Google Nexus 4 successor makes another appearance in leaked images and video

Google has been tight-lipped about its alleged Nexus 4 successor since a while. However, the device has made multiple appearances on the Internet via FCC filing and image leaks.

Thanks to 9to5google, the alleged Nexus 4 successor has again been spotted in new live images and a video. The site has posted some images of a pre-production unit of the next Nexus smartphone that reveals the front and rear panel. The rear panel of the device houses a large camera sensor at the top right side. The front is majorly dominated by the display with no physical buttons. The new images of the device match the leaks we have seen as of late. The site has also posted a video that does not reveal much except the lockscreen of the alleged device.

Additionally, Spigen, a case and accessory manufacturer for various smartphones including Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy range of smartphones has listed a case for the next-generation Nexus smartphone on Amazon. The listing offers a potential insight into the launch date and on how the handset might look.

Earlier, the alleged Nexus 4 successor was revealed in pictures by FCC filing. The photos offered glimpse of the externals and internal components of the same phone that was spotted in the Android KitKat statue unveiling video in the hands of a Google employee. While the phone in the pictures did not sport the Nexus branding unlike the previously spotted phone, it had the same large camera lens and LED flash. The back of the phone appeared to sport a rubberised matte finish.

Previously, @evleaks suggested that the rumoured LG branded D820 devcie was just a CDMA variant of the flagship, but later backtracked saying that he was wrong.

Watch the video here
              

Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet to launch in October-end: Report

Following several rumours that the release of Nokia's alleged Lumia 1520 has been delayed, we have the first indication of the possible launch of the device.

Pocket-Lint has reported that the Finnish handset maker may launch the rumoured 6-inch phablet at the end of October and the device can be expected to hit stores in November. The website cites a source and claims that the Nokia will be confirming details about the event soon, and the rumoured phablet will be released in the last week of October, the week starting October 21.

The site also notes that Nokia may not hold the launch even of the Lumia 1520 in the US, as thecompany launched its current flagship, the Nokia Lumia 1020 in New York back in July, and will probably prefer a different city this time.

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that Nokia had delayed the launch of its large-screen phablet, originally planned for late September, following the deal to sell its handset business and license patents to Microsoft.

Prior to this, we had been hearing that the alleged Lumia 1520 was slated for release on September 26, but a rumour claimed that the release date was rescheduled to October.

The Nokia Lumia 1520 has been rumoured to come with a 6-inch full-HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a nano-SIM and a microSD card slot.

The press renders of the Nokia Lumia 1520 had already been leaked, revealing the homescreen featuring Live Tiles and the design largely resembled other phones in the Lumia family.

Previously, the rumoured Nokia Lumia 1520 was leaked in high quality images and was compared with a Sony Xperia smartphone.

BBM for Android and iOS launch expected this week; installation file leaks

The much anticipated cross-platform avatar of BlackBerry Messenger or BBM is soon expected to appear on Android devices and iPhones, with the company hosting events in Malaysia and India on September 18th, where it's expected to offer more details about the service including its launch date.
 
In the meanwhile, it seemed as if the person behind Samsung Mobile Nigeria's official Twitter account jumped the gun and announced that BBM would debut on Friday, September 20th and confirmed that it would be exclusively available on Samsung devices for three months, in response to a user's tweet.
 
However, BlackBerry has denied that the service would be exclusive to Samsung customers. The company issued a statement to CrackBerry that quoted Victoria Berry, BBM Communications Director at BlackBerry as saying, "The excitement around the upcoming BBM launch on iPhone and Android devices seems to know no bounds. Although I'm a big fan of this passion, I want to clarify that no one will have an exclusive on offering BBM. We'll be bringing the app to Android and iPhone users across the globe soon." 

Earlier, Samsung had announced that the messenger would be available on the company's app storethat comes preloaded on its Galaxy series of Android devices, and on the Google Play Store, across the African continent. Samsung had also agreed to join marketing efforts to showcase BBM for Android to customers and to mobile users across Africa.

 Incidentally the installation file (APK) for BBM's Android version has also leaked on several forums. However, it's being reported that the app doesn't work unless the user's BlackBerry ID is whitelisted by BlackBerry. It's worth pointing out that BlackBerry had invited a small set of users who'd registered with BlackBerry Beta Zone to try out the Beta version of the cross-platform BBM app on their Android device before the app was released to the public.  
 
Previously, Alex Kinsella of BlackBerry had posted on Twitter that BBM for iPhone had already been submitted for Apple's App Store approval. 
 
Landing pages for BBM for iPhone and Android had also appeared accidentally and pulled later.
 
BlackBerry had announced plans to extend BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) to Android and iOS in May. 
 
Presently, BlackBerry Messenger or BBM allows BlackBerry users to seamlessly exchange texts, audio, videos and pictures with each other. However, a number of cross-platform mobile messaging apps including WhatsApp, WeChat and Line have taken over as preferred choices since they are available on a variety of platforms. When it comes to the iPhone, BBM would also compete with Apple's own iMessage platform that allows users who own Apple devices to send each other free messages over a data connection. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launched in India at Rs. 49,900, available September 25

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Note 3 in India for Rs. 49,900, and it will hit Indian retail shelves by September 25. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will come preloaded with support for 11 regional Indian languages. The company is also offering an introductory offer for Vodafone users, whereby customers using Vodafone 2G services will get 2GB Internet per month free for two months. The South Korean major officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 3 phablet at the sidelines of IFA 2013 in Berlin.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch launched in India at Rs. 22,990)
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a 5.7-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, but weighing at 168g and 8.33m wide, is both lighter and slimmer than its predecessor.

The Galaxy Note 3 is powered by 1.9GHz octa-core processor and a 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera alongside 2-megapixel front camera. It is powered by 3,200mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Note 3 will be available in 32GB and 64GB variants, with the company doing away with the 16GB variant after controversy on the available storage with the Samsung Galaxy S4. Both variants come with support for up to 64GB of additional external storage.

Connectivity options on the Note 3 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0 (LE), IR, and MHL 2.0. It comes with various sensors like Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, Proximity, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity, and Hall Sensor. The company has also added features like the My Magazine, Scrapbook, Wake-up Command, S Finder, Advanced Multi Window, Samsung Smart Switch and Action Memo.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 key specifications

• 5.7-inch full-HD display
• 2.3GHz quad-core processor or 1.9GHz octa-core processor
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB/ 64GB storage options
• 13-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0 (LE), IR, MHL 2.0

Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch launched in India at Rs. 22,990

Samsung has launched its first wearable tech device, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch in India for Rs. 22,990, and it will arrive on Indian retail shelves on September 25. Unlike previous expectations from the pre-order availability of the Galaxy Gear and the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung has confirmed there is no bundled package of both devices available with a reduced price. 

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 launched in India at Rs. 49,900, available September 25)

The Galaxy Gear smartwatch was launched alongside the Galaxy Note 3 at IFA 2013. The smartwatch features a 1.63-inch (4.14 cm) OLED display. The Galaxy Gear smartwatch also features S Voice and can presently only work with the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, a tablet which was also launched at IFA 2013. However, the company claims that soon the smartwatch will soon be compatible with other Galaxy smartphones like Galaxy S4, Galaxy SIII and Galaxy Note II. It can make calls, display messages, record videos and snap photos with its 1.9-megapixel camera.

Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch comes with 70 apps initially, as per the company, which include apps for basic fitness such as a step-counting passometer, although Samsung hopes this number will grow as developers get on board. The battery life, a key challenge for most wearable devices, is said to be around 27 hours under Samsung's normal-use tests.

Earlier, Samsung's first wearable tech device went up for pre-orders with the Galaxy Note 3.

Samsung also launched the third iteration of the Note, the Galaxy Note 3 in India for Rs. 49,900.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a 5.7-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, but weighing at 168g and 8.33m wide, is both lighter and slimmer than its predecessor.

It is powered by 1.9GHz octa-core processor and a 3GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera alongside 2-megapixel front camera. It is powered by 3,200mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Note 3 will be available in 32GB and 64GB variants. Both variants come with support for up to 64GB of additional external storage. Connectivity options on the Note 3 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0 (LE), IR, and MHL 2.0.

iPhone 5c: Apple picks profit over marketshare yet again

The higher-than-expected price of Apple Inc's new cheaper iPhone eased worries about gross margins, while arousing concerns the company was not being aggressive enough in its fight against Google Inc's market-dominating Android operating system.

Apple's shares were down about 3 percent at $480.50 before the market opened on Wednesday, a day after it unveiled the 5s, a high-end iPhone with a fingerprint scanner as well as a cheaper 5cmodel targeted at emerging markets.

Also see: Apple unveils iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s

"...We worry that Apple's inability/unwillingness to come out with a low-priced offering for emerging markets nearly ensures that the company will continue to be an overall share loser in the smartphone market until it choses to address the low end," Sanford C. Bernstein analysts said in a note.

Still, Bernstein maintained its "outperform" rating on Apple's stock, saying that it expected the new iPhones to have little impact on gross margins.

Also see: 10 new features in Apple's iPhone 5s

Nomura Equity Research analyst Stuart Jeffrey, who raised his price target for Apple shares to $480 from $420, said Apple may have ensured stable margins for the next couple of quarters by pricing the 5c at $99 with a contract and $549 without.

This was not enough for BofA Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse. Both downgraded Apple's stock to "neutral" from "buy" and "outperform."

"Rather than offer attractive pricing for consumers, and move the iPhone 5c into a new and growing price segment, Apple retained a premium pricing strategy in targeting the $400-800 smartphone segment," Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha said in a note.

"This segment is not forecast to see meaningful growth long term. This decision, at the margin, is good for profitability but not growth."

Garcha said that Apple's share of the smartphone market, where it faces intense competition from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, would likely fall to 15.5 percent this year and 13.1 next year from 18.1 percent last year.

Saying the 5c was "nobody's low-margin phone", Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri said Apple's new relationships with Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc and China Mobile Ltd supported the view that 2014 Street estimates for Apple earnings looked too low.

Arcuri said gross margins for the 5c appeared to be as high as the mid 50 percent area.

Apple's third-quarter profit fell 22 percent as gross margins slid below 37 percent from more than 42 percent in the year-earlier quarter.

"While the 5c is a first step away from the high-end, we do not think it is a big one," JP Morgan's Mark Moskowitz said.

The 5c will sell for 4,488 yuan China, almost $200 more than in the United States.

Also see: iPhone 5c price disappointment: 'Low-cost iPhone' fails to check-in

Canaccord Genuity kept its "buy" rating on the stock and raised the target price to $550 from $530, citing Apple's aggressive launch plans in more than 100 countries by year-end.

Canaccord also raised its 2014 estimate for iPhone sales to 180 million phones from 177 million.

Lazard Capital Markets raised its share price target to $570 from $500, noting a "best in class user experience".

"With escalating investor focus on Apple's diminishing product differentiation, slowing growth and margin compression, we think it's time to revisit what makes Apple unique," Lazard analyst Edward Parker wrote in a note.

"...We propose that Apple is a 'storage' company, not only levered to data creation but instrumental in driving data creation in ways its competitors are not," he said.

iPhone 5s vs. iPhone 5: The improved camera

Apple unveiled the iPhone 5s, the successor to its bestselling flagship phone, the iPhone 5, on Tuesday. The iPhone 5s is a much improved version of the iPhone 5 with new internals, although it sports almost the same design. It offers some revolutionary features including a new A7 chip with 64-bit architecture, a fingerprint scanner, new colour options and better battery life, among others.

The iPhone 5s also boasts of a much improved iSight camera. Apple has not increased the resolution of the sensor but has put a new 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 5s that has a 15 percent larger sensor, bigger pixels measuring 1.5 microns and an aperture of f/2.2 allowing more light to come in, in addition to a backside illumination sensor (BSI). This, according to Apple, will allow users to take good quality pictures even in low light, apart from capturing sharper detail.

Also see: Take a look at our complete specification by specification comparison in tabular format here: Apple iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 5s comparison.

The Apple iPhone 5s' iSight camera comes with a continuous burst mode which is capable of shooting 10 pictures per second, and offers a real-time analysis suggesting individual shots or a sequence of photos that users might like best.

The iSight camera on the iPhone 5s comes with an accompanying True Tone Flash that feature a white LED and an amber LED which work with software algorithms to adjust flash intensity and colour temperature, with over 1000 unique combinations to light the subject.

The latest iSight camera also comes with auto-image stabilisation to help reduce noise and motion from shaky hands or moving subjects. The camera also offers a Slo-Mo mode to shoot slow motion video at 120 frames per second at 720p. It also comes with live video zoom for zooming in up to 3x while shooting a video, in addition to live photo filters that can be previewed before shooting a picture.

In addition to these, the iPhone 5s camera also offers a new Square mode for taking photos for sharing on social networks, and a Panorama mode for taking panorama photos. It's worth pointing out that these features are included in iOS 7 and would also be extended to the iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5s sports a new 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD Camera that also comes with a BSI sensor for capturing low-light self-clicks and support for 720p HD video recording for high-quality video chats.

Overall, the iPhone 5s offers a better camera bringing the ability to take images in low-light conditions, and capture slow motion videos. It also offers a smarter dual-LED flash.

Nokia Lumia 625 review

The Lumia 625 is Nokia's first large screen Windows Phone smartphone, in line with the current trend of big screen phones, which was ignited by Android OEMs. Clearly, Nokia wants to cover all segments with a range of devices and form factors. The Lumia 625 is currently the largest screen Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices at 4.7-inches, larger than the flagship Lumia 920 and 925, which have 4.5-inch displays.

Nokia's Lumia 625 improvises on the Lumia 620, and offers a bigger screen packed in a pleasantly built casing. However, it's targeted at people looking for a value for money smartphone. Keeping this is in mind, it is fitting that Nokia has cut corners in a number of areas to keep the price of the phone low. Despite this, does the Lumia 625 manage to deliver on all fronts? Is it the first big screen Windows Phone handset that will lure people away from Android phablets? We find out in our review.  

Build / Design
Judging by the nomenclature and just looking at the phone from some distance, the Nokia Lumia 625 appears to be the bigger version of the Lumia 620. However, on closer inspection you'd see a number of differences, such as a sleeker and more refined form factor. Also, unlike the Lumia 620, the 625's back cover doesn't wraparound the display or show up along the edges of the front panel.

Like some of the earlier phones of the Lumia product line, the phone is available in multiple colours, including Black, White, Yellow, Green, and Orange. The Lumia 625's colour is rendered purely by the back cover, which as we mentioned earlier, wraps around most of the phone, barring the display and front panel.

Similar to the Lumia 620, Nokia uses a 'dual-shot' layering technique with the Lumia 625's back cover, which helps in creating new colours and textures for this smartphone. The 'dual shot' finish implies two layers of polycarbonate, a single base layer in one colour, and a second translucent layer in another colour, to produce depth effects and secondary colour blends. For example, Yellow and Cyan are combined to produce a lime Green colour. We had a Yellow colour phone as our review unit.

The finish on the cover is better than that seen on the Lumia 620, with an overall matte finish. 

The Lumia 625 also sports a more natural pillow-like form factor, with more rounded edges compared to other devices in the Lumia family. On the whole, the phone feels really good to hold thanks to the improved ergonomics.

The front of the Lumia 625 is dominated by the 3.8-inch screen, with the three capacitive Windows Phone buttons - Back, Start and Search - sitting below it, while the front camera lens, light and proximity sensors and the earpiece are located above it. There's minimalist Nokia branding at the centre. Unfortunately, the capacitive keys are not backlit, most likely done to save costs. This may become a problem in low-light scenarios, though understandably, the user could after a teething period, operate the phone by feel.

The back of the Lumia 625 features the rear camera lens and the LED flash. There's a small hole for the speaker grill and the speaker is located inside it. This design ensures the speaker is not too close to the surface, preventing the muffling of sound.
 
The right side of the Lumia 625 features the volume rocker, power button/screen-lock key, and a camera button, all in plastic and in the same colour as that of the phone's rear shell - unlike the Lumia 620's black-coloured keys.

The Lumia 625's keys were responsive, but do not really offer good tactile feedback. At times, we instinctively looked for the power button towards the upper part of the right side, however, this is where the volume rocker is located - this may take some getting used to for some users, but is not a serious usability issue. There are no keys or ports at the left side of the phone. The Micro-USB port and the primary microphone are located at the bottom, while the 3.5mm headphone jack sits on the top of the Lumia 625.

The back cover of the Lumia 625 is secured so tightly that the phone's construction is easily mistaken as unibody. After spending some time trying to figure out the trick to open the device, we realized that you just need to exert some pressure at the middle and remove the case with the rest of your fingers from the bottom. Credit goes to Nokia for making the cover latch on the phone in such manner that there are no creaks and wobbles at all.

Unlike the Lumia 620, the 625's 3.5mm jack is not integrated with the cover, and users will be able to use the port even if the cover has been removed. 

Removing the Lumia 625's cover reveals a sealed battery compartment. Yes, the battery cannot be replaced by the user. Towards the right hand side you'd find a stacked micro-SIM card and microSD card slot, which could be a little confusing for a user, making both the cards relatively inaccessible, and tedious to insert. 

Overall, the Lumia 625 feels solid yet pleasing to hold and see, making it one of the best in its segment.

Display
The Nokia Lumia 625 features the biggest display ever seen on a Nokia phone. Measuring 4.7-inches diagonally, the IPS LCD display sports a resolution of 480x800 pixels (giving it a pixel density of just 199ppi), which unfortunately defeats the purpose of a big screen. The low resolution display makes images and text appear pixelated. Even the Live Tiles on the phone's Start screen appear pixelated when you look at them closely. We also noticed some backlight leakage from the bottom edge. We're not sure if the issue is just limited to our review unit, however.

Nokia has cut corners in this department and it shows. The Lumia 625's big screen should ideally have been a value-add boosting the phone's video playback capabilities but the low resolution makes it much less attractive.

We also found the brightness levels to be much lower and colours a tad dull, compared to devices like the Lumia 925. The sunlight legibility of the phone's screen is decent, despite the panel being a bit reflective. Viewing angles were average as well. Ironically, the Lumia 625's big display is among its biggest weaknesses.

Camera
The Lumia 625 sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash. The Windows Phone 8 camera app on the phone allows you to tinker with various settings including selecting scenes, camera effects, ISO, white balance, contrast, saturation, flash and sharpness, among others. Windows Phone 8 brings camera lens apps that extend the functionality of the camera. The Lumia 625 ships with Bing Vision, Cinemagraph and Smart Cam lenses. 

The 625's camera turns out to be another weakness for the phone. Pictures taken outdoors in good light turned out to be decent in terms of clarity and detail, but we noticed that they were not as bright as the actual scene where they were shot - the photos tend to be a little underexposed. Pictures taken indoors came out really grainy and missed out on details. Low light photos also didn't come out well and there was a high level of noise.

Colour reproduction was satisfactory, with objects appearing close to their true colour. We also found a minor lag in the Lumia 625's shutter timings compared to high-end phones and focus went haywire at times. The phone's video recorder allows taking 1080p videos at 30 frames per second, and we found the videos taken with it to be pretty decent.

The Lumia 625 also features a VGA front-facing camera which is functional at best, and can be used for video chat with apps like Skype or Tango. 

Software / User Interface
The Lumia 625 comes with Windows Phone 8 featuring the Amber update that is essentially the Windows Phone GDR2 update with Nokia's own tweaks. While the update doesn't bring any major changes in terms of the user interface or features, it does bring FM radio, improvements to the camera software, the Smart Cam app, the flip to silence gesture, and some other minor changes including the Data sense app (which helps you to keep a tab on your data usage) now being compatible with all carriers and the ability to block calls and SMS. The GDR2 update also brings the Glance screen feature and the double tap to unlock gesture, but both of these are not available in the Lumia 625.

The Amber update also brings support for Google services for Calendar and Contacts through CalDAV and CardDAV, and for Gmail through IMAP. This means that it's future proof and users will continue to be able to use these services after Google ends support for Exchange Active Sync which pre-GDR2 phones use. We were able to use Gmail smoothly and received emails via Push without any hiccups.

Other than these new features, Windows Phone 8 has not changed much compared to its first iteration.

Unlike Android, Windows Phone 8 doesn't offer much flexibility to the manufacturer in terms of customising the OS, however Nokia has included its own apps that may well prove to be the differentiator compared to the competing Windows Phone 8 devices.

The Lumia 625 comes with several exclusive (and non-exclusive) Nokia apps, such as HERE Drive, HERE Maps and Nokia Music, as well as other Nokia apps like Nokia Care and HERE City Lens. We love the HERE Drive app that offers offline navigation complete with turn-by-turn directions. As we mentioned in our previous reviews, Nokia continues to set the benchmark in navigation apps, even ahead of Google Maps.

The other services included on the Lumia 625 are HERE Maps, which is a huge improvement over the stock Bing Maps, and Nokia Music, that offers unlimited music free for six months. The software suite on the phone also includes the mobile version of Microsoft Office, Skype integration and a great native email client.

As mentioned in the Camera section, the phone comes with some lenses, which also show up as stand-alone apps (Bing Vision, Cinemagraph, and Nokia Smart Cam). PhotoBeamer is another interesting app that lets you beam your photos to any computer over Wi-Fi, providing an instant, wireless slideshow you can see over a large screen. During our tests, this worked as advertised.

We also love the software keyboard on the Lumia 625, which is the standard Windows Phone 8 keyboard, and the size of the display definitely helps making it user-friendly even for those with thick fingers. 

The Lumia 625 also comes with a host of pre-installed apps like BIGFLIX (entertainment), BookMyShow (for booking movie/concert tickets), Cosmopolitan (lifestyle magazine), Flipkart eBooks, TripAdvisor (travel guide) and Zomato (food/restaurants guide). The phone also includes You Movies which offers free movies for a period of three months. The app boasts of 3,000 Hollywood, Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali and Bhojpuri movie titles and lets users download the full movie for offline viewing. The app is not available in the Windows Phone Store at the time of writing this post.

The Lumia 625 also offers Draw Something and Words With Friends games, that come preinstalled.

However, the annoyances with the Windows Phone 8 OS still remain. The biggest among them is the lack of quality apps. Many mainstream apps including Instagram, Path and even Pocket are absent from the Windows Store, though you can find some third-party alternatives. For instance 6tag is a nice third party app for Instagram. The new Facebook app now levels up to its Android and iOS counterparts while the native Twitter app is also good enough.
The lack of a centralised notification tray/ hub is still a pain point. The 'Me tile' tries to fill that gap, at least for social networking needs, but the experience is a little crippled. For instance, it's not possible to do a reply all for tweets.

Performance / Battery Life
The Lumia 625 is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 512MB of RAM and Adreno 305 graphics. It comes with 8GB of built-in storage, which is expandable by another 64GB via a microSD card. Windows Phone 8 is not a power hungry OS and the hardware has been optimised for good performance. We did not experience any lag at all while launching apps, playing games, scrolling web pages in Internet Explorer or switching between apps. We were able to play games like Asphalt 7 and Gravity Guy without experiencing any issues. However, it's worth pointing out that not all games will work on the phone due to its limited memory. 

As for video playback, we were able to play Full HD clips on the Lumia 625, and all formats (barring MKV) were natively supported by the phone. The speaker delivers decent quality sound at high volume levels, and the loudness is above average. The speaker grill is placed inside a hole at the back; so, as we mentioned earlier, while the sound doesn't get muffled when the phone is placed on a hard surface, it does get affected otherwise.
Playing videos and music through the memory card was really smooth, though the Lumia 625 did take some time to read the card. Windows Phone 8 supports Bluetooth file transfers but we faced some issues transferring large image files from a Galaxy Nexus.  The phone does not include NFC connectivity.

  
The Lumia 625's call quality was top-notch and the phone was able to easily latch on to the network even in weak signal areas. We were very satisfied with the network reception, and there were no call drops. 

The phone comes with a 2,000mAh battery, and in our usage, it lasted us a full working day. We charged the Lumia 625 in the morning, and our usage ranged from medium to heavy, including 1-1.5 hours of phone calls, three e-mail accounts with push notifications, playing some music (both on the phone and via Internet radio), Twitter notifications and WhatsApp chats. It's worth pointing out that we had turned off Wi-Fi and auto-brightness, and the phone was hooked to a 3G network with the screen brightness at the highest level. Altering these settings might help in running the phone for a longer duration, depending on your usage pattern.

Verdict
With the Lumia 520, 620 and 720, Nokia has in a way already addressed the budget and the mid-range smartphone segments. However, with the Lumia 625, the company is trying to target users who demand a large screen at a price that doesn't burn a hole in their pockets. In the Indian market, domestic brands like Micromax, Karbonn and Lava already offer Android smartphones that come in 5-inch+ screen sizes, in the budget and mid-range segments.


Samsung's Galaxy Grand Duos is also a popular big screen phone/phablet. Perhaps Nokia wanted to address this very segment of consumers. However, at a price point of Rs. 20,000, we're not sure if consumers would opt for the Lumia 625, majorly because of its mediocre specifications. It offers a big screen but the low-resolution is a major dampener. The phone's camera is also not that great, and to cut costs Nokia has removed NFC functionality and even sensors like compass and gyroscope, which means you won't be able to use apps like Nokia City Lens. 

Nokia has priced it above the Lumia 720, which in our opinion is a better phone. This might be due to the impact of the diminishing value of the Rupee against the Dollar, but we'd still recommend buying a Lumia 720 over the 625.

If you're open to buying a large-screen Android phone at that price range, then there are a number of options that you could consider including the Panasonic P51 and the Sony Xperia SP.

Price: Rs. 19,999

  Pros

• Great build quality
• Decent battery life
• Bundled apps

Cons

• Low resolution display
• No gyroscope, compass
• Performance limited by RAM
• App ecosystem not at par with Android and iOS

Ratings (out of 5)
Design: 4
Display: 2.5
Camera: 3
Performance: 3.5
Software: 3.5
Battery Life: 3.5
Value for Money: 3
Overall: 3

iOS 7: First impressions

One of the best things about Apple's latest iPhones is the slick new iOS 7 software that runs the devices. But that souped-up operating system could end up hurting sales because the free software upgrade will also work on iPhones released since 2010, giving owners of the older models less incentive to buy Apple's newest products.

Perhaps unwittingly, even Apple's software boss Craig Federighi alluded to this potential problem while he was bragging about iOS 7 at the company's unveiling of its new phones Tuesday. He predicted that anyone who elects to install the software will feel "like they're getting an all-new device."

(Also see: Apple unveils iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s)

I understood what Federighi meant once I was able to see the iOS 7's improvements in action on Apple's two new iPhones, the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s. Although Apple announced iOS 7 at a conference three months ago, Tuesday marked the first time the company allowed reporters to experience the software hands-on.

Although the iPhone 5c is less expensive than its predecessor, the iPhone 5, iOS 7 almost made it look fancier than previous generations. As an iPhone 5 owner, I was feeling a bit envious until I remembered that I'll be able to spiff up my device, too, when the software is released on Sept. 18. The operating system will work on the iPhone 4 and later models, iPad 2s and subsequent versions, and the iPod Touch that came out late last year.

iOS 7 looks much different than previous versions of the operating system because it no longer displays iPhone apps as three-dimensional, embossed objects meant to mirror their real-world counterparts. The icons instead are flatter and more colorful.

Any significant change in design typically upsets users familiar with the old way of doing things, but I suspect the complaints about iOS 7 will be muted unless there are some terrible bugs in the software that weren't evident during the brief time that I was given to experiment.

I am fairly certain most people who download iOS 7 are going to be pleased. The software makes it easier to navigate around an iPhone and adds some compelling new features.

(Also see: 10 big improvements in Apple's iOS 7)

The additions include the ability to stream music through an advertising-supported service called iTunes Radio and five free apps that used to cost consumers anywhere from 99 cents to $4.99 apiece. The free apps are Apple's photo-editing tool, iPhoto, and video-editing program, iMovie, as well as work-oriented apps called Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

Apple doesn't appear to be removing any popular apps built into the operating system, as best as I could tell. The company did that last year when it replaced Google's mapping app with its own navigation system only to be ridiculed for misguiding users with shoddy directions. Apple isn't bringing back Google Maps with iOS 7, but it is promising that its alternative is getting better.

The software upgrade also will make it easier to take better pictures on the iPhone and automatically sort photos into different categories to denote particular events. I particularly liked a feature that lets you control how the camera operates by toggling between options at the bottom of the screen with the swipe of a finger. Once the camera is open in IOS 7, the choices include taking a square, panoramic or standard photo. The bottom-of-the screen controls also include an option to switch to video mode.

When taking a picture in iOS 7, photographers can also choose a filter to use as they snap the photo rather than waiting to touch up the shot later. When shooting video, shots can be zoomed in while recording. I can't do any of that on my iPhone 5 because it is still powered by iOS 6.

The new system also empowers users to access other open apps more easily by clicking twice on the home button. When you do that, the apps are displayed as tiles that can be scrolled across horizontally so you can more easily see and choose several of them.

Apple is also making it easier to access frequently used controls such as and airplane mode by enabling users to pull up the panel from the bottom of the display screen instead of finding and pressing a settings option.

Other than the new software, the iPhone 5c isn't anything special, as one might expect from a cheaper phone.

(Also see: iPhone 5c price disappointment: 'Low-cost iPhone' fails to check-in)

The only thing that really distinguishes the 5c from the iPhone 5 is that it's housed in plastic instead of aluminum. Some consumers will no doubt like the plastic alternative because it comes in five colors: green, blue, yellow, pink and white. The price also may be more appealing, with the 5c starting at $99 with a two-year wireless contract, a $100 discount from iPhone models released in previous years.

A higher-end iPhone dubbed the 5s boasts several advantages that aren't available on any other model. The coolest innovation allows you to use your fingerprint to unlock the iPhone 5s instead of relying on a four-digit code that has to be repeatedly typed in. The fingerprint reader can also be used to access Apple's apps and iTunes store instead of a password.

(Also see: 10 new features in Apple's iPhone 5s)

Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks the fingerprint scanner will revolutionize technology security. "There is going to be a whole new generation of kids who grow up not knowing what a password is," Cook predicted during a brief discussion with a small group of reporters after he left the room where Apple was demonstrating its new iPhones.

I found the fingerprint scanner, called "Touch ID," simple to use during my brief test of the 5s. It just took less than a minute for the phone to record the fingerprint on my thumb, instructing me along the way. Once my prints were in the phone's memory bank, all I had to do was lightly press on the home button when the 5s was locked in sleep mode and it quickly opened.

The 5s also contains a faster processor and technological wizardry designed to take sharper pictures and even record slow-motion video.

Best of all, though, the 5s comes with the iOS 7. I am already looking forward to downloading the software next week so I can simulate what it's like to have a new iPhone for free.

(Also see: Apple says iOS 7 will be available September 18)

Nokia, HTC quick to ridicule Apple's new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s

Quick to capitalise on what they clearly saw as a 'lukewarm' unveiling of the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, rivals HTC and Nokia have deployed their vast PR resources to variously disparage Apple.

HTC took to its blog, in a post titled "Here's to Confirmation," and pointed to the lack of innovation on Apple's part of simply (and once again) upgrading components, while still retaining the same design fundamentals. The Taiwanese manufacturer asked forward-looking consumers to forget about the iPhone 5s, and choose its own products, which offer a "real change" with a "genuinely new experience." It even initiated the HTC Trade Up program, where users can exchange their iPhone devices for minimum $150 rebate on a new HTC One (pictured above).

Here's a quote from HTC's blog: Compare the HTC One that to what you saw today. An iPhone 5 that looks the same as the one before it, and the one before that. But it's made out of metal! It features a camera with bigger pixels! And there's a second line of phones made with colored plastic unibodies! Sound familiar?

Nokia US didn't even wait until after the event, and took to Twitter to share its 'opinion', while Apple was still making its announcement. Nokia called the Apple iPhone 5c, which will come in a wide variety of colours, an obvious attempt to copy the multi-hued Lumia design philosophy.

What do you think of Apple's new mobile offerings? Is the iPhone 5s a worthy upgrade? Does the iPhone 5c make you reach for your wallet? Let us know in the comments section below.

Touch ID: Inside the fingerprint scanner on Apple's iPhone 5s

Apple unveiled the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c at a special event held at its headquarters in Cupertino. While the iPhone 5c did not live up to its promise of being a 'low-cost iPhone', the iPhone 5s showed off some promising innovations, like the new Apple A7 chip and, perhaps the highlight of the event, a built-in fingerprint scanner called Touch ID.

Touch ID can be used to unlock the phone, by simply placing a finger on the Home button. It can also be used to confirm purchases made on the App Store, iBookstore or the iTunes Store.

You can scan and add multiple fingerprints (e.g. left and right thumbs, as well as index fingers), including those from multiple people (e.g. your wife or kids), and Touch ID will authenticate based on any of stored prints.

In case you are worried about privacy, Apple assures that fingerprints are encrypted and stored in a secure area inside the new A7 chip. Fingerprints are not accessible to any third-party apps, and nor are they sent to Apple's servers or backed onto iCloud.

So what's the technology behind Apple's latest innovation? The Touch ID capacitive sensor embedded in the Home button scans your finger at 500ppi resolution to get a high resolution image of your finger. The sensor embedded in the Home button is just 170 microns thin.

The new Home button is made out of sapphire crystal, one of the "clearest, hardest" materials out there. The Home button protects the fingerprint sensor and also acts as a lens to precisely beam your fingerprint to the scanner. The Home button is surrounded by a steel ring, that can detect touches and tell Touch ID to start scanning when a finger is placed.

The sensor uses advanced capacitive touch to take high-resolution image of the sub-epidermal layers of your skin. The resultant image is then analysed, and grouped into one of three fingerprint types: Arch, Loop or Whorl. It then analyses ridges and other details too small for the human eye to see, to come up with a match for one of the stored fingerprints.

Here's a video that gives a closer look at Touch ID.

10 new features in Apple's iPhone 5s

Apple unveiled the next-generation iPhone, iPhone 5s along with the new iPhone 5c at a special event on Tuesday. The iPhone 5s is a much improvised version of the iPhone 5 with new internals, although it sports almost the same design. It offers some revolutionary features. Here's a look at 10 new features of the iPhone 5s.

1. New A7 chip with 64-bit architecture
According to Apple, the iPhone 5s is the first smartphone in the world to be powered by a chip with a 64-bit architecture. The iPhone 5s' A7 chip delivers CPU and graphics performance up to 2x faster than the A6 chip that powered the iPhone 5.The phone runs a 64-bit version of iOS 7, designed to take advantage of the A7 chip. The A7 chip supports OpenGL ES version 3.0 to deliver gaming console-level detailed graphics and complex visual effects. The iOS 7 native apps including the Camera app takes advantage of the new A7 processor.

2. Touch ID - the fingerprint scanner
The most talked about feature of the iPhone 5s, the Touch ID is a new fingerprint identity sensor integrated with the phone's Home button. Fingerprint recognition can be used for unlocking the phone and also for approving purchases from iTunes Store, the App Store, and the iBooks Store. The Touch ID feature is capable of 360-degree readability allowing users to enter fingerprints in portrait, landscape, or any other position. It even supports multiple fingerprints. The iPhone 5s Home button is made from sapphire and is scratch resistant.

3. A new M7 coprocessor for efficiency
The iPhone 5s' A7 processor is supported by its M7 coprocessor that takes care of measuring motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass sensors of the phone, sending them to new fitness apps without waking up the A7 processor, leading to improved battery life. It also recognises different types of motion.

4. A new iSight camera
Apple has put a new 8-megapixel camera on the iPhone 5s that has a 15 percent larger sensor, bigger pixels measuring 1.5 microns and an aperture of f/2.2 allowing more light to come in. It comes with a Continuous burst mode which is capable of shooting 10 pictures per second, and offers a real-time analysis suggesting individual shots or a sequence of photos that users might like best.

The camera comes with an accompanying True Tone Flash that feature a white LED and an amber LED which work with software algorithms to adjust flash intensity and colour temperature, with over 1000 unique combinations to light the subject.
The iPhone 5s camera comes with auto-image stabilisation to help reduce noise and motion from shaky hands or moving subjects. The camera also offers a Slo-Mo mode to shoot slow motion video at 120 frames per second at 720p. It also comes with Live video zoom for zooming in up to 3x while shooting a video, in addition to live filters.

5. A new FaceTime HD front-facing camera
The iPhone 5s sports a new 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime Camera that comes with a Backside illumination sensor (BSI sensor) for capturing low-light images and support for 720p HD video recording.

6. Support for a large number of 4G LTE bands
The iPhone 5s has up to 13 LTE bands, more than any other single model of a smartphone. This will allow iPhone 5s users to access high-speed Internet in more countries around the world. The new iPhone even supports Band 40, which is the same frequency band on which Airtel's 4G service has been deployed in India.

7. Two new colour options
The iPhone 5s is based on the iPhone 5's design complete with the chamfered edges. However, Apple has scrapped the Black variant and introduced a new Space Gray colour, in addition to the widely rumoured Gold colour variant.

8. iOS 7
The new iPhone 5s will run iOS 7 that leverages its 64-bit A7 chip, the Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor, and the new iSight camera. It also sports a brand new user interface and brings new features, such as a refreshed multitasking view, AirDrop, and Control Center. It also offers new native apps and a new version of Siri.

9. Better battery life
The iPhone 5s claims to offer up to 10 hours of talk time on 3G and standby time of 250 hours. In contrast, the iPhone 5 claims to deliver 8 hours of talk time on 3G and standby time of 225 hours.

10. Free bundled apps
Apple will also offer its premium iWork and iLife apps including Pages, Keynote, Number, iLife and iMovie, free to customers who buy the new iPhone 5s.

iPhone 5c price disappointment: 'Cheaper iPhone' fails to check-in

Apple unveiled two new iPhones at a special event held at its Cupertino headquarters on Tuesday. It announced iPhone 5s, successor to the iPhone 5, which comes with a lot of new features like a brand new A7 processor, the first 64-bit chip inside a smartphone, improved camera, and, the highlight of the device, a fingerprint-scanner called Touch ID.

Apple also unveiled iPhone 5c, which was widely anticipated to be the low-cost iPhone, but it turned out to be a big disappointment on that aspect. While the iPhone 5c boasts impressive hardware specifications and comes in a wide variety of colours, the key criteria for this iPhone was always going to be the price, and this is where it disappoints.

The iPhone 5c was supposed to be Apple's weapon to take on Android in at least the mid-level smartphone segment, if an entry-level pricing was never going to come to fruition. However, one look at the off-contract pricing for the iPhone 5s in various regions, and all those hopes can be put to rest.

The entry-level 16GB iPhone 5c without a contract has been priced at $549 in the US. That comes out to a whopping Rs. 35,000 at current exchange rates (1 USD = 63.65 INR) and does not include the duties and other charges that come in while pricing a product in India. If you were hoping for a sub-Rs. 25,000 pricing for the iPhone 5c in India, it's safe to say we won't see anything like that.

The pricing in other regions is even worse, with the iPhone 5c priced at 599 euros (approximately Rs. 50,500) in Germany and 469 pounds in the UK (approximately Rs. 47,000). Of course both those prices include VAT, which can be sizeable. Pricing in Hong Kong is HKD 4,688 (approximately Rs. 38,500). However, it's the pricing in China, one of two "emerging markets" - the other being India - that the iPhone 5c was said to be targeting that is really surprising. The iPhone 5c price in China is 4488 Chinese Yuan Renminbi, which works out to over Rs. 46,500, without duties or any other charges.

With just a $100 price difference between the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s, it's a little difficult to fathom why the iPhone 5c even exists. The iPhone 5c surely won't help Apple penetrate into any newer markets, and its only selling point seems to the number of colours it's available in.

It seems Apple is not willing to shed its 'premium' tag just yet, and that, more than anything else from Tuesday's event. will surely disappoint millions who were hoping to see Apple in a more 'affordable' avatar.

Apple unveils iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s

Apple Inc introduced two new iPhones on Tuesday including the "iPhone 5c" that comes in five colors and starts at $99 with a contract, priced to bring one of the industry's costliest smartphones within reach of the masses in poorer emerging markets.

Chief Executive Tim Cook kicked off the event at the company's Cupertino headquarters which also ushered in the pricier iPhone 5s. Shares in Apple, which had been in negative territory most of the morning, briefly went positive and were down just 0.5 percent at $503.48.

Cook expects Apple to ship the 700 millionth device - an iPhone or iPad - based on iOS mobile software sometime next month.

The world's most valuable technology company is trying to beat back rivals like Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd in markets like India and China, where it is quickly losing ground.

Wall Street approves of the move to offer a more basic version of the device, although some investors warned initially that it would reduce margins and potentially tarnish a brand that has been linked to premium users since its 2007 inception.

Now they hope a bigger emerging-market presence can help reverse a 29 percent fall in the company's share price since it hit a record high of $702.10 a year ago. The selloff was fueled by fears of slowing growth and a perception that Apple's ability to innovate and shake up industries was dwindling.

The new iPhones, coupled with a belief that Apple will announce a deal with the world's largest carrier in China, have spurred investors to build bullish share and options positions in the company over the past two weeks.

Also sparking Apple's upward momentum was hedge fund billionaire Carl Icahn's revelation last month that he had taken a large position and was pushing for the company to expand its program of share buybacks.

He has said the stock may rise to as much as $700 if Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook pushed for a larger buyback. The shares were down 0.5 percent at $503.64 in morning trading.

Industry observers said Apple had not turned out a category-defining electronic device since late co-founder Steve Jobs made a bet on the iPad in 2010. Speculation revolves around a smartwatch along the same lines as Samsung's recently introduced Galaxy Gear, or some sort of TV product.

But analysts said neither was likely to generate numbers anywhere in the neighborhood of the iPhone, which supplies half of Apple's revenue and is the company's highest-margin product.

"Apple needs to demonstrate in the coming months that it has other product lines which can start to make up for slowing growth and falling margins in (the) iPhone and iPad," said Jan Dawson, a chief telecoms analyst for Ovum Research. "That's a tall order."

More immediately, Apple will get a boost if it succeeds in enlisting China Mobile Ltd in its iPhone network. For the first time, the company will host media in Beijing just nine hours after its Cupertino, California, launch, spurring speculation it will announce a distribution agreement with the Chinese carrier.

The world's largest wireless carrier serves more than 740 million users and is perceived as more amenable to carrying the popular smartphone now that profit and subscriber growth are decelerating. Net income grew just 2 percent in the quarter that ended in June.

And smaller rivals China Unicom and China Telecom, which both already sell Apple's iPhone are making headway against the market leader.

Separately, Japan's largest carrier, NTT DoCoMo, is expected to begin selling it as soon as this fall, other sources said.

One key question is whether Apple will also sell its cheaper iPhone 5c in more mature markets like Europe or the United States, heightening the risk that it will begin cannibalizing sales of the flagship 5s.

Globally, the market for cheaper smartphones priced around $300 - the iPhone 5 now starts at $649 without a contract - may grow to 900 million units by 2015, Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi estimated. Assuming Apple manages to capture just 10 percent of that market, the 5c would bring in revenue of $30 billion annually.

"The only real potential to surprise investors (on Tuesday) seems to be in the scope and velocity of a new China strategy, and any new features within iOS 7 and fingerprint scanner technology," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.

"Since it missed the trend toward larger screened phones and seems poised for only incremental iPad improvements, we believe that Apple needs to prove it can innovate in software and services."

iOS 7 review for iPhone 5 [beta]

We take a whistle stop tour of Apple’s radically redesigned iOS 7 ahead of tonight's iPhone 5S reveal

In just a few short hours Apple will launch the iPhone 5S alongside iOS 7 and potentially a cheaper iPhone handset known as the iPhone 5C. That’s three pretty sizable updates in one sitting… tonight looks to be anything but boring in this regard.
Lauded as the biggest overhaul to Apple’s mobile platform since its inception way back in 2007, iOS 7 looks to be one of the biggest talking points of tonight’s media event. The gold standard release of iOS 7 will likely be markedly different, featuring a variety of bug fixes and UX changes.
Below is our first look at the developer edition of iOS 7 from back in June.

iOS 7: The new look

iOS 7

When I first loaded up iOS 7 on the iPhone 5, my first thought was, 'Whoa. This is definitely different.' The latest version of iOS kind of looks like Apple, Samsung's TouchWiz and Windows Phone had a baby. It's still very much an iPhone but the new interface will turn heads. Thankfully, the brightness and the Fresh Prince aesthetics doesn't come off as poorly in the hand as it does in pictures or renders.
For all intents and purposes, iOS 7 is still the iPhone software you know and love but with a fresh and deep coat of paint. We had heard a lot of talk about iOS 7 being very 'flat' but I've found it to have clearer dimension and depth than previous versions. The notification bar and Control Center are clearly layered above whatever app is underneath it, which gives you a unique sense of place within iOS 7.
Everything from the unlock screen to the stock apps has been redone to show this new design philosophy and most of it seems to work. I'm not a designer and won't pretend to know or care about the gradients of icons but I do think that iOS 7 creates a 'wow moment' when you first actually use it.

iOS 7

I like the new text on iOS 7, although it does remind me a little bit of the Roboto font found on the latest versions of Android. This makes the virtual keyboard appear different but I haven't noticed any real improvements to the typing experience so far.
The new design in iOS 7 is not perfect by any means. One would expect more visual cohesion between the stock apps and that's not always the case. Game Center looks like a messy ball pit at Chuck-E-Cheese while apps like Weather show a very polished look.
Siri has also received a makeover and it also follows the design philosophies nicely, as it will pop over whatever app you're using and then disappear when it's finished. It has a new voice and you can even choose the gender.
It has improved slightly with Twitter integration and the ability to do things like control your display's brightness, but I haven't seen anything that comes close to the mind-blowing nature of Google Now.
Another key change to iOS 7 is the ability to add an unlimited amount of apps to a folder. This is a godsend for me because I'm always testing out new apps and on previous versions of iOS things used to get rather cramped.
There are also a lot of other little visual flourishes which show how much time and care Apple has put into iOS 7. For example, there's a parallax effect which utilizes the phone's accelerometer to adjust how the icons look depending on how you hold it. There’s no practical benefit to this feature but it does look rather cool.

iOS 7

The new look of iOS 7 does make a lot of third-party apps look out of place, however, but that's what the developer preview is for. You can bet that by the time iOS 7 lands for the public the majority of popular apps will be updated to fit in with its new flat styling.

New controls: Notifications, Control Center, Multitasking

iOS 7 adds some much-needed toggle switches with Control Center and Android users have long known how great this can be. With iOS 7, you simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen and you'll have access to a handy menu in which you can do a lot of useful things.

iOS 7

The Control Center will let you toggle on your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane Mode, Do Not Disturb, Lock orientation, display brightness and control what music is playing. This Control Center menu also includes controls for AirDrop, AirPlay, a new built-in flashlight, the stopwatch, calculator and quick access to the camera.
The whole thing slides gracefully over any app you're using and while it is a rather small detail in the grand scheme of things it's something iOS has been missing since day one.
Multitasking also gets a much-needed refresh, too. Since iOS 4, multitasking was handled by double-tapping the Home button causing icons to pop up at the bottom of the screen. With iOS 7, your running apps now fill up the screen as cards and the effect bears a striking resemblance to the multitasking in Windows Phone and webOS.
Stolen or not, this interface makes switching between apps and killing apps (just swipe the cards up) significantly easier and a whole lot more intuitive. Yes, it’s the same thing we've seen on webOS and Android phones but it's very effective here.
Beyond the visual refresh, multitasking in iOS 7 now gives app makers free reign when it comes to background processes. Apple insists this will be done in a battery-efficient manner and I'm looking forward to seeing what app makers do with this newfound freedom. Another added bonus is that apps will now be able to update in the background.
The notification bar has been redesigned and it gracefully slides over whatever app you're using too. While it looks prettier, it doesn't seem to be that much more useful. There are no in-line response capabilities and it's even tougher to clear notifications than before. It looks nicer but I wish iOS 7 would provide more practical measures for dealing with your notifications.

New features: AirDrop, iTunes Radio, 

AirDrop lets you quickly and securely transfer files locally. This utilises Bluetooth to create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi connection between devices, so you can share photos, videos and other types of files between devices inside Apple’s ecosystem.
AirDrop seems easy to set up and use but it's honestly tough to gauge its real-life uses without iOS 7 out in the wild. It is definitely easier than bumping handsets together with NFC-enabled apps like Bump.

iOS 7

The iTunes Radio music discovery service is built into the default Music app and is aimed at helping you discover new artists based on bands and songs you like. Think Pandora, but built into your next iPhone and with deep hooks into iTunes.
The iOS 7 beta version is still trying to work out the kinks, as the catalogue didn't even have results for some very high-profile artists. Still, when it does work, iTunes Radio is a visually pleasing way to discover new tracks. It also integrates with Twitter Music, which could also be a good way to find out what’s cooking on the music scene.

iOS 7

The iTunes Radio service is a nice thing to have as a default part of iOS 7 but I'm still more interested in services like Pandora, Spotify or Google Play Music All Access. Note: iTunes Radio is free with ads and will be available in the United States only at first.