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14,418 'Android' stories May 2011 - April 2015
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Breaking news for Android. Get the latest on apps, carriers, devices, and more!

Android is Google’s mobile operating system, launched in September 2008, although its history technically began with the release of the Android alpha in November 2007. To this day, Android powers the majority of the world’s smartphones and comes in several different flavors across many phone makers.

Table of contents

What is Android?

Android Inc.

Android, before it was Android, was a company called Android Inc. That company was founded in Palo Alto, California, in 2003 by a crew of four: Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White. The company and its project was acquired by Google in 2005 for a sum of more than $50 million, although the exact number is unknown. The company’s founders joined Google as part of the deal.

In its infancy, Android was an operating system built not for touch screen smartphones like the iPhone, but rather BlackBerry-like devices with physical keyboards. It’s well documented that after Apple shocked the world with the iPhone, ahead of its nearest competition by at least a couple years, Google and Android Inc. had to go back to the drawing board to build something competitive.

Adoption by third-party makers

It didn’t take long after the launch of the iPhone for various manufacturers to enter the market with their alternatives — and Google’s Android immediately became the obvious platform of choice for just about everyone except Microsoft. HTC was the first manufacturer on board, and introduced the T-Mobile G1 running Android in September 2008. Soon after, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and carriers like Sprint and T-Mobile jumped on board to form the Open Handset Alliance.

Android makers across the world

Iconic Android handsets

There have been thousands of Android phones released since Android’s inception, but some have been more important to the platform’s history than others. There was the original T-Mobile G1, as mentioned, but there was also the HTC One Google Play Edition, Moto G, Samsung Galaxy S4, and others. Some of the most iconic Android handsets include:

  • HTC G1
  • HTC Nexus One
  • Samsung Galaxy S, S2, S3, S4, and their successors
  • HTC Incredible S
  • Samsung Nexus S
  • Samsung Galaxy Nexus
  • Samsung Galaxy Note
  • Nokia 8
  • BlackBerry KeyOne
  • Google Pixel and its successors

In more modern times, there are several Android smartphones makers that popped up across various niches and in several international markets. Huawei is a dominant Android maker in China and many European markets, while Samsung is by far the most popular maker in the United States by far — effectively creating a duopoly with Apple. Today, there are dozens of major device makers contributing to the Android ecosystem.

Full list of Android OEMs

History of major Android versions

Android has seen countless software revisions over the course of its life, but in modern times the OS usually sees a major release on an annual cadence. In the earlier days, Google famously gave its major software releases dessert-themed codenames, but retired that practice in 2019 with the release of Android 10.

VersionNameReleaseDevices
2.3GingerbreadFebruary 9, 2011Nexus S
4.0Ice Cream SandwichOctober 19, 2011Galaxy Nexus
4.1Jelly BeanJuly 9, 2012Nexus 7
4.2Jelly BeanNovember 13, 2012Nexus 4, 10
4.3Jelly BeanJuly 24, 2013Nexus 7 (2013)
4.4KitKatOctober 31, 2013Nexus 5
5.0LollipopNovember 3, 2014Nexus 6, 9
5.1LollipopMarch 9, 2015Android One
6.0MarshmallowOctober 5, 2015Nexus 5X, 6P
7.0NougatAugust 22, 2016Nexus 5X, 6P
7.1NougatOctober 4, 2016Pixel, Pixel XL
8.0OreoAugust 21, 2017Pixel, Pixel XL
8.1OreoDecember 5, 2017Pixel, Pixel XL
9PieAugust 6, 2018Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL
1010September 3, 2019Pixel 3, 3a
1111September 8, 2020Pixel 4

List of major Android OS platforms

While Android proper is certainly the most widespread of Google’s Android operating systems, the company has also launched many offshoots of the main OS over the years. There’s Android Auto, Android Wear (now Wear OS), Android TV (now rebranded to Google TV), as well as versions of Android built for tablets and Android Things (now defunct).

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Google and Amazon offer up big discounts on Moto 360, dropping price below $200

Avatar for Mike Beasley Apr 13 2015 - 7:43 pm PT
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Google and Amazon have each made significant cuts to the price of the Moto 360, bringing the Motorola wearable below $200 and providing a prime chance for those who want to take the Android Wear software for a test drive.

The smartwatch now runs for just $179 on Amazon—a $70 drop from the usual $250. That price is for the stone leather version, however, with some other models running a bit higher. If you’re willing to pick up a used watch, you can score those more expensive designs at the same low price as the stone leather variant.

The Google Store provides an even better discount, cutting the price to just $165. That’s about $85 cheaper than the previous price. You’ll only be able to get two colors at that price, so if you’re looking for a larger selection, you’ll want to take advantage of Amazon’s offer instead.

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Twitter now rolling out revamped ‘quote tweet’ functionality to Android

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 13 2015 - 6:33 pm PT
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After unveiling a revamped “quote tweet” functionality for iPhone and web users last week, Twitter today has revealed that the feature is coming to Android devices today. With this change, using the quote tweet feature will now embed the actual tweet instead of simply quoting it as plain text.


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Android 5.1 OTA download link for Nexus 4 now available, here’s how to install it

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 2:01 pm PT
1 Comment

Android 5.1 has been slowly but surely making its way to the slew of Nexus devices that still get updates, and the Nexus 4 was one—until just now—that still hadn’t gotten the latest version of Lollipop. The factory image still hasn’t been uploaded to Google’s developers’ website (we’ll update this post when that’s available), but some Nexus 4 owners are already receiving the update over-the-air and have kindly shared the download link—meaning you can get the update right now straight from Google’s servers.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy S6 (unlocked) $699, Galaxy S5 (unlocked) $410, $100 off Moto 360 w/ Android, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 11:59 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone 32GB (unlocked) GSM: $699 shipped (Reg. $899)

Samsung Galaxy S5 SM-G900A 16GB unlocked: $410 shipped (Reg. $499)

Best Buy offers additional $100 off Moto 360 with Android phone purchase

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32 GB factory unlocked: $280 shipped (Reg. $500)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 70% off Crucial & Lexar flash storage: 128GB microSD $88, 1TB SSD $330, more

APC and CyberPower UPS Battery Backup Systems up to 55% off: APC 6-outlet $33 (Orig. $56), more

Review: SOL REPUBLIC’s Shadow wireless headphones w/ Bluetooth 4.0 offer an upgraded audio experience, $100 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Harman Kardon Bluetooth Speaker/phone $105, Toshiba Canvio 1TB External Hard Drive $50, Aduro Bluetooth Shower Speaker $15, more

More deals still alive:

D-Link Wireless N 300Mbps Range Extender: $25 shipped (Reg. $40)

New products & more:

On The Go stuffs nearly every must-have Android add-on into one tiny cube

Best Buy offering another $100 off when you buy an already-discounted Moto 360 and an Android phone

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 9:30 am PT
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If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch, now might be a pretty good time to get the Moto 360. In a new deal today from Best Buy, the retailer is offering $100 savings when you purchase both Motorola’s Android Wear smartwatch and a new Android phone. Considering that the Moto 360 is already on sale at Best Buy—and nothing in the small print says the two offers are incompatible—this probably means you can effectively get a Moto 360 for $79.99 (and it looks like you can get another $25 off if you can use the current .edu promotion).
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Verizon’s LG G3 now receiving Android Lollipop

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 8:10 am PT
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Lollipop is continuing its stampede, and today it looks like the Verizon LG G3 is next in line. The carrier has posted update documentation on its website, so we can expect a rollout imminently—if it’s not already happening.

Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce an operating system update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. This version brings Android beyond smartphones and tablets, allowing access to apps and Android services on other connected screens like TV’s, cars and wearables. The new material design offers complex animations and 3-D views, 64-bit ABI support and improved runtime.

Verizon is one of the last carriers to bring Lollipop to the LG G3, preceded by the update hitting both the AT&T version and the Sprint variant of the device in February. The update first started hitting Europe in November.

Review: The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the best smartphones Samsung has ever made (Video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito Apr 13 2015 - 7:57 am PT
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It’s definitely been an exciting time in tech these past few months, but on April 10, 2015 Samsung unleashed its Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge to the world and quickly became a favorite among Android users. The Galaxy S6 takes a radically different approach when compared to its predecessor the Galaxy S5, but this is definitely not a bad thing.

Today we’re going to discuss what makes Samsung’s latest flagship so amazing as well as go over a couple of shortcomings. I’ve been using the Galaxy S6 for a couple of weeks now and this is my review…


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Survey suggests first day Apple Watch sales beat all Android Wear devices sold in 2014

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 13 2015 - 6:58 am PT
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The latest estimates from Slice Intelligence suggest that Apple sold just under 1 million units of its new smartwatch on the first day or pre-orders, an unsurprising figure considering the fact that the Cupertino company sold 74 million iPhones in Q4 2014. Knowing the number of Apple Watches sold, and assuming it’s correct, we can say with certainty that Apple sold more Apple Watches over the weekend than the combined various OEMs (LG, Samsung, etc.) shipped Android Wear devices in 2014.


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WSJ: Former Apple expert leading new 4-person battery team within Google[x]

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 1:55 pm PT
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According to a report today out of the Wall Street Journal, there’s a small team now working on battery tech within Google[x]—and it’s being spearheaded by former Apple battery expert Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj. The group was originally started in 2012 with an intention of researching how other companies’ tech could be integrated into Google’s products, but “people familiar with the matter” say that the four person group has expanded to research technology that Google might “develop itself.”
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comScore: Android still market leader with 52.8% of mobile OS share

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 1:21 pm PT
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ComScore has released its latest report today, detailing the market share of the major smartphone OEMs and their platforms. Unsurprisingly, Apple is still leading in terms of handsets shipped with 41.7% of smartphones shipped, while Android is still leading the mobile operating system market with 52.8% of the market.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Moto 360 $155+, 13000mAh Power Bank $24, Samsung 500GB SSD $180, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 11:54 am PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch: $179 or $155 w/ .edu (Reg. $250)

Keep your Android device charged all day: Anker Astro E4 13000mAh Power Bank $24 Prime shipped (20% off)

Samsung 2.5″ Internal SSDs: 850 EVO 500GB $180 (Reg. $200+), 850 PRO 256GB $120 (Reg. $180)

Samsung Galaxy S5 w/ 2-year contract on Verizon: $1 shipped (Reg. $99)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $470 shipped (Reg. $700)

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB (unlocked): $295 shipped (Reg. $500)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

GoPro HERO4 Black/Surf Camera: $400 (Reg. $499.99)

Small States Review: This is Ground’s Mod 2 is the ultimate tablet companion, giveaway worth $310

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Garmin GPS Watch w/ HRM (Refurb) $85, Char-Broil Infrared Grill $99

More deals still alive:

Motorola SB6141 DOCSIS 3.0 Modem + TP-LINK Archer C7 802.11ac $130 shipped ($185+ value)

New products & more:

Moleskine puts Batman on the cover with its new limited edition Gotham inspired notebooks

Several users reporting ‘bricked’ Nexus 7 devices following Lollipop OTA updates, Nexus 5 seemingly affected too

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 10:18 am PT
156 Comments

This is definitely concerning. Several people are reporting on Google’s product forums that their Nexus 7 devices have stopped working following updates to various versions of Android Lollipop. And while it may not necessarily be the same exact issue (as users are reporting a wide variety of different symptoms), some Nexus 5 users have seen their device become unusable following recent Lollipop updates as well.

It’s not exactly clear which updates are affecting which devices, but the problem appears to be fairly widespread…
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Google slashes price of Project Tango in half for some, opening up sales ‘more broadly’

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 8:42 am PT
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Project Tango is still being sold on an invite-only basis, but some users are now receiving an email offering the tablet at half-price. The developers’ kit was previously being sold at a somewhat-steep $1,024, but is currently being offered to some invitees at a “Special Price” of $512. (Once again, I’d like to take this opportunity to appreciate the clever prices that Google has picked for the kit.)


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OnePlus One finally getting Lollipop-based CyanogenMod 12s over the “next few days”

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 10 2015 - 7:16 am PT
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It’s been a long time coming, but OnePlus founder Carl Pei has come out to say today that the upcoming CyanogenMod 12s release for the OnePlus One is going to start rolling out over the “next few days.” Most people using a OnePlus One handset have been using CyanogenMod 11s for quite some time (meaning they haven’t had an official Lollipop-based ROM), but now CyanogeMod12s—based on Android Lollipop—is about to roll out over-the-air. The update “just passed certification today,” according to Pei:

While many have been waiting for CM12s, OnePlus just recently made available another officially-approved ROM based on Lollipop—in the form of Oxygen OS. This fresh Android variant from OnePlus keeps many of the OnePlus One’s original features and keeps things pretty clean-cut in terms of bloat. If you would rather go this route than wait for CM12s to roll out over the next few days, be sure to check out the instructions OnePlus has provided on its forum. And be sure to check out Dom‘s review video as well…

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Jawbone Up3 pre-orders to begin shipping April 20 after delay due to manufacturing issues

Avatar for Chance Miller Apr 9 2015 - 6:24 pm PT
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Jawbone announced this evening that it finally expects to begin fulfilling pre-orders of its Up3 fitness tracker on April 20th. The company expects all pre-orders to ship no later than mid-May. After pre-orders have been fulfilled, Jawbone will begin shipping new orders of the Up3. Pre-orders will ship in the order they were received.


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Google’s free photo editing app Snapseed 2.0 gets lens blur, layers, new UI, more

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Apr 9 2015 - 4:28 pm PT
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Snapseed, the excellent free photo editing application, today received its first major update since Google purchased developer Nik Software back in 2012. Version 2.0 arrived in the Play Store with a brand new user interface and a huge collection of new features, most notably including spot healing, lens blur effects, perspective transformation, and a non-destructive editing system that can copy edits from one image to another. The app has been refreshed has a minimalist UI with Material Design influence on Android.

Snapseed’s unique ability to selectively fix small parts of photos — such as improving the brightness level of one dark face in an otherwise bright image — has kept it relevant as a key photo editing tool for years. Snapseed 2.0 expands upon that feature, letting you apply filters and brushes selectively with a brush tool. You can also go into individual layers and make adjustments to changes that were previously applied during the editing process.

Snapseed 2.0 is available for free from the Play Store now, although it’s still rolling out so it may not be available for your device just yet. Additional details are after the break…


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Google to announce new Chrome for Work products at Chrome Live 2015

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 1:24 pm PT
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Google has today announced a new event called Chrome Live, and it’s kicking off for the first time on April 22nd, 2015 at 10 AM PDT. Focusing primarily on Chrome for Work, the event is said to feature two keynotes—one from Amit Singh, the president of Google for Work, and another from Rajen Sheth, the Chrome for Work director of product management…
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9to5Toys Last Call: Gold Moto 360 $260, Verizon Galaxy S5 w/ contract $1, Galaxy Note 4 $470, more

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 11:59 am PT
0 Comments

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Moto 360 in champagne gold: $219 shipped (Reg. $330)

Samsung Galaxy S5 w/ 2-year contract on Verizon: $1 shipped (Reg. $99)

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $470 shipped (Reg. $700)

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB (unlocked): $295 shipped (Reg. $500)

LG G3 w/ free $100 Amazon gift card for $0.01 w/ 2-yr contract or $479 w/o

GoPro HERO4 Black/Surf Camera: $400 (Reg. $499.99)

Small States Review: This is Ground’s Mod 2 is the ultimate tablet companion, giveaway worth $310

More new gear from today:

Amazon has the famous “not so bad” shitphone for $50 shipped today (44% off)

  • Games/Apps: Twisty Hollow for iOS free, Sony PS4 Last of Us Bundle w/ PS+ $395, more
  • Daily Deals: Seagate 4TB External Hard Drive $100, Foscam IP Camera $49, Jawbone BIG Jambox $185, more

More deals still alive:

Philips Hue Lux price drops make it cheaper than ever to add smart lighting to your house: single bulb $20, Starter Kit $80

New products & more:

DJI’s Phantom 3 drone shoots 4K video, uses new sensors to navigate indoor airspace

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Report claims Google nearing Android Wear for iOS release, shows off FaceTime notification on LG Watch

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Apr 9 2015 - 11:41 am PT
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Adding to recent reports that Google is working on iOS support for Android Wear devices, today The Verge reports that the company is “close to finishing the final technical details” on the companion app for iOS. The report cites sources close to the development of the project and also includes the image above showing a FaceTime notification on the LG G Watch R. More from the report:

In its current state of development, Android Wear works along with a companion app on the iPhone and supports basic functions like notifications — as you can see in the photo below. As it does on Android, on the iPhone Android Wear also supports Google Now’s ambient information cards, voice search, and other voice actions. It should also support some more advanced features with Google’s own iOS apps, like replying to Gmail messages.

A previous report noted that Google was developing Android Wear support for iOS and could debut the project as soon as its I/O developer conference in May.

Today’s report brings up the possibility that Google might have a bit of trouble getting through the App Store’s approval process. At the very least it could run into guidelines that prevent it from bringing over all of the features it offers on Android devices to iOS. Pebble and other smart watches have companion apps, but like them Google will be limited to working within the iOS and App Store guidelines, unlike on Android.

Dunkin’ Donuts app gets Google Wallet integration, lets you recharge cards with a tap

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 10:40 am PT
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Dunkin’ Donuts is a pretty big breakfast food and beverage chain in the United States, and Google has today announced that they’re partnering with the seller of donuts to bring Google Wallet integration to the Dunkin’ Donuts Android app.

Dunkin’ Donuts now brings its guests a faster way to purchase and recharge their mobile Dunkin’ Donuts Cards in the Dunkin’ Donuts Mobile® App on Android. By simply selecting Google Wallet at checkout, Dunkin’ Donuts guests can recharge their cards with a couple of clicks—no need to type in credit card information anymore. And hungry Seamless customers will start to see the Google Wallet payment option available in their Android app, helping them get their grub – a delicious array of 80+ cuisine types – in a snap.

While you previously had to use a Credit Card (and spend minutes typing in the appropriate information), the latest version of the Dunkin’ Donuts app lets you recharge your perks cards with a couple taps. Selecting Google Wallet from the “Payment method” section will simply ask for your Google account information.

Google says that Seamless, a company specializing in food delivery and takeout, has also this week integrated Google Wallet in their app. You can download both the Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless apps on the Play Store for free.

Android Lollipop now landing for Galaxy Note 3, Note Edge on Sprint

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 8:53 am PT
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The Android Lollipop updates just keep rolling in, and today’s no exception. Sprint has just published support pages documenting the release of Android Lollipop for the carrier’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note Edge smartphones…

Many users are already reporting that the update has hit their device, so you should go check System Update > Update in Settings to see if it’s available for you yet. “Software updates may be released in stages and can take several days for delivery,” Sprint says, though, so don’t get nervous if you don’t see it yet.

Google just yesterday updated its distribution numbers for Android Lollipop, revealing that the mobile OS just recently managed to pass 5% in adoption. Hopefully as more and more Lollipop updates are released (like these), that number will slowly start to make its way up.

Leaked photos purportedly show Sony’s upcoming Xperia Z4 flagship (again)

Avatar for Stephen Hall Apr 9 2015 - 8:34 am PT
1 Comment

We first saw renders of the Xperia Z4 early last month, and now a new image has popped up on the Internet via @onleaks showing the same device in a different color. We previously saw an all-white phone with what appeared to be aluminum bezels, but now we have our eyes on the black variant of Sony’s upcoming flagship.


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