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Huawei tipped to launch Nexus phone this autumn

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According to the folks at The Information, Huawei will indeed help Google build the sequel to last year’s Nexus 6. The report also claims that the next-gen flagship will be launched this autumn.

If true, Huawei will be the first Chinese manufacturer to take the job. Companies that have taken the job in the past include HTC, Samsung, Asus, LG and most recently Motorola.

So why Huawei? Well, the report points out that Huawei has become "one of Google’s strongest and most trusted partners in selling devices powered by Google’s Android software."

And apparently, the working relationship will extend much further than just the 2015 Nexus. Huawei is also helping Google to set up an Android app store for China. The Google Play Store isn’t available there at the moment due to government regulations, so Huawei might be able to assist.

In exchange, Google will reportedly help Huawei to market future devices in the West. On top of that, it will also reportedly help get the Huawei Watch working with the iPhone.

It will certainly be interesting to see where the new Nexus fits in the series, though. After all, the Nexus 7 name is already taken by Google’s tablet. Some tipsters reckon they might just use the Nexus 5 name again and keep going recycling the same three numbers, but we’re not so sure.

We’ve also heard that Google might follow Apple’s tactic of releasing two handsets, as it did with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple reportedly set to announce new iPods next week

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The news broke last week that Apple is refreshing its iPod devices, after images showing iPods in new colours were spotted in the code for iTunes 12.2. Now French site iGen suggests the new MP3 players will be formally debuted this coming Tuesday, July 14.

We’re told gold, grey, electric blue, fuchsia, pink and black versions of the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano and iPod Touch are on their way. All of them are said to don upgraded internals, apparently, the reason is to support Apple Music. With less storage – because we’re all streaming our music, supposedly – the new line-up could be a cheap alternative to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

If the rumours are true, the iPod Touch – which hasn’t been updated since 2012 – will be improved the most. Apple is said to be swapping its 32-bit processor for a faster 64-bit processor, as well as giving it a beefier camera and Touch ID tech. 

Apple Pay also hits the UK next week on July 14, which probably isn’t a coincidence. With Touch ID packed into the new Touch, users will be able to pay for things in seconds.

However do note, this report is hardly gospel. Given the fact that Apple has yet to shed any formal light on the supposed iPod unveilings, take these claims with a pinch of salt for now.

Check out everything we know about the iPhone 6S.

New Google Chromecast and Chromecast Audio: everything you need to know

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Both devices have just been shown off at the latest Google event, with a new hockey puck design and beefed-up WiFi capabilities to offer high-res streaming to and from your devices.

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Google Chromecast (2015)

Basics

Price £30 
Dimensions 51.9 x 51.9 x 13.49mm
Weight 39.1g
Maximum resolution 1080p
WiFi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz)
Ports and connections HDMI, Micro-USB
Power 5V, 1A power supply
Availability 29 September 2015

The new Chromecast runs in almost exactly the same way as the original device – it plugs directly into a spare HDMI port on your television and allows you to ‘Cast’ from your phone or tablet and have the output on your screen.

It connects to your home network, running via your router rather than being directly connected between device and TV. That way you can carry on using your mobile device without interrupting what’s going on the screen, so if you get a phone call you can chat away without that being broadcast to everyone watching the TV.

New shape

The most obvious thing is the change in shape. The new Chromecast is a 51.9mm diameter disc with an attached, flexible HDMI cable.

That’s quite a departure from the USB dongle aesthetic of the original device. And it also means the new Chromecast can fit in a wider range of televisions without needing a HDMI extension to fit.

You can also choose a range of colours too.

The traditional black device is available at all retailers, while the lemonade and coral options are only available from the Google Store exclusively.

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New hardware

But it’s the new hardware that will make more of a difference.

The improved WiFi 802.11ac connection now allows access to the 5GHz band as well as the standard 2.4GHz band. This offers it greater bandwidth to stream higher bitrate content.

It’s also got a newly designed antenna array which allows it to keep the signal strong to keep buffering to an absolute minimum.

Compatibility

The new Chromecast has wide compatibility. Obviously it is totally compatible with Chromebooks and Android devices, but also iPhone, iPad and Mac and Windows laptops.

Applications

There are a host of new applications that offer direct ‘Cast’ buttons from the app themselves. Google Photos, Spotify, 7digital and iPlayer Radio are all now Cast-enabled.

There are also a bunch of existing applications already Cast-enabled, such as Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer, BT Sport and NOW TV.

The new Chromecast application has also been completely redesigned to help discovery, showing different options for you to watch at any one time. All the options it offers are sourced from the applications which are already installed on your phone or tablet. It’s essentially Universal Search for everyone.

Gaming

Google doesn’t want to let the likes of Amazon and Apple run off with the big-screencasual gaming fun with their new Fire TV and new Apple TV respectively, with the new Chromecast Google is looking to create more mobile games that are Cast-enabled to be played on your TV. It's not just a question of mirroring the screen either as the device itself is being touted as the controller which will offer new ways of interacting with the games.

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Chromecast Audio

Basics

Price £30
Dimensions 51.9 x 51.9 x 13.49mm
Weight 30.7g
WiFi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5GHz)
Ports and connections 3.5mm jack (analogue and optical), Micro-USB
Power 5V, 1A power supply
Availability September 29 2015

Working almost exactly like the video-based Chromecast, the new Chromecast Audio will do for the off-grid stereo what the original Chromecast has done for the unconnected television – all for the price of a cheap pair of headphones.

Connections

The Chromecast Audio simply plugs into any spare AUX/line input, RCA or optical input on your existing stereo and will turn it into a network connected audio player. Again it plugs into your home network, so you can still go ahead and use your phone or tablet for whatever you want without interrupting your Spotify stream.

And again, it’s all using the same improved WiFi connection that the new Chromecast is rocking so high-res audio, from the likes of 7digital, is definitely on the table.

Applications

All the Cast-enabled audio applications that have been announced around the new Chromecast are perfectly ready for the Chromecast Audio – having Spotify on there is a definite boon running straight out of the app itself.

Sharing

As well as using your own devices you can also enable ‘Guest Mode’ to allow people you don’t want to give your WiFi password to send music to your Chromecast Audio. Google is also looking to crush the multiroom audio market too because it’s set to upgrade the Chromecast Audio later this year with a multiroom synchronisation OTA update.

iOS 9 and Mac OS X El Capitan public betas released

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Sign up to the Apple beta programme on the Apple website and you’ll be able to get on-board with the betas very soon.

You don’t need any special knowledge or developer credentials to use the betas of iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. However, you probably will need patience.

While Apple clearly thinks these bits of software are stable enough for the public already, they’re still going to be far from bug-free. “Please keep in mind that you should not install beta software on production or business-critical systems,” is Apple’s sound advice.

There are definitely a few interesting new features worth checking out, though. iOS 9 gets a battery saver mode for the first time, along with new Siri powers that give the digital assistant more uses. She’ll be able to search content with apps: pretty smart.  

OS X El Capitan offers new a multi-tasking style, takingcues from mobile phones in giving you a split-screen dual app view. Safari and the Notes app get a pretty deep redesign too – check out our El Capitan image gallery. 

In US lingo, full releases of OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 are expected in the “fall”. That’s likely to mean they arrive in September, when Apple’s new iPhones are usually unveiled.

Check out our full details roundup of iOS 9 features.

LG unveils the G4 Beat

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LG G4’s affordable and smaller-sized variant is here. Dubbed G4 Beat (or G4s in Europe and CIS region), the phone borrows its looks from the elder sibling with some software enhancements sprinkled on top. The G4 Beat skips the premium leather finish from the G4 but instead adopts the ceramic coated battery cover with a textured design. The phone features a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS panel display and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 1.5GHz quad-core processor and 1.5GB RAM.

G4 Beat seems to have a potent 8MP LDAF camera, which will be bumped in resolution to 13MP in the Latin American market and comes with exclusive features like Color Spectrum Sensor, Laser Auto Focus, Manual Mode along with 5MP on the front with Gesture Interval Shot that allow users to take four consecutive selfies with a single hand gesture.

The 139g phone runs Android 5.1.1 and features 8GB internal memory, 4G LTE support, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, 2300mAh battery and A-GPS.

The phone will be out in markets like France, Germany and Brazil this month followed by Canada, India, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey in the following weeks.

LG G4 Beat