Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Having sold half a million Galaxy Gear smartwatches already this year, Samsung has claimed a whopping 71 percent of the global smartwatch market. The South Korean company’s wearables, often branded a “flop” by critics, are taking advantage of the lack of competition to gain an early lead over incoming rivals.
Google’s next Android update will rollout to Nexus devices on Friday, May 23, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans. The new build, which will be labeled Android 4.4.3, will bring a plethora of bug fixes and improvements, and prepare the Android platform for the next generation of Nexus devices.
HTC’s new red version of the flagship One M8 is official after a company render confirmed the handset’s existence early on Thursday. It’s exclusive to HTC’s home country of Taiwan for now, but like the rest of the One M8 lineup, it’s expected to go global later on.
The OnePlus One’s Camera and Gallery apps have been (unofficially) made available to download for other Android-powered smartphones. They’re based on the stock CyanogenMod 11 apps, which are based on the stock Android 4.4 KitKat apps — but they offer some nifty features that you don’t get direct from Google.
We all knew the OnePlus One was going to be cheap — for a flagship phone, at least. But I don’t think any of us anticipated it would start at as little as $299 off-contract when competing devices — such as the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8 — cost around $600. So, how has OnePlus made its debut smartphone such a bargain?
It hasn’t skimped on build quality or specifications, that’s for sure. What it has done is pass up the opportunity to make any kind of profit. The Chinese startup won’t make a penny when you buy its first device because they’re all sold at cost.
