Hi-res photos of the budget iPhone compare it to the iPhone 5

The rumor mill just won’t let it go - a brand new batch of “budget iPhone” photos has cropped up and it compare the (supposedly) upcoming device with the current iPhone 5. Many such photos have alreadybeen debunked.

The budget iPhone is plastic, colorful plastic at that, and has the same exact arrangement of buttons, ports and other doodads as the iPhone 5. The size of the two pictured devices is virtually the same, so it’s not just a plastic back cover.

 
 
 
 
 
"Budget iPhone", next to iPhone 5 • Basic Bear, an Android-powered lookalike

Still, it’s quite telling that there isn’t a single photo of the front of the device. In all likelihood we’re talking yet another knockoff - namely an Apple-branded version of the Basic Bear (we‘ve arranged comparison images above).

 
A couple of shots of the budget iPhone's insides

Anyway, back to the rumor. There will allegedly be two versions of the budget iPhone - a cheaper Zenevo with dual-core H5P processor (what?), 1GB RAM, BT 4.0 and 4G connectivity and a Zagato/Bertone with H6P (again, what happened to Apple Ax?).

Just to be clear, we're not saying there won't be a budget iPhone, in fact it seems like the smart thing to do for Apple. But we're saying these images are "Big Foot and Nessy on a ride around town in a flying saucer" fake.

Samsung Galaxy S III spotted running Android 4.3

According to leaked information from Samsung R&D in India, Samsung is simultaneously developing Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and 4.3.0 updates, and the former could be dropped altogether if Jelly Bean 4.3 is officially announced this week by Google.

These rumors from last week garnered a whole lot more credibility thanks to the provided leaked image which allegedly shows a Galaxy S III running on a 4.3.0 Jelly Bean test build.

Word is that development of the 4.3.0 update is also underway for the Galaxy S4 flagship, as well as another yet unannounced device, possibly the Galaxy Note 3.

It's still unknown what kind of features the 4.3 Jelly Bean update will to bring - or when, for that matter - but if the above leak is any indication, the announcement is imminent!

Motorola job listing hints at mysterious wearable technology

Motorola may be soon saying "hello" to a new head of its wearable design team, as indicated by a recently discovered job listing involving wearable technology.

"The wearables design team will lead the establishment of our brand in the massive competitive and growing space of wearable connected products," noted the job ad spotted byTechCrunch.

The company hints that it wants to start its wearable tech efforts anew, as this Senior Director of Industrial Design will "create a new world-class wearable's design group within Motorola."

That role will be based in Chicago and go to someone with at least 15 years of work experience in the design, tech, consumer product or apparel field.

The vast amount of experience Motorola is seeking could be a sign that the company has a lot to prove against its wearable technology rivals.

Tracking Motorola's past tracking efforts

Motorola's continued interest in wearable technology shows that its MotoActv watch might not be a one-time deal.

Its ill-fated smartwatch included a GPS fitness tracker and was also a music player running Android 2.3.4.

While the technology could connect to a smartphone, it was limited to Motorola phones and was rather expensive when it launched in early 2012.

Hello, Moto competitors

The fact that Motorola may be gearing up for entry (or reentry) into the wearable devices market isn't a big surprise.

Apple is said to be releasing the long-rumored iWatch, and its closest competitor, Samsung, may beat it to the wrist with a Samsung Gear smartwatch.

Then there's Asus, Foxconn, Intel, Acer, Sony, LG and Pebble Watchall wanting to show up to the same party wearing pretty much the same thing.

Taking a slightly different approach is Motorola's parent company Google with Google Glass, which makes Motorola's ambitions in the wearable technology market especially interesting.

Apple reportedly trialing a 13-inch iPad, and bigger iPhone too

If your chief problem with Apple devices was that they were a little small then you may be in luck, with further suggestions that the US giant is testing considerably larger screens for its iPhone and iPad.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is testing prototypes of a tablet with a display 'slightly less than 13-inches' and smartphone screens that are larger than theiPhone 5.

Rumours that Apple is looking to upsize its devices have been plentiful this year, and the latest stories are obviously all the more likely given the source.

Of course, testing does not mean definitely on their way, and Apple will be mindful that it has made the case for both iPhone and iPad's current screen sizes being optimum.

Raising iBrows

A 13-inch tablet would certainly raise eyebrows, with real questions over whether the weight can be kept down enough to make it a comfortable experience.

A larger iPhone looks more likely, with competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One enjoying success with bigger screens, and the Asian market embracing phablets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 .

It's widely thought that this year will see a new iPad 5 with the traditional 9.7 inch retina screen and a new flagship iPhone 5S.

So, let the rumours of the iPad Mega start here, as well as the likely suggestion that it could be some kind of Lenovo Yoga-like hybrid laptop/tablet.

Another Nexus 7 2 shot emerges, as next-gen tab gets nearer

Just in case you thought you were missing out on some crucial aspect of the Nexus 7 2 from Google and Asus, a new press shot has emerged.

A tweet from @evleaks revealed the latest spoiler for a device that is going to struggle to surprise anyone anywhere when it makes its long-awaited début.

The picture doesn't bring much in the way of extra detail, beyond confirmation of that rear-facing camera, but does give a decent quality view of this next generation device.

Next-gen

The original Nexus 7 was a real hit for Google and Asus, and is a key competitor at the cheaper end of the tablet market.

Now competing with the likes of Amazon's Kindle Fire range and Apple's iPad mini, the Nexus 7 is in need of a refresh and that's exactly what the Nexus 7 2 will bring.

We're expecting Android 4.3, dual cameras and wireless charging and a 1.5GHz quad-core processor.