Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 1, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Mobile Devices & Wearables

Samsung is preparing to unveil its next generation of foldable devices, with teasers for the Galaxy Z Fold8 and its wider variants, including the Ultra model, intensifying. Leaks also suggest a Galaxy Z Flip8 is on the horizon, with cases for all three models appearing online. The company's upcoming smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Watch9, have also surfaced in leaks ahead of an expected Unpacked event. Samsung's foray into smart glasses is also progressing, with the Samsung Galaxy Glasses appearing within their management app, running Android XR and One UI XR. Further down the pipeline, details for the Galaxy Ring 2 point to a 2027 release with improved battery life. Samsung is also testing One UI 9 for the Galaxy A25, based on Android. Meanwhile, the wider Honor Magic V6 has gone on sale in Europe starting at €1,700, while the Punkt. MC03, a Swiss-designed and German-crafted smartphone with a "Swiss-built" OS, is now available for purchase. Commodore's Callback 8020 flip phone has seen its price reduced to $399 for pre-orders, with a day-one discount available on June 30. Motorola is reportedly working on a new Edge 70 Max with 25W wireless charging, potentially beating Samsung to a feature already present in Apple and Google devices. The iQOO Pad 5c has quietly launched in China with a 12.1-inch display and a 10,000mAh battery, while Red Magic is preparing its gaming tablet, the Astra, for global markets after its Chinese debut as the Gaming Tablet 5 Pro. The Nothing Phone (4b) is slated for a July 7 launch, confirmed to feature a Snapdragon chipset.

AI & Software

Meta has introduced rate limits for its smart glasses' Conversation Focus feature, now restricting free usage to three hours per month. Google is expanding personalized intelligence within its Gemini app, with image creation now available. The Gemini mac OS app has also gained access to Google's Spark agentic AI assistant. Anthropic is set to redeploy its Mythos and Fable AI models, with users regaining access on July 1, and has also launched its latest Sonnet model, Sonnet 5, which is optimized for agentic tasks that often incur high enterprise costs. Google's Notebook LM has been upgraded to use AI for generating 60-second video summaries of research documents. WhatsApp is rolling out usernames globally, allowing users to reserve theirs this week for enhanced privacy, enabling chats without needing to share phone numbers. Proton's Lumo chatbot has received a significant upgrade, introducing image generation and editing capabilities. Netflix has utilized AI to recreate Gene Wilder's voice for a new reality show. Meanwhile, a report claims that social media child safety are ineffective.

Automotive & Tech Infrastructure

BMW has introduced an electric option for its X5 lineup, boasting an impressive 435 miles range. In the realm of satellite communications, Rocket Lab is acquiring satellite company Iridium to compete with Starlink and Amazon's Leo ventures, aiming to connect remote parts of the Earth. Comcast is spinning off NBCUniversal and Sky into a new entity, retaining its cable, wireless, and business services, while the new company will manage Universal's theme parks and media assets. Verizon and BT Group are combining their international enterprise operations into a joint venture, expected to close in 2027 pending regulatory approval.

Gaming & Entertainment

The animated Super Mario movie is set to launch on Peacock on July 30. Xbox is reportedly planning layoffs, which may include closing Arkane studios and canceling the Blade game, prompting union members to call for transparency and good-faith bargaining. California's proposed bill to protect online games has failed to pass committee.

Other Notable Developments

Getty Images has called off its planned $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock due to restrictions imposed by UK regulators. Amazon will pay $2.25 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission case regarding identity theft, stemming from alleged failures to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal in the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, following Apple's contempt finding related to App Store fees. The Supreme Court has also issued restrictions on the use of geofence warrants. T-Mobile is phasing out older plans, compelling long-term customers to migrate to newer, more expensive plans. Best Buy's 4th of July sale includes significant discounts on various products, with Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds now 50% off.