Last updated: August 21, 2026, 5:40 AM ET
Pixel 11 Lands in Stores
The wait is over for Google fans: the Pixel 11 series is now officially available in stores and through carriers, following last Wednesday's unveiling and a week of pre-orders.
Pixel 11 Reviews
Reviewers have been busy with Google's new flagships. Engadget found that the Pixel 11 costs $100 more than last year's model and didn't change a ton, yet it remains one of the best smartphones on the market. Over at Android Central, a week with the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL left the reviewer finding them harder to recommend despite some fun new Gemini features, since the Pro family offers compelling upgrades at a higher price than ever. Engadget's Pixel 11 Pro review concludes that even if the phone doesn't meet the high standard its predecessor set, it is still a great phone with Google AI as your enabler. GSMArena also published its hands-on review of the Pixel 11 Pro, covering specs and price.
Pixel 11 Pro Camera and Rivals
Android Central's camera review of the Pixel 11 Pro finds the phone stepping up its photo quality and adding fun camera software features, marking a return to greatness for Google. For buyers torn between compact flagships, the site also ran a Pixel 11 Pro vs. Galaxy S26 showdown asking which small flagship is better.
Carrier Deals on the Pixel 11
The big three US carriers are offering some Pixel 11 models for free now that the series has arrived at T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon in select regions. Verizon's offer stands out: even though the preorder period is over, you can still get a free Pixel 11 through a Verizon deal now that release day has arrived. Android Central is also tracking the best Pixel 11 deals for the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro, including free phones and trade-in discounts from across the web.
Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Best Buy Offers
For the premium foldable, there is a full guide to the Pixel 11 Pro Fold deals at launch, explaining how to get it as cheap as possible. Best Buy's offer might be the wildest of all: you can get an unlocked Google Pixel 11 for as little as $99 (sort of), with up to $700 off the base model when you trade in an old or broken phone, plus a gift card.
Pixel Ecosystem
Google's Pixel event introduced the Pixel, Pro, Pro XL, Pro Fold, the new Pixel Watch, and the company's first smart tag, but ads have now surfaced showing a mysterious device that could be a Google smartband or a new Fitbit. Original Pixel Watch owners got a scare this week when a Google Health app warning suggested features were going away, but the company says not to fret about the Pixel Watch health features bug, because your features will remain. Looking further ahead, we are already rounding up everything we know about the Pixel Watch 6, even though the Pixel Watch 5 just landed.
Google's Supply Chain Pivot
Bigger changes may be coming behind the scenes: Google reportedly plans to exit China in 2027 and produce its Pixel portfolio in India and Vietnam, amid hopes of shipping more units in 2026.
Galaxy S26 FE Leak Blitz
Samsung's fan edition phone is leaking everywhere ahead of its expected unveiling next week. A massive Galaxy S26 FE leak revealed almost everything through twenty-eight marketing images, exposing the design, specs, colors, and software features in full. Samsung Poland has also listed 7 SKUs for the Galaxy S26 FE in an official PDF, after the phone appeared on the Google Play Console and in a hands-on video.
Galaxy Tab S12 Rumors Build
On the tablet side, prices for the Galaxy Tab S12+ and S12 Ultra have leaked ahead of an announcement expected alongside the Galaxy S26 FE next week, or possibly in early September. A fresh Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra render has also surfaced, with the flagship tablet expected in early September just like its predecessor.
Samsung's Software Push
Samsung's software pipeline is busy too. A leak shows One UI 9.5 might use AI to let you design custom widgets, borrowing a page from Google's Gemini Intelligence AI and its "Create My Widget" feature, which builds a working widget from a plain-language description. On current devices, One UI 9 centralizes repair booking, device diagnostics, and Samsung Care+ tracking into a single dashboard on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 foldables. Samsung Wallet has added Digital Key support for Volkswagen EVs, covering the ID. Polo, ID. Cross, ID.3neo, ID.4, ID.5, ID.7, and ID. Buzz. There is a hiccup for Galaxy owners, though: Google Messages RCS is breaking for Galaxy users after using Smart Switch, and the migration tool may be to blame.
Samsung's Hardware Pipeline
Samsung launched the Galaxy A57 in March and is already working on its successor: the Galaxy A58 has appeared in the GSMA Association's database alongside the Galaxy XCover FR. The upcoming Galaxy A08 has been certified by Anatel in Brazil, revealing a jump in battery capacity to 6,000mAh. At the IMID 2026 expo in Busan, South Korea, Samsung showcased a 300Hz OLED display — a 16-inch panel for gaming laptops — among other cutting-edge display technologies.
Honor Defies the Slump
The global market is soft, but one brand is bucking the trend. Counterpoint Research estimates 35 million smartphone shipments in Europe for Q2, the lowest volume for the quarter since 2023. Worldwide, Honor is defying the slump and gaining ground as Samsung leads globally, while Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo struggle with rising costs and shrinking demand.
Honor's Hardware Wave
Honor's pipeline is packed. Leaker Digital Chat Station has shared details on the Honor 700 series alongside information about the Magic9, Win2, and Power3, with the Magic9 Pro expected to be unveiled next month. The Honor Pad 20 Pro was announced with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset and a 10,100mAh battery. And the Honor Robot Phone is now available in China, with the first round of open sales underway for the 200MP gimbal camera phone.
Xiaomi's Q2 and 18 Pro Certification
Xiaomi's quarterly numbers tell the story of the wider market: the company reported Q2 revenue of CNY 108.9bn ($16.2bn) with a 19.8% gross margin and an adjusted net profit of CNY 6.2bn ($919M), as smartphone sales fell while the average selling price rose. In China, the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max may have just been certified for sale, revealing support for 100W wired charging and UWB on both devices.
Poco and Redmi
Poco's F9 series is coming into focus: the Poco F9 Ultra ran Geekbench, confirming its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and RAM amount amid a week of increasing leaks. Poco also revealed the battery details of the Poco M8x 5G ahead of launch, following the M8 Power's debut in India earlier this month with an 8,000mAh battery. Redmi had a busy week too: the Redmi Watch 6 Active is now official in China at CNY 349 (approximately $51), packing a 470mAh battery and 140 sports modes. The Redmi M100 also went official with a 7,900mAh battery and Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 SoC, plus a 6.9-inch LCD with 720x1600 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 825-nit peak brightness.
Nothing and CMF
Nothing owners have a date to circle: the company announced that Nothing OS 5.0, based on Android, will be unveiled on August 25. Nothing's CMF sub-brand made good on its promise as well: after confirming an August 20 unveiling following this month's CMF Clip Pro launch, the CMF Buds Neo were teased for later that week. The earbuds have now gone official in India: the CMF Buds Neo offer a distinctive design, active noise cancellation, and a claimed 52 hours of total battery life.
Huawei and Oppo Go Wide
Huawei's rumored non-folding wide-screen phone is real: the Pura X View is now official with a 16:9.5 aspect ratio display and a 7,000mAh battery. Android Central had flagged the Pura X View as a bold route beyond foldables, with a wider display, slim bezels, and up to 1TB of storage. Oppo may join the wide-screen club next: the rumored Reno X is tipped to feature a flagship-grade 200MP camera on a non-folding wide-screen display.
iQOO, Realme and Tecno
iQOO unveiled the iQOO Z11 in India after weeks of promo campaigns, and our hands-on found a design and specs different from the Z11 sold in China and Malaysia. In China, the iQOO Neo11 Ultra and Z11S debuted with Media Tek Dimensity chipsets, massive batteries, and IP68/IP69 ingress protection. Realme confirmed that the Realme P4s will debut next week in India with an 8,000mAh battery and the Dimensity 7400 Ultra chipset. Tecno's Pova 8 Pro is now up on Flipkart ahead of its India launch later this week, after the company kept launch details under wraps despite an expected August 18 debut.
Sony's Xperia Teaser
Sony will add a new member to its Xperia lineup next week: the brand has announced an Xperia launch for Tuesday, August 25, which will be livestreamed on YouTube. The expected star, the Xperia 10 VIII, has already appeared on Geekbench as the XQ-GH54, apparently running the Snapdragon 6 Gen.
Fairphone Reaches the US
Fairphone is finally coming to America. The Fairphone 6+ is now official with 50% more RAM than the Fairphone 6 at 12GB versus 8GB, plus the newer Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC. Engadget notes that you can now get Fairphone's repairable handset in the US without jumping through hoops. Android Central adds that the Fairphone Gen 6 Plus rocks Murena's privacy-focused /e/OS in its August launch.
Motorola and the Qi2 Question
Motorola's leaked Moto Snap magnetic charger hints that Qi2 magnetic charging could soon spread beyond the Edge 70 Max and become a bigger part of its Android lineup. If the standards confuse you, our explainer breaks down the difference between Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless charging.
AR Glasses: Ray Neo and Xreal
Ray Neo is targeting two very different audiences with its latest AR smart glasses: the I/O series goes minimalist for the very discreet, while the GT series goes maximalist for the very nerdy. Meanwhile, Xreal's Aura is seeing red-hot demand: Xreal Aura reservations have surpassed 10,000 units ahead of the fall launch, and CEO Chi Xu called the demand "exciting."
Tablet Roundup
Motorola's slim Moto Pad 70 is now available in India at ₹34,000, joining the Pad 70 family as its third member. Huawei's MatePad Air (2026) is now available in Malaysia and the Middle East, following last month's unveiling alongside the Free Clip 2 S. For students, Lenovo's Idea Tab Plus is 11% off at Amazon and makes a perfect school companion.
Apple: Chips and Antitrust
Apple's next flagship silicon is shaping up: the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to launch next month with the A20 Pro chipset, built on TSMC's 2nm process and rumored to be 18% faster than its predecessor, with pricing that may hit $1,399. Legally, things are rougher: Apple is about to lose yet another antitrust battle in the US and won't be able to charge commissions from purchases made on third-party payment platforms. In Europe, Apple has introduced new in-app commission rates for EU developers.
Apple's Own Leaks
Apple's software keeps leaking its plans: the macOS Tahoe 27.6 release candidate contains a trove of unreleased product codenames, and mac OS beta code references watch-like "Faces" for the rumored HomePod display. iPhone owners can also learn how to check their battery health and cycle count with our latest how-to.
Qualcomm and China's Chips
Qualcomm is teasing a pair of flagship chips for its Summit: the "Dual 8 Elite" chips will be revealed at Snapdragon Summit 2026, with all eyes on the "Pro" variant. In chip geopolitics, China has reportedly allowed ByteDance and Tencent to import 10,000 H200 chips each, according to the Financial Times, and other Chinese companies could follow.
Gemini and Google Services
Google's AI assistant is spreading through its products: Gemini auto-browse has arrived in Chrome for Android for US users, bringing Nano Banana, summaries, and auto-browse for AI subscribers to make the mundane a breeze. Google is also letting you add your favorite news sources to Search, with new options to customize your Search and Discover experiences. On the email side, a Gmail verification program lets political campaigns escape its spam filter.
Googlebooks Event
Google has set the date for its computer launch: the company will announce the new Googlebooks and their accompanying Android-based OS on September 15, as first revealed back in May. Android Central confirms that Google is hosting an in-person Googlebook Showcase in New York on September 15, giving the platform its first proper public reveal.
Outages and Instability
It was a rough week for reliability. A massive Google Home outage broke voice controls and froze Nest displays worldwide, exposing the risks of cloud-dependent smart home tech. Microsoft has problems of its own: a recent Windows 11 update, KB5121003, is causing game crashes and all kinds of other problems, and the company has launched an investigation. GitHub says commits have doubled in the last four months, and the new traffic peak caused "capacity failures" that led to the developer platform's recent outage.
Amazon: Alexa+ and God of War
Amazon made two big moves this week. Alexa+, its AI assistant, is now free for anyone with a Fire TV device in the US. And Amazon's God of War show has cast Dave Bautista as its new Kratos, a casting swap that follows Ryan Hurst's injury on set earlier this year.
Streaming: Spotify, Peacock and Crunchyroll
Spotify keeps building out its feature set: after adding Running Mode and User Notes last month, the streamer is expanding with Playlist Notes on its top editor-curated playlists, written by its global team of playlist editors. Spotify's Running Mode is also now available on Android. Streaming costs keep climbing elsewhere: Peacock is raising subscription prices for the fourth time in as many years. Anime is coming to your dashboard, too: Crunchyroll has started appearing on the Appning app store, meaning you can soon stream it on your car's infotainment system.
Apps: Meta Pocket, Bilibili and Divine
Meta's app for creating generative AI minigames is now available in the US: it is called Pocket and is described as a "platform for making and sharing gizmos." Chinese video platform Bilibili is going global with a new international app and an English version of its website. The Vine reboot Divine is now open to everyone with no invite code required, and it hosts more than 2 million videos from Vine's original archive.
Platform Scrutiny: TikTok, X and Roblox
Senators are pressing TikTok over a "sinister" experiment that held back an algorithm safety feature, and a teen who died by suicide was reportedly part of the test. A new study finds the X algorithm prioritizes ragebait that disproportionately impacts Democrats. Australia's safety regulator also found more child safety lapses at Roblox, which still allows adults to contact children after years of pledging to stop it, and the company now vows to make changes.
Regulation: Australia, ICE and ABC
Australia passed a law to charge tech companies levies unless they reach deals with news publishers, meaning Meta, Google, TikTok, and LinkedIn will have to pay millions to support local news outlets. In the US, ICE agents can't wear Meta glasses while they work, according to an official memo, as smart glasses become a recurring accessory amid the immigration crackdown. ABC is also suing the FCC to stop an early review of its TV licenses, accusing the Trump Administration of waging "a retaliatory campaign" because it doesn't like what the network broadcasts.
AI Safety and Surveillance
OpenAI's stricter teen mode for Chat GPT starts rolling out today, and the company will attempt to automatically enroll all young users in the new experience. Meanwhile, AI-generated bills are reportedly causing problems in the Capitol, with the US House Office of Legislative Counsel swamped with error-riddled AI-generated bills, according to Politico. Surveillance tech is expanding as well: Flock is testing a new AI tool that tracks and identifies people based on their driving habits, going way, way further than keeping an eye on license plates.
Audio and Accessories
Hyper X's first open-back gaming headset brings the bass: the Cloud Alpha Air is reasonably priced at $150 and sports super comfy earpads. Sony's classic headphones may return: WH-1000XM4C images have leaked along with spec details, as the company apparently works to relaunch the 2020-era WH-1000XM4, which has been discontinued for a while. For accessories, the Nimble SharePower review finds two battery packs for the price of one, a versatile pack that gets even better when you are traveling with a friend.
Health Tech and Crossover Gadgets
Whoop is loosening its paywall: Advanced Labs health screenings will no longer require a subscription. In a cuter corner of tech, Pokémon and Polaroid are collaborating on three new cameras for the franchise's 30th anniversary, and they are prettier versions of the Polaroid Now and Polaroid Go.
Gamescom and GTA 6
Gamescom season is here: our guide explains how to watch Gamescom's Opening Night Live showcase, a two-hour stream featuring Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day, and The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past. GTA 6 news keeps coming: GTA 6 gameplay leaked ahead of its new trailer, with two legit-seeming clips and a world map out there, and Rockstar is taking down the videos. In a bold scheduling move, The Binding of Isaac: Repentance+ Online will release head-to-head with GTA 6 on November 19.
2XKO and VR
Riot is ending active development of 2XKO in December, though the fighting game will still receive content updates through October 2026 and its servers will stay online. VR is so back, baby: our Payday: Aces High first impressions come from an hour playing the game on a Meta Quest 3 with the developers ahead of its headset launch this year. Valve also leaked the onboarding process for its headset: eight Steam Frame videos show how to wear the headset, perfect the fit, and sign in, and they are informative and kinda silly.
Industry Icons and Live-Service Trouble
Two legendary designers made news. Warren Spector, founding father of immersive sims and creator of Deus Ex, has retired from game development. Deus Ex and Dishonored designer Harvey Smith, meanwhile, has a new studio called Black Pony Immersive, staffed with veterans from Arkane, Insomniac, and Epic. Sony's live-service troubles continue: Guerrilla is reportedly overhauling Horizon Hunters Gathering to make it more of a traditional co-op game after reports of poor player feedback.
Gaming Gear and Cloud
IKEA is teasing some Xbox things, and who wouldn't want to rest their tush on a green Xbox logo cushion? PlayStation's $220 Pulse Elevate wireless speakers arrive November 12. Cloud gaming is expanding too: GeForce Now has added Firefox support on Windows.
Robotaxis: Tesla and Waymo
Tesla's autonomy push is accelerating: the Robotaxi fleet might finally be driving around Austin unsupervised, operating fully autonomously after slow going. Waymo is expanding as well: Ojai vans are now available for all riders in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles in a full rollout.
Robotics, Climate and Space
A robot could eventually conduct your blood draw at the doctor's office: the FDA has approved a first-of-its-kind automated blood draw device called Aletta for outpatient settings. Google is trying to solve contrails with AI: Operation Blue Skies, which also involves the UK government, will subtly reroute flights to test contrail avoidance. Off-world, NASA images show the crater on the moon caused by the SpaceX Falcon 9 crash, captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Entertainment and Odd Studies
Sega's classic is getting animated: a trailer for the Golden Axe animated series is full of self-referencing jokes, and the show hits Paramount+ on September 16. In stranger research, a study found a 15% increase in traffic deaths after major music streaming releases, suggesting drivers may be more distracted on days when a big new album drops.
Deals Galore
Deal hunters have plenty to chew on. Best Buy kicked off its massive 60th Anniversary Sale, and we found 20+ tech deals that no Android user should miss. Our Back to School starter kit for Android users in 2026 rounds up discounted phones, wearables, and beyond. Self-hosters rejoice as well: the "best 4-bay NAS of 2026," the UGREEN DXP4800 Pro, just scored a massive 15% discount at Amazon.
Practical Guides
A few useful reads this week: you don't need your charger to keep your phone topped up away from an outlet, as long as you have a USB cable and something to plug it into — see the best ways to charge your phone. Passwords are less secure than passkeys even if you use a password manager, so learn the difference in our passkey vs. password explainer.
Home Tech Notes
Starlink's Mini dish works at home, but it'll cost you: the Starlink Mini isn't ideal for residential use, even if it is attractive for remote areas and frequent travel. Comcast's new Xfinity Shield home protection setup uses Wi-Fi to detect motion, bringing home, family, and cybersecurity protection together. You should also think twice before storing electronics in the garage, because moisture and extreme temperatures are the last thing they need.
Cameras, Retro Games and Odds and Ends
The camera industry seems to be moving on from DSLR technology, but is it time to ditch yours? Our mirrorless vs. DSLR comparison breaks down which type is better. Are your retro games still worth money? You don't need a perfectly preserved copy to fetch cash, but you do need to consider the factors that impact their worth. Finally, two outliers: Genesis' GV90 NeoLun is a luxury electric SUV with heated floors and coach doors, loaded with innovation outside the dash or drivetrain. And Framework's cheapest laptop just got a major spec bump: the Framework Laptop 12 now ships with Intel's Core Series 3 chips and other hardware upgrades.