Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 9, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

New Samsung Foldables and Phones

Samsung opened reservations for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 series on July 8, following confirmation of the Galaxy Unpacked event for July 22 in London Samsung confirmed. The company is reportedly working on an AI accelerator chip for PCs, codenamed Gaia, utilizing a 4nm process. Reports also suggest the Galaxy Z Flip 8 might be the final iteration of Samsung's compact foldable line. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rumored to receive a significant internal upgrade with a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and its Ultra variant is expected to inherit camera features from the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The Galaxy S26 series has already set a sales record in South Korea, selling 3 million units in under four months.

Upcoming Xiaomi and HMD Devices

Xiaomi is preparing to launch the Xiaomi 18 Pro in September, alongside the standard Xiaomi 18 and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, with these devices likely to be the first to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset. Leaked images and specifications for the HMD Skyline successor have emerged, suggesting it is still in development. HMD has also quietly announced the Arc, an update to its Arc device, though it doesn't appear to bring substantial upgrades over its predecessor.

AI and Google Updates

Google is improving its AI offerings with Gemini in Google Home receiving an update that makes it a more responsive assistant, especially with the FIFA World Cup approaching. The company is also working on automatic phone backups to PCs without cloud reliance, though this feature will exclude Samsung devices. Google Health is rolling out a significant update on Android, bringing more health stats to its main tab and increasing focus on sleep data. In advertising, Google plans to implement automatic disclosures for AI-generated ads within its My Ad Center.

Apple and Meta Developments

Rumors surrounding the iPhone Ultra, potentially a foldable device, indicate it could be Apple's most anticipated iPhone in years. Meta's smart glasses are receiving a mandatory update that will disable the camera if the privacy light is tampered with, a move to address user privacy concerns. Meta has also developed an AI detection tool to identify content created with its own AI models, though it has rate limits.

Gaming and Handheld Tech

Retroid Pocket 5 and Flip 2 are set to receive spec bumps, with a $10 price increase after July 14. The Playdate is being utilized to ensure Big Ben rings on time. Doom developer id Software is reportedly facing significant staff reductions amidst shakeups at Xbox.

Other Mobile and Tech News

Xiaomi is expected to launch the Redmi Note 17 series on July 14, with the Pro model featuring Gorilla Glass Victus, and the series' design and launch date have been officially revealed. Realme will launch the Narzo 100x on July 15, highlighted by its 8,000 mAh battery. The vivo T5 Lite 5G is also slated for launch with a 6,500mAh battery. Motorola has unveiled the Moto G77 Power in India, featuring a 7,000mAh battery and a 120Hz display. Honor's rumored foldable, codenamed "Wide," is said to boast a substantial battery and display specifications similar to Huawei's model. Huawei is teasing the Mate Pad Air and Free Clip 2 S ahead of a global launch event, and is also reportedly working on a smaller MatePad Pro Max. The company's Pura 90s series is also teased with new design details.

The new Redmi Note 17 Pro is being promoted with a five-year battery replacement guarantee for its 9,000mAh battery. The iQOO Z11 Lite 5G is confirmed to launch in India soon, with its design revealed ahead of its launch. nubia plans to unveil what it claims is the world's first AI agent smartphone later this month. The X app for iOS has gained a built-in video editor.

Sony has launched $120 in-ear monitors designed for professional stage use, and has also unveiled the RX10 V superzoom camera with a 24-600mm lens. A developer has repurposed Sony headphones into a real-time head tracker for PC simulators. Marshall has updated its vintage-inspired Acton and Stanmore speakers with customizable buttons. Nothing's new Ear 3a earbuds, priced at $99, can record calls and save audio thanks to on-device storage. The Nothing Phone 4b is presented as a budget device with premium software promises and a larger battery, with its announcement livestream available.

In the realm of smart glasses, Meta's new lineup is noted as budget-friendly but with potential limitations. New York has banned smart glasses in all its courthouses. Solos is releasing new smart glasses, including the camera-free Air Go A6 with a privacy shield and the feature-packed Air Go V2. The Memo Mind One camera-free smart glasses are now available and praised for their notification display and AI features.

Amazon is reportedly developing a more powerful, agentic Alexa assistant codenamed 'Moonraker' to handle multi-step tasks. xAI has officially rebranded to SpaceXAI. OpenAI has received permission to roll out GPT-5.6 models to the public on July 9.

Google is rolling out the first Android 17 update for Pixel phones, focusing on security and bug fixes. iOS 27 Beta 3 is now available, bringing further tweaks and improvements. Wear OS 7 has been released for eligible Pixel Watch models, introducing new features. A bug in Discord's safety systems may have led to approximately 8,200 erroneous bans since May.

The US government is reportedly looking to restrict corporate use of Chinese AI models.

The US government is reportedly looking to restrict corporate use of Chinese AI models.