Microsoft bypasses carriers to deliver early Windows Phone updates

Microsoft may have only just announced Windows Phone 8 Update 3, but the company plans to start delivering it to developers later today. After over a year in the making, Microsoft is finally launching its Windows Phone Preview for developers. The program will provide registered developers with early access to Windows Phone 8 updates, bypassing the complex and lengthy carrier testing process. Microsoft is specifically targeting developers with this program, but for $19 a year any Windows Phone 8 user can sign up and get early access to updates. Even registered Windows Phone App Studio developers will be able to get early access.

Windows Phone 8 users that are registered developers or have a developer-unlocked device will be able to download a Windows Phone Preview for Developers app that enables the early access to updates. There are no restrictions on phone type, only that existing Windows Phone 8 handsets have General Distribution Release 2 (GDR2) installed in order to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 Update 3. After the special app is installed, phones will then update through the normal software update process. While this is the quickest way to access updates, and is similar to how Apple provides early access to iOS developers, Microsoft warns it may void any warranty with a mobile operator or device manufacturer.

YOU MAY HAVE TO TRADE YOUR WARRANTY FOR EARLY UPDATES

If a Windows Phone user opts to install the pre-release updates then they’ll have to wait until the update is released publicly to be in a “released state” as there’s no way to restore back to an older version of Windows Phone 8. The pre-release updates only contain Microsoft’s portion of the update, and the software maker isn’t rolling out any firmware or driver changes alongside its own OS update. Today’s update will bring 1080p display support for unreleased devices, rotation lock, a new Driving Mode, and much more.

Microsoft isn’t detailing how it plans to handle future updates through the Windows Phone Preview program, but it’s possible the company may take an Apple approach and place developers under NDA to provide early access to upcoming updates. Today’s announcement is focused on allowing developers to test apps on real devices ahead of the OS update roll out over the coming weeks. It also provides Microsoft with a way to address the growing frustration over carrier delayed Windows Phone updates. Enthusiasts now have a way to update their handsets before AT&T and others have finished testing the software. It’s a win win for both developers and Windows Phone users.

iPad 5: Everything we think we know about the specs, release date, and price of the next iPad

The iPhone 5S is out! What’s next? The 5th generation iPad of course.

 

It is highly likely a new iPad will be unveiled by Apple in mid-October. The fourth-generation iPad was first shown at an event in October 2012, a few weeks after the iPhone 5’s unveiling, and rumors point to a repeat of Apple’s 2012 late-game shenanigans.

 

What we know

Officially? Nothing. Apple hasn’t said one word about its next iteration of the full-size iPad.

 

What we think know

 

When will it will be announced?
Rumors currently point to an October 15 event.

 

Its case design
According to pictures posted by Sonny Dickson, the fifth-generation iPad isn’t too dissimilar from the current design of the iPad Mini. The case is narrower than the iPad 4, has thinner bezels, with more-rounded edges, and according to KGI Securities analyst Mingchi Kuo, it’s said to be about 15 percent thinner and 25 percent lighter than the iPad 4.

 

While the rumored case design wouldn’t be a radical change, it would address a few annoyances about the iPad 4’s look and feel. Namely, its much too sharp edges, wide width, and body corpulence. A more-rounded iPad 5 could mean an iPad 5 that’s much more comfortable to hold.

 

It won’t be larger than 9.7 inches
Although Apple is reportedly testing larger screen sizes — up to 13 inches — for future versions of the iPad, it would appear that we wouldn’t see a release of a larger iPad until 2014 at the earliest.

 

It won’t be any more or less expensive
With the iPhone 5S, Apple kept its normal pricing structure — a $199 starting price for the subsidized model — and if pricing history is anything to go by, the base-level 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad 5 will start at $499.

 

The purported casings for the iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2.

 

When can we expect a release?
Probably early November, same as last year.

 

 

What we want to see

 

Much of my iPad wish list was covered above, but here are a few more things I’d love to see Apple throw in for good measure. Just to be clear, a fingerprint scanner on the iPad isn’t something I’m particularly excited about.

 

An upgraded A7 (A7X) processor
The iPhone 5S’ A7 is a powerful piece of silicon, but if history is anything to go by it will pale in comparison to the iPad 5’s expected A7X. With a larger higher-resolution screen, the iPad 5’s GPU has more pixels to render, which means more work and a higher bandwidth requirement.

 

So, don’t be surprised if we see a few extra GPU cores in the A7X.

 

A better camera
Look, much to my embarrassment, people still use their iPads to take pictures in the exact manner as they would their smartphones. It’s not going to stop, so Apple might as well lean into it and give these budding awkward-looking photographers something to get excited about.

 

The slim bezel of the iPad 5. Probably.

 

Hopefully, the iPad 5’s camera receives the bulk of upgrades from the iPhone 5S, including slow-mo, improved low-light exposure, and some “True Tone” action for more-balanced flash.

 

Longer battery life or faster charging
As demand for a thinner lighter iPad increases, so does the difficulty in fitting a larger longer-lasting battery in its casing. Apple gave the iPhone 5S only a slight bump in battery life over the iPhone 5, so I’m keeping my iPad 5 battery life improvement expectations low.

 

However, let’s not overlook the importance of charging speed. Right now it takes several hours to charge an iPad 4 from 0 percent to full capacity. I’d love to see this time receive a significant cutting.

Samsung backs Apple’s 64-bit chip smartphone chip switch

Samsung has confirmed its next high-end smartphones will feature 64-bit processors.

The announcement follows the launch of the iPhone 5S, the first handset to include the technology.

Apple boasted its A7 chip offered “desktop-class architecture”.

However, experts say most apps are unlikely to see much immediate benefit from the shift from 32-bit tech and that it could introduce compatibility problems in the future.

The Android operating system would need to be updated before Samsung’s Galaxy devices could take advantage of a shift to 64-bit.
Faster work

The number of bits in relation to a microprocessor affects the size of the numbers that can be handled by its registers – the tiny bits of memory on the processing chip itself. Those numbers are then used to address RAM (random-access memory).

In the case of 32-bit architecture, the amount of memory than can be addressed is two to the power of 32, in other words 4.3 billion values.

In the case of 64-bit architecture the processor can theoretically address 18,400,000 trillion values.

As a result, operating systems written for 32-bit chips can only access up to 4GB of RAM, but those written for 64-bit processors can, in theory, support up to 16 billion gigabytes of RAM.
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When app makers do decide to transition to fully 64-bit, it will create a divide in the market”

Chris Green Davies Murphy Group

If a program has been written to take advantage of a 64-bit operating system, it should mean the processor can access data that is in this larger memory rather than retrieving it from, for example, the hard disk.

This speeds up the whole processing chain.

However, including more RAM also makes the equipment more expensive and power-hungry.

For that reason, smart-device makers have tended to shy away from taking advantage of 32-bit chips’ upper RAM limit.

Samsung’s forthcoming Galaxy Note 3 handset goes the furthest, with 3GB of RAM. The device also features a bigger-than-normal 3,200 mAh battery.
Incompatible apps

Samsung Electronic’s co-chief executive announced its plan to use 64-bit chips, in an interview with the Korea Times newspaper.

“Not in the shortest time,” said Shin Jong-kyun. “But yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality.”
Apple iPhone launch Apple dedicated part of its iPhone 5S launch to highlighting its shift to a 64-bit processor

However, bearing in mind there will remain many iOS and Android handsets on the market that still rely on 32-bit chips, this may deter developers from taking advantage of the switch in the short-term.

“People who have the old 32-bit processors will not be able to run software that is built specifically for the 64-bit processors because the latter uses a different instruction set,” explained Prof Alan Woodward, from the University of Surrey’s computing department.

“However, if people write in 32-bit, it will run on many of the 64-bit processors because they still support the old instruction set.

“So, you can get the whole market by writing the app in 32-bits, but you can only get a very small part of the market if you write specifically for 64-bits.”

One solution to this is to use what is called a “fat binary”, a program containing code tailored to both types of processor. However, apps that do this become bigger and therefore take up more storage space.

Once sales of the new devices do grow, makers of video games and software to create 3D-animations might be among the first to make the switch since their programs are among the most processor-intensive and thus most likely to see the biggest benefit.

One iPhone and Android developer welcomed the move.

“Yes, many apps won’t be able to take advantage of 64-bit at the outset,” said Stephen Lum from Visual Candy Apps.

“But the beauty of what Apple did is that they said it takes an iOS developer, like me, two hours to convert to 64-bit. That is awesome.”

However, one industry watcher warned that the switch might create compatibility problems for devices using older types of chip once developers started releasing apps that only worked on 64-bit processors.

“When app makers do decide to transition to fully 64-bit, it will create a divide in the market,” said Chris Green, from the Davies Murphy Group consultancy.

“We saw exactly the same thing happen in the Windows world when software makers moved from 32-bit to purely 64-bit.”
Rise of ARM

For now British chip designer ARM may prove the biggest beneficiary.
ARM processors ARM’s shares rose following news that Apple was licensing its 64-bit chip architecture

Smart-device makers are able to offer 64-bit tech because they have licensed the firm’s ARMv8 architecture, which it first announced in 2011. The design includes other elements which should also boost processing power.

The news means the company will enjoy bigger fees. ARM’s share price has risen about 10% since the start of the week.

Some have speculated that Apple’s announcement might foreshadow the US firm ditching Intel chips in its laptops and desktop computers and moving to its own processors.

“Apple’s new A7 chip is not powerful enough to be a PC chip, but the architecture is going that way,” said Prof Woodward.

“They might be readying themselves. I think this is the beginning of a long road.”