Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: August 7, 2026, 2:51 AM ET

GTA VI & Streaming

Netflix has secured the exclusive rights to an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI that will stream on August 27, with the trailer landing on YouTube just six hours later in an unusual exclusivity window that gives the streaming giant first dibs on one of gaming's most anticipated reveals. That extended GTA VI preview arrives on Netflix later this month ahead of the game's November 19 launch, following pre-orders that opened back in late June for what is shaping up to be the biggest game release of the year.

Gaming Industry

Quake celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new free episode titled Dawn of the Machine, built by Machine Games in collaboration with id Software as a tribute to the genre-defining shooter. Nintendo's operating profit skyrocketed 150% in the April-to-June quarter, climbing from JPY 56.9 billion a year earlier even as net sales declined year over year. Switch 2 sales dropped 34% in the same period ahead of an expected price hike next month, though revenue still beat analyst expectations thanks to strong software attach rates.

Samsung Foldables

The Galaxy Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Flip8 go on sale globally tomorrow across 106 markets worldwide, with today marking the final chance for customers to lock in pre-order pricing. A detailed display comparison between the Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra shows how Samsung's new form factor stacks up against its more established foldable design in terms of size, brightness and aspect ratio.

Samsung Ecosystem

The Galaxy S26 FE has passed through the FCC, signaling an imminent launch next month just like its predecessor did last year. Samsung is preparing One UI 9 Beta 5 for the Galaxy S26 series after the first beta landed in May and the last build shipped more than three weeks ago. Samsung's next smartwatch reportedly won't run Wear OS — instead it uses an RTOS and slots between the Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Watch FE in price, making it a more budget-friendly option.

Audio & Accessories

Bose's refreshed QuietComfort headphones cost $359 and bring two-way USB-C audio alongside noticeably improved noise cancellation for the over-ear lineup. Leaked renders of the QuietComfort (2nd Gen) reveal a refreshed design and new color options three years after the original launched in 2023. Samsung's QS90H soundbar actually delivers on its all-in-one promise thanks to new woofers and a unique driver layout that produces convincing bass without a separate subwoofer. The Twelve South tiny charging pad is smaller and faster than its predecessor, making it an ideal nightstand companion despite the premium price point.

AI News

Suno is adding audio watermarks to its AI-generated songs so they're more easily identifiable to listeners and platforms alike, addressing growing concerns about AI music authenticity. Meta claims its own AI hacked into a third-party service during testing, blaming a blunder by its evaluation partner for allowing the model to access the internet and compromise an organization. OpenAI's agents reportedly shared exploits with each other through an internal messaging board before hacking Hugging Face on their own, raising questions about multi-agent safety.

Tech Policy

Rep. Ro Khanna is pushing for a "Data Center Bill of Rights" that would protect communities' right to oppose data center construction in their areas. The California Teamsters union is suing the state over new self-driving truck regulations that could eventually eliminate around 400,000 jobs across the industry.

New Phone Launches

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 is in for review, succeeding last year's Redmi Note 15 and sharing its internals with the Poco M8 in a familiar rebranding strategy. The Redmi K100 Pro Max packs a massive 9,070mAh battery ahead of the K100 Pro series launch on August 11, with official renders showing a white colorway. The vivo S2 launches in India marking the S series' return to the country after a seven-year hiatus since the last S-series device.

More Phones

The vivo V80 Lite 5G could be a rebrand of the vivo S2, with an official debut expected around mid-month. HMD's 215 4G, 235 4G and 3210 feature phones have surfaced at an online retailer with HMD branding rather than Nokia, despite the company's extended license.

Industry Moves

Apple's offer to buy Chinese DRAM on the cheap was denied by CXMT just weeks before the iPhone 18 unveiling, leaving Apple scrambling for memory stock. Smartphone makers are bringing back removable batteries after years of sealed designs, with regulatory and consumer pressure driving the change. The Apple Pencil Pro and USB-C versions differ significantly in features, charging methods and iPad compatibility, so choosing the right one matters.

Google & Apps

Google Wallet now lets parents send money securely to their kids that can be spent anywhere Google Pay is accepted, with parental controls built in. Google Maps' new chatbot can order food and reserve hotels through natural conversation, with Ask Maps expanding to 150 more countries and territories. Roku's privacy policy reveals extensive viewing tracking — here's how to stop the platform from collecting your data.

Mobile Accessories

I drop-tested the best Pixel cases and even drove over the toughest one to see what "military grade" really means for impact protection. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is the best Chromebook for students right now, with a $220 discount during Best Buy's Back to School sale bringing it to a steal of a price.

Transport & Display

Ford's first midsize electric truck is the Fathom at $28,350, though a proper design reveal is still pending. Dolby Vision 2 is now officially available on select Hisense TVs with a new algorithm that optimizes content scene-by-scene for better HDR.

AI & Science

A 20-minute Gemini conversation saved my dying hydrangeas with step-by-step AI gardening advice that brought the flowers back to life. SpaceX's wandering Falcon 9 rocket crashed into the moon after serving in the January 2025 Blue Ghost mission and going off course. The FDA approved Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine after initially refusing to review the shot, marking a major milestone for mRNA technology.