Sony Xperia Z3 spy shots show off the exterior

A week ago we saw alleged photos of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Now the full set of photos has been uncovered but this time it's claimed to be the big Xperia Z3 instead.

The Sony Xperia Z3 features the same external features as the current Z2 model – a flap to cover the microSIM and microSD card slots, another flap over the microUSB port, pogo pins for charging and stereo speakers on the front.

The camera on the back still sports a G Lens logo and a single LED flash but the label next to it reads XX.X MP. Presumably Sony will use its big 20.7MP sensor once again, it's what current rumors claim.

        

Alleged Sony Xperia Z3 photos

Unfortunately, the new batch of photos don't come with a set of measurements so we still don't have confirmation on screen size (this would also solve the "Z3 or Z3 Compact?" dilemma). The bezels look slimmer than those on the Xperia Z2 but the transparent back cover could be hiding their actual girth.

Sony unveiled its H2 2013 flagship (Xperia Z1) at IFA and followed that with the Xperia Z2 at the MWC. IFA is coming up again and Sony has scheduled an event for September 3.

HTC 8S won't receive WP8.1 GDR1, but 8X will

On its official support forum, HTC has shared its plans for its latest duo of Windows Phone devices -HTC 8X and HTC 8S. Sadly for HTC 8S users, the company will not release Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 update for the phone. The reason is it doesn't meet the update's hardware requirements.

While those aren't clear, the low internal memory of the phone is the major suspect. The Nokia Lumia 530 also sports 4GB of internal storage, so it'll be interesting to see if it gets the update, too.

In contrast to the 8S, HTC confirmed that the 8X will receive the update, but not immediately. The company needs to assess the stability of the device running the update and then will push it out to users. A more specific timeframe isn't available at the moment.

To get a better idea of what the Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 update is like, check out our extended hands-on.

BlackBerry Z3 is making a splash in Indonesia and India, CEO says

The BlackBerry Z3 is available in India and Indonesia with strong sales and considerable attention from customers. BlackBerry's CEO John Chen confirmed this in an interview with India's Economic Times, but didn't mention specific numbers.

He noted that the Z3 was "extremely well received" over its opening weekend in the two countries and that demand is continuing to be strong. In his opinion, users enjoy the phone's screen size, battery life and its aggressive pricing. The Z3 sales for under $200 and packs a 5" qHD display with a Snapdragon 400 chipset featuring a 1.2GHz dual-core Krait 200 CPU.

In addition, Mr. Chen said that the BlackBerry Passport and BlackBerry Classic will be released later this year but wasn't any more specific than that. The company's partnership with Foxconn, which is making the Z3, isn't exclusive, he shares in the interview. If BlackBerry deems other outsourcing solution more financially viable, it's going to consider moving production of future devices to them.

However, the company's CEO didn't specify if we should expect more affordable devices with the BlackBerry logo. Both the Passport and Classic are expected to be priced higher than the Z3. Still, this is great news for the otherwise struggling Canadian phonemaker.

SIM-free Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini already in stock in the UK

The official release date for the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini in the UK is August 7, just like we told you a few days ago.

However, if you're impatient and must have this smartphone as soon as possible, a couple of online retailers are reporting that they already have it in stock. There are some caveats, though.

First off, we're only talking about the black version here. Sadly the other colors aren't available yet. Then there's the fact that you can't buy the S5 Mini with a contract from an operator - for now you have to choose the SIM-free route.

Finally, the two retailers in question have wildly different pricing for the device, and the one that's cheaper only has 8 units in stock at the time of writing.

If none of that will change your mind about ordering a Galaxy S5 Mini right now, then you should know that Expansys is offering it to you for £339.99. There's also the option of purchasing from Unlocked Mobiles, but in that case you need to shell out £394.98 for the privilege.

The recommended retail price for this handset is £389, by the way. And if you aren't in a hurry you can just wait until next week when it's due to be out at basically every company that sells phones in the UK.

Press image of HTC One M8 with Windows Phone 8.1 leaks out

The much talked about HTC One (M8) with Windows Phone 8.1 leaked out in a full press image. The latter was caught on the servers of Verizon Wireless – right in line with a past report.

The leaked press image reveals the front of the upcoming smartphone. As you can see, the yet to be announced handset has retained the good looks of its Android sibling almost entirely - the only tangible difference we notice is the slightly lower placed speaker below its display.

HTC One (M8) will be officially unveiled on August 19 in New York City. We will cover the event live, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the device.

LG Optimus G Android 4.4 KitKat update reaches India

The LG Optimus G launched to much fanfare a couple of years ago as the precursor and basis for the Nexus 4. Yet while Google's version of the handset has been kept up to date with Android versions as you'd expect, the Optimus G has been stuck on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Curiously, it hasn't received updates to either 4.2 or 4.3, but it's planned to get Android 4.4 KitKat. In fact that update has already rolled out in LG's home country of South Korea a few months ago.

And now it's finally been spotted outside of Korea, reaching many Optimus G owners in India. Hopefully this means other countries will get the tasty KitKat treat very soon, as LG promised back in June.

Back in India, the update can either be grabbed over-the-air after your phone has notified you that it's available, or using LG's desktop software. The OTA file is around 500MB in size, while the LG Support tool will download around 1GB of data if you use it.

If you're interested in what has changed, aside from the bump up in the Android version and everything associated with that, hit the Source link below for a detailed list.

Sony Xperia T3 is now available in the UK too

It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini isn't the only smartphone to become available in the UK today. It's been joined by the Sony Xperia T3, which is exclusively sold by Carphone Warehouse.

All three colors are already up for grabs - white, black, and purple. That said, the device isn't yet being offered with Pay as you go deals or in SIM-free form.

If you want one, you'll need to sign a contract with an operator. The handset can be yours for free if you choose a plan that costs at least £22.50 per month.

That option is at Vodafone and brings with it 300 minutes, unlimited texts, and 250MB of data each month. There are many other choices available though, from EE and O2 as well. As you'd expect, if you want to get more benefits per month, you need to pick a more expensive plan.

The Xperia T3 is a mid-range phablet that comes with a 5.3-inch 720p touchscreen, an 8 MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 1.1 MP front snapper. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a 1.4 GHz quad-core CPU, with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of built-in expandable storage. It's got a 2500 mAh battery and it runs Android 4.4 KitKat.