Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: May 18, 2026, 2:36 AM ET

Flagship Phones & Weekly Deals

Sony's Xperia 1 VIII launch reshuffled the week's trending charts, pushing the Galaxy A57 to second and relegating the Galaxy S26 Ultra to third, while a new 1/1.56-inch telephoto camera with four times the sensor size and resolution marked the phone's headline hardware change. Xiaomi's upcoming 17 Max also drew attention as part of the broader week 20 flagship roundup, and the new arrivals have already appeared in discount listings that pair the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Pixel 10 Pro with early-bird pricing alongside the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

Wearables & Accessories

Pixel Watch owners are confronting another Fitbit software regression, with sleep tracking data disappearing from the watch face even though stats remain visible in the companion app, compounding a pattern of reliability issues on Google's smartwatch. Huawei's Watch Fit 5 Pro review offered a contrasting case study, praising the device's compact rectangular display, colorful band ecosystem, and comprehensive health suite as the brand continues to undercut competitors on price. Meanwhile, Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses received an update adding air gesture typing support to the display-equipped model, a feature previously limited to the camera-only variants and one that pushes the wearable further toward hands-free interaction.

Software & Security

WhatsApp expanded its View-Once disappearing messages test to iOS, following a month of Android-only trials, bringing end-to-end encrypted ephemeral content to Apple users ahead of a broader rollout. Apple is reportedly building auto-deleting chat options into a new Siri app, letting users choose between 30-day, one-year, or permanent retention for conversations. On the security front, Google's Password Manager gained passkey import and export support on Android, giving users a way to move cryptographic credentials between devices for the first time. One Plus pulled its latest Oxygen OS update after boot loop issues affected some devices, a move the company framed as protective despite frustrating users who had been waiting for the patch.

Gaming & Entertainment

Fortnite players received a 10-minute sneak peek of The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 19, two days ahead of the film's theatrical debut on May 22, a crossover that turned the battle royale into a promotional vehicle for Disney's biggest franchise. Terraria's developer Re-Logic confirmed cross-play support is coming as the game marks 15 years since launch and 70 million copies sold, while Empulse, the spiritual successor to Titanfall from 1047 Games, remains in pre-alpha with no release date announced.

Displays & Hardware

Motorola switched to Extreme AMOLED panels on the Razr Fold, outpacing Google and Samsung's display technology in that form factor, and paired the upgrade with unique eye-care settings that differentiate the hinge-heavy device in a crowded foldable market. The Honor MagicBook Pro 14 (2026) arrives as a cutting-edge ultrabook built around the latest ARM silicon, targeting the premium consumer laptop segment at a time when battery life and AI-accelerated workflows drive purchasing decisions. At Best Buy, a 77-inch Samsung Tizen TV dropped $1,300 from its usual $3,500 price, a Memorial Day weekend deal that positions one of the year's most expensive consumer displays as a holiday impulse buy. Rolling Square introduced the Edge Pro Core magnetic mount, an ultra-thin metal plate capable of mounting both phones and tablets to screens with minimal visual intrusion.

Retail & Legal

Amazon faces a class action lawsuit over unpaid refunds tied to tariffs, with plaintiffs claiming the company owes hundreds of millions in reimbursements to customers who were charged import duties the retailer failed to refund. The case joins a growing wave of consumer litigation against major e-commerce platforms for passing trade policy costs directly to shoppers without transparency.