Computex 2014: Smartwear revolution at traditional PC haunting ground

A new generation of wearable technology is promising not only to log data about users’ health but to predict and avert crises — from drivers falling asleep at the wheel to runners wearing themselves out in a marathon.

But there are concerns over the accuracy of the personal information collected by the burgeoning range of smart wristbands, watches and clothing — and how companies might use that data.

Wearable technology is the fastest growing category at this year’s Computex, Asia’s largest tech trade show which kicked off in Taiwan on Tuesday, with health-tracking a dominant theme.

“Health and fitness sensors and data are fundamental for wearables and largely define the category,” said Daniel Matte of market research firm Canalys.

Market tracker IDC predicted in April that sales of wearable tech items would triple this year to 19 million units worldwide, growing to 111.9 million by 2018.

At Taiwanese smartwear company AiQ’s Computex stand this week, a muscular mannequin showed off a lycra cycling top. Stainless steel fibres in the fabric and electrodes in the sleeves sense heart rate and other vital signs as well as calories burned, sending the data to a Bluetooth clip which can transmit it to a phone, tablet or other smart device. The technology will appeal to sports fans, but it is Taiwan’s bus drivers who will be the first to benefit, when companies ask them to wear smart shirts later this year in a move that could prevent accidents.

“We will provide a shirt which can monitor the drivers in case they are falling asleep, or in case any vital signs are not OK, and it will provide a signal or a warning to the bus company,” said AiQ vice president Steve Huang.

The clothing was trialled for a year on discharged hospital patients to track their condition and it received positive feedback from wearers, he added.

But analysts and consumers still have reservations about whether smartwear can really tell us the truth about our bodies. “Current sensors are not very accurate, but there will be improvements,” said Matte.

Samsung unveiled a new digital health technology platform last week that uses sensors to track a range of body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

And another giant of the sector, Apple, also launched HealthKit this week, with speculation mounting it will move into hardware later this year. Leading Taiwan tech firm Acer also revealed its first wearable at Computex — a fitness-tracking wristband which links to a smartphone.

Acer’s Liquid Leap (Image: @tracyandmatt)

But while tech firms jump on the health-monitoring bandwagon there are questions over how the huge flow of data from the new devices will be handled. “There is a massive opportunity to analyse and monetise the large amounts of data that wearable sensors and platforms will generate. Privacy is always a concern,” says Matte.

Huang acknowledged the tension between the potential commercial benefit for smartwear firms and the risk of invading users’ privacy. “There will be a lot of legal and moral issues,” he said.

Tech companies are also emphasising the potential benefits of analysis to help users make sense of their data, and the possibility of linking up with experts who can give them feedback. “Maybe we will cooperate with some medical (institutions) like hospitals to improve this kind of product and to do something to really help people — this has been talked about at Sonostar,” said Paula Luh at the Taiwanese firm’s stand.

Sonostar was showing its new brightly coloured SmartFit trackers — silicone wristbands with a pop-out coin-sized sensor which is battery-powered and designed to be worn all day, monitoring everything from steps taken to sleep patterns. The device has one year’s memory storage, said Luh, who added that users’ privacy would be protected through a registering and sign-in procedure to access their personal data online.

Sonostar SmartFit

Smart wearables could also be set to re-educate athletes away from a “no pain no gain” approach, with one new device at Computex claiming to be able to measure “stamina” so that it can warn racers when they might be pushing too hard. “We detect the current flowing through your heart… then we use our algorithm and transfer the raw information into stamina,” said Kuo Hsin-fu of Taiwanese start-up Bomdic, which makes the clip-on Bluetooth “GoMore” device.

By analysing the user’s heart activity the device can predict lactic acid build up and other physical factors which can affect performance, said Kuo, with stamina shown as a percentage level. “Most of the (smart) bands focus on general users, but our target audience is athletes. The ones who have tried it love it — it’s good for training and competition efficiency,” he added.

“We are doing everything that other sports apps can do, but more.”

Gmail, other apps easily hacked with 92 percent accuracy, say researchers

Scientists have developed a novel method that allowed them to successfully hack into Gmail with up to 92 percent accuracy. A team of researchers, including an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering, have identified a weakness believed to exist in Android, Windows and iOS mobile operating systems that could be used to obtain personal information from unsuspecting users. They demonstrated the hack in an Android phone.

The researchers tested the method and found it was successful between 82 per cent and 92 percent of the time on six of the seven popular apps they tested. Among the apps they easily hacked were Gmail, CHASE Bank and H&R Block. Amazon, with a 48 percent success rate, was the only app they tested that was difficult to penetrate. The researchers believe their method will work on other operating systems because they share a key feature researchers exploited in the Android system.

The researchers believed there was a security risk with so many apps being created by so many developers. Once a user downloads a bunch of apps to their smartphone they are all running on the same shared infrastructure, or operating system.

“The assumption has always been that these apps can’t interfere with each other easily,” Zhiyun Qian, of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at UC Riverside said. “We show that assumption is not correct and one app can in fact significantly impact another and result in harmful consequences for the user,” said Qian.

The attack works by getting a user to download a seemingly benign, but actually malicious, app, such as one for background wallpaper on a phone. Once that app is installed, the researchers are able to exploit a newly discovered public side channel – the shared memory statistics of a process, which can be accessed without any privileges.

The researchers monitor changes in shared memory and are able to correlate changes to what they call an “activity transition event,” which includes such things as a user logging into Gmail or taking a picture of a check so it can be deposited online.

Augmented with a few other side channels, the authors show that it is possible to fairly accurately track in real time which activity a victim app is in.

There are two keys to the attack. One, the attack needs to take place at the exact moment the user is logging into the app or taking the picture. Two, the attack needs to be done in an inconspicuous way. The researchers did this by carefully calculating the attack timing.

Panasonic Eluga U first look: Decent specs, but may not woo users

Every time you see an ad for a Panasonic smartphone in India, you might mistakenly think that it’s some high-end luxury product, given the number of white, blonde and good-looking people that tend to dominate the ad. However despite the foreign touch to the ads, Panasonic is taking India very seriously when it comes to smartphones, according to the company’s executives during the launch of their new flagship in India, the Eluga U.

And what does Eluga mean? Well according to Panasonic, it stands for a rather complicated ‘Elegant User Interface Gateway.’ The price of the smartphone is Rs 18,990, much lower than the P51 (the first smartphone launched by Panasonic in India) which was launched for Rs 26,990 in 2013. 

The custom UI of the Eluga U

During the launch event Panasonic’s executives were keen to highlight that India as a smartphone market now matters to them. The company didn’t release any numbers on how its smartphones have done in India, but according to Panasonic’s India Managing Director, Manish Sharma, the country is now a separate region for the company, and it’s also the second headquarters for the company after Japan. India is the HQ for Panasonic’s global smartphone business, but manufacturing is not yet moving here.

So what’s new in Panasonic’s Eluga U? Sadly not much, which is a shame since it is a good looking device.

A 5-inch 720p display that trails the competition

The smartphone has a 5-inch HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a 13 megapixel camera with flash, a 2 megapixel front camera, a Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core processor along with 2GB RAM. It comes with 16GB of internal storage with a microSD card for expansion up to 32GB. In terms of battery life, its a 2500 mAh Li-ion unit but you can’t remove the battery.

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS/ A-GPS. The smartphone is a dual-SIM one. It runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, although Panasonic has introduced its own UI called the FitHome UI. The Panasonic interface lets users access all installed apps on the homescreen itself. The apps are arranged in a little semi-circle grid and you can swipe down left and right to see all the apps. To be honest, some parts of the UI have a very Android Gingerbread feel, especially when it comes to the radio buttons or menu items in the homescreen editing menu.

Interestingly the phone lets users switch to the default KitKat UI if you don’t like the customised interface. Overall, it doesn’t look so drastically different from a stock Android smartphone, though. If you like your smartphone to look more like ‘pure’ Android device, then this isn’t a bad option, but the specs disappoint.

Nothing special

The problem is that there is nothing terribly exciting about this smartphone. Yes, its got a full-glass finish unibody and the back has a textured pattern to it, but the black and white look of the smartphone is nothing new. It doesn’t feel tacky, but there’s nothing exciting about it.

With competitors like Xiaomi Mi 3 entering the market and offering devices at the Rs 14,000 price point and a full HD screen in comparison to Panasonic Eluga U’s HD screen, users aren’t short of cheaper options with better specs. Plus if you want a more distinctive UI, Xiaomi’s MIUI is a different take on Android.

The 13-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel shooter on the front are also pretty standard features now. Latest Chinese entrant Xiaomi has the same set-up, while the upcoming smartphone OnePlus One, which will hit India soon, also boasts a 13MP sensor on the back.

The list of competitors entering the market with new and exciting features is long and endless. Which is why Eluga U fails to shine. Maybe in 2013, Eluga U would have been an exciting smartphone at this price point but in 2014 when sub-$100 smartphones and Chinese brands raging strong, this is an average device that is not big on specs, and has the wrong price tag.

Xiaomi Mi 3 goes on sale again tomorrow: Here’s how you can get one successfully

The next batch of one of the most coveted smartphones this season will go live tomorrow on August 26 at 2 pm. This time there will be  20,000 units of the Xiaomi Mi 3 going on sale.

If you’ve tried buying one before, you’ll know that grabbing a unit on Flipkart is not easy. The sales always close in seconds, leaving a bunch of people high and dry. This time, Flipkart has received 1,00,000 registrations for the phone, which means it is going to be even harder to bag the phone.

But if you are determined to get your Mi 3 smartphone this time, here are a few tips that can up your chances of getting one:

1. Start early: Flipkart tends to crash or takes time to load closer to the opening of the sale. So make sure you have logged on to Flipkart with your registered account at least two hours before the sale starts.

2. Enable cookies: Cookies allow websites to recognise you when you return to them, which makes the browser to load webpages faster. When you register on Flipkart and save your contact details, make sure you’ve enabled cookies on your computer. To do this, you’ll  need to go to your browsers Settings page and look for the cookies option.

3. Use multiple web pages: To better your chances of getting a phone, try opening the page on separate devices such as a tablet or a smartphone. If you don’t have a separate device, open the page on multiple browser windows (windows, not tabs). Press Alt+Tab to quickly switch between windows. Getting a friend to click on different pages for you might be useful.

4. Use a single account: Many may tell you to register more than one account to boost your chances of obtaining an Mi 3 smartphone. However, Flipkart’s policy is against people trying to buy the phone using multiple accounts. Even if you do manage to buy the phone doing this, there’s a good chance of the purchase getting cancelled later on.

5. Type quickly: All of Xiaomi’s sales in the past have lasted for no more than 5 seconds. This means you’ll need to type in your details as fast as you can. If you can’t, try getting a friend who can type fast for you. One of our readers suggested memorising card details to speed up the purchase time. Also, try keeping your typing-time to the minimum by save your shipping address and contact details beforehand.

6. Click before you see ‘Buy Now’ : Don’t wait for the countdown to end to click on Buy Now. Like an impatient kid, start clicking few seconds before you see the button. Make sure you place the mouse pointer slightly above the countdown box, as that is where the button would appear.

7. Ignore add-ons: Gift wrapping, 1-day deliveries etc can wait, but the Mi 3 smartphone does not. Opting for these add-ons could complicate the purchase process and crash the website, so stick to the normal delivery mode to keep the process as simple as possible.

8. Buy until you get a confirmation: According to one of our readers, stop only once you’ve received a confirmation of your purchase. To be sure that the phone has been added to your cart, check the orders page. Flipkart has now allowed users to complete the purchase after adding phones to your cart. This means you can try adding as many phones you want and pay Flipkart later that day.

For those too lazy to follow the steps, e-tailer Buyhatke.com has a one-click extension that claims to add the device to your cart immediately. You can check it out here. 

If you are wondering why the the Mi 3 has attracted so much of attention, note that it packs high-end capabilities for a meagre Rs 13,999. Read our Xiaomi Mi 3 review, to find out if it is worth buying. For those who don’t wish to be a part of the herd, check out somealternatives to the Mi 3.

After Mi 3 madness, Xiaomi’s hype machine will now focus on Redmi 1s

Xiaomi will officially unveil the India launch details for the Redmi 1s tomorrow and we will find out when the smartphone will be available and the sales process. Hopefully, this time around Xiaomi has a better handle on how the Indian market works and the demand for its phones. So we can expect a bigger launch than the Mi 3.

While the availability date is still unknown, arguably the most important details are out in the open. We know the Xiaomi Redmi 1s will be priced at Rs 6,999, which makes it great value already. But the specifications are unheard of in this price range. The Redmi 1S sports a Nexus 4-like 4.7-inch 720p IPS display. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor like the Moto G, but the clock speed is higher at 1.6GHz, and there’s a healthy 1GB of RAM. 16GB onboard storage is present and there’s a microSD card slot as well for expansion up to 64GB. The 2000mAh battery sounds great and there are decent-sounding cameras on board as well – an 8MP rear shooter and a 1.6MP front camera.

Just like the Xiaomi Mi 3 which offered incredible specs making its direct competitors irrelevant, the Redmi 1S aims to destroy the competition, none of which can offer similar or specs close to it. In addition, the Redmi phone looks a notch above the competition in terms of design as well.

The entry-level segment threshold has been pushed lower and lower in the past few months with the invasion of the budget Android KitKat phones. So it’s not like Xiaomi won’t have any competition at all. But what the Redmi 1s does is make these feel significantly below par. For one, none of them can offer a similar HD display. Even the Moto E, which had a brilliant qHD display, pales in comparison. The storage is also pretty much the best you can get and the processing power is ample.

Moreover MIUI brings true software differentiation which no other brand can match in this segment. So the advantages are obvious and the lower price point will catch a lot more buyers in the dragnet.

In the Mi 3 review, we’d said that there’s literally no competition for the first Xiaomi phone in India, but the Redmi 1s seems like a better deal. It offers better value given its specs, at nearly half the Mi 3’s price. And it’s shaping up to be a massive success, likely to sell out in mere seconds each time it goes on sale, just as the Mi 3 has done.

Xiaomi has faced a lot of criticism for the way it’s handled the Mi 3 launch, despite the apparent craze for the phone. Even though they are officially here, the Indian market has posed some problems for the company. To repair that image of being all talk and no show, it has to meet the expected demand in a timely manner when it comes to the Redmi 1s. Here the margin for error is smaller as there are hundreds of alternatives. It’s up to Xiaomi to make sure there are enough phones to sell, and they could well and truly arrive in India.

Want 4G magic? Why India needs spectrum refarming for that

Watching a FIFA World Cup match on a 3G wireless connection can be hugely frustrating with freezes and reloads frequently interrupting the viewing experience. The answer to the painfully slow 2G/3G connections we have in India is to quickly leap frog to the new, cutting-edge fourth-generation (4G) mobile technology.

It’s not about voice any longer but data, and the cry for high-speed mobile data services has been ringing around the globe for some years. In response, many countries have begun embracing 4G, specifically Long Term Evolution (LTE) which is a successor to 3G and offers data download speeds of 300 Mbps on mobile handsets and 1Mbps on fixed terminals. With such blazing speeds, new services including VoIP, streaming video, and video calls become a reality.

Watching the FIFA World Cup on a mobile 4G/LTE connection is not a myth but a reality today in countries such as the United States, Japan, and China. It is being deployed rapidly by mobile operators internationally and has been integrated into new handsets by the major manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung. But the adoption of mobile data services has been hampered in many markets, including in India, due to a number of factors. Foremost among them of course is a paucity of spectrum.

The 4G/LTE environment ideally requires 20 MHz or more for each mobile operator. Experience has shown this amount of spectrum is rarely available in the traditional frequency bands, given the existing networks and voice customers. Mobile operators deploying 4G/LTE have begun coalescing around a few new bands which are not hampered by existing 2G and 3G networks. Countries in North America, Latin America, European Union, and Asia are moving rapidly to refarm spectrum in the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 2.3 GHz, and 2.5 GHz bands towards use for 4G / LTE.

With Softbank’s recent acquisition of mobile operator, Sprint, LTE technology will now be deployed widely on the S-band (2.50-2.69 GHz) in the United States, as well as in Softbank’s home market Japan. Other US operators have commenced deploying 4G/LTE on the 700 MHz band. In China, the worlds largest operator, China Mobile, has begun deploying LTE on the same 2.6 GHz S-band. With major markets including the US, Japan, China, Canada, Europe, and Brazil committing to LTE on the 2.6 GHz S-band among others, the availability of affordable smartphones and data terminals will reach mass scale soon.

This begs the big question for India. What are the plans for the 700 MHz and the 2.6 GHz S-band here? The 700 MHz presents an excellent opportunity for refarming towards 4G/LTE use. However, transitioning the existing Doordharshan broadcast TV service to a digital platform is a necessary and expensive proposition that experts say will take 2-3 years. In contrast, the S-band may present an immediate opportunity for refarming.

In 2011, the UPA 2 government scrapped the planned use of a major portion of the S-band that was set to be deployed on the ISRO-built GSAT 6 and 6A satellites. The stated rationale to scrap the Devas-ISRO deal was “strategic and societal” use, especially by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). However, since then there has been no launch of any satellite to service this requirement. The Government must revisit the S-band spectrum allocations and make rationale use of this valuable natural resource by cleaning up any outstanding issues.

It is widely believed that the MoD’s need for satellite capacity in this band is restricted to mobile satellite services (MSS) and can be served through the existing allocation of 70 MHz (2500-2535 MHz and 2655-2690 MHz).

Unfortunately, the MoD has to rely on the antiquated INSAT 3C satellite and cannot avail of any of the cutting edge technology that is available internationally. Up until now ISRO and the Department of Space (DoS) have been unable to build an advanced MSS satellite to provide these critical services to MoD, potentially making India’s defence preparedness in satellite communications vulnerable.
The remaining 80 MHz in the S-band (2555-2635 MHz), which was originally designated for broadcasting satellite services (BSS) to be used on GSAT 6 and 6A, is a prime candidate for being refarmed for Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) using 4G/LTE. Unlike the 700 MHz band, there are no active users of this spectrum today and it has been lying fallow for the better part of the past decade.

Over the past year, neither the UPA’s EGoM on spectrum issues nor the INSAT Coordination Committee (ICC) has approved the use of the BSS S-band on GSAT 6 and 6A satellites, despite DoS’s repeated attempts to persist with the satellite programme. Freeing up the band will provide India with valuable nationwide spectrum for readily deploying new advanced mobile data services using 4G/LTE, in keeping with the global trend and standards.

Based on the 2010 spectrum auctions and price discovery for BWA spectrum in 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz bands, the 80 MHz of BSS S-band is worth over Rs. 51,388 Crores according to TRAI’s analysis. To put it in perspective, the value of the BSS S-band exceeds the revenue realised in the 2010 auctions for BWA for all the licenses put together. Due to UPA’s inaction, this valuable spectrum asset has been not deployed over the past three years.

At a time when the groaning fiscal deficit features prominently in the calculation of the first budget to be announced by the Finance Minister, auctioning this precious S-band spectrum would be timely and financially attractive.

The DoT has recommended moving forward to refarm this 80 MHz of BSS spectrum in the S-band. Both the DoT and TRAI have written to DoS to vacate this band. Given the paucity of spectrum for BWA in the other bands, the logic of refarming the S-band 2.5 GHz at this time is compelling.

The telecom minister in the new NDA government has promised a new revamped spectrum policy in the coming months to anchor the next phase of growth and development of the economically critical sector. When this is unveiled, it will hopefully bring a rational market-based approach to allocating and pricing spectrum, a necessary ingredient to continue the mobile revolution.

A new spectrum policy should provide a vision and path to rapidly enable 4G/LTE in India. Inclusion of the refarmed 2.6 GHz S-band in the near term and 700 MHz in the medium term would be welcome to an industry that has been hit hard under the UPA government.

India has an opportunity to immediately enter the digital age with state-of-the-art broadband networks that can spur innovation and economic development, but for this it is essential for the government to make adequate BWA spectrum available to mobile operators. Refarming of the S-band is an ideal way to jump-start the process of meeting this need. As a bonus, it will also help close the country’s yawning fiscal deficit.

Intex launches the Aqua i6 with 5-inch display, quad-core processor for Rs 8,990

Intex has now unveiled the latest smartphone in the Aqua series for the Indian market—the Aqua i6, for Rs 8,990. The new handset comes with a 5-inch display sporting a resolution of 480×854 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 196 ppi. Under the hood, the device runs on a quad-core MediaTek 6582 processor clocked at 1.3GHz, a Mali 400MP2 GPU and 512MB of RAM. The handset runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and comes with 4GB of internal memory, expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card slot.

In terms of photography, the Aqua i6 comes with an 8-megapixel primary shooter with flash as well as a 2-megapixel front shooter. The handset also comes with a G-Sensor, a proximity sensor as well as a gesture sensor. For connectivity, the handset comes with most of the usual suspects, including 3G, EDGE, HSPA and Wi-Fi Hotspot. The company has also pre-loaded a bunch of apps like online software updates, Intex Life box, charge management and Intex Cloud which offers 5GB of free cloud space to users.

Intex has now launched the new Aqua i6 in India for Rs 8,990

The device packs in a 1,900mAh battery that the company claims will last up to 6 hours and give a standby time of up to 220 hours. The Aqua i6 comes with dual-SIM support and is available in both black and white colour variants.  While talking about the launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Business Head of Intex Technology said, “We are excited to be the first mobile player in India to bring the latest innovation from MediaTek to consumers with the launch of Aqua i6. Intex believes in providing users with a single device which is capable of combining work and fun together. Aqua i6 is yet another quality offering from Intex for those who look forward to a powerful device which makes juggling between multiple tasks a breeze.”

Here’s a quick look at the specifications of the Intex Aqua i6:

• 5-inch FWVGA display, 480×854 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE, HSPA, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth
• 8-megapixel rear camera with flash, 2-megapixel front camera
• 4GB of internal memory, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card slot

Apple to offer in-house screen replacements for iPhone 5s

Apple iPhone 5s owners will soon be able to get damaged displays repaired through Apple Stores instead of sending it to a third-party repair centre.

As per 9to5Mac, Apple has begun shipping iPhone 5s screen replacements in its official US and Canada retail stores and in-store repairs are set to begin on August 4.

One of the crucial aspects about repairing any gadget is obtaining the right equipment for the job. Being able to source them from the original manufacturer (in this case, Apple) can help address this and users can obtain reliable replacements at cheaper prices. If the user’s 5c or 5s is under AppleCare warranty, the part replacement costs will be waived. If the iPhone is not under warranty, there will be fees incurred for individual part replacements.

Apple had officially rolled out iPhone 5c screen repairs in late 2013, which cost less than replacing iPhone 5s screens. Apple had given its stores special machinery to replace the touchscreens of both the devices, designed specifically to calibrate the displays. The Apple stores will also be able replace the volume buttons, vibrating motor, rear camera and speaker system of the new devices. While the store will be able to replace the traditional Home button in the 5c, the Touch ID-based button of the 5s was not part of the offering.

With the ability to replace iPhone 5, 5c, and 5s screens, Apple can significantly cut down on repair costs and wait times. According to AppleInsider, Apple can save nearly $ 1 billion per year with in-house repairs.

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 with 4G competes directly with iPhone 5s at Rs 53,500

Following the lead of LG, South Korean electronics giant Samsung has launched its first 4G-compatible flagship in India. LG if you recall, launched the 4G version of G2 in India and now the Galaxy S5 with LTE support for the India bands has been brought to market.

It has been priced at a hefty Rs 53,500, which puts in the same league as the iPhone 5s, which also is a 4G phone in India.  The 4G version of the S5 will go on sale in India from tomorrow, July 20. “We expect the 4G version to catch the imagination of technology enthusiasts and professionals, who demand superior smartphones for their heavy multimedia content consumption,” said Asim Warsi, vice president (marketing, mobile & IT), Samsung India, in a press statement.

The Galaxy S5 4G device will also come with the Rs 10,000 upgrade offer to allow consumers to upgrade to the 4G device. The device will be available in all 4G service enabled markets in India from 20 July onwards. Galaxy S5 4G will be available in Copper Gold, Charcoal Black and Shimmery White colour options.

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S5 3G was launched in India in April, and remains one of the best phones you could buy right now,  despite the presence of the HTC One M8 (which is also getting 4G support) and the Sony Xperia Z2. The timing of the launch is curious though, as it comes just a day before LG launches the G3 in India. Clearly, Samsung wants the Galaxy S5 to remain in the limelight, which explains the launch of the 4G version.

Samsung has tied up with Airtel for data plans for buyers of the new model. Existing and new Airtel 4G subscribers will get 5GB 4G data per month free for two months, however, you will not be able to use the 4G in all circles, as the telecom provider has only now started bringing it to more circles.

The Galaxy S5 4G is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC seen in the 3G model. It’s clocked at 2.5 Ghz processor and the device  supports eight 4G LTE bands. In addition to these, the 4G variant also has the same software features such as Download Booster for combining 4G and Wi-Fi speeds for large downloads.

It’s iPhone 6 vs Galaxy Note 4: September date for the big Apple-Samsung fight

September is going to be a big month for all technology enthusiasts as both Apple and Samsung will gear up for big launches. With Samsung, it’s going to be the Galaxy Note 4 at the Berlin IFA show on 3 September, while Apple will launch the iPhone 6 on 9 September.

With the iPhone 6, we are going to see a big change from iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c as Apple is expected to launch two new versions of the device, with rumour mills indicating a 4.7-inch device and a 5.5-inch phablet. Where Note 4 is concerned, Samsung could give it a 2K display.

So what should we expect from these two devices? Let’s take a quick look at the differences between the two. Of course a lot of this could be different when the actual devices launch.

Screen: As we’ve noted for Apple, the iPhone 6 will mark a big change as it will finally launch a smartphone with a bigger screen. Given the popularity of phablets, Apple’s iPhone 6 will have a 4.7-inch version and 5.5-inch version. According to reports, Apple supplier Foxconn has already gone into mass production and the company has asked for 70-80 million iPhone screens to be kept ready.

A report on 9to5Mac had shown that iPhone 6 may get a ‘curved’ display just like Samsung’s Galaxy S3. The slightly curved display glass could be included to accommodate the rounded edges, which means the display may not be convex on the top. With an increase in display size, it remains to be seen what Apple will do with the ‘Retina Display’ and whether the pixel density will go higher than the current 326 pixels per inch for iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 6 is also likely to feature haptic technology that emits minor vibrations depending on the touchscreen area you’ve pressed. This means developers can take advantage of the technology for building intuitive games and apps. Reports also claim that the new haptic motor to be employed in the next-gen iPhone would be two to three times more expensive.

As far as the Galaxy Note 4 is concerned, a report at CMNO had stated that the Note 4 would come with 2K display, and the screen size could increase from Note 3’s 5.7-inch although if that happens we’re wondering what will will happen to the Samsung Mega range of smartphones.

The Galaxy Note 4 is also expected to be waterproof and will have an eye-scanner technology as well, which could scan the eye to pay bills at the grocery store, electricity bills, mobile bills etc. There are also reports that the Note 4’s screen could use Samsung bent screen technology which was showcased at the CES 2013 in Las Vegas.

Processor, RAM, Space: As far as the iPhone 6 processor chip goes it will be the A8 chip and should support 64-bit like the iPhone 5s. Apple’s next set of devices will also most probably come with the next level of the M7-co-motion processor chip. Whether A8 will be dual-core processor or quad-core processor remains to be seen, but Apple has largely ducked the quad-core trend for now. With RAM, it’s likely that Apple will stick to 1GB RAM, although 2GB RAM would really make a lot specs-obsessed people happy. The iPhone 6 will of course stick with Apple’s 16, 32, 64 GB models and is unlikely to support microSD slots.

As far as the Note 4 is concerned, rumours indicate that it will come with an octa-core Exynos CPU or a Snapdragon 800-series SoC, coupled with 4GB RAM (Note 3 has 3GB RAM). The company might as well build both variants, and as seen earlier. Speculation is that the Note 4 will have global LTE coverage. The rumoured features list also includes 128GB onboard storage, and it should support a microSD slot as well.

Camera: Once again with iPhone 6, Apple is expected to stick to the 8 megapixel camera and avoid the megapixel wars. But given that it is ditching the 4-inch screen, we could be in for a surprise here as well. Supply chain speculation however says that such a surprise is unlikely.

Instead, the company will introduce functional improvements including in the optical image stabilization (OIS) module in the 8 megapixel camera. The dual-flash is expected to continue. In addition to this Pacific Crest Securities analysts John Vinh and Kevin Chenreported that  optical image stabilization may be a feature just for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone.

Apple has also got patents for interchangeable mobile camera lenses. The patent mentions a camera add-on that connects using a physical locking mechanism like a DSLR lens, as well as a magnetic component for quicker attachment. Of course, seeing this feature in iPhone 6 seems highly unlikely for now.

As far as Note 4 is concerned, Samsung will give it a bigger camera and rumours indicate a 20.1 megapixel shooter in the rear. The Front camera is reported to be 4 megapixel. However a report on trusted Samsung source Sammobile says that it will be 16 megapixel camera in the rear along OIS and a 3.7 megapixel front camera.

Other big rumours: Apple is reportedly going to introduce Sapphire crystal display protection, which is already there on iPhone 5s’ fingerprint scanner, will now be extended to the iPhone 6’s screen. It is speculated that the next-gen iPhone will have a sapphire crystal display protection to ward off scratches.

A report on 9to5Mac had said that Apple had already set up a plant in Arizona for a new critical component and patented a technology for the sapphire crystal display as well.

Ultraviolet Sensor and eye-scanner are supposed to be the next big changes in the Note 4. According to reports, Note 4 is said to come with an ultraviolet sensor, which can measure UV radiation and alert users about possible precautions via the S Health app. A report on Sammobile said that “ sensor will be used to measure the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation and prevent users from damaging their skin, ageing it prematurely, and increasing their risk of skin cancer by giving recommended guidance based on the current UV index level”

It’s clear that both Apple and Samsung have a lot riding on these next two-releases given that smartphone market is seeing in a decline in demand for premium devices and the rise of the sub$100 category. We’ll have to wait and see how they live up to expectations and how many of the rumours come true.