Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 23, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Samsung Unveils New Foldables and Smartwatches

Samsung has officially launched its latest generation of foldable smartphones and smartwatches at its Unpacked event in London. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are now available, with carriers like T-Mobile offering the Z Fold 8 for free with eligible trade-ins and new lines, while the Z Fold 8 Ultra is priced at $200. Carriers are also offering deals on the Z Flip, with T-Mobile dropping its price to just $100. The new foldables feature significant battery upgrades thanks to silicon-carbon battery technology and are powered by new Snapdragon chips with enhanced AI capabilities. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra boasts improved specs over its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, it notably skips S Pen support, focusing instead on AI-driven productivity. The Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will receive five years of OS and security updates, and Amazon is offering a $50 gift card for pre-orders of the Galaxy Watch 9. Samsung also announced that its Galaxy Ring has received FDA clearance for sleep apnea detection and has opened applications for its first credit card, the Galaxy Card.

AI and Software Updates Across Platforms

Artificial intelligence continues to be a major focus across various tech platforms. Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its staff, citing the evolving business landscape due to AI, while aiming to protect creators. Meta's pro-AI ad campaign is facing scrutiny for its lack of explicit AI details. Instagram is taking action against users who create "creepy content" with Meta's smart glasses, banning those who harass or record others. Claude's voice mode has received an update to improve its reliability. Google is making significant behind-the-scenes improvements to Chrome on Android, resulting in a nearly 50 percent smoother experience by reducing scroll stutters. The US is launching a $5 billion Genesis Mission to advance science with AI, involving multiple federal agencies. Substack is implementing an AI detection feature through a partnership with Pangram. Google is also working on a new accessibility feature for Gboard to support sign language. Android 17 is receiving updates, including an improved iOS migration tool now available on Samsung's latest foldables, and the latest beta is fixing Bluetooth issues and Gemini crashes. Samsung is also developing an AI-powered Health Assistant chatbot for eligible US users to help make sense of health data.

Gaming and Entertainment News

The gaming and entertainment industries are seeing several developments. Universal Pictures has secured the rights to develop film adaptations of 10 Atari games, potentially leading to an "Atari Cinematic Universe". Xbox is testing a free, ad-supported cloud gaming service, mirroring strategies seen with GeForce Now. Original Xbox console games are making their way to PC with achievement support. Amazon is integrating its Luna game streaming service into the Prime Video app, initially for Fire TV devices in the US and UK. Meta Horizon Plus is now offering Xbox Game Pass for its Quest VR users, significantly expanding the available game library. PlayStation Plus will be removing Dead Island, Harold Halibut, and seven other games in August 2026. Lego has unveiled a playable Donkey Kong arcade machine as its latest Nintendo collaboration, and a $200 X-Files Lego set featuring Mulder, Scully, and an alien is slated for release in August. Sony has filed another lawsuit against AI music generator Udio. Qobuz has updated its music player with real-time lyrics, enhancing its offering as an alternative to Spotify. Amazon has also greenlit a Robocop TV show.

Smartphone and Wearable Market Insights

The smartphone and wearable markets are bustling with new releases, leaks, and market analyses. Honor's Magic V6 is being compared to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra following Samsung's Unpacked event. Chinese smartwatches like the Oppo Watch X3 are not widely sold in the US due to business-related factors rather than device readiness. Ultrahuman has released a significant Emerald update for its app, introducing the Ultra Sphere "decision engine" for total health and fitness improvements. Qualcomm is reportedly preparing to launch a new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC later this year. Leaked renders suggest the upcoming Pixel 11 lineup will be available in several color options, and the Google Pixel Watch 5 is expected to launch alongside the Pixel 11 series on August 12, with leaked specs indicating it will resemble the Pixel Watch 4. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra are seeing a $100 price increase compared to their predecessors, a move that is considered reasonable given expectations of broader price hikes. The nubia Navi X Ultra's key specifications have been leaked. The vivo S2 is rumored for an August 6th India launch, with design and key specs also leaking. One Plus has announced the launch date and revealed the design of the OnePlus N6x. Sony's FX5 cinema camera now offers open gate and RAW 5K recording, potentially influencing future consumer mirrorless camera features. The Indian smartphone market saw a 13% shipment fall in Q2, according to Omdia. Xiaomi is reportedly increasing its yearly smartphone sales target as memory market normalization is sensed. The Xiaomi Mix Fold, global Redmi Note, and Redmi Note 17 Pro Max have received certification. The Xiaomi 18 series is expected to launch in India early, comprising three models without an Ultra variant. The iQOO 16T's key specifications have been tipped.

Other Tech and Gadget News

Beyond major product launches, several other technology and gadget-related stories have emerged. The concept of a 100 percent American-made consumer Wi-Fi router remains elusive. GoPro's Wireless Mic System offers an audio upgrade but comes with some fixable flaws. The European Union has given antitrust approval for the Saudi-led $55 billion takeover of EA and has also approved Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in Europe, provided Paramount ends its distribution deal with Universal. Colorado is exploring new methods for EV battery recycling to address end-of-life disposal challenges. Users are cautioned about the risks of disabling Google Play Protect, a security feature on Android devices. Tesla has teased its upcoming Cybercab, featuring a built-in Starlink V5 antenna. Halliday's G