Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 9, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Samsung and Xiaomi Gear Up for New Releases

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 series are generating buzz, with the company opening reservations for the devices ahead of their official July 22 launch in London. These new foldables are confirmed to feature the custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, though the exact implementation may vary by region. Meanwhile, leaks suggest that the Galaxy S27 Pro will also see a regional split in chipsets, with a Snapdragon variant for some markets and the Exynos 2700 elsewhere.

Xiaomi is also preparing for a busy launch period. The Redmi Note 17 series, including the vanilla, Pro, and Pro Max models, is expected to debut soon, with leaks detailing their specifications and design. A teaser video for the Redmi Note 17 Pro has shown the device enduring a football impact and a blast from a firehose, hinting at its durability. Additionally, details about the Redmi Turbo 6 Max's screen and chipset have surfaced, indicating work on a successor to the Turbo 5 Max.

Wearables and Smart Devices See Updates and Leaks

Wear OS 7 has officially launched, bringing new features to eligible Pixel Watch models. Owners of the Pixel Watch 5 might face an unwelcome surprise, as leaks point to a potential price increase for the device. Samsung is also updating its wearable lineup, with leaks of a revamped Samsung Wearables app surfacing ahead of new watch announcements. The company has confirmed upcoming models including the Galaxy Watch9, Galaxy Watch Ultra2, and Galaxy Able to be unveiled on July 22.

In other smart device news, Meta is implementing a mandatory update for its smart glasses that will disable the camera if the privacy light is tampered with, aiming to address user privacy concerns. Rollme's new Air Cam earbuds combine open-style audio with an integrated 8MP camera featuring a Sony sensor. Nothing's new Ear 3a earbuds, priced at $99, can record calls and store audio thanks to on-device storage.

AI and Software Developments Across Platforms

Google is making strides in AI integration and cloud-free backups. The company is reportedly developing a feature for automatic backups to Windows PCs via Wi-Fi, though this functionality will exclude Samsung devices. Google Photos is rolling out "Video Remix," an AI-powered tool that transforms recorded videos. Google has also confirmed its next Pixel event for August 12, where the Pixel 11 series is expected to be unveiled. Leaks suggest the Pixel 11 will double its base storage to 256GB, but at a higher price point.

OpenAI has received permission to roll out GPT-5.6 to the public on July 9, with its Sol, Terra, and Luna models becoming widely available. Amazon is reportedly working on a more advanced "agentic" Alexa assistant under the codename 'Moonraker' to handle complex, multi-step tasks more effectively. Meta has developed an AI detection tool capable of identifying images and videos created with its own AI models. Reddit plans to combat AI-generated content with its own AI tools.

Other Tech News and Announcements

In other tech news, X (formerly is implementing a feature where users will receive direct messages about posts that receive a Community Note, aiming to increase visibility for crowd-sourced corrections. The X app for iOS has also gained a built-in video editor. Volkswagen is employing 100 sheep at a solar farm in Poland as part of an arrangement. Nintendo is planning to make the Switch 2's battery user-replaceable starting this autumn in Europe.