Good evening folks! Apologies for the late publication of this weekly news roundup; I've been at gamescom in Cologne, Germany this whole week and I've just returned to the UK. There have been quite a few interesting announcements this week for Apple and Android fans, so take a look!
Sony announce C5 Ultra and M5
Sony announced two mid-range phones with strong imaging capabilities this week. The C5 Ultra is a phablet-sized device with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera and a 6-inch edge-to-edge screen. The M5 goes further, with a 21-megapixel rear camera and 13-megapixels up front, plus better specs.
Sony announce IFA event to announce Android devices
Sony aren't pausing for breath any time soon either. The Japanese corporation has announced a press event on September 2nd, with an image that teases mobiles, wearables and accessories. New Xperia phones - including a flagship 'Z' device - and a new Android smartwatch seem obvious contenders.
Google commit to monthly Android security updates
Normally security fixes for Android and other mobile operating systems are included in system updates, and can take several weeks or even months to be delivered. Google is aiming to change this in the future, and has publically committed to delivering monthly security updates for still-supported Nexus devices. The first monthly update arrived this week, although the staged rollout system means that it could arrive a little later on some devices than on others.
Apple rumoured to launch new iPhones on September 9th
Apple release new iPhones each September, but there's some variance in the exact date. This year though, it's rumoured that Apple will choose exactly the same date as last year - September 9th. As well as the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, Buzzfeed claims that we'll also see new iPad models and a new Apple TV.
iOS 9 to include fix for weak WiFi performance
Sometimes, WiFi networks can suck - you're too far away, or the router is being overloaded, and you get slow or nonexistent internet service that's probably worse than using 3G. In iOS 9, your iPhone will automatically detect crappy WiFi signals, and switch to mobile service instead. The new feature is called WiFi Assist, and it's available in the iOS 9 beta 3, under Settings > Mobile.
Windows RT Update 3 details emerge
Windows RT was largely a failure for Microsoft, with some initial enthusiasm for the mobile-based OS quickly deteriorating in the face of withering reviews and minimal OEM support. However, it's not quite the end of the road for owners of RT devices - while they won't be updated to Windows 10 proper, they will receive "Update 3". This week Microsoft announced that the update would include some W10 elements - the new start menu and an updated lock screen. The update will be released next month.
Conclusion
That's all folks! I'll update this post when I can with photos; until then I hope you've enjoyed this low-fi edition of the This Week's Headlines. Thanks for tuning in and see you again next week!