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After many months of hype and conjecture, the Motorola Moto X and LG G2 both became official this past week. Over on the unconfirmed end of the news spectrum, however, we heard fresh whispers about previously rumored devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC One Max.
This column gathers the top rumors in the Android space. It was originally published December 14, 2012, and is updated regularly.
Devices recently announced!
CBS Interactive
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- Nexus 10 tablet reportedly will be made by Asus
- Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch on the horizon
- Samsung Hennessy could bring back dual screens
- Samsung’s next Galaxy Note to debut September 4
Motorola Moto X
Motorola finally put months of rumors and speculation to rest with the introduction of the Moto X. Slated to hit most U.S. carriers in the coming weeks, the phone runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and features mostly mid-range hardware. While the majority of wireless providers (Sprint, Verizon, and possibly T-Mobile) will offer the phone in black or white, AT&T has an exclusive deal to sell the Moto X with all of its impressively diverse customization options.
LG G2
LG’s latest superphone, the G2, was announced this week and is expected to hit more than 130 carriers around the globe. According to the smartphone maker, the top four U.S. providers are lined up to offer the quad-core monster. Specifications include a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 13-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, and a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display.
July 27 – August 9, 2013
evleaks
Verizon HTC One (August 6, 2013)
That Verizon will carry the HTC One is not exactly a mystery. What is, however, is when and in what color(s)? Once rumored to arrive by August 1, it is now reported to have an August 29 launch date. New leaks suggest Verizon will offer the HTC One in an exclusive blue color when the smartphone ultimately arrives.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (August 9, 2013)
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 may launch with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, according to SamMobile. Now expected to arrive on September 4, the next-generation phablet is the subject of many a rumor.
Samsung may be testing multiple iterations of the Galaxy Note 3 with various combinations of screen size, processor, camera, and memory. According to information uncovered by Techkiddy, Samsung could be contemplating — and user-testing — 5.5-inch, 5.7-inch, and 6-inch models. Perhaps this explains the different form factors and conflicting leaks that have popped up along the way.
Sketches and details obtained by Sim Only Radar tap the so-called Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with a 5.7-inch display and 13-megapixel camera with Xenon flash. Of particular note, the photo tells of two CPU options: Samsung’s own Exynos octa-core chipset and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800, clocked at 2.3 GHz. This rumor fits with Samsung’s past tactics, specifically regarding the Galaxy S4.
The new sketches conflict slightly with early images of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 by showing a more traditional Samsung design. According to SamMobile, the prototype doesn’t appear to be finalized hardware; as always, these things are always subject to change.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is also rumored to have a 6.3-inch display. Additional specifications for the device reportedly include an eight-core processor, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and 3GB RAM. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 might presumably arrive in the fall, perhaps around October, which is in keeping with Samsung’s release cycle.
ePrice
HTC T6 “HTC One Max” (August 4, 2013)
HTC has begun teasing “big changes” in videos posted to a number of their social media accounts. Perhaps not coincidentally, new photos have surfaced for a massive version of the HTC One. Rumored as the HTC One Max, the phone is expected to be HTC’s take on the phablet.
AT&T could have at least one of the U.S. carriers in line to offer the HTC T6 smartphone, says @evleaks. Also dubbed the HTC One Max, the handset might feature a 5.9-inch display and launch in the second half of the year.
Internal details leaked thus far include a quad-core 2.3GHz processor, a 1080p HD display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, and a rear camera that uses HTC’s ultrapixel imaging. Alleged to be powered by Android Key Lime Pie, the HTC T6 may feature an updated Sense 5 interface and could also boast a 3,300mAh battery.
Nexus 5 (August 8, 2013)
Motorola is rumored to be the hardware maker of choice for the next Nexus smartphone, according to new reports. Allegedly, the device will not be a rebranded version of the Moto X, but something entirely different.
Previous chatter indicated that Google might again tap LG as the handset maker of choice for the next generation of Nexus smartphones, according to the Korea Times. No hardware details or time frames were given; however, we might anticipate something in the fall. The trend as of late is to release the Nexus experience in the fall.
Nexus 10 successor (August 9, 2013)
Google may have chosen Asusas the hardware manufacturer of the next generation Nexus 10 tablet. According to a Geek.com report, the Asus tablet will be offered in at least 16GB Wi-Fi model and could feature a Snapdragon 800 processor and will be available buy the holiday shopping season. These rumors conflict with information recently shared by former Wall Street Journal reporter Amir Efrati. Reportedly, Google’s Sundar Pichai told him that a Samsung-made Nexus 10 successor would be released in the “near future”.
SamMobile
Samsung Galaxy Gear (August 5, 2013)
Samsung may soon introduce its first smartwatch, known as the Galaxy Gear, should a recent trademark filing prove accurate. Discovered at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the description is rather vague and open-ended. Based off the renderings, however, we see that the display appears to offer touch controls and other smartphone functions, including power, Micro-USB, and a speaker.
Samsung has previously confirmed plans to release a smartwatch, but details like pricing and availability are still unknown. “We’ve been preparing the watch product for so long,” Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, recently said during an interview with Bloomberg. “We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”
Samsung Hennessy (August 1, 2013)
Samsung may be prepping a dual-screen Android smartphone known internally as the “Hennessy,” Blog of Mobile reports. Allegedly, the device will feature tiny twin 3.3-inch displays with a resolution of 320×480 pixels, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and 1GB internal storage.
Samsung Galaxy Folder (August 1, 2013)
Samsung is working on what may prove to be a flip phone and smartphone hybrid known as the Galaxy Folder. According to the leaked user manual, hardware is slated to include at least one 3.7-inch AMOLED display (800×400 resolution), a dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 4G LTE, a USB port, and slot for a micro-SIM
MyDrivers
NVIDIA Tegra Tab (August 9, 2013)
NVIDIA could soon introduce a 7-inch Android tablet of their own, according to new reports. Details bubbling up over the last few days suggest the chipmaker may be cooking up a “Tegra Tab” with a Tegra 4 processor, micro-HDMI output, and support for a stylus.
July 20-26, 2013
HTC Zara (July 24, 2013)
Sprint could be in line to offer a midrange HTC Zara later in 2013, reports Llabtoofer. Details tipped thus far include a 4.5-inch qHD display, a dual-core Snapdragon 400 CPU, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, and a front-facing camera. Keeping with recent HTC models, the Zara is also rumored to have Sense 5 UI and an UltraPixel camera.
Samsung 12.2-inch tablet (July 22, 2013)
Samsung may be preparing a 12.2-inch tablet with a 2,560×1,600 pixel resolution, SamMobile indicates. Details for a newly uncovered SM-P900 tablet suggest the tablet could have an ARM 11 processor, but other specs remain unclear.
Sony i1 (July 25, 2013)
New pictures of a device that could be the Sony Honami “i1” arrived on the scene, showing how its stacks up next to Sony’s Xperia Z. As Gadget Helpline points out, the images show a new camera UI for the forthcoming handset.
Gadget Helpline
A separate gallery of images recently surfaced for the “Honami” i1 smartphone, showing the familiar design cues are in order for the ultrapowerful handset. Rumored to debut as soon as September 4, the phone should be flagship-worthy and as strong as anything else on the market.
Early details for a Sony “Honami” i1 suggest we could be in for an incredibly powerful and gorgeous experience later this summer. Leaked hardware specifications are purported to include a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 32GB internal storage, 2GB RAM, and a camera up to 20-megapixels. Other features may include a form factor with glass, metal, and traces of carbon fiber.
LG VS890 (July 23, 2013)
Verizon could soon offer an entry-level LG experience as part of its smartphone roster, indicates @evleaks. Details are light thus far but figure to include a WVGA touch screen and a 1.2GHz processor.
Other rumors we’re tracking
Refreshed HTC One (July 11, 2013)
A refreshed version of the HTC One may arrive later in the year, posits Pocket-lint. Details could include a faster and more powerful Snapdragon 800 processor as opposed to today’s Snapdragon 600. HTC did something along these lines with the One X and its predecessor, the One X+ in 2012.
A plastic version of the HTC One is also rumored to be on the horizon for 2013, reports the tech blog. Assumed to be less expensive to manufacture, it could lead to lower consumer costs as well.
HTC M8 (July 11, 2013)
An HTC ‘M8’ is expected to be the successor to the One in 2014, or so say Pocket-lint. Details are essentially nonexistent at this point, but the model number makes sense; the HTC One was tied to ‘M7’ for much of its development.
Huawei Ascend P6 Google Edition (June 28, 2013)
Huawei is reportedly working with Google in hopes of releasing a Google Edition of the recently announced Ascend P6. As the world’s thinnest smartphone it measures a svelte 6.18mm thick, and features a 4.7-inch 720p display and a quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. Additionally, the phone provides an 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, and a respectable 2,000mAh battery. Oddly enough, Huawei has previously gone on record on not wanting to develop a Google Edition.
June 15-21, 2013
Sony
Sony Smartwatch (June 21, 2013)
Sony looks to be ready to dip its toes into the smartwatch waters, according to a number of recent tweets. The hardware-maker has been teasing something watch-related for more than a week, most recently in the form of an image that says “1 in 3 smartphone users want smart wrist wear.” All of the tweets, incidentally, carry hashtags of #itstime and #MAE13 (Mobile Asia Expo 2013). Presumably, this mean we’ll see the smartwatch as soon as this coming week.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Advanced (June 17, 2013)
Speaking with Reuters recently, Samsung Electronics CEO J.K. Shin said that his company will soon debut a Galaxy S4 Advanced model designed to support the next generation of 4G LTE networks. While it might be easy to assume all other details remain the same, new rumors suggest a faster, more efficient processor may also be in order. A recently spied user manual for a yet-announced SHV-E330S shows a spec sheet that calls for an MSM8974 CPU. In all likelihood, this means a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor will power said device.
Sony Xperia Z Google Edition (June 7, 2013)
Sony could be the next handset-maker to release a Nexus user experience smartphone, a number of sources report. Rumored to arrive “later this year,” this release should mark the first waterproof and dust proof stock Android handset. The launch of a Google edition device makes sense for Sony, which has historically been a big advocate of the Android Open Source Project.
Related stories:
- Verizon bringing HTC One into the fold
- No Droid HTC One? No problem
- Spotted: HTC One ‘Mini’ with 4.3-inch display
HTC 7-inch tablet (May 30, 2013)
The second half of the year could yield to a 7-inch Android tablet from HTC, reports Bloomberg. No details were provided for the device, but there’s plenty of time for leaks between now and the rumored September or October release date.
TechTastic
LG Optimus L9 II (May 30, 2013)
The first alleged details on the LG Optimus L9 II arrived this week, suggesting another midrange experience will be in order. Early specifications include a 4.7-inch 720p HD display, Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, a dual-core 1.4GHz processor, and 1GB RAM.
Samsung SPH-L600 (May 31, 2013)
Sprint could be among the first U.S. carriers to offer the massive Samsung Galaxy Mega, according to blog AndroidPolice. Documents spotted in the Bluetooth SIG show an SPH-L600 having recently been submitted for approval. Citing a “trusted source” with knowledge of the model, the blog posits that this could be an LTE-ready version of the 6.3-inch smartphone.
Amazon 3D phone (May 9, 2013)
Amazon is reportedly working on a pair of new smartphones, including one capable of creating 3D capabilities and hologram-like images. Details are light, but the phone is said to employ eye-tracking technology that makes images appear to be floating “like a hologram and appear three-dimensional at all angles.”
Previous Amazon smartphone rumors indicate that the retail giant has scrapped plans for 4.3-inch screen in favor of a larger 4.7-inch display. Early reports had the phone arriving as soon as the second quarter, though it appears Amazon will now miss that mark. Presumably, both Amazon phones will employ a forked version of Android, similar to the Kindle Fire tablets. Allegedly, Amazon has tasked Foxconn with building the Kindle Phone.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 (April 18, 2013)
The first details for what is expected to be the Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 have arrived, suggesting that another midrange experience is on the horizon. Preliminary specifications are reported to include a dual-core 1GHz Broadcom processor, a display resolution of 480×800 pixels, 4GB internal storage, and a 5-megapixel camera. As often has been the case with European models of this kind, the Galaxy Ace 3 is rumored to come in a variety of colors and single-SIM and dual-SIM editions.
Huawei Edge (April 11, 2013)
Huawei may dial up the Edge as the handset maker’s flagship device for summer 2013. Recently leaked (translate) details suggest the smartphone will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and feature a quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, a 4.9-inch 1080p HD display, and 2,600mAh battery. Reportedly, the Huawei Edge will come in 16GB and 32GB models and could come in a svelte 6.3mm chassis.
Android-powered notebooks (April 2, 2013): Rumors out of Digitimes suggest that Google is building an Android-powered notebook PC that could arrive as soon as the third quarter. Reportedly, the “Androidbook” is one of Sundar Pichai’s projects and could help accelerate Google’s foray into the PC market.
Google’s Android smartwatch (March 21, 2013): Google looks to be joining Apple in the development of a rumored smartwatch, according to a recent Financial Times report. Details are light, however, the watch is said to be designed by the “Android unit” at Google. An unnamed source said that the watch will “act as an extension to the smartphones using that operating system.” According to a 2011 patent application, the watch will have dual-screened display and a interactive user interface.
LG smartwatch (March 22, 2013): LG could be cooking up both a smartwatch and a wearable computing device along the lines of Google Glass, reports the Korea Times. It remains unclear whether the LG watch will run Android or Firefox; both are likely candidates for the hardware maker.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Plus (March 21, 2013): Samsung could introduce a Galaxy Tab 3 Plus later this year, according to a SamMobile insider. Reportedly, the high-end Samsung tablet will feature a Super AMOLED FULL HD Display and may come in either a 10.1-inch or 11.6-inch display size. Early rumors pegged pegged the device with a 2,560×1,600 pixel resolution and possibly a quad-core Exynos processor and at least 2GB RAM.
ZTE Quantum (March 19, 2013): Sprint is rumored to be testing a 4G LTE smartphone from ZTE, reports AndroidPolice. Carrying an N8910 model number, the Quantum is said to run Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and feature a 5-inch 720p display, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, and 4GB internal storage. Flanked by a 13.0-megapixel rear camera and front-facing 0.9-megapixel camera, the Quantum could be another lower-cost alternative for Sprint customers.
Samsung Godiva (February 25, 2013): The Samsung Godiva, spied indicates Verizon may offer another member in the Stratosphere family. Details are rumored to include CDMA and LTE bands, GSM roaming, NFC, and support for future AWS networks. A photo obtained by Engadget, however, shows no physical keyboard.
Come back next week for more rumors and possible resolutions!
