Apple may be developing its own premium Beats-branded wireless in-ear earbuds. Speculations of the premium audio accessory come as rumors of a headphone jack-free iPhone 7 are heating up.

These earbuds will use a completely wireless design, eschewing ports for charging, according to a report from 9to5Mac. Instead of plugging in a cable to recharge the battery, you can just drop the buds into a charging case to power back up.

Likely because of the Beats branding and premium design of the earbuds, the wireless earphone accessories will not be included with the iPhone 7. The earphones may also include active noise cancellation and a microphone to work with Siri.

Completely wireless

Apple's design will differ from Bluetooth earbuds on the market from LG, Samsung and Plantronics. Instead of a wire connecting the left and right earbuds, each earbud will come with separate batteries and wireless chips.

The twin-wireless design could have an impact on battery life, with 9to5Mac speculating the earbuds may only last less than four hours if they don't include a case.

Apple has been experimenting with its own battery accessories, and the company recently launched its iPhone 6S battery case. It's unclear if the charging case for these rumored wireless earbuds will come with an embedded battery for a quick charge on the go when you're away from a power outlet.

Apple's next-generation iPhone 7 is rumored to come with a single Lightning port. Apple is speculated to sacrifice the headphone jack in favor of a slimmer, waterproof design. Instead, wired headphones must connect using the Lightning connector, which could give Apple more control over the iPhone audio accessories market.

• The best in-ear headphones you can buy

You likely won't see Intel's infamous "Intel Inside" sticker plastered on the back of the iPhone 7, but that doesn't mean that future Apple smartphones won't contain Intel technology.

Citing people close to the matter, VentureBeat reported that Intel has as many as 1,000 engineers working on a modem that could be used in a future iPhone. The Intel 7360 LTE modem, which supports 4G LTE and 3G CDMA networks, could arrive as early as the iPhone 7, according to the publication.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said that the 7360 modem will start shipping to manufacturers by the end of this year and will show up in products ready for consumers in 2016, which could result in Apple getting its iPhone 7 modems from both Qualcomm and Intel. Currently, all of the iPhone modems are sourced from Qualcomm.

An all-for-one future

Although Apple won't be using Intel's mobile-based Atom processor on an iPhone any time in the near future, the goal would be to integrate the modem directly onto Apple's A-series processor in a system-on-a-chip (SoC) design. Integrating the modem, processor and graphics together onto a single silicon chip could lead to better battery life, improved performance and faster speeds for iPhone owners.

For Apple, this could also lead to thinner iPhone designs. Integrating components also means that less space is required for each individual component, so Apple could shed thickness or pack in a bigger battery on its next iPhone model.

Intel's role in the equation would be manufacturing these chips. Apple would design the rumored A-series processor, license Intel's intellectual property to integrate the modem directly into the processor design and then send the design to Intel's fabrication labs to be manufactured.

The Intel advantage

The A9 chips inside Apple's flagship iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus smartphones are manufactured by TSMC and Samsung. Even though the A9 chip is a 14nm processor, Apple's partners create the interface with a 20nm design, which isn't as efficient or advanced as Intel's 14nm design.

In addition to a 14nm design, Intel has begun work for an even smaller 10nm design, which could be ready in as little as two years. This puts Intel's timeline ready for production for an A-series processor for the iPhone 8, with the iPhone 7S likely succeeding next year's iPhone 7.

Intel's history with Apple

Infineon, the wireless company that Intel acquired, had supplied 3G modems for Apple's iPhone until 2011. Apple has since switched to Qualcomm as its modem supplier.

Since the acquisition, Apple has hired a number of top Infineon executives, including Intel CTO Bernd Adler. VentureBeat cites conflicting sources as to the reason for Apple's hire. Some speculate that Apple hired Infineon engineers to help collaborate with Intel, while others suggest that Apple wants to design its modem in-house, similar to how it currently designs the A-series processors.

In addition to mobile, Intel's processors are also found on Apple's OS X products. Apple transitioned from a PowerPC architecture to Intel's x86 processor in 2006. Now, Intel processors span all of Apple's desktops and laptops, including the Mac Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines.

• Read our iPhone 6S Plus review

If early leaks didn't convince you, newly leaked screenshots of Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile operating system suggest that Microsoft's latest Windows smartphones could come with larger, higher resolution displays.

The new flagships, which are known as the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL, are expected to make their debut alongside Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 at a media event Tuesday. These smartphones are expected to be among the first phones on the market to run Windows 10 Mobile.

The Lumia 950 is expected to come with a 5.2-inch display, while the larger 950XL is rumored to debut a 5.7-inch form factor. Both devices have been rumored to come with a WQHD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) resolution, matching flagship Android devices like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5 and LG G4.

Being productive with a larger display

One of the features discovered in the newly uncovered Windows 10 Mobile build, which does not come with a specific build number, is the ability to adjust text size on the display.

This will be beneficial as Microsoft moves into the phablet space. Previously, on the Lumia 1520, a six-inch phablet with a 1080p HD display, content just scaled up to fill the larger screen. However, with Windows 10 Mobile, it appears that rather than scaling up, users can fit more on their screen.

For productive apps, like using Office Mobile or browsing the web, you may be able to see more of your Word document, Excel spreadsheet or Edge webpage.

Developer mode

Also new in the build is the appearance of a developer mode, which will be useful for more advanced users to gain additional functionality out of their devices and the OS.

The feature has been available on Android, and its appearance on Windows 10 Mobile shows Microsoft's willingness to do more to entice developers to create apps and content for the Windows 10 ecosystem.

It appears that Microsoft has addressed lags and performance issues with the latest build as well.

In a Twitter post, Gabe Aul, Vice President, WDG Engineering Systems team at Microsoft, told eager Insiders that "it seems pretty likely we'd have builds after the [October 6] event...but not before."

Microsoft's latest flagship is also rumored to arrive with an iris scanner to meet the needs of security-oriented business users. Biometric iris scanners would allow Microsoft to better compete with fingerprint scanners on iPhone and flagship Android devices, as Apple, Google and Microsoft are all courting enterprise adoption.

Via: WinBeta

• Read our hands-on review of Windows 10 Mobile

Introduction

With leaks emerging about the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus ahead of next week's Apple announcement, business users may have nothing to worry about when it comes to the smartphone's battery life.

Chinese site cnBeta revealed that the successors to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will come with smaller batteries, representing a 5% reduction in power.

However, battery size alone is only part of the problem. Apple isn't selling you a commodity, in the form of a replaceable battery. Instead, the company is selling you an experience, and when packaged together with its software, latest processing technology and other improvements, a smaller battery may not necessarily result in degraded battery life.

Less juice

The iPhone 6S is expected to have an 1,715 mAh battery, down from the 1,810mAh pack on the iPhone 6, while the larger smartphone will have a 2,750mAh battery compared to the 2,910mAh battery on the current generation model.

This represents a 5.3% physical drop in battery capacity for the iPhone 6S and 5.5% for the iPhone 6S Plus.

The only unfortunate thing about this scenario is that leaked specifications for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus indicate that these models will have a larger chassis than the phones that they'll replace, despite having a smaller battery. With new, stronger metals and the Force Touch screen technology rumored, the iPhone models will grow slightly taller, slightly wider and slightly thicker.

1. Power-sipping iOS 9

Hardware alone is only part of the iPhone 6S story. Apple has historically played up its tight integration in creating its own hardware and software, and the story should be no different on the iPhone 6.

When it debuted iOS 9 earlier this summer, Apple promised that system-wide improvements compared to the current generation iOS 8 software should lead to about an hour of extra battery life.

The new operating system also comes with a Low Power mode, similar to Android phones from HTC, Samsung and Sony, that allows owners to squeeze even more battery life on a single charge by turning off idle processes and radios when they're not in use. With Low Power mode on, you can get up to three extra hours on current generation hardware.

These software improvements may go a long way to helping the iPhone 6s and the 6s Plus conserve battery life, despite having a smaller battery.

2. Better brains

Even though ARM chips are used on the iPhone and iPad, Apple makes tweaks to the processor design to help them deliver more power in a more efficient manner.

In terms of battery life, we can expect Apple's rumored A-series processor to be even more efficient this year. Apple released the A8 processor on last year's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, so we can likely expect an A8x or A9 processor on this year's release.

A more powerful, but energy efficient processor can help bring faster performance and longer battery life at the same time. On the desktop, Intel is proving this with the recent release of Skylake, which brings better processing, graphics and battery life numbers.

3. Packing power

We'll still have to wait for the release of these new handsets to compare battery life against the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but if you're still concerned, you can buy external batteries to get you through a long work day.

Even though Apple doesn't bless the iPhone with a removable battery, third-party case manufacturers have integrated batteries into the case design, bringing a compact solution that delivers the protection of a case and the power of an extended battery.

Incipio creates an offGRID battery case, and rival Mophie has a line of popular JuicePack cases that are designed for each iPhone model.

Given the slightly thicker, wider and taller dimensions leaked for the new Apple smartphone models, you may not be able to re-use your existing Mophie, Incipio or third-party battery case, but likely new models will come to accommodate your powerful new phone.

You can also carry a battery pack, if you want to preserve the handset's slim design and not have the bulk of an extended battery on your phone at all times, and plug your phone into the power pack as needed.

• Learn how to live stream Apple's iPhone 6S launch

Introduction

It's hard to imagine a time when large touchscreens aren't the norm, but in September 2011, Samsung debuted its first Galaxy Note to mixed reviews. Journalists chided Samsung's pocket-unfriendly smartphone, but users gravitated towards the Note, which came packed with useful features that make the device more than just a large-screen phone.

Some of these features – like the split screen multitasking, floating windows and curved edge display – eventually made their way to the consumer-centric Galaxy S series. To keep the differentiation between a large Galaxy S phone, like the newly minted Galaxy S6 Edge+, Samsung has reserved the hallmarked S Pen for the Note.

This year's Galaxy Note 5 is no different. Samsung promises an improved S Pen, productive accessories and even more features that are designed to appeal to enterprise customers. Here are eight Galaxy Note 5 features that business users will love:

Feature 1: Samsung Pay

For business users looking to travel light and leave their wallets behind, Samsung Pay promises to work at more locations than either Apple Pay or Android Pay. The digital wallet uses two technologies to make its acceptance more ubiquitous – traditional NFC, which is also used by its rivals, as well as a Magnetic Secure Transmission, or MST.

With MST, coils placed within the phone generate a signal that can be read by traditional payment terminals. It's similar to the signal generated by swiping the magnetic stripe on a credit card and doesn't require vendors or businesses to upgrade their hardware, unlike NFC.

Like Apple Pay, you authenticate with a fingerprint, and security is maintained because the phone doesn't transmit your actual card number. Instead, it uses a tokenization system to protect your card. You just hold your phone up to the terminal, and the phone emits an MST signal that's picked up by most traditional magnetic stripe card reader.

Feature 2: Adding your personal signature

One of the many S Pen enhancements this year is the ability to annotate PDFs. If someone sends you a PDF contract, you can now sign it, mark it up, save it and email it back.

The fine tip of the S Pen, compared to your blunt finger, makes it easier to sign and mark up PDFs, allowing you to remain productive even while you're away from your PC, tablet and office printer.

Some software, like Adobe Document Cloud, attempt to bridge the paper and digital divide, but Samsung's implementation makes adding a signature to a digital PDF simple and easy.

Feature 3: Kill the BlackBerry envy

With an optional keyboard case accessory, you can essentially transform your Galaxy Note 5 into a device with a similar form factor as the BlackBerry Passport. The case contains two parts. There is a protective plastic shell, like a traditional hard case, to protect the smartphone. A snap-on keyboard attachment can be stowed on the rear of the device for travel. In this location, you'll have access to your full touchscreen.

Snap on the keyboard to the front of the device, and you're on your way to typing out long emails and documents while on the go. There are separate versions made to fit the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+.

I found the attachment mechanism to be secure. The case interfaces with the device through a capacitive film on the rear side of the keyboard. Samsung reps informed me that this method was chosen over Bluetooth as it doesn't require a battery, which means users won't have to remember to charge two separate devices.

The case works extremely well, with sculpted key edges that reminds me of a BlackBerry. Key travel is smooth and responsive, and the keys didn't feel as stiff to press as the discontinued, and unfortunately named, Typo 2 keyboard accessory for the iPhone 6.

As the case covers the bottom part of the screen and the navigation buttons on the Note 5, the content on the screen resizes to fill the smaller screen space left unobstructed by the keyboard. In use, it just feels like you have the software keyboard activated at all times with the hardware keyboard snapped on.

Feature 4: Replace Post-its and memo pads

With a renewed focus on the Note's defining feature – the S Pen – Samsung is making it easier for you to quickly jot down ideas, reminders and thoughts. As a Galaxy Note 4 user, I still relied on paper and pen, even for quick notes, because it was a lot quicker to start writing than having to activate the software and app on my phone.

With the Note 5, the moment you withdraw the S Pen from its silo, a black screen appears and you're ready to jot down your memos. There is no more friction, metaphorically speaking, between your thoughts and the act of writing.

The interface is simple with white ink on a black background. It's unclear if Samsung merely wanted to eliminate the colorful clutter of the S Note app for simple memos, or if the white on black design is a carefully thought out design aimed at prolonging battery life on the Note 5's high resolution AMOLED display.

Additionally, now you can also use the S Pen to easily capture screenshots of long webpages with a feature called scroll capture.

Feature 5: Work and play united

Even though the Note 5's 5.7-inch screen makes it a large device, it's still easier than having to carry two separate devices for work and play. With Android for Work security features baked in as well as Knox, you'll only need to carry one device for personal and professional use.

Knox creates a separate containerized environment so you can securely access your work apps and content. With Knox, IT administrators have access to your work partition, and your enterprise can wipe your device remotely if you lose it to safeguard sensitive data. However, your personal files, apps and content are yours, and your personal partition is kept hidden from prying IT eyes. This makes the device safe for your own personal privacy as well.

Feature 6: Take control

Rather than dealing with your smartphone's small screen, you can see your phone's display on your larger monitor when you're sitting at your desk. SideSync lets you take control of your phone with your laptop's or desktop's keyboard and mouse and mirrors the content of your phone to a larger display.

You can connect your phone to a tablet, Mac or PC using Wi-Fi or USB. USB is more reliable and speedy, but I didn't notice any lags or slow downs when the phone is connected to Wi-Fi except when playing games with high frame rates.

With the phone connected, you can launch apps, send text messages, share files between your phone and computer and do anything you would do on your phone. When you take or place phone calls, audio is routed through your computer's microphone and speakers.

The feature is similar to iOS's continuity with OS X and Continuum with Windows. Unlike continuity, SideSync works across multiple platforms, and you're performing tasks on your phone with a keyboard, display and mouse plugged in, rather than handing tasks off between a computer and a phone.

Feature 7: Get 'amped' up

Even though the battery on the Note 5 is larger than the battery on the Galaxy S6, Samsung claims that it takes the same amount of time to charge both. The Quick Charge feature has been improved, and it's not even more efficient to allow you to quickly charge the Note 5's battery. We'll have to wait for a review unit to see how fast Quick Charge can charge a depleted battery to 80% and 100%.

Additionally, even wireless charging is getting a boost. Samsung says that it is now even faster to wirelessly charge your Note 5.

Whether these enhancements are enough to justify Samsung's decision to eliminate the user-replaceable battery will depend on how you use your device. Unlike prior generations of the Galaxy Note, you can no longer replace a depleted battery for a fresh one as the Note 5's battery is sealed. Like the Galaxy S6, Samsung has taken a form over function approach.

Feature 8: Go live

If you're launching a new product or hosting an event, you can draw in a global audience thanks to the Galaxy Note 5's YouTube Live Broadcast feature. This feature allows you to livestream your event, using your phone's camera, on YouTube.

The feature is embedded within the camera app, where users can set their privacy and share settings. All you need to do is either mount your phone to a tripod, activate the feature and start broadcasting and sharing the YouTube link with friends.

Live broadcasting events may not be as useful for enterprise customers, but if you're a small business trying to build a social media following, it could help you connect with your audiences.

Google added 40 new partners to make it easier for business customers and IT administrators to use, adopt and deploy Android devices in corporate environments. Google is taking advantage of the bring your own device (BYOD) initiative with Android for Work to enable enterprise customers to use a single phone for work and play.

Google boasts over 10,000 businesses have begun testing, deploying or using Android for Work, and with 40 new partners, the program will hopefully become even more accessible. For the first time, wireless carriers are joining Google's program, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Rogers, Bell Canada, Telus Mobility and KT.

How it works

Thanks to the support of user profiles in Android 5.0 Lollipop, which is similar to separate user logins on Windows computers, separate personal and work profiles can be created. IT administrators can deploy apps to your phone through the work profile, and work content will be kept separate from your personal profile.

Similarly, your company won't be able to see your personal content that's stored under your profile. This separation makes it attractive for regulated industries, like finance and healthcare, as sensitive work data can remain secure, and users will appreciate that their employer won't have access to their personal emails, photos or messages.

Google is also promoting Samsung's Galaxy S6 and the Blackphone as part of the program. The former comes with Knox for security and the latter is promoted with extra encryption. Samsung's Knox adds additional hardware level security on top of Android for Work, including TrustZone-based Integrity Management Architecture (TIMA).

"Samsung, for example, offers some of the highest levels of government certification with its KNOX devices, while Blackphone by Silent Circle has built enhanced privacy and security features on top of the Android platform," said Google in a statement.

Some customers who are already using Android for Work include SAP, World Bank, Guardian Life Insurance and the US Army.

The competition

Both Google and Apple are competing for enterprise adoption. According to numbers released by Good Technology early this year, iOS adoption in the enterprise is at 73%, up from, 69% from the end of last year.

Android activations declined from 29% to 25%. Both companies are trying to win customers after BlackBerry, which historically had a strong enterprise support with its security, has been losing overall smartphone market share in recent years. In addition to security features like Touch ID, Apple is also partnering with IBM to deliver enterprise apps to make iOS more attractive to business users.

Read why enterprises should adopt the Samsung Galaxy S6