Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: August 12, 2026, 8:50 PM ET

Google Pixel 11 Series Launch

Google officially unveiled the Pixel 11 family at its Made by Google 2026 event on August 12, introducing a new lineup of smartphones, a foldable, and wearables. The base Pixel 11 features the Tensor G6 chip and faster charging, and it supports Qi2 wireless charging for up to 25W speeds. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL hands-on revealed a modern twist on classic indicator lights and two new camera sensors. However, Google gave the Pro and Pro XL less RAM despite price increases of about $100 across the lineup. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold costs $1,900 and retains the same battery life claim as its predecessor but gets faster Qi2 wireless charging. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold charging speed is 25W wireless via Qi2. When comparing the two foldables, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is not as straightforward as you might think. A hands-on reviewer noted the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is great but couldn’t stop thinking about Samsung. Camera upgrades for the lineup include Instant Night Sight and bigger sensors. The Pixel 11 camera and Gemini AI steal the show in the new series. For those looking to buy, T-Mobile offers the Pixel 11 for free with preorder deals and no trade-in required. Google is also sending out discount codes for the Pixel 11 via email. If you’re deciding whether to wait, here’s what to consider and how one editor would spend their money. The best cases for Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro are already available, and both models share cases. Need help picking a color? Check the Pixel 11 Pro Fold color guide and the Pixel 11 color guide.

Wearables and Accessories

The Pixel Watch 5 hands-on shows health, GPS, and AI at the forefront, with most updates not in the hardware. Google’s newest Health Guardian feature can monitor blood pressure and insulin resistance as an early warning system for diabetes. The Pixel Watch 5 will also come in a Stephen Curry edition. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 got better at blocking noise and translating with Dynamic ANC and Live Translate. Google also introduced the Pixel Tag with UWB precision and Find Hub tracking. Sharing between Pixel phones became simpler with Tap to Share. For Samsung wearables, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic’s One UI 9 Watch beta appeared on test servers. T-Mobile will give you a free Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 with a watch plan. The FDA cleared a Samsung Galaxy Buds feature to help with hearing health. Meanwhile, a German nonprofit filed a criminal complaint over Meta smart glasses privacy. Meta’s Neural Band now supports neural handwriting for Ray-Ban Display in Early Access.

Samsung Galaxy Ecosystem

Samsung released the fifth One UI 9 Beta update for the Galaxy S26 series this week. Rumors about include One UI 9.5. The company also unveiled a new ringtone based on Chopin’s Nocturne for One UI 9. The Galaxy S26 FE specs leaked in full, showing what will change and what will stay the same. The Galaxy Z Fold8 production target has been increased by an additional 1 million units this year. Jerry Rig Everything’s durability test put the Galaxy Z Fold8 through sand, blades, and Zack himself. Is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 waterproof? It carries an IP48 rating. The Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra moved a step closer to launch with Bluetooth certification.

Xiaomi and Redmi

Xiaomi launched the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max in China with impressive specs. The Redmi 17 5G and Redmi 17 4G are official, sharing identical looks and key specs. A hands-on review of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 5G is now available. Leaked Redmi Note 17 Pro Max details promise a new chipset, a 9,210mAh battery, and 100W fast charging. The Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max colors and back material have leaked, with options including black, white, pink, blue, and red. The Xiaomi and Redmi India launch roadmap has leaked, indicating the Redmi 17 series will launch in India later this year.

Other Android Manufacturers

Honor launched the Robot Phone in China with a 200MP titanium gimbal camera. Honor’s 12,000 mAh battery is now reportedly in trial production for the upcoming Power3. The Realme 16x arrives with the Dimensity 6300 SoC, a 144Hz screen, and a 7,000 mAh battery. iQOO confirmed the Indian iQOO Z11’s battery and display details. The iQOO 16T is tipped to sport a 200MP camera and feature a liquid-air cooling system. The iQOO Neo11 Ultra and Z11s are set to launch next week with their design revealed. Leaked details of the vivo X500 series include screen sizes and SoC details. The Fairphone 6+ will have an upgraded chipset with the Snapdragon 7s Gen. Leaked images show the Fairphone 6+ in Cobalt Blue. Motorola’s Android 17 update is rolling out to 50+ phones with a refreshed Hello UI. The Moto G Max is coming to India with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 and 7,000mAh battery. The Motorola Moto Watch (2026) review says looks can be deceiving. The Minimal Phone 2 trades E Ink for OLED but keeps its soul with a tactile QWERTY keyboard. The Lava Smart 4 was announced with specs that sound straight out of 2016. The REDMAGIC Astra 2 gaming tablet goes on sale August 26.

Poco and Other Upcoming Devices

Poco is expected to launch the successors to the F8 Pro and F8 Ultra soon. The Poco F9 Pro and F9 Ultra battery details have leaked via certification websites. Lenovo unveiled the gaming tablet Y700’s AnTuTu score at an impressive 4,585,844, with a rumor revealing its battery capacity.

Mobile Software, Services, and Market

Spotify began labeling AI artists and removing them from recommendations. YouTube is making it harder for creators to start getting a cut of ad revenue by doubling monetization requirements. Google Play now takes Venmo payments. Bumble changed its messaging so either person can send the first message. The smartphone market dropped by 7% in Q2 due to rising memory prices. A new rumor claims Apple will hike iPhone prices by $100 across all models. The iPhone 18 Pro BOM cost is estimated to be up by 40% due to the memory chip shortage. Government workers can officially use TikTok on government devices again after the ban was lifted. Verizon experienced an outage in Southern California after vandals cut fiber cables. NYC Mayor Mamdani announced support for the Delivery Protection Act. England and Wales banned Meta Glasses from courtrooms. A flight tracking service is suing Kalshi for using its data without authorization. Valve warned that data of European Steam hardware customers was likely compromised. Authors faced backlash for participation in a 2022 Google AI study. OpenAI gave Daybreak partners access to a more powerful cybersecurity model. Claude now watermarks AI-generated text for EU compliance. Chat GPT’s free tier in 2026 includes unlimited texts. The Insta360 X6 review finds it a balanced 360 camera for creators. The Dell XPS 13 (2026) review calls it a MacBook Neo alternative that needs more RAM. The unreleased Xbox Elite Controller 3 may have ended up in an unsuspecting buyer’s hands. A rare two-player Computer Space arcade machine is up for auction. You can watch the Google Pixel 11 series announcement live here. For those interested in the broader ecosystem, the XGIMI Horizon Ultra projector received a massive discount with an exclusive code. The Garmin Cirqa versus Fitbit Air comparison weighs price and features. The Bose vs. Sony earbuds noise cancellation test shows which cancel out the most noise. Amazon’s Back to School sale has deals on Android tech. What does a $100 smartphone get you in 2026? Here’s what to do. The Huawei Watch GT 7 and GT 7 Pro bring up to 21-day battery life. The Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition arrives October 1 with a new story arc. A leaked Zelda Switch 2 could be Nintendo’s next collector hit. Amazon is exiting MMO publishing by handing off Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty to other publishers. Abbott partners with Google Health for AI-powered glucose monitoring. The pros and cons of using a digital wallet highlight reasons to start. How to stop Twitch from training AI on your streams is explained. The HDMI splitter vs. HDMI switch differences help organize cables. How to clear the cache on your iPhone improves performance. The differences between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 2.4G wireless devices are explained. How waterproof are AirTags? The IP67 rating clarifies expectations. Before you throw out old USB drives, securely wipe or destroy them first. The difference between MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging is slight but important. Can a MacBook run multiple external monitors? It depends on the model. How to fix stick drift on PS5 and Xbox controllers by cleaning. Can you wear headphones while driving? State laws vary. How to connect Bluetooth headphones to your PS5 with workarounds. How to pair your Roku remote manually. I’m more excited about smartphone colors than new features in 2026. How the iPhone has changed in the last five years reflects gradual evolution.