Android Rumor Roundup

Five-inch smartphones, an unbreakable display, and an even larger Galaxy Note make up the juiciest Android rumors this week.

 

(Credit: Google) 

 

CNET - On any given day of the week, the rumor mill churns out leaked specs, blurred images, and other tidbits that give us a clue about unannounced Android tablets and smartphones. In a new weekly column, I'll track the best ones, be they credible or outlandish.

Before going any further, remember that none of these rumors has been officially confirmed.

Benchmarks, while often a good source for discovering new devices, can be faked. What's more, a trusted source doesn't always have the right intel to pass along. Also worth noting is that the time frames for the respective products can slip and that "coming weeks" may actually mean months.

In other words, you'll need to take these rumors with a grain or two of salt. In fact, you might want to keep that salt shaker nearby.

HTC M7
December 5, 2012

Word broke earlier this week that the smartphone maker is hoping to move 4 to 5 million units of a new device in Q1 2013. Dubbed the M7, details reportedly include an aluminum uni-body, 13-megapixel camera, and quad-core Qualcomm processor. Oh, and let's not forget the five-inch 1080p HD display.

Could LG launch its Optimus G successor so soon?

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET) 

 

LG Optimus G successor
December 6, 2012

LG could release a follow-up to the Optimus G, but it's improbable that they'd announce something as soon as CES. Mobile World Congress, which takes place in late February, seems like a more likely time. As to what handset could make for the successor, the E940 could be a likely candidate.

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Why the Next iPhone Won’t Be 16:9

Gizmodo - Every year it's the same stupid rumor: "the new iPhone will have a 16:9 display." It even circulated before the first iPhone came out. And it happens with the iPad too. This year isn't different. But does it make sense? Would the next iPhone really have a 16:9 screen?

What are the benefits?

 

This is the main question you should ask yourself. What good would a 16:9 screen bring to you, the user?

First, proponents of the 16:9 iPhone say that this is the "format of the future." It's the resolution of HD video, be it 720p or 1080p. TV shows are filmed in 16:9 format. Home video is filmed in 16:9 format. They claim that people want to see all this video without letterboxing—that people hate black bars on the top and bottom of their displays. They argue that a 16:9 format will allow the iPhone to use the whole screen when watching video of this kind.

But while a 16:9 screen would fit this content perfectly, it would also push that "problem" elsewhere. It will actually make it even bigger. There are tens of thousands of movies and videos filmed in other formats (both 4:3 and all kinds of panoramic aspect ratio). More importantly, there are hundreds of thousands of apps and video games that are not designed for 16:9. Even if scaled, that will bring letterboxing to a much broader range of content.          More