smartphone at MWC alongside a new Android-powered Jade phone and a wearable device

LG releases the first promo video for its new Watch Urbane

About a week back LG had announced that it would be introducing its new smartwatch, the LG Watch Urbane at the MWC to be held in March in Barcelona. The South Korean company has now released a 60-second promo video that showcases the beautiful watch.

LG Watch Urbane is an all-metal luxury smartwatch powered by Android wear. The stylish watch is designed for the urban user and comes in polished gold and silver finish. It has a 1.3-inch P-OLED with a resolution of 320 x 320 and 245ppi, same as LG’s earlier G Watch R. However, the new watch is thin and has narrow bezels, and it can be worn by both men and women. Other specs include a Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory and a 410mAh battery. It also has a heart rate monitor. The watch is dust and water resistant with IP67 certification.

The Watch Urbane video shows it to be a watch where “Contemporary and Classic Unite”. The video also shows the various watch faces and strap options available.  Any 22mm band of users’ choice can be fitted onto the watch.

LG says, “LG Watch Urbane will bring endless beauty, long-lasting ingenuity and essence of luxury to your life.”

LG Watch Urbane is available for pre-order at online retailer Expansys and the watch will be reserved for you for $410.50 which seems quite expensive. However, this is not the official price which remains undisclosed as yet.

Well, we will know more about the LG Watch Urbane at the MWC in a few days. Meanwhile, check out the promo video:

Source LG Mobile Global

LG releases the first promo video for its new Watch Urbane

Pebble working on a new thinner smartwatch with color display?

Pebble has put out a teaser on its website showing a countdown timer below the picture of a watch, hinting that there will be some announcement from the company when the timer becomes zero i.e. at 10AM EST on next Tuesday. Earlier in the month Pebble’s CEO Eric Migicovsky had said that the company would be releasing a new software platform and a new product line this year.

Now 9To5Mac has received information from multiple inside sources that Pebble has been working on major updates to both the hardware and the software of its watch and they will be ready to roll out next week on Tuesday. Pebble’s new smartwatch is reportedly thinner in size but with a wider screen and a color display looking like e-paper. However, it will not be a touch screen like the Apple Watch is supposed to have.

Although the new watch will be thinner and brighter than the earlier models, the battery will reportedly remain the same as the current models. It will sport an improved backlight for the display and a microphone which could lead 3rd party developers to create new apps for the Pebble platform. A heart rate monitor is a part of the company’s long term plans but not just yet.

The new Pebble watch will have a redesigned brand new Pebble OS. It will offer a timeline view showing recent notifications and several new animations in the user interface. The watch will have a new Cortex M4 chip and a 6-axis gyroscope. Its pricing is expected to be similar to that of Pebble Steel.

Of course, the Tuesday’s announcement may be for entirely another reason, we can’t say for sure. But if not now, Pebble’s new smartwatch is certainly expected sometime in the near future. So far, Pebble has been facing tough competition from Android Wear smartwatches and now it will have added competition from Apple Watch that is expected to release in April this year.

Source Pebble

Via 9To5Mac

Pebble working on a new thinner smartwatch with color display?

LG to introduce luxury all-metal smartwatch Watch Urbane at MWC 2015

The South Korean company LG Electronics has announced that it will unveil a new all-metal Android Wear luxury smartwatch LG Watch Urbane at the MWC 2015 to be held next month in Barcelona, Spain. It is a stylish and elegant smartwatch designed for the sophisticated urban user.

LG Watch Urbane will have a full metal body and a changeable natural leather strap giving it a classic look. It will be available in polished Gold and Silver finish. The strap can be swapped with other 22mm wide bands.

President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, Juno Cho said, “The LG Watch Urbane’s classic design and smart features make it the perfect smartwatch to complement our G Watch and G Watch R, which were designed as more casual and active devices”.

The Watch Urbane has 1.3-inch full circle P-OLED (320 x 320 resolution, 245ppi) display similar to the G Watch R but has even more narrow bezel and thinner profile so that it could be worn by both men and women. This smartwatch has a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor to measure the wearer’s pulse and heart-rate during exercise. It has an ‘always-on’ ambient mode that shows the time continuously in dim mode and saves battery life. LG Watch Urbane has a touch-based UI and is compatible with smartphones running Android 4.3 or more.

Other specs of the device include a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of LPDDR2 RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 410mAh battery. The watch is dust and water proof with IP67 certification. Its dimensions are 45.5 x 52.2 x 10.9mm.

LG says that pricing and other details will be announced when the watch is made available in local markets.

Source LG

Via PhoneArena

LG to introduce luxury all-metal smartwatch Watch Urbane at MWC 2015

Huawei’s MWC teaser hints at a new 4G LTE standalone smartwatch

Just a few days back Huawei had revealed its roadmap for 2015 informing that it would be releasing several new devices during the year which also included an Android Wear smartwatch among others. Now the Chinese mobile maker has released a couple of teasers on its official Weibo profile, both containing the phrase “Next is here”.

One of the teasers could very well be for a smartwatch that Huawei may be planning to unveil at the MWC 2015 in Barcelona next month. This teaser shows a crescent shaped design with a star at one end which might be hinting at Huawei’s upcoming smartwatch with such a curved design. The phrase “Next is here” could mean that the next upgrade version of its smartband is here. Huawei had released its smartband TalkBand B1 last year which is a fitness band that also doubles as a Bluetooth headset.

The teaser also has the words “4G LTE” on top left hand corner which could mean it could be a standalone smartwatch supporting 4G LTE networks, a step ahead of Samsung’s Gear S which is also a standalone device but supports 3G. Huawei’s CEO Richard Yu had hinted in September last year that the company’s smartwatch will be a standalone piece like the Tizen-powered Samsung Gear S.

The second teaser could be that of Huawei’s Honor X2 (MediaPad X2) tablet, a successor to Huawei MediaPad X1. This teaser too has the words 4G LTE suggesting that the tablet phone will support it. This new tablet is also expected to be introduced at the MWC. Latest rumors suggest that this next gen tablet will feature a 7-inch display with 1920 x 1200 resolution, Huawei’s own Hisilicon Kirin 925 processor, 3GB RAM and a 5500 mAh battery. The tablet is said to be priced at about 1999 Yuan ($320).

Well, MWC 2015 is just round the corner and we will know more then.

 

Source Weibo

Via GizmoChina

Huawei’s MWC teaser hints at a new 4G LTE standalone smartwatch

Pebble set to take on Apple Watch with a new Software Platform and new Smartwatches

Pebble has been quite successful in the competitive wearables market having sold more than a million smartwatches till date. The company’s millionth smartwatch was shipped on 31 December 2014, taking its sales to more than double the figure for March that year. The company has been quietly improving its product, adding new features and had also offered some price cuts later in the year to boost sales.

So far, Pebble faced the biggest competition from Android Wear watches including those from Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony and others. Their 2nd and 3rd generation smartwatches will be coming to the market this year. And now all eyes are set on Apple Watch that will be released this year, probably in April. Apple Watch is sure to provide a tough challenge to Pebble.

Pebble’s CEO Eric Migicovsky says that the company has plans to release a new software platform and a line of new products this year. He says that unlike Android Wear and Apple Watch that are more focused on apps like the smartphones, the new software platform being developed by Pebble will be totally different.

“We’ve found a new framework to use as an interaction model on the watch,” says Migicovsky, adding that although Pebble will have apps, they will not be the main focus. “It doesn’t look like what we have today, and it doesn’t look like what’s on your smartphone“.

Pebble’s has had a lot of success in getting support from 3rd-party developers. The company’s newly launched web-based emulator allows developers to build and test apps without the need to install software on their computers. Pebble has as many as 25,000 developers writing apps for it worldwide and currently there are about 6,000 apps and watchfaces available on its current software platform.

The company has increased its employees from 30 to 100 for developing its new software platform which also includes some web designers from LG. It is obvious that Pebble is fully geared to take on any competition, buoyed by its 1 million sales and the promising new software platform in the works.

 

Source The Verge

Pebble set to take on Apple Watch with a new Software Platform and new Smartwatches

Huawei’s roadmap for 2015 revealed; to unveil tablets and 3 new wearables at MWC

Huawei has announced its plans for the current year 2015. At a media event held in Shenzen, China, the company revealed that it would be introducing possibly more than one tablet and three new wearables at the Mobile World Congress to be held in March in Barcelona. However, no new smartphones would be unveiled at the show.

Huawei also unfolded its brand strategy for the year 2015 saying it will focus on “premium to consolidate leadership in mid to high-end markets”. The company showed a slide that revealed the complete roadmap. As the above picture shows, there will be new entrants in its smartphone portfolio –  in the high-end Huawei Mate and Huawei P series; and in the affordable Honor series, Huawei G series and  Huawei Y series.

Regarding its tablets portfolio, there will be a new tablet in the X-series that will offer “big screen integrated experience” and another one in its M-series offering an “outstanding Audio/Visual experience”.

Huawei is planning to enter the wearables market with a fashionable Android Wear smartwatch. It will also release a successor to its TalkBand  B1 and another new smartband in several colors.

According to Pocket-lint, Huawei will launch its next flagship Ascend P8 on 15th April in London. The company will also be holding a press conference on March 1 at MWC in Barcelona.

Huawei’s roadmap for 2015 revealed; to unveil tablets and 3 new wearables at MWC

Apple Watch battery life targets revealed, to have a powerful CPU and Retina-class display

Tim Cook announced Apple Watch in September 2015 and since then everyone is curious about what Apple’s smartwatch would really be like. The phone’s battery will reportedly last only for a day and it will need charging every night. This has been mentioned by the Apple’s CEO himself but there is no mention about how long the battery will actually last.

9to5Mac has got information about specific performance targets that Apple is keen to achieve regarding the Apple Watch battery, but it remains to be seen how Apple actually fares. According to sources, Apple has opted for a powerful processor and a high quality screen in its smartwatch but both would need more power. The Apple S1 chip in the Apple Watch runs SkiHill, a stripped-down version of iOS. Its performance is quite close to that of Apple’s A5 processor used in iPod Touch. The watch screen is “Retina-class” color display updating at 60 FPS. It is obvious that both will drain out the battery quickly. However, when the watch screen is not in use, the display turns off, saving power.

Apple has been stress-testing the watch’s battery life with various applications. Apple is targeting 2.5 hours of heavy app usage such as gaming; 3.5 hours of usage for standard apps; 3 hours for clock face display and watch-ticking animations; 4 hours for fitness tracking; 2-3 days for low-power or standby modes and 4 hours for sleeping mode. Apple is targeting 19 hours of mixed (active/passive) usage per day but it may not achieve this target in the first version of Apple Watch.

Apple has been concerned over the short battery life and this is one of the reasons why Apple has pushed back the retail launch of Apple Watch from 2014 to early 2015. Latest reports suggest that Apple’s smartwatch will now start shipping only in April. Meanwhile, the company has circulated around 3,000 units of the watch to test its real-world performance.

Source 9to5Mac

Apple Watch battery life targets revealed, to have a powerful CPU and Retina-class display

Samsung Orbis round-dialed smartwatch, MVC launch likely

Samsung is about to launch their modified Gear products in the coming MWC expo. However , it has released various Galaxy brand smartwatches but none got the expected accolades.

Samsung is working hard in prepping its own smartwatch blockbuster with rumored name Orbis. It is said that Samsung started working on a new round piece since Apple announced its own iWatch last quarter.

The Orbis device will be more appealing and stylish compared to the current Samsung Galaxy Gears. It will sport a rotating ring on its top eradicating the pressing and navigating issue of smartwatch on their tiny displays. However, Orbis is expected to have a “crown-shaped power button” which will be reserved for rotating the bezels at the top. Apple’s iWatch already have this button for scrolling and zooming purpose. The power key will be utilized eventually for S Voice , for waking up the device, for launching stuff and so on.

We definitely can’t wait for the new leaks to come up, since Orbis device is the question of Samsung’s reputation in the smartwatch arena.

Samsung Orbis round-dialed smartwatch, MVC launch likely

Samsung’s Orbis Smartwatch: Some features of its top Rotary Ring leaked

Wearable devices are much in news lately. Samsung is rumored to be working on its new round smartwatch for a while now. The project is codenamed ‘Project Orbis’ just like the ‘Project Zero’ for Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S6. We have recently heard rumors that Samsung might announce its round Orbis smartwatch alongside Galaxy S6 at the MWC 2015 in March.

Samsung’s new round smartwatch will supposedly have a rotary ring on the top that will allow users to interact with the device. Sammobile has come up with additional information about some of the features that might be incorporated in the Orbis smartwatch.

Although most Gear smartwatches support call making, the new Orbis smartwatch will not support this feature. You will be able to accept phone calls or dismiss them, but you will not be able to talk or handle them from the smartwatch.

On the Homescreen, you can swipe from top towards the bottom to get the drop-down menu that holds icons for brightness, Bluetooth and battery; brightness control; and do not disturb mode. When you swipe the screen from bottom to top, you get the recent apps menu like in the Gear S.

The rotary ring has some special functions. When in the recent apps menu, rotating the ring to the right slowly will display 1 app at a time while faster rotation will show you 3 apps at once. You can close the recent apps menu by using the crown-shaped power button.

On the home screen, when you rotate the ring towards the right, you will see widgets in use. After reaching a widget, left rotation will give you the contents of that particular widget. Rotating the ring towards the left will show you notifications and you can run through them.

You can also control the on-board music player with the rotary ring – pause, mute or run through the songs. The ring will allow you to control the alarm, time, find your device or know the weather forecast.

Sammobile says that all this is just “the tip of the iceberg”. The watch will have a lot many other functions. Orbis is surely going to be one amazing smartwatch!! It could be Samsung’s answer to the Apple Watch. What do you think?

 

Source SamMobile

Samsung’s Orbis Smartwatch: Some features of its top Rotary Ring leaked