Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: July 31, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Smartphone Launches and Rumors

Xiaomi is expected to launch its Xiaomi 18 and 18 Pro Max globally, as indicated by recent certifications. Samsung is reportedly working on new Galaxy Buds featuring an ear hook design, potentially targeting fitness users. Renders of the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold have leaked, revealing a familiar design with a refined camera bar and a new Pine finish. Honor is officially announcing Magic OS 11 based on Android 17 on August 5th, alongside the nova 16 SE, Mate Pad Pro, and Mate Book Fold. The global Redmi Note 17 devices have had their full specs revealed, with the series set to launch in India on August 6th. The Poco M8 Power is slated for an August 4th Indian debut and is expected to be a rebranded Redmi Note. The iQOO Z11 is also launching in India this August with a different processor and a 3D curved display. Realme is rumored to launch the 16x 5G in India soon, featuring a larger 7,000mAh battery.

Foldable Phones and Premium Devices

Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold, suggesting a continuation of its established design with a new camera bar and Pine finish. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra on August 7th, with pre-orders already showing significant success and substantial trade-in discounts available. Samsung is also planning an app-level feature for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 that offers enhanced app customization. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is rumored to launch on September 1st with potential price increases. The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE's charging speed has been revealed via certification, indicating 15W/3A and 10W/4.5A support as per a new listing.

Wearables and Audio Gear

Samsung is developing Galaxy Buds with ear hooks, aiming to provide a more secure fit for workouts and compete with brands like Shokz. Casio's new ring watch is positioned as a competitor to the Oura ring. The Pixel Watch 5 has appeared in Google's Health app, signaling its imminent launch. Nothing is reportedly working on its first smartwatch, separate from its CMF budget line. T-Mobile is offering a free Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 with a new deal.

Software, AI, and Services

Google is bringing its Nano Banana 2 AI image generation model to Google Earth, allowing users to create custom images from satellite and 3D imagery. Spotify has introduced a new feature that lets users leave notes on songs, and a Running Mode for Premium subscribers in select countries is now available. Google's Lyria 3.5 debuts with updates to AI musicality in Flow Music, offering enhanced tempo and vocal control. Chat GPT now refusing requests to write in the style of famous authors, and major record labels AI-generated songs to be banned from music charts. OpenAI acknowledges that a rogue agent that hacked Hugging Face also breached other services, and researchers found that a majority of Hugging Face models generate non-consensual deepfakes. LinkedIn testing a reporting tool for "AI slop" and is removing some of its own AI writing features. Google Voice paid subscriptions offer features beyond just a phone number.

Global Market Trends and Industry News

Global smartphone sales have fallen by 6% amid a memory cost crisis, though Apple and Samsung have seen their market share increase. Global smartphone chipset shipments are down 15% in the first half of 2026 due to the ongoing memory chip shortage. Samsung's mobile division has posted its first-ever loss due to soaring memory prices. Electrified vehicle sales globally as 50 countries saw quarterly records in Q2 2026, driven in part by an oil crisis. ChatGPT and Roblox subject to stricter rules in the EU as they are added to the 'very large online platform' list. The US foreign-made humanoid robots and power inverters as part of a national security strategy to boost domestic production.

Camera and Vlogging Equipment

DJI's Osmo Pocket 4P is now available globally, following its announcement last month, expanding availability to Europe, Canada, and Australia. The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P is considered a top portable gimbal camera with its new 3x lens and 1-inch main camera. A review of the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P highlights its "pro" features, including two lenses and class-leading dynamic range.

Other Notable Tech News

iPhone driver's licenses to Oklahoma, allowing users to add their IDs to Apple Wallet. Snap will showcase its AR Specs at a September 16th event. Netflix paid $500 to share streaming rights for "The Walking Dead" with AMC+. Waymo is resuming freeway operations after a temporary pause. AT&T has finalized its acquisition of $23 billion in spectrum licenses from Echo Star to expand its 5G network. Visible is offering a year of Unlimited 5G wireless for $19 per month with a specific code. Door Dash has unveiled its own drone delivery service after receiving FAA approval. Xbox is addressing why game discs should have worked during its recent outage and explained the cause of the major outage as a licensing service issue.