It's been a while since the last wide fold rumor, but they're back — and Vivo is in the spotlight this time.

Recent rumors were set in motion on Weibo by tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS), who claims Vivo has continued developing a "wide fold" (via GSMArena). DCS claims Vivo's wide foldable take could land on the smaller side. Allegedly, the device could debut with a screen "under 6.5 inches."

Additionally, DCS claims Vivo is seeking a date in 2027 to release its wide foldable. This is certainly different. For comparison, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 (which has continued to gain popularity) features a 7.6-inch inner screen. Another comparison: the iPhone Duo also features a 7.6-inch screen. Vivo opting for a sub-6.5-inch screen would certainly make it more "compact" in a space that's trying to go a bit bigger.

But there's still a lot we don't know. DCS replied to one user, stating the majority of the hardware components have been "finalized." What's more, users don't appear phased by Vivo trying to go smaller. Many feel its internal components (its specifications, specifically) would carry the device.

An assortment of rumors

Several wide foldable rumors have circulated ever since Samsung's version took the market by storm. It was originally rumored that Vivo and Honor were developing wide-folding phones to compete with the South Korean OEM. Some claimed that Vivo could debut the device as the "X Fold 6," but that's not possible. Either way, this is the first taste of what could be possible for a Vivo wide fold.

We've seen other rumors concerning its would-be competitors, and Vivo is seemingly the only one going smaller. Honor's wide foldable rumors suggest it would feature a 7.6-inch internal display, a 5.5-inch cover, and a 7,000mAh or higher battery. Even OPPO's been in the rumors with a device sporting a 7.6-inch display, a 5.5-inch cover, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6.

There's a chance OPPO is looking to debut its take in Q1 2027.

OnePlus has put more of its Android 17 rollout on the calendar, giving owners of several older phones and tablets a clearer idea of when their next major software update will arrive. But the update also marks the end of OxygenOS as OnePlus transitions its supported devices to OPPO's ColorOS 17.

The latest rollout schedule, shared by OPPO's ColorOS Global account on X, confirms November release dates for six additional OnePlus devices. The OnePlus 13R is first in line, with its update scheduled to begin on November 5. The OnePlus 12 follows on November 17, while the OnePlus Pad 3 gets its turn a day later, on November 18.

Owners of the OnePlus Open won't have to wait much longer, either. The company's first foldable is scheduled to receive ColorOS 17 on November 24. Meanwhile, the Nord 6 and Nord CE 6 are expected to join the rollout on November 26.

OxygenOS is officially on its way out

The software transition is arguably more interesting than the rollout dates themselves. OnePlus and OPPO have shared software development resources for years, making OxygenOS and ColorOS increasingly similar. However, the Android 17 update makes that relationship official, with OxygenOS giving way to ColorOS on supported OnePlus devices.

ColorOS 17 is based on Android 17 and brings interface refinements, smoother animations, performance optimizations, and additional AI-powered features. OPPO is also pitching the software around smarter interactions and better continuity between devices.

More OnePlus devices are waiting for December

The November schedule isn't the end of the rollout. The OnePlus 11, OnePlus 12R, and Nord 5 are among the devices expected to receive the update in December. Another group of 13 OnePlus devices is scheduled for December and the first quarter of 2027, although individual release dates haven't been confirmed.

It should be noted that these are rollout start dates, not guarantees that every owner will receive the update immediately. Releases typically happen in stages, and regional availability can vary.

Samsung is expanding its One UI 9 rollout in the US, and owners of its rugged Galaxy XCover 7 Pro are next in line.

The Android 17-based update has begun rolling out to carrier-locked models, bringing a number of interface improvements, new privacy features, and upgrades to some of Samsung’s built-in apps. The unlocked models will take a bit longer, though, but the rollout is expected to reach them soon.

The update comes with firmware version G766USQUADZJ7, spotted by SamMobile, and was first rolled out in South Korea last month.

One of the more obvious changes is to the Quick Settings panel. One UI 9 gives users more customization options, so they can arrange quick controls to their liking. Samsung has also added a location privacy indicator to give users a better visual indicator when an app accesses their device’s location.

There are other improvements beyond the interface. For instance, the Samsung Notes app gets some upgrades that should make it more convenient to work with notes, and Samsung DeX also gets new features. The update also adds a dedicated Warranty and care section in Settings, offering a more accessible spot to find device support information.

Two major Android updates, with more security support ahead

The Galaxy XCover 7 Pro was launched with One UI 7 based on Android 15. The rugged phone now gets two major Android version upgrades with One UI 9. Samsung hasn’t been explicit about how many more major OS updates the device will get, though.

There is better news on the security front. Samsung has committed to providing seven years of security updates for the XCover 7 Pro, offering businesses and users who depend on rugged hardware an extended support period.

For the time being, eligible owners can check if the update is available by going to Settings > Software update > Check for updates.

The day is finally here, and we're wasting no time in introducing the Motorola Signature 27.

On Thursday morning, Nov. 5, Motorola announced the launch of the Signature 27, the company's true step toward a premium phone. The company gets started with its revamped display for the Signature 27. The phone comes equipped with a 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED Duo with up to 12,000 nits of peak brightness. A screen like this goes beyond staying bright outdoors.

Motorola states users can experience "exceptional sharpness, contrast and precision" on a display that's 34% more efficient.

Internally, Motorola went after Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 SoC (this is a first for the company). What's more, gamers might migh find the brand's ArcticMesh cooling system in good faith. Motorola says it's roughly 40% larger in the Signature 27, meaning it'll help keep the device cooler over longer gaming sessions (or watching videos, scrolling, etc.).

What's truly turning heads with the Signature 27 is Motorola's extensive camera system.

Motorola touts this system as its "best ever," and it's certainly caught our attention. According to the post, the Signature 27 features a 50MP Sony LYTIA L910 primary camera. While this lens is said to excel at capturing rich colors and fine detail, the Signature 27's other lens, its 200MP periscope telephoto, is going above and beyond.

This periscope lens offers up to 100x zoom, powered by AI. Motorola states this tech will help "preserve natural color, sharpness and details even at extreme distances." Users will find various other zooms, ranging from 1x to 50x, before hitting 100x. Additionally, consumers will find a 50MP ultrawide lens and a 50MP selfie camera.

In its list of firsts, Motorola says it's integrated a "dedicated EVS action sensor" in the Signature 27. This EVS will capture moving subjects with better precision. However, Motorola says that when this works with Action Shot, users can "freeze motion" to capture the subject in pristine light and clarity.

Premium pricing, too

Aside from an influx of AI tools and features, courtesy of Google's Gemini Intelligence (think Rambler), Motorola says the Signature 27 will receive seven years of OS upgrades.

In the spirit of protecting our privacy (and our data), the Signature 27 fully supports GrapheneOS. Motorola says that it worked alongside the GrapheneOS Foundation when creating the Signature 27 to ensure the hardware could meet its demanding requirements. This announcement is a brief teaser, as Moto says it will reveal more in the future.

Motorola revealed this a couple of months ago, but the Signature 27 features Audio by Bang & Olufsen. It reminds us that this multi-year partnership will bring audio that carries more weight in a redesigned speaker structure. The Signature 27 rocks a 7,000mAh cell with 90W wired fast charging. Protecting the device is its military-grade aluminum frame (MIL-STD-810H) and IP68 and IP69 ratings.

Motorola states the Signature 27 will launch officially on November 26 for $1,599. Consumers will find the device available in PANTONE Coal Smoke and Capulent Olive.

What you need to know

• Rumors from overseas claim Honor is working on a phone battery between 14,000 and 15,000mAh.
• The tipster claims the Chinese OEM is already testing such a battery, and its main feature could be its "guaranteed" ability to last a full week on a single charge.
• Honor stepped down a battery-focused route in 2025, stating it would increase its phone battery capacities with silicon-carbon tech.

Word is that Honor is working on a phone with a huge battery that's also incredibly efficient.

Earlier this week, Digital Chat Station (DCS) posted a few supposed details on Weibo about a future Honor phone's battery (via Android Headlines). According to the tipster, Honor is developing a phone battery between 14,000 and 15,000mAh. DCS states the Chinese OEM is currently "testing" a battery with such an increased capacity. However, it looks like Honor is also trying to ensure the battery remains efficient with low user demand.

Rumors add that this battery could be "guaranteed" to last a full week on a single charge. DCS states this could be the "main feature" of the phone's battery. The tipster replied to user comments, adding that the device (and likely the battery) won't be overly large. So, there's a chance Honor is working on upgrading its silicon-carbon battery technology even further than what we've experienced.

As if it needed to be said, these totals are massive. It feels like Honor wants to place a mini power bank inside a phone. Recently, the company debuted the Magic 9 Pro Max. It marked the start of Honor's shift toward a more cinematic approach with its ARRI partnership. Aside from that, the phone features an 8,800mAh silicon-carbon battery. Honor's been increasing its battery capacities over the years, and this phone is no exception.

The company states the Magic 9 Pro Max supports 100W wired SuperCharging and 80W wireless charging. These have been classics for it over the past few launches, and if this rumor is true, we might expect more of this.

Honor has huge battery plans

A year ago, Honor detailed a stronger focus on phone batteries. We've seen much of this thus far. At the time, the company said it was developing 7,020mAh-7,200mAh batteries for its flagships; however, we've seen that pushed to over 8,000mAh with the Magic 9 Pro Max. Even the company's mid-ranges were said to find a place between 8,200mAh-8,400mAh.

All of this comes off the back of its silicon-carbon tech. We reviewed these details, discovering that Honor's tech will have "higher density." In short, it keeps the hardware smaller (thinner) while increasing its total capacity. It's a great way to not make overly bulky phones, but still make good on what consumers want: bigger batteries. The folks at Android Headlines reminded us of another Honor device: the Win RT 2 gaming phone. That phone offers a 12,070mAh battery. Hearing this rumor that pushes things to 15,000mAh at the highest, maybe it's not too far-fetched.

What you need to know

• All four Galaxy S27 models have reportedly appeared in an import-export database, revealing their expected chipsets.
• The Galaxy S27 Pro could use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 instead of the more powerful Extreme variant found in the Ultra.
• The Galaxy S27 Pro could feature a 6.5-inch display, sitting between the 6.3-inch S27 and 6.9-inch S27 Ultra.

We're slowly inching toward the new year, which means it's almost time for Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S flagship phones. And now, a new leak suggests that the upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro could miss out on Qualcomm's most powerful flagship chipset.

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S27 lineup in Q1 next year. As leaked renders have already revealed, the company appears to be taking some inspiration from Apple's iPhone, with the Galaxy S27 Ultra reportedly moving away from its familiar vertical camera layout in favor of a horizontal camera plateau.

There's also expected to be one more addition to the Galaxy S27 lineup in the form of the Galaxy S27 Pro. The new model will reportedly bring several Galaxy S27 Ultra features, including Privacy Display, to a smaller form factor without the S Pen. However, it looks like the Pro could still fall behind the Ultra in one important area: the chipset.

As spotted by Notebookcheck, all four Galaxy S27 models have reportedly appeared in the NBD import-export database. The listings mention the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27 Plus, Galaxy S27 Pro, and Galaxy S27 Ultra, alongside details about the chipsets expected to power them.

According to the listings, the Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27 Plus will be powered by Samsung's own Exynos 2700 chipset. The Galaxy S27 Ultra, meanwhile, is expected to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor. That's not particularly surprising, considering Samsung has traditionally reserved Qualcomm's most powerful flagship chipsets for its Ultra models.

What's interesting, however, is that the Galaxy S27 Pro is reportedly listed with the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 rather than the more powerful Extreme variant.

When Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series earlier this year, the company introduced two versions of its flagship chipset, one with the Extreme branding and another without it. The Extreme variant sits at the top of Qualcomm's lineup, offering clock speeds of up to a whopping 5GHz.

But it looks like the Galaxy S27 Pro could miss out on that top-tier processor. Instead, Samsung may use the slightly lower-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, although the chipset is still built on the same 2nm process architecture.

One possible reason could be thermal management. Since the Galaxy S27 Pro is expected to offer many of the Ultra's features in a smaller body, Samsung may have opted for a slightly lower-clocked chipset to keep temperatures under control. However, that's just speculation for now.

The base Galaxy S27 will reportedly retain its 6.3-inch display, while the Galaxy S27 Plus will continue with a 6.7-inch screen. The Galaxy S27 Ultra is expected to feature the same massive 6.9-inch display, while the new Galaxy S27 Pro could sit somewhere in between with a 6.5-inch panel.

That would make the Galaxy S27 Pro a pretty interesting addition to Samsung's flagship lineup, especially for people who want some of the Ultra's features without carrying such a large phone.

Of course, we're still a few months away from the Galaxy S27 series launch, and plenty could change before Samsung makes everything official. But if this leak turns out to be accurate, the Galaxy S27 Pro may not be quite the smaller Galaxy S27 Ultra that some buyers were hoping for.

What you need to know

• Motorola could revive its Moto One lineup after nearly five years, with a new device appearing in the WPC database.
• The leaked Moto One looks similar to the Motorola Edge from 2025, with curved edges and a familiar rear camera design.
• The phone reportedly supports Qi2 wireless charging through EPP, but won't feature built-in magnets for accessories.

Motorola could be bringing back its Moto One smartphone series after nearly five years.

While all eyes are currently on the Motorola Signature 27, which is shaping up to be one of the company's most ambitious flagship smartphones in years, Motorola is also working on other devices behind the scenes. And now, according to a new leak, the company could be preparing to revive its Moto One lineup.

In case you don't remember, Moto One was a series of smartphones Motorola introduced back in 2018 that ran Google's Android One software. Android One was Google's attempt to bring a cleaner, near-stock Android experience to budget and mid-range smartphones, alongside more consistent software updates. However, the lineup eventually disappeared after a few generations.

Now, it looks like Motorola could be bringing the Moto One name back. As spotted by Notebookcheck, a new Moto One smartphone has appeared in the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) database. The listing also includes an image of the device, which looks eerily similar to the Motorola Edge from 2025.

As seen in the image, the phone appears to feature a curved display along the left and right edges, alongside Motorola's familiar camera housing in the top-left corner of the back.

Interestingly, the WPC listing also reveals that the new Moto One will support Qi2 wireless charging, although there's a catch. The phone reportedly supports the Extended Power Profile (EPP) rather than the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP).

This means that, similar to several Samsung Galaxy smartphones, the Moto One won't have built-in magnets for attaching Qi2 accessories. Instead, it'll support Qi2 wireless charging without native magnetic attachment.

Previous leaks have revealed that the Moto One could be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a previous-generation high-end processor, alongside up to 12GB of RAM.

For now, Motorola hasn't confirmed whether the Moto One name is actually making a comeback or when the device might launch. But considering the phone has already appeared in the WPC certification database, there's a chance we could hear more about it fairly soon.

What you need to know

• Qualcomm announced that it's inked a deal with SpaceX to begin creating a 5G Starlink mobile network, with plans to debut in 2027.
• Qualcomm states it views this deal as a chance to build "world-leading cellular infrastructure" in the U.S. to advance 5G with SpaceX.
• It's worth remembering that, a week ago, T-Mobile reportedly denied becoming wireless partners with SpaceX's Starlink network.

Qualcomm announced major next steps in a partnership with SpaceX for a mobile network that's eyeing a 2027 debut in the U.S — not to mention plans for a next-gen,, AI-native 6G network.

Qualcomm will help SpaceX build a "high-capacity 5G" network that's "built for scale," the company announced Wed., Nov. 4. To achieve this, Starlink Mobile will reportedly utilize Massive MIMO radio units. Qualcomm explains this technology will bring "advanced antenna capabilities to its terrestrial network." Without getting too technical, Qualcomm states this tech is necessary to improve Starlink's mobile coverage and efficiency to handle its network traffic.

All of this will be done under Qualcomm's Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms. The press release states that SpaceX selected this particular branch of Qualcomm, seeking out its Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms, as well as its Layer 1 software.

"Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead," said Durga Malladi, EVP and GM at Qualcomm. The company briefly touched on this future 6G network, stating that partnering with SpaceX helps fuel that "broader vision."

While there are still some unknowns about this deal, Qualcomm told Reuters that this "is our biggest 5G deal yet." Qualcomm has reportedly been interested in expanding its reach into mobile networks, as Reuters states it already assists with 5G networks overseas in Japan and Vietnam.

A week ago, T-Mobile said "no"

This announcement comes at an interesting time. It was a week ago that we had a different conversation about a similar topic. SpaceX reportedly approached T-Mobile with its 5G network ambitions, but was turned away. T-Mobile reportedly told the company that there was "no room" for an MVNO deal. The cellular network effectively drew the line at helping SpaceX develop its own 5G network, turning it into a "wireless partner."

It was reported that "Such a deal would let SpaceX offer wireless services on top of T-Mobile's existing cell network, paving an easier route into the U.S. mobile market for the satellite company." However, CEO Srini Gopalan said T-Mobile evaluates partnerships based on distribution channels, the ability to open new addressable markets, and more.

In Gopalan's eyes, SpaceX's Starlink network wouldn't have done that. We're now on the flip side of this, where Qualcomm says the opposite.

What you need to know

• Rumors on social media suggest Samsung has started testing One UI 9.5 on the Galaxy S26 series, as early builds surface.
• Builds were spotted for the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, with tipster wondering if an official Beta Program could begin later in November.
• Recent rumors claim One UI 9.5 could introduce a glass design approach to Galaxy phones, similar to Apple's Liquid Glass.

We've had delays upon delays for One UI 9; however, rumors continue in November about Samsung's next major OS beta.

Recently, tipster Kailash on X posted a discovery that could indicate an impending beta for Samsung's next One UI beta for Galaxy phones (via SamMobile). The tipster claims that they found early test builds for One UI 9.5 for the Galaxy S26 series. Versions S948BXXU6ZZK3, S948BOXM6ZZK3, and S948BXXU6CZK3 reportedly concern the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.

Kailash points out that the "bootloader has changed." The S26 series jumps from "U5" to "U6" in the test versions. There's also speculation that Samsung's internal tests are ongoing, meaning we could see a proper Beta Program, where users can start signing up, "soon."

Tipster Tarun Vats also spotted these early beta builds, furthering speculation that we're on the cusp of another beta marathon. It's hard to discern any features in One UI 9.5 from builds alone; however, a few rumors touched on this before.

Get your phones ready

Tipsters on X speculate that the One UI 9.5 beta could start in late November. That lines up with what we've heard before. It's also been assumed that One UI 9.5 won't officially debut until April or May 2027. We hope this next version doesn't face the same onslaught of delays Samsung's previous updates experienced.

Currently, rumors suggest One UI 9.5 could introduce "shiny edges and visual depth" to Galaxy phones. Of course, we're talking about a take on Apple's Liquid Glass. Rumors claim a glass aesthetic is Samsung's next focus. Many elements are reportedly shinier or blur when placed over other objects in the UI. What's more, a tipster supposedly spotted "subtle backdrop shading" for that "visual depth" we mentioned before.

Additionally, App Lock was rumored to return in One UI 9.5, securing apps behind a password, biometric, or other verification method.

I don't think any smartphone has ever been quite as polarizing as the iPhone Duo. After years of waiting for Apple's first foldable, the result is a phone that borrows some lessons from its Android counterparts, ignores plenty more, and feels like Apple is still figuring out what customers actually want from a foldable. Yet, despite some questionable decisions, I can't put it down. That contradiction is what makes the iPhone Duo so fascinating.

My verdict hinges on one factor I think many hardware comparisons overlook: the hidden superstar of Apple's developer ecosystem. It's both a blessing and a curse for Apple's first foldable, but in very unequal proportions. There will be short-term pain as developers, Apple, and users figure out what's possible, but the long-term gain could be enormous.

Objectively, the iPhone Duo gets plenty right, and Apple's choices seem unnecessarily complicated in places, especially since Android manufacturers have spent almost a decade solving many of the same problems. As someone who uses iOS and Android side by side, I appreciate the desire for consistency across Apple's ecosystem. But consistency shouldn't come at the expense of functionality, and some of Apple's decisions feel like an attempt to reinvent solutions that already work.

And yet, I keep reaching for it. Its utility alongside my other Apple devices is difficult to overstate, and the polarizing D-shaped design has grown on me considerably. In fact, it might be my favorite form factor for one-handed use. That's quite a turnaround from my initial reaction. My first 15 seconds with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 told me I loved it; the iPhone Duo took considerably longer. But the destination was the same, and that's an important lesson: unless a design is fundamentally flawed, living with it can change your perception in ways a hands-on session never will.

The inner display is another example. Here, I think Apple has pulled an absolute blinder. The nano-texture layer doesn't just make the crease less distracting; it transforms the screen's entire feel. There's a welcome friction under your fingertips that reminds me of reading on an Amazon Kindle or using TCL's NxtPaper displays. It's wonderful for reading, scrolling, and typing, and makes the experience feel easier on the eyes without compromising brightness. After two weeks, I haven't had a single concern about visibility on either display, even in challenging conditions.

Then comes the inevitable question: is it worth $2,000 or more? That depends almost entirely on what you want from it. For me, the value isn't simply having a folding screen. It's being able to progress coding sprints, access my Mac remotely, and keep working from virtually anywhere in the world, even on airplane Wi-Fi. It's the pocket-friendly, always-connected folding iPad I've wanted for years, though it could benefit enormously from some iPadOS-inspired software capabilities. It finally brings a level of multitasking and utility to an iPhone that changes how I use it. For me, that's worth the asking price, and the reactions from others I've shown it to suggest I'm not alone.

Apple has at least given its first attempt some reassuring foundations. IP68 dust and water resistance, a weight that's only around 50 grams heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the reassurance of AppleCare all help make the compromises easier to live with. But this is still a first-generation product, and Apple's approach will inevitably evolve. Samsung has had years to refine its foldables, and Apple is starting that journey considerably later. There is plenty of catching up to do, and I expect the next generations to be even slicker.

Ultimately, the iPhone Duo might be Apple's most divisive iPhone yet, but dismissing it for what it gets wrong misses what makes it so compelling. Like every first-generation foldable, it charts a different path, makes compromises, and delivers a novelty that established designs simply can't replicate. More importantly, Apple's ecosystem gives it room to grow in ways that extend far beyond the hardware: developers will discover new experiences, users will find new workflows, and missing features will gradually be replicated or surpassed.

The iPhone Duo isn't the perfect foldable, and it doesn't need to be. It's a glimpse of what happens when Apple's ecosystem finally meets a folding iPhone. There are plenty of reasons to wait for the second generation, but after two weeks, I know one thing: I don't want to put this one down. It might not be perfect for everyone, but it's pretty damn close to perfect for me.

Price & Availability

One of the biggest surprises about the iPhone Duo is its starting price: $2,000 in the US and £2,000 in the UK. That's for the 256GB model, and surprisingly, it's lower than I expected.

All the rumors leading up to launch suggested a record-high price, or at least a higher starting point than the competition. Instead, the iPhone Duo seems relatively well-priced by comparison. It's $100 more than the similarly sized Galaxy Z Fold 8, but $200 less than its taller sibling, although both of Samsung's foldables are currently available with sizable discounts.

Of course, 256GB is less storage than Samsung's double-your-storage launch promotion offers, and it falls short of the 512GB included with the Motorola Razr Fold, which starts at $1,899.99. Even accounting for any perception of an Apple tax, the premium seems surprisingly modest. By most comparisons, the iPhone Duo is fairly priced.

But how does it compare with Apple's own lineup? The iPhone Air is perhaps its closest match in terms of specifications and premium novelty, starting at $1,099. The new iPad mini costs $799, with a further $100 premium for the nano-texture finish. Put those together, and you're spending just $1 less than the iPhone Duo. It's hardly a scientific comparison, but it makes an interesting point: you're getting elements of both devices in one pocket-friendly package. If you were already planning to buy both, the iPhone Duo starts to look like a compelling proposition. I'd argue it's better value than its price tag might initially suggest.

The reactions from people I've shown it to largely support that. Three fellow passengers expressed genuine admiration; two immediately saw the utility and said they'd buy one for entirely different reasons, while the third felt it was simply out of her price range. Three small business owners I showed it to wanted one almost instantly, particularly after seeing how it could transform the way they run their businesses. I even encountered a brave parent who said they'd buy one, although with a six-year-old at home, that struck me as a rather bold investment!

Plenty of carrier deals are also worth considering, with all the major US carriers offering substantial trade-in credits to bring the cost down. Ten days after launch, the iPhone Duo is still sold out online, with deliveries pushed back until late January. In-store availability continues to fluctuate faster than a politician changes their stance.

Everyone should copy the iPhone Duo’s nano-texture screen

There, I said it: Apple’s implementation of nano-texture is so enjoyable that I hope every foldable manufacturer copies it. Apple wasn’t the first to bring nano-texture to consumer devices, but its implementation on the iPhone Duo is a genuine differentiator, and for reasons that go well beyond the specifications.

The first is visibility. Apple seems to have understood something important about foldable screens: it’s not necessarily the crease depth that matters, but how much you notice it. The Oppo Find N6 might have the shallowest crease of any foldable, but the iPhone Duo’s nano-texture finish makes its crease far less distracting in everyday use. Apple hasn't eliminated the compromise; it's made it easier to forget.

The same philosophy applies to the under-display camera. Frankly, it isn't very good, but that's almost beside the point. Most of the time, you forget it's even there because it blends so seamlessly into the screen. It's a trade-off I’m happy to make: a less intrusive camera and a less noticeable crease, even if neither is technically the best implementation available. Sometimes the better experience isn't the one with the better specifications.

Beyond that, the display itself is excellent. The nano-texture finish covers a 7.6-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED panel, which is a lot of letters to describe the premium screen you'd expect at this price. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10, Dolby Vision, and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness in bright conditions. The unusual 1.42:1 aspect ratio is particularly interesting for multitasking, allowing two vertical apps to sit side by side. Or, as we'll explore later, it lets Apple retain a side rail while dividing the remaining space into two smaller iPhone-like experiences. The 5.4-inch cover display retains a similar aspect ratio and many of the same premium characteristics, albeit without the nano-texture finish.

Over the past two weeks, I've used the iPhone Duo on planes, trains, and automobiles, both at home and abroad, and one thing has become abundantly clear: both displays are a joy to use. I haven't encountered any brightness or visibility concerns, regardless of the conditions. There have been reports of display failures, as there are with other foldables, but it's too early to draw meaningful conclusions about their frequency or long-term durability.

Ultimately, this is the big iPhone display, or pocketable folding iPad, I've been waiting for. The specifications are impressive, but what makes it special is how little you notice the technology getting in the way.

A decidedly non-flagship, non-Pro iPhone camera

For a $2,000 phone, the iPhone Duo has a surprisingly ordinary camera system. It's not bad, far from it, but it's a clear reminder that even Apple's first foldable comes with compromises, and cameras are among the biggest.

Foldables have always involved trade-offs, particularly when it comes to camera hardware. The smaller passport-style designs are even more constrained by space, which helps explain why Samsung and Apple have opted for two rear cameras rather than three. But Huawei and Xiaomi have already demonstrated that you can fit a triple-camera system and a sizable battery into a similarly compact foldable. It's clearly possible; Apple has simply chosen different priorities, and I suspect most Western manufacturers will continue down the two-camera path for now.

In everyday use, the iPhone Duo's cameras are good, but rarely great. Like the iPhone Air, it lacks a capable dedicated zoom camera, and while the 2x in-sensor crop on the main sensor helps, it's no substitute for a proper telephoto lens. You're not buying the Duo for its cameras. That said, photos at standard focal lengths are more than good enough for most situations, and the foldable design brings its own advantages. Using the rear cameras for selfies, with the cover screen doubling as a viewfinder, is particularly useful.

The 48MP main and ultrawide cameras match those in the iPhone 17, with the main camera also serving as the iPhone Air's sole rear shooter. These aren't old or outdated sensors, and they deliver results broadly comparable to the equivalent cameras in the iPhone 17 Pro. But they fall short of the more advanced 48MP variable-aperture system in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. The distinction matters: you're getting capable, modern iPhone cameras, just not Apple's best.

The selfie cameras tell a similar story, although there's an interesting twist. The 4MP under-display camera on the inner screen works for video calls in good lighting, but its quality drops quickly in challenging conditions. Treat it as a convenience feature, not a camera you'd choose for anything important.

Far more useful is the 12MP Center Stage camera above the cover display. Although it has a lower resolution than the 18MP selfie cameras on Apple's other recent iPhones, it retains the clever square, multi-aspect sensor. That means you can capture portrait or landscape photos and videos without physically rotating the phone. Combined with the Duo's flexible hinge, it's particularly handy for hands-free video calls in tent mode.

Ultimately, the iPhone Duo's camera system is perfectly capable, but it's difficult to call it flagship-worthy at this price. Apple has prioritized the folding experience over photographic versatility, and while that's a compromise I can live with, anyone expecting Pro-level photography from a $2,000 iPhone should look elsewhere.

Great battery life and efficiency

If you've been fearing the iPhone Duo's battery life, fear no more: it's excellent. In fact, despite having a battery capacity similar to its closest Samsung rival, it lasts several hours longer in my testing.

Apple doesn't officially disclose battery capacity, but estimates put it at around 4,883mAh, split between both halves of the phone, as is typical of foldables. If accurate, that's slightly larger than the 4,800mAh battery in the similarly sized Galaxy Z Fold 8, although both pale in comparison to the 6,000mAh battery inside the Xiaomi 18 Fold.

The difference is in endurance. With mixed usage, the iPhone Duo consistently lasts around 13–14 hours, compared with roughly 11 hours for the Galaxy Z Fold 8. That's a substantial improvement from a battery that's only marginally larger, and likely reflects Apple's software optimizations and the efficiency of its C2 modem, although isolating their individual contributions would require further testing.

It's much closer to the larger Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which manages 14–15 hours with its 5,000mAh battery. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold trails at around 12 hours, while the Motorola Razr Fold also delivers roughly 14–15 hours. I haven't finished testing the Xiaomi 18 Fold, but none of these devices match the Oppo Find N6 or Honor Magic V6, both of which have achieved around 18 hours in my testing.

Apple has also made an interesting engineering trade-off. Unlike several Android manufacturers, including Samsung, which adopted silicon-carbon battery technology for the first time with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, Apple has stuck with conventional lithium-ion cells. The Duo is approaching the practical capacity limits of that technology within this form factor, so Apple appears to be relying on efficiency and a slightly thicker chassis to deliver competitive endurance. Given the results, that's a trade-off I'm happy with.

Charging is similarly reassuring. The iPhone Duo supports up to 60W wired charging, although thermal constraints prevent it from sustaining that peak. Using a MacBook Pro charger and an Apple USB-C cable rated for 60W, I recorded 43% charge in 15 minutes and 68% after 30 minutes. That's competitive with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and most other foldables I've tested, although the Duo appears to reduce charging speeds earlier and falls slightly behind some rivals by the half-hour mark.

There's also support for 25W magnetic wireless charging, complete with built-in magnets and Qi2.2 compatibility. It's a welcome convenience, particularly on a foldable where built-in magnetic alignment isn't always a given.

Ultimately, I have zero complaints about the iPhone Duo's battery life or charging. This is where the benefits of Apple's thicker design become particularly clear: you're trading a little sleekness for excellent endurance, fast charging, and everyday convenience. If Samsung takes a similar approach with the presumed Galaxy Z Fold 9, particularly by adding built-in magnets, I'd have very few complaints.

Apple nailed the iPhone Duo hardware in a few key ways

There's something particularly interesting happening with Apple's recent iPhones: the company has made enormous strides in battery life and connectivity. Bigger batteries explain some of that progress, but a handful of less obvious hardware decisions are making just as much difference.

Two of the most important are the Apple C2 modem and N1 wireless networking chip. The former is Apple's second-generation in-house cellular modem, replacing the third-party solutions it previously relied on. Having tested both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo extensively, I've noticed one particularly meaningful improvement: network connections feel considerably more stable and reliable.

It's a difference that's hard to appreciate from a specifications sheet but immediately noticeable in daily use. My iPhone 18 Pro delivered substantially better battery life than the iPhone 17 Pro on the same networks, and I've seen similarly impressive endurance from the Duo. The C2 modem likely contributes to that efficiency, while the N1 brings more of Apple's wireless connectivity hardware under its own control. Together, they represent an increasingly important advantage, although separating their individual contributions would require more controlled testing.

Then there's the A20 Pro chip, which is absurdly powerful. The iPhone Duo flies through everything I've thrown at it, without a single noticeable slowdown or stutter. More importantly, that performance enables experiences that distinguish it from a conventional iPhone, including driving the cover and inner displays simultaneously. It's not simply about benchmark scores; it's about having the headroom to make a folding iPhone feel effortless.

Not every hardware decision is quite as successful. The earpiece sits above the cover display, and I've repeatedly found myself misaligning it with my ear when answering calls. Perhaps it's muscle memory from using larger phones, but I didn't encounter the same issue as often with the Galaxy Z Fold 8. I usually have AirPods in anyway, so it's hardly a dealbreaker, but it's worth mentioning if you frequently make handheld calls.

iPhone Handoff makes me want to own two iPhones

Finally, there's iPhone Handoff, and this might be one of Apple's most underrated new features. On supported carriers, it lets you seamlessly transfer your active SIM connection between two iPhones as you switch devices. My UK carrier, EE, supports it, and moving between the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo has been remarkably slick. It's the sort of experience that feels quintessentially Apple: a complicated technical process made almost invisible to the user.

Everything important already syncs between my iPhones, but Handoff removes one of the last remaining inconveniences of using two devices. I no longer need a separate SIM or mobile plan for each phone; my connection simply follows whichever one I'm using. If you want the iPhone 18 Pro's cameras and the Duo's folding versatility without juggling multiple numbers or subscriptions, this makes that combination far more practical.

Apple hasn't nailed every aspect of the iPhone Duo, but the combination of reliable connectivity, effortless performance, and seamless device switching makes a compelling case for the hardware choices it has made. These aren't necessarily the features that sell a phone in a store, but they're the ones that make you appreciate it every day.

iOS, Apps & The Apple Ecosystem

Here's where the iPhone Duo positively outshines every other foldable: Apple's ecosystem, and specifically the developer relationships it has spent nearly two decades cultivating. The company that popularized the mobile app store was always going to lean on third-party developers to unlock new experiences for its first folding phone. That strategy is both its greatest advantage and, at least initially, a double-edged sword.

Apple's developer ecosystem is its hidden superstar

At launch, relatively few apps were optimized for the Duo. Black bars, awkward layouts, and wasted space were particularly jarring on the large inner display in portrait orientation, and Apple understandably received plenty of criticism. But the situation is already changing rapidly. Less than two weeks after launch, with millions of devices still awaiting delivery, more than a thousand apps have reportedly been optimized for the Duo's unusual form factor.

I've also spoken with several developers behind apps I use regularly, and many told me that delayed device deliveries have prevented them from fully exploring what's possible. Crucially, though, they already have substantial updates planned, including features designed specifically around the Duo's folding screen.

This is what makes Apple's approach so compelling. It has built the framework and handed developers a new canvas on which to experiment. There are already playful examples that let you make toasties, pour a drink, or play Battleship, alongside a growing number of genuinely useful optimized apps.

There's also an interesting knock-on effect: as developers rethink their interfaces for the Duo, some of those improvements could eventually benefit Android foldables through cross-platform apps. Of course, the reverse is already true in places. British Airways, for example, works particularly well on Android foldables, while its iPhone Duo app remains poorly optimized. Apple's ecosystem has enormous potential, but that doesn't mean it's ahead in every individual app today.

Multitasking is limited, but fundamentally different

Then there's multitasking. Finally, we have an iPhone that can properly run two apps at once, and Apple has adopted an iPad-like split-view layout. As expected, though, it's a fundamentally different experience from Android multitasking: inferior in several ways, but arguably better in one particularly important respect.

Let's start with the limitations. You can't resize the split between apps; it's an even, side-by-side division or full-screen, with nothing in between. There's no advanced window management, floating apps, or support for more than two simultaneous applications. By comparison, the Xiaomi 18 Fold can run six or more apps in independently resizable windows. If flexibility is your priority, Android remains comfortably ahead.

But here's where Apple has done something clever: multitasking on the iPhone Duo isn't really about running two apps side by side. It's about turning one large screen into two iPhones running side by side.

Each half effectively behaves like the Duo's cover display, allowing you to run an app on one side while continuing to use your phone normally on the other. That includes interacting with the home screen and widgets, rather than being locked into two active applications. It's a subtle distinction, but one that makes the experience feel immediately familiar to anyone who already uses an iPhone.

And it works. I use multitasking extensively on the Duo, particularly when cross-referencing information between apps or keeping one task visible while working on another. I'd still love the flexibility Android offers, but Apple's approach makes a surprising amount of sense for its existing interface.

Eventually, more capable AI assistants might make some of these manual workflows unnecessary. Siri has improved significantly, but I still find myself using it far less than the AI features on my Android devices, and we're nowhere near that future yet.

For now, the Duo offers a distinctive compromise: less freedom than Android, but a familiar, genuinely useful multitasking experience that feels designed around how people already use their iPhones. It's another example of Apple prioritizing consistency over flexibility, and while I don't agree with every limitation, I can see why it made that choice.

The iPhone Duo is my favorite first-generation foldable

This will come as no surprise: I love the iPhone Duo. It's far from the perfect foldable, and it has many of the quirks you'd expect from a first-generation device, but it's also one of the most thoroughly enjoyable phones I've ever used.

Apple's ecosystem plays a huge role in that, particularly the developers who build experiences you simply can't find elsewhere. But there's also the wonderful nano-texture display, the surprisingly useful form factor, and, yes, the sheer novelty of a folding iPhone. Some of that novelty will inevitably wear off, but for now, the Duo feels every bit as special as Samsung's first foldable did at launch, or as the passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold 8 did more recently. The iPhone 18 Pro is a better phone, but the iPhone Duo is a better experience.

Apple could have made plenty of different decisions, and I've spent much of this review explaining where I wish it had. Yet, somehow, its first foldable has become my favorite iPhone ever.

That's the distinction that matters most to me. Like the larger display of the iPhone 6 or the all-screen design of the iPhone X, the Duo represents a meaningful shift in how an iPhone looks and feels. But unlike those transitions, its larger folding screen offers possibilities that should continue expanding as developers discover what to do with it.

Of course, you should never buy a phone solely for its future potential. The iPhone Duo is already an excellent all-around device today, albeit one with obvious trade-offs and a price that demands serious consideration. It's improving with every passing day, and I expect that evolution to continue for years.

I have no regrets about buying it. You might decide its compromises aren't worth the asking price, and that's entirely reasonable. But for me, the Duo has done something few phones manage anymore: it's made using an iPhone feel genuinely exciting again.

What you need to know

• Next-gen foldable rumors suggest Samsung's cameras on the Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra could remain the same on the Fold 9 and Fold 9 Ultra.
• If true, the Fold 9 would retain the same 50MP primary and ultra-wide lenses, while the Fold 9 Ultra would see similar 200MP primary, 50MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto lenses.
• Rumors from October suggest Samsung could "double the number" of foldables next year with a "Galaxy Z Slide," TriFold 2, and a Fold 9 Pro.

We're still enjoying our time with the Galaxy Z8 series; however, a recent rumor about the next-generation models throws doubt on a specific upgrade.

Over on X, tipster WalleGalaxy claims Samsung might not develop any worthwhile camera upgrades for its next foldables (via SammyGuru). The tipster claims Samsung could retain the same dual-camera array specifications on the Fold 8 for the Fold 9 in 2027. If true, that means consumers are in for the same 50MP primary and ultra-wide camera lenses.

The post didn't share anything about the phone's selfie cameras. The Fold 8 features a 10MP internal and cover display lens.

Regarding the Fold 9 Ultra, rumors speculate that Samsung could continue with the same 200MP main lens, 50MP ultra-wide, and 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom. A user in the comments brought up an important topic: DC dimming. Samsung's displays aren't really the "gold standard" we'd like them to be. However, a recent rumor suggests the Galaxy S27 Ultra could take eye strain more seriously. Hopefully, if it bears fruit, maybe we'll see it on the next foldables.

Only getting started

There's no hiding that the rumors are just getting started. A rumor from mid-October said Samsung could "double the number of phones" available for its next Galaxy Z series in 2027.

Allegedly, Samsung is working on a Galaxy Z TriFold 2 and a Galaxy Z Fold 9 Pro. We have something to base our imagination on with another trifold, but the "Fold 9 Pro" is a wildcard. What's more, those same rumors said Samsung could finally debut its long-conceptualized slideable phone. You'd have to step into a time machine to remember this one. At CES 2025, Samsung Display showed off the "Slidable Flex Duet" and "Solo." These were slideable phones that would go from a "regular" sized phone to almost tablet size.

For those wondering what Samsung could do with a TriFold 2, rumors suggest a "more durable," thinner, and lighter design.

More than 80 Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO devices are receiving HyperOS 4 worldwide, and this update is much more than just a new interface.

Xiaomi will start a global stable rollout in November 2026 and the company has split the eligible devices into three waves, as per its post on X. The first list includes the Xiaomi 17 and 15 series, Redmi Note 17 and Note 15 families, POCO F8 and X8 lineups, and Xiaomi Pad 8 tablets.

The second wave will kick off in mid-November, and will include the Xiaomi 15T series, POCO F7 and F9 families, Xiaomi Pad 7 and several Redmi and POCO tablets.

The update for older hardware will arrive in December and will include the Xiaomi 14 and 13 series, the Xiaomi MIX Flip, Xiaomi 13T lineup, Redmi Note 14 family, and POCO F6 series. These are launching dates, not set install dates, so availability will be region-specific.

HyperOS 4 gets a glassy treatment and more

Building on the core foundations of Android 17, Xiaomi engineered this update around a brand-new "Soft Light Glass" aesthetic. It's a new UI with translucent panels, redesigned notifications, customizable lock screens, flexible app folders, and stacked widgets. Xiaomi also promises improved floating-window support and smoother animations.

Its performance claims are of particular interest. Xiaomi claims that HyperOS 4 cuts down the overall launch time for 30 apps after 9 hours of usage from 40.3 seconds to 36.8 seconds, which is an 8.7% jump over HyperOS 3. Camera performance also sees an improvement with HDR photo capture dropping from 313.38 milliseconds to 240.16 milliseconds. Xiaomi also claims fewer dropped frames while playing video.

Xiaomi hands its AI assistant a larger role

HyperOS 4 will feature Super XiaoAi 2.0 based on Xiaomi’s MiMo large language model. The assistant can also do more complex tasks such as searching photo libraries, organizing schedules, controlling supported smart home devices, and even identifying products from things shown on screen.

Xiaomi is also beefing up privacy protections, such as requiring confirmation prompts for sensitive actions like deleting or sharing data. Its Super Island feature now supports over 130 services.

Some of these capabilities are still limited to supported devices and China-specific software versions. But HyperOS 4 looks like a much bigger upgrade than a cosmetic refresh, and its global rollout should reveal how much of Xiaomi's AI ambitions actually make it to international users.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi confirmed on social media that it will debut it 18 Pro series globally in November.
• The company has yet to specify an exact date; however, this is what users have been waiting on since the series debuted in China in September.
• High prices are been rumored for the series' global launch, and there's a chance the battery capacities could dip.

Xiaomi's starting November with an announcement many users have been waiting for since the 18 Pro series launched.

Late this weekend, Xiaomi announced that it's preparing a global debut of its 18 Pro series (via GSMArena). We've known this was coming; however, Xiaomi hadn't said when. In a post on X, the company revealed that the 18 Pro series will launch in November. Xiaomi was also curious about which market users were excitedly waiting for the phones to debut in, and many shouted for India, Japan, and even the U.S.

This announcement, while exciting, lacks a critical piece of information: the date. The Xiaomi 18 Pro series launched late in September, but all we had was the expectation. Xiaomi said the 18 Pro series would launch globally, albeit at a "later date." More information was to come, and now November is confirmed.

It's worth following up on Xiaomi's official confirmation with a little spice. There were rumors about the 18 Pro series' global pricing that are drawing attention. The Xiaomi 18 Pro is rumored to start at €1,449 (~$1,622) for its 12GB/256GB configuration, and €1,649 (~$1,846) for 512GB of storage. What's more, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max could start at €1,849 (~$2,070) for its 12GB/512GB model.

These prices are incredible and would certainly take the "flagship killer" moniker out of the equation. Rumors continue, stating Xiaomi could also downgrade its battery once these phones go global. The Pro could dip to 6,000mAh, while the Pro Max could drop to 7,050mAh. For context, these are 1,000mAh (or more) drops from what Chinese consumers received in September.

It was an exciting launch...

The Xiaomi 18 Pro series was long-awaited, especially since the company's president said the rear displays would remain. The 17 series shattered sales, and Xiaomi wanted to ride the high of that popularity. In terms of launch, the 18 Pro series also debuted its take on the privacy screen. Xiaomi took things a step further than what Samsung did with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The 18 Pro series features location-based triggers for its privacy display. The phones will automatically hide sensitive information from alerts, such as banking notifications, floating windows, and more. The rear displays on these phones have been upgraded, too. Not only are they slightly bigger, but Xiaomi has integrated Xiao, its AI, mini-app creation, timers, and reminders.

Motorola is not holding back with its next flagship. The upcoming Motorola Signature 27 is shaping up to be a real contender with a Tandem OLED display offering a claimed 12,000 nits of peak brightness, alongside a 200MP periscope camera and Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor.

Motorola has started to spill enough details to make Galaxy and Pixel owners sit up and take notice as the phone's launch date draws nearer. The company recently partnered with YouTuber Danny Winget for an early hands-on preview, and we got a closer look at the phone’s design and specifications. The biggest talking point is a 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED Duo display with a 120Hz refresh rate and jaw-dropping 12,000-nit peak brightness.

For context, that’s significantly more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 2,600-nit peak brightness and the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s 3,600 nits. The panel is based on Tandem OLED technology, which stacks two layers of organic LEDs to enhance brightness, contrast, and power efficiency. That said, peak brightness numbers aren't necessarily what you'll see in regular use.

A camera system with serious ambitions

Under the display, the Signature 27 is equipped with a quad-camera setup led by a 50MP Sony LYT-910 sensor with LOFIC technology, as well as a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with up to 100x zoom and a 50MP ultrawide shooter. You also get a dedicated Action sensor designed to capture fast-moving subjects with more clarity.

Inside is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. Motorola has also bumped up the vapor chamber by 40% to better deal with heat during demanding workloads.

The phone ships with Android 17, and it will get software updates for seven years. The dual speakers are tuned by Bang & Olufsen, and the two finishes are Capulet Olive and Coal Smoke.

The price could be its biggest obstacle

Motorola has not yet announced the battery capacity, charging speeds, storage options, or official pricing. But recent retailer leaks suggest that the 512GB model could be priced at $1,800.

The Motorola Signature 27 is set to release on November 5. That leaves the remaining question of whether its impressive specs will come with a sensible price tag.

Samsung’s next entry-level flagship is undoubtedly on the horizon, but if you were hoping for a major charging upgrade, you might want to temper your expectations.

UL Solutions (Demko) in Denmark recently filed regulatory documents confirming that the upcoming Galaxy S27 will be stuck at the same 25W wired charging speed that we've seen since 2020. According to the listings in the database dated October 23, there are various regional variants of the SM-S952 model family for the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea, all rated for 9V DC at 2.77A, TheTechOutlook reports.

That comes out to around 24.93W, or basically you get 25W charging again. That’s Samsung’s usual charge limit for its base Galaxy S models, and it’s the same number as on the Galaxy S26.

The Galaxy S27 appeared in Demko’s database with two certificates, DK-187425-UL and DK-187435-UL. There are ten model numbers for the listings, including SM-S952U, SM-S952U1, SM-S952W, SM-S952B, SM-S952N, and more. Therefore, it doesn’t seem like Samsung is restricting faster charging to select markets.

The competition is not standing still

The bigger problem is the length of time Samsung has stuck with this spec. The regular Galaxy S series has had 25W wired charging since the Galaxy S20 launched in 2020. That’s a long time to leave a flagship feature virtually untouched, especially when Chinese smartphone makers are already offering charging speeds two or three times faster.

The rest of the Galaxy S27 family, at least, could be more interesting. Previous listings of Chinese 3C certifications suggest that the Galaxy S27 Plus could offer 45W charging, while the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra may reach speeds of up to 60W. The reported Ultra upgrade isn’t a huge leap, but those numbers would make the premium models better off.

Samsung could somewhat make up for it with better power efficiency. The regular Galaxy S27 reportedly features the Exynos 2700 for most parts of the world, with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 version supposedly coming to the US. Being more efficient might help the battery last longer, but it won't charge the phone any faster.

Do note that the latest certifications don’t reveal wireless charging speeds or confirm the phone’s battery capacity. Samsung has yet to officially announce the Galaxy S27, so these specs are unconfirmed. But if the 25W ceiling holds up through launch, consumers might be waiting another year for Samsung to catch up.

OPPO could be planning a big change for its next flagship camera.

The upcoming Find X10 Ultra is reportedly being tested with MediaTek's Dimensity 9600 Pro, a move that would take the Ultra series away from Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon chips. But don’t write off Qualcomm just yet: Another configuration with Snapdragon silicon is said to be in development as well — and it may still be the one that hits the market.

The latest news comes from Weibo tipster Smart Pikachu, who says OPPO is testing the Dimensity 9600 Pro alongside custom imaging algorithms. The algorithms are said to be designed to work with OPPO’s Lumo True Image Engine, which is an indication that the company wants to hold onto its camera-processing abilities no matter what chip it ultimately settles on.

The potential switch makes sense on paper. The Dimensity 9600 Pro is built on TSMC’s 2nm process and consists of two C2-Ultra cores running at up to 4.55GHz and six performance cores. OPPO has already confirmed this processor for the Find X10 Pro Max, so it’s a natural fit for the Ultra.

But Smart Pikachu says the version running on Snapdragon, which is going to be Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, is now more likely to come.

There’s more to this phone than just its processor, however. Leaks in the past suggest an ambitious camera setup, including a 200MP main camera with a 1/1.12-inch sensor and Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC) technology, cutting-edge camera sensor tech that dramatically increases dynamic range and prevents highlight clipping, according to DPReview. There's also a second 200MP periscope telephoto camera, as well as a 50MP periscope lens that offers 10x optical zoom. There are also said to be plans for a front camera with 100MP.

If OPPO opts for MediaTek, the Find X10 Ultra and Find X10 Pro Max could share the same flagship SoC. That would put the pressure on OPPO to differentiate its more expensive Ultra model based on its camera hardware and imaging capabilities, rather than raw chipset specs.

The Find X10 Ultra is expected to be released in China in the first half of 2027. OPPO has not confirmed the handset or its final hardware configuration yet, so there is still plenty of time for plans to change. Qualcomm has the edge for now, but MediaTek has earned a seat at the table.

What you need to know

• Nothing announced that its OS 5.0 update (Android 17) is rolling out today (Oct. 30) for the Phone 3a and Phone 4a series.
• The update brings a hefty changelog of fixes and tweaks to the phones, and there's a little more in store for the cameras on the Phone 3a.
• The Phone 3 received its update in mid-October, and Nothing once again states it's deploying a "staggered" rollout, so not everyone will see it simultaneously.

Another round of testing has concluded for Nothing's Android 17 update, and two more phone series are receiving the full update to end the week.

In separate community posts, Nothing announced that its OS 5.0 update (Android 17) is rolling out to the Phone 3a and Phone 4a series. Right off the bat, Nothing informs users that this is a "staggered" rollout. Not everyone will see it at the same time, as many users in the replies are noticing. Some have received it, but the majority are still waiting, especially many who were in the beta.

There are a few notable camera differences in what's rolling out to the Phone 3a and Phone 4a. The patch notes state the Phone 3a series is receiving "Enhanced video creation with support for Filters and Tuning, and Dual-view Video." In addition, these cameras get "tuning with seven adjustable effects and a reset option" and upgraded editing presets.

For the Phone 4a, Nothing says these devices can now "record with the front and rear cameras simultaneously" with Dual-view Video. Both the 3a and 4a phone series have been granted a refreshed camera UI with updated controls, feedback, and animations as well.

Essential Voice on the Phone 4a receives an update to its transcription capabilities, as it becomes "faster with reduced latency." The Phone 4a Pro follows closely with additional updates for the base Phone 4a in Android 17.

Have you gotten the update?

As we presumed earlier this month, the Nothing OS 5.0 update is rolling out for the Phone 3a and 4a series after the Phone 3. Mid-October was when Phone 3 users got their hands on the major update, which includes deeper phone customization, improved Essential AI tools, a Glyph Interface app, and a brand-new typeface, Geist. There's quite a lot to cover about Nothing OS 5.0, but those are a few highlights.

Regarding the new typeface, Nothing says Geist is "cleaner and easier to scan." Essential AI got some TLC on the Phone 3, mirroring what's rolling out for the Phone 4a and Phone 4a Pro. Not only have real-time transcriptions taken a step up, but so have its Smart Collections. Nothing says Smart Collections can now "suggest and organize content for you automatically."

T-Mobile isn’t interested in turning SpaceX into a wireless partner, and CEO Srini Gopalan isn’t exactly being subtle about it. While Starlink has larger aspirations to branch into mobile connectivity, the carrier says a deeper partnership would add little value to its business.

Speaking during T-Mobile's third-quarter 2026 earnings call, Gopalan reiterated that the company has no plans to enter a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement with SpaceX. Such a deal would let SpaceX offer wireless services on top of T-Mobile's existing cell network, paving an easier route into the U.S. mobile market for the satellite company.

Gopalan said T-Mobile evaluates potential MVNO partnerships based on whether they open up new addressable markets, distribution channels, or capabilities. He doesn't believe a SpaceX deal will accomplish any of those things. The company would still consider a straight commercial or resale arrangement, but that’s a very different proposition to providing SpaceX access through an MVNO deal.

T-Mobile thinks satellite has some catching up to do

The main problem is that T-Mobile doesn’t see satellite connectivity as a big alternative to its current broadband services. Gopalan described satellite internet as an inferior alternative to fixed wireless access (FWA), except in some remote rural locations, where traditional cellular coverage is harder to deliver.

That assessment isn’t entirely surprising. Roughly two-thirds of T-Mobile’s FWA customers live in densely populated urban areas, where the carrier believes there is plenty of unused network capacity to support more growth. Meanwhile, satellite connectivity is constrained in terms of beam size and available coverage capacity.

There is also little reason for the company to merge the two technologies when its current infrastructure can already cater to its largest customer markets.

SpaceX has bigger plans, but carriers aren’t buying in

SpaceX’s ambitions go way beyond satellite messaging. The company reportedly wants access to at least 80,000 U.S. cell sites as it seeks to build a more meaningful terrestrial wireless presence. It also has FCC approval to deploy up to 15,000 next-gen Starlink satellites that can connect directly to smartphones.

That growth could put SpaceX in closer competition with established U.S. carriers. But T-Mobile isn’t the only major carrier keeping its distance. Verizon CEO Dan Schulman also dismissed an MVNO deal, and AT&T boss John Stankey downplayed the competitive threat.

That said, T-Mobile’s existing T-Satellite service already uses SpaceX technology, but Gopalan previously revealed that T-Satellite accounts for just 0.0002% of T-Mobile’s total network usage during normal conditions. It’s hardly a vote of confidence in satellite connectivity as a big growth driver.

Right now, T-Mobile would prefer to spend money on its own 5G network and get ready for 6G than to make a wider deal with SpaceX. The carrier sees more opportunity to squeeze more capacity out of its existing network than to bring a satellite operator into its wireless business.

What you need to know

• The FTC has reportedly imposed a $15 million (20 billion KRW) fine against Samsung for misleading mobile gamers with the Galaxy S21, S22, and Tab S8.
• It states that the devices featured a GOS (game optimization service), which would handle heat generation for the devices; however, it was found to hinder gaming performance regardless of temperature.
• The devices would suffer from decreased graphical performance, lag, and freezes.

Samsung has reportedly been served a hefty fine in South Korea over its "misleading" gaming experience on a few past-gen devices.

According to Yonhap News (Korean), the FTC has imposed a $15 million fine (20 billion KRW) for misleading mobile gamers with the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Galaxy Tab S8 series (via SamMobile). In a statement, the FTC said, "Gaming performance was one of the most effective indicators for showcasing the capabilities of premium smart devices through rapid screen transitions and elaborate graphical effects."

However, in Samsung's old advertisements, it showcased an experience that users seldom received.

It was reported that the devices in question featured a GOS: a game optimizing service. The post states that this service was responsible for the "heat management system" for games. The FTC found that Samsung's GOS wasn't an aid to gamers, but a hindrance. The GOS would begin limiting the device's performance when a game was launched, resulting in reduced graphical performance, freezing, and lag.

One would imagine that a phone's performance would decline a bit (or, at least lower its quality) if it was generating too much heat. After all, these devices have internal systems to avoid total failure. But what's strange is that the FTC states the GOS would hinder GPU and CPU performance no matter whether the phone (or tablet) was hot or cold.

The FTC states its move "...reaffirms the need by companies to clearly inform consumers of important factors affecting performance..." Samsung reportedly disagrees with the FTC. Yonhap News obtained a statement in which the company says the GOS was put in place to "...allow users to enjoy games stably for extended periods." Moreover, Samsung reportedly plans to defend itself against the FTC's fine.

Heat management, you say?

Gaming has gotten better on phones. If we're thinking about Samsung's flagships, it's definitely improved, but it could be better. The Galaxy S25 Ultra can run intensive games like Wuthering Waves; however, you will need to lower some settings for a stable, smooth FPS (frames per second). Of course, there are other devices out there better equipped to handle these strenuous games.

What's most curious to me about the FTC's fine is that the GOS was a heat management system. Samsung has been no stranger to overheating devices, and its Exynos chip was a major culprit. Phones are going to get hot no matter what, but Exynos was infamous for overheating in the blink of an eye. Samsung has taken strides to improve that with the Exynos 2600, and we've seen rumors about even more updates for the 2700.

What you need to know

• Samsung may cut Galaxy A production by 20% in the fourth quarter as component costs soar.
• Around 10 million fewer phones could be produced annually, with further cuts of over 10% reportedly planned for 2027.
• Samsung may prioritize Galaxy S and Z flagships over cheaper phones to protect profitability.

Samsung is reportedly planning to scale back on cheaper Galaxy phones as soaring component prices squeeze its mobile business.

South Korea’s ETNews says the company plans to cut production of its Galaxy A series by about 20% in the fourth quarter, potentially leaving it with millions fewer phones than expected and freeing up more resources for its pricier flagship devices.

Component orders have been lowered versus Samsung’s original 2026 production plan, the report said. That’s around 10 million fewer phones a year, with production cuts of over 10% reportedly planned in 2027.

Samsung has yet to confirm the reported changes. Android Central has reached out to the company for comment and will update this story when we receive a response.

That move makes financial sense, even if it puts pressure on Samsung’s cheapest phones. The Galaxy A series reportedly accounts for about 70% of the company’s smartphone shipments and is a major player in Samsung’s continuing tussle with Apple for the global sales crown.

The problem is that making cheaper phones is becoming more expensive. Memory prices have skyrocketed, with memory chips said to be accounting for more than half of the cost in producing some budget and mid-range devices. Other component suppliers, including printed circuit board and multilayer ceramic capacitor makers, are also feeling the squeeze as manufacturers focus on lucrative AI hardware.

Samsung is reportedly steering scarce components to its higher-margin Galaxy S and Galaxy Z devices in response. That is to say, it may be better to sell fewer affordable phones than to sell millions of phones that make little or no profit.

The latest report comes a few weeks after rumors began circulating that the company may reduce overall smartphone output by 20% to 30% in the fourth quarter as memory costs continue to climb. That would leave its 2026 production target well short of the roughly 270 million phones it had originally planned.

Consumers may unfortunately end up paying part of the bill. An industry source cited by ETNews cautioned that Samsung’s production cuts could translate into higher launch prices for future Galaxy A phones, possibly with reduced display or camera specs.

The bigger question is whether Samsung can defend its profit margins without ceding to Apple and Chinese smartphone brands in price-sensitive markets.

What you need to know

• An overseas report alleges that Samsung's Exynos 2700 is "outperforming" Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite Extreme chip in early tests.
• The chip has reportedly scored "20% higher" in its CPU and GPU tests.
• This is the second time rumors about its performance has surfaced, as early reports mentioned the Exynos 2700 could beat Qualcomm in AI capabilities, too.

There's a rumor that says Samsung's next in-house chip features a CPU that can beat Qualcomm's latest flagship.

These allegations stem from an overseas report by EB News (Korean), which claims Samsung's Exynos 2700 might "outperform" the Snapdragon Extreme (via SamMobile). The company reportedly ran Exynos 2700 tests using the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max and the 18 Pro. According to the publication, the chip's CPU scored 13,000 on Geekbench.

Compared to the Snapdragon Extreme, the Exynos 2700 scored "20% higher" inside the 18 Pro Max. Another focus for Samsung in its early testing was the chip's GPU performance. Supposedly, its chip performed roughly 20% better than Qualcomm's Extreme chip.

However, the post states that for "basic graphics computation capabilities" in gaming, the Exynos 2700 outpaced Qualcomm by a much smaller 5%.

These are early numbers, and it's always better to see how chips perform in the real world during more practical scenarios. Right now, it's best to take this with a grain of salt. Moreover, this isn't the first time we've heard that the Exynos could outperform Qualcomm's flagships.

For the second time...

If we're to consider all that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 provides, these rumors might seem a bit audacious. But this is technically the second time we're hearing about it. During the summer, rumors claimed the Exynos 2700 showed positive test scores that "outperformed" Qualcomm's next-gen chips. Similar to this overseas report, the Exynos 2700 beat Qualcomm in CPU, GPU, and AI.

Previously, it was said that the chip "recorded "24% higher performance" over the 8 Elite Gen 6 and "22% higher" than the (rumored) 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro." We've now come to know the "Pro" as the Extreme. Either way, there's still a multitude of variables we're unsure about. A true comparison is best left for when the chip is here, and we can see for ourselves.

What you need to know

• T-Mobile is launching T-Mix, which replaces pre-packaged plans with a credits system called Picks, so you spend on what you actually use.
• Plans include Standard ($55/month, 1 Pick), More ($75/month, 2 Picks), and Loaded ($95/month, 3 Picks) for a single line.
• Picks can be spent on services like Netflix, Apple TV, Xbox Game Pass, DashPass, Google Gemini, or applied toward new device promos.
• Customers can change their subscription lineup every three months, though unused Picks do not roll over and out-of-window changes incur fees.

T-Mobile is giving customers more control over their wireless plans with a new lineup called T-Mix, which allows you to select which subscriptions and add-ons come with your monthly bill.

The service, unveiled October 26, launches in November in three tiers, letting customers trade unwanted perks for services they actually use instead of settling for another carrier’s pre-packaged bundle.

The new line-up includes T-Mix Standard for $55/month, T-Mix More for $75, and T-Mix Loaded for $95 on a single line. All three prices require AutoPay and exclude taxes and fees. Each plan comes with a set number of credits, called Picks, that customers can spend on eligible subscriptions, wireless features, and phone promos.

These choices include a surprisingly broad array of services. You can put your Picks toward Apple TV, Netflix, Hulu, Apple Music, YouTube Premium, Pandora, SiriusXM, Paramount+, Xbox Game Pass, ESPN Unlimited, DoorDash DashPass, Google Gemini, or Delta SkyMiles.

T-Mobile is also letting customers use Picks on device promos, which could mean a new phone as part of their benefits mix.

How many Picks you get depends on your plan: Standard has one, More has two, and Loaded has three per line, within plan limits. The higher the tier, the more options you have to add benefits. The most expensive plan is not necessarily the best deal if you won't be using the extra benefits.

T-Mix also addresses one of the biggest annoyances with bundled wireless perks: being stuck with benefits that no longer fit your lifestyle. Customers can normally change their chosen partner benefits every three months with an additional annual change window.

Some wireless benefits, including T-Satellite, can be changed at any time. However, unused Picks don’t carry over, and some benefits may incur a fee when changed outside of an eligible window.

The plans will feature the typical T-Mobile perks, such as T-Mobile Tuesdays, hotel and rental-car perks, and access to special events. The carrier says customers on the Loaded tier, on average, get at least $120 per month in value per line.

T-Mix could make subscription bundles more useful, particularly for households trying to juggle streaming, gaming, and delivery memberships. But its popularity will hinge on how easy T-Mobile makes the Pick system to grasp. Flexibility is nice; having to do subscription math just to pick a phone plan, less so.

It's hard to emphasize just how good the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max is. As a tech journalist for the past 20 years, I've heard many comments wishing a company would just put everything into a phone, and while we've seen that before, no one has done it as successfully as Oppo.

The company's return to global markets comes with a phone that does it all. Most phones have one or two 200MP cameras; the Find X10 Pro Max uses 200MP sensors on all three cameras. Some phones struggle with battery life; the Find X10 Pro Max lasts for days. Some flagships struggle with performance, even when they're high-priced; the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro inside the Find X10 Pro Max has never faulted during my weeks of use.

This is the Find X10 Pro Max in a nutshell. Oppo made the best phone it could, designed for those who want the best. The Find X10 Pro Max is an Ultra in all but name, but like any phone, it has a few things worth noting.

Normally, it's easy to find flaws when writing a review. However, the Find X10 Pro Max is so good that, aside from a slightly smaller EU battery and discoloration on the included white case, it has only one major downside: its high price, made even higher by the ongoing RAM crisis.

Starting at £1,499 in the UK and €1,799 in Europe, this is amongst the most expensive phones you can buy, at least the non-folding kind. There are some deals, and you can get the excellent Teleconverter Kit for free (worth £500), plus further trade-in discounts, but you'll still pay a sizable price. That said, this phone promises everything and delivers, and although it’s expensive, I think it’s worth it.

The Find X10 Pro Max is the most complete Android phone I've ever used, and it sets an extremely high standard for other companies to match. It has all the hardware you need, ColorOS is my favorite user interface, and Oppo is beefing up its after-sales service alongside six years of updates. If you've ever loved a OnePlus phone, this is the successor you’ve been waiting for, and you'll thoroughly enjoy it.

If you want the best phone that money can buy, look no further than the Find X10 Pro Max. Here’s why it's likely the best Android phone of the year.

The most complete camera on a smartphone

Our review of the Find X9 Ultra earlier this year said its camera system was on another level entirely, and in six months, Oppo has raised the bar considerably. Yes, the Find X10 Pro Max doesn't have a 1-inch sensor or the secondary telephoto lens, both of which I presume will come in a future Find X10 Ultra, if at all, but it has everything else you want, starting with triple 200MP cameras.

I’ve always wondered what would happen if a company built the first phone with only 200MP cameras. The answer is obvious: you get stunning photos and videos across all three lenses, at various zoom levels, in a variety of conditions. In short, the Find X10 Pro Max camera does it all, and you won't need much else. If you do, the Teleconverter Kit takes it to a new level, making it the best free gift if you can choose.

The main camera uses a 200MP f/1.5 Samsung ISOCELL HPC 1/1.28-inch sensor, co-developed by Oppo and Samsung, paired with a 24mm focal length, phase-detection autofocus, and OIS.

What makes the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max truly unique is its ultrawide and telephoto cameras, both using the same /2.2 200MP Samsung Isocell HP5 1/1.56-inch sensor you’ll find in many phones. It’s smaller than the sensors you might find in other telephoto cameras, but that hasn’t affected telephoto performance. The ultrawide has autofocus, while the telephoto has autofocus, OIS, a 10 cm minimum focal distance, and 3x optical zoom.

In virtually every scene I tested, the Find X10 Pro Max camera excelled. The processing can be somewhat aggressive, especially with sunset hues, but that applied to less than 0.5% of the 1,000 photos and videos that I captured. Thanks to Oppo’s new LUMO True Image Engine and its ongoing, multi-year partnership with Hasselblad, you get fantastic, true-to-color photos across every use case I tried, from landscapes while on a boat in the Spanish sea to capturing portraits of people and pets at a variety of focal lengths in a range of conditions.

The same goes for video recording, with Oppo stacking the Find X10 Pro Max camera to make it ideal for video creators. You can record up to 4K at 60fps, 4K at 120fps, and even 8K at 30 fps. It supports Dolby Vision, ACES-certified O-Log2, and, for the first time on an Oppo smartphone, Open Gate Capture.

This is a big deal for capturing memories: it records in 4:3 and uses the full imaging area, unlike most smartphones that crop the camera sensor, so you can easily reframe between horizontal and vertical videos in editing later. This means you can edit the same video into a widescreen YouTube video or a vertical Instagram Reel without the awkward framing and cropping you’ll find on most phones and cameras.

The Teleconverter will further enhance the camera

What really surprised me about the Find X10 Pro Max is its teleconverter kit. Oppo has struggled to make this stable enough to be reliable in past generations, but this year's teleconverter kit is outstanding.

The kit includes a teleconverter that offers 10x optical zoom, which is also available in the fourth lens on the Find X9 Ultra, plus up to 40x zoom that's surprisingly capable.

The biggest improvement is its stability, especially at 10x and 20x. This is a big step up, especially in video. Previously, I wouldn't have used the teleconverter kit for video, at least not without the tripod mount, but the Find X10 Pro Max changes that; I captured the following video handheld, without a tripod, and it speaks volumes.

The kit also includes a protective case, a tripod adapter ring, a storage bag, and a camera shoulder strap. One downside I noticed: the white protective case shipped with the Luna White phone discolored considerably within a few days.

Priced at £549 in the UK, the Teleconverter Kit isn’t a must-have purchase as the cameras are so capable without it, but it will significantly enhance your experience. It also comes with a beautifully designed soft vegan leather carry pouch, a first for Oppo’s teleconverters and a welcome surprise.

The kitchen sink of smartphone hardware

If you could put together a wishlist for what a smartphone should have, you would inevitably end up with Oppo. They’ve picked up the mantle from companies like Huawei and Samsung in past eras, and the Find X10 Pro Max is the latest in an incredible smartphone lineup.

The Find X9 Ultra is this year’s best Ultra phone, mostly for its 1-inch sensor, but the Find X10 Pro Max performs better thanks to its triple 200MP setup and a more optimized experience in ColorOS 17. Last year, the Find X9 Pro marked the start of Oppo’s new direction and set a standard that the Find X10 Pro Max clearly outperforms, while this year's Find N6 is arguably the year’s best folding phone. With this pedigree, it’s no surprise that the Find X10 Pro Max has everything you could want in a smartphone.

The Dimensity 9600 Pro delivers premium, flagship performance, and with Oppo’s optimizations, I haven't experienced a single slowdown. It’s paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and between 256GB and 1TB of storage; my review sample has 16GB and 512GB, respectively. This goes beyond the processor, and I’ve found the network and call performance superb, including while roaming with Google Fi in the UK and with both EE and Fi in Spain. The under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is easy to set up and unlocks extremely fast, but you probably won’t even get to it, since facial unlock is also superb.

It also has an IR scanner, and I love carrying Oppo phones for that reason. On numerous occasions, I’ve used Oppo phones, including the Find X10 Pro Max and Find N6, to bypass locked-down hotel TV remotes or control my Apple TV when I forget the remote and can’t connect via my iPhone. It’s a timely reminder of a use case that’s becoming more frequent: infrared remotes are a good thing that should never have gone away.

Outstanding battery life and efficiency

Oppo is known for large batteries, superfast charging, and incredible battery life, and the Find X10 Pro Max delivers on all three, with a couple of caveats.

First, the global model has an 8,000 mAh battery, but the EU model has a smaller 7,150 mAh capacity. I’m testing the 8,000 mAh model, and it's proven to be an absolute champion, but the EU model will likely offer slightly less battery life. Another point: it’s smaller than last year’s Find X9 Pro, which had a 7,500 mAh battery in the EU.

The global Find X10 Pro Max offers outstanding battery life, among the best in the industry. I haven’t run my full battery benchmark suite yet, so I can’t quantify exactly how much it beats the competition, but it has the best battery life of any flagship I’ve tried. The large capacity and 10W reverse wired or wireless charging also make it a strong emergency power bank, and I’ve used it to charge other devices with strong results: wired charging is straightforward, but aligning devices for wireless reverse charging can be hard. It’ll probably work, but it’s a last resort.

Charging is the other caveat: on paper, it matches other Oppo flagships, but the company has taken a conservative approach, and it’s much slower than previous generations. A full charge takes about 72 minutes, for an average charge rate of 111.11 mAh/minute. Meanwhile, the Find X9 Ultra's 7,050 mAh battery charges to full in about 48 minutes, for a charge rate of 146.88 mAh/min, or ~32% faster.

This is even more pronounced at the 15- and 30-minute marks. I’ve previously tested the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Find X9 Ultra, and when I ran the same test on the Find X10 Pro Max, I was surprised it trailed the competition in both.

Notably, these are only 1-2% lower than the Find X9 Pro, so it’s not a major year-on-year downgrade, but it's surprising to see Oppo trail the competition given how far ahead it has been in the past.

Stand-out design and a vibrant display

The Find X10 Pro Max follows a similar design to last year’s Find X9 Pro, though Oppo has extended the camera module horizontally. The key difference is the new Lumo Camera Island, an additional aluminum camera island that houses the True Color Camera and LED flash. Like past Oppo phones, it also has a subtle orange accent that nods to Hasselblad’s iconic camera designs.

In the hand, the Find X10 Pro Max is the most balanced phone I’ve used in years. It feels premium, flagship, and solid, which is exactly what you want from a £1,500 phone. The flat aluminum frame has slightly contoured edges, which make it surprisingly comfortable to grip for extended periods.

The Find X10 Pro Max measures 8.4mm thick and weighs 233 grams. Neither is groundbreaking, but it is thicker and heavier than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. That’s not exactly surprising, as the Find X10 Pro Max is a considerable upgrade. It's also thinner and lighter than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and its weight distribution makes it feel less top-heavy.

The 6.78-inch display is nearly the perfect size for comfortable one-handed use, but it does require some stretching, far less than rival devices with bigger screens. The display is similar to the Find X9 Pro, but it does reach 144Hz. Oppo also says the brightness is slightly higher, and an increased PWM Dimming rate of 3,840Hz should make it easier on people with sensitive eyes.

During its launch and briefings, Oppo specifically called out the bezels around the display. At 1.15mm thick, they’re among the thinnest on any smartphone, for a more immersive viewing experience. This is even better for streaming, with HDR10+, HDR Vivid, and Dolby Vision all supported. In daily use, the screen is excellent in all conditions, and I’ve had no legibility issues, even on the water under overcast sun.

The software has plenty to like

The only issue I have with the software on the Find X10 Pro Max is that it won't get as many software updates as Google and Samsung phones. With a guarantee of five major version updates and six years of security updates, Oppo has improved over the four years offered with the Find X9 Pro, but still lags behind the seven years of updates offered by Google, Motorola, Samsung, and Honor.

I tested the global Find X10 Pro Max model with Android 17-based ColorOS 17 and encountered no issues using any part of the software. Oppo's ColorOS 17 interface is its most refined yet, and it is extremely reliable when using Gemini and Google AI features.

ColorOS is my favorite Android interface right now, as Oppo pairs a smart set of default choices with the ability to customize virtually everything. Most Android makers offer a smart set of defaults, but lack the latter, which is key: the ability to tweak, change, and optimize for your workflow is a throwback to why we love Android.

In my opinion, this is the gold standard of smartphone interfaces, and its ability to integrate and quickly share to other devices, including AirDrop between iPhone and Mac, is also the most polished I've seen on any Android phone.

The Find X10 Pro Max defines what a true flagship is

My biggest takeaway with the Find X10 Pro Max is that it’s hard to find any real faults. It’s rare to call a phone perfect, and while no phone ever is, the Find X10 Pro Max is the closest attempt yet at building the perfect smartphone. A few small negative asides; this review is particularly glowing for a reason: the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max is the best Android phone I’ve ever used.

The cameras are the best you’ll find in this class of phone in 2026, only surpassed in certain specific conditions by Oppo’s own Find X9 Ultra. The display is fantastic, battery life is superb, and MediaTek delivers true flagship performance. Add in some neat improvements in ColorOS 17, and you have the leading contender for phone of the year.

The Find X10 Pro Max is also getting Oppo’s largest global Find series release yet, and it will be available in over 60 countries, though the US isn't one of them. That means it’ll compete with the Galaxy S27 Ultra, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and models from Vivo, Honor, and Xiaomi. It’s hard to see how any of those phones will beat Oppo, as the Find X10 Pro Max is just that good.

What you need to know

• Reports from Galaxy S24 users claim their phones are experiencing severe battery drain issues after One UI 9.
• One device under "heavy use" reportedly dropped 95% in a little over five hours; however, it appears quite excessive in nature.
• Another report from a Galaxy S25 user states their device dropped a whopping 40% while sitting idle.
• A recent report from a Korean Galaxy S26 user states their device locked up after downloading One UI 9 due a "webpage unavailable bug."

Samsung has had a busy month. One UI 9 is rolling out on its current-gen and past-gen phones, but it's the latter that's worse off.

A Galaxy S24 Ultra user has reportedly experienced severe battery drain since downloading Samsung's One UI 9 update (via SammyFans). The phone's battery reportedly consumed 95% of its charge in five hours and twenty minutes. The post states this was after "heavy use." However, this might seem a bit excessive. The Galaxy S24 Ultra in question only reported a little over three hours of "screen-on time" (SoT).

It's unclear how widespread the problem is. Some users haven't noticed vastly different battery experiences since downloading One UI 9, while others have. A 9to5Google highlighted a Reddit thread discussing whether or not the Galaxy S24 is suffering from extreme battery drain. Curiously, one user reports horrendous idle battery drain with their phone.

One user had only two and a half hours of SoT, and their battery dropped significantly. In almost 11 hours, their battery lost 40% of its charge while sitting idle. More users continued to share their "since last charge" data. Users with higher SoT showed understandable battery drain.

The folks at 9to5 noticed some reports concerning the Galaxy S25 series. A user said they've had to start charging their phone multiple times a day to get through. We've not noticed any significant changes in our Galaxy S25 Ultra, so this could be one of those weird case-by-case situations.

Bumps in the road

The situation only gets weirder when you factor in the strange setup bug that one Korean user encountered with One UI 9. The user states they're unable to get to the lock and home screens after updating to Android 17. They are consistently given an error on the final step, but Samsung responded quickly. To fix the "webpage is unavailable" error, Samsung said to ensure the browser is updated. What's more, it recommends switching to a stable Wi-Fi connection.

This is another that's not widespread. However, Samsung might roll out a fix for this to cover its bases and make sure more users aren't affected. The only question is when that might happen.

What you need to know

• OnePlus has started rolling out its Android 17-based update to the OnePlus 15 and Pad 4 ahead of the October 29 schedule.
• ColorOS 17 brings redesigned animations, improved Quick Settings, more customization, and updated privacy controls.
• OnePlus says users can choose ColorOS 17 and roll back to OxygenOS, although supported rollback versions remain unconfirmed.

OnePlus has begun rolling out its stable ColorOS 17 update based on Android 17 ahead of schedule to the OnePlus 15 and OnePlus Pad 4. The rollout was originally planned for October 29, but the company has already begun pushing the software to eligible devices. That’s another step away from the OxygenOS identity that longtime fans know.

The stable update is being rolled out to the OnePlus 15 (CPH2745), as per the announcement on OnePlus’ Community, and it seems that the first to get it are those who signed up for the open beta. OnePlus Pad 4 will also be part of the initial rollout, but availability will depend on the way OnePlus rolls out the update in phases.

A new look with practical improvements

ColorOS 17 is based on Android 17 and brings redesigned animations, improved Quick Settings panels, more customization options, and updated privacy controls. OnePlus also promises better background process management to improve battery efficiency, which could make a difference for people who push their phones throughout the day.

This update is a part of a larger change at OnePlus. ColorOS will be the foundation of the next chapter of the company’s software after it announced it will leave North American and European markets. OxygenOS and ColorOS have shared a lot of their underlying tech over the years, but the change still marks a major departure from the branding that helped cement OnePlus in the hearts of Android fans.

There is also a regional wrinkle. OnePlus says eligible users can choose whether to switch to ColorOS 17, and those who make the jump can roll back to OxygenOS. However, the company has not yet revealed which versions of OxygenOS will be available for rollback.

Who gets it next?

Next in line are the OnePlus 15R, OnePlus 13, and OnePlus 13s. The wider rollout will be in stages, so don't panic if your phone hasn't got the notification just yet.

Owners can check by going to Settings > About device > ColorOS. It's worth pointing out that not every major software update is worth installing the second it appears; waiting for early reports can help you avoid unexpected bugs.

What you need to know

• After updating to One UI 9, a Korean user states they've encountered a critical setup bug.
• The user is unable to view their lock screen or home screen with this bug, but Samsung was quick to respond.
• They were encouraged to update their browser and to connect to Wi-Fi, not their cellular service.

The last thing anyone wants is a software bug that completely kneecaps their device. Unfortunately, that's exactly what some Galaxy S26 Ultra users are experiencing.

A user on Samsung's Korean forums says their Galaxy S26 Ultra is experiencing a critical error after updating to One UI 9 (via SammyFans). They state in their report (machine-translated), "Since the UI 9.0 update, this keeps appearing on my phone screen. The screen is black and the home screen isn't appearing either." What they're referring to is an error message that reads, "The webpage is unavailable... for the following reasons."

As the user states, they're unable to get past this startup screen after downloading Samsung's major Android OS upgrade. The only good news is that Samsung was quick to respond to their report. According to Samsung, "The development team has confirmed that this issue occurs when using an unstable system WebView on certain networks. We kindly ask that you follow the troubleshooting guide below."

The company suggests updating your browser, such as Google Chrome. It also recommends switching to a Wi-Fi network, not your phone's cell service. Once that's done, users can try logging into their Samsung Account as normal.

There's a chance this bug could get fixed in a future software update, but Samsung hasn't confirmed that yet.

Not a good look

This problem seems quite specific. Right now, it's unclear how widespread the problem is. However, One UI 9 hasn't been all roses for Galaxy users. Users on Reddit reported an "XML Access Denied error" almost two weeks ago (via Android Police). This error reportedly froze users' devices, which seems to have impacted the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S24, and others.

One user had to remove their SIM card in order to proceed, while another found relief by booting in safe mode with their Wi-Fi connection off.

These issues are frustrating, considering how long users have waited for Samsung's Android 17 update. We've been met with nothing but delays; however, in late September, the Galaxy S26 series finally got it in the U.S. T-Mobile customers reportedly got it first with a 4GB download. Shortly after, others received it for their respective carriers (or unlocked version).

Over the past few weeks, the update has rolled out for several budget phones, the Galaxy S25, and S24 series.

Android Central's Take

I've seen similar frustrations amongst users online when it comes to problems with Samsung's updates. We wait so long for them, go through delays, and then there's a major bug like this. It often makes one wonder about Samsung's quality control or what's going on with these delays. You'd think some delays were to squash these critical issues, but then they happen anyway.

What you need to know

• Omdia research published its expectations for the foldable display shipment market in 2026, suggesting it could increase by 44%.
• The company says this is due to the sharp rise in wide foldable phone popularity off the back of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo.
• Other research states the phone market in Q3 saw its largest drop in over 14 years, as it plummeted by 20% YoY.

Foldables have been around for years now, but the most recent trend to take over is the "wide fold." New research states foldable shipments could continue to climb in 2026, and it's the wide ones that might lead the charge.

Today (Oct. 21), Omdia published its latest forecast about how display shipments could perform in these final months. It states LTPO AMOLD foldable displays are expected to grow 44% in 2026. Researchers suggest the foldable display market may "rebound" in 2026 following strong performance by Samsung and Apple. The company's principal analyst, Brain Huh, said, "Display shipments for wide-screen foldable smartphones are expected to account for 44% of total foldable panel shipments in 2026."

It's hard not to think about Samsung and Apple when discussing "wide-screen foldable" phones. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo were two major product releases for their respective companies, and that's where Omdia focused. It states Samsung is expected to "strengthen its leadership in the foldable smartphone display market" this year.

Omdia likens this performance to the Fold 8 and iPhone Duo, as Samsung supplies the necessary displays for these "exclusively." Elsewhere, research shows that Samsung could hold solid ground over BOE, China Star, Tianma, and Visionox.

The company highlights other research, which shows a positive reception of these wider foldables, contributing to its overall (forecasted) display growth this year.

At least this looks positive... right?

Maybe this is a little light at the end of the tunnel? Who knows how this will affect the overall smartphone market as a whole, but hey, at least display shipments are booming! It's worth remembering that the phone market has been dropping this year. And we mean it's really, really been dropping this year. It downright plummeted off a cliff in Q3. Researchers said this is the lowest it's been in 14 years.

A report said that the phone market dropped 20% YoY in Q3; however, Samsung came out on top, thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Fold 8 Ultra. A major cause of this decline is the "extreme memory shortage." Research suggests rising prices are causing consumers to change their mentality about buying phones. With the market on struggle street, Samsung reportedly increased its market share by 23%, the largest amongst OEMs.

Apple lagged in second, but it was speculated that this was due to the iPhone 18 series missing a base (entry) model, with the 18 Pro and Pro Max.

I've been playing around with a Google Pixel 11 Pro for months, putting all its coolest features through their paces. One of my favorites is Magic Capture, a simple camera feature that lets you focus on shooting video while it handles high-quality still images. Wait, how? Once you're done shooting, Magic Capture analyzes the video, frame by frame and extracts the best still images automatically and intelligently from the moving frames. So you don't even need to do the work.

I have used Magic Capture in a few scenarios, both at home and at different events. While it isn't perfect, it works well enough to convince you use to use the Pixel 11. It solves the problem so many of us have in deciding whether to record a video or photos at your child's school concert, a birthday party, or any other gathering, event, or trip.

How Magic Capture works

Magic Capture works on every Google Pixel 11 series phone, including the base model Pixel 11 along with the Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

When you open the Google Pixel 11 Pro camera, you'll see the standard photo and video capture icons but also a Magic Capture button. Select Magic Capture and press the shutter to start shooting. Record video as you normally would, without worry about photos. Those will come later. Once you're done, press the shutter again to stop.

Once the video saves, the phone will analyze almost 400 frames and extract the best images — the one where everyone is laughing, someone has a genuine smile, or a person is in a perfect pose while dancing. These high-quality 12MP stills are automatically saved to your photo gallery. This works even if the phone is offline, though you may only get a few images while others are placed in a queue for processing and downloading once you're connected to the internet.

A video of 1-2 minutes will typically generate about four still images. The camera selects great images with flattering poses and expressions. But it doesn't always get it right.

I have seen it pull out images when someone's eyes are closed, for example, or that were clearly not the best options. But 80-90 percent of time, it grabs the best photos from the video.

Manually pulling high-quality stills

Along with relying on the automatically captured stills that Google chooses, you can pull out your own if you think there are better ones. Scrub through the video timeline, find the frame you like, pause in that spot, then and tap on the pop-up "Save as photo" bubble. I did this with one video I took where the automatically generated stills completely missed a great shot when I was jumping mid-air.

Yes, you can technically grab stills from video captured on any phone by taking a screenshot and cropping it. But this feature extracts a 12MP higher-quality image that is usually better than your screenshot. Even if you compare and don't notice much of a quality difference, not having to worry about that whole process makes this feature worthwhile.

You can shoot selfies, too with a workaround

You might be wondering if you can capture selfie videos using this feature. The short answer is yes, but you'd need a workaround since Magic Capture works only with the phone's rear camera. That's because it uses intense computational hardware that the front camera can't handle. To get around this, set the phone on a tripod or prop it against something with its back to you, adjusting the view for framing. Tap record and move into position or use a remote shutter device like a Pixel Watch 5. Then, do your thing.

I tried this by jumping, running, and dancing around in my backyard, even doing some fun runway poses. The camera pulled out some good shots, though it extracted a few weird ones, too. Nonetheless, with the right setup, you can record yourself posing on the beach or in front of a landmark. Instead of hitting the shutter over and over, record a video then let Magic Capture find the best pose.

A few things to remember

If you're using Magic Capture – and I promise if you get a Google Pixel 11 phone, you will – there are a few things to keep in mind. First, once you're reviewing the stills in your Photo Gallery, remove the ones you don't want. Otherwise, having four, five, or more photos for every video you shoot will quickly fill up your phone's storage.

Second, Magic Capture works only on footage of up to two minutes. So, if you're recording something longer, like your front row view at a concert, you'll have to shoot in two-minute increments rather than entire songs or even encores. Along with manually extracting stills if you think the phone missed a crucial moment, you can also apply edits to the automatically extracted ones, including cropping, straightening, and unblurring if needed.

Finally, while the default video resolution for Magic Capture is 4:3 at 1080p, you can use Video Boost if you have a Pro model to record in 10-bit 4K quality. To enable this, select the Settings gear icon on the bottom left after you choose Magic Capture in the camera app and turn Video Boost on. Note that you need to be signed into the Google Photos app with backup turned on for Video Boost files to process.

Magic Capture is simple but useful

Magic Capture is not only one of the best features of the Pixel 11 series phones, it's arguably one of the best camera features in a decade, period. I think back to my son's grade 8 graduation this summer when I was switching back and forth between capturing videos and stills. I missed getting a video of him walking to get his diploma (his dad luckily got one) because I was focused on getting a photo and couldn't do both at the same time.

I also recall every birthday party when I had to choose between video or still images of the person blowing out the candles. Most notably, there's the time I got to meet actor Alan Ritchson this summer ... they were filming Reacher Season 5 down the street from my house. With Magic Capture, I could have gotten incredible stills instead of a single selfie. The selfie was great, but with this feature and someone to record for me, it might have been even better.

What you need to know

• Oppo has launched the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max, with the latter featuring three 200MP rear cameras for the first time.
• The Find X10 Pro Max features Oppo's new LUMO True Image Engine, alongside 8K video and Open Gate Capture support.
• Both phones pack massive 8,000mAh batteries with 80W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, and 144Hz displays.
• The Find X10 Pro Max uses MediaTek's Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset, while the base Find X10 gets the Dimensity 9600M.

Oppo today officially announced the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max, its latest flagship smartphones for 2026.

The smartphone market in 2026 has been quite topsy-turvy. While phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra have introduced innovative features like Privacy Display, overall smartphone sales have reportedly fallen to a 14-year low. But that isn't stopping Oppo from going all out with its latest camera-focused flagships.

The company today unveiled the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max, bringing major upgrades across the cameras, battery, chipset, and overall design.

Now, before you ask, there's no regular Find X10 Pro this year. Oppo has announced just two models, the base Find X10 and the top-tier Find X10 Pro Max, with the latter going directly against the likes of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and iPhone 18 Pro Max. And the biggest upgrades this year are undoubtedly in the camera department.

As Oppo previously confirmed, the Find X10 Pro Max is the company's first smartphone to feature a triple 200MP camera system. This means you're getting a 200MP main camera, a 200MP ultrawide, and a 200MP telephoto camera on the back. It's an impressive setup, and something we haven't seen on a smartphone before.

But the upgrades don't stop at the camera hardware. Oppo has also introduced its new LUMO True Image Engine, which the company says takes a more natural approach to image processing. According to Oppo, the new engine reproduces colors more accurately across different lighting conditions, whether that's subtle tones in a landscape or more natural-looking skin tones in portraits.

The main camera also uses Samsung's new 1/1.28-inch ISOCELL HPC sensor, which Oppo says it co-developed with Samsung. The sensor features new DeepPix technology designed to improve HDR performance, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.

Oppo also claims the Find X10 Pro Max is the first smartphone capable of capturing 26MP photos by default across the entire zoom range from 0.5x to 9.9x. We'll be taking a closer look at the camera performance in a separate piece, but on paper, this is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious camera systems we've seen this year.

Video recording is getting plenty of attention too. Oppo says the Find X10 Pro Max can record up to 4K at 60fps, 4K at 120fps, and even 8K at 30fps using its camera system.

For more advanced video workflows, the Find X10 series also supports Dolby Vision, ACES-certified O-Log2, and, for the first time on an Oppo smartphone, Open Gate Capture. Oppo is also working with Blackmagic Camera to bring support for the Find X10 series' camera capabilities to the app.

Coming to the design, both phones retain a similar overall look to last year's Find X9 series, although Oppo has extended the camera module horizontally this time around.

On the front, the base Find X10 features a 6.59-inch display, while the Find X10 Pro Max comes with a larger 6.78-inch panel. Both displays support up to a 144Hz refresh rate and can reach a whopping 3,600 nits of peak brightness.

Oppo has also made some big upgrades to the battery. Both the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max pack massive 8,000mAh batteries, with support for up to 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

Under the hood, the Find X10 Pro Max is powered by MediaTek's latest Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset, while the base Find X10 uses the 3nm Dimensity 9600M. Both are part of MediaTek's latest flagship chipset family, although the Pro Max gets the more powerful variant.

In terms of the pricing, the Oppo Find X10 starts at €1,399 for the base variant with 256GB of onboard storage and 12GB RAM, whereas the Find 10 Pro Max is available for €1,799. The Find X10 Pro Max comes in a single variant with 12GB RAM and 512GB of onboard storage.

What you need to know

• Google extends free Satellite SOS by one year for Pixel 9 owners, with no additional charge.
• Satellite SOS launched in 2024 and lets users contact emergency services and share their location without cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.
• Regional availability varies, so the feature may not be accessible everywhere.

Google is giving Pixel 9 owners another year of free Satellite SOS access, pushing back the question of whether emergency satellite connectivity will eventually become another smartphone subscription. The extension comes just as the original two-year free-access period approaches its end, offering some welcome breathing room without answering the bigger question about long-term costs.

Google confirmed the expansion to PCMag when asked about plans for the service. “Confirming that we’ve extended this offering, at no additional cost, for one additional year,” a company spokesperson said, adding that Google had no further details to share.

Satellite SOS launched with the Pixel 9 series in 2024. For those unfamiliar, it lets users contact emergency services and send their location when there are no cellular networks or Wi-Fi available, making it particularly useful for hikers, travelers, and anyone involved in an emergency in an area with poor coverage.

The feature makes use of satellite connectivity hardware built into compatible Pixel phones, including Google’s Tensor G4 chip, which contains the Exynos 5400 modem. Users position their phone toward a satellite and send emergency messages following on-screen instructions, instead of using nearby cell towers. It’s the kind of feature you hope you never need, but you’re glad it’s there if things go sideways.

That said, Satellite SOS is not available on all Pixel phones. The Pixel 9a is excluded, while supported devices include the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Additionally, availability is also dependent on the region.

The extra year is good news, but what happens next is a rather important detail that Google is keeping quiet about. The company hasn’t announced subscription pricing or confirmed whether the service will eventually be a paid offering. It has also continued to refer in its published specifications to the original period of two years.

For now, Pixel 9 owners can continue using Satellite SOS at no extra charge for another year. What happens next is anybody’s guess, and Google still owes customers a clearer answer on the future of a feature designed for emergencies.

What you need to know

• Samsung is expanding the stable One UI 9 (Android 17) update to the Galaxy A36 globally, landing in Europe after its initial South Korea launch.
• The over-the-air update (version A366BXXUCDZIF) weighs in at over 2.3GB and bundles the September 2026 security patch.
• The Galaxy A36 release is rolling out alongside updates for other A-series models, including the Galaxy A56, A37, and A27.

Samsung is rolling out its stable One UI 9 update to the Galaxy A36 in global markets, with Europe among the first regions outside South Korea to get the software. The rollout started on October 19, so owners of midrange phones can now enjoy Android 17 and Samsung’s latest interface improvements without having to buy a newer Galaxy device.

The update carries firmware version A366BXXUCDZIF and includes the September 2026 security patch, as spotted by X user @Kailash0729 (via SammyGuru). The download is over 2.3GB, so make sure you have a good Wi-Fi connection and enough free storage before you begin installing. Just don’t expect Samsung to port every flagship feature to its more affordable hardware.

One UI 9 brings interface tweaks, more customization features, and security improvements. The update also is based on Android 17, while Samsung continues to customize some features for individual devices. The more advanced Galaxy AI features are still largely limited to compatible higher-end phones, so the A36 misses out on some of the more fancy additions.

It starts with a first stable release in South Korea on October 15, where the Galaxy A36 was shipped with the firmware version A366NKSU9DZIF. Samsung has since started to roll out availability outside of its home market, as well as updates for other Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy A56, A37, and A27.

But a global rollout doesn't mean every country gets the update at once. Samsung typically releases major software updates in phases, so some owners may have to wait days or longer for the download to appear.

Ready to go with your Galaxy A36? Tap Download and install. Then, go to Settings > Software update. Check again in the next few days if nothing shows up yet. Samsung is expected to release One UI 9 to more eligible Galaxy phones in the coming weeks.

What you need to know

• The Xiaomi 18 Pro is rumored at €1,449 for 12GB/256GB and €1,649 for 512GB. The 18 Pro Max reportedly lands at €1,849 with 12GB/512GB.
• Global models may get smaller batteries, with the Pro dropping to 6,000mAh and the Pro Max to 7,050mAh.
• Battery endurance looks promising on paper, with reported runtimes of up to 66.5 hours for the Pro and 70 hours, 40 minutes for the Pro Max.

Xiaomi’s new flagship phones could be headed to global markets with eye-watering price tags and smaller batteries than their Chinese counterparts. The Xiaomi 18 Pro may start at €1,449 for the 12GB RAM/256GB storage variant, with the 512GB model potentially costing €1,649, according to a new report from YTechB. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max reportedly starts at €1,849, with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Xiaomi hasn’t confirmed those prices, but they do indicate the company is pushing its Pro line more firmly into premium territory. To recap, the regular Xiaomi 17 launched in Europe at €999, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra launched at €1,499. That leaves the global 18 Pro just €50 shy of last year's Ultra flagship, which is not exactly the kind of pricing that shouts bargain.

Larger bills, smaller batteries

The pricing news comes with another possible compromise. The global Xiaomi 18 Pro may feature a 6,000mAh battery, a decrease from the 7,000mAh capacity found in China, according to YTechB's report citing listings on the European Product Registry for Energy Labeling. It’s also said that the Pro Max will go down from 8,500mAh to 7,050mAh.

The charging speeds may also differ. The global Pro is expected to support 90W wired charging rather than the 100W in China. The Pro Max is said to keep 100W wired charging, whereas both models are expected to retain 50W wireless charging.

The listings also reportedly state a battery life of up to 66 hours and 30 minutes for the Pro and 70 hours and 40 minutes for the Pro Max. Both batteries are also rated to hold 80% of their capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. The numbers are reassuring, but in the real world battery life will, of course, be dictated by how people use their phones.

Premium hardware needs premium justification

The Xiaomi 18 Pro series was unveiled in China with dual 200MP Leica cameras, dedicated rear screens, and hardware-based privacy screens. The Pro Max also gets Qualcomm’s more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip.

Xiaomi has another reason to hike prices, as rising DRAM and NAND prices are likely putting pressure on smartphone makers. But buyers paying flagship money are going to want more than impressive specs on paper.

What you need to know

• A rumor on social media suggests Samsung's foldable lineup could double in size with six phones in 2027.
• The company is allegedly preparing a TriFold 2, a Galaxy Z Fold 9 Pro, and a "Galaxy Z Slide."
• At CES 2025, Samsung Display showed off two slidable phone concepts: the "Slidable Flex Duet" and "Slidable Flex Solo."

Samsung's latest wave of foldables was incredibly popular. Okay, the Fold 8 took everything by storm, but that might not stop the company from doubling up on its offerings next year.

A rumor on X from tipster TheGalox claims Samsung is preparing for its "biggest foldable lineup ever" in 2027 (via 9to5Google). To start things off, TheGalox claims the Galaxy Z TriFold 2 could start Samsung's huge foldable stampede in 2027. This would succeed the original Z TriFold, which Samsung stopped producing after three months. Elsewhere, the tipster claims the foldables we typically expect could expand.

Currently, Samsung offers three foldables: the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8. The Fold 8 is its short, wider addition, and the Fold 8 Ultra is its standard book-style foldable. However, the tipster suggests Samsung could slip in a "Galaxy Z Fold 9 Pro." It's unclear what this would be. What's more, we're unsure about how Samsung would position this device between the Fold 9 and Fold 9 Ultra.

While we also expect to see a Flip 9, rumors say Samsung could introduce a new type of foldable: the "Galaxy Z Slide." It's almost a shame that the most interesting-sounding device is shrouded in the largest shadow, but that's only half true. If we want to at least fathom where we might go, we'll have to look back to CES 2025.

Sliding into 2027?

Samsung Display was at CES 2025, if you remember our coverage about it (if you don't, here it is). As usual, the company, like other companies, showed off several prototypes. On display were the "Slidable Flex Duet" and "Solo." The Slidable Flex Duet (YouTube) would let users pull (or slide) its display out from the left and right. The device would sit at 8 inches when compact, but sliding out its display would bring it to 12.4 inches—very tablet-like.

Alternatively, you have the Solo, which would go from 13 inches to 17.3 inches. Whether or not Samsung develops one of these concepts remains to be seen. This only serves as a base to get our minds thinking.

Rumors about a TriFold sequel got underway quickly after Apple's iPhone Duo launch. Allegedly, this phone could debut in 2027 with a thinner, lighter, and more durable design. However, its price tag might remain pretty hefty at $2,800.

What you need to know

• Rumors claim Samsung could launch the Galaxy S27 series earlier in 2027, in January; however, February could be the next best bet.
• Other rumors suggest Samsung is still struggling with the ongoing memory crisis, and it's "unsure" if it can bring upgrades to the Pro and Ultra.
• Storage and RAM upgrades were rumored throughout this year, but the tale's been consistent with Samsung's apparent uncertainty behind it.

The beginning of the year (Q1, really) is when we expect Samsung's next flagships. Rumors claim the company could start 2027 off with a bang.

A report by tipster Lanzuk on Naver (Korean) over the weekend suggests Samsung could debut its phones within the first two months (via Android Authority). Here's where things get tricky. The tipster suggests Samsung is leaning toward a January launch; however, things could get pushed into "February at the latest." While exciting, Samsung is still grappling with a few internal problems.

We've seen a Galaxy S27 Pro rumored for next year's series quite often, and this report concerns it, too. The post alleges that Samsung is still trying to sort out the memory/storage specifications for the S27 Pro and the S27 Ultra. The current crisis with these two pieces of hardware is a contributing factor, with the tipster stating Samsung must decide and consider the "scope of implementation."

The post states Samsung wants to implement UFS 5.0 (storage) and LPDDR6 (RAM) in the S27 Pro and Ultra.

Trying times for flagships

You might remember that the Galaxy S26 series launched in late February. However, the Galaxy S25 series launched in mid-January. We've seen Samsung bounce between these early months before, so we'll have to see where it lands next year.

As far as the RAM/storage rumors go, the UFS 5.0 rumor was brought up earlier this year, claiming not every S27 phone would get it. But we've seen many of the same topics brought up: "price and mass production." It wasn't clear which phones would get it, but speculation sided with the Galaxy S27 Ultra, at least. The RAM upgrade was a bit of a mixed bag. One report said the next Ultra might miss it completely as Samsung shifted gears toward other companies' "limited edition" phones.

Now it's back on the table, but it's still anyone's guess as to whether the Pro and Ultra will see it. The publication (Android Authority) brought up Samsung's chip issue: reports claimed Qualcomm's Elite Extreme was overheating, and Samsung might have to consider its Exynos instead. It found that Qualcomm has recently denied such claims. Who knows by this point. We'll have to wait and see.

What you need to know

• A report claims that Samsung's Galaxy S27 Ultra has run into extreme overheating issues with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6.
• These issues have reportedly caused "throttling" in the device, lowering its performance significant; a problem Samsung has reached out to Qualcomm to solve.
• Reports say time is ticking, and if these issues aren't solved, Samsung might have to go with the Exynos 2700.
• These issues are familiar, considering Samsung's own chips have struggled in the past with overheating problems, but the Exynos 2600 tried to solve that.

While we're eagerly awaiting the next Ultra flagship from Samsung, a report states the company's run into a problem. The issue lies with its chip and its supposed performance hiccups.

A report late this week by SEDaily (Korean) claims that Samsung's run into problems with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 on the Galaxy S27 Ultra (via SamMobile). Samsung reportedly observed that the chip pushed the phone's temperatures beyond acceptable thresholds. Much like a computer, if the device begins to overheat, performance issues will occur.

Samsung has reportedly experienced "throttling" with the Galaxy S27 Ultra. This hasn't sat well with the Korean OEM. The publication reports that Samsung holds the device to the highest standards and that it must "stably run high-performance cameras, graphics, and AI features" (machine-translated).

Presently, if the S27 Ultra continues to experience issues with the SD 8 EE Gen 6, then Samsung may switch to the Exynos 2700. This is a reality that has yet to happen.

The post states that Samsung has reached out to Qualcomm about these issues. Time is of the essence; however, the OEM has given the chipmaker until "mid-October" to rectify the problems. The problem Samsung experienced is interesting, considering it mirrors the gripes consumers have had with its Exynos series in the past.

Overheating chips

Qualcomm split its flagship chips going into 2027 with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The latter is designed to push the boundaries of mobile phone technology and targets Ultra phones. Qualcomm built the chip on a 2nm process with its new Adreno Neural Fusion technology. This leans on AI to boost graphics performance for gamers during longer sessions.

As we alluded to before, Samsung's Exynos chips were infamous for overheating. We'd like to remind you of the Exynos 2600 from 2025. This chip was a significant step for Samsung in the right direction compared to previous generations. Not only was it the world's first 2nm chip, but its CPU and GPU upgrades were also important. What's more, the company introduced a new Heat Path Block (HPB) to fix overheating and performance issues.

While these overheating fixes did well, Samsung could do better. Rumors about the Exynos 2700 say the company wants to introduce a next-generation HPB, reducing heat generation further.

Android Central's Take

This is textbook tech. If it can output graphic or whatever at a higher strength, it will generate more heat. Look at gaming PCs. Why do you think they have so many fans? Why do you think the graphics card has its own fan—or maybe two or three! There's a chance that Samsung and Qualcomm will have to reconfigure some things in the Galaxy S27 Ultra and the chip. Beyond this, there's also public perception. Samsung hesitates to drop an Ultra with Exynos in the States because it could impact sales.

Then there's overall performance. Can the Exynos 2700 go blow for blow with the SD 8 EE Gen 6?

I fondly remember owning my first BlackBerry, and then my second ... and third. The smartphone was a sign of prestige, a device you could fit in your pocket with both a screen (later also a touchscreen in some models) and a miniature QWERTY keyboard. It was genius. That is, until elongated, touchscreen-only phones started coming to market, namely the first iPhone. Suddenly, BlackBerrys weren't so trendy anymore.

What's old becomes new again, however — a statement that fits almost every industry, from fashion to music and even tech. Clicks Technology, a U.K.-based hardware company with team members who previously worked for BlackBerry and within the BlackBerry space, is leaning into this trend. Growing from its first keyboard case, there are two devices coming this year: the Clicks Power Keyboard, which is now shipping, and the hotly anticipated Clicks Communicator, which should launch in December.

"Something was thrown out with the bathwater when we moved to modern smartphones," Jeff Gadway, co-founder of the company (and former marketing director at BlackBerry), explained in a recent interview. His company aims to bring it back — and possibly a little magic to a market that could sorely use some fresh ideas.

I saw both devices in prototype form at CES 2026 earlier this year, and in an interview with Gadway, discussed how the company is bringing razzle dazzle back to mobile.

Clicks then and now

Clicks introduced its first keyboard case for iPhone in 2024, eventually expanding to make cases for select Android phones, too. To say people were excited would be an understatement. "It was like catching lightning in a bottle that first year," Gadway told me during a recent podcast interview.

Interestingly, it wasn't just nostalgia-fueled business executives but also younger folks from the digital native generations who were intrigued. Young adults who had never used anything but a touch- or voice-controlled phone loved the concept as much as they are now learning to love vinyl, CDs, and wired earbuds.

The company has since developed the Power Keyboard, a MagSafe enabled keyboard accessory you can use with any MagSafe-enabled phone or case, or any Bluetooth input device, for that matter. The Communicator is an Android phone reminiscent of a BlackBerry Bold that combines a small screen with a miniature QWERTY keyboard.

The Power Keyboard is universal

The Power Keyboard solves the biggest issue with the original Clicks Keyboard Case: needing a fitted case for every model phone. Instead, this version is magnetic, clipping vertically or horizontally onto the back of any MagSafe-enabled phone or phone case and functioning as a power bank with a slide-out keyboard.

It isn't limited to phones: Use it handheld with a tablet or even as a Bluetooth mini keyboard for your smart TV. If you've ever attempted to enter a password into an app using your TV's remote and on the on-screen keyboard, you know how frustrating that experience can be. Gadway says the use cases run the gamut, from students using this in class with their phone instead of bringing a laptop, to CEOs, writers, and musicians being productive on the go.

Clicks Communicator reminds you what a phone is for

Taking things a step further, the Clicks Communicator is designed to remind us of the true purpose of a mobile phone: communication. Newer smartphones are designed for content consumption and creation with bigger screens, cameras, processors, and batteries, says Gadway. "What if you could build a phone that was really optimized for communication?"

There are two ways you might use the Communicator. The first is as a secondary phone with its own plan or tethered to your primary device. Maybe you have a company-provided phone on which you aren't permitted to download personal apps. The Communicator can be that secondary device to keep in touch with family, access banking and social media apps, play games, and more. The difference between the Communicator and another smartphone is that the smaller, utility-type screen makes this possible, but it's not optimized for going down the rabbit hole of endless scrolling.

The second is as a primary phone, which Gadway told me is how a lot of pre-order customers have said they want to use it. The Communicator sits between a dumbphone, which eliminates access to distracting apps altogether, paring down the experience to bare bones communication, and a full-featured premium smartphone.

The Communicator is a full Android 17 device, though, with access to the Google Play Store, a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 processor, a 50MP main camera, and a 24MP front-facing camera. Clicks even upgraded the RAM to 12GB prior to the official launch. It has legacy features you won't find in most modern phones, like a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot to expand the built-in 256GB storage.

The key is in the design: a touchscreen occupying the top three-quarters (4.03 inches, 120Hz) and a bottom keyboard. It's a constant reminder that this isn't a phone to doomscroll TikTok and Instagram or get caught up in mobile games. You can do that. But you won't want to, and that's a good thing.

Other simple features are meant to further encourage focus, like a signal light, similar to the HiLight button in the Google Pixel 11 Pro series phones. Customize it with illuminating colors so you know when an incoming call or message is from your mom, child, spouse, or business partner versus a spam call or an old friend you don't have time to chat with right now.

Clicks is working with Niagara to build a custom Android launcher that can curate messages from your favorite apps on the home screen. Triage these apps, Gadway explains, to help prevent you from getting "sucked into side quests."

"What we're doing with Niagara," he explains, "is creating a version of this that taps into the hardware of Communicator using the touch-sensitive keyboard to scroll through your messages, and the keys themselves to delete, reply, forward, or mark as unread right from that home screen without ever having to actually go into the app itself. So, it's a much more purposeful home screen experience."

Clicks represents a return to form

Modern smartphones do more than ever. But there's something inherently missing from the experience. It stems from nostalgia, for those who grew up using phones with keyboards. But there's also value from a usability perspective for a younger generation who never put their hands on one.

Gadway says that with the original Keyboard Case, 40-45 percent of buyers had never used a BlackBerry before. "They wanted to reshape their relationship with technology, have some tech that was a little more intentional, a little more purposeful, and that allowed them to get their screen real estate back and have a more satisfying tactile experience."

"Touchscreen smartphones are amazing," Gadway said recently. "They do so many things. And yet they lack some of that tactility and the ability to accomplish certain things from your phone that you wait to do back at your desk."

Originally, Clicks was positioned, at least in the minds of those who clamored to get a look at the original case years ago, as a throwback to simpler times. Today, with the latest generation products, it's evident that a physical keyboard is no longer just catering to the BlackBerry faithful. "There is a much bigger audience than we expected," says Gadway. Touchscreens and voice activation aren't going anywhere. But there's something about tactile feel that even the younger generations yearn to experience, too.

What you need to know

• A Delaware jury sided with Qualcomm this week, finding Arm guilty of breaching a licensing agreement and "interfering" with business relations.
• Qualcomm was awarded $1 in damages for each offense, but the shouting will continue: the companies will likely find themselves in court over royalty payments.
• This started over Qualcomm's allegations that Arm "violated its contract" after its 2021 acquisition of Nuvia.

Qualcomm's court case with Arm was settled this week, and the former came out the victor ... in a way.

Reuters reported this week that a recent court case between Qualcomm and Arm over an alleged licensing breach has been settled. A Delaware jury found Arm guilty of the breach and of "interfering" with Qualcomm's business relationships, and as a result, Qualcomm was awarded $2 in damages — $1 for each offense.

While the jury officially sided with Qualcomm, Arm saw it differently. In a statement, the company said "the jury’s verdict confirms that Arm operated in ​good faith under its technology license agreement and its award of only two dollars confirms the merit of Arm’s arguments in the ‌case."

This likely won't be the end of Qualcomm and Arm's court dates. According to Reuters, Qualcomm has more to bring up, which it will likely do in court with Judge Maryellen Noreika. Since Arm neglected its responsibilities of providing the necessary tools for its chips, Judge Noreika could rule that Qualcomm can "stop paying royalties to Arm for five years." This is something Qualcomm has been after since this dispute began.

So far, Arm is against such a ruling. It remains to be seen what will happen.

Qualcomm's allegations

Qualcomm and Arm's court case began in early October. The former wants to freeze royalty payments for up to five years, a ruling Judge Noreika will have to decide in the future. But it all started after Qualcomm’s 2021 acquisition of the chip startup Nuvia. As stated before, Qualcomm alleged Arm "violated its contract" by withholding its chip-testing tools.

Beyond this were Qualcomm's business relationships. The company claimed Arm "leaked its threat to end a key license in 2024." This reportedly hurt Qualcomm's potential chip deal with Meta that year. Qualcomm said this leak dropped $170 million off its deal with Meta. Arm denied that it was linked to any of this. Instead, Meta's change of heart from VR headsets to AI glasses was the real reason, the company claimed.

There's still a concern that the fallout of these cases could impact future phone prices. Price negotiations and control over CPU technology could be hit the hardest.

What you need to know

• Counterpoint Research states Q3 for the global phone market reached its lowest point in 14 years.
• Research states the market dropped by 20% YoY, and Samsung took the number one spot, thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra.
• Counterpoint and Omdia suggest that Q4 might not show any meaningful improvements.

The global phone market looked bleaker and bleaker after every quarter in 2026. And new research states this is the worst it's been in 14 years.

Counterpoint Research analysts have published their Q3 2026 findings, which show just how far global phone shipments have plummeted. According to the research, global shipments saw a 20% YoY decline — and the culprit is clear. "The extreme memory shortage is pushing the smartphone market into a more selective phase," said Counterpoint senior analyst Shilpi Jain.

It states this is the lowest global phone shipments have been since 2012. While a sharp decline, Counterpoint states Samsung has retained its top position in the past quarter with a 3% YoY decline. What's more, Samsung's market share reportedly increased by 23%, "the largest share gain among major OEMs." Researchers attribute this to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra sales and its Galaxy A series.

Apple sits right behind Samsung in Q3, and the iPhone lineup is informative: The iPhone 18 series lacks a base option, offering only an 18 Pro and an 18 Pro Max. Counterpoint's analytics suggest this warranted the decline. Additionally, Chinese OEMs (Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo) round out the top five with massive declines of their own.

While a shortage of DRAM and NAND (courtesy of AI) is a key player in the market's decline, Counterpoint states "consumer behavior" has also changed as a result. Jain said, "Consumers are holding on to their devices longer than estimated, increasingly considering refurbished devices and prioritizing higher-value devices."

Q4 2026 remains dire for global phone shipments, with the post stating a recovery isn't likely "until component costs and supply conditions improve."

Struggling times

Sentiments surrounding Q3 and Q4 of 2026 have not changed. In July, Omdia posted its research on the global phone market for Q2. The market dipped by 4% YoY in Q2; however, Samsung and Apple saw growth of 2% and 4%, respectively, compared with other OEMs. While Omdia highlighted that the memory crisis caused the Q2 decline, it also forecasted continued turbulence for Q3 and Q4.

Even the budget phone market is a little sketchy.

Today, Counterpoint brought up an interesting point. It said OEMs are starting to focus on "profitability over shipment volumes amid elevated component costs and weaker affordability." Samsung is reportedly taking this path, asking suppliers to cut Q4 phone production by 20% to 30%.

What you need to know

• Nothing's General Release for its Android 17 update (OS 5.0) is rolling out now for the Phone 3.
• Nothing OS 5.0 brings major updates to the Phone 3, such as deeper phone customization, improved Essential AI tools, a Glyph Interface app, and a brand-new typeface, Geist.
• An updated roadmap reiterates the Open Beta for several more phones (Phone 4a and 3a series), ahead of an eventual General Release.

It's been two months of testing for Nothing's Android 17 software, and the update is finally rolling out.

Nothing announced in a community post that its OS 5.0 upgrade (Android 17) is rolling out for Phone 3 users. This "General Release" brings the "full experience" to all users—those who participated in the beta and those who didn't. Nothing states users should expect a "staggered release" for Nothing OS 5. While some users have received the update since Nothing announced its rollout, others will have to wait.

Certain regions and users in those regions will see the patch before others. So have patience this week and into next. If you're curious, Nothing states Phone 3 users should head into Settings > System > System Update to check if their device is ready to download/install.

Nothing OS 5 is huge—beyond the fact that it's Android 17. In late August, the company launched the software's open beta, encouraging Phone 3 users to join. Highlights include the system's new typeface, Geist. This typeface is "cleaner and easier to scan." It joins other refreshes to the device's UI's status bar, camera, Settings, and Gallery.

Elsewhere, you'll find the Glyph Interface inside a dedicated app. All features and sounds are housed in one place.

Nothing's Essential AI tools have been upgraded in OS 5. AI features have become a focal point for the company, and its Android 17 update sees it doubling down. Real-time transcriptions have been improved, and Smart Collections can "suggest and organize content for you automatically."

All of this and more (deeper personalization, lock screen upgrades, etc.) are packaged neatly in Nothing OS 5.

One down, more to go

The Phone 3 was the first to enter Nothing's Android 17 Open Beta, and it's the first to exit. However, we're still waiting on several more updates. Nothing's updated roadmap shows that the Phone 4a, Phone 4a Pro, and the Phone 3a and 3a Pro are still in their respective Open Betas. These devices entered the Open Beta program in September.

There's a chance a General Release could arrive later in October or November for these phones.

What you need to know

• Google has added the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL to its Certified Refurbished program in the US.
• Prices start at $499 for the Pixel 9, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL cost $649 and $699, respectively.
• Every refurbished Pixel goes through Google's quality checks, uses genuine replacement parts, and includes a one-year warranty.
• Google is also offering six months of Google AI Plus with 2TB of storage alongside every Certified Refurbished Pixel 9 purchase.

Google has started selling certified refurbished Pixel 9 phones in the U.S., with prices starting at just $499.

For those unfamiliar, Google has a pretty interesting Certified Refurbished program in the US, where the company sells pre-owned Pixel smartphones that have been professionally inspected, tested, and restored to meet its quality standards, all at a lower price than when they originally launched. And now, the Pixel 9 series has joined the program.

As spotted by 9to5Google, Google has listed several Pixel 9 models on its Certified Refurbished page, including the base Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The regular Pixel 9 starts at $499, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are available for $649 and $699, respectively.

Currently, the base Pixel 9 appears to be out of stock, although some configurations of the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are still available to purchase. And to make the deal a little more enticing, Google is also offering buyers a free six-month Google AI Plus subscription, which includes 2TB of cloud storage that can be shared across Google services.

This makes the refurbished Pixel 9 series a pretty decent deal, especially considering these aren't just regular second-hand smartphones.

Google says every Certified Refurbished Pixel goes through a multi-point inspection and rigorous quality checks covering things like the battery, display, housing, and cameras. If any repairs or replacements are needed, Google uses genuine parts to restore the device to its quality standards.

The refurbished phones also come with a one-year limited warranty, similar to what you'd get when purchasing a brand-new Pixel phone.

So, compared to the regular Pixel 9, which originally launched for $799, you're saving around $300 by going with Google's certified refurbished model. The Pro models also offer some pretty substantial savings over their original launch prices.

Of course, these are still pre-owned devices, but with Google's official refurbishment process, genuine replacement parts, and a one-year warranty, they could be worth considering if you've been looking to pick up a Pixel without spending flagship money.

What you need to know

• A rumor claims that Samsung may introduce DC dimming to the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra.
• The company is reportedly working with "various safety firms" to understand how to reduce eye strain on its future Galaxy phones.
• Nicholas Sutrich dove deep into PWM dimming and DC dimming once upon a time, and his feelings side with the latter that's more human-friendly.

Amongst all of the Galaxy S27 series rumors, this one deserves some attention. Rumors claim Samsung might start taking eye strain reduction seriously.

Rumors about this stem from tipster Walle on X, who states Samsung is looking to integrate new eye strain reduction tech into the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra (via Android Headlines). The post claims both devices could benefit from DC dimming. It's been reported that Samsung is allegedly beginning to "collaborate" with "various safety firms to understand how to lessen eye strain problems."

Walle adds that these improvements (and more) will arrive for Samsung's Eye Comfort Shield. Currently, you can find this option in your Galaxy device's Display settings. When toggled, your device will limit its blue light by using warmer colors. Moreover, it will automatically adjust your screen's colors based on the time (if set to automatic).

On the surface, this rumor sounds like a win for people who suffer from headaches and eye strain when using their phones for extended periods. But there's more to know, considering Samsung's Galaxy phones already use PWM dimming.

PWM or DC dimming?

My former colleague Nicholas Sutrich was the person to go to whenever PWM dimming was brought. But what is it? In Sutrich's own words, "...modern smartphone displays don't dim like they used to, or even like a traditional lightbulb. Instead, they often rapidly turn on and off to fool your eyes into seeing a dimmer image."

This is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM dimming). This is a piece of technology most commonly used in OLED and AMOLED. Sutrich said, "Companies use PWM dimming because OLEDs can exhibit visual problems when trying to dim them like a traditional light source." However, the most clever ones realize they could "just turn it on and off very rapidly, and the human brain does the rest."

While PWM dimming is fine, Sutrich felt that DC dimming is better. DC-like dimming on OnePlus phones activates when your brightness is over 25%. If it dips below this line, the phone reverts to the crazy flickering of PWM dimming. Why? Sutrich said, "This is because, unlike PWM dimming, DC-like dimming never turns the entire display off when it refreshes. There's just a small brightness drop as each pixel is refreshed."

Hopefully we see this change for the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra, but who knows.

What you need to know

• Googlebook is finally adding Better Together support for Samsung Galaxy phones after leaving them out at launch.
• Samsung phones running One UI 9.0 based on Android 17 can access Continue On, Cast My Apps, Quick Access, and Notification Sync.
• A separate Google Play services update fixes a pairing bug that leaves the QR code onscreen after a successful connection.

Google is finally addressing one of the biggest issues with Googlebook at launch by bringing some of Googlebook’s Better Together features to Samsung Galaxy phones and making the initial setup less frustrating.

The big draw for the Googlebook is its deep integration with your phone. You can stream mobile apps to the laptop, sync notifications, access phone files, and use Continue On to pick up supported activities on another device. However, Samsung users were left out when Googlebook launched, despite Samsung being one of the biggest names in the Android ecosystem. Google had promised support would come in the next few weeks.

The rollout, as revealed by Google’s Mishaal Rahman on Reddit, is essentially a fix for a pairing bug, but Galaxy owners will need the right software versions before their phones can fully take advantage of the laptop’s Android integration.

This update works with Samsung smartphones with One UI 9.0 based on Android 17. Supported features include Continue On, Cast My Apps, Quick Access, and Notification Sync.

Another separate update to Google Play services should make the setup process easier and fix an annoying bug that sometimes leaves the pairing QR code onscreen even after the phone has connected.

Google says the changes will be rolled out automatically in the coming days via updates through Google Play and background services. To get everything working sooner, make sure Google Play services is version 26.37 or newer and Cross-device services is version 1.0.1346 or newer. Both devices need to use the same Google account, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.

Your network can make a difference too. Google recommends using a private home network because connections between devices may be blocked on public Wi-Fi networks at hotels, offices, and cafes. Disabling a VPN or DNS blocker temporarily can also help with pairing issues.

Early feedback indicates the rollout is already making a difference. Some Galaxy S26 Ultra owners have reported that app casting now works while others wait for compatibility on their devices.

The update is a welcome fix but also points to a problem with the launch of Googlebook: core features weren’t ready for a large percentage of Android users. Samsung support would make the platform more convincing if Google can deliver a consistent experience across supported phones.

What you need to know

• Google's Rambler uses AI to clean up voice typing, removing filler words, correcting grammar, and formatting text.
• Developer Akshay Kadam has released PixelBoard, a modified Gboard APK that enables Rambler on other Android phones.
• Users can reportedly access Rambler by installing PixelBoard and setting it as their default keyboard instead of Gboard.

If you've ever wanted to try the Pixel 11's Rambler feature on your Android phone, you can now do so, although there's a catch.

The Google Pixel 11 series launched earlier this year with several new AI features, including Magic Cue, Magic Capture, and Rambler. For those unfamiliar, Rambler is Google's new AI-powered voice typing feature that offers a much more advanced experience than the regular voice typing we've had on Android phones for years.

Similar to AI voice typing tools that have been available on desktops for a while, Rambler automatically cleans up your speech, fixes grammar and formatting, and removes filler words like "um" and "uh" to give you properly formatted text. It can also understand corrections while you're speaking, add emojis, and even rewrite your text in different tones, such as formal or casual.

Unlike traditional voice typing, though, Rambler doesn't show a live transcription of everything you're saying. Instead, once you've finished speaking and tapped the Done button, it processes your speech and returns a cleaned-up, properly formatted version of what you said.

The feature has been exclusive to the Pixel 11 series so far, but a developer has now found a way to bring it to other Android devices.

Developer Akshay Kadam has shared a modified version of Google's Gboard app, called PixelBoard, on GitHub. The developer has patched the Gboard APK to enable Rambler on Android phones that don't officially support the feature.

According to the developer, you can install the modified APK on your Android device and switch your default keyboard from Gboard to PixelBoard to access Rambler without needing a Pixel 11.

That said, PixelBoard isn't an official Google app, and installing modified APK files always carries security and privacy risks. There's also no guarantee that Rambler will continue working through this method. Since the feature is officially exclusive to the Pixel 11 series, Google could block the workaround through a future Gboard or server-side update.

But if you're curious about Rambler, the developer's GitHub project offers an unofficial way to try the feature without buying a Pixel 11. Just keep in mind that you're installing a modified keyboard at your own risk.

What you need to know

• Samsung is reportedly rolling out its October 2026 security patch to Galaxy S26 users in the U.S.
• The patch is ~530MB, and delivers over 60 security fixes for the flagship series.
• This October patch arrives a week (or two) after One UI 9 (Android 17) rolled out in the U.S. for S26 users.

Samsung is reportedly rolling out its latest security update for its 2026 flagship phones. There are also expectations for when it could arrive for the Galaxy S25 series.

This week, tipster Kailash on X reported that the October 2026 security patch has started arriving globally on the Galaxy S26 series (via SamMobile). Kailash states the update has reached devices in the U.S. and Canada with a 531MB download. Users will download the following version for the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, respectively: S948U1UES4BZIG, S948U1OYM4BZIG, and S948U1UES4BZIG.

The patch notes are incredibly light. Samsung only details security improvements once the update hits a user's device. There's a large portion of security fixes rolling out for the series—approaching 50 fixes from Google, to be frank. Samsung includes roughly 13 fixes of its own, pushing that total to 62.

Many of Samsung's fixes involve Android 14 to Android 17. It's rolling out fixes to stop malicious attackers from "executing arbitrary code" or accessing system privileges without permission.

On X, Kailash responded to a user regarding the Galaxy S25 series. These phones may see the update "next week." This may involve a global release as well, which would involve the U.S. and other North American regions. But that remains to be seen. Right now, it's the Galaxy S26 series.

An updated future

The updates are rolling out fast and furious for Samsung (kind of). This is a monthly security update, and Samsung is (typically) punctual with them. However, this update is following the full release of One UI 9 (Android 17) for the latest flagship series. The Android upgrade was spotted for the S26 Ultra in the U.S., but T-Mobile users were among the first to receive it.

The Android 17 update was ~4GB, and it was released in September 2026. That security update was late, likely because Samsung wanted to pair it with the Android 17 update. Other devices, such as unlocked models and users with AT&T and Verizon services, hadn't seen the update at the same time. Those users should have started downloading the update in mid-to-late September.

What you need to know

• A fresh leak claims that Samsung's adding a mid-tier Galaxy S27 Pro to its early 2027 roster, slotting between the Plus and Ultra models.
• Preliminary U.S. launch targets start at $899 for the base S27, $1,099 for the S27 Plus, $1,299 for the S27 Pro, and $1,399 for the S27 Ultra.
• Samsung could reserve its newer M16 OLED panels (and their built-in privacy features) for the Pro and Ultra, leaving the standard S27 and S27 Plus on older M14+ panels.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 lineup could be a relief for shoppers worried about another round of flagship price hikes, but the good news may come with a catch. A fresh leak indicates the company will introduce four models in early 2027, with more sophisticated OLED displays reserved for its two priciest phones.

According to pricing details shared by tipster @phonefuturist on X, the Galaxy S27 could start at $899 in the US. The S27 Plus may cost $1,099, followed by the S27 Pro at $1,299 and the S27 Ultra at $1,399. Pricing is expected to vary internationally, with the Ultra potentially priced as high as $1,499 depending on configuration.

The leaked lineup would be a change for Samsung, which may be adding a Pro model between the Plus and Ultra. The company, though, has not confirmed the phones or their prices, and the tipster describes the figures as preliminary targets.

The more interesting detail is the split display. The regular S27 and S27 Plus are said to come with Samsung’s M14+ OLED panels, while the Pro and Ultra are said to have the newer M16 panels. That difference could see the privacy-display tech included on the more expensive models, while the cheaper-phone buyers miss out.

There is also a financial reason to be cautious. If prices rise, Samsung may have to tweak them pre-launch, possibly negating the perceived savings on the entry-level model. And here’s the awkward flip side: Samsung’s chip business is enjoying a boost from surging AI demand and tight memory supply — but those same market pressures could make its next phones more difficult for regular buyers to afford.

As someone who wants a reliable phone without spending over $1,000, I’d welcome a cheaper standard Galaxy S27. But I’d be annoyed if good screen tech were used as an excuse to push buyers toward more expensive models. Most people shouldn’t have to pay Ultra money to get a premium everyday experience.

These numbers could change as Samsung's next-generation flagship is still months away. Until the company makes an official announcement, buyers should consider the leak as an early pricing guide.

Samsung may have just increased the Galaxy S26 series' prices by $100 in the U.S., but that doesn't matter much right now, as Amazon has discounted the Galaxy S26 Ultra by a massive 32% during Prime Big Deal Days. That translates to a whopping $450 in savings on one of Samsung's best flagship phones.

If you're in the market for a new Android smartphone and want a no-nonsense flagship experience with built-in privacy features and productivity tools like the S Pen, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is probably one of the best phones you can buy right now. And thanks to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale, you can grab it at a much lower price than usual.

✅ Recommended if: You want a premium Android flagship with a built-in Privacy Display, powerful cameras, S Pen support, and Samsung's latest Galaxy AI features, especially at $450 off.

❌ Skip this deal if: You prefer smaller phones, don't need the S Pen or Privacy Display, or already own a recent Galaxy S Ultra that still works perfectly well.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has earned plenty of praise for being one of the best Android smartphones of the year. Not only does Samsung offer top-tier specs, premium materials, and a great design, but the company also introduced one of my favorite smartphone features this year with the Galaxy S26 Ultra: Privacy Display.

With Privacy Display, you no longer need a separate privacy screen protector to keep people from peeking at your phone. The Galaxy S26 Ultra has the technology built directly into its display, allowing you to make the screen difficult to see for people looking from the sides. You can even configure it to activate only for specific apps or when sensitive information appears on the screen, such as notifications or when entering your PIN.

And that's not all. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset, which remains one of the most powerful smartphone processors out there. You also get a capable 200MP main camera on the back, alongside the built-in S Pen that lets you quickly jot down notes or annotate things on the go.

Samsung has packed plenty of Galaxy AI features into the phone as well, including conversational photo editing and Now Nudge. One of my favorite additions, though, is My FanCam, which lets you turn horizontal videos into vertical clips with automatic subject tracking, making it particularly useful for creating social media content.

Following the recent price increase, the Galaxy S26 Ultra now starts at $1,400 in the U.S. But Amazon's $450 discount brings it down to just $950 during Prime Big Deal Days. That's a pretty substantial saving and one of the lowest prices we've seen for Samsung's flagship since the price increase.

What you need to know

• Samsung has reportedly asked suppliers to cut Q4 smartphone production by 20% to 30%.
• The cuts could drop Samsung’s total 2026 production from an expected 270 million units down closer to the 200-million range.
• Skyrocketing smartphone DRAM prices are said to be squeezing margins, forcing Samsung to absorb higher manufacturing expenses or risk alienating buyers with steep price hikes.

Samsung looks set to do something counterintuitive in the smartphone market: make fewer phones rather than continue to build devices that barely make money.

A report from Korean outlet Money Today claims the company has asked suppliers to cut smartphone production by 20% to 30% in the fourth quarter, with rising memory costs making some models harder and harder to sell profitably.

Samsung was previously expected to produce around 270 million smartphones in 2026. The latest cuts could push that total into the 200-million range, the report said. Some seasonal slowdown is expected as buyers wait for the next Galaxy S series, but this year's drop is said to be significantly more than expected.

Based on estimates from TrendForce cited in the report, Samsung produced around 240 million smartphones in 2025, which put it on par with Apple as the world’s biggest smartphone maker by volume. This demonstrates the scale that Samsung has been able to hold onto even as competition gets tougher.

The issue apparently has to do with memory chips: Smartphone DRAM prices have skyrocketed, forcing manufacturers to either raise prices or take a hit on their margins.

That makes a dirty equation for Samsung. Raising phone prices too quickly risks cooling demand, while taking on the higher component costs leaves less cash on every device sold. Making millions more of them doesn’t resolve the problem of a phone making little or no profit.

For consumers it could mean fewer low-margin models, higher prices, and even more focus on Samsung’s premium Galaxy lineup.

Samsung has not officially confirmed the production cuts it is reportedly planning, so the next few months will show if the change is a temporary adjustment or a bigger shift in its smartphone strategy.

What you need to know

• Motorola is rolling out its Android 17 update to the Razr Ultra 2026 in the U.S.
• The update is massive at ~4.1GB, and it brings several significant changes to the phone's icons, Settings page (revamped icons), AI Key (double press is customizable), AI Qira, Notification Summaries, and more.
• Live Updates on the Razr Ultra take an approach similar to Apple's Dynamic Island on the iPhone.
• The update should begin arriving on more devices this week.

If you're in the U.S. with Motorola's latest Razr Ultra, today might be a good day. Android 17 is rolling out for the Ultra foldable.

This afternoon (Oct. 6), we received a tip that Motorola's Razr Ultra 2026 is now receiving Android 17 in the U.S. as vA171WLH.38-19-5. Once this starts rolling out to more carriers and users, you should notice a 4.1GB download. The immediate changelog states that the official Android 17 release is "smarter, safer, and more productive."

On one hand, you have the patch notes, which tease "a fresh, expressive design" along with reduced visual clutter, improved multitasking, and enhanced protection and protection controls. But there's lots more in store. The full extent of the Razr Ultra 2026's Android 17 update reveals vastly updated icons, themed icons, and an updated Settings page.

According to our source, the Razr Ultra's AI Key "finally lets you remap with double tap." Within the AI Key's settings, you'll find a "Double Press" option. From there, you can select between several options, such as Digital Assistant, Motorola Qira, Pay Attention, and more.

The Live Updates UI has also gotten a refresh in Android 17. The updated design takes inspiration from Apple's devices with an "iPhone-like" Dynamic Island. Notification Summaries is another talking point. Moto states this feature will "summarize long messages and group conversations to get quick recaps."

A huge update

The update for the Razr Ultra 2026 is extensive, adding new HDR display settings, Moto's AI, Qira, and Pause Point. Moto states Pause Point is designed to help users stay on task throughout the day. If you're trying to open an app that normally distracts you, Pause Point will "briefly delay" opening it. Moto says this is an intended action to help users make a different choice.

The HDR settings let users "brighten and expand the color range and clarity" of their display. There's an "Intensity" slider that you can shift to the right (brighter) or to the left (dimmer).

What's more, our source says "Tap to Send" is supposed to be included in this Android 17 update; however, they've yet to see it. Haptic feedback was noticed when dismissing notifications, similar to Google's Pixel phones.

We've been waiting for this update to arrive for a while now. Motorola detailed its list of eligible devices for Android 17 in August. It listed the Razr Ultra 2026, as well as the Razr Ultra 2025, Motorola Razr 70 Ultra, Motorola Razr+ 2026, and more. What followed this was Motorola's full reveal of its Android 17 update. Stackable widgets, new sharing features for Connected Devices, and the ability to hide labels when using Classic Style were mentioned.

This update was spotted early this afternoon, so keep your phone close. It should begin arriving for more users as the week continues.

What you need to know

• Rumors on X and Weibo (Chinese) claim the Xiaomi 18 Ultra "has been cancelled" and it's likely its price that got it cut.
• A tipster on Weibo suggests the phone would've received a triple 200MP LOFIC camera setup with a display with 1mm bezels.
• The Xiaomi 18 Pro and Pro Max debuted in mid-September with a triple camera array including a 200MP main and periscope sensor.

If you remember, Xiaomi's 17 series had a 17 Ultra; however, its current 18 series hasn't revealed one. Rumors state an "18 Ultra" might never happen, and that its specs would've been beastly.

Tipster Abhishek Yadav on X claims the Xiaomi 18 Ultra "has been cancelled," and it looks like its price was the issue. The social media post then highlights rumors about the phone's alleged specifications from Digital Chat Station on Weibo. DCS claims the phone would've featured a flat display with thin 1mm bezels. However, that's not the biggest thing; Xiaomi's camera technology was. The Xiaomi 18 Ultra might've launched with a triple 200MP setup.

According to the rumors, a 200MP main camera on a 1/1.12-inch LOFIC sensor would've led the way. The other two cameras include a 200MP (1/1.56-inch) ultra-wide and a 200MP (optical zoom) periscope lens.

We started this post by mentioning the phone's price, and DCS gives us insight. The tipster claims the phone might've been priced at 9,999 RMB (~$1,499) to start. Given how steep this is, it seems an executive decision had to be made. Nevertheless, Yadav on X states that an Ultra model phone could return to Xiaomi's lineup for its 19 series.

Strong cameras all around

Something is interesting about these 18 Ultra camera rumors. We almost got this exact setup on the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Pro Max. We've seen rumors about these phones for months after the 17 series debuted (and they've been very popular, too). Xiaomi continued to feature its rear displays on the 18 series with a few upgrades. The 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max feature twin 200MP cameras.

The 18 Pro Max contains a 200MP main lens and a 200MP periscope telephoto sensor. You'd find the same thing on the 18 Pro, with the addition of a 50MP ultra-wide camera. So while these two models lack the 200MP ultra-wide camera like the 18 Ultra (allegedly) would've delivered, these phones aren't bad. We spent some time with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra earlier this year, and its cameras were incredible.

Its telephoto camera in particular was a notable highlight, outshining the majority of the competition. If Xiaomi is going to return to the Ultra in 2027, maybe that's for the best.

To get the cheapest Samsung or Google flagship in 2026, you'll need to choose a smaller phone. The Samsung Galaxy S26, for instance, is a 6.3-inch smartphone. If you want to splurge for a 6.7-inch display, you'll need to pay $1,200 for the Galaxy S26 Plus. That's $200 more than than the Galaxy S25 Plus went for, and $100 more than the Galaxy S26 Plus originally cost when it launched in March.

Phones with large screens are expensive, in other words — but the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE is an outlier. It offers the same 6.7-inch screen size as the Galaxy S26 Plus for $500 less, and it's worth your attention for that reason alone. I've used the Galaxy S26 FE for weeks, and it's closer to flagship territory than you may think.

But it also makes a handful of cost-cutting measures to hit that attractive $700 price point, and other phones provide a better value.

The price hike is hard to ignore

Samsung's "Fan Edition" phones have always been in a tough spot in terms your wallet will understand. They're typically priced well above Google's midrange A-series models, as well as Samsung's own A-series phones. They're cheaper than Galaxy S series phones, but not by a whole lot. Further complicating matters is that the Galaxy FE phones have a screen size matching the Plus model of the Galaxy S lineup, making them attractive to people who want a larger display.

This year, the Galaxy S26 FE ships with a $50 price hike. That might not raise alarm bells considering the rising prices around the industry, but it should. The Google Pixel 11 and Samsung Galaxy S26 each saw a $100 price increase this year, and buyers get double the base storage in exchange. The Galaxy S26 FE, by comparison, still comes with the same 128GB of storage as standard.

If you want to match the 256GB storage of the rest of the Galaxy S26 series, get ready to pay $100 more for a Galaxy S26 FE. The 128GB model costs $699.99 and the 256GB version costs $799.99. This creates a puzzling lineup where the midrange Galaxy S26 FE and the flagship Galaxy S26 both launched at the exact same price, provided you got 256GB of storage for both.

Samsung retroactively raised Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus prices, and the base model now costs $999.99. That does give the Galaxy S26 FE a better value proposition, but only slightly.

I'm starting off with pricing because it's the most important thing about the Galaxy S26 FE. As you'll learn throughout this review, Samsung's new midranger is as solid as ever, and it beats the Galaxy S25 FE in performance. However, it has the base Galaxy S26 and cheaper Android midrangers like the Google Pixel 10a and the OnePlus 13R breathing down its neck.

The Galaxy S26 FE is a plus-sized midranger

From a design perspective, the Galaxy S26 FE shares a few similarities with the Galaxy S26 Plus; it's only a millimeter thicker and three grams heavier. Due to the larger bezels, the Galaxy S26 FE has a bigger overall footprint. Reachability is a bit of an issue due to the form factor, as it's both wider and taller than the Galaxy S26 Plus.

On the back, the key difference is the glossy Gorilla Glass Victus Plus. I prefer the matte look and feel of the Galaxy S26 Plus back, and that phone has newer Gorilla Glass Victus 2. But the colors for the Galaxy S26 FE are gorgeous. I reviewed the subtle Pistachio model, but you can also get the phone in Blueberry or Graphite colorways.

The Galaxy S26 FE uses a mix of glass and aluminum for materials, and it's IP68 certified against dust and water ingress. I had no problems with durability, and you shouldn't either. The device feels more premium compared to midrange phones with plastic backs, like the Pixel 10a.

The Galaxy S26 FE finds a niche thanks to its 6.7-inch display. It's the same size as the one on the Galaxy S26 Plus, albeit with a lower 1080p resolution. The screen isn't perfect — it has larger bezels, and more importantly, they aren't uniform. The Galaxy S26 FE has a "chin," and the lack of a consistent bezel size is unsightly to my eyes.

The chin has long been a sign you're looking at a Samsung budget or midrange phone compared to a flagship, and I think Samsung could've changed this by now. Google's midrange phone, the Pixel 10a, is cheaper and has uniform bezels.

Bezel talk aside, the Galaxy S26 FE isn't nearly as bright as its flagship counterparts. The phone has a peak brightness of 1,900 nits, whereas the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus top out at 2,600 nits. In practice, this means the Galaxy S26 FE won't be as easy to see outdoors. Without an anti-reflective coating, something becoming more popular on flagships, this phone is tricky to view in direct sunlight.

Otherwise, the display feels responsive with a 120Hz refresh rate. It's a fine panel for the price, even if there is clear room for improvement here. This is the exact same display we saw on the Galaxy S25 FE, and the Galaxy S24 FE for that matter. If you have one of these older phones, the Galaxy S26 FE's screen isn't a reason to upgrade.

A fresh chip, but the same slow charging

Samsung's midrange phones have come a long way in a few short years in terms of performance. As a refresher, the Galaxy S24 FE had an Exynos 2400e chip and the Galaxy S25 FE got the boost to the regular Exynos 2400 chip. This year, the Galaxy S26 FE runs on the Exynos 2500. It's a mobile processor built on a 3nm process (a major improvement over the 4nm Exynos 2400) that recently powered flagships like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 worldwide.

I tested the Galaxy Z Flip 7 firsthand, so I expected the Galaxy S26 FE to be a strong performer. I didn't expect for Samsung to pull so much extra power out of the Exynos 2500 for the Galaxy S26 FE. In the benchmark results below, you'll see the Galaxy S26 FE not only handily beat the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but also crush Google's Tensor G4-powered Pixel 10a.

I'm surprised that Samsung is doing that with only 8GB memory onboard the Galaxy S26 FE. The Galaxy S26 FE ships with Android 17 and will get seven years of full Android OS support. Despite the RAM limitations, this phone will be a strong performer for a very long time.

The battery life is rock solid, too. It has the same 4,900mAh capacity as the Galaxy S26 Plus, but the Galaxy S26 FE's lower-resolution display and weaker chip combine to hep you squeeze a longer runtime out of it. The charging, unfortunately, is still too slow. The 45W wired speeds are fine, but 15W wireless charging is disappointing when the Qi2.2 25W standard exists.

It's worth revisiting the storage options. The Galaxy S26 FE ships with 128GB of storage by default, and you can upgrade it to 256GB or 512GB at the time of purchase. I think 128GB of storage is starting to stretch users thin because of growing app and operating system sizes. But if you upgrade the Galaxy S26 FE to 256GB or 512GB storage, you end up paying flagship prices for a midrange phone.

It's quite the dilemma, and one Samsung could've avoided by making 256GB standard, like the Galaxy S26 series. If you're fine with a 128GB phone, the Galaxy A57 is lurking in the corner at $599.99, but it does come with additional compromises.

The cameras are underwhelming for the price

Samsung isn't one to upgrade its phone cameras often, and the Galaxy S26 FE is no exception. It's using the same 50MP primary shooter, 8MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide lens we've seen on prior generations of Galaxy FE phones. The selfie camera is a 12MP, f/2.2 lens.

The telephoto only goes up to 3x optical zoom, but you may find digital zoom to produce passable results beyond that. Here's how the Galaxy S26 FE telephoto camera looks at 2x, 3x, and 10x zoom:

As for the main camera and ultrawide, it's a mixed bag. The 50MP sensor at the heart of the Galaxy S26 FE's rear camera system packs enough detail, and low-light performance is impressive. The photo of the "Aloha" sign in the gallery of camera samples below is as good of a night shot as I've taken recently. And for context, I've been using phones like the iPhone 18 Pro, Google Pixel 11, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

However, the phone's color science in daylight shots leaves a lot to be desired. Often, there's one part of the image that's brighter and color-saturated, by the overall scene is dark. The beach shots in particular stand out as looking darker as captured by the Galaxy S26 FE than the setting looked in real life.

I don't think the Galaxy S26 FE camera system is terrible, but I do think budget phones like the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e will produce more desirable photos.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE?

The Galaxy S26 FE only looks competitive on the surface of a smartphone market riddled with price hikes over the past year. Samsung's new $1,000 and $1,200 prices for the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus, respectively, make the Galaxy S26 FE at $700 seem like a discount. I want to emphasize that the Galaxy S26 FE is a great phone that I could absolutely use as my daily driver, despite its compromises.

That said, I still think you can do better. For example, last year's Galaxy S25 is available at the same $700 price as the Galaxy S26 FE at Target and Amazon. It has a smaller screen and battery, but it's a bona-fide flagship with a better camera and chip. If you're willing to compromise on screen size but want a cheaper phone, Google's Pixel 10a stands out. But it just got a price hike as well, and it's only $100 cheaper than the Galaxy S26 FE.

Looking at the Galaxy S26 FE in isolation, it's a solid phone. With OnePlus on its way out in the U.S., the Galaxy S26 FE represents one of your only options to get a plus-sized Android midranger. If it's important that you get a 6.7-inch Android phone for under a grand, I can recommend the Galaxy S26 FE — just be aware of the drawbacks, and consider your other options.