iPhone 5 preview

Apple’s next iPhone is official, and despite being the sixth iPhone model (technically), we know it’s officially the iPhone 5.

Over the last year, we've heard a ton of rumors about what it might deliver with LTE, a taller display, and a redesigned connector being the most likely tidbits. Fortunately, we now can put all that speculation to rest as Apple spilled the secrets.

Eyes on Apple's new iPhone 5 (pictures)

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Taller, thinner, and a metal back
As expected, the new iPhone is 18 percent thinner (0.30 inch vs. 0.37 inch thick) than the iPhone 4S. Apple says it's the thinnest handset around, but that's a race that changes often. That means it's also 20 percent lighter for a total of 3.95 ounces. The Retina Display expands from 3.5 inches (its size since the original iPhone) to 4 inches. The total resolution remains the same, though, at 326 pixels per inch. The total pixel count is 1,136x640, and we now have a 16:9 aspect ratio.
To the user, that means a fifth row of icons on the home screen. That's pretty nice since it will let you cut down on the number of home screens. You'll also get a full five-day week view in the calendar, the calendar will show more events, and all iWork apps will take advantage of the bigger display. Third-party apps that haven't been updated will continue to work, but you'll see black borders on each side (so they won't be stretched or scaled). Apple also promises that wide-screen movies will look better, with 44 percent more color saturation than on the iPhone 4S.

Touch sensors are now built into the display itself, which makes it 30 percent thinner as a result and less prone to glare.
The iPhone 5 also fixes a design flaw that we first saw in the iPhone 4. Apple replaced the glass back with one that's mostly metal. Too many people (us included) cracked an iPhone 4 or 4S after dropping it accidentally. We don't think the change negatively affects the iPhone's aesthetics. In fact, many might see it as an improvement. A return to a metal back reminds one of the original iPhone, and the crisp, clean-cut back has a bit of the feel of other Apple devices like the iPad.
All of the design changes result in a new iPhone that's surprisingly light to hold. Think 20 percent lighter isn't a big deal? Pick one of these up and you'll feel the difference: the iPhone 4 may have been dense, but the iPhone 5 is a featherweight.
The screen is big, bright, and crisp, too, not shockingly so, but a subtly improved experience. It's akin to being the extrawide comfy chair of iPhone screens. Stay tuned for more, but this new iPhone has a good hand feel.

LTE and carriers
Not a shocker either, but the iPhone 5 will support 4G LTE networks. That's in addition to the current support for GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, and HSPA data networks. LTE has a single chip for voice and data, a single radio chip, and a "dynamic antenna" that will switch connections between different networks automatically.
So which carriers will support an LTE iPhone 5? Well, in the United States that means AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless. So again, T-Mobile loses out. In Canada it's Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin, and Kudo. In Asia the providers will be SoftBank, SmarTone, SingTel, and SK Telecom. For Australia there's Telstra, Optus, and Virgin Mobile, and in Europe it will go to Deutsche Telekom and EE. On carriers without LTE, the iPhone 5 will run on dual-band 3.5G HDPA+.

A faster chip
The iPhone 5 will offer an A6 chip, which is two times faster than the current A5 chip. Graphics will get faster speeds, as well. Yet, despite the speedier performance, the new chip will be 22 percent smaller than the A5. According to Apple's specs, users will see Web pages load 2.1 times faster, and the Music app with songs will load 1.9 times faster.
More battery life
LTE tends to be a power hog, but the iPhone 5 is set to deliver respectable battery life. Of course, the real story may differ, but here's what Apple is promising for now. We're supposed to get 8 hours of 3G talk time, 8 hours of 3G browsing, 8 hours of LTE browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music playback, and 225 hours of standby time. You can be sure that CNET will put these promises to the test when we get a device in our hands.

Apple promises respectable battery life, though the iPhone 5 has a larger display and LTE.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

Camera
The main shooter, or the "iSight" camera, stays at 8 megapixels (with the best resolution being 3,264x2,448 pixels) with a feature list that includes backside illumination, a hybrid IR filter, a five-element lens, and a f2.4 aperture. A dynamic light mode is new, and you should be able to launch photography apps up to 2.1 times faster. Another addition is an image signal processor in the A6 chip. That will bring spatial noise reduction and a "smart filter" that produces better low-light performance and captures photos faster. Finally, there's a built-in panorama mode that stitches shots together for one large 28-megapixel photo.

The secondary front camera now can shoot 720p HD video and it gets a backside illuminated sensor. And as we heard at the announcement of iOS 6 back in June, FaceTime will work over 3G cellular networks. Some carriers like AT&T have already announced restrictions for that feature, so be sure to check with your provider first.

Video resolution remains at 1080p HD, though image stabilization has been improved and face detection is now available in clips for up to 10 people. And in a nice move, you can take photos while you're shooting video.
Audio
The iPhone 5 gets an additional microphone for a total of three. You'll find one on the bottom, one on the handset's front face, and one on its rear side. What's more, the speaker now has five magnets (so up from two), which is apparently better and it's supposed to use 20 percent less space. The noise-canceling feature should be improved, as well, and there's a new wideband audio feature that promises more-natural-sounding voices. Twenty percent of carriers will support wideband audio, but so far we only know that Orange in the United Kingdom will be among them.
Smaller dock connector, smaller SIM card
On the bottom of the iPhone 5, there's that new and long-anticipated smaller dock connector. Called "Lightning," it has an all-digital, eight-signal design and an "adaptive interface" (we're not quite sure what that means yet). It's 80 percent smaller, and since it's reversible, both ends will be the same (that's kind of nice).

Apple says the iPhone 5 is the thinnest smartphone around. We'll see how long that record lasts.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

By all means, it's bound to annoy owners of current speaker docks, accessories, and charger/syncing cables since it will render them obsolete. Apple will offer an adapter and adapter cables (of course it will), which range from $19 to $39. We imagine, though, that the adapter may be awkward to use with some current accessories like a bedside alarm clock/music player. For new accessories, Apple says that manufacturers like Bose, JBL, and Bowers are working on new products.
Though we welcome the idea of a smaller connector, we're miffed that Apple couldn't just adopt the semi-industry standard of Micro-USB. That would make things easier for smartphone users across the globe. Yet, even so, the smaller connector may be a smart move for the future. The 30-pin connector has been around since 2003, long before the iPhone even existed: frankly, it's a dust magnet. A smaller connector helps shave extra space to achieve a smaller phone with perhaps a bigger battery. The new connector cable will mainly be used for syncing and charging by most people who own an Apple TV or Bluetooth/AirPlay accessories.

The smaller dock and cable connector is in the usual place on the phone's bottom.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

iOS 6
Inside, the iPhone 5 will debut with iOS 6 already onboard. Highlights include the new Apple Maps app, Passbook, shared photo streams, Siri updates, and the aforementioned FaceTime over 3G. For more on Apple's newest mobile OS update, check out our iOS 6 First Take. iOS 6 will be available for download next Wednesday, September 19.
Release date and pricing
The iPhone 5 will be available in three capacity models, all of which will come in black and white versions. The 16GB is $199, the 32GB $299, and the 64GB $399. On September 21, it will go on sale in nine countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Anyone in that first batch of countries can preorder starting September 14. More countries will follow by the end of this month, and by the end of the year, the iPhone 5 will land at 240 carriers in 100 countries. As a reminder, the U.S. carriers are the Big Three: Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.
Is this the iPhone you've been looking for?
During very brief hands-on time with the iPhone 5, this much is clear: it's the weight you'll remember more than its thinner profile. The iPhone 4S is already a svelte device: most people probably won't spot the difference if they see the new iPhone from the side.
The screen size, also, is more of a subtle improvement. This isn't a jaw-dropping leap from the iPhone 4S: it's a gradual increase, done almost so cleverly that the front face of the iPhone 5 might, with the screen turned off, look very much like the iPhone 4S. The proof will be in the pudding for how app developers and iOS 6 take full advantage of that extra screen real estate, but the bottom line is this: more screen size and more pixels are good things.
The real killer app on this phone -- no surprise -- might be the iPhone's 4G LTE, as well as the promised battery life. If data speeds and battery life can live up to the promises, those alone will make many want to upgrade.
VIA : news.cnet.com

Wait for Windows Phone 8 or buy a Samsung Galaxy S3?

Microsoft's newest mobile OS -- Windows Phone 8 -- will add some key functionality to Microsoft's smartphone, but is it worth waiting for?

The new software offers a few more bells and whistles in terms of functionality for smartphone subscribers. But the bigger deal is that it will offer the necessary hooks for developers and device makers to build more advanced hardware. Finally, this could mean that Microsoft's live tile interface may finally be installed on some heavily spec'ed devices.

In this edition of Ask Maggie I help one reader figure out if he should wait for this flashy new hardware for the new Windows Phone 8 devices, or if he should go ahead and buy one of the latest and greatest Google Android phones of the summer: the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the HTC One series.

I also offer some advice about finding a normal-size smartphone in a world that seems to be going oversize.

To wait for new Windows Phone 8 devices or not

I currently own a Motorola Droid X on Verizon. I will be eligible for a new device in August. Android is fine, but I am by no means a fanboy. I'm a PC user and have tinkered with Windows for a very long time. I've been using a beta version of Windows 8 at home, and I really like it. I'm also interested in maybe getting the Surface when it comes out.

Anyway, I like the look and feel of the Windows Phone OS. But I've been disappointed in the hardware. But I hear that this might improve with Windows Phone 8. Is that true? Can I expect some Windows Phone 8 smartphones that are in the same category as Android devices? Also, do you think Verizon will offer some new Windows Phone 8 devices? And if you think they will, should I wait for a Windows 8 device, or should I just get a new Android this summer, like the Samsung Galaxy S3?

It's hard to say how the new Windows Phone 8 smartphones will stack up against current Android devices. That said, the Windows Phone 8 software is all about providing a foundation for Microsoft to offer new cutting-edge hardware. For instance, the new OS will support multicore processors. It will have an embedded NFC chip for mobile payments and other apps that may require short range wireless technology. It will allow multitasking.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

The Verge reported Thursday that Microsoft expects to launch three classes of Windows Phone 8 smartphones later this year. The Zenith will be the high-end line, with an expected 4.7-inch Super LCD 2 display, quad-core processor, NFC support, 8-megapixel camera that can grab 1,080p, and 42Mbps HSPA+. (My guess is that the top of the line phone will also have LTE support for the U.S. market.)

The midrange is being referred to as Accord and it's expected to have a slightly smaller, 4.3-inch screen and dual-core processors. The budget Windows Phone 8 will be the Rio line, which is expected to offer a 4-inch WVGA display; 14.4 Mbps HSPA connectivity; 5 megapixel, 720p capture; and a Snapdragon S4 processor.

Many of these new hardware enhancements are already available on Google Android devices today. In many ways, Windows Phone 8 is really just about keeping up with what Google Android has already been doing from a hardware and technology perspective.

Greg Sullivan, senior product manager at Microsoft for Windows Phone, said the Windows Phone 8 software paves the way for Microsoft to keep up with its competitors

"Windows Phone 8 is about investing in the future of the platform," he said. "It gives us the necessary headroom to continue to grow the device capabilities. It's important for consumers, but it's also really important for developers and hardware manufacturers as we move forward."

So should you wait for the Windows Phone 8 smartphones, or should you just buy a new Android phone now?

As you know, there are a couple of high-profile Google Android devices hitting the market this summer. And they already come equipped with the most powerful hardware out there. The Samsung Galaxy S3 goes on sale soon at all four major wireless carriers. And HTC has also introduced its latest One family of devices on all four major carriers.

I think that Windows Phone 8 will help manufacturers bring that same level of high-end hardware specifications to Windows Phones in the future. This could mean that the new Windows Phone 8 devices will be on par with any of the new Android devices as well as anything that Apple introduces this fall. But will they be more advanced? That's tough to say.The good thing about these new Android phones is that they both sport the latest Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software. They also have advanced cameras. And they come fully loaded with all kinds of high-end specifications.

Since the hardware will be similar in terms of specifications, I think the question you really need to ask yourself is which user experience and interface you prefer. The live-tiles make using Windows Phone devices very easy and intuitive. It still lacks some key apps, but Microsoft says it's catching up fast. In fact, Microsoft has surpassed the 100,000 mark in terms of the number of apps in its app store. Microsoft is also changing the home screen in the new Windows Phone 8 to make it even more customizable. (Windows Phone users on older hardware will also get this benefit in the Windows Phone 7.8 update that's expected to come later this summer.)

I'd recommend checking out a Nokia Lumia 900 or an HTC Titan at an AT&T shop to see if you like the software. These phones will soon get the Windows Phone 7.8 software upgrade that will give them the new home screen, which will be used on Windows Phone 8 devices.

But keep in mind that you may have to wait a long time for the new Windows Phone 8 devices. Microsoft has said that devices will be ready by the "end of the year." My guess is that the high-end phones won't come to market until the late fall, just before the holidays.

Will Verizon be one of the carriers offering these devices? That's a good question. As you are probably aware, Verizon hasn't been a big supporter of Windows Phone to date. In fact, it offers only one Windows Phone device on its network: the HTC Trophy. Even though Microsoft has updated its software and helped Nokia and HTC launch several other newer Windows Phone devices into the market, Verizon has still remained on the sidelines with respect to the platform.

But that may soon change. In April, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said during the company's earnings call that Verizon is "fully supportive" of Microsoft's Windows Phone platform. He also indicated that Verizon would have new Windows Phone 8 devices in time for the holidays. A Verizon representative reiterated these plans earlier this week after Microsoft's launch of Windows Phone 8. She said the carrier would offer devices using the OS by the end of the year.

Still, Verizon hasn't said a lot about how much it will support Windows Phone. Will it introduce just one Windows Phone 8 smartphone, or will it offer a full portfolio of devices with an Android-like marketing campaign?

It's a little too early to say for sure. But Microsoft's Sullivan said the carrier seems enthusiastic about the new Windows Phone 8 platform. Sullivan couldn't tell me specifics about the discussions, but he acknowledged that Microsoft has been in talks with Verizon for a long time. Still, he indicated that with Windows Phone 8, Verizon may finally be willing to put a little more weight behind its support for Microsoft's smartphones.

"They're very excited and enthusiastic about what Windows Phone 8 can bring," he said. "And it's very important for us to have strong support from Verizon."

If Verizon plans to put a lot of marketing muscle behind Windows Phone 8, then I'd definitely expect some cool new phones running the OS to appear on the carrier's network in the late fall and into the spring.

But it's the end of June now, and you are up for a new phone in August. Can you really wait that long? If not, the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One devices are terrific phones. I doubt you'd regret buying either one of them. But if you are really intrigued by Windows Phone 8, you may just want to wait to see what's offered later in the year.

Good luck with your decision.

VIA:news.cnet.com

Windows Phone 8: Everything you need to know

Microsoft unveiled the new operating system that will ship in next-gen Windows Phones. There's a lot to know, and this is the place to start.

Behold, the new Windows Phone start screen.

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 8 today, its next-generation smartphone operating system. But what exactly does that entail, when can we expect to see devices, and what does it mean for people who have Windows phones now?

What are hardware changes?

Near-Field Communication (NFC), support for multicore processors (like dual-core and quad-core), new screen resolutions (like 1,280x720-pixel HD), and expandable memory slots are the biggest news in terms of hardware changes.

What's with the new start screen?

Microsoft's redesigned start screen (pictured above) spans the width of the screen now. You'll be able to resize each individual live tile from the start screen to one of three sizes. There's also support for new color themes, which Microsoft didn't list.

What else is new?

There's also support for in-app purchases, and a "wallet" for storing sensitive account information and loyalty cards, to name a few. Phones get over-the-air OS updates, instead of tethering to the desktop to update. Windows Phone 8's architecture heavily overlaps with Windows 8 for the desktop and tablet, so there will be a great deal of similarity in the way that the OSes handle security, gaming, networking, media playback, and so forth.

Read here for more details about what's new in Windows Phone 8.

When can I get it on my Windows phone?

New Windows phones running WP8 will ship in the fall. Microsoft also used the term "holiday season," which could really mean anywhere from late September all the way to just before Christmas.

Bad news for existing Windows Phone owners, though. There's no upgrade path from Windows Phone 7.5 handsets to the forthcoming OS. We know, we feel your pain. You just bought your Samsung or Lumia phone and it's already obsolete. Now before you get your knickers in a bunch, consider this: it's mostly a hardware foundation that's going to make Windows phones far more competitive going forward.

Well, what can I get, then?

Microsoft threw you a bone. A small bone, but one that Redmond hopes you'll find tasty nonetheless. Windows Phone 7.8 is an update that will give current 7.5 Mango users the new start screen to play with. Microsoft did not announce an update schedule to Windows Phone 7.8.

What does Nokia say?

Nokia is also offering several apps on its phones: Play To content sharing over DLNA, Nokia Maps with commuting intelligence, Nokia Music 3.0 with Mix Radio, Nokia Drive, and camera extras, which include panorama, burst shot, and GroupShot (it'll find photos with the nicest smiles and open eyes.) Camera Extras and Counters will come to the U.S. and China by June 22, and to other countries in July.

Zynga games like Words with Friends and Draw Something will be available to Lumia owners for the next couple of months, Nokia said. There's also a usage app to monitor texts and calls.

When do developers get the SDK?

Microsoft will go into deeper details with developers later this summer, which is when they'll also get the SDK.

Who's making the phones?

Samsung, Nokia, HTC, Huawei, and ZTE are Microsoft's five largest partners, but we'll see Windows phones from other manufacturers as well. Samsung and Nokia have already shown a range of higher-end and more midrange Windows 7.5 handsets here in the U.S., and Huawei and ZTE have demoed the more affordable, entry-level Windows Phone handsets globally. We expect the trend to continue with Windows Phone 8.

Related stories

• Windows Phone 8 OS opens up to multicore processors, NFC
• Windows Phone 8 shipping on new phones this fall
• No upgrade for current Windows Phone devices

Which carriers will they come to?

AT&T has been Windows Phone's most staunch champion, with more of Microsoft's phones than any other carrier, so we can expect to see AT&T nabbing great higher-end devices. T-Mobile is doing well with Nokia's Lumia 710, and will undoubtedly jump on board with Windows Phone 8. Sprint and Verizon have had one handset apiece, and not for a long time. Verizon and Microsoft are publicly pleased to have a Windows phone in Big Red's portfolio, but the carrier could play it cautiously with just one high-end device until the platform proves itself. Sprint will surely follow suit.

What kind of processors will the phones use?

The high-end Windows phones will use Qualcomm's dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor, which can be tuned for up to 1.7GHz clock speed. Some phones will also source slower processors as a way to manage price and match features for more entry-level phones. Get more details here.

Is there native Skype support?

No, the VoIP app isn't built in and you'll still have to download Skype to use it. Microsoft has, however, laid down the foundation for third-party apps like Skype and others to integrate with the phone-call menu so that VoIP calls that you place and answer look identical to calls that originate from the dialer.

How will it use NFC?

Windows Phone will support NFC, or near-field communications, for the first time. There are three parts. The first uses Tap + Share -- Microsoft's consumer-facing name for NFC -- to do all sorts of things, like share URLs among NFC devices and read a "tag" on items like a business card, poster, or menu. The second part makes use of a secure SIM card that the carriers can control and that will enable mobile payments.

Microsoft is also introducing its own wallet hub, which will store sensitive information about your accounts, loyalty cards, and so on. It's a very similar system to other third-party wallets available, and to Apple's Passbook feature for iOS 6.

What is this 'talking to apps' thing?

Microsoft demoed an expanded feature in its voice recognition software, TellMe, where you could speak commands to an app, in this case Audible. Audible used Microsoft's voice APIs to build a command mode into its app for Windows Phone. When you enable the command mode, you'll be able to launch, pause, stop, and resume media with your voice. It's a very cool-looking feature that any developer will be able to implement; however there are two historical problems with this type of app that Microsoft will have to counter. First, voice interpretation is typically spotty, and problems sometimes ensue. Second, it does drain the battery -- but just how much is yet to be seen on Windows phones.