MWC 2017: Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra launched

Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra launched at MWC 

MWC 2017: Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra launched

Sony has launched four new smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new devices are the Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZs, Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra. All four smartphones run the latest version of Android. The Xperia XZ focuses on superior display and camera technology. The Xperia XZs, on the other hand, is an improved version of the original Xperia XZ. Meanwhile, the Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra are successors to the Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra.
Xperia XZ Premium
The Xperia XZ Premium comes with a  5.5-inch 4K (3840×2160) display, with a pixel density of  806 ppi, like the Z5 Premium. The Xperia XZ is the world’s first smartphone with a 4K HDR screen, meaning the resolution is four times better than high-definition displays. HDR supported screens on a mobile smartphone is fast becoming a marquee feature. LG’s latest smartphone, the G6, has an HDR display. Even the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (now defunct) featured an HDR screen.

The Xperia XZ Premium also gets an improved camera. The Japanese company claims the phone’s 19-megapixel “Motion Eye” camera is capable of shooting videos at 960 frames per second, four times slower than any other smartphone. The Xperia XZ Premium also features a 13-megapixel front-facing camera with an aperture of f/2.0 and a 22mm wide-angle lens.
Along with a 4K HDR screen and super slow motion video capture, the Xperia XZ Premium is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor – which is the fastest chip created by Qualcomm. The new processor is also capable of delivering Gigabit Class LTE (up to 1Gbps).Other features of the Xperia XZ Premium are as follows: 4GB RAM, 64GB of internal memory with microSD card support, fingerprint scanner, waterproof design, USB Type-C support, and a 3230 mAh battery with Stamina mode.
So far, there is a limited section of content that can be viewed on a 4K HDR screen. Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video service offers content in 4K HDR. Sony said it has inked a partnership with Amazon to optimise a selection of 4K HDR content from its Prime Video streaming service. Xperia XZ Premium will be available in Luminous Chrome and Deepsea Black colour options, beginning from late Spring 2017. It will likely to be priced at $799 ( or approx Rs 53,305).
Xperia XZs
Sony has also unveiled another high-end smartphone, called Xperia XZs. It comes with a  5.2-inch Full-HD screen,  Qualcomm Snapdragon 820,  4GB of RAM, either 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, microSD card, and a 2,900mAh battery.  Like the Xperia XZ Premium, the Xperia XZs gets the new Motion Eye rear camera with its 960fps super slow motion video feature.  The smartphone will be available in Ice Blue, Warm Silver and Black colour variants. The Xperia XZs is said to be launched in April.  Read More...

Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017: All top-end smartphone launches 'target' Samsung

All top-end smartphone launches 'target' Samsung at MWC 2017

Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017: All top-end smartphone launches 'target' Samsung

Phonemakers square measure spile in to fill a spot within the market left by Samsung, still licking its wounds from a expensive recall of its flagship Note seven and with no key device of its own to launch at the medium industry's biggest annual honest.
China's Huawei, the foremost seemingly challenger to fill the outlet within the premium finish of the market, took the wraps off a brand new phone in its quest to displace Samsung because the world's no. a pair of smartphone maker once Apple, throughout a rush of recent product releases on Sunday sooner than this week's World Mobile Congress.
Chinese challengers Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and Gionee square measure in hot pursuit, whereas BlackBerry and Nokia proclaimed models exploiting their retro attractiveness.
Samsung itself bestowed 2 new tablets unfinished the launch of its next flagship device, the Galaxy S8, expected currently at the tip of March instead of at Mobile World Congress, its usual showcase.
"The past six months have beyond any doubt been one among the foremost difficult periods of our history," Samsung's European promoting chief David Lowes told a group discussion in metropolis. "We're determined to find out each doable lesson."
Samsung withdrew the Galaxy Note seven last Oct once faulty batteries light-emitting diode some devices to conflagrate, resulting in a loss of shopper trust, wiping out quite $5 billion of operational profit, and permitting the iPhone to overtake it in sales.
"The competition is feisty however i believe we've got a decent probability," Richard Yu, chief government of Huawei's shopper business cluster, told Reuters in Associate in Nursing interview.
Samsung's smartphone market share born to seventeen.7% within the fourth quarter, whereas Apple's rose to seventeen.8%, in step with research firm Strategy Analytics.
Independent analysis analyst Richard Windsor of Radio Free Mobile doubts whether or not Samsung will quickly regain its position.
"Samsung has taken a huge $5.4 billion hit to profits, apologized extravagantly for the recall and admitted shortcomings in its quality and assurance method however i do not suppose that the complete effects of this issue have absolutely affect," he wrote in a very diary post. He pointed to a survey from Harris Poll that shows that Samsung's name has fallen from No. seven within the us to No. 42, only 1 position higher than the United States of America mail service.

Nokia to launch four new smartphones at MWC 2017: Likely specifications, prices and more

Nokia to Launch its 4 new Sartphones at Mobile World Congress 2017

Nokia to launch four new smartphones at MWC 2017: Likely specifications, prices and more

Mobile World Congress (MWC) can easily be considered as the biggest tech event of the year, especially when it comes to mobile technology. Nearly all major smartphone manufacturers launch/showcase their latest and greatest devices, and technologies at MWC each year. That's the case this year too, but MWC 2017 is a little extra special because of another reason. It's because it marks the proper return of a name that once used to rule the mobile phone business - Nokia.

HMD Global Oy, the Finnish company that acquired exclusive rights to manufacture Nokia-branded smartphones last year, will be unveiling as many as four Android-based Nokia smartphones at its MWC conference, set to begin in a few hours from now.
Of these, the Nokia 6 has already been unveiled in China earlier this year. At MWC 2017, the company is expected to announce the availability of the smartphone to other regions as well. In terms of specifications, the Nokia 6 has a 5.5-inch Full HD display of 1080x1920 pixel resolution. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM. There's 64GB of internal storage, with support for microSD cards of 128GB in size. For imaging duties, the Nokia 6 has a 16MP rear camera with LED flash, in addition to an 8MP front-facing shooter. The smartphone is expected to cost under Rs 20,000 when it comes to Indian shores.
The next smartphone in Nokia's upcoming line-up is likely to be called Nokia 5. As per earlier reports, the handset will have a 5.2-inch HD display of 720x1280 pixel resolution. It'll probably be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chipset paired with 2GB of RAM. 16GB of internal storage is expected, with support for microSD expansion. It's been mentioned that the smartphone will have a 12MP primary camera. The Nokia 5 may bear a price tag of around $210, or about Rs 14,000.
The Nokia 3 will be an entry-level member of the company's new portfolio of smartphones. As such, it's expected to come at a price of about $158, translating to roughly Rs 10,500.
Lastly, HMD Global is expected to announce a proper Nokia flagship smartphone as well. Dubbed Nokia P1, the smartphone has been a subject of numerous leaks and rumours over the past few months. Earlier reports have claimed that the Nokia P1 will have a 5.3-inch display (either Full HD or Quad HD resolution) secured with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Running Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box, the premium smartphone is expected to be powered by Qualcomm's latest and greatest Snapdragon 835 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM. It's likely to come in two internal storage variants - 128GB and 256GB and have IP57 rating for water and dust resistance.
For imaging duties, the Nokia P1 is claimed to sport a 22.6MP rear camera with the famed Carl-Zeiss optics. It can be assumed that the rear camera will be capable of recording 4K-resolution video and support recording at multiple frame rates as well. Expected to have all modern connectivity options such as 4G, LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC and USB Type-C, the Nokia P1 is likely to pack a 3,500mAh battery with Quick Charge support. As for the price, the smartphone may be priced at around Rs 54,500.  Read More...

7 Earth-like planets could be best bet to find alien life

7 Earth-like planets could be best bet to find alien life

Astronomers call Trappist-1 the most incredible star system they've ever seen. A newly discovered set of exoplanets only 39 light-years away could be the perfect lab for finally proving we aren't alone.

A nearby, relatively dim little star nobody even noticed until about 20 years ago might be playing host to the most intriguing planetary party yet seen.

On Wednesday, astronomers announced that the star, Trappist-1, is circled by at least seven Earth-sized planets, including three that could have oceans of liquid water to maybe, just maybe, support life.

"Looking for life elsewhere, this system is probably our best bet as of today," said Brice-Olivier Demory, professor at the University of Bern's Center for Space and Habitability and one of the authors of a paper on the discovery published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The team first put Trappist-1 on the map last year with the announcement it hosted at least three planets, the first exoplanets to be spotted around an ultracool dwarf star, representing a whole new promising avenue in the search for life beyond the grasp of our own sun.

Upon closer inspection and poring through data from telescopes around the world and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, the scientists realized what first appeared to be three planets is really at least seven -- and all only 39 light-years away.

"This is really the first time we have seven planets which can be called terrestrial which are in the temperate zone," astronomer Michael Gillon at the University of Liège in Belgium told reporters on a conference call. "So many is really, really surprising."

The seven planets, named Trappist-1b, c, d, e, f, g and h in order of increasing distance from their parent star, orbit much closer than all planets in our solar system, even Mercury. In fact, the astronomers on Gillon's team say the system better resembles the handful of rocky moons orbiting Jupiter. But because Trappist-1 is much smaller and cooler than our sun, it provides its more closely orbiting temperate zone planets with about as much energy as Venus, Earth and Mars get from our star.  Read More...

Mobile World Congress 2017:Get ready for the Royal Rumble of phones at MWC

Mobile World Congress 2017: Next week's Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona will see plenty of new phones from big name players. Just not from Samsung.

Mobile World Congress 2017:Get ready for the Royal Rumble of phones at MWC

Just about every heavy hitter in the wireless industry is bringing a shiny new phone to Mobile World Congress -- held this time each year in Spain's hippest metropolis -- each trying to out-wow the others with its latest wares.

But we won't see any new phones from Samsung. The Korean electronics giant will launch its newest tablets at the show, but plans to save its highly anticipated flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone for later this year.

The company's back-to-basics approach is a tacit admission that last year's G5, which went out on a limb with a modular system that allowed you to customize the phone with accessory parts, was a failure.

The G6 could end up as LG's redemption phone and has a high chance of taking the spotlight normally devoted to Samsung. That would be fitting considering LG last year tried to upstage Samsung by holding its press conference a few hours earlier. Samsung ended up blowing away the competition with its Galaxy S7 event, which featured Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a surprise cameo.

That decision creates a vacuum that, ironically, may make this one of the more competitive shows in recent years. Over the past few years, the world's largest phone maker used the conference to launch the latest iteration of its Galaxy S line of phones, pretty much keeping the spotlight to itself.

Not this time. Now, Samsung's cross-town rival LG is looking to move past last year's flop with its successor G6 phone. Meanwhile, former high-flying brands Nokia and BlackBerry are banking on nostalgia to grab attention. It all just underscores the fact that although Apple and Samsung dominate the market, consumers still have plenty of alternatives. The trick is to not come across as a bunch of also-rans.

"I don't know that it's necessarily an opportunity for someone else to stand out," said Jan Dawson, an analyst at Jackdaw Research. "In fact, it might just make everyone else seem unimportant by comparison."

So why all the effort? Regardless of how brutally competitive it is, the phone remains the remote control for your life. And for many companies, it's the gateway to get you to buy more of their products or services. That's why these companies keep falling over themselves to introduce new phones.

Here's a breakdown of what to expect starting this weekend.

LG's moment?

When LG "unveils" its G6 phone on Sunday, there will be few surprises. A steady stream of leaks, including from CNET, give a good impression of the device: a large display, a narrow frame, a water-resistant body, last-year's Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a built-in (nonreplaceable) battery.  Read More...

Apple iPhone 8 will come with 3GB RAM, 64GB/256GB storage

The Apple iPhone 8 will sport an OLED display with 3GB RAM and is expected to cost $1,000, making it the most premium iPhone yet.

The Apple IPhone 8 is reportedly launching with 3GB RAM, and 64GB or 256GB storage. The new report from TrendForce cited by 9to5Mac reaffirms the fact that the Anniversary Edition iPhone will pack a larger 5.8-inch OLED display, and a form factor similar to that of the existing iPhone 7. Apple will make this possible by dropping the physical home button also called Touch ID, on iPhones.

TrendForce says that the Apple iPhone 8 will come with new, 3D-sensing technologies that will enable facial recognition, and new augmented reality applications. This coincides with previous reports from renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities. While early rumours hint at the iPhone 8 featuring a curved edge display, TrendForce says that the idea has been dropped due to fragility issues.

READ ALSO: Apple face recognition lock

The Apple iPhone 8 is reportedly set to become the most premium iPhone yet, and TrendForce comfirms that the handset will be priced at $1,000 or 'even higher'. Apple is also expected to announce iteractive updates in the form of iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, some time in September. TrendForce says, at least 40 percent of the units will be the new iPhone 8 - a significant number, considering the $1,000 price tag. The Cupertino giant is expected to announce iOS 11 optimised for the upcoming smartphone at WWDC, on June 5.

Data Source

Google doodle celebrates NASA's Exoplanets Discovery of 7 Planets like Earth

Google celebrates NASA's discovery of 7 exoplanets like Earth through Google Doodle

Google has always made sure to celebrate every special affair around the globe.
Likewise, it has dedicated its doodle today to NASA's discovery of seven earth sized exoplanets.
In a short, comical animation, the doodle shows NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star.

The discovery sets a new record for greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system. All of these seven planets could have liquid water - key to life as we know it - under the right atmospheric conditions, but the chances are highest with the three in the habitable zone.
According to NASA, "This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life.Answering the question 'are we alone' is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal."
At about 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) from Earth, the system of planets is relatively close to us, in the constellation Aquarius. Because they are located outside of our solar system  Read More....

Google has always made sure to celebrate every special affair around the globe.
Likewise, it has dedicated its doodle today to NASA's discovery of seven earth sized exoplanets.
In a short, comical animation, the doodle shows NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star.
Google has always made sure to celebrate every special affair around the globe.
Likewise, it has dedicated its doodle today to NASA's discovery of seven earth sized exoplanets.
In a short, comical animation, the doodle shows NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star.

NASA announces discovery of seven Earth like exo planets in a single solar system

NASA claim discovery of 7 exo planets looks like Earth in a single solar system

NASA: Astronomers have identified more than 4,700 potential exoplanets in the last few decades, and you can add seven more to the list today. NASA has announced the discovery of an amazing planetary system in orbit of a nearby star consisting of seven Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. The star known as TRAPPIST-1 is a mere 39.13 light years away. It’s much smaller and cooler than our sun, but all seven of those planets are clustered in very close, which would make for an incredible view.

NASA announces discovery of seven Earth like exo planets in a single solar system

TRAPPIST-1 is what’s know as an ultracool dwarf star. These objects have a temperature under 4,400 degrees Fahrenheit (2,430 degrees Celsius) and extremely low mass (for a star). TRAPPIST-1 only about 8% the mass of our sun. So, it doesn’t put out nearly as much energy, but it will remain in this state for up to 4-5 trillion years, much longer than our sun. It can still have habitable worlds if they’re orbiting close enough, and TRAPPIST-1 appears to have plenty of them.

Three probable planets were spotted in orbit of TRAPPIST-1 in 2016 by astronomers using the TRAPPIST telescope in Chile. This was exciting enough to warrant a quick follow up by the Spitzer Space Telescope — TRAPPIST-1’s small size and low temperature was ideal for study with Spitzer’s infrared instruments. Using this telescope, astronomers were able to monitor for the transit of the planets in front of TRAPPIST-1. These transits happen frequently as the planets are all in very close orbits. Spitzer was used to confirm two of the planets, but it found that one of the previously identified objects was actually three different planets in similar orbits. It also picked out two previously undetected planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system for a total of seven. If you were on one of these planets, the other planets in the solar system would appear larger in the sky at times than the moon appears from Earth (see above for an artist’s rendering).  Read More.....

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announces 2G versions of LinkedIn and Skype

Microsoft announces 2G versions of LinkedIn and Skype

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announces 2G versions of LinkedIn and Skype

Smartphone users in India no longer need super-fast internet connectivity to access LinkedIn and Skype. Microsoft's India-born CEO Satya Nadella today announced the 'lite' versions of LinkedIN and Skype, termed LinkedIN Lite and Skype Lite respectively.

Nadella said that the 'lite' versions of the app have been developed to especially cater to mobile users in India.
The 13MB Skype Lite app also comes with Aadhaar integration. "You can soon enter your Aadhaar number over Skype to verify yourself for an interview," said Nadella.
The Microsoft CEO also talked about connected cars and the company's recent partnership with Tata Motors. "With self-driving and connected cars, the auto industry is at the forefront of changing the business model," he said.
He also showed how the Andhra Pradesh government is using Kaizala app in day-to-day administration. Created as a chat app, Kaizala has been customised is designed specifically for markets like India and countries in Africa.
Nadella also spoke about the power of cloud to transform businesses. "Phenomenal to see the entrepreneurial energy that's born in the cloud, and is re-shaping the economy in India," said Nadella.

Galaxy S8 Leak Reveals Samsung's Expensive Secrets

Galaxy S8 Leak Reveals Samsung's Expensive Secrets

Optimists will call it bad timing, cynics will label it "Monkey see, monkey do," but either way Samsung looks set to copy the worst feature of the radically redesigned iPhone 8...

According to a new report from SamMobile, Samsung is going to match Apple’s planned price rises which will see both the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8 retail for more than $1,000. Like previous years the pricing information again comes from Eastern European retailers, in this instance Ukraine’s Hryvnia.

A database leak (screengrab below) reveals the Galaxy S8 (SM-G950) and Galaxy S8 Plus (SM-G955) will start at $950 and $1,050 after a currency conversion. The caveat is electronics have different costs in different countries, but even factoring this into the equation the 2017 models carry a circa $100 premium over last year’s Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.

For those prepared to pay this premium (which will be spread out if you sign a long carrier contract), Hryvnia’s listing also reveals Samsung’s initial Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus colour options. Black, Gold or Orchid Gray will be the finishes available, though Samsung usually offers more finishes a few months after launch.
For those feeling frustrated about this trend of price rises (Google is also expected to increase the cost of the Pixel 2), it should be noted 2017 won’t be a year of incremental upgrades like 2016. The iPhone 8 will sport an entirely new design, and the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus will have massive 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch displays while being no larger than the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge - though there are some downsides as well.  Read More...

Apple face recognition lock. Might introduce facial-recognition in future iPhones

It seems pretty clear by this stage that Apple is working on a near-bezel-free design for the iPhone 8. Not only have we heard consistent reports supporting this idea – and Jony Ive’s ambitions of a ‘single slab of glass’ design – but it’s also a pretty obvious next step in the evolution of smartphones.

Apple face recognition lock. Might introduce facial-recognition in future iPhones

Apple has been headed in this direction since day one. One of the major points of differentiation of the very first iPhone over existing smartphones of the time was that it dispensed with a physical keyboard in order to maximize the screen space. In the latest iPhones, Apple has ditched a mechanical Home button in favor of a touch-sensitive one, and it holds patents for multiple approaches to embedding a fingerprint reader into a screen.

But the latest KGI report echoes an earlier one in suggesting that Apple may be planning to drop Touch ID and switch instead to ‘new biometric technologies’ …

Some have taken this to mean that Apple may be replacing fingerprint recognition with something else, but I think this isn’t the case.

Technically, Touch ID refers to the capacitive touch sensor Apple uses for fingerprint-recognition in its current devices, so a different type of fingerprint sensor embedded into the screen could easily count as ‘new biometric technologies.’

In other words, it would be business as usual: we continue to use fingerprints to unlock our iPhones, it’s just that Apple switches to a different method of reading them.

But there have also been multiple rumors of some kind of facial recognition system. Some of these reports suggest that we might see it used alongside fingerprint recognition as an alternative, which would be absolutely fine. If the phone recognizes our face, it unlocks immediately, if it doesn’t it asks for a fingerprint or passcode. Others are suggesting Apple will drop fingerprint recognition altogether, and it’s this I consider   Read more...

iPhone 8 release date rumours price and specs

New iPhone 8 2017 specs, new features and price: Apple joins Wireless Power Consortium, sparking iPhone charging rumours

when will the new iPhone 8 be released in the UK, and how different will it be from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus? (Or will the next generation of Apple smartphones be called the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus?) And what tech specs and new features should we expect from Apple's new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus?

The iPhone 8 rumour mill is heating up, a month after the launch of the iPhone 7. Apple unveiled the new iPhone 7 alongside its bigger sibling the iPhone 7 Plus during a special event in September last year, so we're now looking ahead to the next generation. In this article, we round up all the rumours about the iPhone 8: the iPhone 8's UK release date (and on sale date), iPhone 8 UK price, iPhone 8 specs and new features. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started.

For advice on the current iPhone range, read our iPhone buying guide and best cheap iPhone deals UK. Or, if you'd like to look even further into the future (covering tech developments that come perilously close to the realms of science-fiction), read iPhone 9 and beyond: From graphene to motion charging.

Recent updates

Wireless charging rumours spread as Apple joins Wireless Power Consortium...

...but analysts predict wireless charging will require a separate accessory

New section for leaked images, videos and concept illustrations of iPhone 8

Possibility that there will be no physical buttons at all

iPhone 8 release date rumours price and specs

iPhone 8 expected to break thousand-dollar barrier for first time

Apple hardware partner Japan Display confirms it is ready to make curved screens.

New predictions that Touch ID will be built into the iPhone 8's display and will be joined by a new security feature: facial recognition.

Predictions that late 2017 will see the launch of an 'iPhone X'.

iPhone 8 release date rumours: Release schedule

Macworld's verdict: the iPhone 8 is likely to be released in September 2017.

Before we think about new features you should expect in the iPhones of the future, let's talk about the likely release date schedule. Apple's latest batch of smartphones, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, were released in the autumn of 2016. (Read more: iPhone 7 review and iPhone 7 Plus review.)  Read more

New iPhone 7s release date specs & new features rumours

iPhone 7s specs & new features: Production to begin early, with price expected to pass $1,000 for first time

When will the iPhone 7s be released, and how different will it be from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus? And what tech specs and new features should we expect from Apple's new iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus handsets for 2017?

Welcome to our iPhone 7s rumour roundup, in which we gather and analyse the latest clues and speculation about the iPhone 7s release date, tech specs, new features and more. If you've come here in search of information about the current iPhone range, allow us to direct you to our iPhone 7 review, iPhone 7 Plus review, iPhone buying guide 2017 and best iPhone deals.

iPhone 7s

Apple unveiled the new iPhone 7, alongside its bigger sibling the iPhone 7 Plus, during a special event on 7 September last year. But we're already looking ahead to the next iPhone in 2017. In this article we sift through the clues and evidence pointing to Apple's iPhone 7s launch later this year, and predict the iPhone 7s release date, tech specs, design and new features.

We'll update this article whenever new information emerges, so check back regularly for the latest iPhone 7s rumours.

Updated, 15 February 2017, with predictions that iPhone 7s production will start earlier than expected, that Samsung will be making the screens, and that the next iPhone may break the $1,000-dollar barrier for the first time; on 6 Feb, with an awesome new concept video of the iPhone 7s; on 26 Jan, with confirmation that one of Apple's hardware partners is ready to make curved screens; on 20 Jan, with predictions that the late-2017 iPhone update will be rebranded as the 'iPhone X';  Read more