Omio News Blog

Huawei confirms Huawei Ascend P6 4G version will be coming to the UK

Popular low-cost handset manufacturer Huawei’s Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Device, Shao Yang, has confirmed to Omio that faster processor based mobile phones are coming from the company, along with providing an update on the state of the 4G version of Huawei Ascend P6.

We asked if the LTE version of the P6 will be coming to the UK?

Shao Yang, responded with “Definitely”

“This time we know that the UK and European operators would like an LTE version”

“But still they have made a big effort to have the first version”

“We have around 15 operator partners [in Europe] selling Huawei phones, most of them will launch the P6”

We also asked if there will be a Huawei device with a more powerful processor, coming soon?

This relates to the latest Ascend P6, Ascend P2, Ascend D2 are all found running quad-core 1.5GHz processors, where HTC is now on a 1.7GHz and Samsung, 1.9GHz quad-core CPUs.

“It will happen, in the second half of the year”

“Maybe in Q3”

Later, we enquired if the Q4 version of the Ascend P6, which will feature 4G LTE capabilities, could feature a faster processor?

“We can only say P6 will have LTE in Q4”

“The specifications of that: the battery, the chipset, the LTE specificity – should be [announced] at that time”

“Because we need a lot of testing”

“If the testing doesn’t qualify it, perhaps we might delete something”

Huawei: Ascend P6 will get Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Popular low-cost handset manufacturer Huawei has responded to our enquiry on if the next version of Android coming to its new, 6.18mm thin, Huawei Ascend P6 mobile phone – which is now due to arrive at Carphone Warehouse on the 4th of July.

Omio asked if the P6 will be receiving the next version of Android?

Shao Yang, Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei Device answered “Yes, definitely”

“We are the second largest Android smartphone vendor”

“We have very close cooperation with Android [Google]”

“Every time Android wants to launch a new version, before, for several months, we will have this new version”

“If you are a Huawei user, already, when the new version comes, you can upgrade to that version”

We enquired if the roll out will be carrier dependent, or will it be deployed straight from Huawei.

“[it will be] straight to the phone; you can use Wi-FI to upgrade”

“When the new version [of Android] comes, you’ll get a notification and can then upgrade”

He also confirmed the next version of Android will arrive in time for the 4G version of the Ascend P6, due to ship in Q4 of this year.

Huawei explains the reason why the Huawei Ascend P6 isn’t a 4G mobile phone

Popular low-cost handset manufacturer Huawei has just launched its top-tier Huawei Ascend P6 mobile phone, only it’s not a 4G device. Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei, Shao Yang, has answered our question: if there was a reason why the Huawei Ascend P6 isn’t going to be released as a 4G mobile phone, but it will be, later in the year.

The Chief Marketing Officer of Huawei responded: “This type of phone needs to focus on the global market”

“It’s not like the [Huawei Ascend] P2; the P2 focuses on the LTE region; like Europe and Japan”

“P2 is the fastest LTE phone”

“And this phone [Ascend P6] needs to cover more countries”

“It is coming to 120 countries and not so many of them have LTE”

“The first version doesn’t have LTE; in Q4 we will have the LTE [version]”

“I believe at that time we will get the change from the P2”

“As we will be doing a slim phone, we need to build in a balance in system”

“[When] we integrate LTE, one big problem will be the power consumption; we will need to modify it”

“The Q4 version, we will decrease the chipset power state by more than 30 per cent”

“This will let the LTE be possible, in such as slim body”

Omio followed up with, if the 4G version will have the same battery, form factor and he confirmed that it would.

“May be the battery will be a little bigger [in mAH], but the size [6.18mm] will be the same”

Huawei Ascend P6 available at Carphone Warehouse, deals from £21 a month or SIM free for under £330

Popular low-cost handset manufacturer Huawei has seen its flagship and world’s thinnest handset, the Huawei Ascend P6, pre-ordering open at Carphone Warehouse.

That popular high-street retailer is offering the 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 HD screen based mobile for free, on a low £21 a month contract.

This is with Vodafone and it is accompanied with 100 minutes, and unlimited text message bundle and a 100MB data allowance – plus a 1GB BT Openzone Wi-Fi offer.

£4 more a month gets you 500 minutes, a 1,500 text message setup and a 1GB mobile broadband bundle (on Talkmobile).

The quad-core 1.5GHz processor based phone, with 2GB of RAM; 8GB internal storage and support for microSD cards – will be delivered on the 4th of July.

There is also an 8-megapixel F2.0 aperture, BSI, camera in the rear, with a front-facing 5MP version.

This is the largest megapixel count to be found on the front of any phone, which is backed by a variety of software – one of which is a beauty scale, to improve self-taken picture quality.

Carphone Warehouse is also selling the Android 4.2.2. Jelly Bean run P6 SIM free, for £329.95, also in black or white.

Omio has already published hands-on photos of the Huawei mobile phone, and a video walkthrough of its features by the company’s Product Management Director.

Huawei Ascend P6: hands-on video walkthrough

Huawei’s thinnest, along with the world’s, mobile phone has just been announced – in the Huawei Ascend P6.

Omio is now publishing this video walkthrough of the 6.18mm thin handset, captured at its launch event, given by the Product Management Director at Huawei, James Powell.

The 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 flagship’s design is covered, with its double C construction, aluminium-alloy surround and rear covering.

Our footage goes into the quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2,000mAh battery and 8-megapixel camera.

The latter is detailed, with its F2.0 aperture and low light capture prowess. Its front facing 5MP snapper is mentioned, where most phones hit a ceiling of 2MP at the front.

Huawei’s Emotion UI is also walked through, with its help centre; help bar; home-screen apps and folders, plus its power saving features.

The possible contract price of the mid-20s (£25) is noted and that it will arrive in July – with O2, Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk and Amazon.

Huawei Ascend P6: hands-on pictures

Huawei has unveiled the world’s thinnest smartphone – the Huawei Ascend P6, with a thinness of 6.18mm.

Omio is now publishing hands-on photos of that very handset, which has a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 in-cell LCD screen.

The images start with the lock-screen of the mobile, followed by four shots of the phone from various angles to highlight its dimensions.

It has a height of 132.6mm, a width of 65.5mm and a weight of 120grams. The P6 does have a similar look and feel to the Apple iPhone 5, which comes in at 123.8mm x 58.6mm x 7.6mm, 112g.

The rear of the handset sports an 8-megapixel camera, with F2.0 aperture, BSI and 4cm macro view.

On the front, there is a 5MP variant, said to be the highest megapixel count found on a front facing camera, today.

These images are of the default home-screens on the P6, which is driven by a quad-core 1.5GHz Huawei processor, with 2GB of RAM; 8GB of internal storage and support for microSD cards.

It runs from the latest version (1.6) of the outfits Emotion UI. This doesn’t have an application menu, instead all the apps are installed to the home screen (see fourth pic), or can be located in folders.

Below, is the Me Widget. This is noted to combine all the information and functions you need in a single, customisable widget.

Those three images that follow are of folders, which house apps, on the home screen.

These save having a whole series of screens populated by apps, where just placing similar ones together offers quick access to connected content, for ease of use.

The ones on our demo handset are listed as management, tools and Google apps – which are all self explanatory.

The next four are of the settings menu, showing all the screens and options available; ending with the about phone screen – highlighting that Android 4.2.2 is running on the mobile.

The 8 and 5-megapixel cameras have access to the company’s proprietary IMAGESmart software, quoted to turn the most novice photographer into a professional.

There’s contrast and colour enhancements, auto scene recognition, object tracing focus, and instant facial beauty – where a scale of one to ten can be implemented, making the person appear younger.

In wrapping up, Omio running from the Huawei’s Ascend P6 default browser – in both portrait and landscape modes.

Huawei Ascend P6 announced, as the world’s slimmest mobile phone

Popular low-cost handset manufacturer Huawei has unveiled the Huawei Ascend P6 at a London press event, which boasts the title of the world’s slimmest handset.

Huawei’s claim is on a phone that measures just 6.18mm thin, while still housing a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 in-cell screen.

This is with its ‘MagicTouch’, which is said to offer an enhanced responsiveness, even when wearing gloves.

It is also powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM;  8GB of storage (microSD card support); a 5-megapixel front facing camera and an 8MP rear-facing snapper.

The latter is a BSI camera, with F2.0 aperture and 4cm macro view, enabling 1080P full HD video recording and playback.

That is with the proprietary IMAGESmart software, said to turn even the most novice photographer into a professional.

The P6 weighs in at 120g, with a 2,000mAh battery and runs from the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, with a new version of the company’s Emotion UI.

“The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is a star among smartphones with its industry-leading design, high-quality camera, and intuitive user interface, Huawei’s proprietary Emotion UI,” said Richard Yu, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Consumer Business Group.

Huawei’s Ascend P6 will be available between June and July with Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, H3G, O2, Carphone Warehouse, and TalkTalk – in black, white and pink, with matching color cases – for 449 Euros (£383).

Initially, the shipping versions are non-4G, but the P6 range will be updated later in the year to 4G.

New Microsoft Windows Phone OS coming in July

Seattle based software developer Microsoft has seen the roll out schedule of a new version of Windows Phone 8 outed, through a mobile phone operator.

These details have been published by Australian network Telstra, on its support forums.

It notes that the Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 520, HTC 8X and 8S will see testing of the Microsoft Windows Phone 8 GDR2 (General Distribution Release) update in July, where its roll out date is still yet to be confirmed.

VR-Zone notes that the update will feature FM Radio support, where Windows Phone 7 did have this enabled, but it was missing in version 8.

This is actually a part of the underlying hardware in some devices, only it is dormant.

Another function said to be CalDav and CardDav support. This will enable Google contacts and calendar syncing services.

There is also believed to be other minor bug fixes and general improvements, along with the DataSense mobile broadband monitoring app.

Omio saw the latter on the new Nokia Lumia 925, where we have since published unboxing and hands-on pictures of the device – plus a video walkthrough of the mobile.

Microsoft has previously stated in a blog post that the update will be arriving this summer, where we hope it will also be mirrored in the UK.

UPDATE: Nokia quad core mobile phone seen in benchmarks – now listed on Nokia developers website

Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia has seen a yet-to-be-announced quad-core handset appear on a well-known benchmarking website.

Popular graphics processing unit website GFXBench (formerly, GLBenchmark) has recorded a Nokia mobile with 4 processors – where the company has only made dual-core CPU handsets.

These are in the current Lumia range, as Windows Phone 8 was the first mobile OS in the series to support a multi-core setup.

There isn’t a great deal more information on the site – only that it has a 1,280 x 720 resolution display

That is still high definition, but we would have thought a full-HD screen might have accompanied the new device, perhaps it is still early days.

Androwin has spotted this showing up on the benchmarking site, which has been covered by WMPoweruser.

The latter notes there isn’t any 720P Windows Phones, with the Andreno 305 CPU in GFXBench’s database – where a direct comparison can’t really be made.

However, the Nokia Lumia 620 does have the adrenal 305 processor, and the results do show a very significant boost.

NokiaPowerUser has learned that 5.5-6-inch screen Nokia phablet is planned for a September/October release, where a lower-end 920 is scheduled after that – according to its sources.

The latter is thought to take design cues from the Lumia 720, with similar 920 specs, only with reduced camera features.

UPDATE:

TechTastic has noticed the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 has been listed on the Nokia developer’s website.

This has been seen in code, listed here, which relates to the 8974 model of the chip.

That can be clocked to 2.3GHz and it comes with the Adreno 330 GPU; both of those correlate to the benchmark results, seen on the GFXBench site.

Omio expects to see more of these occurrences, as we head towards a version of Windows Phone 8 that officially supports this processor: GDR3.

New Apple iPhone goes on sale for £64,000

Cupertino based iDevice maker Apple has seen a customised version of its Apple iPhone 5 produced, with gold and diamond enhancements – and a retail cost to match.

This has been made by luxury gold plating company Goldgenie, which has pimped up the Apple phone – where its body is made from solid gold, and a second model, also has 300 certified diamonds.

The Superstar range has been designed by a Swiss designer, where the gold version comes in at a cool £48,000 and the other, £64,000.

They both feature 200 grams of solid 18.ct gold or rose gold, which can be re-worked and re-designed to embellish any phone.

That sparkling Ice model is encrusted with 364 5.5ct certified quality diamonds, while presented in a luxurious box – SIM free and unlocked.

Goldgenie founder, Laban Roomes, who won investment from James Caan on Dragons Den, has said: “We know that mobile phones are a part of most people’s daily lives and, like with a watch or item of jewellery, some people like to have the very best.”

“Our new Superstar range features beautifully designed iPhone 5’s which you won’t be able to buy anywhere else.”

The Superstar range can be ordered online here, where a more modest price of £1,831 buys a platinum plated iPhone 5.