Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: August 11, 2026, 2:57 PM ET

Samsung

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE specs have leaked in full via Win Future, detailing what changes and what stays the same. The Galaxy A18 has appeared on Geekbench, revealing key specs ahead of its rumored launch. The company is boosting Galaxy Z Fold8 production by 1 million units this year due to higher-than-expected demand. The foldable also survived sand, blades, and Zack in JerryRigEverything’s durability test. The Galaxy Z Flip8 is already seeing discounts out of the gate, while the Z Fold8 and Z Fold8 Ultra are also on sale. Meanwhile, Android 17-based One UI 9 will be the last major upgrade for the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE.

Google

Google officially scheduled its Made by Google 2026 event for August 12, where we expect the Pixel 11 series and Pixel Watch. The Pixel 11 Pro XL has leaked in matte black with a new “HiLight” flash. A carrier leak also confirmed the design ahead of launch. Should you wait for the Pixel 11 or buy now? Here’s everything to consider and how I’d spend my money. A separate roundup of Week 32 in review includes Pixel 11 specs alongside Redmi K100 Pro and Galaxy S27 leaks. The Google Pixel 11 series and Watch 5 are coming — here’s what to expect. Google is also launching a Stephen Curry edition of the Pixel Watch. For laptops, alleged renders show what Asus and Lenovo Googlebooks might look like at IFA.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 17 5G gets a hands-on review. Leaked details of the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max promise a new chipset, a 9210mAh battery, and 100W fast charging. The Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max colors and back material have leaked, including black, white, pink, blue, and red with a fiberglass option. The Redmi 17 5G and 4G have gone official with identical looks and key specs. A leaked India launch roadmap for Xiaomi and Redmi devices shows the Redmi 17 series arriving in India. Finally, the Redmi K100 Pro was revealed ahead of its August 11 launch with a redesigned camera island and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen.

iQOO

iQOO will introduce the Z11 in India on August 20 with a Dimensity 7500 Turbo SoC. The company has confirmed the launch date of the Neo11 Ultra and Z11s in China, revealing their design and key specs. The iQOO 16T is tipped to sport a 200MP camera and a liquid‑air cooling system.

Motorola

Motorola’s Android 17 rollout is underway for 50+ phones, bringing a refreshed Hello UI with new AI and customization. The Moto G Max is coming to India with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 and 7,000mAh battery, debuting on August 14. The Moto Watch (2026) review says looks can be deceiving — the software is limited.

Other Smartphones

The Minimal Phone 2 trades E Ink for a 90Hz AMOLED display while keeping its tactile QWERTY keyboard and adding 5G. Leaked images show the Fairphone 6+ in Cobalt Blue with 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage. Lava Smart 4 was announced with specs that sound straight out of 2016. The REDMAGIC Astra 2 gaming tablet goes on sale August 26, with an early access discount available. Here’s how the iPhone has changed in the last five years — a look at gradual evolution. The iPhone 18 Pro BOM cost is estimated to be up by 40% due to memory chip shortages. Caviar may have spilled the beans on the iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro design, specs, and release date. What does a $100 smartphone get you in 2026? Here are tips for getting creative. The downsides of switching from iPhone to Android are what you might lose. The weekly poll asks: do you use a feature phone? Is this a genuine trend?

Wearables

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic One UI 9 Watch beta appears on test servers. T-Mobile will give you a free Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 with a watch plan. The Garmin Cirqa versus Fitbit Air shows how these two fitness trackers compare and whether Garmin’s option is worth $100 more. The FDA cleared a huge Samsung Galaxy Buds feature to help you monitor and understand your hearing health.

Audio

I took the best Bose and Sony earbuds to three noisy places to see which cancel out the most noise. Can you wear your headphones while driving? It depends on the state. Here’s how to connect Bluetooth headphones to your PS5 — the PS5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio directly, but there are workarounds.

Software & Apps

YouTube is making it harder for creators to start getting a cut of ad revenue by doubling watch‑hour and Shorts view requirements. Spotify AI Persona labels will alert listeners if an artist isn’t real. Google Play now takes Venmo payments. Bumble now lets either person send the first message after matching. Here’s how to use Claude’s voice mode — Anthropic’s chatbot can be very vocal. Here’s how to hide and unhide an app on your iPhone or iPad (and why you may want to). Here are the pros and cons of the switch to digital games — more companies are stopping disc production. Here’s how to format a USB drive on Windows — we’ll show you how. Before you throw out old USB drives, securely wipe or destroy them first. How waterproof are AirTags? Here’s what to know. What’s the difference between MagSafe and Qi wireless charging? Magnets work the same, but standards differ. What are the differences between Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi and 2.4G wireless devices? Here’s how to pair your Roku remote and use the mobile app.

Streaming & Gaming

Disney+ will be the new global streaming home of Formula E racing. Supermassive Games will lay off up to 75 workers to ensure sustainability. Data of European Steam hardware customers was likely compromised, Valve says.

Industry & Policy

NYC Mayor Mamdani announced support for the Delivery Protection Act, which Amazon is fighting. Weekly poll results: smart glasses are a solution looking for a problem. England and Wales ban Meta Glasses from courtrooms. Verizon’s latest outage saw mobile and internet services disrupted in Southern California due to vandalized fiber cables. The smartphone market dropped by 7% in Q2 because of rising memory prices. OpenAI gives Daybreak partners access to a more powerful cybersecurity model.

Deals & Accessories

Amazon’s Back to School sale has incredible deals on Android tech — see the top 20+ discounts. The “truly outstanding” XGIMI Horizon Ultra projector received a massive discount — save an additional $300 with an exclusive code. Here’s how to fix stick drift on PS5 and Xbox controllers — giving them a good clean can help.