Japan: X-2 stealth fighter by Mitsubishi was unveiled.

A demonstration unit of the X-2 stealth fighter made its debut Thursday last week, with the Japanese-built experimental aircraft promising greater maneuverability than other stealth planes.

The jet will take its maiden flight the week of Feb. 15 or Feb. 22. Designer and builder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will hand it over to the Ministry of Defense's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency at the end of March. The X-2 is under development as the government prepares to replace the F-2 fighter, due for retirement around fiscal 2028.

The new plane will undergo roughly 200 hours of test flights. A decision on whether to manufacture it in Japan or launch a joint international development effort will be reached by fiscal 2018.

 As a stealth aircraft, the X-2 incorporates radar-wave-absorbing material and a body designed to avoid detection. Thrust vector systems lend to its heightened maneuverability. The agency will test stealth, flight performance, control systems and other technologies.

IHI is providing an engine that uses ceramics, alloys and other cutting-edge materials to save weight and withstand the extreme heat of combustion. Although Mitsubishi Heavy put together the final design and constructed the prototype, some 220 companies including Fuji Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries participated in the project, with development costs reaching about 40 billion yen ($334 million).

The U.S. military's F-35 stealth fighter "is not that maneuverable, but the X-2 is stealthy while boasting high maneuverability," said Takahiro Yoshida, project director at the Japanese defense ministry's acquisitions agency.

He declined to identify possible international development partners but said the agency is "gathering information and exchanging opinions."

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2016 Official invitation is out. Video

Today  February 1st, 2016, well in South Korea , Samsung has send out the official invitation for its UNPACKED 2016 event and it is clearly promoting the most sold VR device worldwide.

As we all know the stars of the show will be the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. The latest rumored specifications and official press renders you can check them out on our before post:Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge in pictures. Latest specifications.

Event Date: February 21 (Sun) 19:00 CET (Doors Open at 18:00)

Venue Address: CCIB (Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona) 

‘Unpacked’ to be live streamed on YouTube  (http://www.youtube.com/SamsungMobile)

and Samsung Newsroom (http://news.samsung.com/global)
Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge in pictures. Latest specifications.

Above pictures might be the real official Samsung press renders of the upcoming Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

What we know about specifications of them at this time?

Samsung will launch versions with Qualcommn Snapdragon 820 SoC and Exynos 8 Octa 8890, a system-on-a-chip based partially on an ARM reference design, and offering four high-performance 2.3GHz cores along with four power-efficient 1.6GHz cores (as well as an integrated cellular baseband modem, which will enable alleged LTE Category 9 throughput).

Both models will have micro SD slot for additional memory, (compatible with cards up to 200GB) and possess IP67 dust- and water-resistance certifications,USB Type C port.

5.1  inch display for the S7 and 5.5 inch display for the S7 edge.

Batteries: 3000mAh and 3600mAh for the S7 and S7 edge.

4GB of RAM utilized, but only two storage options: 32GB or 64GB. for both models.

Rear camera: 12 megapixels  coupled with an f/1.7 lens aperture.

The front-facing selfie cam was said to remain unchanged, at least concerning its five-megapixel resolution.

newssoftpedia

China smartphones 2015 market share: Xiaomi 15.4%, Huawei 14.2%, Apple 11.3%

Samsung Electronics Co. saw its presence in the Chinese smartphone industry fall on-year in 2015, data showed Friday, as local players continued to garner larger slices of the market.

The South Korean tech giant, which stood as the No. 3 player in the Chinese market in the fourth quarter of 2014, was not included in the top-five bracket for the October-December period of last year, data compiled by industry tracker Strategy Analytics showed.

The result is significant as Samsung led the global smartphone market last year by selling 391 million units, far outpacing Apple's 231 million units, with their respective market shares reaching 22.2 percent and 16.1 percent.

Industry watchers said Samsung's weak performance in Asia's No. 1 economy is attributable to the strong performance of Chinese rivals.

Xiaomi led Chinese smartphone sales last year by posting a market share of 15.4 percent. Huawei Technologies Co., another China-based tech manufacturer, followed with a market share of 14.2 percent.

Apple, which remained in the sixth spot in 2014, stood as the No. 3 player with a market share of 11.3 percent in 2015. China-based Vivo Electronics Corp. and Oppo Electronics Corp. were also included in the top-five bracket.

The rise of Chinese companies has been one of the major drags on Samsung Electronics' mobile business not just in Beijing, but globally.

The company's IT and mobile business, which is in charge of smartphones, posted operating profits of 2.23 trillion won (US$1.84 billion) in the fourth quarter, slightly rising from last year's 1.96 trillion won. But the sector's operating profit continued to remain well below the 6.43 trillion won posted in the first quarter of 2014.

Press Release:

China Smartphone Shipments Hit a Record 438 Million Units in 2015

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, China smartphone shipments grew 3 percent annually to hit a record 438 million units in 2015. Xiaomi maintained first position and captured 15 percent smartphone marketshare in China last year.

China smartphone shipments declined 4 percent annually from 123.0 million units in Q4 2014 to 117.9 million in Q4 2015. China smartphone growth is slowing due to market saturation, inventory build and economic headwinds. However, for the full year, China smartphone shipments grew 3 percent annually from 423.6 million units in 2014 to a record 437.8 million in 2015.

Huawei shipped 17.9 million smartphones for the number one spot in China in Q4 2015, growing 50 percent annually from 11.9 million units in Q4 2014. Huawei has been growing rapidly in China due to extensive distribution channels and popular Android models like the Honor 7. 

However, there are signs that Huawei’s growth is now starting to slow. Its annual growth rate of 50 percent declined sequentially from 73 percent in the prior quarter, as several major rivals like Apple and Xiaomi are fighting back. Xiaomi shipped 17.5 million smartphones and captured 15 percent marketshare in China in Q4 2015, up 11 percent annually. For the full year, Xiaomi shipped 67.5 million smartphones to claim the top position in 2015, just staying ahead of Huawei with 62.2 million units. Xiaomi offers several popular Android models in China, such as the Redmi 2A.

Apple had a strong quarter in China, shipping a record 15.5 million iPhones in Q4 2015. Apple solidified third position in China with 13 percent marketshare, up from 11 percent one year ago. Apple has worked hard to extend its retailer coverage across China, while Apple Music and other localized services have refreshed the iOS ecosystem for Chinese consumers.

Vivo held on to fourth position with 10 percent smartphone marketshare in China during Q4 2015, while its shipment growth rate expanded a healthy 20 percent annually. Another Chinese brand, OPPO, pushed into the top-five China rankings for the first time ever, with 10.8 million smartphones shipped and 9 percent marketshare in Q4 2015. The success of Vivo and OPPO lies in good hardware designs, robust product quality, strong retailer penetration, and rising brand awareness among mass-market consumers.

yonhapnews

Calendar Year 2015 Global Smartphones Shipments market share: Samsung 22.7%, Apple 16.2%, Huawei 7.4%, Lenovo 5.2% and Xiaomi 4.9%

Despite Samsung still number one smartphones vendor globally with 324.8 million units shipped in 2015 , just grew up 2.1% compared with sales in 2014.

Apple went up with a 20.2% YOY Growth keeping the second spot worlwide with 231.5 millions units shipped.

The difference between both is a BIG 40.30% more shipments of Samsung than Apple. 

Huawei still growing with an extraordinary 44.3% YOY Growth. The company shipments were 106.6 millions units WW instead of 73.8  million units last year.

Lenovo and Xiaomi had a very interesting growing too, 24.5% for the first and 22.8% for the second in YOY Growth comparison.

However Lenovo and Motorola together did not go well with a minus -21.1% YOY growth. Sad for the Motorola brand that is not coming anymore in new Lenovo devices starting 2016.

It clearly seems the chinese vendors did a tremendous job in 2015 affecting both Samsung and Apple smartphones sales.  They have also relegated LG to no place at this time.

Source:IDC

4Q2015 /Full 2015 worldwide smartphones vendors market share: Samsung first, Apple second but feeling Huawei &Chinese vendors heat.

A strong holiday quarter boosted worldwide smartphone volumes to new record levels thanks to robust product offerings at numerous price points in both mature and emerging markets. According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone vendors shipped a total of 399.5 million units during the fourth quarter of 2015 (4Q15), resulting in 5.7% growth when compared to the 377.8 million units shipped in the last quarter of 2014.

 For the full year, the worldwide smartphone market saw a total of 1432.9 million units shipped, marking the highest year of shipments on record, up 10.1% from the 1301.7 million units shipped in 2014.

"Usually the conversation in the smartphone market revolves around Samsung and Apple, but Huawei's strong showing for both the quarter and the year speak to how much it has grown as an international brand," said Melissa Chau, Senior Research Manager with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

 "While there is a lot of uncertainty around the economic slowdown in China, Huawei is one of the few brands from China that has successfully diversified worldwide, with almost half of its shipments going outside of China. Huawei is poised to be in a good position to hold onto a strong number 3 over the next year."

Apple continued to dominate headlines in the quarter as 4Q15 represented its most successful quarter yet with 74.8 million units shipped, up 1% from the 74.5 million shipped last year. Although the Cupertino-based vendor witnessed minimal growth year over year, its 2015 total market share climbed to 16.2%, up from 14.8% in 2014.

 Growth in key markets such as China were up 18%, in which 50% were first-time iPhone owners. Sales in many emerging markets were also up as India saw the biggest increase among the BRIC countries with 76% growth. Apple accomplished all this despite the increase in average selling price (ASP) for an iPhone. ASPs climbed to $691, up from $687 one year ago, potentially pointing to increased demand for a larger screen and higher capacity models.

"With initial Apple shipment estimates all over the map, Apple assured the public that demand for its premium smartphones is still alive and kicking," said Anthony Scarsella, Research Manager with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. 

"A new record-setting quarter for Apple indicates consumers continued demand for Apple's latest offerings regarding upgraded hardware and software. Features such as a more widely accepted Apple Pay, increased performance, and the innovative Force Touch technology, continue to set the iPhone apart from the competition.

"To combat Apple at the high-end, competing vendors will need to bring value to consumers to stay relevant in the market," added Scarsella. 

"With heavy saturation in many mature smartphone markets such as the U.S., Europe, and China, many vendors have placed a renewed focus on pushing premium-looking mid-tier devices as a new value proposition to consumers in both developed and emerging markets. Samsung has found success in this segment with its A-Series, and Huawei with its Honor brand. 

We expect similar devices to appear in 2016 from a variety of vendors that will focus on affordable value without neglecting performance and aesthetics."

Smartphone Vendor Highlights:

Samsung remained the leader in the worldwide smartphone market for the quarter and the year with 85.6 million units shipped in 4Q15, up 14% from last year. The Korean giant finished the year with 324.8 million shipments, which is up only 2.1% from the 318.2 million shipments in 2014. 

With continuously increasing pressure in the high end from Apple, and at the low end to midrange from Chinese manufacturers Xiaomi, Huawei, ZTE, and others, Samsung faces a multi-front battle.

Apple hit a new high with 74.8 million units shipped, albeit just 0.3 million more than the same quarter one year ago. Continued demand for Apple's iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, particularly in China and the U.S., elevated Apple in 2015 to 231.5 million units shipped in the year. 

This represents 20.2% growth from the 192.7 million units shipped in 2014. The combination of new innovative features such as Apple Pay and Force Touch, combined with a new Rose Gold color, better performance, and increased speed, helped drive upgrades and attracted Android switchers in record numbers.

Huawei was the biggest winner in the quarter, with the strongest year-over-year growth among the top five vendors at 37%. Huawei also became the fourth mobile phone vendor in history to ship over 100 million smartphones in a year (preceded only by Nokia, Samsung and Apple). Of the key brands originating from China, Huawei has consistently expanded its presence and share on the back of affordable handsets in emerging markets, combined with increasingly competitive flagship models.

Lenovo, just over one year after its acquisition of Motorola, was still trying to find its feet amidst organizational changes while facing greater competition in its domestic market from smaller, local competitors at the low end. The Motorola brand, strong in 2014 in the Americas with the Moto G and Moto X, saw fewer groundbreaking new models in 2015. 

The Motorola name will be shortened to just "Moto" and be used for high-end devices while the "Vibe" brand from Lenovo will represent the low-end. Lenovo will also put its faith entirely in Motorola as they have elected Moto to design, develop, and manufacture smartphone products going forward.

Xiaomi leaned heavily on the China market for growth, where volumes were still 90% domestic on average compared to international, despite ramping up in India and launching in Brazil. 

Xiaomi spent 2015 trying to encourage a transition away from the low-end range of models into more midrange models, although the bulk of shipments still rest on low-end volumes from the Redmi line. 

On the basis of this growth, it was able to widen the gap from number 6, LG.

iCharts

LG K series smartphones to begin roll out in key markets globally.

Premium Design, Advanced Camera Technology and Unique UX.

Offered at Competitive Price.

LG Electronics (LG) will begin rolling out two of its K Series models, the K10 and K4, in key global markets including CIS and Europe starting this week. Stage two of the rollout will commence in the weeks to come in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

LG’s K Series, which was unveiled at CES 2016, is important to LG because of its mass-tier appeal. The K Series was designed with a premium look and feel and offers advanced camera features without a premium price. 

The glossy pebble design language of the K10 is complemented by LG’s new 2.5D Arc Glass for a smooth and seamless look. An intricately woven back cover provides optimal grip, preventing the phone from slipping out of users’ hands.

Aimed at a younger audience who enjoy consuming content on their smartphones and actively sharing on social media, the K10 features a 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch Display, premium-level camera specifications — up to 13MP on the rear and 8MP on the front — with an ample 2,300mAh battery.

The K4 is an entry-level device with best-in-class practicality, featuring a 4.5-inch display, 8GB of memory and LTE connectivity. The smartphone incorporates a sleek design that flows naturally into the bezel for a much more comfortable and secure grip. The K4 offers LG’s uniquely familiar camera UX such as Gesture Shot and Flash for Selfie inherited from its G Series, making it a standout among competitors.

“Affordable mass-tier phones with advanced features are becoming more and more important,” said Juno Cho, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. 

 “Our newest K Series is designed for our consumers to experience LG’s premium design philosophy and optimized mobile experience across disparate smartphone categories,”

K10 Key Specifications:^*

• Display: 5.3-inch HD In-cell Touch
• Chipset:  LTE: 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz Quad-Core / 1.14GHz Octa-Core
  3G: 1.3GHz Quad-Core
• Camera: LTE: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP or 5MP
  3G:Rear 8MP / Front 8MP or 5MP
• Camera: RAM: 2GB / 1.5GB / 1GB
  ROM: 16GB / 8GB
• Battery: 2,300mAh
• Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
• Size: 146 x 74.8 x 8.8mm
• Network: LTE / 3G
• Colors: White / Indigo / Gold
• Others: 2.5D Arc Glass / Gesture Shot / Tap and Shot / Gesture Interval Shot^*

K4 Key Specifications:^*

• Display: 4.5-inch FWVGA
• Chipset: 1.0GHz Quad-Core
• Camera: Rear 5MP / Front 2MP
• Memory: 1GB RAM / 8GB ROM
• Battery: 1,940mAh
• Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop
• Size: 131.9 x 66.7 x 8.9mm
• Network: LTE
• Colors: White / Indigo
• Others: Gesture Shot / Flash for Selfie

* Specifications/Features may vary depending on the market.

Verizon and Samsung Launch 4G LTE Small Cell Solution for Enterprise Customers

Verizon and Samsung Launch 4G LTE Small Cell Solution for Enhanced In-Building Coverage for Enterprise Customers.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions and the Networks Division of Samsung Electronics America announced immediate availability of the 4G LTE Network Extender for Enterprise designed to enhance indoor wireless coverage for the enterprise.

Verizon’s 4G LTE Network Extender for Enterprise uses Samsung’s innovative small cell technology to deliver a 4G LTE solution for organizations that transforms weak coverage areas within a business into productive work zones, enabling workers’ smartphones and tablets to stay connected where and when they are needed.

The solution is ideal for mid-sized locations (10,000 to 100,000 square feet) and is cost-effective and easy to deploy. A single unit supports approximately 42 concurrent users and about 31,500 square feet.

“The introduction of this solution with Verizon represents our continued focus on delivering innovative LTE solutions for our customers,” said Mark Louison, Networks Division Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager for Samsung Electronics America. “The 4G LTE Network Extender for Enterprise expands the small cell portfolio for Verizon to deliver the best service for their location-diverse subscriber base.”

This combination of better technology and affordability is driving significant growth for this type of solution across multiple industries, including hotels, hospitals, public safety offices, government agencies, and remote and expansive operations facilities.

“The Samsung solution provides us with an offering for our enterprise customers that have significant volumes of devices, employees or guests that require a fast connection for 4G LTE,” said T.J. Fox, senior vice president of Wireless Enterprise for Verizon. “The introduction of the 4G LTE Network Extender for Enterprise provides our business and government clients with a 4G voice and data solution that seamlessly extends the corporate network to deliver mission- critical apps and corporate emails in a high performance environment.”

With more than 35 years of experience in developing and commercializing telecom network technologies, Samsung’s Networks Division has worked closely with mobile service providers around the world, helping them successfully implement advanced LTE solutions. Samsung’s network solutions are globally recognized and successfully deployed in the U.S., Korea and Japan, allowing carriers to seamlessly integrate multiple communications protocols to create a unified customer experience.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions helps clients improve customer experience, drive growth and business performance and manage risk. With industry-specific solutions provided over the company’s secure mobility, cloud, strategic networking, Internet of Things and advanced communications platforms, Verizon Enterprise Solutions helps open new opportunities around the world for innovation, investment and business transformation. Visit www.verizonenterprise.com to learn more.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, employs a diverse workforce of 178,500 and generated more than $127 billion in 2014 revenues. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with 109.5 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.verizon.com/news/.

MWC 2016: Sonim Technologies and Star Solutions partner to provide portable Band 14 LTE networks.

Sonim Technologies, maker of the world's toughest mobile phones and Star Solutions, a leading supplier of mobile network infrastructure solutions, have partnered to provide portable Band 14 LTE networks to U.S. and Canadian public safety agencies.

The dedicated Band 14 LTE network provides a high-speed wireless data pipeline that is not impacted by or available to the general public. This allows first responders the bandwidth required to send sensitive information, place and receive calls, and share data, including video, regardless of the conditions of commercial networks.

Star Solution's IMPAC System is a complete LTE Network in a backpack form factor that is capable of providing broadband coverage in any environment. The IMPAC System can be battery powered and is easy to transport making it an excellent solution for emergency or incident response and disaster recovery. Operation is quick and easy as a single switch enables a LTE network to be deployed in under five minutes.

"We are excited to offer our customers infrastructure packaged with an ultra-rugged LTE smartphone." says Myles Lu, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Star Solutions. "Until the XP7 hit the market, we were without a high-quality Band 14 device that could meet the needs of our demanding customers."

Sonim's Band 14 capable XP7 meets Sonim's Rugged Performance Standards (RPS), which go far beyond basic MIL-Spec and IP certifications. Standard features include an extra-loud speaker, noise cancellation, a powerful, 4,800-milliamp battery, resistance to submersion in water, an ability to withstand drops onto concrete surfaces and ease of use with dirty or wet work gloves.

"The growing market for Band 14 networks will require unique solutions that allow customers a significant amount of flexibility in deployment and the IMPAC System perfectly meets those needs," said Robert Escalle, Sonim's Vice President of the Public Safety Market Segment.

The IMPAC System includes LTE core network and eNodeB components enabling it to be used in stand-alone mode or integrated as part of a Public Safety Broadband Network. The combination of the IMPAC System with Sonim's Band 14-capable XP7 ultra-rugged handset has allowed customers to address remote deployment and incident response requirements for broadband communications.

"We have used the Sonim XP7 and IMPAC hardware in conceptual Public Safety Broadband Networking deployed systems field tests, and have found the hardware to integrate and perform very well, with excellent support from both Sonim and Star Solutions," said Peter Anderson and Stephen Braham, of Simon Fraser University.

Star Solutions will be present at the upcoming events in February: Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb. 22-26, 2016 at booth 7H41, and CACP Information & Communications Technology Workshop in Vancouver, Canada, Feb. 21-24, 2016.

ABOUT SONIM TECHNOLOGIES: 

Sonim Technologies (http://www.sonimtech.com) is the provider of mission-critical solutions designed specifically for workers in extreme, hazardous and isolated environments. The Sonim solution includes ultra-rugged mobile phones, business-process applications and a suite of industrial-grade accessories, collectively designed to increase worker productivity, accountability and safety on the job site. Sonim's industry-leading, 3-year comprehensive warranty has redefined customer expectations of rugged technology. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., and offers its products with mobile operators around the world.

ABOUT STAR SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC.: 

Star Solutions is a leading supplier of mobile network infrastructure solutions with special focus on Rural/Remote, Enterprise and Rapid Deployment/Disaster Recovery applications. Star Solutions' experience includes rural deployments in over 30 countries; majority of the cruise ships worldwide; private Enterprise mobile network for Mines, Oil & Gas and Prisons; Rapid deployment systems for disaster relief, military and emergency public safety communications. 

SOURCE Sonim Technologies.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Preview on video. Sort of.

S7 Galaxy Preview claims PhonePresident who posted the above video on Youtube that we take with a grain of  salt. However let`s take  a look of the latest probably specifications:

Samsung Galaxy S7 details (pre-official)*

• Dimensions: 143.4 x 70.8 x 6.9mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.27-inch)

• Display: 5.2-inch Super-AMOLED with 1440 x 2650 pixel resolution (that's Quad HD, or 2K) (or 5.5-inch for the Edge)

• Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, Samsung Exynos 8890 (octa-core)

• RAM: 4GB RAM

• Camera: 20MP back-facing camera - similar to Sony Xperia Z5, with 4K video recording abilities, dual-LED flash *downgraded from our last report, which suggested 25MP

• Front-facing camera: 8-megapixel (similar to this year's model)

• Battery: 3,500mAh (guesstimate based on historical precedent)

• Internal Storage: 16, 32, 64GB, microSD card slot for storage expansion

• Special Features: Fingerprint scanner, Force Touch pressure-sensitive panel (under display), Corning Gorilla Glass 5 front and back panels, curved glass edges on rear, similar to Galaxy Note 5

Screen sizes are a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED for the standard version and a 5.5-inch for the Edge.

*Above you'll find the Samsung Galaxy S7's specifications as well as the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Note again that these are not final specifications and are no confirmed by Samsung in any way shape or form.

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