Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: May 18, 2026, 8:42 AM ET

Sony & Google UI Refresh Sony is set to stream a live showcase of its next‑gen WH‑1000X headphones on May 19 at 16:00 UTC, a follow‑up to the WH‑1000XM6 that debuted a year ago and positioned Sony as the premium noise‑cancelling leader Watch Sony unveil. At the same time, Google has begun rolling out refreshed Workspace icons with gradient shading across Gmail, Calendar and Drive, a visual overhaul that aims to modernise the brand’s core productivity suite Google's new gradient icons.

Red Magic & Xiaomi Flagship Rollouts In China, Nubia’s Red Magic line introduced the 11S Pro and 11S Pro+ models, both powered by over‑clocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chips and featuring a modest battery boost that extends playtime by roughly 10 minutes over the standard 11S RedMagic 11S Pro series. Meanwhile, Xiaomi announced the May 23 debut of the 17 Max flagship, which will arrive alongside the YU7 GT electric SUV and the Band 10 Pro wearable, signaling the company’s coordinated push into premium phones, wearables and automotive markets Xiaomi 17 Max to debut.

Future‑Proofing the 17 T Lineup Xiaomi confirmed that its 17 T and 17 T Pro devices will launch on May 28, branding the series as the “biggest T Series” to date and promising a 200 MP main sensor, 120 Hz OLED panel and 5,000 mAh battery, upgrades that aim to close the gap with Samsung’s S‑series Xiaomi 17T series gets an official launch date. The timing dovetails with the company’s broader strategy to capture late‑summer demand ahead of the back‑to‑school cycle.

Microsoft Teams Feature Cut Microsoft announced the removal of “Together” mode from Teams, citing excessive implementation complexity and a strategic shift toward the traditional gallery view, which offers a more predictable performance profile for large‑scale meetings Microsoft ditches Teams feature. The change is expected to simplify the product roadmap and reduce latency complaints from enterprise customers.

Samsung’s S26 Momentum Early sales data show the Galaxy S26 outperforming its predecessor, the S25, largely thanks to strong demand for the Ultra variant; however, a $100 price increase on the base model has already begun to erode unit growth, prompting analysts to question the sustainability of Samsung’s premium pricing strategy The Galaxy S26 is selling better. The mixed signals highlight the delicate balance between innovation premiums and price sensitivity in the flagship segment.

Wearables: Bugs, Reviews & Updates Pixel Watch owners reported that sleep tracking data intermittently disappears from the watch interface, even though the information remains visible in the Fitbit app, a regression that mirrors earlier Fitbit bugs and could pressure Google to accelerate firmware fixes Pixel Watch owners say sleep tracking is broken. In contrast, Huawei’s latest Watch Fit 5 Pro earned praise for its compact rectangular display, vibrant band options and comprehensive health suite, reinforcing the brand’s niche in affordable fitness wearables Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro review. One Plus also halted its newest Oxygen OS rollout after a subset of devices entered boot loops, advising users to delay updates until a stable build is verified Your OnePlus update is on hold.

Messaging, Gaming & Legal Fronts WhatsApp expanded testing of its View‑Once disappearing messages to iOS, following an Android trial that began last month, a move that could tighten privacy controls across the platform’s 2 billion‑plus user base WhatsApp is now testing the View‑Once disappearing messages feature on iOS. Fortnite offered a 10‑minute preview of The Mandalorian and Grogu content ahead of the film’s May 22 theatrical release, an example of cross‑media promotion that keeps the battle‑royale title in the cultural conversation Fortnite players get a 10‑minute sneak peek. Meanwhile, Amazon faces a class‑action suit alleging it failed to refund customers after “unlawful” tariffs, with plaintiffs seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution, a case that could reshape the retailer’s compliance processes Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit. Terraria’s developer confirmed cross‑play will arrive soon and teased limited‑edition collector’s items for the game’s 15th anniversary, adding new value for its 70 million‑copy player base Terraria developer confirms cross‑play.

Emerging Tech & Accessories A rumored spiritual successor to Titanfall, dubbed Empulse, entered pre‑alpha under 1047 Games, though no release window has been set, indicating early-stage development for a genre‑defining shooter 1047 Games' spiritual successor to Titanfall. Apple’s upcoming Siri app is expected to let users set auto‑deleting chat timers of 30 days, one year or forever, a privacy feature that could influence broader AI assistant policies Apple's new Siri app will reportedly offer auto‑deleting chat options. On Android, Google Password Manager is adding passkey import and export capabilities, simplifying credential migration and strengthening the ecosystem’s move away from passwords Google Password Manager on Android appears to be getting passkey import and export support. In the accessories arena, Rolling Square unveiled the Edge Pro Core, a near‑invisible magnetic plate that adheres phones and tablets to screens while maintaining a 0.4 mm thickness, targeting users who crave ultra‑slim mounting solutions This thin magnetic plate from Rolling Square. Lastly, Meta upgraded its Ray‑Ban Display glasses with air‑gesture typing, expanding the device’s input repertoire beyond visual overlays and edging it closer to mainstream AR productivity use cases Meta’s Ray‑Ban Display gets typing through air gestures.