Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: July 2, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Mobile Devices & Wearables

Samsung is subtly altering its wearable strategy for Galaxy Watch users in the U.S., removing the Vascular Load feature this month while indicating a shift towards blood pressure "trends" Galaxy Watch loses Vascular. Meanwhile, the company is revivving its most aggressive deal for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, offering a direct $350 discount on unlocked models purchased through its website, a promotion that coincides with the upcoming July 4th weekend. In a separate development, Samsung has detailed its semiconductor roadmap, outlining plans for upcoming 2nm process nodes and targeting 1.4nm nodes by 2029, signaling aggressive advancements in chip manufacturing. For its budget segment, Samsung will reportedly skip its in-house Exynos chips for both 4G and 5G variants of the Galaxy A18, a departure from its previous strategy for the A17 line. The company's foldable future is also being previewed, with the Galaxy Z Fold8 appearing in dummy leaks, offering a glimpse of its design in black. In consumer electronics, the Xreal ROG R1 smart glasses are positioned as a high-end wearable monitor, described as the best the reviewer has encountered, though at a significant price point Xreal ROG R1 wearable monitor. Motorola is set to unveil the Moto G77 Power next week on July 8th, with details emerging from an Indian retailer. The Oppo Reno16 series has debuted in India, with a focus on a more budget-friendly model replacing the Pro variant, and accompanied by "Oppo Bubble" tags Oppo Reno16 Reno16c. Nothing has officially revealed the design of its special Phone (4b) RCB edition, created in partnership with the Royal Challengers. Apple is reportedly exploring alternative RAM suppliers amidst a persistent memory chip shortage, a move described as potentially risky Apple considers risky RAM. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to feature a complex modem setup, utilizing two different modems due to a cyberattack on a supplier iPhone 18 Pro modem situation, while the Pro Max model's exact battery capacity has also leaked, suggesting it will be the largest non-folding iPhone battery to date iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Smartphones & Software

Google's Pixel phones are experiencing an issue where users are not receiving alerts for incoming calls, a problem that may stem from the Google Phone app. In generative AI, Google's Gemini Omni is demonstrating impressive capabilities, allowing users to create videos from diverse inputs like text, images, audio, and video on Pixels Gemini Omni video generation. The US market is seeing a shift in wearable health features, with Samsung's Galaxy Watch phasing out its Vascular Load metric for a blood pressure "trends" feature Galaxy Watch loses Vascular. For gamers, Capcom is adjusting the release schedule for "Onimusha: Way of the Sword," pushing its launch forward to avoid clashing with the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI the Sword release date. Xbox is reportedly testing a system to digitize physical game collections, aiming to preserve older titles in an increasingly digital environment Xbox digitizing disc games. In a more drastic move away from physical media, Sony is anticipated to permanently cease production of PlayStation physical discs by 2028, following industry trends towards digital-only releases Sony stops physical disc. The European Union's highest court has upheld a substantial $4.7 billion antitrust fine against Google for its Android practices, a decision that Google has lost its final appeal on Google loses EU Android. Meta's messaging platform, Threads, is grappling with a widespread crypto scam network that is impersonating MrBeast through fake promotions Mr Beast spam on Threads. Opera has introduced a new security feature designed to combat malicious copy-paste attacks from compromised websites, enhancing user protection against 'Click Fix' attacks Opera security feature stops. WhatsApp has responded to an order from the Indian government to pause the rollout of its upcoming username feature, which allows users to communicate without sharing phone numbers WhatsApp pauses username feature.

Networks & Carriers

T-Mobile is continuing its network modernization efforts by preparing to shut down its 2G network on August 3rd, marking it as the last major U.S. carrier to do so T-Mobile shuts down 2G network. The carrier's recent "Member Month" promotions have drawn some criticism, with the latest perk being a $60 Umbro jersey that some users feel is not a compelling reward T-Mobile jersey perk. Meanwhile, Verizon is offering numerous deals in July 2026, including multiple free phone offers for new line activations or trade-ins Verizon deals July 2026. Amazon is gearing up to launch its satellite broadband service, having deployed a sufficient number of Leo satellites, though its constellation remains significantly smaller than Starlink's Amazon Leo satellite broadband.

Semiconductors & AI

Samsung is advancing its semiconductor technology, detailing plans for future 2nm process nodes and aiming for 1.4nm nodes by 2029 Samsung details 2nm. OpenAI's Sam Altman is reportedly proposing that major AI companies grant U.S. sovereign funds a 5% equity stake in their businesses, an idea aimed at involving the government in the growing AI sector OpenAI suggests AI companies. Separately, reports suggest SpaceX is testing a handheld AI device that could provide access to xAI models without a smartphone, a claim Elon Musk has denied as "utterly false" SpaceX testing handheld AI device. Meta is reportedly building its own cloud business, a move that would position the company in direct competition with cloud giants like Amazon and Google Meta building its own.

Tech Ecosystem & Business

Tesla reported a 25 percent increase in vehicle deliveries for the second quarter compared to the previous year, indicating growing traction, particularly in Europe Tesla Q2 vehicle deliveries up 25%. Apple is exploring alternative RAM suppliers due to ongoing supply chain challenges, a strategy that could entail significant risks Apple considers risky RAM. The company is also reportedly planning a visual refresh for its entry-level MacBook Pro models for release next spring Apple plans MacBook Pro. American Express members can now use their Membership Rewards points directly when making purchases through Apple Pay for online transactions Amex members use rewards. A vulnerability in Apple's "Hide My Email" service could potentially link anonymous email addresses back to real ones, raising privacy concerns Apple Hide My Email vulnerability. The Honor Magic V6 has expanded its availability to the UK market, following its European debut Honor Magic V6 in UK. One Plus continues to integrate more closely with Oppo, with the One Plus website in Germany now advertising Oppo smartphones, tablets, watches, and earbuds OnePlus pushing Oppo products. The defunct 3DO console's attempted revival has quickly failed, with the developer reportedly withdrawing its plans upon realizing it lacked the necessary rights 3DO revival attempt fails. X is increasing its focus on live video content by introducing a new creator payout structure and a live streaming command center X pushes live video. Financial disclosures indicate that Donald Trump purchased a significant amount of tech stock on the same day he announced his AI Action Plan Trump bought tech stock.