Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 10, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Samsung's Foldable Future and Tablet Teasers

Samsung is gearing up for its next major product reveal, with leaks suggesting the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 are set to be unveiled on July 22nd. Reservations for these new foldables, along with new Galaxy Watches, may begin as early as July 8th. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is rumored to pack a significant silicon upgrade, featuring a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. US pricing for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra has also leaked, though specifics remain unconfirmed. Early sightings of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 have reportedly appeared in a Samsung store in South Korea. It's also suggested that the Z Fold 8 Ultra may inherit camera features from the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In a surprising twist, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 might be the final iteration of Samsung's smaller foldable phone. Meanwhile, a live image of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ has surfaced, with the Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S26 FE in early September. Samsung is also reportedly developing a PC AI accelerator chip codenamed Gaia, built on a 4nm process.

AI, Emissions, and Social Media Scrutiny

Microsoft's aggressive AI expansion appears to have impacted its environmental goals, with the company's carbon emissions growing by 25 percent in 2025, potentially jeopardizing its pledge to be carbon negative by 2030. In Europe, the Commission has declared Facebook and Instagram's "addictive" designs to be illegal, citing violations of the Digital Services Act. Meta is attempting to address privacy concerns with its smart glasses by implementing a mandatory update that will disable the camera if the privacy light is tampered with. Furthermore, Meta has also developed an AI detection tool to identify images and video generated by its new models, though it appears to have rate limits. Meta has automatically opted all public accounts into its Muse Image AI, but users can block the use of their Instagram pictures for AI training. On X, formerly Twitter, the platform plans to use direct messages to notify users about posts that receive a Community Note, aiming to make these crowd-sourced corrections more visible. X for iOS has also gained a built-in video editor. Google is also looking to increase transparency around AI-generated content, with AI-generated ads on Google hopefully receiving disclosures soon, automatically noted in My Ad Center.

New Smartphone Launches and Leaks Abound

The smartphone market continues to see a steady stream of new devices and leaks. vivo is set to unveil the T5 Lite in India next week, confirming a large 6,500mAh battery. Realme has announced the Narzo 100x, launching July 15th, which will feature an 8,000 mAh battery. Motorola is teasing the Edge 70 Max, which has been certified with 25W wireless charging support. The Moto G77 Power has been unveiled in India, boasting a 7,000mAh battery and a 120Hz LCD. The Redmi Note 17 lineup is nearing its China launch, with details emerging about a 7-inch OLED display and battery capacity. The Redmi Note 17 Pro is also being teased with durability tests, including being hit by a football and blasted with a firehose. A new Redmi Note 17 Pro model is also rumored to offer a monster 9,000mAh battery with a five-year replacement guarantee. The Xiaomi 18 Pro is expected to launch in September with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip. A device believed to be the Redmi Note 17 has appeared on Geekbench, revealing its chipset and RAM. The Oppo Find N7, successor to the Find N6, is reportedly in development for a Q1 2027 release, with battery capacity leaks emerging. HMD's Skyline successor, the HMD Skyline, has had images and specs leaked. The HMD Arc 2 has been announced with an updated chipset but few other notable upgrades. The iQOO Z11 Lite 5G is scheduled to launch in India soon. Samsung's Galaxy M67 has appeared on Geekbench with an Exynos chip.

Wearables, Gaming, and Niche Devices

Google is rolling out a significant update for its Health app on Android, bringing more health stats to the main tab and focusing on sleep tracking. Gemini's performance is also improving in Google Home, with better listening and speaking capabilities. Wear OS 7 has launched and is available for eligible Pixel Watch models, bringing new features. However, the Pixel Watch 5 might come with a higher price tag than anticipated. Sony has released new IER-M500 in-ear monitors designed for professionals, priced at $120. Emulation handhelds like the Retroid Pocket 5 and Flip 2 are receiving spec bumps and a price increase of $10 after July 14th. NVIDIA has launched trading cards celebrating "GeForce PC gaming's great moments". The Alienware 34 QD-OLED gaming monitor is noted for its brightness and improved text handling. The Valve Steam Machine is reviewed, with the assessment that it would have been better received five years ago. Nintendo is reportedly making the battery user-replaceable on the Switch 2.

Other Tech News and Developments

The US government is reportedly looking to restrict the corporate use of Chinese AI models due to cost-saving measures by US companies. OpenAI has received approval to roll out GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna to the public on July 9th. Amazon is working on a more powerful agentic Alexa assistant under the codename 'Moonraker' to handle multi-step tasks. Google is developing a cloud-free automatic backup feature for Android to Windows PCs via Wi-Fi, though it will exclude Samsung devices. Google Photos is rolling out "Video Remix," which uses AI to enhance recorded videos. In the automotive sector, NHTSA has identified a pattern of autonomous vehicles interfering with first responders and is demanding solutions from AV makers. Waymo plans to operate fully autonomously in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver by removing human supervisors. New York has become the first US state to ban smart glasses in all its courthouses. Solos is releasing new smart glasses, including the camera-free Air Go A6 with a clip-on privacy shield, and the Air Go V2 starting at $299. Meta's smart glasses are also being updated to disable the camera if the privacy light is tampered with.

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