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Apple isn't the only one with its eye on the clock – Samsung has confirmed it is readying a smart watch of its own.
The news comes after months of rumours that the Korean company has been working on a wrist-worn rival to Apple's supposedly-upcoming iWatch.
"We've been preparing the watch product for so long," Samsung's executive VP Lee Young Hee told Bloomberg. "We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them."
Watch out, Apple
He didn't let slip any details about what the wristwatch might feature, but we'll no doubt see it fit into Samsung's ecosystem of products, including the just-unveiled Galaxy S4.
With Apple also keeping a lid on all watch details, we can understand Samsung's resistance to add anything further, though Lee did mention: "The issue here is who will first commercialise it so consumers can use it meaningfully."
But now that Pebble has taken the lead in this reinvigorated market of wearable tech, the race is definitely on for the next big competitor to enter. The question is: who will get there first?
Which is the fake? Both of them! (credit: Phone Arena)
It'd be remiss of us not to let you know that yesterday this "press shot" of the "LG Nexus 5" hit the "internet" - oh, wait, scratch the air quotes from that one - but you'll be pleased to heart that it has been debunked.
That's because it's actually a picture of a Chinese handset called the Caesar A9600 and not of an LG-made Nexus smartphone that may or may not exist.
OK? OK.
Blips are TechRadar's new news nuggets that you'll find percolating through the homepage - or you can see them all by hitting the blip keyword below.
We've managed to grab a glimpse of the first pricing news regarding the recently announced Sony Xperia SP andSony Xperia L.
Although Sony is yet to officially confirm the price of its new mid- and low-end handsets, online retailer Expansysalready has the duo available for pre-order on its site.
The 4G-enabled Sony Xperia SP, which sports a 4.6-inch 720p display, 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 8MP camera, is listed at £339.99 - which should place it around the £20-£25 per month mark on contract.
There's also a Xperia SP release date noted on the site, with the mid-range smartphone apparently due to arrive on May 7.
If you fancier a cheaper thrill then the Xperia L may be more your bag: it's currently sporting a £239.99 pre-order price tag, so around £15 per month if you're waiting for networks to pick it up.
In terms of an Xperia L release date we could well see this low end handset arrive sooner than its brother, with Expansys listing April 29 as its in-stock date.
European tour
Android Authority is reporting that the Xperia L and Xperia SP have also been priced in Europe, although there seems to be some discrepancy in cost between countries.
In Holland the handsets are listed at €279 (around £240) and €399 (around £340) respectively, while in Italy and Germany they're apparently slightly dearer at €299 (around £255) and €419 (around £360).
The prices and release date are probably all subject to change, but it at least gives us a general idea of when to expect the handsets, and how much they'll set us back.
The Motorola X Phone could make a splash, if all the rumors are true
It's been a while since Motorola was on top, but that could change in 2013 with the debut of what's being called the Motorola "X Phone."
Despite this code name, the X Phone may not just be a single device - reports claim that Motorola Mobility is prepping an entire line of Android smartphones for release this year.
And if all goes according to plan for MM, rumor has it the X Phone line will compete directly with the biggest Android phones out there: Samsung's Galaxy brand.
With the Galaxy S4 still making waves, it seems Motorola will face quite a challenge. Armed with a new phone or phones, might the Google-owned company be up for it?
To infinity and beyond
A handful of new rumors about Motorola's X Phone sprung up just last week, when the fan site Android and Me published a report with tips leaked from an "old time friend" of the author.
Besides being a chatty buddy, the site's source also reportedly has inside information into Moto's plans.
Chief among the divulged rumors was a claim that the X Phone (or Phones) are meant to take the Samsung Galaxy line head-on.
Android and Me wrote that this should come as a no-brainer, but we're not so sure - device makers like Nokia haven't had much luck doing the same lately, and have instead turned to the other side of the spectrum to focus onmaking phones that are more affordable than ever.
Then again, Nokia's troubles may have as much or more to do withWindows Phone 8 as they do with Nokia's own hardware, and Android devices don't face quite the same OS-based roadblocks.
Besides, Motorola has got Google on its side, and Android and Me's source claimed that Google and its subsidiary will subsidize the X Phones "heavily." So why not compete with the toughest kid in the sandbox?
Customizable, inside and out
Last week's report also included claims that the first Motorola X Phone will launch in June, that it will receive at least one full Android OS update during its life span (to be delivered by Motorola, not carriers), and that buyers will be able to customize their Motorola X Phones - from color to RAM - in an online store or when ordering through carriers.
We've yet to see anything like that in the smartphone industry, but there's no reason why Google and Motorola Mobility shouldn't be able to allow customers to design their devices - outside and in - from the ground up.
Those custom devices will be delivered within one week, and customers will be able to pre-load them with apps, contacts, wallpapers, and more, said the report.
And according to the rumors, carriers won't be allowed to load any of their own custom software, so this will be a pure, personalized Android experience.
Previous reports that the Motorola X Phone would debut with the next iteration of Google's Android OS (called Key Lime Pie) also claimed that it would sport just a dual-core processor, but Android and Me's source put that rumor down by saying it will actually feature eight cores, a la the S4.
Even the site itself notes that its source could have that number wrong, but we're expecting at least a quad-core chip.
Finally, the source claimed that Motorola will provide an easy way for X Phone users to unlock their devices for use on any carrier.
If all these claims turn out true, the Motorola X Phone will make a splash when it debuts - and with Google's IO conference going down in May, that could happen rather soon.
TechRadar asked Google and Motorola to find out if either company would like to add anything to the rumors, but a Google rep noted that the company doesn't comment on rumors.
However, a Moto spokesperson divulged the company does have some "very exciting" products on the horizon.
The tremendous growth of sensor technology in Smartphone increases day by day and will experience fabulously over the next few years. Success of smart phones is leading to an increasing amount of MEMS & sensors in mobile phones to provide new features/ services to end-users, to reduce cost through more integration or to improve hardware performance. Today, I am going to start a brief and basic discussion about these sensor technologies one by one.
Ambient light (ALS):
An ambient light sensor to portable devices such as tablets, smart phones, and laptops extends battery life and enables easy-to-view displays that are optimized to the environment. According to the spectral sensitivity of light measurement in human eyes, modern ambient light sensors attempt to live with an incomplete match to the photonic CIE curve, (Prashanth, Holenarsipur III (Jun 20, 2011). “Ambient-Light Sensing Optimizes Visibility and Battery Life of Portable Displays”.) And instead use the principle of superposition to calculate the ambient light brightness. Most light sensors on the market today use two or more different types of photodiodes, each sensitive to a different portion of the light spectrum. By combining these photodiode outputs mathematically, each with a suitably adjusted gain, the sensor can be made to output a fairly accurate measurement of ambient brightness for the light sources commonly available. However, basically an ambient light sensor adjusts the display brightness which in turn saves battery power in Smartphone; it saves power by adjusting the brightness of the display based on how much ambient light is present. As an example – Providing ambient light sensing (ALS) and proximity detection operation in environments over 60,000 lux (sunlight), TSL2x72 Series [Anonymous, July 11, 2011 “Sensors for Smartphone detect ambient light, proximity”] creates dynamic range of operation necessary for mobile products to adapt to all lighting conditions. Dynamic range is enabled by device’s programmable gain modes, including reduced gain mode. Proximity detection features include SNR performance and programmable register, which allows compensation for optical signal cross talk.
Proximity Sensor:
A proximity sensor is very much useful in Smartphone. It detects how close the screen of the phone is to your body. This allows the phone to sense when you have brought the phone up to your ear. At that point, the display turns off in order to save battery. It also stops detecting touches, as to avoid unwanted input, until you take the phone away from your ear. Proximity Sensor can turn off the screen to avoid accidental touch of the screen by ear. Besides it is useful for detecting towers and sources of interference. So that one can amplify or filter them out using beam forming techniques or others. In the case of iPhone, the proximity sensor shuts off the screen and touch-sensitive circuitry when the iPhone is brought close to the face, both to save battery and prevent unintentional touches. So in a word, The proximity sensor in Smartphone senses how close the phone is to the user’s cheek/face, so that it can pause whatever activity it is in the middle of (playing music or browsing the web, for example) so the user can take a phone call. When the phone is removed from the ear after the call, the phone resumes its previous activity.
Global Positioning System (GPS):
GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use.It’s aNavigation tracking, often with a map “picture” in the background, but showing where you have been, and allowing “routes” to be preprogrammed, giving a line you can follow on the screen of Smartphone. GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user’s exact location. [Anonymous, November 22, 2011.” What is GPS?”] As an example, iPhone models use A-GPS — or “Assisted GPS” — which in basic terms accesses an intermediary server when it is not possible to connect directly via satellite — indoors, for example — and this server provides the nearest satellite with additional information to make it possible to more accurately determine a users position. The iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 employ A-GPS, and the iPhone 3GS and 4 also have a digital compass. iPhone 4S supports GLONASS global positioning system in addition to GPS.
Accelerometer:
The accelerometer allows the device of Smartphone to detect the orientation of the device and adapts the content to suit the new orientation. For example, when you rotate your device sideways, the Web browser automatically switches the screen to landscape mode so that you now have a wider viewing space. Similarly, the camera relies on the accelerometer to tell it whether you are taking a picture in portrait or landscape mode. The accelerometer in smart devices measures the acceleration of the device relative to freefall. A value of 1 indicates that the device is experiencing 1 g of force exerting on it (1 g of force being the gravitational pull of the earth, which your device experiences when it is stationary). The accelerometer measures the acceleration of the device in three different axes: X, Y, and Z. iPhones shows the different axes measured by the accelerometer: [Wei-Meng Lee III (May 11, 2010).” Using the Accelerometer on the iPhone”
As an example of this sensor in iPhone, it says - A 3-axis accelerometer senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly, allowing the user to easily switch between portrait and landscape mode. Photo browsing, web browsing, and music playing support both upright and left or right widescreen orientations. Unlike the iPad, the iPhone does not rotate the screen when turned upside-down, with the Home button above the screen, unless the running program has been specifically designed to do so. The 3.0 update added landscape support for still other applications, such as email, and introduced shaking the unit as a form of input. The accelerometer can also be used to control third-party apps, notably games. The iPhone 4 also includes a gyroscopic sensor, enhancing its perception of how it is moved.
Compass:
Basically compasses are attracted to the earth's poles using magnets. But the modern smart phone is not using magnets. Magnetic interference would render the Smartphone’s cellular capabilities useless. Once introduced, magnetic interferences drops signal strength parabolic ally. Frequency and ranges are consistent with GSM bands. As an example, the AK8973 chip on the iPhone is a small sensor that "listens" for an ultra low frequency signal. If that signal comes from a specific spot like North, paired with the accelerometer the device can calculate the orientation and direction. The compass in the iPhone 4 is the AKM AK8975, which is very similar to the AKM AK8973 in the iPhone 3GS. It senses orientation relative to the Earth's magnetic field using the Hall Effect. The Hall Effect occurs when [Elson Liu, 2006 Mac Book Pro (Core Duo)] a magnetic field is applied transverse to a flowing current. The magnetic field deflects the moving charges that make up the current, inducing a voltage (called the Hall voltage, shown in the figure below as) that is transverse to the current. The Hall voltage can then be measured and used to determine the strength of the component of the magnetic field that was transverse to this current.
By using multiple sensors oriented in different directions, and by using a disk of high permeability material called a magnetic concentrator to bend magnetic field lines that are parallel to the sensor plane so that they have a component perpendicular to the sensor plane that can be sensed, the device can measure the total magnetic field vector and therefore determine the device’s orientation relative to that magnetic field.
Gyros:
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. Gyroscopic sensors used in navigation systems and gesture recognition systems in Smartphones and tablet PCs. Gyroscopes are used in Smartphones and tablet PCs for finding the position and orientation of devices. Wireless computer pointing devices such as mouse for controlling the mouse pointer based on wireless mouse movement. A group of researchers says – Earlier this year the iPhone 4 became the first Smartphone to boast a built-in gyroscope in addition to an accelerometer, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor. Combining a gyroscope with an accelerometer allows the device to sense motion on six axes – left, right, up, down, forward and backward, as well as roll, pitch and yaw rotations – allowing for more accurate motion sensing abilities comparable to a game controller such as the Wii-mote. The iPhone 4 uses a MEMs (micro-electro-mechanical-systems) gyroscope but a newly developed optical gyroscope, small enough to fit on the head of a pin, could allow the integration of more accurate motion sensing technology in not only smartphones, but also in medical devices inside the human body.
A New Sensor – (Back-illuminated sensor):
A back-illuminated sensor, also known as backside illumination (BSI or BI) sensor, is a type of digital image sensor that uses a novel arrangement of the imaging elements to increase the amount of light captured and thereby improves low-light performance. The technique was used for some time in specialized roles like low-light security cameras and astronomy sensors, but was complex to build and required further refinement to become widely used. Sony was the first to reduce these problems and their costs sufficiently enough to introduce a 5 Mpx 1.75 µm BI CMOS sensor at general consumer prices in 2009. BI sensors from Omni Vision Technologies have since been used in consumer electronics from other manufactures such as HTC’s EVO 4G, and as a major selling point for the camera in Apple’s iPhone 4. A back-illuminated sensorcontains the same elements, but orients the wiring behind the photocathode layer by flipping the silicon wafer during manufacturing and then thinning its reverse side so that light can strike the photocathode layer without passing through the wiring layer.
As we see the application and programs of sensor technology in most smartphones increase geometrically, this rapid growth may give us a new direction of a smart planet in our hand.
So, it's finally here. Momentum has been building for theSamsung Galaxy S4 almost since the week after theGalaxy S3 arrived last summer!
It's been one of the most anticipated handsets in a while - that explained by the world's obsession with seeing every leak possible. And they came thick and fast, thanks to our friends in China, as the hours counted down to launch.
The Galaxy S4 arrives at a time when the competition has moved up a notch. Here's how Samsung's latest flagship chalks up against the other big boys in school.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is here!
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: size and weight
Big is beautiful. That's the message we've been getting over the last few years as smartphone manufacturers seem to try to outdo each other on the scales. The Galaxy S2 had a decent enough footprint, the S3 was even bigger.
The S4 continues that tradition, coming in at 5.38 x 2.34 x 0.5/16-inches which makes it exactly the same, height wise, but fairly thinner by width, as its predecessor. It's also a whole three grams lighter at 130g.
The HTC One was fantastic in our review
And it's in good company. Let's not forget the Sony Xperia Z is fairly big in the mitts at 5.47 x 2.80 x 0.31 in and weighing in at 146g, making it similar and only marginally heavier than the HTC One which is delivered at 5.41 x 2.69 x 0.37 in.
We're also massive fans of the Sony Xperia Z
That's not a million miles off the Nokia Lumia 920 which clocks in at 5.13 x 2.79 x 0.42 in, though the Lumia is heavy enough to give you cramp at 185g.
The Lumia 920 is a terrific Windows Phone
In fact, the only one that is out of its depth here is Apple's offering which provides the real alternative to anyone who wants a smaller, yet premium device. The iPhone 5 is minuscule by comparison at 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in and with a weight of 112g.
The iPhone 5 looks tiny compared to the rest
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: screens
One of the most contentious issues when a smartphone is announced these days. Since Apple spoiled many of us with its Retina offering, we've all become more nitpicky than ever, because we know what can be achieved. The Galaxy S2 gave us Super AMOLED Plus and although it didn't have a resolution you'd kill yourself for, the colours really were beautiful.
The S3 was, in some eyes, not the step forward that had been hoped for because Samsung opted for just Super AMOLED 4.8-inch panel with a density that could be marginally picked apart by a very trained eye. It also employed a Pen Tile Matrix here.
5 inch Super AMOLED is the name of the game for the S4
The S4 goes for a slightly larger 5-inch display (still Super AMOLED) of 4.99-inches with full HD 1920 x 1920 and a far higher pixel density of 441ppi. It's, again, a pen-tile matrix with very high pixel density. The gap between pixels has been reduced so we're expecting something that looks far punchier in the real world.
Competition is fierce - the iPhone 5 goes for an LED-backlit IPS LCD flavour. It's only 4.0-inches which is great for some, yet too small for others and giving off 326 ppi.
The iPhone 5's display still looks stunning
Similarly, the Nokia Lumia 920 has a pretty great display with a slightly higher ppi of 332 but that's split over a larger 4.5-inch display. It too is an IPS LCD flavour. The Sony Xperia Z holds its own - this has an amazing display which is TFT and an amazing 441 ppi spread over five inches, but as we explained in our review, it can appear washed out from different angles.
The one to beat here is the HTC One display panel - we're big fans of that Super LCD3 offering with its 4.7-inch screen and 469 ppi, though, as our review explained, we're not massively sold on it when watching video.
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: camera
The S3 was one of the best mobile cameras out there - and the S4 goes one further with a 13MP offering. Plus a 2MP front-facing snapper, which is pretty run of the mill nowadays.
This is one of the main aspects people go for when purchasing a new handset, so is a very important consideration.
Apple reckons its 8MP offering is the best camera it has ever offered, but this at a time when the numbers are creeping into the double digits, much to the humiliation of the Lumia 920 which also offers an 8MP snapper. For example, the Xperia Z is in 13.MP territory as well.
Despite its limited megapixel count, the iPhone 5 takes some great pics in normal conditions
But size isn't everything - as we noted that pictures didn't always look great once shot. Compare that to the paltry sounding 4MP of the HTC One, but a camera that has the Ultrapixel technology, and you see that the number of pixels has barely any relevance compared to other aspects.
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: processor and memory
Of course, none of this makes any difference in the slightest if there is not enough 'oooft' inside to power it all. The S3 was super smooth - although we did notice it go a bit sluggish at times, before the arrival of Project Butter.
As for the S4, forget dual-core. Forget quad core. We have a staggering EIGHT CORE Exynos 1.6GHz processor here. That's bigger than the quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos offering of the Galaxy Note 8 but is obviously of the same DNA!
2GB of ram completes the set, which is the going rate right now. That's double the 1GB RAM you'll find in the iPhone 5 and a real boost to the Dual-Core 1.2GHz processor it holds, but as any Apple fan will gleefully tell you, they rarely experience lag, which goes to show that the OS has just as much responsibility for smoothness.
The S4's specs really blow away what we've seen in the rest of the competition - at least on paper. Sony offers us a Quad-Core 1.5GHz Krait chip and a comparable 2GB RAM which is double that of the Nokia Lumia 920's 1GB, while the Krait processor the Finns give us is dual-core, like the iPhone.
In fact, the highest level after the S4 is the recently announced (and reviewed by us) HTC One which is quad-core 1.7 Krait and, again, has 2GB of RAM.
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: battery size
We've long passed the days when batteries would last all week - now, one day is the most you'll get from a modern smartphone. The problem is when that phone doesn't last even a full day, with tame use.
The S4 packs a fairly huge 2,600MAH pack, up from the 2,100 offering we got on the S3.
The S4's battery
It makes the iPhone 5's 1400MAH battery look paltry, though again, iPhone owners will tell you that they have a decent enough time, which again highlights how much the OS plays a part. Compare that to our thoughts on the HTC One a couple of days back when we struggled to make that 2300MAH battery last, and you'll see what we mean.
As for the Lumia 920, that comes with a 2000MAH pack which we bemoaned in our review, whilst the Xperia Z puts in a stellar effort with the 2330MAH pack powering it, thanks to stamina mode. Similar to our point about the camera, it's more than just sheer numbers that you'll find makes a difference here.
Galaxy S4 vs the rest: OS
Did you think Smart Stay was gimmicky on the S3? Will you care about the screen scrolling to follow your eyes on the S4? If you do, you're in for a treat because despite some claims it wouldn't appear on the final build, it is now official that it will.
Whats more, Smart Pause will know to hold things when you look away. And Air Gestures mean you'll be able to jump to the top of lists, skip music and flick through pictures/answer calls without even touching the screen.
The iPhone is obviously the only Apple device - so has exclusive access to the Cupertino stable of goodies as far as this rabble is concerned. Similarly, if you want a Windows device, you won't find any other offerings in this comparison. But the other three are all Android handsets and have their own unique selling points. Sony is bigging up how the Xperia Z is both resistant to dust and water, which is great if you're an off-roader swimmer.
To get on-the-spot news, app tips and the full lowdown on Samsung's latest mobile announcements check out Samsung'sYour Mobile Life on TechRadar.
Meanwhile, HTC bangs on about its Zoe photos being unique and how the blink-feed home screen will change the world. However, its IR blaster on the newly released HTC One (which we have noted works well) has been fitted on the S4 as well. That unique selling point is no longer unique.
HTC Zoe in action
Samsung's TouchWiz overlay, meanwhile, always looks a bit more colourful and less conservative. Yet, it has, in the past, also been a very solid iteration of Android - which is what these final three run on. The question is - will it be the first to ditch Jelly Bean for Key Lime Pie? And will that make a difference to you? If it does, the S4 will be available April 26th.
The iPhone 5 may only be around six months old, but we're already hearing information about a successor. In keeping with Apple's naming convention this should end up being called the iPhone 5S.
The early arrival of the iPad 4 and the iPad mini - just eight months after the release of the iPad 3 in March - has meant that Apple still has the ability to surprise and we could well see an iPhone 5S appear earlier than expected.
Nevertheless, it's more likely that the iPhone 5S will hit stores in the latter part of 2013, following the trend set by the iPhone 5 and 4S. It's even possible that Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and hop right on to the iPhone 6, though there is little suggestion that this would be the case.
And, as for the software, we're expecting that to be revised too. Some developers contacted The Next Web in early January to say they had seen a new iPhone6.1 identifer in logs - a device running iOS 7.
Apple's past 'S' models have featured the same shell as the core model, though with different features and slightly different tech specs.
The iPhone 5S isn't expected to differentiate itself from the iPhone 5 too drastically, though a better camera and slightly faster processor will surely be part of the package.
One analyst has claimed Apple could use the iPhone 5S to increase its margin for iPhones as a result of falling profitability.
One thing is for sure, with the release of such super handsets as theSamsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game.
That means the iPhone 5S release date could be as early Spring 2013. However, we believe it's still likely that we'll see another iPhone later in 2013.
Digitimes reckons the iPhone 5S release date will be a little later, citing predicted sales targets of relevant component manufacturers. "Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013... Component orders placed by Apple, which climbed to high levels prior to the iPhone 5 rollout, will rise again between March and April, the observers indicated."
iMore rumours in early March pointed to the 5S being out in August 2013.
However, the International Business Times said in March that production had been delayed to make up ground on the progress made by other handset manufacturers/
iPhone 5S display
iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 will include a Super HD screen display and cameraaccording to new reports in December 2012. The China Times says a 'Touch On Display' panel is being developed by Taiwanese supplier Innolux with 10 point multi-touch and a 0.5mm thickness. Apparently the site spoke to sources inside Apple's supply chain.
iPhone 5S casing
According to further rumours, the iPhone 5S might not be the only Apple handset we see this year - rumours abound about cheaper, plastic iPhones, while Apple could be readying an even bigger smartphone to launch in June, apparently called the iPhone Math.
According to the hit-and-miss China Times wesbite the iPhone Math will carry a sizable 4.8-inch display and an 8MP camera.
However, it remains likely that the iPhone 5s will simply use the iPhone 5 shell given Apple's penchant for doing this with the iPhone 3GS andiPhone 4S.
iPhone 5S camera
In January 2013 iLounge received information that indicated the handset would sport the same design as the iPhone 5 with the key difference being a beefier camera and larger flash on the back.
That's hardly ground breaking from Apple, with the touted 13MP camera on the 5S hardly bucking the trend considering the Sony Xperia Z already has this and we'd expect the Samsung Galaxy S4 to offer up something similar.
New rumours from January 2013 pointed towards the iPhone 5S having a 13MP camera as well.
Have we already seen the iPhone 5S?
It was reported on 6 December that images of a purported next-generation iPhone have surfaced on French website Nowhereelse.fr, revealing an exterior virtually identical to the current iPhone 5 but with slightly different internals.
It appears little will change inside the next iPhone [Image credit: Nowhereelse.fr]
Rumours have abounded for years that the iPhone will incorporate NFC at some stage, but this has proved unfounded. Indeed, Apple decided to incorporate Passbook into the iPhone 5 and iOS 6 as a way to provide a similar, if different, feature.
Now, according to the often-wrong China Times, Apple is rumoured to be equipping the 5S with NFC in addition to a fingerprint scanner for added security. We're really not sure about this one, though rumours of fingerprint scanners and NFC support in Apple's devices trace back to last July when Apple bought mobile security firm AuthenTec for $356 million (UK£238 million, UA$346 million).
It's possible, then.
iPhone 5S wireless charging
According to CP Tech, Apple filed a patent application last month for Wireless Power Utilization, a wireless charging system with near-field magnetic resonance (NFMR). That means we'll get wireless charging at last.
Needless to say, TechRadar will be keeping a close eye on all the iPhone 5S rumors and will bring you the latest developments as they emerge - on this very page.
