Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: August 10, 2026, 2:48 AM ET

Upcoming Launches & Leaks

Google's August 12 event is shaping up to be massive, with the Pixel 11 series and Pixel Watch 5 expected to debut. A detailed preview outlines what to expect from the Pixel 11 line and Watch 5, including a possible first smart tag. Meanwhile, a massive spec leak from Week 32 reveals details on the Redmi K100 Pro, Galaxy S27, and Pixel 11, with the Redmi K100 Pro featuring a 6.59-inch 185Hz display and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen. Luxury designer Caviar may have spilled the beans on the iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro, including design and release date. Motorola is also busy: leaked renders of the Edge 70 Neo show four color options, while the budget Galaxy A18 appeared on Geekbench with key specs. The Redmi 17C 5G turned up as a rebrand of the Redmi 15C 5G, and POCO is celebrating its eighth anniversary with the POCO Carnival 2026 fan festival.

Reviews & Hands-On

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has been earning strong praise. After two weeks of testing, one reviewer says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the foldable most people should buy, thanks to its pocketable design and wider screen. A separate camera comparison pitted the Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra against Motorola's foldables, with over 1,000 photos captured. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 received a full review, describing it as thinner, tougher, and smarter. A comprehensive test of four top smartwatches — including the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro, OnePlus Watch, and Honor Watch 6 — through a Spartan race and sleep tracking reveals which is the ultimate fitness companion. On the chip front, a comparison of two Android flagships asks whether an Elite chip really matters, testing Motorola's Razr Ultra 2026 against the Razr Fold.

Deals & Discounts

Samsung's latest foldables are already seeing discounts. The Galaxy Z Flip8 has a launch discount, and the Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra are also on sale. For the Z Flip, a dedicated deals guide covers trade-in discounts and free gift cards. Similarly, the best Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals include free phones and leftover preorder discounts. Other smartphones are also discounted: the Galaxy S26 Ultra, iPhone 17 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Ultra are on sale at Amazon UK. Mint Mobile has slashed all its plans to just $15 per month, including unlimited data. Meanwhile, One Plus is leaving Europe and North America, offering a free 50W wireless charger as a parting gift.

Industry & Components

SK Hynix has announced a massive investment of over $38 billion in new DRAM and NAND fabs, a move that could help alleviate ongoing chip shortages. Samsung unveiled its latest mobile image sensor, the ISOCELL HPC, featuring the industry's first Deep Pix technology for 16-bit RAW output. On the pricing front, Samsung India has increased prices of entry-level Galaxy A, F, and M-series models, citing component cost increases. Sony is reportedly working on a surprising pair of headphones, rebooting the WH-1000XM4 as the WH-1000XM4C at a lower price point, a move that could save buyers money. The Motorola Moto Pad 70 was announced with a 12.1-inch 90Hz display, 5G, and a 10,200 mAh battery.

Software & Updates

Android 17 is arriving, and Samsung's One UI 9 based on it will be the last major upgrade for the Galaxy S23 FE. Oppo has kicked off ColorOS 17 Closed Beta Testing for select Oppo, One Plus, and Realme devices. Google Maps' Ask Maps feature is getting a major update: it can now order food for you and remember past conversations. Samsung's Quick Share app now lets you send Samsung Wallet items directly, including passes and boarding passes. Chat GPT has given free users unlimited text chats while improving its flagship model.

Wearables & Accessories

Google's Pixel Watch 5 teaser video mocks competitors' looks ahead of the August 12 launch. The Apple Watch has a hidden heart rate feature — the ECG app — that's worth checking out. If you're concerned about privacy with smart glasses, here's what you should know about the Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The debate between wired and wireless Car Play continues: wired vs. wireless CarPlay has distinct advantages and disadvantages. Your phone's USB-C port does more than charge — here's what else it can do, including data transfer and accessory connections. For wireless charging, finding the right phone case is crucial: here's a guide to the best phone cases for wireless charging.

Mobile Perspectives & Trends

Thinking of switching from iPhone to Android? There are downsides to consider, such as losing iMessage and certain ecosystem features. Meanwhile, feature phones are making a comeback — our weekly poll asks: do you use a feature phone? And smart glasses remain a contentious category: weekly poll results show that smart glasses are a solution looking for a problem. How to hide and unhide apps on your iPhone or iPad is a useful skill, and here's how to do it. Formatting a USB drive on Windows is straightforward — here's how. And if you want to use Claude's voice mode, here's a quick guide.