Huawei to launch its flagship Ascend P8 smartphone in April

Huawei Ascend P7

Huawei Ascend P7

We’re currently on a tour of Huawei’s facilities in China and several company executives have revealed that the company will be launching a follow up to the successful Ascend P7 later this year but the handset won’t be launching at the MWC 2015. Continue reading “Huawei to launch its flagship Ascend P8 smartphone in April”

Huawei to launch wearable devices at MWC 2015 [Updated]

Huawei TalkBand B1

[Update: Jerry Huang, Director of Marketing Communications, confirmed that the company is looking at introducing an Android Wear smartwatch that will be different to anything else on the market. The company is looking to a fashionable design and is aiming to integrate the smartwatch into average lives as well as appealing to tech savvy customers as well. Huawei also confirmed that it will release an update to Talkband B1 and a new fitness tracker at the MWC along with the Android Wear watch.]

We’re currently in Shenzhen on a tour of Huawei’s Chinese factories and operations and the company has confirmed to us today that they plan to launch new wearable devices at MWC 2015. The company hasn’t confirmed exact details but according to a slide we’ve seen from the PR Director, the wearable plans potentially include a smartwatch running on the Android Wear operating system, a Huawei companion application and a platform to run their wearable devices. Continue reading “Huawei to launch wearable devices at MWC 2015 [Updated]”

Huawei will not develop Windows 10 smartphones

Huawei Ascend W2

We’re currently in a Question and Answer session at Huawei’s Shenzhen campus in China with the company’s Chief Marketing Officer for Mobile Device, Shao Yang and he has confirmed that the company has no plans to develop a phone running on Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10 platform.

Continue reading “Huawei will not develop Windows 10 smartphones”

Galaxy A3 and A5 launch in UK on February 12

Samsung Galaxy A5_fonearena-02

Just in time for Valentines’ day (if you’re looking for a present idea), Samsung have announced that the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 smartphones will be available to buy in UK stores on Thursday 12th February. Both devices will be available to buy from selected high street retailers and networks including Carphone Warehouse, EE and O2 and will also be available to try out and pre-order from Samsung Experience Stores from 28th January. Continue reading “Galaxy A3 and A5 launch in UK on February 12”

Three UK to buy O2 UK for £9.25 billion

three-uk

Since BT confirmed they were in talks to buy EE and not O2, there’s been a lot of rumours that Three UK owner Hutchinson Whampoa Limited (HWL) would attempt to acquire O2 in a bid to strengthen its UK position. This morning the company have issued a press release confirming they are in exclusive talks to buy O2 UK from Spanish parent Telefónica, S.A. in a deal worth £9.25 billion. Continue reading “Three UK to buy O2 UK for £9.25 billion”

Microsoft Lumia 535 now available in the UK

Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM

Microsoft may have launched the Lumia 532 earlier this week but it’s bigger sibling the Lumia 535 is finally available in the UK. The first handset to bear the Microsoft branding instead of Nokia, the Lumia 535 brings Windows Phone 8 to the entry level market and equipped with features such as Cortana and Action Centre, on paper it offers an experience that can rival any of the competition. Continue reading “Microsoft Lumia 535 now available in the UK”

T-Mobile Netherlands launches separate handset pricing plans

T-Mobile-netherlands

One of the ways that O2 stands out in the UK is through its O2 Refresh contract where the airtime and handsets are separated into two monthly charges and it seems that other European operators are following suit. T-Mobile Netherlands has announced a new “Stel Samen & Stel Bij” plan that offers separate handset and airtime contracts for customers. Continue reading “T-Mobile Netherlands launches separate handset pricing plans”

Vodafone 4G now available to 50% of UK population

Vodafone-Logo

The slow and steady rollout of Vodafone’s 4G network has progressed with the network now offering 4G coverage to 50% of the UK population. Less than a week after EE revealed it offers 4G to 80% of the population, Vodafone UK CEO Jeroen Hoencamp defended the 4G rollout by saying they were focusing on reliability over speed. Continue reading “Vodafone 4G now available to 50% of UK population”

Three MD hints at O2 takeover bid

O2TCR-Outside

Following BT’s decision to bid for EE as opposed to O2, there have been many rumours that the UK’s smallest network Three, who are backed by global giant Hutchinson Whampoa, would make a bid for Telefonica-owned O2. Whilst Three’s UK teams are yet to confirm such interest, the MD for the parent company has seemingly confirmed his company’s interest in acquiring O2. Continue reading “Three MD hints at O2 takeover bid”

Tesco launches Google Glass app

Tesco grocery Glassware

Tesco has embraced another type of wearable technology by becoming the first major UK retailer to launch an app for Google Glass. The new app allows shoppers to browse goods, view nutritional information and add items to the basket and is voice activated like the rest of the Glass experience. Continue reading “Tesco launches Google Glass app”

UK PM wants to ban WhatsApp, Snapchat, iMessage and others

whatsapp-logo

Following on from the devastating terror attacks in Paris over the past week, the UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced he could move to block encrypted messaging applications if he wins the next elections. In essence, this means that apps such as WhatsApp, iMessage or Snapchat that offer “methods of communication that cannot be read by security services even if they have a warrant” could be targetted. Continue reading “UK PM wants to ban WhatsApp, Snapchat, iMessage and others”

Get a free FitBit Flex with Lumia 735, 830 or 930

Fitbit Flex Lumia

Looking at buying a new Windows Phone in the UK or Ireland but unsure which to buy and whether to take the plunge? Microsoft’s new UK promotion might just entice you to hit the Buy button as customers who buy the Lumia 735, Lumia 830 or Lumia 930 can get a free Fitbit Flex with their new smartphone. Continue reading “Get a free FitBit Flex with Lumia 735, 830 or 930”

LG G Flex 2 pre-order opens in Germany

lg-g-flex-2

The LG G Flex 2 was only announced last week but the handset is already up for pre-order with Amazon Germany. The German arm of the global online giant is offering the G Flex 2 for €599, which is substantially cheaper than the G Flex which originally went up for pre-order at €850 but the retailer hasn’t listed a shipping date. Continue reading “LG G Flex 2 pre-order opens in Germany”

HTC Desire Eye – The Selfie Generation

HTC-Desire-Eye-Red1

A few years ago, the concept of taking a “selfie” using your front facing camera would usually have been rubbished by the complaint that the quality of the image wasn’t good enough. During the past two years, we’ve seen the birth of the selfie generation with the front facing camera quality arguably becoming as important as the rear camera and this is especially true of the new generation of selfie handsets, which includes the HTC Desire Eye. Continue reading “HTC Desire Eye – The Selfie Generation”