Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: August 13, 2026, 2:49 AM ET

Smartphones

After months of leaks and speculation, Google officially unveiled the Pixel 11 series at its Made by Google event, including the standard Pixel, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The lineup is powered by the new Tensor G6 chip, and the base model arrives with faster charging speeds. However, the Pro and Pro XL models ship with less RAM despite a $100 price increase across the board. Early renders of the Pro Fold leaked the day before the event. A separate rumor claims the base Pixel 11 features a 10.8MP telephoto and lacks an RGB notification LED. Camera upgrades include larger sensors and Instant Night Sight, detailed in a hands-on of the Pro models. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold retails for $1,900, and an early hands-on notes it feels largely unchanged from its predecessor. For those deciding whether to upgrade, a comprehensive guide weighs the Pixel 10 versus the new models.

Meanwhile, Samsung is enjoying strong demand for the Galaxy Z Fold8, with reports it is boosting production by 1 million units. Jerry Rig Everything’s durability test put the device through sand and blades. In other Samsung news, the Galaxy S26 FE’s full specs have leaked. Xiaomi launched the Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max in China, packed with impressive specs. The Redmi 17 4G and 5G have also gone official with identical looks and key specs. Leaks for the Redmi Note 17 Pro Max promise a new chipset, a 9,210mAh battery, and 100W charging, while a hands-on review of the Redmi Note 17 5G is available here.

Honor launched the Robot Phone in China with a 200MP titanium gimbal camera, detailed in a full story. The company’s 12,000 mAh battery is reportedly in trial production. Realme unveiled the Realme 16x with a 7,000 mAh battery and 144Hz screen, and the Realme P4s Lite has been certified for India. The Moto G Max is coming to India with a Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 and a 7,000mAh battery. Motorola also started rolling out Android 17 to the Signature with a 5.75GB update, and over 50 Motorola phones are slated to get Android 17.

Leaks suggest Apple will raise iPhone prices by $100 across all models, as a new rumor claims. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro’s bill of materials is estimated to be up by 40% due to the memory chip shortage, per a TrendForce report. The vivo X500 series design and screen sizes have leaked. iQOO will launch the Neo11 Ultra and Z11s next week, with design and specs revealed. The iQOO Z11 for India will feature a Dimensity 7500 Turbo SoC, as confirmed. A tipster claims the iQOO 16T will sport a 200MP camera and a liquid-air cooling system. Poco’s F9 Pro and F9 Ultra battery details have leaked. The Fairphone 6+ will feature a Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip and comes in a new Cobalt Blue color, per leaked images.

Xiaomi’s upcoming flagships — the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max — are being tested in a rich set of colors and a fiberglass back. The Minimal Phone 2 trades its E Ink display for a 90Hz AMOLED panel while keeping a tactile QWERTY keyboard, as seen in a hands-on. Lava launched the Smart 4 with specs that look straight out of 2016, detailed in a story. For budget buyers, Engadget explores what a $100 smartphone gets you in 2026 in a guide. The global smartphone market dropped 7% in Q2 due to rising memory prices, according to an FDM CCS Insight report.

Wearables

The Pixel Watch 5 was announced alongside the new phones, and a hands-on notes most updates are in software rather than hardware. A Stephen Curry edition of the Pixel Watch 5 is also expected. Google’s new Health Guardian feature can monitor blood pressure and insulin resistance, acting as an early warning system for diabetes, as reported. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is among the first to receive the One UI 9 Watch beta, which has appeared on test servers. T-Mobile will give you a free Galaxy Watch 9 with a watch plan, even after preorders, via a deal.

In true wireless earbuds, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 received a new Olive color and software features including Dynamic ANC, live translate, and sleep syncing, as detailed in two. The Samsung Galaxy Buds got FDA clearance for a hearing health feature, reported by Android Central. Huawei launched the Watch GT 7 and GT 7 Pro with up to 21-day battery life, as covered. The Motorola Moto Watch (2026) was reviewed, but its “deceiving looks” and limited software disappoint. For fitness tracking comparisons, Engadget pitted the Garmin Cirqa against the Fitbit Air in a price and features showdown.

Mobile Software & Ecosystem

Google introduced Tap to Share for Pixels and Samsung devices, an Android equivalent of Apple’s Name Drop, available from Pixel 6 onward. File sharing between Pixel phones also got simpler with the same gesture, as explained. Samsung’s One UI 9 Beta 5 rolled out to Galaxy S26 testers alongside rumors of One UI 9.5, noted. Motorola’s Android 17 update brings a refreshed Hello UI to over 50 phones, with the Signature being the first to receive it. Spotify began labeling AI artists with an “AI Persona” tag and removing them from recommendations. Google Play now accepts Venmo payments, giving users a new payment option. T-Mobile is offering the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro for free with preorder deals — no trade-in required — as highlighted. Google also sent discount codes for the Pixel 11 via email, encouraging users to check their Gmail inboxes.

For those using Chat GPT, Engadget outlines what’s free in 2026 and what isn’t, noting unlimited texts are now included. Claude added text watermarking for EU compliance to indicate AI-generated content, reported. Bumble changed its messaging rules so either person can message first after matching, updated in a policy shift. YouTube doubled monetization requirements for new creators, making it harder to qualify for ad revenue, as detailed. Twitch now trains AI on streams unless users opt out; Engadget has a guide on how to stop it.

Tablets, Gaming & Accessories

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra moved closer to launch after receiving Bluetooth certification, as noted. The REDMAGIC Astra 2 gaming tablet goes on sale August 26, with an early-access discount available via a story. Lenovo’s upcoming Y700 gaming tablet posted an impressive AnTuTu score of 4,585,844, with battery details also leaked.

In gaming news, the Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition arrives October 1 with a new story arc, announced. A rare two-player Computer Space arcade machine is up for auction as part of a retro tech sale, reported. An unreleased Xbox Elite Controller 3 may have been sold early on a marketplace, based on images that surfaced. A leaked Zelda-themed Switch 2 could be Nintendo’s next collector edition, with images suggesting a 40th anniversary makeover.

For mobile accessories, Google launched the Pixel Tag with UWB precision and Find Hub tracking, but it requires a separate key case, as detailed. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold supports Qi2 wireless charging at 25W, faster than its predecessor, confirmed in a Q&A. The same goes for the standard Pixel, which also gets faster wireless charging via Qi2, explained. Engadget clarifies the difference between Mag Safe and Qi2 in a comparison. A guide helps users choose between a Pixel 11 Pro Fold color, while a separate guide helps pick the best Pixel 11 hue. Amazon’s Back to School sale includes top Android tech deals, compiled in a roundup.

Privacy, Legal & Industry

A German nonprofit filed a criminal complaint over Meta smart glasses privacy, worrying about “Google Glassholes” in a new context. England and Wales banned Meta Glasses from courtrooms, as cameras are prohibited there, reported. Valve warned that data of European Steam hardware customers was “likely compromised” in a breach. A flight tracking service is suing Kalshi for unauthorized data use, with details. Authors face backlash for participating in a 2022 Google AI study, as covered. Abbott partnered with Google Health for AI-powered glucose monitoring, announced. NYC Mayor Mamdani supports the Delivery Protection Act, which Amazon is fighting, noted. TikTok’s ban on government devices was lifted, allowing workers to scroll again, as reported. Verizon suffered an outage in Southern California after vandals cut fiber cables, causing disruptions.

Tips & How-Tos

For practical advice, Engadget explains how to stop Twitch from training AI on streams, how to clear the cache on an iPhone, how to pair a Roku remote, how to fix stick drift on PS5 and Xbox controllers, how to connect Bluetooth headphones to a PS5, how to securely wipe old USB drives, whether you can wear headphones while driving (state-dependent), how many external monitors a MacBook can run, the differences between Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 2.4G, and how waterproof Air Tags are. Also covered: the pros and cons of digital wallets, the difference between an HDMI splitter and switch, and how to fix stick drift effectively.