Mobile News 3 Days

Last updated: August 14, 2026, 8:32 AM ET

Smartphones & Wearables

Google has officially launched the Pixel 11 series, including the Pixel, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The Tensor G6 chip powers these devices, and Google promises 7 years of spare parts availability for the lineup. The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL models, while costing approximately $100 more than their predecessors, will feature less RAM. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold boasts faster Qi2 wireless charging, supporting up to 25W. The Pixel Watch 5 also debuted, with a focus on health, GPS, and AI features. Google is offering preorder deals for the Pixel 11 series, with T-Mobile providing some for free without a trade-in. Early reports suggest that the Pixel 11 camera upgrades include Instant Night Sight and larger sensors. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is priced at $1,900. The US smartphone market saw a 5% contraction in Q2, with budget devices being the hardest hit.

Motorola has launched the Moto G Max in India, featuring different specifications than the Brazilian version. The company is also rolling out the Android 17 update to its Signature smartphone. Honor has teased its upcoming Magic9 series, slated for a September launch, and has also unveiled its "Robot Phone" with an Agile Gimbal and an ARRI Cinematic Imaging partnership. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 series is moving closer to launch, having received Bluetooth certification, and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is receiving a One UI 9 Watch beta. The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 review highlights its specs and battery upgrades. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Fold8 teardown reveals it does not impress in terms of repairability, and the device is not waterproof, holding an IP48 rating.

The Fairphone 6+ is rumored to launch on August 18th, with a price around €685 and an upgraded chipset. The Tecno Pova 8 Pro has been officially unveiled, featuring an Alive Matrix Display and P1 Graphic Chip with 144FPS gaming support. iQOO has revealed chipset details for the Neo11 Ultra and Z11s ahead of their August 18th launch in China, and the Indian iQOO Z11 will feature the Dimensity 7500 Turbo SoC. Xiaomi has unveiled HyperOS 4 with a new glass look and AI enhancements, and the Redmi Note 17 5G has received a hands-on review. The Redmi K100 Pro and K100 Pro Max have been announced with impressive specifications. Poco F9 Pro and F9 Ultra battery details have leaked, along with full specs and renders. Realme's P4s Lite has been certified for launch in India, and the Realme 16x has launched with a 7,000 mAh battery and 144Hz display.

Apple's iPhone X has been added to the company's obsolete products list. Reports suggest Apple may skip launching the iPhone 18 series this year, potentially delaying it to 2027. However, the foldable iPhone Ultra is rumored to launch in a limited market, possibly the US and China. Apple is also proposing a 5-to-15 percent cut from external App Store payments. The company has sent out warnings to users targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.

AI & Software

Google has released Gemini 3.7 Flash, described as its "most intelligent workhorse model yet for coding and agents." Apple Intelligence custom model is nearing its launch in China, with Alibaba previously tapped to power its features in the region. DeepSeek has announced significant price hikes for its V4 models, with prices set to quadruple. Microsoft's AI mascot, Mico, has been demoted from its role in Copilot Voice. Twitch is facing scrutiny for its AI training practices, with users able to opt out of their streams being used for training. Authors are facing backlash for their participation in a 2022 Google AI study. Meta is donating 15,000 Ray-Ban Meta glasses to an Irish charity for the visually impaired, and has also rolled out neural handwriting features for Ray-Ban Display users.

Gaming & Entertainment

Amazon is exiting the MMO publishing space, handing off Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty to other publishers. Netflix has closed down Night School studio, despite previously praising its latest game. A rare two-player Computer Space arcade machine is up for auction, part of a collection focused on Steve Jobs. Nintendo may be preparing a Zelda Switch 2 console for its 40th anniversary. Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition will release on October 1st with a new story arc.

Industry & Policy

President Trump has imposed tariffs up to 100 percent on "particularly sensitive" drones for national security. The US government will allow private companies to conduct cyberattacks on its behalf. A St. Louis PBS station is suing a data center provider to retrieve a 70-year archive following the provider's failure. Hosting provider Namecheap is currently down due to a data center cooling failure. CBP officers are reportedly misusing surveillance technology, including license plate readers and facial recognition. England and Wales have banned Meta Glasses from courtrooms.

Other Tech News

DJI's Mic Mini 2S offers high-quality audio and is now better equipped for professionals with internal 32-bit float recording. The Insta360 X6 is a 360 camera designed for creators, balancing ease of use with pro features. A guide on how to upscale photos provides methods to improve image quality. Apple has made approximately 20 classic movies available for streaming on Apple TV. The XGIMI Horizon Ultra projector is available at a significant discount with an exclusive code.