Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: August 25, 2026, 2:40 PM ET

Chips & Silicon

Apple introduced its new M6 chip on a 2nm process, delivering respectable performance gains over the M5 without making existing M5 owners feel any FOMO. The company also refreshed its desktop lineup, with the Mac mini and Mac Studio now sporting the new M6 and M5 Ultra chips. The M5 Ultra features an 80-core GPU designed to handle demanding AI models and 8K video workloads. For those comparing Apple's latest silicon, a detailed breakdown of the M5 Ultra vs M3 Ultra highlights what has changed across generations.

Qualcomm is pushing clock speeds to new heights, with its next Snapdragon chip reportedly capable of hitting a 5GHz clock speed with the Oryon CPU. Poco has confirmed the chipsets for its upcoming F9 series, with the F9 Pro and F9 Ultra both featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite processors.

Phones & Mobile Devices

Waymo is expanding to Europe, with service in Munich planned for 2027 after establishing subsidiaries in several European countries this summer. In the budget segment, Xiaomi's Redmi 17C 5G is now official, featuring a Dimensity 6300 SoC and a 6,000mAh battery. India-based Fire-Boltt has entered the smartphone market with the Boltt Ace 5G and Evo 4G, both offering 6,000mAh batteries at affordable prices.

Sony's midrange Xperia 10 VIII has launched with a sizable price hike despite offering few upgrades over its predecessor. Our review describes it as essentially the same phone with a new name. The Oppo A7 Pro has appeared in a certification listing in Brazil, revealing an 8,000mAh battery. Vivo's T5 5G will launch in India on September 2, while the vivo X500 Pro Max has been spotted on Geekbench ahead of its China launch next month. The Realme C100i is headed to India with an August 27 launch date.

Huawei has confirmed its next tri-fold smartphone, the Mate XT2, will launch next month, potentially featuring a different folding mechanism. Mint Mobile has finally received its Google Pixel 11 stock, with deals under $900 that are even better than expected.

Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra

New renders confirm the Galaxy S27 Ultra's horizontal camera plateau, with similarities to the iPhone 17 Pro that are hard to ignore. The device is tipped to be nearly the same size as the S26 Ultra, according to leaked CAD renders. Samsung may also be working on self-healing glass for the device, which could heal minor scratches automatically.

Wearables & Audio

The Pebble Time 2 is a smartwatch designed to push back against current trends, and our review says it does so beautifully. Garmin's Fenix 9 lineup brings faster maps, smarter training, titanium design, and brighter displays, along with serious battery life for athletes. Shokz has debuted two new audio products for the gym: the OpenRun Air 2 and OpenFit Air 2, designed for runners and hikers. ASUS's first gaming soundbar, the ROG Gjallar, is now available in the US for $600.

Gaming & Accessories

Nintendo has revealed new Switch 2 bundles just ahead of the console's price increase next week. ASUS is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its gaming division with the ROG XBOX Ally X20, featuring a larger 7.4-inch OLED display. Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase included previews of Final Fantasy and Gears of War during the two-hour event.

Connectivity & Software

Thunderbolt 5 offers extremely fast data transfer and lots of power, but most devices can't take advantage of it yet. WhatsApp is upgrading its two-factor authentication, allowing users to ditch the six-digit code for a stronger alphanumeric password. Samsung's One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy A57 is now imminent, following internal testing that began in June. Google is testing a "Device help" tool for the Pixel 11 series powered by Gemini that lets users troubleshoot their phones through conversation. Motorola's 2027 flagships will officially support GrapheneOS, the security-focused Android fork.

Apps & Features

Uber will let parents peek through a driver's selfie camera when teens are taking a trip, though recordings will only be accessed for safety reports. Meta is testing a podcast transcription feature on Threads to attract audio creators. Samsung's new My Fan Cam feature makes it easier to zoom in on performances in videos, like a child's school play.

E-Readers & Accessories

The Pocket Book Q is a phone-sized e-reader boasting a month of battery, 32GB of storage, and a distraction-free reading experience, arriving this fall for $175.

Market Trends

Samsung led the Southeast Asia smartphone market in Q2 with a 24% share, and it was the only brand growing as the overall market declined 15% year-over-year, according to Counterpoint Research.

Long-Term Reviews

After one year with the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, our reviewer found that while it isn't an exciting phone, it nails the basics and proved much better than expected.

Explainer & Space

Upscaling software for converting video to 4K is getting better, but there are still caveats to be aware of. NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for launch on August 30, and here's how to watch it live.