It's all about the phones in today's tech news roundup, courtesy of our friends at TechRadar – we've got some leaks on upcoming handsets from Google, Samsung, Apple and Nokia, plus news of a new subscription service from Microsoft featuring the Xbox.
1. The Galaxy S10 might introduce in-screen fingerprint scanners
Since ultra-thin bezels became the norm on smartphones, fingerprint scanners have usually been banished to the back of handsets or ditched altogether. Maybe not so with the Galaxy S10 phones from Samsung due next year – reports from Asia say Samsung will fit a fingerprint sensor underneath the front display on all the S10 models it's unveiling.
2. Better battery life tipped for the 2018 iPhones
When the iPhone 9 and iPhone 11 (or whatever Apple decides to call them) turn up next month, they should last longer between charges than the current models: according to some calculations carried out by Cult of Mac, the new chip inside the 2018 iPhones will offer better performance with a lower power draw, significantly boosting battery life.
3. Xbox All Access gives you a console plus more for a monthly fee
The rumours were true: Microsoft is letting customers pay a flat monthly fee in return for an Xbox One S or Xbox One X, as well as access to Xbox Live Gold and the Xbox Game Pass – either $21.99 a month or $34.99 a month, depending on which version of the console you want. As yet, there's no word on Microsoft expanding the scheme outside of the US.
4. The Pixel 3 launch is slated for the 9th of October
Google fans, mark your calendars for Thursday the 9th of October – that's when sources speaking to Bloomberg say Google is going to unveil the Pixel 3 phones and maybe some more Pixel goodies at a special event in New York. This date hasn't been confirmed by Google yet, but based on previous launches, early in October seems like a sensible bet.
5. Nokia phones could be getting amazing cameras again
HMD Global, the company that now puts out phones with Nokia branding, has also just registered the PureView trademark – the label attached to Nokias of times gone by with high-end cameras attached. Could HMD Global have plans for new phones that push the boundaries of mobile photography? We're certainly hoping so – watch this space for more.
