33 expert tips and tricks for iOS 6

Perhaps you are already an iOS master. Or maybe you consider yourself more of a novice. Either way, we feel confident that at least some of the tips and tricks for iOS 6 that we present below will be new to you. What’s more, we hope you love them—and benefit from them—as much as we do.

Spread the word

Once you've enabled Speak Selection, you can get your iOS device to read any selectable text aloud.

Your iPhone or iPad can read to you. Enabling the Speak option makes it possible for your iOS device to read aloud any selectable text. Launch the Settings app, tap on General, and then choose Accessibility. Scroll down to Speak Selection, and tap to turn it on.

Now, go into any app where you can highlight text. Your options include Mail, Safari, Notes, and many others. Select some text, and you’ll see a new option appear in the contextual menu (you may have to tap the right arrow to view more options). Tap theSpeak command, and your iOS device will start reading the text aloud.

The Emoji keyboard lets you insert all kinds of fun images wherever you can type. And your iOS device can speak the names of those symbols, too.

Enable the Emoji keyboard. Perhaps you’ve seen these iconographic symbols in emails, iMessages, and tweets, and wondered how the heck people managed to type them. Maybe you’ve mistakenly assumed that you need to purchase a third-party app to gain access to those special symbols.

You don't: Apple treats those symbols, called Emoji, as an international keyboard. Launch Settings, and tapGeneral, International, Keyboards. Then tap Add New Keyboard and find Emoji. Now open an app where you can type some text.

Next to the spacebar, you’ll see a little globe icon. Tap it to switch between your regular keyboard and the Emoji one, which contains many tabs full of different characters. Tap on those characters to insert them wherever you’d like. (If you have many international keyboards, tap and hold the globe to bring up a menu of all your options.)

Spoken Emoji. For real fun, type in a bunch of Emoji symbols, select them all, and then tap the Speak button. You’ll hear the often-entertaining names of each symbol read in sequence.

A series of Siri tips

Use the “in transit” cue. Ask Siri to help you find an address with a couple extra words at the end, as in: “give me directions to San Francisco International Airport via transit.” iOS will open up the Maps app and display the routing pane, which lets you choose which third-party app you’d like to supply your directions.

Attentive readers will know that Google Maps is included among these routing apps, which means that you can actually use this trick to get directions via Google Maps using Siri.

When your Siri-capable iOS device is paired via Bluetooth, tap that blue button to choose which microphone Siri should use.

Siri audio output. If your car has a built-in speakerphone, or if you have a Bluetooth accessory that has a microphone and speakers, you can choose which one Siri listens to for commands. When you click and hold the iPhone’s Home button, you’ll see a speaker icon to the right of the main Siri button. Tap it, and you’ll get a menu of all the various sound inputs your iPhone can use; select the one you want, and Siri will listen using that microphone and, if possible, give its feedback via those speakers.

Siri can help you find unusual actor pairings.

Your own private IMDb. You probably already know that you can use Siri to get information about what’s playing at movie theaters near you. But Siri’s also in expert in pretty much every motion picture ever made. That means you can ask questions about your favorite films, but you can also make Siri do more of the legwork for you when, say, you’re curious about which films specific actors have appeared in together. You might ask, “What movies star both Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry?” And Siri will, in turn, reply with both The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Rugrats In Paris.

Get movie reviews. Not sure if a given movie is worth your time? Just ask Siri: “Is Rugrats In Paris any good?” Siri replies with a review from Rotten Tomatoes.

Editing Siri. Sometimes Siri doesn’t understand you quite right. Maybe you told it to call your friend “Aaron” and it thought you said “Erin.” Fortunately, you can fix Siri’s mistake; after Siri reports that she doesn’t know what you’re talking about, scroll up and find the speech bubble where Siri records what it thinks you said. Then tap that bubble, and you’ll find that you can now edit what Siri heard and resubmit your request.

If you don’t want to bother typing out a long correction, you can also use iOS’s built-in dictation feature to enter your corrected text. Just tap the microphone in the keyboard and speak your text aloud. We’ll give you time to make your own Inception joke about using Siri to fix Siri.

Siri can help you post to your favorite social network. If you use Facebook and/or Twitter, Siri offers a bunch of helpful options. You can say “Post to Facebook I love reading Lex and Dan’s stuff at Macworld.com,” or “Write on my Wall I love Siri,” or even, “Post I’m an over-sharer to Facebook.” With Twitter, you can say “Tweet I’m eating breakfast” or “Post I’m still eating breakfast to Twitter,” along with other, similar variations.

Fun with Settings

Control which apps can access what data in the Privacy settings.

Privacy. You don’t necessarily want your personal data accessible to every app that asks, and iOS is here to give you the kind of fine-grained control that you crave. Under the Privacy section of Settings you can not only adjust which apps have access to your location, but also prevent them from accessing your contacts, calendars, reminders, photos, and Bluetooth sharing. Plus, if you use Twitter or Facebook, you can decide which of your apps can log in with your credentials. Just tap the appropriate section for any of these and slide the switch for the selected app to Off.

Restrictions. Go to General and then toRestrictions. You’ll be prompted to enter a passcode. You can then select which features you would like to lock down on your iOS device. If you’re planning to hand the iPhone off to Junior, and Junior has a habit of unintentionally deleting your apps, you can specifically disable that capability from the Restrictions screen. You can also prevent access to the iTunes Store, the iBookstore, Safari, Camera, FaceTime, and more.

Guided Access lets you block out parts of apps' interfaces.

Guided Access. While we’re talking about limiting what your iOS device can do, now’s a good time to mention Guided Access, which you turn on under General > Accessibility. Once you’ve enabled the feature, go into any other app and triple-click the Home button. That enters Guided Access.

Now, if you want, you can black out certain regions of the current app’s interface. Say, for example, that the game your kid will play has an omnipresent Settings button. You can trace a circle around that button, and that section of the app will ignore any taps. The other key feature of Guided Access is that it disables the Home button, so your kid won’t accidentally quit the app prematurely. To exit an app in Guided Access mode, you triple-click the Home button again, and provide your passcode.

One added benefit of Guided Access is that it can serve as a better Do Not Disturb, since it silences banner notifications and alert sounds while enabled.

You can use these settings to limit how much advertisers can track your iOS habits.

Limit advertiser tracking. If you’re going to restrict your children’s access, you might as well restrict what marketers can do too, right? Under General, tap onAbout, and then tap on Advertising way down at the bottom. On the screen that appears, you’ll find two options. The first one, Limit Ad Tracking, provides an indicator to Internet advertisers that you don’t want them to track which ads you’ve viewed and engaged with, so they can show you ads that they think may be better suited to you.

The second option on this screen is a button to reset your advertising identifier—a new creation of Apple’s in iOS 6; it’s meant to be an anonymized tracker that advertisers can use to recognize your interest when showing their ads in apps. Apple doesn’t yet require that in-app ads use the identifier, but says that one day it will. If you start seeing in-app ads that seem to know you too well, you can reset your advertising identifier here to start from scratch.

Manage storage on your device. Maybe your iPhone won’t let you snap another photo. Perhaps your iPad refuses to let you download one more app. Because iOS storage space isn’t expandable, it’s important to monitor what’s gobbling up the available gigabytes on your device. Here’s how. Go to General > Usage in Settings, and wait for a moment or three as iOS calculates which apps are using the most space.

If you never use large apps, delete them from the Usage area of Settings.

Often, Music and Photos & Camera are the two biggest offenders. If you use a service like iTunes Match, you can safely delete the Music cache on your device to free up space. If you sync your device with your Mac to back up photos and videos, you can delete those photos and videos, too.

Elsewhere on the list, you’ll spot the apps you use, sorted with the most storage-intensive ones at the top. If you see apps that you rarely use but that take up a ton of space, tap on them in the list, and then tap Delete App to remove them in an instant.

Manually manage iCloud backup space. While we’re saving space, don’t forget that you can control what iCloud stores for you in your online backup—especially if you’re just using the free 5GB allotment that Apple offers. Find instructions here.

Picture perfect

Snap photos while shooting videos. You’re using your iPhone 5 to film a magical moment, and you wish you could snap a photo at the same time. Don’t stop recording! Just tap the camera button, which appears on-screen in addition to the shutter button as you film. You aren’t using the iPhone’s true photo sensor; you’re getting the slightly less impressive video sensors instead, but the photos should still turn out pretty nicely. Note that this tip doesn’t work on older iPhones.

Free yourself from the confines of left-to-right-only panoramas.

Reverse panorama. While we’re sharing tips that work only with certain iPhones, here’s one that matters just to folks with the iPhone 4S or newer—that is, iPhones that support taking panoramic photos. Normally, the Camera app prompts you to take those photos from left to right. To reverse that, tap once on the panorama guide to flip it to the opposite side of your screen.

In the Mail

Quickly add photos and videos to messages. Suppose you snapped the perfect panorama and want to email it to your friend. You needn’t start from the Camera or Photos app. Instead, head over to the Mail app and start composing your new message. Tap once in a blank section of the message to bring up the contextual menu, and then tap on Insert Photo or Video. You’ll get the familiar photo selecting screen.

Get back to drafts in a snap. Maybe you abandoned that message before you tapped to send it. You needn’t navigate deep into the Mail app’s mailbox hierarchy to find your Drafts folder. Rather, you can tap and hold on the New Message button to bring up a menu listing all your saved drafts.

Archiving messages. You probably already know that you can archive messages from your Gmail account on iOS. But you can also add an archive option for messages to your iCloud email address. To do so, navigate to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendar and tap on your iCloud account. Tap on the Account entry at the top, scroll down to the Advanced section, and tap on your email address; swipe down until you find the Archive Messages switch. Slide it to On, and then make sure to tap the Done button in the upper right corner twice to save the change.

Now, all instances of the Delete command in Mail will be replaced by an Archive button.

Tap and hold on the Archive button to expose a Delete Message option.

Deleting messages. If you do enable archiving as an option for your messages, that doesn’t mean you’re no longer able to delete messages outright from your iPhone or iPad. Just tap and hold on the Archive button, and you’ll get a second option: Delete Message.

Surf’s our turf

Quickly access your recent browsing history. In Mobile Safari, tap and hold on the Back button to see a list of your recently visited pages. On the iPad, tap and hold on the browser’s New Tab Plus (+) button to get a list of recently closed tabs.

When you enable Safari's option to open links in the background, you'll get a new button when you tap and hold on links in the browser.

Open webpages in the background.Safari on the Mac makes it easy to open linked webpages in a new tab, so that you needn’t interrupt what you’re reading just because you also want to check out a few linked items. You get that same perk on iOS—though you need to enable it first. Visit Settings > Safari > Open Links and choose the In Backgroundoption. Now, tap and hold on links in Safari to choose to open them in the background instead.

Full screen mode. New in iOS 6 is an option to browse the Web in full-screen mode—at least when you’re using your iPhone in landscape orientation. This frees up the pixels otherwise occupied by Safari’s location bar and tab bar. Rotate your phone to landscape mode, and then press the full-screen double-arrows at the bottom right corner.

Stream of photo consciousness

You can share your Photo Streams with the Web at large, if you're so inclined.

Shared Photo Streams. You probably already know about your own Photo Stream, which shares devices between your iOS devices and Macs. But if you want to share photos with your friends, family, or colleagues you can also create Shared Photo Streams.

To create such a stream, open Photosand tap on the Photo Stream button in the toolbar. In the upper left corner is a Plus (+) button; tap that and enter a name for your shared stream along with a list of people you’d like to invite. Photos can be added from your existing photo albums or Camera Roll by tapping on the Share button and selecting Photo Stream or by tapping Edit while viewing your shared stream and tapping the Add button that appears at the bottom. While the people you’ve shared the photo stream with can write comments on or “like” your photos, they cannot add their own photos to the stream.

Public websites for Shared Photo Streams. One downside to Shared Photo Streams is that they're really accessible only to users on iOS devices running iOS 6 or later or on Macs running Mountain Lion. So if you want to share those photos with Mom, who’s using an original iPad, or Dad, who’s still using his PC laptop, you’ll want, instead, to make your stream available via a public website.

You can do this when you create a Shared Photo Stream by tapping the Public Website slider; after you’ve made a stream, you can find that same option by tapping the blue arrow next to the Shared Photo Stream in the Photos app. An icloud.com link to the stream will be generated; be aware that it is public, so anyone who has the URL can access it, though it’s not something that people are likely to stumble across. You can tap the Share Link button to send the link via email, an iMessage, or a Twitter or Facebook post, or just copy it to the clipboard.

Phones, texts, and such

Customize up to three automatic messages with which to reply to incoming phone calls.

Customize iMessage auto-replies for rejected calls. Sometimes it’s not the right time for a phone call; while you could just let calls you don’t want to take go to voicemail, sometimes you want to explain why you’re not picking up. iOS 6 lets you quickly respond to a call with a text message. Just swipe upward on the phone icon that appears next to the unlock slider and choose Reply with Message.

By default, you’ll get three pre-canned options, along with a button that lets you enter a custom text. However, you can also customize those pre-canned messages under Settings > Phone > Reply with Message.

Create custom ringtones and alert tones in GarageBand. It’s true, you can create custom ringtones for your iPhone—on your iPhone. Here’s how.

With a custom pattern, you can achieve some pretty good vibrations.

Custom vibrations for text and ringtones. Want to know who’s calling you without ever taking your phone out of your pocket? Not only can you assign a custom ringtone or text tone to a contact, you can even give them a custom vibration pattern.

Open Phone or Contacts; select a contact, then tap the Edit button in the top right corner. Scroll down to find the ringtone field; below it is a vibration field. Tap that, and you’ll see an assortment of built-in vibration patterns you can choose from. Further down, though, is the ability to add a custom pattern: Tap Create New Vibration, and you can just tap on the screen to create your own rhythm. When you’re satisfied (tap the Playbutton to see what it will feel like), tapSave to set the pattern.

If that’s not enough, go back to the contact record and also assign a custom vibration pattern for text messages.

But wait, there's more

Swipeable Map directions. We’ve all run into problems with iOS 6 Maps taking us places that we weren’t sure we wanted to go to. But if you simply get directions for a route by tapping the Quick Route button in Maps, you can’t always tell what route Maps has in mind.

If you’d like to get a preview of your route, tap your destination on the map and chooseDirections to Here. Then, instead of using the Current Location option for your starting point, enter your address manually and tap Route. Once you’ve chosen your route and tapped Start, you’ll be able to swipe through the instructions at the top and see exactly which turns Maps wants you to take. (It’s the same way you got directions back in iOS 5.)

Location-based reminders for specific locations. If you want to be reminded to do something when you leave your home, work, current location, or any address in your address book, that’s pretty easy to get with iOS’s Reminders app. But what if you want to remember to buy something when you’re at the grocery store or pharmacy? You probably don’t want to add their locations in your address book just to get that feature.

Fortunately, you don’t have to. When you create a reminder, tap on it and turn on Remind Me At a Location. By default, Reminders will populate your current address—tap that and you’ll get a host of options, including, at the bottom, a text box to enter a custom address.

We welcome the return of individual download buttons for iTunes Match tracks stored in iCloud.

Download a single track from iTunes Match. As of iOS 6.1, Apple has once again restored the ability for iTunes Match users to download any individual track from the cloud onto your iOS device—just tap the cloud download icon next to the entry. In addition, if you decide you want to free up space on your device, you can delete a downloaded track by swiping your finger across it and tapping Delete.

Easier music controls over USB. Perhaps you’ve abandoned the notion of hooking your iPhone up in your car over USB, because you’re so sick of the Accessory Connected screen that dominates the Music app in that setup. Good news! iOS 6.1 improved matters, and—finally—the Music app now remains accessible even when you’ve plugged your iPhone into a USB playthrough device that lacks the Made for iPhone distinction. It’s a delight.

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Top 8 smart watches

8.Pebble 

Like the I'm Watch, the Pebble gives you alerts from your email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS and other accounts, but this device uses a low-power ePaper screen that provides improved sunlight readability and up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge. Even better, because of its low-power usage, the screen remains lit at all times, displaying the digital watch face of your choice.

Pebble feels very comfortable when fastened on the wrist -- it's relatively lightweight, and the smooth edges maintain their distance from sensitive skin. Still, it feels solid enough for regular use, and thanks to waterproofing down to 50 meters (164 feet), it can stay on your wrist during laps in the pool (or in the ocean), and it'll work just fine in the shower as well. There are two exposed metal connectors, used to pair up with the proprietary magnetic USB charging cable (the only accessory that ships in the box), but the housing appears to be properly sealed.

The Pebble is available in five fashion colors, including Jet Black, Arctic White, orange, gray and, our favorite, Cherry Red. Backed by Kickstarter.


Price - USD 150.

7.Sony Smartwatch



Sony has been experimenting and consolidating with watch manufacturers for a long time to design and offer Bluetooth enabled accessories for its handsets.

It features a 1.3-inch OLED display with multitouch capabilities and a 128 x 128 pixel resolution. The rubberised strap is comfortable enough, but if you’re using it during a workout session, then the sweat can make it a little difficult after a while. Like the iPod nano, it is also a clip based device so you could wear it anywhere else. It can be connected and charged via a proprietary USB port placed at the bottom. A power/sleep button is on the right hand side where you’d find most watch buttons.

The SmartWatch is also compatible with a wide range of devices from Sony as well as other brands. The UI is simple and neat. It’ll take you a little while to learn the gestures for swiping over to the apps or the widgets that you install. It’s a pretty seamless process for most part, but a few of the apps like the GPS Maps take a little while to load. The gestures are nevertheless quite simple with a simple double tap with two fingers to come back to the home screen.

There are plenty of apps, including ones for Twitter and Facebook, that show you the latest updates and posts. The music player app also lets you control your media. However, this is also easily managed if you’re using a handsfree with controls attached.

Price - USD 150.

6.MetaWatch



The new Bluetooth-enabled MetaWatch will forever change how you use your iPhone. For the last year, an early version of the MetaWatch was available to developers and enthusiasts, and a decent-size community, particularly on the Android platform, has emerged.

Apple expanded Bluetooth functionality in a crucial way: text message alerts can be sent wirelessly to external devices. This paved the way for MetaWatch to make a big push to iPhone users, which it did with a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year.

The front of the device includes a large LCD display that can be illuminated with a front light, while the left and right sides of the watch each feature three hardware buttons. On the back are four pins that can be connected to a charging clip.

Widgets on the MetaWatch screen are selected through an accompanying iPhone application, which is available as a free download from the App Store. At present the options are limited: Aside from the obvious clock, the MetaWatch also displays current local weather information, personal calendar entries, stock quotes, and the battery status of your iPhone.

Price - USD 199.

5.WIMM One Watch


This android-powered module that becomes a smart watch when it’s inserted into the accompanied watchstrap. Over the last year, there has been several Android watches released, but the WIMM One just might be the cream of the crop. The WIMM One can work as an extension of your phone, but it’s powerful enough to also run apps. The WIMM Labs Micro App Store Beta opened only about a week ago, but you will already find 30 or so apps ranging from games, lifestyle, and productivity. I expect it to continue to grow exponentially.

The WIMM One measures 1.26 inches by 1.42 inches and is 0.49 inches thick (about 12.5mm). It has a 1.41-inch (160 x 160) TFT capacitive touchscreen display, a Samsung ARM11 processor running at 667 MHz, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of internal storage, WiFI, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a GPS, and is splash resistant. It includes the WIMM One 330 Module, USB charging kit, and a black watchstrap.

Price - USD 199.


4.Motorola MotoActv

Fitness fanatics just may have a device with enough power to capture and motivate them toward greater performance. At least that's what Motorola believes it has created in its MotoActv. A veritable miniature computer running Android, this gadget uses GPS, Bluetooth, music, and Web-based analytics to further the goals of dedicated athletes.

To survive the elements and tough workouts, the device is both sweat- and water-resistant. The screen also boasts a chemically treated Gorilla Glass coating designed to shrug off scratches and cracks. You can transfer music files to the MotoActv via USB connection using the MotoCast software, which is located within device memory.

There are 40 different types of exercise methods to choose from, including Running, Cycling, Walking, Elliptical, and Step Machine. More-exotic activities can be found on the device, too, such as Gymnastics, Fencing, Martial Arts, Snow Boarding, and even Yard Work. When you're outside, the MotoActv activates its GPS radio for location-based data. An especially slick trick is how the device pairs with wireless stereo Bluetooth headphones.

Price - USD 249.99 (8GB) and USD 299 (16GB)

3.i’m Watch

i’m Watch is much more than a watch. It’s a latest generation device that makes the most of your smartphone. With i’m Watch you can leave the phone in your pocket, in your purse or on your desk.

i’m Watch communicates with your smartphone, showing you, thanks to its clear and bright display, all the messages you receive. And if you receive a phone call, leave your smartphone where it is: you can answer it directly from your i’m Watch, even on speakerphone.

Not your usual store but a treasure trove of hundreds of apps ready to be downloaded and installed on your i’m Watch. Customize as you like and add many new functions: leisure, games, office, useful apps, music; there is no limit to the imagination of the developers who work for your i’m Watch.

i’m Watch is the perfect combination of the most innovative Italian technology and a unique, unmistakable style. High-quality materials and excellent manufacturing standards make it comfortable, durable and attractive to see and to wear. i’m Watch is designed, engineered and built entirely in Italy. i'm Watch Color in aluminum is young and dynamic; i'm Watch Tech in titanium is durable and stylish; and i'm Watch Jewel in silver or gold is elegant and exclusive.

Price - USD 399.

2.Wryst Variance

If you enjoy colourful watches a new digital timepiece concept has been created by Ben Pritz called Wryst Variance might be worth a look. The Wryst Variance watch concept allows you to choose the watch face you would like to use allowing you to suit the occasion. In a similar vein to what Apple has allowed you to do with its Nano device and the range of watch faces now available on it.

The entire clock face can be removed and attached to an array of options other than just serving as a wristwatch. Pet lovers can hook up the digital clock face with a dog tag in order to attach the Variance on their beloved pet. Specifically designed keychains can also hang onto the watch. The clock can even put on a necklace as well as a money clip or sports enthusiasts can have it fastened on their carabiners. 

The Wryst Variance definitely has an appeal with its buffet of bright shades and digital functionality, especially since they follow suit with Apple's Nano being worn around the wrist; this too will have its takers.

1.Ventura Sparc Sigma MGS

The Ventura watch company was established by Pierre and Yuko Nobs in 1989. In Ventura’s opening year, one of the first products "watch Flemming Bo Hansen” was selected to become part of the permanent design collection at the Museum of Modern Art "MoMA” in New York. Three years later in 1992, the same "watch” received the Red Dot "Best of Best" Design Award. Ever since, numerous Ventura timepieces have been granted international awards for their outstanding design. 

The Micro-Generator-System of the new Sparc MGS was developed to achieve maximum performance. Placing the MGS side-by-side next to the time-device enabled a larger and heavier oscillating mass. This array also permits the viewing of the mechanism from the top, giving the Sparc MGS its characteristic appearance. 

The miniature power-station sustains a state-of-the-art micro-processor and a 250-segments 12-digit liquid-crystal display. The latest operating system EasySkroll v.2.0 allows later upgrades, another first in wristwatches. The multiple functions of the SPARC MGS are intuitively operated by a single scroller. 

Price - USD 4,480.

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Leaked: 10 Hottest Upcoming Smartphones

#10 Nokia Lumia EOS
Despite the fact that the Finns have maintained well-kept secret so far, we got hold of some of the leaked images online that tells us an exciting story on theupcoming Lumia EOS Smartphone which will probably be a whole metal version ofLumia 1020. The photo reportedly has a whooping 41MP pure-view camera. Rumors also state that the phone will have OLED display with 768X1280 pixels screen resolution and an internal storage of 32GB. While this prototype image is already causing exciting buzz among people, we can only imagine the effect of the “real-deal”.

#9 Samsung Galaxy Folder
If you thought flip phones with old-school T9 keypads were out of fashion, a look at the leaked Samsung Galaxy Folder will surely change your mind. This rumored flip phone runs on 4.2.2 Android Jelly Bean OS. It has a dual 3.3 inch HVGA touch screen display with a modest 800 x 480MP resolution and has a 5MP rear-camera. The phone runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor with LTE connectivity. There is no mention of the pricing and release date, yet rumors state that it’ll be first released in South Korea, sometime in next month.

#8 iPhone 5C, Apple’s budget Smartphone
Recent rumors speculate on Apple’s next release in September, iPhone 5C that targets a larger mass. Speculations surround these budget-friendly iPhoneswhich are allegedly made of glossy polycarbonate plastic back panels that come in 6 different colors; red, blue, white, green, yellow and black colors respectively. This cheaper iPhone hand-set comes in three variable prices starting from $349, $449 and $549 with 16, 32 and 64GB internal memory variants. Nothing solid can be confirmed about the device’s hardware but rumors state that these mid-range iPhones are likely to have 4-inch display with 1136 x 640p resolution screen and a 326ppi image density. The rear camera could be of 8MP with LED flash and front-face timer camera could be of 1.2MP.

#7 BlackBerry Z30
There has been a lot of rumors on the phone specifications of BlackBerry Z30, alias A10. With the latest leaks on the images of Z30 and a six-minute detailed video of the phone, the rumors can officially be confirmed. The specifications include a 1.7GHz dual-core processor, a 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution, 2GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2800 mAh battery. It runs on BlackBerry 10.2 OS and has 16GB of internal storage. The latest piece of information is that BlackBerry Z30 is designed to be a QI wireless charging compatible device and said to support wireless charging.

#6 LG Vu III
LG Vu III will reportedly be the successor of Vu II and will be next in line with G2, the current flagship Smartphone of LG. Sources claim that the Vu range phones will be released with model numbers F-300K, F-300L and F-300S. This third-generation Smartphone will possess a 5.2 inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels. The phone runs on a Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM and comes with an internal memory of 16GB.
The launch date will be on the early September, during IFA 2013 unveiling event.

#5 Nokia Phablet
We got hold of the leaked photo of theupcoming Nokia Phablet, all thanks to the Chinese micro blogging website. The image displays just the glassy front panel of the device with Nokia logo on it. It also shows a standard three-key layout at the bottom. The top corner has front facing camera and the overall screen size is about 6-inch. As reported by Weibo, the device is presumably under mass production in China. This device is likely to include latest quad-core processors with 1080p resolution display. Because of its wide build, there will be another row of Live Tiles introduced on the home screen.

#4 Sony Xperia i1 Honami
Rumors surrounding the 20MP camera on a Sony Android phone is indeed true. According to the reports on ePrice.com, this upcoming device, under the code name Xperia i1 Honami, has an Exmor Rs camera with 1/2.3" sensor, Sony G-lens and Bionz image processor at its rear-end. The Device sports a 5-inch display screen and runs on Android 4.2 JellyBean OS. It also has 16GB of internal storage with 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor at its core, backed by 2GB RAM. The phone has a battery power of 3,000mAh and 2MP front camera. Overall, i1 Honami is about 8.3mm in thickness. It also inherits the water and dust resistant feature of Xperia Z10.
Reports state that the device will be unveiled on September 4, the first day of IFA 2013 event.

#3 HTC One Max
We are all aware of the success of HTC One, the critically acclaimed flagship handset. And HTC One Max claims to have a bigger version of its flagship peer. It is expected to feature a 5.9-inch screen with 1920x1080p resolution and follows the same design sequence as HTC One. Rumors state that One Max runs on quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.3GHz, backed by 2GB RAM. Further, the phone is said to be launched at the same time as Samsung Galaxy Note III.
 

#2 Samsung Galaxy Note III
By being one of the most eagerly awaited Smartphones of the year, Galaxy Note III claims to be one of the most notoriously leaked phones online. It has a 5.7 inch screen display which is rumored to be made of a strong unbreakable substance. It features a 13MP camera with optical image stabilization, a quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 chipset with 3GB RAM and Android 4.3 OS.
If rumors are true, this extravagant Smartphone will come in four variants suiting different market needs. It is expected to be launched on September 4 at the IFA 2013 opening ceremony.

#1 Apple iPhone 5S
Apple iPhone claims to be the next-generation Apple Smartphone though it has the same look and feel like that of its predecessors. Rumors state that this device will have a faster processor than the previous devices with 13MP camera and dual LED flash. It also comes with a bigger battery and boasts of a fingerprint sensor technology. This phone is said to be unveiled on September 10 with multiple color options.

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Most Innovative Gadgets of All Time

14. The Walkman helped people listen to music outside of their homes and cars

The walkman was introduced between the years 1979-1980. Sony was the first company to launch Walkmans. It is said to be the first mainstream gadget as people started carrying this device every where they went. The device revolutionized music listening habits of people allowing them to carry their favorite music, wherever they wanted to.

Why it's innovative: The Walkman paved way for all the other music gadgets present in the market. 

13. Google Glass is the first wearable heads-up display to grab the public's attention in a big way

Google glass, the wearable computer displays information like a Smartphone and allows usage of internet through voice commands. The glass has a built in microphone and camera. As the first ever device of its kind that grabbed public attention, Google glass created the ‘wearable technology’ trend.

Why it’s innovative: This might look like a science fiction movie glass. Google glass changed the way, people could see the world.

12. Microsoft’s Kinect changed the way we play games

The Xbox Kinect, an accessory that came with Xbox 360 became a hit in the market with its capability. This device was the first one that did not require a game controller to play video games. The marketing slogan used by Microsoft goes like, “you are the controller”.       

Why it's innovative: The Xbox Kinect offers full body gaming with voice controls; this means the remote control is dead. This would Take the home entertainment and gaming to the next level.

 

11. The MakerBot Replicator will help us print everything from car parts to food

We have seen things being replicated like-machines, accessories and food by a replicator in sci-fi movies. The MakerBotReplicator is just the beginning and the early version of it.

Why it's innovative: This invention set the platform for replicators to rise, currently 3D printing with The MakerBot gives an insight into what our future might hold. These things would be able to replicate anything. 

10. The Nest is the most advanced thermostat ever and it's paving way for smart appliances

When the Nest was introduced, people went crazy over it. The thermostat was also called the first “Apple-fied” home appliance. Nest was designed to maintain home temperature based on an individual's habit by detecting when he goes out or sleep.

Why it's innovative:  This is a giant leap towards smart home appliances, allowing the device to do all the thinking for you. If all the home appliances came with start features, it would save a lot on electric bill.

9. Cloud computing will take away the burden of backing up your stuff

There was always a question in people’s minds when it came to storage of documents, photos and videos. In the last decade “The Cloud” has shaped its way into the tech world. It’s a way of storing files online and can be accessed through web when needed. Presently services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box.net allow you to send and store large files. These are now available even in mobiles; the folder on your desktop and mobile directly links you to the files.  

Why it's innovative: The Cloud is easily accessible through web. It lets people to keep their important files safe and also save valuable space on the computer, tablet or Smartphone

8. The iPad made tablets desirable

The Tablet PCs were present even beforeiPad hit the market. But nobody knew about it until the iPad was launched!

Why it's innovative:  The iPad set the standard for tablet, this device showed world what features a tablet has to possess.

7. Google’s self-driving cars could make the roads safer for people

Google received mixed responses for their self-driving cars. The search giant, along with their scientists is on a mission to design the perfect driverless cars. The car is set to be safe and user friendly. Currently these cars are functioning in few cities as trial versions.

Why it's innovative: The self-driving cars under perfection could benefit the people in lot of ways. These cars would also reduce the rate of accidents and also drunk driving.

6. The iPhone and its lack of buttons changed mobile device design forever

The new era of Smartphones began wheniPhone was launched. This Phone provided various features and apps through its app store.

 Why it's innovative: This phone had a unique design, with no buttons and its ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks changed the mobile industry all over the world.    

5. Solid state drives will make computers faster than ever

SSDs are flash based storage options, these hard disks are known to boot at an average of 22 seconds and can transfer files faster than other storage options.

Many would have noticed how fast aMacbook Air or An Intel Ultrabook boots up when compared to other laptops. The only disadvantage of SSD’s are they are expensive.

Why it's innovative: It is said that the prices of SSDs would go down, and this would replace the ordinary hard drives in all laptops.

4. Bendable displays are real, and they're coming soon

LG is reportedly launching flexible displays for their touch screen devices. The devices are made through OLED display sheets and will be launched this year    

Why it's innovative: The technology would allow mobiles to be super thin and foldable. This would raise the level of completion among all mobile manufacturers.  

3. LTE phones and tablets are a hint at a future where high-speed internet is everywhere

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a wireless technology that allows people to use high speed internet in mobile devices. The LTE’s are said to as fast as the cable modems which are in use today. The world's first publicly available LTE service was launched by TeliaSonera on December 14, 2009.

Why it's innovative: There were times when people found it hard to find high speed internet. The LTE chips are just a beginning of high speed internet to mobiles and tablets.

2. Voice controlled assistants like Siri will only get smarter and cater to your every need

Siri is an intelligent personal assistant forApple's iOS. This app uses voice commands to operate a particular task. It is presently available in many other services. This app is similar to Google Now, which performs the same functions in Android.

Why it's innovative: This was the beginning in its kind. Siri assistance would make things more user friendly to people.  

1. Connected TVs and TV boxes are making it easier to cut the cord

Connected TV, also known as Hybrid TV orSmart TV allows people to have a higher focus on online interactive media, Internet TV, and on-demand streaming media. They give you access to YouTube, HBO, Amazon, and a lot more

Why it's innovative: Through we will be able to get everything in a single TV, this opens door for more innovations to take place in this area.

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