Alleged 'iPhone 6' benchmark suggests 'A8' CPU has 1GB of RAM, is clocked at 1.4GHz

A Chinese user who claims to have gotten their hands on a functioning "iPhone 6" has posted pictures taken with the device's camera, along with benchmarks suggesting that Apple's next-generation "A8" processor will boast a gigabyte of RAM and will run at a speed of 1.4 gigahertz.

The details come from user "zzray" on the Chinese social networking site Weibo, the same person who posted photos and video of an apparently functioning "iPhone 6" unit over the weekend. They suggest that Apple's next iPhone will feature the same amount of RAM as the iPhone 5s before it.

The clock speed would be an improvement however,coming in slightly faster than the 1.3 gigahertz A7 chip that powers the iPhone 5s. The new "A8" is said to be a dual-core 64-bit chip, just like its predecessor, tests with GeekBench 3 show. The benchmarks were first noted on Monday by GforGames.

The amount of RAM in Apple's next iPhone has been something of a point of contention amongst technology enthusiasts, who hope to see more memory in future devices. Additional RAM would allow iOS to leave background tasks and tabs in Safari open for longer without a need to reload or refresh.

But additional RAM also comes with costs to battery life, as memory constantly consumes power. Making more RAM available to programs on an iPhone would result in a faster battery drain, and so less memory actually improves battery life.

Apple first began offering a gigabyte of RAM in its custom CPUs with the A5X chip that debuted in the third-generation iPad with Retina display in 2012. Later that same year, the A6 processor that powered the iPhone 5 also came with a gigabyte of RAM, marking the first time Apple had achieved that amount on a phone.

The user also uploaded a picture taken with the alleged "iPhone 6" camera. It shows much better low-light details captured than with an iPhone 5s.

Purported iPhone 6 image.

iPhone 5s image.

Finally, the user also noted that they could not find any mention of a near-field communications chip in the native Settings application on iOS 8. Other videos posted have also shown no options for controlling NFC, which is believed to power Apple's anticipated payments system.

However, the leaked iPhone does feature a new iOS 8 Passbook icon with a graphic showing what appears to be a credit card. It's possible that the unit was simply obtained with a pre-release version of iOS 8, and does not include the intended functionality yet.

Apple's media event is scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern today at the Flint Center in Cupertino, Calif. The company will live stream the event, and AppleInsider will also be there live in attendance with full coverage. Readers can get the latest news on our liveblog and via the officialAppleInsider app for iPhone and iPad.

iPhone 6 specs, benchmark scores, and camera samples leak

We are less than 12 hours from the iPhone 6 launch event now and the leaks haven't stopped coming. The latest one show the phone's specifications, benchmark scores, and even some camera samples.

In terms of specs, the 4.7-inch model is said to have an odd 1334x750 resolution but does not seem to have a sapphire crystal cover (which might be reserved for the bigger model). It's also running on the new Apple A8 SoC with a dual-core CPU clocked at 1.4GHz and 1GB of RAM.

There are also Geekbench 3 scores for us to ponder over, with 1633 and 2920 for single core and multi core respectively. In comparison, the iPad Air, which is the current fastest iOS device, scores 1476 and 2678 respectively, so the new phone is definitely faster, just not all that much.

Lastly, there is a camera sample, which has been compared to the previous 5s image and also the LG G3. The iPhone 6 camera seems has the same 8 megapixel resolution but image quality is definitely improved over the 5s. The G3, although not exactly the same shot, seems to have even better image quality, though.

  

As usual we'd take all this with a pinch of salt. Also, the device, if legit, would be a pre-production unit, so some things could change in the final version.

The Apple iPhone 6 event is tonight: here's the preview

http://www.gsmarena.com/apples_event_is_tonight_what_we_know_beforehand-news-9590.php

We've been staring intently at the countdown timer for the Apple event, which starts in a few hours' time but before Apple exec take the stage it's time to summarize what we've seen of the upcoming handset and what (little) there is left unknown.

iPhone 6, the 4.7" one

We're most certain of this one – the new iPhone 6 will have a 4.7" screen and will look like a large iPod Touch. After so many leaks of various devices – both real components and even some convincing knock-offs. Last year we saw knock-offs nail the iPhone 5c design way before it came out so it won't be surprising if they nail the new design too. In fact with all the leaks aligning so perfectly, it will be more surprising if they don't.

At any rate Apple uses a design twice (original and S version) before moving no to the next one and it's right on schedule. The iPhone 5 brought a bigger, higher-res screen and now the iPhone 6 will make it even bigger. It will bump up the resolution to 960 x 1,704, 50% more pixels on the horizontal and the vertical, which will push the sharpness to the 400+ ppi range.

The new aluminum unibody is slated to be thinner – 7mm claim rumors (down from 7.6mm) but will remain light (virtually the same weight). From videos we've seen the new-found thinness will leave the camera module sticking out of the back.

    

Speaking of the camera, the most common rumor is of an 8MP shooter – for a fourth time in a row. When Sony uses its 20.7MP camera three times in a row we don't complain much, but 8MP is too low for a 2014 flagship, even HTC gave up on its low-resolution approach.

And there's no hint at 2160p video capture. True, it's not very useful right now but with UHD TVs becoming cheaper and cheaper Apple can't afford to wait much longer. A 128GB storage option is on the cards – it didn’t pan out in previous years but this time it's quite likely and it could have easily handled the increased video storage demands.

For a while there it seemed like Apple might drop the 32GB option and go for a base 16GB model and a premium 64GB version, presumably with a single $100 price bump in between.

The chipset will naturally get upgraded – no boastful numbers, a dual-core 2GHz processor is most likely but Apple makes its own high-performance beasts and optimizes iOS specifically for them. Interestingly the new iPhone 6 might bring 2GB RAM, which might turn out more important than CPU speed.

Yet another dedicated co-processor, Phosphorus, might debut with the new chipset. It will replace the M8 and focus on collecting health-statistics.

   

Apple will naturally take the opportunity to increase battery capacity to 1,810mAh (supposedly) to feed the bigger screen and faster chipset. The company has the luxury to optimize for battery life more so than Android manufacturers but Sony managed to cram a 2,600mAh battery in its 4.6" super mini while Samsung went with a 1,860mAh battery for the premium Galaxy Alpha.

So, what's left? Apple has steered clear of NFC, preferring its own Air Drop tech instead. Tech publications have been abuzz with talk of an Apple payment system though – turning your phone into your credit card and while the likes of Google haven't had much luck with that, Apple might pull it off. That will require NFC though.

Waterproofing is another big question – we've seen plenty of allusions to it but it will be a first for Apple. In terms of durability, there's some uncertainty if Apple will pull off the rumored sapphire glass protection for the screen or not.

iPhone 6, the 5.5" one

Apple has said it won't release a phablet but it said much the same thing about small tablets before announcing the iPad mini and about increasing the smartphone scree size before debuting the iPhone 5. The iPhone 6 with a 5.5" screen, the iPhone 6 Pro according to some, might take on the role of an even smaller tablet with apps that are optimized for landscape mode.

The resolution on that one will be 2,208 x 1,242 compared to 2,048 x 1,536 for the iPad Air – definitely sharper but at 16:9 aspect ratio rather than iPad's traditional 4:3. The sapphire glass protection might beexclusive to the big iPhone, leaving the 4.7" model with traditional Gorilla Glass.

A separate chipset is likely for the 5.5" iPhone 6 than its smaller sibling – more GPU cores almost certainly to deal with the extra pixels. Another big iPhone 6 exclusive might prove to be the 128GB storage, while the smaller one is capped at 64GB.

With some extra room in the chassis Apple might implement its first optical image stabilization for the camera. So far the company has used digital stabilization (one of the best, but still with plenty of limitations) but there's no beating the real deal. There's no information to suggest the camera resolution will be higher, though.

From all this it becomes clear that the 5.5" iPhone 6 will be positioned as the premium offering. With the first 4.7" rumors it seemed like Apple is finally ready to embrace the big screen but if the 5.5" model is its top citizen it's bound to send shockwaves across the iPhone world.

Rumor has it that the big iPhone will launch at the end of the year, a couple of months after the 4.7" model. This will give it some breathing room when the initial buying frenzy occurs.

But it might also be due to manufacturing issues – sapphire glass, OIS cameras, bigger aluminum unibodies are not easy to pull off. So it might not all be pure business strategy from Apple.

iWatch

If you've been reading tech blogs recently you'll have read plenty of claims that the iWatch will insta-kill Android Wear. One thing is for sure though, if Apple puts out a smartwatch Jony Ive will have designed an absolute beauty.

But it's not looks that proved to be the biggest issue with Android Wear – the Moto 360 and LG G Watch R have looks in spades. What caused a collective groan was poor battery life, the Motorola smartwatch just about makes it through a day.

Apple is known for its perfectionism though and a battery life is essential to a smartwatch. Worryingly, we've heard that Apple employees aren't talking up great battery life, it might prove little better than what the Androids are getting.

Still, with Apple's push towards a health ecosystem a watch is vital – it counts your steps, it measures your heart rate, it goes everywhere with you. Health is a big part of the smartwatch promise, Samsung is certainly pushing hard.

The big question is what will the iWatch look like – there are concepts of bands, round watches, square watches but there's no certainty about the design like there is about the iPhone 6. Again, industrial design is Apple's bread and butter so we're not worried, just curios what all the hype is about.

One thing you can bet on though – the iWatch will only work with iOS devices. Even normally open Android is restricted in that sense, Android Wear works only with Android devices. It all has to do with how notifications are pulled from the phone and pushed to the watch.

Apple certainly showed off some impressive syncing between iOS and OS X – start a message on your Mac, finish it on your iPhone. Even Microsoft has failed to pull that off despite its dominance on the desktop. Such seamless transition to the iWatch from other devices could be its ace in the hole, not the design.

There's going to be a dedicated section of the App Store just for iWatch apps. It remains to be seen how much control Apple will give developers (if we had to guess, not much).

What will be announced

As we said, the 4.7" iPhone 6 is all but certain – the mountain of leaks is too big to be wrong. As for the 5.5" iPhone 6 – we're sure Apple is experimenting with it but it remains to be seen if the factories can put it together. If Apple unveils its first phablet it's more than likely that it will ship later than the smartphone.

Info from Russia suggest the 4.7" iPhone 6 will cost RUB 30,000 ($810), while the 5.5" model will start at RUB 35,500 ($940). The top-specced 128GB model can be a whopping RUB 45-50,000 ($1,210-$1,350).

The iWatch is the least likely – it's not the first time we've heard such rumors and the rumor mill has very little to show. Keep in mind the rumors might have been misinterpreted – Apple Health proved to be a collaboration with other companies rather than an Apple device or hardware feature. Could the iWatch be the same?

The iWatch might launch between the two iPhones in October. The rumored price is $300, the higher-end of the Android Wear scale.

Sony joins the smart case game with the Style Cover for the Xperia Z3

Smart cases are nothing new: Samsung and LG have been selling them for a while. Smart cases have a window in the front flap, and when the phone detects that this case is on, it’ll show a special screen in the window that’s tailored to the size and for easy use of select features. Whether it’s the square Samsung window or the round LG one, it all works the same.Sony wants in on this game, as the company will be releasing the Sony Style Cover SCR24 for the Xperia Z3 smartphone. This cover has a square window built into the center that offers a special mode to show the time and notifications. It can also run smart window apps and widgets. Overall, this is nothing we haven’t seen before.Though it isn’t new, it’s nice that Sony is offering this case to its customers. Choice is always a good thing, and the support built into the Xperia Z3 will allow third-party manufacturers to create some unique stuff as well. The case will come in black, white, copper or turquoise and will launch with the Xperia Z3 this month. What do you guys think of smart cases

HTC One (M8) for Verizon getting updated to Android 4.4.3 on September 10, adds Extreme Power Saving mode

Android 4.4.3 is headed to the Verizon Wireless HTC One (M8) beginning Wednesday, September 10, according to an HTC executive. While details were light in the initial tweet that announced the incoming update, which will be sent out over the air, one big main feature is headed to HTC’s flagship handset for those wanting to sift out a bit more battery life.HTC’s Mo Versi has confirmed the update will bring the One (M8) for Verizon up to Android 4.4.3, and with it, owners will get the standard security enhancements behind the scenes along with plenty of bug squashing and general performance improvements. However, the main takeaway from the update is the addition of the Extreme Power Saving mode, which will shut off unnecessary functions and tweak other features to extend out battery life when you need it.The update may not be Android 4.4.4 KitKat proper, but at least the features tied within this upcoming software update share plenty of similarities to that particular version number.If you want to check to see if the software update is available for your One (M8) beginning September 10, just head into Settings, Phone Update and then Check for Update.

Sony pushing Android 4.4.4 to Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z

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Just a few months after pushing Android 4.4.4 to the Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact and Z Ultra, Sony is going even farther back in its catalog for its latest 4.4.4 update.

Sony says that it’s now rolling Android 4.4.4 to the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z. Here’s the changelog that Sony posted to its official Xperia Z support page:

• Upgrade to Android 4.4.4
• Better battery performance in some background applications
• Email stability & performance enhanced
• General improvements to MMS, Calendar, Wifi, Contacts & More
• All of our latest bug fixes and enhancements

Sony has been pretty on the ball when it comes to updating its phones, pushing the freshest Android updates faster than many other manufacturers and upgrading models that are getting pretty old, like the Xperia Z that debuted in January 2013.

If you’ve got an Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR or Xperia Tablet Z, you can check for this update by heading into Settings > About phone > Software updates > System updates.

Source: @SonyMobileNews

Meizu MX4 Pro specs allegedly leak, 4GB of RAM rumored

Meizu unveiled the 'normal version' of its MX4 flagship smartphone at the beginning of this month. Yet there are more variants of the MX4 in the works - this has been known for quite a while through various leaks and rumors. At least an MX4 Pro is coming, but that could even be joined by a 'Mini' iteration of some sort.

If you're wondering what kind of specs the ultra high-end MX4 Pro might sport, then this is for you. A purported spec list for the device has leaked in Chinese media, and you can see it to the left.

According to this still unconfirmed document, the Meizu MX4 Pro will come with a 5.36-inch touchscreen with 2,560x1,536 resolution, the same 20.7 MP rear camera with LED flash as the 'vanilla' MX4, and a 13 MP front-facing camera. This would be a huge upgrade in terms of pixels compared to the 2 MP unit on the MX4.

The MX4 Pro will reportedly be powered by a Samsung Exynos 5430 chipset, which will feature an octa-core CPU. This will have four Cortex-A17 cores clocked at up to 2.6 GHz, and four Cortex-A15 cores clocked at up to 2.1 GHz. Aiding the top notch SoC will apparently be no less than 4GB of RAM.

However, as per Samsung's official unveiling of the Exynos 5430, this particular chipset uses a combination of Cortex-A15 and Cortex-A7 cores. The "Cortex-A17" in the leaked image could be a typo, but then so would the clock speeds in it. That's because the Cortex-A7 cores are the battery-friendly ones in this big.LITTLE configuration, and they are always clocked lower than the higher-performance cores (in this case Cortex-A15). So either there's a double typo here, or maybe this document can't really be trusted that much.

Given all of this, and the fact that we've only seen the Exynos 5430 go up to 1.8 GHz for its Cortex-A15 cores and 1.3 GHz for the Cortex-A7 cluster, we're also inclined to take the "4GB of RAM" claim with a hefty dose of salt.

Anyway, moving on, the Meizu MX4 Pro is also said to come with 16, 32, or 64GB of built-in storage, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and support for 4G LTE. Its dimensions are rumored to be 143 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm, which would make it slightly smaller than the MX4 in every way.