iPhone 6s vs iPhone 7: BIG Changes Are Coming To 2016's iPhone

We gaze into our crystal ball to see how the 2015 and 2016 iPhones will differ, as we look at the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 7.

There's something very funny about reporting tech news, something that's become a bit of an in-joke amongst us journos. Whenever something rumour based or speculative is posted there are always those who say "this is nothing but rumours and speculation, it could be wrong, it's not factual..." and so on, but the truth is this complaining doesn't reflect the majority opinion. It can't possibly, because the fact of the matter is that forthcoming  and rumoured devices generate so much more interest than handsets that have been released. Like any website we look at Google's analytics for traffic and, get this, as soon as a new phone like the iPhone or Nexus launches the number of people looking at content and searching for content related to those devices NOSEDIVES - but before that, all the while the phone is merely a rumour, it SKYROCKETS. People, readers, you lot, love a rumour. That's the fact of the matter, you love anticipating a new phone that isn't out yet - the next best thing - so much more than something that is launched and has become a reality. You love a tease. Don't even try to deny it!

So with that in mind we're quite happy to write about things that haven't been launched yet and give you your fix!

Today we are comparing the current-gen iPhone 6s (the one released in September 2015) with 2016's as-yet unnanounced iPhone 7. (The image above is an awesome mockup by Computerbild.de of what the iPhone 7 could look like, by the way).

This is worth a look because of a few other factors. First being how unnervingly thorough, far-reaching and accurate the modern rumour mill is - nothing escapes its tendrils and already we're getting plenty of juicy information about next year's iPhone 7, much of it from repeatedly proven reliable sources.  On top of that, although the iPhone 6s has just come out Apple has likely been at work on the next iPhone–the iPhone 7–for at least a few years now. And because of  the way Apple’s iPhone product cycles work, it’s relatively easy to predict what a major new iPhone design will feature. You see, Apple historically has released iPhone upgrades on a “tick-tock” basis. Every tick is a major new form-factor upgrade and every tock retains the old form factor but usually introduces a new feature.

Examples of “tick” releases are the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5, and the iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus). These iPhones all featured radical form-factor redesigns over the previous iPhone. The iPhone 4 had the first Retina display and glass and aluminum body. The iPhone 5 had the 4-inch screen. The iPhone 6 had the 4.7-inch screen and so on. Examples of “tock” releases are the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5s, and the iPhone 6s. In each case each of these phones retained the same form-factor of its predecessor but added new usability features. The iPhone 4s added Siri; the iPhone 5s added the Touch ID and M7 motion coprocessor; and the iPhone 6s added the 3D Touch display.

"The big worry is that as the iPhone 7 is said to be so slim," reports Expert Reviews, "it means that there's less room inside for battery, which again will have an impact on battery life. I think it's a little early to start panicking yet, as reduced battery life is not a certainty and there are a few tricks that Apple might have up its sleeve. For starters, the new A10 chip will, no doubt, be more energy efficient than the A9 SoC in the iPhone 6S. It will probably be built using a smaller fabrication process, which will also mean that it takes up less room in the case, leaving more room for a bigger battery. Next, Apple will most likely work on making iOS 10 more energy efficient, again helping boost battery power."

Word on the street suggests we will probably see three iPhone 7 handsets in 2016. Apple is apparently keen to rekindle its iPhone Xc range and will utilise the iPhone 5s as the reference model for the iPhone 7c, meaning it will support TouchID among other things. This isn’t the first chatter we’ve heard about the iPhone 7c, either. Earlier in the year multiple sources began claiming Apple would release another iPhone C handset in 2016 in order to further bolster its strangle hold one the mobile space where it currently commands around 90-odd % of all profits.

A new report from TrendForce claims the iPhone 7 will be water-proof, a feature many Android handsets have had for YEARS. Beyond this the company reckons Apple will radically alter the design and finish of the handset and also include more RAM, perhaps as much as 3GB, as well as a third handset called the iPhone 7c.

“Apple will release the upgraded 4-inch iPhone C series in the second quarter of 2016,” said the report. “The next iPhone (currently dubbed “iPhone 7”) will be introduced in the second half of next year. The major selling points of the next iPhone will be the 3GB memory upgrade for the 5.5-inch model and waterproof feature. Based on TrendForce’s estimation, about 260 million iPhones will be shipped in 2016, representing an annual growth of 12.5% and a market share of 18.5%. With the smartphone market becoming less profitable, iPhone will still have the highest margin next year compared with products from rival vendors.”

It added: “Samsung’s shipments are anticipated to drop 4% annually to 310 million due to Chinese competitors undercutting its prices. Apple is anticipated to significantly narrow its market share gap with Samsung next year as well. TrendForce analysis indicates that Samsung will hold 22% of the global smartphone market in 2016, a decline from 2015. Wu added that Samsung’s flagship devices for this year have hit the ceiling in specs, so the South Korean powerhouse will be straining to bring hardware innovations to its next smartphone release.”

“KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo,” reports Apple Insider, “whose predictions have in the past been accurate, said he expects Apple's upcoming 4-inch iPhone to be functionally similar to a buffed iPhone 5s, the last iPhone model to sport a 4-inch display. Kuo says demand is still present for a smaller Apple handset, and the company plans to capitalize come next year. Mass production will likely start sometime in the first half of 2016, suggesting a potential product launch alongside next year's ‘iPhone 7’ lineup.”

Speaking of the iPhone 6s -- this year’s model saw a raft of major improvements in several key areas, though most notably imaging and processing power. Beyond this we saw more RAM included, 2GB to be specific, as well as slightly thicker chassis overall, owing to the inclusion of 3D Touch technology in the display panel. So while it might look A LOT like last year’s model it will function quite a bit differently.

Sales have been INSANE, too:

Apple announced it sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models, a new record, just three days after launch. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in more than 40 additional countries beginning October 9 including Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Taiwan. The new iPhones will be available in over 130 countries by the end of the year.

This is a HUGE figure and, importantly, it is quite a bit more than Apple shifted last year which, again, is pretty significant for a release many consider to be minor or incremental. China helped in a big way this year, having access to the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus at the same time as other markets around the world. Apple confirmed 13 million sales during the first few weeks but that figure is expected to grow rapidly in the coming weeks and months.

“Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple’s history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Customers’ feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can’t wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9.”

But those iPhone 6s sales could pale in comparison to the next iPhone 7. So without further ado, let's gaze into our crystal ball to see what each phone will be like, starting with the specs:

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Major Specs

Current iPhone 6s

Display: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, max res of 1920x1080

Design: It looks exactly the same as the iPhone 6 (rounded corners, aluminum body)

Storage: 16, 64, and 128GB

CPU and RAM: A9 processor, 2GB RAM

Front Camera: 5MP

Rear Camera: 12MP, 4K video recording

Likely iPhone 7

Display: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, but likely with a QHD display of 2560 x 1440 resolution

Design: Completely new design. Thinner body and bezel.

Storage: 32, 64, and 128GB

CPU and RAM: A10 processor, 3GB RAM

Front Camera: 5MP with wide angle lens

Rear Camera: 12MP, 4K video recording, optical image stabilization.

The important thing to remember with iPhone upgrades is that the tock “S” cycle upgrade primarily see internal enhancements and the tick prime upgrades see body design changes. That’s why the iPhone 6s had more radical internal changes from the iPhone 6 than the iPhone 6s will to the iPhone 7. The iPhone 6s got the A9 processor and FINALLY 2GB of RAM. That means that the iPhone 7 will almost certainly have an A10 chipset and 3GB of RAM. Traditionally Apple has kept the amount of RAM the same for more than one year, but by the time the iPhone 7 ships in autumn 2016, most Android phones will have 4GB RAM minimum. Apple will need to keep up, if not match it.

As for storage options, with the iPhone 7 we finally expect Apple to drop the 16GB entry level option for a 32GB entry level model. Needless to say, dropping the 16GB storage model is long overdue. No one, NO ONE should buy a 16GB smartphone. You’ll fill it all up with large 12MP photos in the first month you own it.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Design

The iPhone 6s looks exactly as the iPhone 6 does, just a bit thicker. But if that iPhone 6s design is looking a bit stale to you, then you are going to love the iPhone 7. It will feature a radically different design. What to expect? A thinner body is guaranteed. KGI Securities superstar analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has an excellent track record with predicting iPhone specs, says the iPhone 7 will be Apple’s thinnest yet–approaching the thinness of the iPod touch (which is really, really thin) Kuo expects the iPhone 7 to be between 6.0mm and 6.5mm thin (the iPod touch is 6.1mm thin).

Apple is now busy testing out designs and features for the iPhone 7; handsets are developed way in advance of release and this is why we get some many leaks. And according to information leaked on Weibo by a reliable tipster Apple is testing out five iPhone 7 prototypes. The news was picked up by G For Games, another reliable source, which reports that Apple is testing out a bunch of different features for next year’s iPhones.

Apple is currently experimenting with at least five different iPhone 7 models, each with its own unique hardware characteristics. By the sound of it Apple is trying to figure out which technologieswould go best in the upcoming model, all the while keeping an eye on the performance of its suppliers,” said the report. “Reportedly, some of the technologies that can be found in these prototypes include a USB Type-C connector compatible with headsets, wireless charging technology, multi-Force Touch, dual camera configurations, and fingerprint recognition technology embedded within the display.”

Apple is also said to be experimenting with AMOLED displays but this new display technology isn’t expected to appear inside commercial iPhones until at least 2018.

The USB Type-C rumour is very interesting, however, as it ties in nicely with yesterday’s report about Apple ditching 3.5mm jack support on the iPhone 7 in favour of something more proprietary. Is it possible Apple could switch out its lightening port connector for USB Type-C? Sure, it’s possible. But it just doesn’t seem very likely given the company’s track record. Still, there are PLENTY of benefits to using USB Type-C, so perhaps Apple is turning over a new leaf?

There’s also strong hints that Apple is working on doing away with the physical home button and embedding a virtual home button and Touch ID in the screen itself, but that might not come until the iPhone 8. Apple has filed patents for such a in-screen home button, but the company files patents for everything–99% of which never make it into a shipping product. Also, Digitimes is reporting that Apple has placed LCD display driver orders with touchscreen supplier Synaptics for its next iPhone. It would not need these LCD display drivers if its own work on integrated Touch ID and displays were moving along at pace.

One aspect of the new iPhone 7’s potential design could cause some users some issues, however, as multiple sources are now claiming Apple is looking to do away with traditional headphones, meaning no 3.5mm jack-support on the iPhone 7. It will be replaced by a lightning port, apparently, and this of course means you’ll have to buy and adaptor in order to make your old headphones work with the iPhone 7.

Why is Apple doing this? Apparently it is ALL about design. Apple wants to make the iPhone 7 1mm thinner than the iPhone 6s and in order to do this it needs to ditch the traditional 3.5mm jack port. Fortunately, Apple’s lightning connector is EXACTLY the right size and, fortunately again, Apple has no issues selling you a $15 convertor to access it.

Sounds crazy, right? But remember: Apple did exactly the same thing with CD drives and USB ports on its MacBooks, so, yeah… you’ve been WARNED.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Waterproofing

Earlier this autumn the internet freaked out when videos surfaced of the iPhone 6s surviving 30 minutes underwater. It turns out Apple secretly added new adhesive strips inside the iPhone 6s to block any moisture getting in. Now a Chinese Mac blog is claiming that this was just a dry run (get the pun) for Apple, and that the iPhone 7 will officially be certified as waterproof.

In addition to waterproofing by using internal gaskets, another Chinese site is claiming Apple will ditch the aluminum casing of the iPhone 6s for an all new plastic material on the iPhone 7 to make sure the device is fully waterproof. We don’t see Apple’s iPhone 7 being a plastic phone, but only time will tell.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: LTE chipset

Right now the iPhone 6s uses an LTE chipset from Qualcomm, but recent rumors point to Intel working on an iPhone-compatible LTE chipset for the iPhone 7. If this is true users won’t likely notice much of a difference. Instead, Apple would use the Intel LTE chip so it can drive component costs down.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Display

The iPhone 6s gained the 3D Touch display that the Apple Watch has (there, it is called the Force Touch display)–of course the iPhone 7 will adopt this 3D Touch display as well. But we also expect the iPhone 7 to get a higher resolution display, specifically a QHD one with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, as many Android handsets have. By autumn of 2016 anything less that 2560x1440 will be the equivalent of what standard definition is today.

Apple could also make subtle upgrades to the 3D Touch display in the iPhone 7–for example, making it sensitive to more than two types of pressure inputs, but other than that we don’t expect the 3D Touch display to change much.

Also, it is unlikely that the iPhone 7 will adopt an AMOLED display, which is found in Samsung phones and the Apple Watch, according to Kuo. In a recent investors note he stated:

"Based on recent comments by Minebea, one of the main iPhone backlight unit suppliers, we believe AMOLED will not penetrate iPhone for the next three years. Moreover, Hon Hai is preparing to invest in Gen-6 LTPS TFT-LCD production lines in Zhengzhou, China for mass production in 2018, suggesting the iPhone line will likely stick with TFT-LCD technology in 2018 and thereafter. […]

Minebea, major BLU supplier of iPhone, stated to investors on November 5 that it does not foresee risk of TFT-LCD share loss to AMOLED in high-end smartphone market in next three years & guides growth in TFT-LCD going forward. As Apple and Samsung are the only two brands that currently offer premium smartphones, we think Minebea’s statements imply it does not expect iPhone to adopt AMOLED in the coming three years, given that Samsung’s models are already being equipped with it."

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Camera

Internally the iPhone 6s gained a huge camera upgrade with its 12MP rear camera (up from the 8MP camera in the iPhone 6) and its 5MP front FaceTime camera (up for 1.8 MP in the iPhone 6). But going to the iPhone 7 we expect the camera upgrade to be less pronounced. Apple will probably keep to a 12MP rear camera but add optical image stabilization across the line (right now only the “Plus” models feature it). The iPhone 7 will also probably retain the same FaceTime camera.

The iPhone 6s also gained 4k video recording on the rear camera–something we don’t see changing or expanding on for the iPhone 7. However, it’s possible the front FaceTime camera could gain 4k video recording in the iPhone 7.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: A new 4-inch iPhone?

One final prediction according to Kou is that Apple will launch a new 4-inch iPhone alongside the iPhone 7 in 2016. Kou states:

"As there is still demand for a 4-inch iPhone, we believe Apple will upgrade this product line. Because the iPhone 5s is more popular than the iPhone 5c, we think Apple is likely to launch an upgraded iPhone 5s. We predict Apple will mass-produce this new 4-inch iPhone in 1H16 with metal casings. In order to make the current iOS 9 or next-generation iOS 10 run smoothly, Apple may adopt an A9 chip for this new phone."

Whether or not this new 4-inch iPhone is an updated iPhone 5 or a rebranded iPhone 7c – the iPhone 6s could see significant competition from iPhones on all sizes of the display spectrum.

Raspberry Pi Zero: The $5 computer has arrived

The Raspberry Pi Zero has the same computing capabilities as the original Raspberry Pi, minus some of the ports.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has hit rock bottom. After years of working to lower the cost of hobbyist and educational computing, founder Eben Upton says it can go no further: at just $5 its latest creation is as cheap is it can make a computer.

The $5 Raspberry Pi Zero follows on from the wildly successful Raspberry Pi A, B and 2 computers, which cost $20 to $35.

But despite the staggeringly low price, it still has many of the same features, and runs about 40 percent faster than the Raspberry Pi 1.

At the heart of its 65 x 30 millimeter circuit board is a Broadcom BCM2835 application processor, the same as in the Raspberry Pi 1, with a 1GHz ARM11 core. The board holds 512MB of RAM, and the operating system is loaded from micro-SD card.

There's a mini-HDMI socket for 1080p video output, and micro-USB sockets for data and power.

The board is as expandable as its predecessors: Its 40-pin GPIO header has identical pinouts, although the pads on the circuit board are "unpopulated," meaning you'll have to solder on your own connector. The same goes for the composite video output: The connection is available, but if you need a socket, you must solder it yourself.


In comparison, the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B has additional memory, a quad-core processor, audio in/out, three additional USB ports, and direct connections for a camera and a display.

Game of Thrones: Jon Snow is back, so get set for a wild season six

HBO’s teaser poster suggests that the character is alive after all. Far from a cheap soap opera move, it suggests the show will become more gripping than ever.

The worst-kept secret in television finally leaked on Monday as HBO and Sky Atlantic released the first promo art for the sixth season of Game of Thrones: a picture of Jon Snow looking suitably haggard, with blood pouring from one eye down his cheek.

At this point I would normally write something along the lines of “don’t read any further if you don’t want to be spoiled” but it’s arguable that if it’s the TV station that airs the show doing the spoiling then it’s already a pretty moot point.

Rumours that Jon’s death was not all it appeared have been growing since summer. While Kit Harington, the actor who plays the heroic 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, initially insisted that his time on the show was over after Jon’s brutal stabbing, he was subsequently snapped filming in Belfast amid rumours of an epic battle scene at The Wall (yes, another, it’s a hard place to conquer). Jon, it appears, is also a hard man to kill.

So what does this latest suggestion of his survival (something which has not been officially confirmed in the books with author George RR Martin recently suggesting that fans should read The Winds of Winter when its published if they want to uncover his fate) mean for the series?

First, it confirms that next year will be something of a wild ride for both book and TV fans as we head into the unknown and the probability that for the first time ever a TV series will potentially be spoiling the books on which it is based.

Secondly, it marks something of a deviation for this show, which has previously prided itself on the fact that if a character is dead, they stay dead. No matter how important they might be. This is Game of Thrones after all, the show that killed Ned Stark in the first series, that wiped out half the cast in The Red Wedding and that has never worried about introducing popular characters only to gruesomely off them.

By those standards bringing Jon Snow back from the dead could be seen as, well, something of a cop out – the sort of thing that happens in soapier dramas, which tease the audience with the possible deaths of their heroes and heroines only to swiftly reassure you that no, of course they didn’t die.

Well rein in that irritation for a second because there is, at least, precedence here. It has been well established over the course of five seasons that, since Daenerys Targaryen hatched her dragons, magic has been growing stronger throughout Westeros and Essos, meaning that things that might not previously have been possible are increasingly likely.

We’ve also been introduced to Thoros of Myr, a Red Priest with a particular talent for bringing the dead back to life, who has worked his magic on the leader of the Brotherhood without Banners, Beric Dondarrion – a man who happens to wear an eye patch, which is interesting given that on the promo poster there seems to be a bloody hole where Jon’s own eye should be. Given that the somewhat spooky Melisandre, also a Red Priest, was last seen arriving back at Castle Black, having abandoned Stannis Baratheon to his fate, it would seem likely that a swift resurrection with some rather unpleasant strings attached is in the cards.

Because that’s the thing about Game of Thrones: yes, Jon coming back to life might initially appear like a cheat but in the world of the show it almost certainly makes sense. Will things be on the up for the former Lord Commander next season? Given his life so far I rather doubt it, just as I doubt that the Red Priests resurrect the dead for fun. Perhaps Lord Snow (as Ser Alliser Thorne so sneeringly calls him) would be best to take comfort from the fatalistic words of House Greyjoy: “What is dead, can never die” as he begins his next life in the new season.

Google Nexus 6P Complaints Suggest Yet Another Major Problem

Some customers have already reported that their Google Nexus 6P has spontaneously cracked the glass which covers the rear camera. Now it seems like some people are having problems with the on-board microphone. Reports have hit both the official Google product forums, as well as XDA Developers of low quality, muffled, in-call sound. Android Police reported this story, where one of its writers claims to be be affected by the problem.

Some users are reporting that covering the rear-mounted microphone – which is used for noise cancellation – resolves the problem. Others though say that it’s covering this microphone that causes the issue. The only thing everyone agrees on is that there are a decent number of people who find their voice being poorly received by the other person in the call.

There are a number of microphones on the Nexus 6P – and all modern phones – and sound from these is used to remove ambient noise. This suggests that perhaps there’s a software problem that’s making phones behave unpredictably, but with the same root cause. On XDA one theory is that there’s a software bug with the noise cancellation. Fixing this would be fairly straightforward once discovered, and Google could send an update very quickly.

If the problem is hardware-based then Google will end up with a lot of returned phones, and would likely see pressure to recall the rest. Different people obviously use their phones in varying amounts for voice calls, I, for example, hate talking on the phone so any microphone problems would go undetected by me for a long time. Others, however, are more reliant on voice communication.

With this and the cracking back panel problem Google might have some tough questions for Huawei, which makes the Nexus 6P. The phone itself seems to be enjoying success with reviewers though, and it’s certainly a beautifully designed device. As always, a small number of phones will always have hardware problems, and the key is just how many returns are seen on any one product. Sadly manufacturers tend not to release this information, so we’ll never know just how many users are having problems with their devices.

Top 10 Chat Apps For Android

Text messaging is still the easiest way to send messages on your smartphone as the SMS apps are already installed when you power it up, but there are plenty of reasons to ditch text messaging for the majority of your messaging needs and move to a chat app instead, one of the biggest reasons being that nearly everyone is using one of the more popular chat apps available. There are quite a few to choose from, so here is our list of ten of the top chat apps you can find on the Play Store.

TELEGRAM

Kicking this list off is Telegram, and like every single app on this list it’s free to use so the only thing you’ll have to do to get started is install it, and perhaps convince anyone y9ou want to use it to give it a shot. Telegram boasts security and quickness as being two main features, so if you’re looking for a chat app more focused on delivering secure messages in a speedy manner, see if this suits your needs.

WeChat

WeChat is a popular option to consider, and there’s plenty to love about the app too. It has support for Android Wear so you can send messages from your wrist if you have one of the devices, and it also has a PC client so you can message fro your laptop or desktop as well. In addition to chatting, you can also make and receive video calls for free.

Signal

If you really want to be secure when it comes to your messages, Signal may be just the app for you. It prides itself on security for its users over anything else, and enables end to end encryption for every single message that gets sent out. It also supports group chat in case you want to get a larger conversation going.

BBM

BBM, better known as BlackBerry Messenger, is a great way to keep in contact. Just like many of the chat apps here you can send group messages, and it has some pretty advanced offerings too like timed messages which allow people to see the stuff you send only for an allotted amount of time. You can also makes free voice calls to any of your BBM contacts

SnapChat

So this isn’t like your traditional chat apps, but it is a chat app nonetheless. Instead of just your typical typed up messages, Snapchat lets you take a quick picture with the option of attaching a short caption before sending it off to your contacts. Messages are also only available for a small amount of time before disappearing. The app also now supports video snaps too just in case a picture isn’t enough, and if you want to bring things back to regular messaging you can do that too.

LINE

LINE is actually one of the bigger chat apps out there, and it offers everything from 1-1 chat, group chats, and free video calls and free voice calls with your LINE contacts no matter where they are around the globe. Just like WeChat you can also send messages from your computer, and there’s a large collection of stickers to send to make your messages a little more fun.

Groupme

Groupme is mostly centered around group messaging, but you can also one on one chat with others as you can create a group and choose who to invite. The app supports emojis and you can buy premium emoji packs, and of course you can message people either from the app or you computer via the website.

WhatsApp

There are few apps more popular than whatsapp for messaging, which comes through in real-time, and if typed words aren’t doing it for you then you can also opt to place a voice call. You can easily share your location through the app, insert media like videos and pictures, and the app has support for Android Wear so you can send and receive messages from your watch.

Call of Duty Black Ops III gets special XP weekend

Need to get a boost in Call of Duty: Black Ops III?

Treyarch had recently released a tiny hotfix to the game on PS4 and Xbox One. These times only apply to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC versions of the game; the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions have “TBD” times.

In related “Black Ops 3” news, in the game’s first three days of sales, “Black Ops 3” racked up $550 million in sales and performed significantly better than the previous two “Call of Duty” games. The full patch notes have only been made available a few hours after the update went live, with Treyarch’s David Vonderhaar confirming that it introduced fixes for Challenges, max exploits and more. For those who are wondering, the double XP weekend will be applicable to both competitive multiplayer and zombies mode as well.

What do you think about Treyarch not releasing patch notes? Remember that Treyarch will continue with these minor hotfixes until the game is ready for its next major update.

We expect to see a more detailed Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 1.03 changelog in the near future that could outline additional changes to the game.

Other than that, the rest of the changes are undocumented.

For the most part, the update will mainly affect the weapons inside “Call of Duty: Black Ops 3”. Although I haven’t played Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 on PC or PS4, the overall fun and value of the game should carry over to these versions as well.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow Updated Status For Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge+, S6, S6 Edge, Galaxy Tab A And S2 Models Surface

Recently, a purported internal document from Samsung had revealed the schedule of the company for releasing the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for its Galaxy smartphones. However, fresh update has surfaced that indicates that Samsung has altered has slightly altered its planning for releasing Android 6.0 update for its phones.

According to the previously leaked document by Times News, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ flagships were slated to receive Android 6.0 upgrade in the next month. However, a newer internal document from the South Korean company reveals that the Galaxy S6 Edge+ will not be receiving the Android 6.0 update in December but rather its arrival has been pushed to January 2016, Phone Arena reported.

It means that three handsets namely, Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ will be receiving the Android M build. Samsung is said to be testing the software update for these handsets. The Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are poised to receive Android M update in February 2016.

The Android 6.0 update has been approved for Galaxy S5 and it is likely to receive the update by April next year. In March, the Android 6.0 update will be made available for the Galaxy A8 handset. The Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy A5, Galaxy A3, Galaxy E7, Galaxy E5, Galaxy J7, Galaxy J5 and Galaxy J2 smartphones are waiting for the approval to get updated to Android M.

The update has been cancelled for Galaxy J1 and for Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4, the upgrade is not approved. The newly leaked document has also revealed the names of the Samsung tablets that will be upgraded to Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

The 9.7-inch and 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 models, the Galaxy Tab S 8.4, the Galaxy Tab A 8 and 9.7 variants are also in queue to get approval for the update. The firmware update has been approved for Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and it is scheduled to receive it by April 2016.

Anonymous Declared War against Isis

The well-known hacking collective Anonymous announced itself “at war” with the Islamic State following the attacks in Paris, expanding its “#OpISIS” online campaign. The continuation of operation was announced on 15 November via one of the major Anonymous twitter accounts, @GroupAnon.

The group has published a video (originally in French), where a figure wearing Anonymous’ iconic Guy Fawkes mask addressed the terror group and promised to hunt them down. In the meantime, a loosely related group of hackivists named BinarySec has also confirmed its online stance against Isis.

The industry watchers confirm that opposition to Isis is nothing new amongst hacktivist communities. For example, both BinarySec and Anonymous, more broadly, have been disrupting jihadi online communications for a while now. Their operation began early in 2015 as #OpCharlieHebdo, where Anonymous devoted themselves to rooting out the social media accounts of Isis supporters.

The hackers declared a partial victory in #OpISIS already in February, after they managed to seize control of about 100 Twitter accounts associated with the group. Since February, Anonymous have made use of various tools to hinder Isis on the Internet. They seized social media accounts by guessing passwords or abusing reset emails or flagged them to either Twitter or Facebook to be shut down.

Besides, the hacking group has been using such tools as DDoS attacks, which are designed to overwhelm a destination website with traffic, in order to bring down public Islamic State sites. According to statistics, the hackers have had success, bringing down almost 150 websites, flagging over 100,000 Twitter accounts and reporting about 5,000 propaganda videos.

Deus Ex Mankind Divided suffers huge delay

It is indeed a sad day. Eidos Montreal has just announced that Deus Ex Mankind Divided has been delayed by at least six months. Let's take a moment's silence...

The ambitious game is a sequel to the most excellent Deus Ex Human Revolution and a continuation of the famed RPG set in a details dystopian future world. It would tell the story of Adam Jensen in a world where the augmented people of the world are caught in a battle with those who have chosen to remain fully human - while you also sneak and shoot and talk your way into and out of various situations.

In a blog post, studio head CEO David Anfossi has confirmed the new release date of August 23rd 2016, moving from February:

"We're confident and prouid of the game so far. However, as we are now playing through the game in full we can see that it will require more time in post-production for tuning, iterations, and refinements to meet our high standards. In order to achive this, we need to move the release of the game to Augsut 23rd, 2016. We are sorry to disappoint you with this news, and also thank you for all of your support and comments. This game is a huge part of our lives, and we dont want to compromise on its quality."

So please be patient with us a little longer, and thanks as always for your passion and support - through thick and thin. It's a huge responsibility to work on Deus Ex Mankind Divided - we know, but also a huge privilege. We're determined to deliver the best game we can."

No studio takes a delay lightly, just purely in terms of the extra costs involved, and this must have been a hard decisions for Eidos Montreal. We're always wary when a delay of this sort happens so close to the release and it's not the only issue this game has had to date, including an ill advised preorder campaign. But let's hope the final product is worth the wait.

Flip Phones Are Back - Samsung Brings Out New ‘Smart’ Clamshell

Flip phones ruled the world before iPhone made its appearance - and they could be making a comeback.

Samsung has announced a new ‘smart’ flip phone, which runs Android - and the machines are making a major comeback in the Far East.

Analysts believe that they could be due for a comeback in Europe, as people tire of iPhone-style models.

Adele appeared holding one in her recent hit video for Hello - and stars such as Rihanna and Vogue’s Anna Wintour have been pictured with the gadgets in recent months.

Tech analysts Gartner predict there could be a comeback in Western Europe soon.

The new Samsung SM-W2016 is a pretty standard Android - kind of similar to the Galaxy S6, but with flip appeal, plus 64GB storage, 3GB RAM and Android Lollipop.

The machines have been making a surprise comeback over the past two years, and are now actually denting smartphone sales in hi-tech Japan, one of the first countries to have internet-capable phones.

Smartphone sales have fallen for the second year running in Japan, with sales of flip phones such as Sharp’s Aquos K rising 5.7% year on year.

Takao Shinkai on Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper suggests the big reasons could be price (even the new versions are much cheaper), better battery life and the fact the things are hard to smash.

Iranian Hackers Targeted Obama Administration

Iran military hackers known as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards tried to hack email and social media accounts of Obama administration officials in the move allegedly linked to the arrest of an Iranian-American businessman in Tehran.

According to the reports, people working on Iran policy were targeted in the cyber attacks, including personnel in the State Department’s Office of Iranian Affairs and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Journalists and academics also suffered.

A surge in hacking attacks was noticed after the landmark international agreement this past summer that was supposed to ease severe economic sanctions on Iran if Tehran curbs its nuclear program in return, to ensure it is not developing weapons.

The hacking group in question is a powerful branch of the Iranian military that has regularly attacked American government agencies in recent years. However, the hacking reportedly increased after the arrest of Siamak Namazi in October, who is a head of strategic planning for Crescent Petroleum, an oil and gas company in the UAE, known to be working for think tanks in Washington. Siamak Namazi had been detained and interrogated regularly by the Revolutionary Guards before his arrest.

Apparently, the American officials believe that some of the more recent attacks might be linked to reports of detained dual citizens and others. In the meantime, Namazi’s friends and business associates claimed that Revolutionary Guards confiscated his computer after ransacking his family’s home in Tehran. When reached for comments, a spokesman at Iran’s UN mission in New York said that Tehran had been falsely accused of cyber attacks.

Apple Music Now on Android

The tech giant has recently presented an official Android app for its Apple Music streaming service – just 4 months after its debut on its home iOS platform. Core features of the service have survived the translation to Android, including its dedicated playlist and album recommendations, radio station and social network, along with its 3-month free trial for new users.

The Android version of the streaming service also provides people with access to their purchases from Apple’s iTunes download store – this is the first time for Android. Actually, the only missing feature at the moment is the ability to play music videos. When presenting the service this past summer, Apple promised to launch it for Android devices later.

The company explained that the developers have created the new app according to Android’s design principles. The industry observers do not agree on the point why Apple is making such an effort for Android, which they have regularly disparaged publicly for malware and the slower updates. Some of them even believe that it’s just a marketing ploy to lure people towards iOS devices. Others think that Android support will make Apple Music’s family plan more appealing for people whose family members are also using Android devices. But the most popular theory is that Apple was entering the music-streaming market years after key rivals and therefore could not afford to ignore Android with a billion of active users. According to the statistics, the main rivals of Apple Music (Spotify and Pandora) had their Android apps been installed more than 100m times, and Google’s own Google Play Music Android app accounts for 1bn installs.

Last month, Apple announced that 6.5 million people were paying for its music service in the first month after their free trial ended. Even if half of them simply forgot to cancel their automatic subscription, the streaming service would likely be the second biggest (after Spotify) “on-demand” service, ahead of Rhapsody/Napster and Deezer.

Portugal Blocked ExtraTorrent and Other BitTorrent Websites

Thanks to rights owners, Portuguese Internet service providers have received another batch of “pirate” domain notifications from the authorities. The recently accepted voluntary anti-piracy agreement makes the ISPs to implement a full subscriber blockade until November 13, thus making the country close to the status of the world leader in pirate blocking.

This past summer, the local Ministry of Culture announced the signing of a memorandum between the ISPs and copyright owners, which laid out the framework for a voluntary website-blocking mechanism. The latter would allow to quickly block websites that have over 500 infringing links and whose indexes contain more than 66% infringing content. After the worldwide leader of piracy, The Pirate Bay, was blocked in the country in March 2015, the new process paved the way for rapid website blocking. As a result, the first batch of complaints was quickly processed.

Back in October, Portugal blocked over 50 websites (including us) without a court order. Now it is preparing its second wave of blockades, mostly against torrent sites, “release blog” favorites and streaming services (both video and audio). Although website blocking is a common thing around the world, the way it’s being carried out in Portugal may raise some concern.

Given that the blocking process is voluntary, there’s no unwieldy court process to navigate, which is a good thing for the Portuguese anti-piracy outfit. Nevertheless, there are opinions that the new process is too streamlined and that judicial oversight is required to avoid an abuse. They also raised questions over the legality of the scheme.

Another concern is focused on the sheer number of websites that could end up on the blocklist. At the moment, copyright owners can only file 2 complaints with the government per month, but each of them can contain up to 50 domains. In other words, that if all sites are deemed infringing and the anti-piracy outfit works to capacity, over 1,200 allegedly infringing websites could be blocked by this time in 2016. Such rates would make Portugal the world leader in site blocking. This would be a clear example of what the entertainment industry could aim for by bypassing the courts.

Nevertheless, VPNs used by Portuguese internet users to access foreign BitTorrent websites, music download and video streaming websites, will not be affected. With VPN for torrenting, Portuguese users are able to replace IP address with IP address of VPN server located in another country or region. This trick allows users to hide online identity on the internet, overcome online censorship in Portugal and access any file sharing website in Portugal without any risk.

Recently, a part of ExtraTorrent community launched a VPN called by Trust.Zone VPN for safe torrenting. This is a bit experimental project. But it cares about safety of ET members and every downloader. Trust.Zone VPN prevents your ISP from sending Copyright Infringement Notices by hiding your real location and your real IP address.

Trust.Zone VPN servers are tuned to provide ExtraTorrent members with the fastest speed to access ExtraTorrent website in Portugal.

How to Avoid Copyright Infringement Notices from ISP in Australia?

As you know, the final version of the “three strikes” anti-piracy code for Australian internet service providers (ISPs) has been published recently. Under the Copyright Notice Scheme code (PDF), residential Internet users that are found pirating content will be subject to a series of "escalating" warning notices from rights holders, sent via ISPs. The notices will warn users that they are infringing copyright, and that they will face legal action if they get three strikes recorded against their IP address - that is, if they receive an Education, Warning and Final notice - within a 12 month period. If a user gets three warning letters, or "strikes", in a 12-month period, ISPs will help copyright owners identify them for potential legal action after a hearing in a prescribed court. Up to 200,000 notices can be processed and sent each year.

Separate from the anti-piracy, website-blocking regime passed in June, the scheme was designed to warn consumers via notices to stop pirating or face the prospect of having their personal details handed over to rights holders if they got caught pirating more than three times.

It was originally envisaged that the code would take effect on 1 September. However, the start of the scheme has been delayed and it is now expected on December,1 - accodring to The Sydney Morning Herald

Such regimes are used in many countries and are commonly known as “three-strikes”. However, they are promoted as educational in nature, because suspected pirates just receive notifications of breach, which are meant to discourage further infringing behavior.

To prevent their IP-addresses from being visible to the rest of the Internet, thousands of Australian internet users have signed up to the VPN services. With a VPN Australians are able to use the Internet anonymously and prevent ISP and Government Agencies from tracking their online activity. VPN services hide real IP address of the users and they don’t log any traffic nor session data of any kind.

Recently, a part of ExtraTorrent community launched a VPN called by Trust.Zone VPN for safe torrenting. It's super safe and secure VPN which cares about safety of the bittorrent downloaders in Australia. Trust.Zone VPN prevents Australian ISP from sending Copyright Infringement Notices by hiding your real location and your real IP address.

Trust.Zone has founded by the part of ExtraTorrent community. The tool is free to use first 5 days of usage. If test period ends, unfortunately, the service asks for the money from you but..... our partners tried to make it as CHEAP as possible - $3.99/mo - it's the cheapest price among all popular VPN providers in Australia.

ExtraTorrent recommends joining VPN services for Australian users as soon as possile. A new anti-piracy code for Australian will be activated on December,1

What's the killer app for the new Apple TV?

In a fledgling App Store dominated by games and streaming video services, you'll find a few gems to make the new Apple TV more useful in your lounge room.
The new fourth-generation Apple TV set-top box makes a pretty good first impression, but if you're looking for long-term value compared to its predecessor then you need to be making the most of the App Store.
There's a growing range of games on offer but they are unlikely to be the primary reason why you'd buy the ATV4 rather than use Airplay with the cheaper ATV3 to mirror games on your television. Anyway, if you're serious about games you'd probably be better-served by one of the more well-established game consoles.
We're still waiting for more streaming video services, for now in Australia you've got Netflix, Stan and Tenplay which were already available on the ATV3. We're still waiting for the likes of Presto, Quickflix and Foxtel Play/Go to come onboard along with catch up services from the other free-to-air networks. News services also are popping up in the App Store, but these days most people reach for their phone when they've got a few minutes to check up on world events.
So what's the killer app for the new Apple TV? That's going to vary from home to home, but here's a few to consider;
Plex
The arrival of Plex on the Apple TV is the showstopper in my home. Think of Plex like Netflix for your home entertainment library, making it easy to search through your collection and watch practically any video format on any device.
The Plex Media Server software is free and surprisingly you don't need a Plex Pass subscription to use it on the Apple TV – unlikely most other home entertainment devices. A Plex Pass isn't cheap but you get a lot in return.
The Plex client on the Apple TV is fantastic, very slick and easy to use while taking advantage of the trackpad to flick through video timelines and pull-down extra menus. It's certainly a major improvement on the clunky Plex client built into my Samsung Blu-ray player.
If you're looking for alternatives on the Apple TV then take a look at the SimpleX app. If you're keen on streaming video around your home then also check out Air Video HD, NAStify and LocalCast. VLC is also on the way.
Storehouse
Looking at your photos on the television might seem redundant when you can easily mirror content from your iGadget, but Storehouse is a storytelling app rather than just a photo gallery.
Flickr was already on the Apple TV but think of Storehouse a bit more like Keynote, but for creating photo and video slideshows for your friends rather than work presentations. You can play around with the layout as well as add captions and other effects to tell a short story rather than just flick through image after image.
There's an iOS app for controlling everything from your phone, including a live-streaming feature, but Storehouse could make a good fit for less tech-savvy homes which have an Apple TV but not a smartphone or tablet. My parents are a good example, they've got cable broadband but it's a fairly low-tech home – there's a PC in the spare bedroom but the Wi-Fi network is only for the benefit of visiting family members.
An Apple TV might be a good fit in their lounge room when they're ready to dabble in streaming services like Netflix, but the killer app could be access to Storehouse on the big screen to see family photos – especially with new arrivals on the way and some family living overseas. My parents aren't on Facebook, so bringing Storehouse to their television could be their killer Apple TV app.
Streaks Workout
How many Wii Fit balance boards were bought with good intentions but are gathering dust under the bed? Spending a few dollars on an Apple TV fitness app might be a smarter investment, especially an app which keeps track of your progress.
There are already plenty of fitness apps on the Apple TV, but Australian-made Streaks Workout is more in the style of a personal trainer and it caught my eye because it doesn't look too daunting for reluctant beginners. I don't want to watch people in better shape than me power through exercises to funky music while spouting motivational quips.
Streaks Workout is also rep based rather than timer based, so you can work at your own pace and tap the remote when you're done. Let's be honest, I'm not getting up at 6am for a daily date with Streaks Workout, but I swear it's on my to-do list.
Visual experiences
While I wouldn't call them killer apps, there are a few interesting apps designed to bring different experiences to your lounge room.
The top free download in the App Store is Fireplace Lover, a simple app which converts your television into a crackling fire. The resolution isn't the greatest but for me it's actually the sounds that do the trick as the fire burns away in the background. The second most-popular app is EarthCamTV with live feeds from around the globe, while Earthlapse TV shot from the International Space Station is one of the top paid apps. Other experience-style apps include the Art Channel, Amazing Aquarium and even the slightly creepy Sharks Live.
If you own the new Apple TV, what's your killer app? If you don't, want kind of app – apart from Netflix – would it take to get a device like the Apple TV in your lounge room?

First Microsoft Store Opens in Sydney Today; Freebies, Services & More Details

Microsoft has finally opened a store which retails their products to the public outside the US. The first Microsoft store is located in Sydney, Australia.

The Store is a 500 square metre, two storey retail in glass, wood and steel on Pitt Street Mall along 110 other stores. It features different sections and sorted out according to laptops, tablets, sport bands, phones, Xbox, Skype, Minecraft and more as reported in Business Insider.

Microsoft isn’t the first one to open stores like these as Apple, Amazon and Samsung had already opened their physical stores. The Microsoft store is said to aim for making its products more visible to the consumer. Having consumers hold, touch and test the products will make them feel more inclined to buy more products. Having to try the Microsoft products firsthand will encourage them to buy again and again.

The Microsoft Store offered deals which will only be offered during a specific time. These are Microsoft Band 2 (First 20 people who buys the Band gets personal training session), Xbox One (Buying Xbox One plus Kinect for $399 which is normally $599), Surface Book/Surface Pro 4(Buying either of these products entitles a 2-year Subscription of Office 365), Microsoft Lumia 640 XL (Discounted price of $299 instead of $399) and Bose Mini Soundlink 2 (Discounted price of $199 instead of $299) giving the public huge discounts and more as posted in Gizmodo.

The store will ran smoothly with its 60 staff members who are all expected to perform different roles from customer service, to sales and marketing as well as technical support.

The store can also handle all troubleshooting and at the same time offers repair services to any Microsoft device including the old models.  They will also support all software updates, virus and malware removal which they will do for free. But there will be some charges  for hardware issues and complicated technical support.

The store features a “community theater” which can accommodate up to 45 people; this can be used for workshops, training and special events.

Microsoft Store is looking forward to serving the public.They have started by opening their very first store in Australia!

8 things we learned playing 'Fallout 4'

If you're a video game fan, prepare to part ways with your free time for the next several months. Fallout 4 has arrived.

The role-playing epic from publisher Bethesda Softworks stars players roaming as survivors of a nuclear war, escaping their underground vaults in search of life in a post-apocalyptic Boston.

Creators have not been shy in expressing how much time players will spend in the game. During an interview over the summer, one of the game's producers said he played Fallout 4 for more than 400 hours (not a typo) and still found new material.

Safe to say Fallout 4 is a really, really big game. But we knew that before its Tuesday launch. Here are some things we learned exploring Fallout's new wasteland.

1. Creating your character is a lot more interesting.Fallout 4 starts with a husband, wife and son in their suburban Boston home. Players choose a male or female character, with the selection represented by the couple jockeying for the bathroom mirror. As you change your appearance with the game's sculpting tool, the husband or wife might make a cute comment. "Sweetie, you like my nose, right?," says the female character as I adjust the shape of her nose. In another situation, the husband says "Shaun has your eyes," referring to their infant son. Like Fallout 3, as players experience the very quick shift from newborn to adult, Fallout 4 tries to establish a strong connection with your character from the beginning.

2. This game is great for hoarders. If this is your first trip in Fallout, scavenging is a huge component to succeeding. Nearly everything has value in Fallout 4. The weapon, piece of armor or stimpak (health pack) are obvious items to grab, but don't overlook that coffee cup, since it might provide ceramic needed to augment a weapon or add a crucial piece to your settlements (which we'll get to later). Seriously, take EVERYTHING. You might need it later.

3. Watch your weight. It's something I forgot until I noticed my character moving a lot slower than normal. Players can only carry so many items. Once they cross their limit, the excess gear slows them down. Always stay aware of the load you carry, and don't be afraid to sell items or scrap them for material.

4. Dogmeat is great ... most of the time. At one point, players meet their canine companion. The dog is great for carrying items, fetching new stuff and attacking enemies. Also, the sound of Dogmeat yelping after an attack always made me sad. Players press a button to issue commands, then pick their order such as "Fetch" or "Follow." You can even equip Dogmeat with armor. There were times where Dogmeat wasn't always helpful, like walking around in a circle while raiders were shooting, or when he ignored commands to investigate a body. Guess dog training schools are hard to find in a post-nuclear wasteland.

5. Real-time combat is a lot better. The Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.) is still great. If you're new to Fallout, players tap a button to use V.A.T.S., which slows down time and lets them dismember an enemy, such as shooting a leg to slow them down or an arm to cause enemies to drop their weapon (brace for lots of exploding body parts). Using V.A.T.S. eats up attack points, so players cannot lean on it every battle. Fortunately, compared to games like Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, real-time firefights are much better. You have greater control of your weapon, and aiming is easier.

6. Bugs are still a big problem. You don't only worry about Bloatflies and Radroaches in Fallout 4 (unless you're cooking them, which you can totally do). Players are going to see some strange technical glitches in the game, which likely won't surprise those who player earlier Fallout titles. I've seen Raiders get stuck in walls, my character mumbling at a reporter with no dialogue options and Dogmeat fight a mole rat while suspended in mid-air. You have been warned.

7. You can build your own Fallout settlements. One of the more interesting elements in Fallout 4 is the option to build your own settlements. With all that junk you've collected, you can create structures of wood or steel, and attract residents. But it's not as simple as putting up a building with some beds. If you want power, you need to build generators, then run a wire to the object you need to power. In workshop mode, any items a player sees can be scrapped for material. There are also workbenches to augment armor and weapons. As if you didn't have enough to occupy you with exploration. The only issue is the game doesn't really explain clearly exactly how to do this. There's a lot of trial and error involved.

8. It is very easy to get lost. This game reminds me a lot of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, in that you start out on a mission, then discover a new building to explore, or an empty settlement to build up. Or you find a Raider camp to clear out and scour for items. Or a Deathclaw tries to rip your face off. Or you run into that guy who wants to replace bottlecaps with a form of credit. There's way too much to do, which reminds me I have a Super Mutant den to clear out.

iPhone 7: will new iPhone feature the first ever top-to-bottom screen?

New video shows how the iPhone 7 will look if Apple ditches the home button on next year's handset

A designer in the Czech Republic has created a radical new iPhone 7 concept sketch which shows how the phone may look if – as many tech experts believe – Apple gets rid of the home button on its next handset.

A video and accompanying images from Marek Weidlich, a Czech designer, show the device with a top-to-bottom screen, which would be a first for any manufacturer.

"I focused on simple design language which is very important for Apple," explained Weidlich. "I designed a curved display without a bezel, and equipped with a software home button. The back rounded body is designed in an aluminium material supplemented with a plastic strip for better holding."

The body of the phone looks very much like an iPhone 6, with a home screen that appears to be based on an Apple Watch, including the wrist-mounted iPhone accessory's line-up of floating circular apps.

Prior to the launch of each new model iPhone, Apple never releases any information on what the forthcoming phone will look like or be capable of, but in the absence of any official details, concept sketches have become an increasingly useful indicator of what is to come.

Weidlich's concept sketch is largely successful, says tech site BGR, but the inclusion of both the speaker and front-facing 'selfie' camera on the screen seem unlikely.

"The front-facing camera and speaker sticking out from the screen is something that Apple would definitely not make," the site says, "as these elements would significantly disrupt in-app UI and overall experience when it comes to gaming and video playback."

Meanwhile, analysts say the next instalment will see improved battery life and a thinner model. The managing director of Piper Jaffray, Gene Munster, predicts that Apple will concentrate on battery life. "Looking at Macs over the past few years, Apple has close to doubled battery life for its Macbook line up (largely five hour battery to around 10 hours)," he said.

"We believe battery life is one of the biggest areas of potential improvement and one that might be most welcomed by customers."

Previously, analysts claimed said the iPhone 7 handset, expected to launch in September 2016, would be the firm's thinnest handset to date at just 6mm thick.