Week 35 in review: Xperia Z5, Lumia 940, Nexus 6, HTC Aero and BlackBerry Passport

As anticipation for IFA builds rumors dominated the news, but new devices got an unexpectedly strong reception.

The Sony Xperia Z5 family was showered with interest, the Z5 Premium in particular (it's set to become the first phone with a 4K screen; note: QHD != 4K). The Z5 generation will also have a new 23MP sensor (first upgrade since the Z1) with fast, advanced focusing.

Lumia's return to the flagship market was met with great interest too. Images of the Microsoft Lumia 940 and 940 XL duo leaked out along with info suggesting they will launch on October 19.

Microsoft got in the news with a very different device too – the Nokia 222 and 222 Dual-SIM. Series 30+ feature phones with social networking and messaging on board they will launch in emerging markets for $37.

The Nexus devices did a poor job of staying hidden, the large Nexus 6 by Huawei was photographed in the wild while specs rumors stabilized on Snapdragon 810 instead of 820. Samsung is said to be interested in the 820, but it the timeframe for a Nexus launch is just wrong.

HTC has fallen on hard times and is in bad need of a best-selling flagship. The HTC A9 Aero has such ambitions though photos of it (if real) make it look like an iPhone knock-off.

Another down on its luck maker, BlackBerry, will be shifting to Android with a new Passport version (which we saw on video) among other devices.

Samsung was in the news a lot this week, but not in a good way. The Galaxy Note5 and S6 edge+ may have 4GB of RAM, but they clean it aggressively (which affects multitasking). The Note5's trademark S Pen stylus was a headache too as it breaks if you insert it the wrong way around.

Purported Sony Xperia Z5 Premium leaks in live photos

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium shows its face on live pictures, should feature a 4K display and metal body.

Huawei Nexus 6 photographed in the wild

The images match the 3D render we saw earlier, down to the raised camera ridge.

Microsoft Lumia 940 and 940XL rumoured to launch on October 19

In addition, the Surface Pro 4 tablet as well as a new Microsoft Band could also be introduced on the same date.

Sony teases advanced focusing for upcoming Xperia Z5

An announcement is scheduled for September 2, days before IFA kicks off in Berlin.

HTC A9 (Aero) gets photographed in the wild looking like an iPhone

This is supposedly going to be HTC's new flagship smartphone, launching before the end of 2015.

BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition with Android OS gets showcased in a lengthy video

The smartphone features the same design and specifications as the recently released variant with BlackBerry OS.

Archos unveils three new smartphones, one runs Windows 10

The Archos Diamond S, Archos 50e Helium, and the Archos 50 Cesium have all been announced today.

Samsung is said to be intensively testing the Snapdragon 820

The Korean company is apparently going to use it in the Galaxy S7 if all the testing goes well.

Meet the Nokia 222 and 222 Dual-SIM: leftovers from a previous era

With prices starting at $37 (before taxes and subsidies) these are only for regions with poor access to cheapo smartphones.

WhatsApp for Android gets updated, adds new emoji and features

You can now mute contacts, mark messages as read or unread, lower call data usage, and choose different colors for emoji.

Samsung Galaxy Note5 battery life test

Samsung surely raised a few eyebrows by equipping the Galaxy Note5 with a smaller battery than its predecessor. The newcomer’s 3,000mAh unit is also non-removable, so we were quite curious to put it ...

Samsung Galaxy Note5 and S6 edge+ found to aggressively close tasks in the background

This behavior is similar to the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge even though the Note 5 and edge+ have 4GB RAM.

Samsung Galaxy Note5 stylus reportedly jams and damages phone when inserted the wrong way

Samsung says RTFM.

Second gen Moto 360 shows up in Sweden, price and launch date revealed

The new Motorola smartwatch is closing in, online shops have already started listing the second generation, both sizes too. One is a 46.5mm (essentially the same as the current model). Size hasn’t be...

Motorola will absorb Lenovo Mobile

Motorola management will be in charge of the current Lenovo Mobile infrastructure, new models will soon be exclusively Motorola-branded.

Leaked Sony Xperia Z5 press shots confirm 23MP main camera

Sony’s next flagship smartphone is expected to make its official debut in less than a week, on September 2.