Mobile News 8 Hours

Last updated: July 29, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

Smartphone Market and Hardware

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 FE is facing criticism for its projected price increase, with leaks indicating it will cost more than its predecessor in Europe. This device, rumored for a September 1 release with new colors and a flagship design, will reportedly see steep price hikes across all storage tiers. Separately, the Galaxy S26 FE has been certified with support for 45W wired charging, matching the previous model. In broader industry news, global smartphone chipset shipments have declined by 15% in the first half of 2026, a trend exacerbated by an ongoing memory chip shortage impacting original equipment manufacturers.

Mobile Carriers and Connectivity

AT&T has significantly expanded its 5G capabilities by finalizing a $23 billion acquisition of spectrum licenses from Echo Star, a deal first announced last August. Meanwhile, Visible is offering a promotional deal for a year of unlimited 5G wireless service at $19 per month, accessible with the code SAVE6 at checkout for any of their unlimited plans.

AI and Software Developments

Google has introduced Lyria 3.5 in Flow Music, enhancing AI-driven musicality with detailed upgrades to tempo, vocal, and musical control for users. In the realm of AI chatbots, a guide has been released detailing how users can switch from Chat GPT to Claude without losing their existing information. The music industry is also grappling with AI, as major record labels are calling for a ban on AI-generated "slop songs" from global music charts, with tens of thousands of such tracks being uploaded daily to streaming platforms.

Gaming and Autonomous Vehicles

Xbox's Chief Technology Officer stated that game discs should have functioned during a recent outage, with a fix for the error expected soon. In autonomous driving news, Waymo has resumed highway operations after pausing them in May due to incidents where robotaxis entered closed construction zones.