Chinese case and accessory makers are always a mile ahead when it comes to making accessories for unannounced hardware, and like every year, things aren’t so different this time either, with an electronics fair being held in Hong Kong that showcases mockups of Apple’s next flagship smartphone along with its yet-to-be released accessories.
With in-car sound specialist Alpine looking set to bring CarPlay support to existing automobiles following a report on Monday, it now appears as though rival Pioneer will also be offering something similar. In line with speculation that hit the blogosphere shortly after CarPlay was introduced alongside the iOS 7.1 software update, Pioneer will offer a CarPlay-facilitating update to a select group of its more recent in-car systems.
The probability of the next-gen iPhone sporting a 4.7-inch display seems to increase with each new discovery, and today, a mold of what its alleged to be the iPhone 6 only underlines this ongoing belief. Given that a further, 5.5-inch version of the next Apple smartphone seems beset by delays and other issues, the focus of the spotlight is now almost squarely upon the smaller handset sporting a 4.7-inch panel, and although it's hard to glean much by way of specifics from today's new leak, the depicted mold appears as though it could facilitate a display of roughly this size.
The developer preview Of Windows Phone 8.1 is now out there for all to try out and assess, and even though the Cortana voice assistant seems to be the main talking point, Microsoft has thrown in many more useful features besides. Along with the Action Center, wallpaper support and other such niceties, it looks as though the software giant has included support for Apple's Passbook passes, which can be read and comprehended via Microsoft Wallet.
Early on last month, Apple announced CarPlay, the final, official branding of the 'iOS in the Car' feature first announced last year. With the necessary software having been rolled out to iPhones via the iOS 7.1 update, we're now awaiting the release of the first fleet of CarPlay-ready production automobiles, but while the likes of Mercedes and Volvo plan on integrating the feature as a part of the manufacturing process, specialist audio company Alpine is reportedly plotting its very own aftermarket console effort.
A number of new photos have recently emerged that claim to show some important information pertaining to the production and development of Apple's next-generation iPhone. The collection of photos have risen to prominence thanks to Chinese social networking site Weibo, claiming to show a number of in-depth schematics for the iPhone 6 as well as the production molds that are used to manufacture the exterior of the smartphone.
I always find it amusing that, even though evidence pertaining to a forthcoming smartphone may change from report to report, the case makers always feel as though they've got the scoop. It hasn't even been established whether or not Apple has pinned down a final design for the so-called "iPhone 6," yet a snap of a case has just leaked into the wild, although naturally, we're more than skeptical as to whether it actually tells us anything.
The Galaxy S5, which Samsung announced all the way back in February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, is finally upon us, and while many early adopters will be flocking to stores today in order to pick up their very own unit, many consumers remain undecided. Those in search of a high-end handset will likely be weighing their prospective Galaxy S5 purchase up against other devices on the market, such as Apple's iPhone 5s, and to help ease the decision-making process, a new, real-world speed test has emerged that pits Samsung's latest and greatest up against the coveted iPhone 5s.
Reports pertaining to the iPhone 6 seem to change course on an almost daily basis, but there underlying theme is that Apple's next smartphone will be significantly larger than anything the Cupertino firm has released hitherto. Following on from a report by ISI analyst Brian Marshall that a bigger iPhone would prompt a spike in upgrades as well as the number of consumers switching from Android, a new report published on Thursday has somewhat echoed these sentiments.
There's been plenty of speculation recently surrounding Apple's product plans for the remainder of the year. Conjecture and Internet based chit-chat continues to grow regarding what may or may not be included in iOS 8. Most of which will be either confirmed or denied when we get our first glimpse of the firmware in June at WWDC 2014. There's also mounting speculation about the fruit company's plans for the next-generation iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 6, with most focus being specifically placed on the device's display dimensions. Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities fame, has added fuel to that fire and put the cat amongst the pigeons by releasing a product timeline, indicating that Q3 could be a huge period for Apple.

