Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

New Device Launches & Announcements

Honor today launched its highly anticipated Robot Phone in China, featuring a 200MP titanium gimbal camera system that first teased at the Magic8 series last year. Realme expanded its mid-range lineup with the Realme 16x, packing a 7,000 mAh battery, 45W charging, and a 144Hz display powered by the Dimensity 6300 SoC. Xiaomi’s Redmi brand officially announced the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max in China, both sporting flagship chipsets and distinct camera setups. Lenovo teased its next gaming tablet, the Y700, revealing an AnTuTu score of 4,585,844 ahead of its August 25 unveiling. Huawei introduced the Watch GT 7 and GT 7 Pro in China, offering up to 21 days of battery life alongside the nova 16 SE and new Mate Book models. Honor’s massive 12,000 mAh battery has reportedly entered trial production, potentially destined for the Power3 smartphone. On the device leak front, the Fairphone 6+ will reportedly upgrade to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, according to a full spec sheet from EvLeaks. vivo’s upcoming X500 series — including the Pro and Pro Max — leaked with design details, screen sizes, and SoC information from Digital Chat Station. India is getting the iQOO Z11 on August 20, confirmed to feature a Dimensity 7500 Turbo SoC and a large battery.

Xiaomi also launched the Redmi Note 17 5G, and a hands-on review highlights its trimmed battery and other specs. Meanwhile, a leaked listing for the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max promises a new chipset, a 9,210 mAh battery, and 100W fast charging.

Google Pixel 11 & Made by Google Event

Google’s annual Pixel launch event is underway, and we’re liveblogging every announcement with the Pixel 11 launch live updates. Ahead of the event, Google began sending emails with discount codes for the Pixel 11, urging customers to check their Gmail inboxes. Last-minute leaks have flooded in: new renders of the Pixel, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold surfaced, showing design details. Another leak claims the base Pixel 11 will feature a 10.8MP telephoto camera but lacks an RGB notification LED. The event is expected to debut the entire Pixel 11 family alongside new AI features and more.

Apple & iPhone Rumors

Apple’s latest iOS 27 beta for developers contains hidden code that confirms six upcoming iPhone models, according to a new report. An alleged screen protector for the rumored iPhone Ultra — expected to be Apple’s first foldable with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8-like design — has appeared online. An Engadget retrospective examines how the iPhone has changed over the last five years, noting the gradual evolution of capabilities.

Wearables, Accessories & Audio

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds received FDA clearance for a hearing aid feature that helps users monitor and understand their hearing health. Garmin’s new Cirqa fitness tracker goes head-to-head with the Fitbit Air at a $100 price difference, and Engadget compares their features. Motorola’s Moto Watch (2026) review concludes that while it looks capable, the software is disappointingly limited. Meta is rolling out neural handwriting in Early Access for Ray-Ban Display users, allowing them to write text using the Neural Band. Sonos’s upcoming Ace Ultra headphones appeared in an FCC filing, hinting at a September launch.

An unreleased Xbox Elite Controller 3 may have accidentally ended up in an unsuspecting buyer’s hands after images of the model leaked months ago. England and Wales have banned Meta Glasses from courtrooms, citing existing camera prohibitions.

Software & Platform Updates

Samsung has reportedly begun One UI 9.5 development for the Galaxy S26 series while users still await the stable One UI 9 release. Motorola’s Android 17 rollout is underway for over 50 phones, featuring a refreshed Hello UI with AI and customization enhancements. Claude, the AI assistant, now watermarks generated text to help consumers identify AI content. Spotify has introduced AI Persona labels to alert listeners when an artist isn’t real, addressing the flood of AI-generated music. Bumble changed its messaging rules so either person can send the first message after matching, a shift from the previous women-first policy. Government workers can again access TikTok on official devices after the ban was lifted.

A leak suggests Nintendo may release a Zelda-themed Switch 2 for the 40th anniversary, hinting at a collector-friendly launch later this year.