EMIE MEMO 10,000MAH POWER BANK REVIEW

A fun design and shake-activated power status make this Emie Memo 10,000mAh power bank stand out among a sea of similar devices. But is it any good? We review the Emie Memo power bank. Also see: Best power banks 2015.

A single-output power bank, the Emie offers fast (10.5W) charging for a connected phoneor tablet. A flat white Micro-USB cable is provided in the box, and if you're charging an iPhone or other device with a proprietary connector you simply need to provide your own cable.

A rectangular block with squared edges, the Memo is just a little taller, around the same width and about twice as thick as my Samsung Galaxy S6. This means the 218g Emie will slip into a pocket if necessary.

It stands out from other power banks with its fun graphical design. We reviewed 'Ice Cream' and the Emie also comes in 'Pop Art', 'Mountains' and 'Egypt'. The plastic casing has a rubbery soft-touch feel, and the device feels well made. No carry case is provided. Also see: How to improve smartphone battery life.

Another thing we like about this power bank is that, in common with the OnePlus Power Bank, you simply shake it to activate the LED bar that shows how much power remains. The Emie has auto-on and auto-off, so you just plug in a device to begin charging and when it's done it shuts off the supply.

The LED bar itself, though, is a tad confusing. You're supposed to work out how much power remains by whether it glows blue, red or green. So you'd assume green meant it was fully charged, red meant it was low, and blue was somewhere in between. According to the user guide it's the other way around: a red LED means there is between 70- and 100 percent of power; green means there is between 0- and 30 percent of power; and blue is anything in between. So this is the one time green does not mean you're good to go, and red does not mean stop.

Emie doesn't specifically state that the Memo supports passthrough charging, but when we plugged it into the mains both phone and power bank seemed to charge. There's a reasonably fast 1.5A/7.5W Micro-USB input for recharging the power bank, which you simply need to plug into a phone or tablet wall charger. Also see: Best desktop chargers 2015.

Going back to that Samsung Galaxy S6, the Emie Memo should have enough capacity for just under three full charges. The average energy-efficiency for power banks is between 65- and 70 percent, so you should expect a minimum of 6,500mAh of usable power. To work out how many times that will charge your phone or tablet you ust need to know its battery capacity - the iPhone 6s, for example, has a 1,715mAh battery, which means you can expect around four full charges from the Memo.

Emie's Memo costs £17.99 from Amazon, which is a few pounds more expensive than the OnePlus Power Bank, but this one includes free delivery. Nevertheless, you can find power banks of this capacity (even those that support Qualcomm Quick Charge) for less money. Also see: How to charge your phone or tablet faster.

Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter.

EMIE MEMO: SPECS

• 10,000mAh power bank
• 2.1A/10.5W USB output
• 1.5A/7.5W Micro-USB input
• passthrough charging
• auto-on/auto-off
• single LED to show remaining capacity (green 0-30%, blue 30-70%, red 70-100%), shake to display
• no carry case
• 147.7x70x13.3mm
• 218g
• 12-month warranty

OUR VERDICT

We like the Emie Memo's fun design and its shake-activated power status feature, but we aren't so taken on its confusing LED colour system - it's all back to front. It's not the best value for money, but when compared to the similar OnePlus Power Bank free delivery means it works out cheaper. Auto-on/-off and passthrough charging are welcome features.

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: WHAT'S THE BEST ANDROID PHONE?

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: PRICE & UK AVAILABILITY

While the Sony Xperia Z5 has only recently gone on sale, and the black UK version still commands £599 (Amazon; the Gold and Green versions will be available on Amazon on 22 October at the official RRP of £549), Samsung's Galaxy S6 has now been on sale six months and is available much more cheaply at £376 SIM-free (Amazon). If you're looking to buy either phone on a contract this price difference will be largely irrelevant. Also see: Sony Xperia Z5 UK release date, price and specs.

It's worth pointing out that you might find better value with the slightly slimmed down but also cheaper Sony Xperia Z5 Compact. To see how it differs from the standard Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 premium read our comparison of the Xperia Z5 series.

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: DESIGN & BUILD

The Samsung Galaxy S6 and Sony Xperia Z5 are premium-looking phones with metal frames and stylish glass front and rear covers, with the Xperia Z5 slightly more boxy in its appearance. While the Z5 uses frosted glass at the rear, the S6 has a mirror finish. It's available in black, white, green and gold, and the S6 in black, white, gold and blue. Also see:Best phones 2015.

Both smartphones have fingerprint scanners, but the Xperia Z5's implementation is arguably more user-friendly, built into the power button on the device's right edge and falling naturally under the thumb as you pick up the phone. Samsung's fingerprint scanner is found in the Home button at the front of the device, and a double-tap of it instantly launches the camera app - a nice touch.

While Samsung also includes a heart-rate scanner on the device's rear, which pairs with the S Health app to keep tabs on your health and fitness, Sony has included some extras that could potentially turn the heads of long-term Samsung fans. Also see: Best Android phones 2015.

The Galaxy S6 sits at the top of our best smartphones chart, and we think it's a brilliant Android phone. But Samsung has made some compromises in its design, which has infuriated fans. The S6, unlike its predecessor, is not waterproof, it doesn't feature a removable battery, and there's no support for microSD.

The Xperia Z5's battery isn't removable either (although it is higher in capacity at 2900mAh vs 2550mAh and likely to last longer given the lower-resolution screen - Sony says up to two days for most users), but Sony has included support for IP68 dust- and waterproof protection, plus a microSD slot that can accept memory cards up to 200GB in capacity.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is smaller, thinner and ligher than the Sony Xperia Z5, measuring 143.4x70.5x6.8mm and weighing 138g against the Z5's 72x146x7.3mm, 154g. This doesn't surprise us, given the aforementioned higher-capacity battery in the Z5, plus the larger screen.

You're unlikely to notice the difference in size between the 5.1in panel on the S6 and the 5.2in panel on the Z5, but what you will notice is the difference in both resolution and appearance. Sony fits a full-HD (1080x1920) Triluminos IPS screen, while Samsung plumps for a Quad-HD (1440x2560) SuperAMOLED panel with a super-high pixel pitch of 432ppi. (If you want a Quad-HD Sony you'll need to look to the more expensive Sony Xperia Z5 Premium.)

Given the differing screen technologies, you will notice a difference in more than just clarity. SuperAMOLED is thinner and more energy efficient, with typically oversaturated colours; IPS is known for its realistic colours and excellent viewing angles. Which you like best is very much down to personal preference. See all phone reviews.

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: HARDWARE & PERFORMANCE

Sony has fitted the Xperia Z5 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip and Adreno 430 GPU originally intended to go in the Samsung Galaxy S6, but overheating concerns led Samsung to instead opt for one of its own chips, the Exynos 7420 (the Z5 doesn't overheat in normal use as did the Xperia Z3+). Both are 64-bit octa-core processors and immensely powerful, especially when backed with 3GB of RAM as they are here - in real-world use you will find neither phone slow.

In our performance benchmarks the Samsung Galaxy S6 outran the Sony Xperia Z5, recording 4438 points in Geekbench 3.0 against the Z5's 4212, 462ms in SunSpider against the Z5's 644ms, and 30- and 14fps in the onscreen elements of T-Rex and Manhattan. The Z5 managed a faster 53- and 26fps in GFXBench, but has far fewer pixels to power. Also see:What's the fastest phone 2015?

For storage both phones come with 32GB built-in, but while the S6 is also available in 64- and 128GB variants the Z5 accepts microSD cards up to 200GB.

As we mentioned earlier the Sony Xperia Z5 has the higher-capacity- and likely longer-lasting battery, but only the Samsung Galaxy S6 supports wireless charging. Quick Charge is possible with either phone.

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: CONNECTIVITY & EXTRAS

Whether you buy your smartphone from Samsung or Sony you'll need a nano-SIM to take advantage of its 4G cellular connectivity. For Wi-Fi they each support dual-band 802.11ac with MIMO, and you'll get Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and GPS.

The Sony Xperia Z5 will offer the better audio experience. While the S6 has a single speaker, found on the device's bottom edge, the Z5 has S-Force front-facing speakers and support for hi-res audio. It also supports PS4 Remote Play.

Of these two Android Lollipop smartphones (both will be upgraded to Marshmallow in time), the Xperia Z5 has the plainer implementation of Android. However, in fairness to Samsung it has stripped back TouchWiz and the user experience is much more friendly here than it was with the S5.

SONY XPERIA Z5 VS SAMSUNG GALAXY S6: CAMERAS

On paper the Sony Xperia Z5 blows away the Samsung Galaxy S6 on the photography front, but more megapixels doesn't necessarily translate to better performance, and in our tests (prior to the Z5's release) we found the Galaxy S6 to be one of the best camera phones on the market. It really is an awesome camera. Also see: Best camera phones 2015.

The Xperia Z5 comes with 1/2.3in 23Mp Sony Exmor RS rear- and 5Mp 25mm wide-angle lens front cameras. The primary camera can focus in 0.03 seconds (and more often than not it did in our tests), and features 5x Clear Image and 8x digital zoom, a Pulse LED flash, a 24mm wide-angle G Lens, SteadyShot stabilisation, and can operate up to ISO 12800 (3200 for video). This camera is capable of 4K video recording, too.

By comparison the Samsung Galaxy S6 matches the 5Mp front camera, but at the rear it has a 16Mp camera with smart optical image stabilisation and an f/1.9 wide-angle lens that allows for better shots in low light. The S6's camera is always on in the background, so it will spring into action and be ready to shoot in just 0.7 seconds. Plus an IR sensor can automatically detect and adjust white balance.

The Z5 camera is very good but while DxO ranks it as the best in the world, we wouldn't go quite so far. It's up there with the best and we'll be updating our best camera phone group test with a detailed comparison with rivals soon.

Read next: Best new phones coming in 2015/2016.

Follow Marie Brewis on Twitter.

SONY XPERIA Z5: SPECS

• Android 5.1 Lollipop
• 5.2in Triluminos Display IPS (1080x1920, 424ppi)
• 2.2GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU
• Adreno 430 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage
• microSD slot (up to 200GB)
• 23Mp rear camera AF with LED Flash
• 5Mp front camera
• Video recording at up to 2160p
• Wi-Fi up tp 11.ac
• Bluetooth
• NFC
• 4G LTE Cat 6
• Nano-SIM
• 2900mAh battery
• Dust and waterproof (IP68)
• 72x146x7.3mm
• 154g

OUR VERDICT

If you're buying these phones SIM-free then the Samsung Galaxy S6 wins, more than £200 cheaper, faster, with a higher-resolution screen and an excellent camera. If you're buying on a contract, though, the Galaxy just got some real competition - the Xperia Z5 has the microSD support and waterproofing protection Samsung fans are crying out for, and with better battery life and more impressive audio quality to boot. Of course, it also has an outstanding camera and offers plenty of raw processing power, especially in graphics. Our SIM-free money is on the Galaxy S6, but if you're buying on a contract then you will find it difficult to fault the Xperia Z5.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 release date, rumours, specification

Like many companies, Samsung has an annual product release cycle, which means it's normally pretty easy to guess when we can expect to see a new smartphone announced.

The Galaxy S series takes the beginning of the year, while the Note series tends to fall within the last quarter of the year, so now is the time when the rumour mill start to turn.

As we are still a good few months away from the next Galaxy Note, speculation is still thin on the ground, but we will update this feature as and when new details appear.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 5, or at least everything we have heard so far.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 5 release date

The Samsung Galaxy Note series typically launches during IFA, a consumer electronics trade show that takes place in Berlin at the beginning of September.

A handset has recently appeared on the IMEI database thought to be the Galaxy Note 5. It came under the code name Noble with the product name SM-N920F, which is similar to the current Galaxy Note 4 that goes by SM-N910.

There was also the codename Zen that appeared, which was at first considered to be a new variant of the Galaxy S6. Rumours have since suggested that the Zen device was referring to the Note 5 Edge. Samsung has reportedly changed the Zen codename to Project Zero 2.

There has been no official word from Samsung of course, but we would guess the Note 5 and any variant of it will appear around September time again. IFA will run from 4-9 September this year, so expect an announcement before the show kicks off on 2 September. If that is the case, it's likely that a new phablet, or phablets, won't hit stores until October.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 display

Rumour has it that Samsung is working on a 5.9-inch 4K Ultra HD Super AMOLED panel that could be used in the Galaxy Note 5. It is said to be unveiled in August, which would fit in with the Note release time scale, although if accurate, this would put it into Nexus 6 and Huawei P8 Max-size territory.

Phone Arena claims it was told the display panel will have a 3840 x 2160 resolution and would deliver a pixel density of 746ppi. Mass production will also begin in August, allegedly.

Samsung previously said it would offer Quad HD devices in 2014, which it did with the Note 4 and UHD handsets in 2015, so a 4K display on the Note 5 is plausible.

Phone Arena also claims a dual-edge Note 5 could appear with a 5.78-inch display. There has also been a patent granted to Samsung for a device with curved displays on both sides, which could perhaps be referring to the Zen device, although that is just speculation for now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 design

Samsung opted for a metal and glass design for its recently launched Galaxy S6 and some are suggesting the Note 5 will follow the same direction in terms of design.

Phone Arena published some Note 5 renders that were created with the Galaxy S6 as the inspiration. Of course, they are just renders, but they give an idea of what the Note 5 could look like if it takes the same path as the S6. The renders present a 7.9mm-slim handset. More recently, however, we've seen leaked CAD files. Said to be from a reliable source,they suggest that the Note 5 will be close in design to the SGS6.

One thing we can be certain of is that the Note 5 will come with the S Pen stylus the Note series is known for.

However, there's some speculation that a new version of the Note Edge won't be getting the S Pen. We suspect a double-curved display, like the SGS6 edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 camera

The Galaxy Note 4 features a 16-megapixel, OIS-enhanced primary shooter, but Gizbot has claimed the Galaxy Note 5 will take things up a notch with a 18-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. However, Valuewalk is reporting that the camera could be 21 megapixels in resolution, paired with a 6-megapixel front-facing camera.

Incremental increases in resolution don't yield better results, and with Samsung enjoying the successes of the SGS6 cameras, we'd be surprised if there was any change in this department.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 specs

There haven't been many solid rumours floating around when it comes to the specs, butPhone Arena has suggested up to 128GB of internal storage, USB Type-C port and a fingerprint scanner. However the recent CAD leak clearly shows a Micro-USB in place.

The site also speculated that a 4100mAh battery capacity would appear on the Note 5, while others have claimed a 3900mAh capacity would be powering the handset.

In terms of processor, Gizbot and Valuewalk.com have both suggested the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, supported by 4GB of RAM. However, GSM Arena has said the Galaxy Note 5 could take the same route as the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge by moving the processor in house.

It has been speculated that an Exynos 7420 chipset will be under the hood instead of Qualcomm's latest, for instance. Some rumours have even dabbled with the Exynos 7422 paired with a chip that combined RAM and storage into one component, and there has also been talk of the Exynos 7430, which is still in development, so we would expect the latter is unlikely for the Note 5.

Indeed, the Exynos 7422 is the one that pops up in speculation the most.

In

A more recent rumour also suggest that leaked schematics show a design that doesn't feature room for a microSD card slot, suggesting that all storage will be housed on the device and it will be unable to expand.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 pricing

The original Galaxy Note cost £599 including VAT when it launched, while The Galaxy Note 2 cost £550 including VAT. And both the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 4 cost £599 including VAT when they launched.

With that in mind, the Galaxy Note 5 should cost between £550 and £599 including VAT when it launches. It's difficult to say where the Zen device will sit as the Note 4 edge and Galaxy S6 edge were more expensive, but they offered the same flagship specs as the normal variants. If the Zen model takes a hit on the specs, but offers a curve display, it might sit at the same price as the Galaxy Note 5.

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus and S6 Plus release date, Specification

We've heard in the recent past that before it unveils the Galaxy Note 5, expected to be the highlight of its pre-IFA press event in Berlin at the start of September, Samsung will be supersizing its current flagship Android phone. There has been word on the street that a Plus-sized version of the Galaxy S6 is on its way.

But that's not all. More recent rumours have pointed to a Plus version of the Galaxy S6 edge too, bringing that gorgeous wrapped screen design aesthetic to the larger phone market. Indeed, it might be the only of the two to make it into stores.

So we've decided to round-up all of the rumours and speculation so far to give you an idea of what, where and when the Galaxy S6 Plus and/or Galaxy S6 edge Plus might appear.

We'll also regularly update this feature as and when more speculation surfaces.

ALSO READ - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge Plus and S6 Plus release date, Specification

Name

The first mention of a bigger Galaxy S6 called the device the "Grand", as in Galaxy S6 Grand, but more recently alleged sources have taken to call it the Plus.

That first surfaced after reports said that Samsung was working on a device it was calling Project Zero 2, and as both the original SGS6 and SGS6 edge were codenamed Project Zero, it makes sense that the new moniker referred to a larger-sized handset in the same family.

Where the actual "Plus" name came from originally though is unclear.

More recently, a Samsung filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office was found that listed the name "S6 EDGE+", with the symbol rather than the full "plus". The application for the trademark was filed on 26 June and is yet to be approved.

Companies file trademarks all the time on names they never use, but this does suggest that Samsung is considering a larger S6 edge at the very least. Whether that is instead of a standard S6 is yet to be seen.

Release date

At this early stage in the gossip and speculation, there are no actual indications on a release date.

However, considering that Samsung would not want to detract from the impact of a Galaxy Note 5 launch - expected at the beginning of September - it would make sense that a larger SGS6 or edge would have to come out before then. August perhaps.

Display

So far only one indication of how large the display could be on the SGS6 edge Plus (or SGS6 Plus). OnLeaks, the online source for many a phone leak - more often than not genuine - claims that the edge Plus will be 154.5 x 75.80 x 6.85mm. The regular SGS6 edge is 142.1 x 70.1 x 7mm so doing the math the Plus version is 8.7 per cent larger than its current equivalent.

That means that, with the SGS6 edge having a 5.1-inch screen, the SGS6 edge Plus will have a screen around 5.54-inches. You can round that up or down depending on top or bottom bezel. Most are rounding it down to 5.5-inches in reports.

It is likely to be a Quad HD display, much like the current model, regardless of whether we get an SGS6 Plus, SGS6 edge Plus or both.

Design

Apart from either phone's larger form factor, the design is expected to remain the same respectively. OnLeak has tweeted more information on the phone than just its measurements, including images of a dummy version of the Galaxy S6 edge created by a Chinese case manufacturer.

These things can be shady, so take it with a pinch of salt, but you can judge the speculated size against the original in the images posted, at least.

Specs

To be honest, few other details about either Plus-sized phone have emerged so far, but we would doubt that many of the specifications of the original handsets will be altered.

Expect 3GB of RAM, 16-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing cam, for example. It is likely that the battery size with be bigger though, as the phone(s) will need to drive a bigger screen.

Also new to this model, at least where the leaks and rumours are concerned, is an indication that Samsung might head back to Qualcomm for the chipset, instead of use the same Exynos processor as before.

Sammobile claims that the edge Plus is likely to adopt the hexa-core Snapdragon 808 instead.

Samsung Galaxy A8 release date, specification

Although the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge smartphones are beautiful and undoubtedly the company's finest phones yet, at 6.8 and 7mm respectively they aren't its thinnest. The Galaxy A7 holds that crown with a waistline of 6.3mm.

And that is about to be trumped by its successor, the Galaxy A8, as according to rumours the latest Samsung handset will sport a superthin body of 5.94mm - that will make it the thinnest phone in the company's history.

                      READ: Samsung Galaxy A7 - SPECIFICATION FULL REVIEW

The currently unconfirmed device has been spotted in a filing with China's Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center (TENAA) which has to approved mobile devices before they can be sold in the country, much like the United States' FCC.

The SM-A8000, as it is formally dubbed, also appears in a number of photos on the TENAA website and on a filing with the Federal Communications Commission in the US.

READ: iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus release date, Spec... and all

Also revealed in the reports are a number of key specifications, including the full measurements of 158 x 76.77 x 5.94mm. The phone will sport a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED Full HD display, run Android 5.1, and will be powered by an octa-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor.

It will have 4G LTE connectivity, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 16-megapixel rear camera, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space (expandable through microSD). There will also be a 3,050mAh battery on board.

As both filings have been approved, you can expect Samsung to formerly announced the Galaxy A8 soon.

iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus release date, Spec... and all

It's already been a while since Apple introduced the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, so that means it's time to look toward the future and speculate about what the company might have in store for the next iPhone.

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Will the next-generation iPhone be called iPhone 6S or iPhone 7? Will there be an iPhone 6S Plus or iPhone 7 Plus instead? Will any of these phones feature an entirely new camera, along with overhauled camera software? The rumours have already begun to surface, and so haven't a few design concepts.

Here's a look at the whole gamut and everything we might expect to see.'

ALSO READ  iPhone 7 full specification & release date

Name

What's in a name, right? Well, to Apple fanboys and girls, everything. They'll dice you up into little pieces through their online comments if you dare to guess the name of the next iPhone/iPhones. That's said, we're still going to discuss it.

What's in a name, right?

Apple typically names each generation of products by either a flagship feature or design change, according to Tim Cook, the company's CEO. The iPhone 6 Plus, for instance, has a larger screen, so it has a Plus moniker for having a plus-sized screen. If you go way back, the iPhone 4S got the S moniker because it debuted with Siri.

For the next iPhones to have an S name, they will have to sport something that make them standout, but if they stand out too much, sort of like the iPhone 6 handsets do, they'll get all-new name like iPhone 7. There are rumours that claim Apple wants to drop the S name altogether because it carries a mediocre connotation, but that's not confirmed.

We're not fortune tellers. At the end of the day, everything is speculation. So, until Apple confirms specific information, we're going to call the next iPhone... iPhone 6S. There's even reports going around about an iPhone 6S Plus, so we'll also talk a little about whether that's legit.

Release date

It's not hard to pinpoint when the next iPhones could launch, as Apple seems to have settled 

Launches usually occur in September, and for quite a while, Apple has released major updates to the iPhone every other year. In between those years, Apple launched minor updates to the iPhone. It launched the iPhone 5 in September 2012, for instance, followed by the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C in September 2013.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were launched last September. If you're not catching on yet, that means September 2015 will likely bring the launch of another iPhone. Maybe the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6S Plus.

Design

The design, again, all comes down to the name. If Apple releases iPhone 6S and iPhone 6 Plus, they will likely only feature internal changes and may look a lot like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, respectively. If Apple skips the 6 name altogether and releases an iPhone 7, you can expect it to look and be an entirely new phone.

According to The Wall Street Journal, which sourced unnamed Apple suppliers, Apple's next-generation iPhones will continue to be available in 4.7 and 5.5-inch screen sizes, with plans to "keep the resolution similar."

Oh, and Apple is considering a pink version this time around too. It would complement existing space gray, silver, and gold options. Apple Insider has also said the next-generation iPhones will retain the same physical design as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, including 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.

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Display

Apple patents have revealed what Apple might have in store, though don't hold your breath. Apple has a patent from May (spotted by Apple Insider) that shows a side-mounted wraparound display on a future iPhone.

The display, which runs the circumference of the phone, could be used to add virtual buttons to the edges and replace physical controls. In other words: with this display, Apple has envisioned a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge-like iPhone.
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Sapphire glass

If Apple used such a display on its next iPhones, it might include Sapphire glass for the display and Liquidmetal for the chassis. Apple added Sapphire to the display of the Apple Watch, after all. Keep in mind however that Apple's primary Sapphire glass supplier is currently seeking to end its “oppressive and burdensome” contract with Apple.

The Wall Street Journal reported that sapphire manufacturer GT Advanced Technologies will close two plants in Arizona and Massachusetts, costing 890 people their jobs. GTAT also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, indicated it is bleeding money after opening a manufacturing plant with Apple, and that it wants to finally end its relationship with Apple.

Force Touch

Another screen technology that is likely to be used on the handset or handsets is Force Touch. The pressure sensitive haptic technology knows how light or hard you are pressing or tapping the screen to open up an all-new level of interaction. It is being used by Apple on its Apple Watch and new MacBook, for instance.

It makes sense that Apple will look to introduce Force Touch to other devices, including iPhone. The Wall Street Journal has even cited "people familiar with the matter" as saying exactly that.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a great track record at reporting on Apple rumours, has also claimed the next-generation iPhone will have a capacitive Force Touch sensor, and that the change may be significant enough for Apple to call its next iPhone the iPhone 7 rather than "iPhone 6S, according to MacRumors.

The analyst said this hardware implementation of Force Touch would be different than the technology used in the Apple Watch and 12-inch Retina MacBook. It won't directly detect the pressure applied by fingers, but it will monitor the area where a finger presses to determine pressure being applied.

And finally, Apple's new Force Touch technology might be exclusive to the iPhone 6S Plus.Taiwan's Economic Daily News reported that Taiwanese manufacturer TPK will supply Apple with the Force Touch sensors, but it made no mention of just the iPhone 6S, meaning the technology might only go to the iPhone 6S Plus.

TechNews Taiwan however reported in January that the iPhone 6S will gain Force Touch and 2GB of RAM. Apple Insider also reported in March that Apple's next-generation iPhones will feature Force Touch.

Aluminium

There's a current rumor that suggests Apple might use the same 7000 series aluminum used in the Apple Watch for its next-generation iPhone. This aluminium is lightweight as well as 60 per cent stronger than standard aluminium.

Liquidmetal

Going back to Liquidmetal for a moment, Apple has an exclusive arrangement for a metal alloy dubbed Liquidmetal. And for the last four years, many rumours about magical Apple products made of Liquidmetal have popped up. In reality, Liquidmetal is very unique, difficult to work with, and likely too expensive to produce in large quantities.

In other words: the next iPhones could have a wraparound display, Sapphire glass, and a Liquidmetal chassis, but nothing is confirmed at this point and it all sounds a bit like wishful-thinking.

Features

Camera

The next iPhones will feature the “biggest camera jump ever” - and it'll even compare to DLSRs in terms of image quality, according to John Gruber, a blogger and podcaster who is notorious for having inside sources at Apple.

“The specific thing I heard is that next year’s camera might be the biggest camera jump ever,” he said in a recent podcast. “I don't even know what sense this makes, but I've heard: it's some kind of weird two-lens system, where the back camera uses two lenses, and somehow it takes it up into DSLR-quality imagery.”

Gruber cited his source this time around as a “birdie of a birdie”. He also brought up Sony's new 21-megapixel image sensor, called the Exmoor RS, and that Apple has used Sony sensors in the iPhone.

Apple Insider has dismissed rumour about the next-generation iPhones featuring a DSLR-like dual-lens camera system, as such a feature would require redesigning the iPhone and ditching the current chassis found on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It's been therefore suggested that the new iPhones will stick to an 8-megapixel rear-facing sensor.

Taipei-based analyst Jeff Pu, for instance, specifically claimed the iPhone 6S will have the same camera hardware specifications as previous models. Apple first introduced its 8-megapixel rear camera on the iPhone 4s in 2011. It used similar modules for the iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, and iPhone 5S.

Apple recently acquired LinX Imaging, a camera technology company that specialises in cameras for mobile devices. They're cameras can produce DSLR-quality images by using multi-aperture arrays. LinX technology also features low-light photo taking capabilities via depth mapping and can create 3D images from still photographs. It's possible LinX's camera technology could in the next iPhones.

Processor

Apple usually gives "S" upgrades new features, such as Siri, Touch ID, new processors, and camera improvements.

Based on past updates, many have assumed the next-generation iPhones, especially if they are iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, will receive the new A9 processors produced by Samsung. Bloomberg has claimed Samsung will provide Apple with A9 chips for the next iPhones and other devices.

Other

It's assumed the next iPhones will have 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities and that they will also include Touch ID.

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SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET REVIEW, & PRICE

This year Sony has updated is flagship Android tablet so we have a new iPad Air 2 rival. Sony claims it's the world's lightest 10in tablet with a 2K screen so here's our Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet review. Also see: Best tablets 2015.

Last's years Z3 range included one tablet which was Sony's first smaller size, the 8in Z3 Tablet Compact. Instead of replacing that range – which also has the Z3 and Z3 Compact phones – Sony has added to it with the Xperia Z4 Tablet. It's a new 10in device which succeeds the Xperia Z2 Tablet so there is no Xperia Z3 Tablet in a 10in size.

SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET REVIEW: PRICE AND COMPETITION

We expected the Xperia Z4 Tablet to come in at £399 matching the iPad Air 2 but it costs £100 more than that. Before you panic and run to the Apple store, this is because it comes with the Bluetooth keyboard dock so there is a reason for it.

Sony's main Android rival for the high-end 10in tablet is Samsung's Galaxy Tab S which was £399 but can now be purchased for under £300. It's a long way from being old and decrepit too, so represents quite a saving in comparison to Sony's new tablet.

The more expensive model with additional 4G LTE connectivity will set you back £579 placing it only £60 short of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 which it is competing against considering the laptop style keyboard dock.

It's a real shame Sony has decided to only sell the tablet this way as many consumers will no doubt want just the tablet and it's not like you can sell the keyboard because other users will have one as standard. Retailers are saying the keyboard is free but it's clearly factored into the price and we hope Sony changes its mind in the future.

SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET REVIEW: DESIGN AND BUILD

Its predecessor was and still is an impressive tablet and we didn't think Sony could do much to the 6.4 mm, 426 g chassis. However, it has managed to slim it down further to 6.1 mm which isn't much but the weight has dropped to just 392 g.

In comparison with the market leading iPad Air 2, it's the same thickness and a decent 45 g lighter so tops marks to Sony. The Xperia Z4 Tablet feels great in the hand with the weight particularly making it easy to handle. The firm calls it the 'World's lightest 10in tablet with brightest 2K display'.

Sony continues to offer dust- and waterproofing, this time to an IP68 rating which is the highest available. We've got used to the headphone port not needing a cover or flap to keep the moisture out but now the microUSB port doesn't either which is a great addition. Only having one flap for cards is ideal as you rarely need to open it.

Aside from the above changes, the design remains essentially the same. A reasonable bezel runs around the display which doesn't look great but means you can hold any side without needing to touch the screen, leaving your fingers in the way.

The Xperia Z4 Tablet will be available in black and white options but we've only seen black listed at retailers so far.

What we thought was an optional Bluetooth keyboard dock (BKB50) is now bundled with the tablet in the UK. It supports tilt and a trackpad for what Sony calls a 'premium laptop experience'. The Xperia Z4 Tablet slots in easily and then you can adjust the angle or close it like you would a regular laptop.

It all works pretty smoothly and there's a limit to how far back you can tilt the tablet so it doesn't topple over (unlike the Acer Aspire Switch 10). The keyboard is a little flimsy and the keys are small so it's not the optimum experience but you can certainly get a reasonable amount of typing done without pulling your hair out. The trackpad is surprisingly good and using Android with a mouse cursor actually makes a lot of sense.

Some things are awkward but there are many keys dedicated which alleviates this such as navigation, the drop down notification bar and even power. After a while you'll probably find yourself not using the touchscreen but our main issue is that not everyone will benefit from the accessory yet you have to pay for it.

Since there's no physical connection to the tablet, there's no hard drive, extra battery or ports such as USB in the way of features. It simply connects over Bluetooth and charges via micro USB.

SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET REVIEW: HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE

The screen size remains at 10.1 in but Sony has improved the resolution to 2560 x 1600 and boosted the brightness to 500cd/m2. That's plenty of brightness on offer and the pixel density of 299 ppi is impressive outpacing the iPad Air 2 which is 264 ppi. The 'Triluminos' screen looks great and the IPS panel means great viewing angles. We really can't fault it and it's up there with the Galaxy Tab S 10.5.

Other hardware upgrades include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor which is both octa-core and 64-bit. There's 3 GB of RAM to accompany it, 32 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for adding up to 128 GB more. 

SONY XPERIA Z4 TABLET: SPECS

• Android 5.0 Lollipop
• 10.1in IPS Triluminos screen, 2560x1600, 300ppi, 500cd/m2
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 64-bit
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage, microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
• 8.1Mp rear camera with Exmor RS
• 5.1Mp wide angle front camera
• MHL 3.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac
• NFC
• Bluetooth 4.1
• Nano-SIM (LTE model)
• 6000 mAh battery
• 254x167x6.1mm
• 392g (Wi-Fi), 396g (LTE)
• Black, white