Rumors

LG will introduce the Optimus G2 in the fall of 2013, according to the latest round of chatter. Reportedly, the flagship device will debut right around the time the current model hits the one-year mark.

Previously rumored to arrive as early as last week's annual CES, the Optimus G2 is expected to feature a full 1080p HD display measuring no less than 5 inches. Seeing as how LG did not announce the new device in Las Vegas last week, the next logical venue would be Mobile World Congress scheduled for February.

Further muddying the waters, LG may also be … Read more

A low-cost iPhone from Apple could be outfitted with a plastic chassis, a downgrade from the usual glass or metal design, according to the folks at DigiTimes.

Citing the usual unnamed supply chain sources, Taiwan-based DigiTimes said the plastic body would be designed to cut costs on the cheaper iPhone. But other rumors tossed off by the site suggest the phone might use a mixture of plastic and metal, with the internal metal parts able to be seen from the outside.

Throwing out yet a third rumor, DigiTimes also said the phone's body would reportedly be made by a … Read more

A cheaper iPhone would give Apple access to a vast new market its current phones don't address -- one currently forecast to reach sales of 580 million units this year, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

Rumors have been flying lately that Apple will introduce a low-cost iPhone to reach out to developing markets and offer more competition to Android. Assuming the rumors prove true, Munster -- one of the most bullish of Apple bulls -- believes such a phone would give Apple's market share a huge boost.

"We believe that the high-end smartphone market (above $… Read more

That much-rumored "cheap" Apple iPhone could hit the market at a lowball price of $99, according to a story published today by Bloomberg.

Citing an unnamed source familiar with Apple's plans, Bloomberg said the phone would sell at a price range of $99 to $149 and would pop up late this year at the earliest.

Apple has already been chatting with at least one of the top U.S. wireless carriers about selling the phone, according to the source. The company has reportedly been working on a low-cost iPhone since February 2011 in a bid to grab … Read more

Is an "iPhone Mini" on the horizon? Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston thinks so. But why?

Samsung has been the clear winner in the smartphone wars, with Apple playing second fiddle. And that lead may wider further in 2013.

Based on data sent to CNET, Mawston expects Samsung to carve out a 33 percent chunk of the smartphone market this year, up from a projected 31 percent in 2012. At the same time, Apple's share will inch up to 21 percent from 20 percent last year. Samsung could sell as many as 290 million smartphones this year, … Read more

New details have surfaced for the Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL just days ahead of an assumed CES announcement.

A chief difference between the two models is that the Xperia ZL will be a dual-SIM variant of the Xperia Z, reports Android Authority.

While this wouldn't be Sony's first smartphone to offer dual-SIM capabilities, it is the first time we've seen this rumor tied to the upcoming handsets. Interestingly enough, there are also rumors that the dual-SIM Xperia ZL will be less expensive than its counterpart. This latter bit of news dovetails with earlier whispers of … Read more

Sony's Xperia Z and Xperia ZL have been found hiding on Sony's Web site, hinting at things to come for next week's CES show.

Known in other circles as the Yuga and Odin, these two Sony devices have been tied to numerous rumors over the last few months.

The Sony Xperia Z (Yuga) is the larger of the two smartphones however, the Xperia ZL may possess similar internal hardware specifications. Reportedly, the Xperia Z will possess a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, a 5-inch 1080p HD display, 2GB RAM, and a 13-megapixel camera.

Both are expected to offer … Read more

One of the first MacBook Air rumors of the season alludes to internal changes but few external tweaks.

A fresh report from the not-always-reliable Taipei-based Digitimes claims the "industrial design will not see any major changes" in 2013.

Apple introduced the accentuated wedge aesthetic in late 2010 (see photo above), so about a year and a half will have transpired if new MBAs are introduced in the first half of 2013.

The report makes no mention of displays, but that's an area of intense focus for Apple. The high end of the MacBook Pro line now sports … Read more

After creating the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, is Apple now working on an iWatch?

A report cited by Business Insider claims that Apple has partnered with Intel to develop an iOS watch. Supply chain sources reportedly told Chinese blog site Tech163.com that the watch would be Bluetooth-enabled and sport a 1.5-inch OLED screen.

The so-called smart watch would debut sometime in the first half of next year.

Other sources have chimed in on the general concept, with Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, for one, saying he thinks wearable computing is a line that Apple might eventually get into. … Read more