LG Innotek proposes a different design for smartphone fingerprint readers-- a glass-covered sensor smartphone makers can integrate anywhere within a device, be it in the front, rear or even the sides.

The fingerprint reader module fits in a space just 0.3mm deep. Being glass-covered it can be incorporated the underside of smartphone cover glass without need for dedicated buttons, pads or other exposed elements.

Huawei announces the first result device produced under its recent partnership with German optics maker Leica-- the P9, a smartphone featuring a pair of "Leica certified" rear-facing cameras.

Reportedly the result of 3 years of co-engineering between the two companies, the dual cameras inside the P9 feature specially designed f/2.2 lenses, a pair of 12MP 1.25um Sony IMX286 sensors and a dual-LED flash. One camera captures RGB information while the other is monochrome, and the result is supposed to provide clearer photographs with brighter backgrounds, better contrast and better performance in low light environments.

The current reasoning in mobile device design might be "big is beautiful," but Apple appears to go in the opposite direction with its most recent device offerings, the 4-inch iPhone SE and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Unveiled during an uncharacteristically short March event, the iPhone SE is identical in size to the iPhone 5s-- making it fully compatible with cases designed for older iPhone models, bringing some good news to both customers and accessory makers. However the internals are similar to those of the iPhone 6s, since it features the same A9 CPU, M9 motion co-processor and a 12MP rear-facing iSight camera.

Also included are Touch ID capability, LTE support, 802.11ac wifi, new microphones, always-on "Hey Siri" voice activation and improved battery life.

LG takes to Radiodays Europe 2016 to launch the Stylus 2-- the first smartphone from the company with support for DAB+, the de facto standard for digital radio broadcasting.

Developed in combination with the International DMB Advancement Group (IDAG), the Stylus 2 gets digital radio support through a DAB+ chipset and an exclusive app allowing customers to enjoy digital radio broadcasts out of the box. Meanwhile broadcasters get a technical interface for the development of apps combining online services with radio broadcasts.