Author: Dan Graziano

The next generation of mobile graphics will be able to deliver better performance than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, according to NVIDIA’s (NVDA) SVP of content and technology Tony Tamasi. Speaking to Bit-tech, the executive noted that current gaming systems are “barely more powerful” than mobile devices and he believes that upcoming smartphones and tablets powered by NVIDIA chipsets will finally begin to outperform traditional gaming consoles.

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A new report claims that two unlikely partners may team up to acquire the world’s second-largest mobile carrier. According to the Financial Times, Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T) are working on a breakup bid for European carrier Vodafone (VOD) that would value the company at $245 billion, a 40% premium over its current valuation of $115. The deal would see Verizon take control of the 45% stake Vodafone currently owns in Verizon Wireless, while Vodafone’s business outside of the U.S. would go to AT&T. Earlier reports suggested that Verizon and Vodafone were actively discussing ways to resolve their relationship in the form of a merger or possibly a full or partial buyout.

It has been widely reported that Amazon (AMZN) may be working on a Kindle smartphone that is expected to debut later this year. Adding more fuel to the fire, the company has hired Charlie Kindel, a former general manager at Microsoft (MSFT) who headed the development of Windows Phone’s app platform and developer experience. Little is known about Kindel’s new role at Amazon, although he revealed that he will be a director of “something secret.”

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The past year hasn’t been a pleasant one for Taiwanese handset maker HTC (2498), which despite producing critically acclaimed smartphones continues to struggle against the competition. Consumers have turned toward devices from Apple (AAPL), Samsung (005930) and LG (066570), among others in recent months, forcing HTC to make changes to its marketing strategy. The company’s flagship HTC One smartphone will compete directly with Samsung’s Galaxy S4 when both devices launch towards the end of the month. In an effort to win back consumers, HTC will be offering goodies to early adopters of its latest flagship smartphone.

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Earlier rumors have suggested that Samsung (005930) is preparing to launch a smaller version of its Galaxy S4 smartphone called the Galaxy S4 mini that is expected to be available in black or white and in a dual-SIM or single-SIM model. The dual-SIM option will reportedly be equipped with a 4.3-inch qHD display, a 1.6GHz dual-core Exynos 5210 processor, an 8-megapixel camera and run Android 4.2.2, while the single-SIM model could feature a quad-core processor. According to SamMobile, the company may announce the mid-range handset sometime this week in the aftermath of several high-profile leaks. Samsung will reportedly release the Galaxy S4 mini by the end of May or early June.

Customers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the HTC One in the United States may not have to wait much longer. According to a leaked document published by Engadget, the company’s latest flagship smartphone will reportedly be available for preorder on April 5th from AT&T (T). The carrier will offer the HTC One in a 32GB model option for $249.99 with a new two-year agreement and an exclusive 64GB model for $299.99. The smartphone is equipped with a 4.7-inch full HD 1080p display, a quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and a 4.3-“ultrapixel” rear camera. HTC (2498) previously confirmed that the handset would be released at the end of the month. BGR recently reviewed the HTC One and called it the best Android smartphone in the world.

If you think that having a large smartphone screen makes you more likely to consume more data, think again. According to a report from Flurry Analytics, smartphones around the size of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone experience the most regular usage among users. Devices with screen sizes between 3.5-inches and 4.9-inches were found to account for 69% of data usage, compared to smaller smartphones such as BlackBerrys (BBRY) at 16% and larger screen handsets, commonly referred to as “phablets,” at 2% of usage. When the data was broken down further, it was discovered that phablets only account for 7% of data on all Android devices, compared to 70% from normal sized devices. The research firm suggests that larger-screened phones are a fad, however with more companies releasing devices with 5-inch or higher displays, usage could increase in the coming years. A second image follows below.

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Samsung (005930) announced its new eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor earlier this year and it was believed that the chipset was only compatible with 3G radios. The company has confirmed, however, that this is not the case. Samsung’s official twitter account revealed that the Exynos chipset is fully capable of connecting to 4G wireless networks and supports up to 20 LTE bands. The LTE-equipped Galaxy S4 will rely on Qualcomm’s (QCOM) new Snapdragon 600 processor, while international 3G models will use a Exynos chipset. It is speculated that Samsung would not have been able to manufacture enough Exynos chips in time for the launch of its latest smartphone and instead had to turn to Qualcomm.

Earlier this month it was reported that Google (GOOG) has been working on a cross-platform messaging app called Babble that would unify its messaging platforms into a single service. According to Droid-Life, the service is known internally as Babel, rather than Babble, and is currently being tested by Google employees. The service is expected to include several keys features that provide users with a seamless messenger experience across Android, iOS, Chrome, Google+ and Gmail. Babel is said to feature advanced group conversations, access to conversations across multiple platforms, the ability to send pictures, improved notifications across a variety of devices and a new conversation-based user interface. Earlier reports suggested that Google will announce the messaging service at its annual I/O Developers Conference in May

It has been widely reported that Apple’s (AAPL) next-generation iPhone will be announced sometime in June. According to Macotakara, the latest print edition of the Japanese MacFan magazine reports Apple will unveil the device at a press event on June 20th and release the iPhone 5S a few weeks later in July. The report goes on to suggest that a low-cost version of the iPhone for developing countries such as China and India may debut in August. Apple will also reportedly preview or even announce an update for its iOS platform at the rumored event. The iPhone 5S is expected to feature a faster A7 processor, an upgraded camera and possibly a fingerprint chip under the Home button for improved security. The form factor will likely remain unchanged, however.

Sprint (S) and Japanese carrier Softbank (SFTBY) have confirmed to U.S. lawmakers they won’t use equipment from Huawei following their upcoming merger, Bloomberg reported. Softbank announced plans last October to pay more than $20 billion to acquire a 70% stake in Sprint. The deal was approved by the board of directors at both companies and was awaiting the green light from the Federal Communications Commission.

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T-Mobile announced earlier this week that it will offer the iPhone 5 for the first time ever next month. The company revealed that the 16GB model will cost $99 down and $20 a month for 24 months for a grand total of $579, compared to Apple’s (AAPL) price of $649. T-Mobile said that it would offer a full line up of iPhone devices, however the company did not disclose additional pricing information at its press event on Tuesday.

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