Welcome to another installment of Android Authority Q & A. Each week we take questions from you, our wonderful readers and viewers, and answer them both here and in video form.
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Q:
Ruben asks: When do you think the HTC One Max (T6) might be released? Also what specs do you believe might be official on the handset? Thanks and keep up the great work!
A:
Thank you, Ruben. As of right now, there is still nothing official on when we can expect a release date for the One Max, but last month a financial analyst said that he expected that we’d see it in the second half of 2013.
Specs can always change, but I think it’s a safe bet to say that the HTC One Max will have a Snapdragon 800, at least 2 GB of RAM and of course HTC’s Ultrapixel camera. The screen size is rumored to be 5.9 inches, which sounds about right to me. We’ll see.
Q:
Peter says: Hey Kris, I’m thinking of buying the Samsung Galaxy S4. What are some of the more common problems with it?
A:
There are two main complaints I see about the Galaxy S4. The first is lag in a few areas, like the home button and scrolling through menus. Luckily we did a Tips & Tricks for the Galaxy S4 which includes remedies for both of these problems.
The other problem I hear about somewhat often is overheating. This can be caused by a bunch of things, but not everyone seems to have this problem. For example, I never ran into it, even with fairly heavy testing.
Q:
Vikramjit asks: When is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 release date? Will it be coming to any U.S. or Canadian Carriers?
Galaxy Note 3 concept
A:
Last month we talked about a few rumors that we might see the Note 3 sooner rather than later, but since Samsung’s Premiere event came and went without unveiling the Note 3, it’s safe to say that we’ll probably see the Note 3 announced at IFA and released in September, just like the Note 2 last year.
And yes, the Note 3 is one of Samsung’s biggest phones of the year (in more ways than one) right alongside the Galaxy S4, so we’ll definitely be seeing it on quite a few carriers in the U.S. and Canada.
Q:
Mata asks: Is there any way I can use my HTC One S as a TV remote control like you can with the Galaxy S4? Maybe an app?
A:
Well, kind of. It won’t function exactly like the Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, because for that you need a built in IR Blaster, like both of those phones. Depending on your setup though, there are a few possibilities. XBMC and Plex both have remote apps, so do some smart TVs from companies like Samsung, LG and Panasonic.
Q:
Gary asks: Does the Samsung Galaxy S4 support 64 GB microSDHC cards?
A:
Yes, it does.
Q:
Adrien says: I’d like to use lock screen widgets and shortcuts on my Galaxy S4 when I have it on a pattern or pin. Will Samsung be releasing a patch for this?
A:
This is something that bugs a lot of people, and with good reason. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any official word of an update that addresses this. We’ve got our fingers crossed, but who knows when or if this will happen.
Q:
Maris says: Kris, I’m a new owner of the HTC One and I was wondering: is there any official news that the One will be updated to Android 4.2 or 4.3
A:
Well, I don’t know where you live, but an update to Android 4.2.2 is rolling out for HTC One users in Europe, so it seems that it should begin to arrive elsewhere pretty soon. When it comes to 4.3, there is no official word right now, but it looks like the Google Play edition of the HTC One was spotted running Android 4.3. When that will end up in the hands of customers is up in the air, but it’s pretty safe to assume that we’ll see it eventually.
Q:
Frank asks: Will the Motorola X be available on AT&T? Or just Verizon, like other Motorola Droid phones?
A:
Last week it was confirmed that the Motorola X isn’t going to be a “Droid”-branded phone, though it will be coming to Verizon. According to filings with the FCC, it looks like AT&T, Sprint and U.S. Cellular will be also 0getting the Moto X. There you go.
Video
Join us next week for more questions and, of course, more answers! If you would like to, head over to the Q & A page to ask us some questions of your own.