Samsung is working on its next big UI update, One UI 8.5, which will be based on Android 16. The update will debut with the Galaxy S26 series next year. Initially, a beta program was expected to open in November, but recent reports suggest it’s been delayed, possibly because of changes in Galaxy S26 launch plans. Regardless, this isn’t stopping the leaks coming our way. In our latest dose, we’re hearing that Samsung may add presets for the Pro camera controls with One UI 8.5.

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 may introduce presets for Pro camera controls

In the latest One UI 8.5 builds, folks at Android Authority have spotted lines of code that suggest Samsung may introduce presets. With this change, you can switch to a particular preset at any point in time without going through manually changing the controls every time you want to click a photo with Pro mode.

This has apparently been the most requested feature for years from Galaxy users. It now looks like Samsung is finally listening to the feedback. However, it’s unclear how many presets a user can save in total.

Samsung may even let you share the presets

Furthermore, the report notes that Samsung may also let users select specific cameras for the Pro Mode preset. The strings reveal the ability to choose presets for the wide, ultrawide, telephoto, super telephoto, and front cameras. The presets will reportedly let you reserve values for various camera settings, including focus type (manual or autofocus), ISO, Kelvin value, Manual color tune (saturation, contrast, highlights, shadow), Shutter speed, White balance, Focus length, and Exposure.

Not just saving a present, Samsung may even let users share the camera presets with other Galaxy users through the Quick Share app. However, we’ll have to see how it will handle the preset compatibility. This is considering that each Galaxy phone has varying camera specs and features.

Samsung isn’t the first brand to offer camera presets; The source notes that they’re already present on several Android flagships. This means Samsung is finally catching up with the competition.

The post Samsung's One UI 8.5 May Boost Pro Camera Mode with Presets appeared first on Android Headlines.

The soaring demand for artificial intelligence is about to hit your wallet in a place you might not expect: your phone’s RAM. We typically focus on the price of components like the main processor. Every so often we get news about increasingly expensive Snapdragon chips, for example. However, the cost of the RAM memory used in our phones is set to skyrocket, creating a headache for every major manufacturer.

The reason is a heated tech market conflict for raw production capacity between high-performance AI servers and your pocket-sized device.

The AI tax: Why flagship smartphone prices will increase in 2026

The culprit behind this price surge is High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). HBM is the powerful, specialized RAM essential for feeding massive AI models in data centers. Demand for HBM is showing no sign of slowing, and since HBM consumes a large amount of the available silicon, it is swallowing up the wafer capacity needed for conventional server memory (DDR5). Also the memory used in your phone: LPDDR5x.

LPDDR5x is the high-performance, low-power RAM/memory required by modern flagship phones. Because it competes with HBM for the same production resources, this imbalance is causing chaos in the mobile supply chain.

According to a new report from market research firm TrendForce, this structural supply shortage is deepening. TrendForce has dramatically revised its forecast for general DRAM pricing—which includes LPDDR5x—for the end of 2025. Now they expect growth of 18–23%, up from an earlier forecast of 8–13%.

The unexpected market flip

Here is where the memory market takes an unexpected turn. Initially, HBM was far more profitable for suppliers, commanding a price premium four times higher than DDR5. However, as the HBM market becomes more competitive and server demand for standard DDR5 remains robust, that gap is shrinking fast.

TrendForce predicts that by the first quarter of 2026, the profitability of standard DDR5 will actually surpass that of HBM3e. When this happens, manufacturers may shift production resources away from HBM to secure earnings from DDR5. This might eventually stabilize the HBM market. But it means the price pressure on LPDDR5x will remain high well into 2026.

Manufacturers are already sounding the alarm. Lu Weibing, president of Xiaomi, recently noted that the rise in storage costs is “much higher than expected and will continue to increase.”

The consumer pays the price

What do rising memory and storage costs mean for you? Smartphone manufacturers operate on extremely thin margins. This is especially true for flagship devices that also include expensive components like cutting-edge camera sensors and high-end 2nm processors.

When the cost of LPDDR5x memory jumps by nearly 20%, manufacturers have few options other than passing that cost along to the consumer. For anyone planning to upgrade their flagship phone next year, the price tag will likely be significantly higher. It seems the AI ​​revolution will make our future smartphones a little more expensive.

The post AI Memory Demand to Force Higher Smartphone Prices in 2026 appeared first on Android Headlines.

Elon Musk has entered the knowledge arena, launching Grokipedia, a new online encyclopedia powered by his xAI models. As its name suggests, it is a direct competitor to the massively popular Wikipedia. In fact, Musk claims Grokipedia will “purge out the propaganda” found on Wikipedia and exceed its rival “by several orders of magnitude in breadth, depth, and accuracy.”

However, the man who co-founded Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, disagrees with that statement. Speaking at a recent CNBC summit, Wales dismissed Grokipedia’s threat, arguing that the underlying technology—Large Language Models (LLMs)—simply isn’t capable of producing a reliable encyclopedia.

Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales is not worried about Elon Musk’s AI-powered Grokipedia

Wales’ skepticism stems from Grokipedia being powered by AI. He is aware of the flaws of LLMs like Grok and ChatGPT, which have a tendency to “make massive errors” and fabricate sources—namely “AI hallucinations.” Wales shared an example where a Wikipedia community member found that a source had used an LLM to generate book citations. This allegedly resulted in the chatbot “very happily mak[ing] up books.”

To test LLMs, Wales often queries obscure topics, such as the identity of his wife (a “not famous but known” figure in British politics). He claims that this search consistently results in a plausible but ultimately wrong answer.

“We know ChatGPT and all the other LLMs are not good enough to write wiki entries,” Wales stated. He emphasizes that the reliance on human verification and community oversight that Wikipedia has developed over decades.

The question of bias and sources

Musk and his allies frequently criticize Wikipedia for alleged “woke bias” and for excluding conservative media as sources. Grokipedia’s own entry on Wikipedia accuses the site of having a “systemic ideological bias.”

Wales strongly defended Wikipedia’s editorial policy. He said the organization’s priority is sourcing neutrality. “We don’t treat random crackpots the same as The New England Journal of Medicine, and that doesn’t make us woke,” Wales said. He also added that responding to criticism by “doubling down on being neutral and being really careful about sources” is essential.

The Wikimedia Foundation still acknowledges that AI poses challenges—notably the decline in human visits and the increased scraping of Wikipedia data to train AI models. However, he considers Wikipedia’s approach to be better and more reliable. “This human-created knowledge is what AI companies rely on to generate content; even Grokipedia needs Wikipedia to exist,” notes the Foundation.

Ultimately, Wales views the biggest threat not as a direct AI replacement. Instead, he sees it as the ability of LLMs to generate plausible fake websites, which could fool the general public.

The post Elon Musk's Grokipedia Launches, but Wikipedia Isn't Scared appeared first on Android Headlines.

Car chargers can be an incredibly useful accessory, but even more so if you have multiple devices to charge at once, or multiple people in the car who want to charge devices, and that’s why this deal on the Lisen 4-port car charger is one you should consider. Normally, this charger would cost you $27.99, but right now you can pick it up for $16.14, which is a discount of 42%. You’re saving almost half the regular cost, and that makes this a really good value.

For starters, this is a four-port car charger. You can charge up to four devices simultaneously. If you have kids, you definitely want one of these for longer car rides. This charger also includes two retractable cables, one of which is USB-C and the other is a Lightning cable. This helps cut down on car clutter and lost cables because two of them are built into the charger itself. That means you only need to bring two cables to use for those other ports.

Additionally, this charger supports up to a maximum of 69W, so you can charge devices quickly. This charger also features a 180-degree angled design that you can adjust to meet your needs. That bendable hinge is way more useful than you might think, especially if you have people in the backseat charging, or if you have phones stuck to a dash mount and need to angle the charger upward.

Lisen 4-Port Car Charger – $16.14

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Bluetooth speakers are a versatile piece of tech, and speakers like the JBL Clip 5, which Amazon currently has a deal on, are some of the best options for a Bluetooth speaker because they’re extremely portable. The JBL Clip 5 is perhaps the poster child for portable Bluetooth speakers, because it’s not only compact, but it can be clipped to stuff so you don’t even have to carry it with your hands or put it in a bag. And now, it’s down to just $59.95. Normally, the JBL Clip 5 costs $79.95, so you’re saving about $20 here. Worth noting is that Amazon has this labeled as a limited-time deal. So, you’re going to want to take advantage of the discount while you can.

Aside from its portability, the JBL Clip 5 is also waterproof. Go ahead and take it with you to the pool, the lake, or anywhere there might be some water that can splash around and potentially get the speaker wet. It has up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, which means it should have no trouble lasting you an entire day. It might even last several days, depending on how long you use it each time you connect it to something.

The carabiner clip design is really what sets this apart, though. Clipping it to bags is one thing, but this design also makes it possible to hang the speaker from various things around the house. You could easily use this as a shower speaker if you wanted. As a nice little bonus, the JBL Clip 5 comes in several different colors.

JBL Clip 5 – $59.95

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If you just picked up a shiny new iPhone 17, you’re probably already thinking about how to keep it safe — and maybe even level up its everyday use. Apple’s latest flagship doesn’t come cheap, and with all that glass, titanium, and MagSafe-ready power, a good case and the right accessories are basically essential. Whether you’re after ultra-slim protection that still shows off the new color options, a rugged MagSafe case that can take a drop, or accessories that make the most of that upgraded Qi2 charging and USB-C port, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we’re rounding up the best iPhone 17 cases and accessories you can buy right now — from premium brands like Nomad and TORRAS to budget-friendly favorites that punch above their price. We’ll cover everything from chargers and power banks to screen protectors, mounts, and more, so you can protect, charge, and personalize your iPhone 17 in style.

Best Apple iPhone 17 Case

We believe that the best case for the iPhone 17 is actually the Apple Silicone case. Apple has really updated this case to be quite good. And it does have the camera control button included.

Apple Silicon Case

$37

If you’re looking for a case that matches Apple’s polish and leverages every accessory-advantage in the iPhone 17 ecosystem, the Apple Silicone Case with MagSafe is a strong pick. Designed to fit the iPhone 17’s curves precisely, it gives you that soft-touch finish where premium meets subtlety. On the outside you get a smooth, silky silicone layer; inside there’s a microfiber lining to guard against micro-abrasions and the dreaded pocket lint surprise.

But this isn’t just about looks and feel — the case also incorporates built-in magnets that seamlessly align with the iPhone 17’s MagSafe system for fast, reliable wireless charging and accessory attachment. And for photography lovers, it adds support for Apple’s “Camera Control”-capable feature (via a sapphire crystal + conductive layer) so your manual controls aren’t hindered by the case.

Of course, you’re paying Apple premium pricing here, but what you get is full ecosystem compatibility, a snug fit that preserves the iPhone 17’s minimalist lines, and the confidence of Apple’s rigorous testing to better handle day-to-day knocks and bumps.

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Best Clear Case

There’s a lot of great, clear cases on the market for the iPhone, but we do believe that what ESR has is the best option right now.

ESR Classic Hybrid

$9.99

If you want full clarity so your iPhone 17’s color and design shine through, yet still demand serious protection, the ESR Classic Hybrid Magnetic Case nails the balance. Its transparent back means you’re not hiding that sleek finish you paid for — unlike some so-called “clear” cases that add opaque patches or heavy frames.

But this isn’t just about style: ESR ramps up the specs with anti-yellowing material on the clear shell, so it won’t turn cloudy over time as many budget transparents do. It supports MagSafe with strong magnets and includes a dedicated cut-out or coverage for the new Camera Control button on iPhone 17, meaning you don’t lose functionality for visibility.

On the protection front you’re looking at “military-grade” drop defence from its reinforced “Air Guard” corners, with raised lips around screen and camera edges to absorb shock and protect the lens module. All told, this case delivers transparent style without sacrificing substance — a smart pick if you want minimal-visual bulk but maximum everyday safeguarding.

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Best Rugged Case

The iPhone 17 is already pretty strong, but with a good rugged case it can be almost indestructible. Perfect for those who might be a bit tough on their devices.

Spigen Tough Armor T

$24.99

This case is built from the ground up with protection as the priority: UAG’s Monarch Pro features a multi-layer construction including a shock-resistant core, impact-resistant rubber surrounds, a shear plate and reinforced armor frame. That kind of architecture signals you’re getting more than just decent drop protection — you’re getting something designed for real-world abuse.

The raised edges around the screen and the camera module help prevent scratches and lens damage when you set the phone down face-up or back-down. And while “rugged” cases often bulk up too much, the Monarch keeps MagSafe compatibility built in — meaning you don’t have to give up wireless charging or accessory compatibility to have serious protection.

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Best Photography Case

iPhones are known for being very popular devices for YouTubers, and photographers. So a case that is great for photography like the Peak Design Everyday case is a really good option.

Peak Design Everyday Case

$49.95

If you’re serious about photography with your new iPhone 17, the Peak Design Everyday Case for iPhone 17 is a standout pick. Designed for creators who carry their phone like their mini-camera, it combines slick aesthetics with pro-level functionality. On the surface it’s a slim, protective MagSafe-compatible case with a precise cut for the iPhone 17’sCamera Control button and a tactile finish that feels premium.

But what makes it truly photography-worthy is how it integrates into the wider Peak Design Mobile ecosystem. The case features the SlimLink magnetic system so that accessories adhere cleanly and securely—critical when you’re balancing a phone on a tripod or mounting it in unusual positions. From the official product page: it “brilliantly connects to the entire Peak Design Mobile Ecosystem.”

Pairing this case with the Peak Design Mobile Tripod takes it a step further. The tripod snaps on magnetically via the SlimLink interface, then unfolds into a mini rig you can use to shoot low-angle handhelds, landscape time-lapses, or stable 4K video.

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Best Leather Case

There are a lot of leather cases available for the iPhone, but it’s hard to find something better than what Nomad offers. Nomad does also offer a lot of styles and colors for the iPhone 17 series.

Nomad Modern Leather Case

$55

If you want a case that screams premium without sacrificing protection, the Nomad Modern Leather Case for iPhone 17 is the one to get. Crafted from full-grain leather sourced from the renowned Danish tannery Ecco, it develops a beautiful patina over time — meaning it actually looks better the more you use it. This isn’t faux leather that flakes or fades; it’s the real deal, with warm tones and a smooth, refined texture that elevates your phone’s aesthetic.

Underneath that elegance is real protection. Nomad built the Modern Leather Case with a 360° TPE bumper that absorbs shocks and keeps your iPhone 17 safe from drops up to 2.4 meters. The raised edges guard your camera and display, while anodized aluminum buttons give it a satisfying, tactile feel.

It’s also fully MagSafe compatible, so you can use it with Apple’s chargers or Nomad’s own line of accessories without missing a beat. And thanks to its slim, precisely engineered design, it slides easily into a pocket or bag while still looking boardroom-ready.

Buy at Nomad Goods

Best iPhone 17 Accessories

We’ve also rounded up some great accessories that you can buy to make the most out of your iPhone 17 experience.

Apple Watch Series 11

$399

The Apple Watch Series 11 is perfect to pair with the iPhone 17 because it has all of the latest features from Apple, and works really well with the iPhone 17. Since it was made specifically for it.

It comes in Space Gray, Silver, Rose Gold, and Jet Black, starting at $399, with options that bring it up over $699.

It does also come in two sizes: 42mm and 46mm. We believe this is the better option for the iPhone 17 over the Apple Watch Ultra 3, because of the cost. And most people buying an iPhone 17 don’t need the adventurous features of Watch Ultra.

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Apple AirPods Pro 3

$249

If you own the AirPods Pro 3 alongside your new iPhone 17, you’re looking at one of the most seamless audio pairings Apple has ever offered. From deep integration with iOS to killer hardware upgrades, these buds deserve a spot at the top of your buyer’s guide.

Firstly, they pack what Apple calls the “world’s best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation (ANC),” delivering up to 4× more noise reduction than the original AirPods Pro. That means when you’re commuting, working from a café, or trying to focus, the sound isolation is truly elite. On top of that, the acoustic architecture—custom driver, high dynamic range amp, H2-chip—gives you rich sound, wide soundstage, and clean vocals.

For the iPhone‐17 user, the ecosystem perks shine: effortless pairing, automatic device switching, deep integration with the Fitness app (thanks to the new heart-rate sensor built into the AirPods Pro 3) and Live Translation support for on-the-go multilingual conversations. They’re also IP57 rated (dust & sweat resistant) which means they hold up when your day takes a turn into gym time or weather-worse commutes.

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UGREEN MagFlow 10,000mAh Wireless charger

$69.99

If you’re on the hunt for a top-tier MagSafe charger to pair with your iPhone 17, the UGREEN MagFlow MagSafe Wireless Charger stands out as a serious contender — and here’s why it deserves “best charger” status in your buyers guide.

First off: the magnetic grip. UGREEN built this charger with a strong array of magnets that lock into your iPhone’s MagSafe alignment, making sure the phone snaps on securely and stays in place — no annoying sliding off the pad mid-charge. The precision alignment also boosts charging efficiency because the coil is properly positioned every time.

Then there’s support for the newer charging standard. The MagFlow lineup supports Qi2 or MPP magnetic charging protocols which push wireless charging speeds beyond the old 15 W ceiling to up to 25 W on compatible devices. While your iPhone 17 may or may not hit the full 25 W (depending on Apple’s specification), investing in this now gives future-proofing for accessory compatibility and faster wireless power.

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Belkin UltraCharge Pro

$129

If you want the best wireless charger for your iPhone 17, the Belkin Boost Charge Pro is the one to get. It’s fully MagSafe-certified, so your phone snaps perfectly into place every time — no guessing or slow misaligned charging. The strong magnetic connection keeps your iPhone secure, whether it’s on your desk, nightstand, or charging at an angle.

Belkin also nails speed and reliability. This charger delivers up to 15W MagSafe power, letting your iPhone 17 charge faster than most generic Qi pads. It’s built with premium materials and a solid, non-slip base, giving it that polished Apple-like look and feel.

You can even grab the 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 Boost Charge Pro versions if you want to charge your AirPods or Apple Watch alongside your iPhone — perfect for keeping everything powered overnight.

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Baseus makes quite a few products, and while it makes plenty of chargers and power banks, it also makes things like these Inspire XC1 Open Earbuds, which are now on sale thanks to this deal at Amazon. While Baseus isn’t as recognizable for its audio gear, these earbuds actually have their sound done by Bose, which gives them a significant bump in recognition.

Since these are open earbuds, they don’t come with active noise cancellation, so if you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that have that kind of feature, there are better options. However, if you want something open with a wider sound stage, these are definitely that. The open design lets a little more noise in, so things sound more natural. It also means that you have a better grasp of your surroundings because you have a little bit of ambient noise, giving you more awareness.

In terms of fit, these are pretty comfortable and designed to be worn all day without discomfort. If you tend to wear earbuds for long periods of time, or you’ve wished you could, then you should consider these. Because they might just be the most comfortable pair of earbuds you’ve ever worn. They’ll last for up to 8 hours per charge, too. So you could wear them for most of the workday before you need to charge them. Speaking of charging, these come with the charging case that extends the battery life up to 40 hours.

Baseus Inspire XC1 Open Earbuds – $109.99

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Motorola will launch its ultra-slim Edge 70 phone globally on November 5th. It’s basically the same phone as the Moto X70 Air, which is available in China. We’ve already seen the design of the phone through some leaked renders. Now, as we inch closer to the announcement, Motorola has listed the Edge 70 on its official Polish and German websites, which show off more images and complete specs.

Motorola Edge 70 images and specs are listed on the official website

The official listing confirms the Motorola Edge 70 will be available in three Pantone colors: Gadget Grey, Lilly Pad, and Bronze Green. We’ve already seen the phone in the latter two colors via leaked renders. It features a unique nylon-textured finish on the back, offering a good grip. The frame is made of aircraft-grade aluminum, while the display gets a Gorilla Glass 7i protection layer. Motorola says the body has passed MIL-STD 810H standards.

The Motorola Edge 70 is just 5.99mm in thickness and is “feather light,” weighing around 159 grams. In comparison, the iPhone Air is 5.6mm thin and weighs 165 grams. There’s an IP68 and IP69 rating for water and dust resistance. It gets Water Touch support, so you can continue using it even if you’re by the pool or out and about on a rainy day.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 at the helm

Moving to specs, the Moto Edge 70 will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor. In comparison, the Edge 60 had the MediaTek Dimensity 7300. You get 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB native storage. It’ll boot Android 16 OS with Motorola’s OS, which is close to stock UI, on top. The software offers a bunch of Moto AI features like Note Assist, Playlist Studio, and Circle to Search.

The Edge 70 features a 6.67-inch 120Hz pOLED display with 100% DCI-P3 color space, 4,500 nits peak brightness, and HDR10+. The panel is Pantone validated for correct colors. You get a dual camera setup on the back, with a 50MP main f/1.8 lens with OIS and a 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide-angle lens. There’s another 50MP lens on the front for your selfie needs.

Edge 70 will be available in three colors

Though the rest of the hardware sounds quite juicy, the battery department may not be pleasing. It has a moderate 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery. This seems like a tradeoff for being slim. However, Motorola is promising up to 29 hours of continuous video playback and up to 66 hours of music. You get 68W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. 

Connectivity options of the phone include 5G, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Glonass, Galileo, and a USB Type-C. You get dual Dolby Atmos stereo speakers. There’s an in-screen fingerprint sensor and ThinkShield facial recognition for authentication. Motorola will share the price and availability details of the Edge 70 on the day of its launch.

The post Ultra-Slim Motorola Edge 70's Images & Specs Listed Before Launch appeared first on Android Headlines.

Despite being in high demand, compact phones seem to continue to be a niche for device makers. Only a few brands out there cover this segment adequately, and the list is even shorter outside of China. Well, meet the Vivo X200 FE, a pseudo-flagship handset—in the same category as the OnePlus 13R, OnePlus 13s, or Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, among others—that wants to fill this space.

The X200 FE isn’t exactly a budget phone, but it’s not as expensive as other devices that top—or even exceed—the $1,000 price tag. Its price tag places it at a nice spot in the flagship segment. Plus, its compact form factor makes it stand out in an industry populated by “mini tablets.” Add in a massive battery, long life, and remarkable cameras with ZEISS optics and tuning, and overall, you have a pretty attractive—although not perfect—package. Below, we will review all the pros and cons of this handset.

Vivo X200 FE

Rating

€799

Vivo X200 FE is a solid pseudo-flagship phone that combines pretty good cameras, a huge battery, high performance, and premium design in a compact package.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Matte-textured glass finish, highly resistant to fingerprints and scratches
• Dimensity 9300+ chip performance and efficiency is excellent
• A massive battery whose size is surprising in a compact body
• Clear, vivid and bright AMOLED display, visible even in sunlight
• Battery charges from 20 to 100% in just around 45 minutes
• Main and periscope cameras offer great results
• Premium glass and metal build with IP68/IP69 rating

Cons

• 8MP ultra-wide sensor is too out of place in the powerful camera system
• No wireless charging
• Despite stellar performance, UFS 3.1 storage and USB 2.0 are not up to par for its price range
• Extremely slippery design

Disclaimer

The manufacturer provided us with a review unit of the Vivo X200 FE. We used it as our primary device for approximately one month before writing this review, which was not sponsored.

Buy at Aliexpress

Vivo X200 FE: Specs

Vivo X200 FE Review: Hardware and Design

The design of the Vivo X200 FE is one of its strengths. With a display measuring just 6.31 inches and a body weighing around 188 grams, this is one of the few premium phones you can truly use with one hand without feeling like you might drop it. This point alone could be a great plus for many. After a long time—years—using phones of at least 6.7 inches, the change felt refreshing. I really thought I would find the screen too small, but I got used to it quickly.

The phone’s frame is crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum. In terms of real-world use, it feels sturdy, durable, and premium. There have been no signs of scratches in the time I have used it. Regarding the overall design, it is simple, clean, and practical. The rear panel features a textured glass finish that does an excellent job of resisting fingerprints and smudges. However, it also makes the phone quite slippery, so you’ll need to be careful if you like to carry it “uncased.”

The overall build quality is solid, with no creases or flex. As you may expect on a high-end “camera-focused” phone, the camera bump is notably raised. That means you’ll notice a lot of wobbles if you try to use the phone’s screen while it is laid on a flat surface—again, if you prefer not to use a case.

Beyond the aesthetics and in-hand feel, the X200 FE comes with an IP68 and IP69 rating. This means it’s fully protected against dust and can even handle high-pressure water jets. I submerged it in water for testing, and everything continued to work correctly. However, you will find that using the wet screen becomes complicated. This is a familiar situation for most phones out there, though.

The display has protection, but probably not the kind you’re used to. There’s a layer of Schott Xensation Core glass, a rarity in a segment dominated by Corning. Anyway, the phone comes with a pre-applied plastic protector that has been pretty resilient so far.

The phone is available in up to four colors: Amber Yellow, Frost Blue (our unit), Luxe Black, and Pink Vibe. It’s noteworthy that the availability of certain colors may be limited to specific markets. That said, Vivo includes a color-matching case. The case seems quite durable and feels nice in the hand. However, the material’s finish also makes it a bit slippery—though less so than the bare phone itself.

As for the ports and buttons, you’ll find the volume and power buttons on the right side, a USB-C port at the bottom, and a stereo speaker setup. Personally, I prefer the volume and power buttons on different sides of the frame, as the placement makes it easier to take screenshots with one hand. Anyway, I got used to having the buttons on one side after a few days.

The USB-C 2.0 standard is a bit of a curious choice at this price point, as it limits data transfer speeds. While this isn’t a dealbreaker for most users, it is something you should know. Surely those who tend to constantly transfer large files between their phone and PC via USB would have preferred a more current, faster standard.

In short, the Vivo X200 FE is designed as a legitimate compact premium phone. It’s good-looking, durable, and reliable. You will not find compromises in this section.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Display

The screen is a key aspect of our smartphones—especially premium ones. Fortunately, the Vivo X200 FE also excels in this section. The phone sports a 6.31-inch 8T LTPO AMOLED panel with a 2640 x 1216p resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. How does this translate into the real world? A sharp, smooth as butter user experience.

Whether you’re watching a series, a movie, or even a sporting event, the experience with the Vivo X200 FE’s display is truly pleasant. HDR-compatible content takes full advantage of the device’s display, boasting its ability to represent everything from deep blacks to bright highlights without the “black smearing” effect of cheap displays. It’s extremely responsive as well, which is especially notable when playing titles that require rapid reaction times.

The LTPO tech allows the refresh rate to dynamically adjust from 1Hz to 120Hz based on the content. In my experience, this happens perfectly smoothly, without lags or hangs here and there.

Regarding brightness, Vivo claims a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. That said, you won’t get these brightness levels under normal conditions but rather under certain specific situations (such as watching HDR-supported content) and in certain sections of the display. Anyway, I have been able to use this phone without any problem even in bright sunlight. Special mention to the operation of automatic brightness. Even though it may seem like a basic feature, not all phones handle it well. However, the Vivo X200 FE is capable of offering you the ideal levels for practice in every situation. This isn’t a device where you have to constantly adjust the brightness bar, which is just great.

Vivo has also integrated a 2,160Hz PWM dimming that will help your eyes not feel fatigued even during long reading sessions or late-night scrolling. My visual experience with this phone has been quite positive under any lighting conditions.

The screen has a responsive optical fingerprint sensor embedded, which is fast and reliable. I can’t recall a single instance where the fingerprint reader failed.

Overall, the Vivo X200 FE delivers a great viewing experience. It undoubtedly feels like one of the best phone displays you’ll find in this segment.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Performance

Under the hood, the Vivo X200 FE is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, a flagship-grade processor from the previous generation. This chip is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM—12GB in our unit—and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. While the Dimensity 9300+ is still a powerhouse, the inclusion of UFS 3.1 storage is a bit of a curious choice at this price point, as many rivals have moved to the faster UFS 4.0 standard. This, along with the slower USB 2.0 port, is the only real hardware compromise.

In day-to-day use, the phone feels incredibly fast, fluid, and responsive. Apps open instantly, multitasking is seamless, and there is no hint of lag or stuttering, even with a demanding workload. The performance gap between the Dimensity 9300+ and newer processors is minimal and something most users will never notice.

For gamers, the X200 FE performs really well. The vapor chamber cooling system (3800 mm²) also has a lot to offer. Although it’s not a gaming phone, it has enough raw power to satisfy the vast majority, even considering its compact screen. However, keep in mind that this is a compact handset. Therefore, there’s less inner space available for heat dissipation than in larger devices.

In Call of Duty: Mobile, both “Graphics Quality” and “Frame Rate” are set to “Max” by default, with features like anti-aliasing and real-time shadows turned on. Changing the frame rate to “Ultra” sets the graphics quality to “Medium.” However, every round will be extremely smooth and lag-free with these settings. In Genshin Impact, the game automatically sets the graphics quality to “High,” with most graphics options set to “High” (except for “Shadow Quality,” which is set to “Medium”) and 30fps. You can play it at 45fps by setting “render resolution” to “medium.”

Vivo has put a lot of effort into the gaming aspect of the device. Funtouch offers an “Ultra Gaming” mode that goes far beyond what Android natively includes. It does the typical thing, which is to optimize available hardware resources to get the best possible performance while you play. However, you’ll also find a lot of additional options that aren’t just bloatware but quite useful. These options will be available from a sidebar that you can display by sliding from the left side of the game UI.

These “gaming boosters” are divided into two main sections: “Performance Panel” and “Game Tools.” As the name suggests, the former allows you to intuitively tweak the game’s performance and display the touch sampling rate using a pair of sliders. Game Tools, on the other hand, includes a plethora of options, including mapping actions to motion gestures and screen recording, and enabling 4D vibration feedback for improved haptics. You can even activate “Charge Bypass” to play connected to a power brick without draining your battery.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Benchmarks

In synthetic benchmarks, the X200 FE delivered excellent scores. Due to its compact form factor, it’s not the smartphone that handles heat the best. However, we also can’t say that the device suffers from overheating under high-demand conditions. It’s just a little warmer than other handsets out there.

Geekbench:

Starting with Geekbench 6, the device achieved scores of 2,189 and 7,029 on the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

3D Mark’s Wildlife Extreme Stress Test:

We also ran the 3D Mark’s Wildlife Extreme Stress Test on the phone. This is one of the most demanding graphics benchmarks out there. It pushes your phone’s hardware to the limit, to the point where some models are even unable to complete it due to the temperature they reach. So, it’s ideal not only for testing your phone’s GPU but also its thermal control capabilities.

The benchmark consists of running 20 laps of the same graphically demanding test. At the end, the Vivo X200 FE managed to complete the test with a 58.4% stability score. This is perhaps where the smaller form factor becomes noticeable. That said, it will only impact your gaming experience in the most demanding titles and at the highest settings after a certain period of time.

Antutu:

We also put the handset to the test in the very popular Antutu benchmark.

Vivo X200 FE Review: thermals

Regarding thermals during benchmarks, the results were quite acceptable for a powerful compact phone. Below you can see the maximum temperature the device reached during each test.

We also tested the Vivo X200 FE’s thermals during 4K/60fps video recording, the most demanding recording setting available.

While the storage and USB port choices are a bit underwhelming, the core performance delivered by the Dimensity 9300+, the LPDDR5X RAM, and the 12-core Immortalis-G720 GPU is really good.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Battery Life and Charging

One of the most surprising and impressive aspects of the Vivo X200 FE is its battery. Despite its slim and compact form factor, the phone is powered by a massive 6,500mAh silicon-anode cell. This is a capacity you would typically find in a much larger, more expensive device, and it is one of the biggest batteries available in a smartphone today.

This massive battery delivers exceptional endurance. In our tests, the phone comfortably lasted a full day and a half with moderate to heavy usage, and even the most demanding users should be able to get through a full day with charge to spare. More specifically, we are talking about easily achieving 10+ hours of on-screen time if you use Wi-Fi most of the day or around 8:30+ hours with heavy use of mobile data.

Charging the phone is equally impressive, thanks to 90W fast charging support. With a compatible charger, you can fully charge the phone from 20 to 100% in just around 45 minutes, according to the company. In our tests, the phone charged from 1% to 100% in just over 55 minutes. That said, the device doesn’t include a charger in the box in Europe, so that’s something you should check. However, the handset supports both USB-PD and PPS charging protocols, so you can exploit its charging capabilities with non-proprietary adapters. I also tested it with a third-party 65W USB-PD charging brick, and it worked perfectly.

Below you can find the results of the Vivo X200 FE in our battery endurance test compared to other devices.

One of the advantages of these huge batteries is that you can limit their charge to extend their lifespan. Since you don’t need 100% capacity for your daily use, you can charge it up to 90%, for example. In fact, Funtouch 15 offers an option that allows you to do just that on this device.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Software

The Vivo X200 FE comes out of the box running Funtouch 15, which is based on Android 15. Vivo promises four years of Android updates, so it should receive even Android 19 in the future. This particular model is set to get monthly security updates as well. During our tests, the phone received four updates to improve camera quality and add a security patch. The device is set to get Android 16 in November along with the other, more expensive Vivo X200 models, by the way.

The software experience is a mixed bag of clean design and useful features. At first glance, the interface looks quite streamlined and practical.

However, looking at the colorful “Material” design language of the Pixel phones, the countless customization possibilities of One UI, or even riskier bets like Apple’s Liquid Glass, Vivo’s UI may be starting to feel a little “outdated.” On the good side, the OS is as stable as it can be, offering a well-optimized, smooth/snappy experience. Gone are those times when custom skins from Chinese Android brands negatively impacted performance or introduced more problems than solutions.

The software also offers some AI features that are actually useful. There’s an AI writing assistant integrated into the Notes app, a live call translation feature, and an AI Transcript Assist that can summarize spoken conversations. Vivo also includes its DocMaster tool, which simplifies file conversion and editing. You’ll also find Google’s Gemini integration, bringing features like Circle to Search and on-screen content translation.

Vivo integrates its own Gallery app, which, as you might imagine, also offers AI-powered features. There’s an “AI Photo Enhance” option that restores—or boosts—the quality of your photos. However, I must say that, at least currently, the result is a mixed bag. Often, it helps improve the photo, but in other cases, the AI processing leaves notably artificial results—especially in portraits. On the other hand, the AI-powered eraser works quite well and even lets you remove unwanted reflections from glass in pictures. Vivo’s Gallery app also offers an option to quickly generate PDF files with the images you want.

While the OS is pretty good, there are a few things here and there that could be better. Vivo includes its widget section within the app drawer, which can be a bit disruptive for users expecting a clean app list, for instance. Customization fans will also find their options somewhat limited. For starters, the launcher doesn’t support third-party icon packs, which is a bummer.

There’s also no option to remove the bottom app dock, leaving a large, empty space between the dock icons and the rest of the home screen. While you can solve these problems by downloading a launcher, it would be great to have these options natively. Hopefully, Vivo can address these couple of things in the upcoming updates.

Either way, the OS still supports Android’s theming feature. So, you can apply a uniform color tone to most of your app icons and key UI items. You can also change the icon shape (square, circular, or “squircle”). Sadly, there are apps whose icons don’t support the theme feature, which is a bummer if those apps include some of your favorites. There is also an option to hide the name labels of the app icons on your home screen for an even more minimalist look.

If privacy options are important to you, Funtouch 15 will likely satisfy you. You can encrypt access to your apps using a PIN or biometrics. If you prefer, there’s also an option to directly hide the app from the drawer and home screen. You can also check when apps have accessed your location, camera, and microphone in chronological order.

Vivo X200 FE Review: Camera

The Vivo X200 FE is a camera-focused phone, which its rear bump makes clear. You won’t find huge 1-inch sensors here, but the overall package makes for a remarkable content creation experience. There are three sensors, the main one being a 50MP Sony IMX921 with an f/1.88 aperture and a 1/1.56″ size. It’s not the most powerful sensor available out there, but it’s capable of delivering really good results full of detail.

However, you might be even more interested in the 50MP periscope Sony IMX882 sensor with support for 3x optical zoom. This is almost the same periscope lens as the vanilla Vivo X200, with the difference that the company opted for an M-style prism on the FE model. What’s the difference? Well, this format allows for a slimmer phone design, but it also means losing the lens’s macro capabilities. That’s right, you won’t find a dedicated “Macro” mode on this phone. So, keep that in mind if it’s important to you.

Both lenses boast OIS and ZEISS optics, which, in theory, should improve light transmission and reduce the lens flare effect. That said, both the main and telephoto sensors offer excellent performance. Special mention to the almost-instant shutter speed, something that even some premium flagship phones struggle to achieve.

Main camera samples:

Starting with the main lens, the results are generally good in all lighting conditions. Photos are detailed and vivid, without the dreaded “washed-out textures” effect that other brands suffer from due to overly aggressive image processing. HDR management is another strong point of the Vivo X200 FE, showing a good balance of lights and shadows.

When night falls, the main sensor continues to perform quite competently. However, at this point it becomes more noticeable that we’re not dealing with a proper flagship. You’ll primarily notice significantly worse light control, although the level of detail is still acceptable—there is no “oil paint” effect typical of mid-rangers. Just be careful in scenes with many artificial light sources.

3x telephoto samples:

Regarding the periscope sensor, it offers excellent image quality. The best thing is that, unlike some other similar solutions, there’s no “foggy effect” in the photo. Vivo has been offering some of the best camera phones available for years, so they have a lot of experience with image processing, and you’ll notice that here. The camera app offers four preset zoom levels: 0.6x, 1x, 2x, 3x, and 10x. However, if you long-press the zoom selector, you can use a carousel to fine-tune the zoom levels up to 100x. Although, as you might imagine, the images at the maximum digital zoom level will be barely usable in most cases.

Below you’ll find samples taken with the 3x telephoto periscope lens.

If you are interested in even higher zoom levels, 10x zoom results are better or worse depending on the scene. There are cases where the “AI reconstruction” is more evident than in others. In my experience, the device is capable of delivering “almost optical” quality up to 5x zoom. Beyond that, the AI’s participation in photo reconstruction will be much more evident.

Regarding nighttime performance, the 3x telephoto sensor continues to perform quite well, similar to the main camera. Texture details aren’t blurred in the shadows, which is great. It may easily be one of the best 3x telephoto lenses available out there, and it’s nice to have it in a handset that doesn’t cost as much as a premium flagship.

Ultra-wide samples:

For the ultra-wide lens, there’s nothing to write home about here. The handset has an 8MP lens that’s quite out of place with the rest of the camera package. These sensors are more typical of affordable phones, and we would have liked to see something better on this device. The best we can say about the Vivo X200 FE’s ultra-wide camera is that it’s simply “usable.” As expected, it performs just acceptable in ideal lighting conditions, but don’t expect a level of detail similar to that of the other sensors. Still, Vivo’s decent image processing helps improve things a bit.

In low-light situations, the ultra-wide sensor is barely usable. Light control is quite poor, and details become blurred easily. These are the situations when it’s most noticeable that we’re talking about a low-end camera. A 12MP sensor at least would have been much more suitable for this phone.

By the way, the phone offers a “Supermoon” mode:

Regarding Vivo’s camera app, it offers a ton of “styles.” There are the three main ones: Texture, Vivid, and Zeiss. The latter is the mode that promises the most realistic results, and it’s the one we used for camera testing. However, Vivo sets the “Vivid” mode by default, aware that most users prefer photos with punchier colors for social media.

There’s a set of other styles you can play with and experiment with to get the results you like best. There are even dedicated modes for “Food” and “Stage”—a mode designed for taking photos at concerts, taking advantage of the phone’s zoom capabilities. You can also enable a “Smart Focus” setting that will automatically track subjects. The camera app is full of modes and options that photography fans will appreciate.

As an interesting fact, the phone’s flash is not monotone. It can switch between different levels of cool and warm. You can adjust the tone manually or let the phone do it automatically based on the scene. Vivo calls this “Aura Light,” whose intensity is also adjustable. There are even a pair of discreetly integrated front-facing flashlights for selfies.

Should You Buy the Vivo X200 FE?

The Vivo X200 FE is one of those great phones that, unfortunately, is not available in the US market. However, it was launched for €799 in EU countries and from ₹51,990 in India. At this point you could probably get it for less. This phone is a serious competitor to other compact devices like the OnePlus 13s and the Google Pixel 10 in its range. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone in the market for a compact phone that doesn’t compromise on the core experience.

You should buy the Vivo X200 FE if:

• You want one of the best camera experiences available in a sub-flagship phone.
• You are looking for an affordable pseudo-flagship device that is not primarily focused on performance, cutting costs in other aspects.
• You want a phone whose battery will easily last more than a day even with intensive use.

You should not buy the Vivo X200 FE if:

• The quality of the ultra-wide camera is really important to you.
• You prefer phones with large screens.

The post Vivo X200 FE Review: A Compact Beast That Won't Break Your Bank appeared first on Android Headlines.

Samsung has started rolling out the Android 16-based One UI 8 update for the Galaxy F55 and Galaxy F15. The update brings smoother performance, new features, and a refreshed look to make the phones faster and easier to use.

One UI 8 update for Galaxy F55 and F15 update comes with build numbers E556BXXU4CYJ4 and E156BXXU7CYJ5. The download size is about 2.3 GB, and it comes with the October 2025 security patch. The update is currently live for users in India, and the company will make it available for all models soon.

One UI 8 brings several exciting features. The Weather app has a fresh new look, while the Now Bar and Live Notifications show more information at a glance. Users can also enjoy the new 90:10 split-screen ratio and new clock styles.

The animations throughout the system have been improved, making switching between apps feel faster and more natural. Samsung has also added Google’s Circle to Search support with this update for Galaxy F15, giving users more functionality.

If you own a Galaxy F55 or F15 in India, you can check for the update by going to Settings >> Software update >> Download and install. Once the download is complete, tap Install now, and your phone will restart with the latest One UI 8 features. This update makes the Galaxy F55 and F15 more reliable, faster, and enjoyable to use.

The post Samsung Galaxy F55 and F15 users can finally enjoy One UI 8 features appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Android 16 is introducing a useful new feature that makes app updates much quicker and easier for everyone. The new feature, Seamless App Updates, helps reduce the time an app is frozen during an update. This means your apps will update faster and with almost no interruption to your phone use.

Normally, when you update an app, Android briefly freezes it so it doesn’t crash while files are being replaced. For large or system apps, this freezing time could last a few seconds, which makes the app unusable for a short while.

But with Android 16, this time has been reduced from seconds to just a few milliseconds. It means that you’ll barely notice it happening during app updates.

This improvement comes from a smart change in how Android processes app updates. The system runs scripts called dexopt and dex2oat, which prepare an app’s code to make it run faster. In older versions, these tasks were done while the app was frozen, causing delays.

Android 16 now performs these optimizations earlier in the update process, so when the app is swapped with the new version. And the freezing happens for only a split second.

This update doesn’t just make things faster, as it also makes the whole experience smoother. It’s especially helpful for larger apps or for users who install several updates at once through the Play Store.

Although Google hasn’t shared every technical detail, the results are clear as apps now update almost instantly. Seamless app updates may seem like a small change, but it’s a big improvement in everyday use, saving time and making Android 16 feel faster and more reliable overall.

The post Android 16 makes app updates faster by reducing freeze time appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Mahindra Electric has introduced a smart new way for its customers to access their cars. The company has partnered with Samsung to bring Digital Car Key support for the Mahindra Electric Origin SUV through Samsung Wallet. This new feature lets Galaxy smartphone users unlock, lock, and start their vehicle using just their phone, so no physical key is needed.

The setup is simple and secure. The digital key works through NFC and UWB technology, which allows the phone to communicate directly with the car. To ensure safety, users must confirm their identity with a fingerprint, face ID, or a PIN before using the feature.

Sharing the car is also easier now. Owners can send a temporary digital key to friends or family members, giving them access for a limited time. It’s a handy option for families who share vehicles.

Samsung has also added a safety backup. If someone loses their phone, the Samsung Find service can remotely lock the device and delete all sensitive data, including the car key. This keeps both personal information and the car secure.

Image: Samsung

The feature will first be available for select Mahindra Electric Origin SUVs, and it will expand across India in the coming months. This step shows Mahindra’s growing aim to make its electric vehicles more connected and user-friendly.

Samsung Wallet already supports digital car keys for brands like Hyundai, Kia, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. With Mahindra Electric now on that list, Indian customers can enjoy the same modern, digital convenience as drivers of global brands.

With this partnership, Mahindra Electric is taking another step toward a smarter future. It provides a seamless driving experience for EV owners in India.

The post Samsung Wallet adds Mahindra Electric Origin SUV to its digital car key lineup appeared first on Sammy Fans.

The LemurStrap is a recently released camera strap that photographers so far are loving. It promises easy adjustment, quick release, security, and, most importantly, comfort.

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It is becoming more common to see celebrities and pop stars using classic cameras as the vintage aesthetic continues to burn white hot. However, most tend to stick with digital -- Taylor Swift and Selina Gomez both really like the Olympus EM-10 Mark IV, for example. Sabrina Carpenter is going even further back in time though as she has been spotted sporting a beautiful Contax G2.

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A photographer with a penchant for making his own camera gear is embarking on an ambitious project to create the world's first anamorphic lens for a rangefinder camera.

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Photographer and YouTube creator Mathieu Stern saw an incredible piece of cinematic and optical history show up on an auction site. While it was outside his price range, it was not beyond the reach of Atlas Lens Co., known for its Orion and Mercury series cinema lenses. The lens in question was a Bausch + Lomb CinemaScope anamorphic lens attachment, which could turn a traditional cinema lens into a then-groundbreaking anamorphic optic.

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The rumors were accurate, as it turns out, and the Honor Power 2 does in fact have a 10,000 mAh battery. The device has just been certified for sale in China by 3C, and the listing in question has revealed the battery's rated capacity, which is 9,886 mAh. That will undoubtedly be marketed as 10,000 mAh typical capacity when the phone launches. It will be the first device from a mainstream smartphone brand to reach five-digit battery capacity territory, but apparently Honor won't stop here. According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the brand actually plans on releasing three different...

Motorola recently started teasing the launch of a new smartphone in India, and today the brand revealed that phone is the Moto G67 Power, which will launch on November 5. Motorola also listed the Moto G67 Power on its Indian website with images, specs, and features, so we don't have to wait until next Wednesday to know what the smartphone will offer. The use of the word "Power" in the phone's moniker should already tell you that it will pack a big battery. How big? The answer is 7,000 mAh. It's a Si/C battery, advertised to last more than two days (58 hours, to be accurate) on a single...

The OnePlus 15 was unveiled a couple of days ago in China and has booked its ticket for the worldwide tour – the company just announced that its latest flagship will make its global debut on November 13 (that’s the Thursday two weeks from now). Pricing details are to come. For now, we can just have a look at the early bird offer. Starting today and ending November 13, you can pay a €99 deposit on OnePlus.com to reserve a phone. This will count towards your purchase, which will include a €50 discount and one of several freebies for a total value of €350. You will be able to pick one of...

The X4 Air is Insta360’s latest 360-degree action cam and it brings up to 8K30 video recording at a more affordable price point compared to the flagship Insta360 X5 model. Insta360 X4 Air in Graphite Black At its core, X4 Air gets dual 1/1.8-inch sensors which is a big upgrade compared to ½-inch sensors on its predecessor. You can record videos in 8K (7680×3840) resolution at 30/25/24fps as well as 6K (6016×3008) @50/48/30/25/24fps or 4K (3840×1920) @50/48/30/25/24fps. Photos are snapped at 29MP (7680×3840) resolution. X4 Air supports replaceable lenses and Insta360’s...

Even though Nothing already has entry-level smartphones under the CMF brand, it decided to launch its first affordable smartphone under its own lineup. The Nothing Phone (3a) Lite is the first entry-level smartphone from the London-based tech brand. A quick specs comparison reveals that the Phone (3a) Lite is actually quite similar to the CMF Phone 2 Pro with the only major difference being the absence of a dedicated telephoto cam. Phone (3a) Lite gets the signature Nothing transparent glass back, and it features a single Glyph light that alerts you to notifications. Phone...

Many AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT can perform research for users. But OpenAI thinks that’s not good enough. In fact, OpenAI believes that by 2028, it will have developed a “legitimate AI researcher.”

OpenAI developing AI researcher

So as not to confuse you, by “AI researcher,” OpenAI is referring to an AI that can perform research. Not a human researcher that does research on AI. According to the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s deep learning systems are advancing at such a rapid pace that the company is tracking towards achieving an intern-level research assistant by 2026. Then by 2028, it would have a “legitimate AI researcher.”

If that is true, it would be impressive. Like we said, AI models like ChatGPT have the ability to perform deep research for users. This means that instead of a cursory search, it dives deeper into the web to find information on the things you want. However, does it perform as well as a human? That’s debatable.

AI research versus human research

There’s no doubt that Deep Research will save humans a lot of time. Imagine you’re trying to write a thesis for your final semester at university. Normally, you’d have to go to the library and search for books related to your subject. Then within those books, you’d have to find information that’s relevant. You could do it online, but it’s also the same thing. You’d have to sift through dozens, if not hundreds of websites, to find information to support your paper.

With Deep Research, all of that information can be found and collated in minutes. This frees you up time on researching and more time writing. However, speed is the only thing it excels at.

When we do our own research, we learn things along the way. We employ critical thinking and we understand the context of the information. AI, however, does not. It’s great at summarizing information, but because it lacks the nuances of human thinking, the information it finds might not be as good as a human researcher doing the same thing.

Right now, tools like Deep Research are more like a jumping off point. It helps you find information and sources quickly, but then you’ll have to synthesize that information yourself. However, if OpenAI is capable of achieving human-level research in the next few years, it will be a whole different ball game.

The post OpenAI Aims to Build a Legitimate AI Researcher by 2028 appeared first on Android Headlines.

By all accounts, AT&T is having a decent year. According to the company’s latest financials, it managed to gain around 405,000 new postpaid customers during Q3 2025. However, that is just one part of the story. While AT&T managed to pull in quite a sizable number of new customers, it might have a retention problem.

AT&T might have a problem with customers staying

According to a report from The Street, it discovered in the financial report that AT&T’s churn rate increased by 14 basis points year-over-year. This means that while AT&T might be bringing in new customers each quarter, it has a problem keeping existing ones.

And whose fault is this? Could it be that the marketing by Verizon and T-Mobile are too good? Turns out, it might actually be AT&T’s own doing. The carrier had recently made a decision to reduce the monthly discount for customers who opted for autopay and paperless billing. This means that customers who did opt into these programs suddenly saw their discounts gone.

For some, it might have been these discounts that kept them on AT&T’s network. Now that those discounts are no more, these customers also have no reason to stick around. Also, as The Street points out, the carrier faced some controversy with billing. AT&T, like all other carriers, is trying to lure customers to their network. However, some customers discovered higher-than-expected monthly bills after the fact.

AT&T insists that it’s normal

While the increased churn rate is alarming, AT&T doesn’t think so. In fact, during the earnings call, AT&T Chief Financial Officer Pascal Desroches said this follows “seasonable patterns.”

According to Desroches, “This reflects increased marketplace activity and, to a lesser degree, an increase in the portion of our customer base reaching the end of device financing periods, which normalized as we exited the quarter. Based on this operating environment, we continue to plan for postpaid phone churn and upgrades to follow seasonal patterns in the fourth quarter, when we typically see more switching and upgrade activity due to new device launches and the holiday season.”

AT&T CEO John Stankey also notes that rival carriers have been pretty aggressive with their own luring tactics. “It’s been competitive. It continues to be competitive. There are shifts in tactics all the time that occur in this market, and we’re in a cycle right now that, because of the maturity level, tactics have shifted.”

The post AT&T Faces Customer Retention Problem Despite Strong Subscriber Growth appeared first on Android Headlines.

Despite the Apple Watch pretty much only working with iOS devices, Apple’s wearable commands a pretty sizable chunk of the market. This is thanks to the features of the smartwatch that legitimately make it useful. It is also understandable why Apple wasn’t too thrilled when trade secrets surrounding the Apple Watch were leaked to Oppo.

Apple says Oppo engineer stole trade secrets

Now, Apple employs hundreds, if not thousands of employees, who work on a variety of products at the company. Recently, it seems that Oppo had recruited a former Apple Watch engineer, Chen Shi, who reportedly shared trade secrets about the Apple Watch with the Chinese company.

Apple discovered this leak when Shi gave a presentation on Apple sensor technology. This allowed Oppo to gain further insight into the development of the smartwatch. In fact, Shi did not even shy away from the fact that this information came from inside Apple. Oppo marketed the internal talk with the title “Apple’s Sensor Hardware R&D Philosophy and Methodology.” A tagline for the meeting even reads, “Are you curious about how Apple’s sensors are developed?”

Apple is saying that Shi’s presentations include slides that were taken directly from the company. The complaint also accuses Oppo of encouraging Shi to share trade secret information.

Oppo’s response

Naturally, Oppo is denying that there was any theft of trade secrets. Apple has asked the courts for injunctive relief to stop Shi from sharing further information. However, Oppo says that it conducted its own comprehensive search of the systems Shi had access to. The company claims that there is “no indication that Oppo received any Apple trade secret information.”

It also does not believe that injunctive relief is justified. “There is consequently no basis for Apple to request preliminary injunctive relief, and it is not entitled to any such relief. OPPO has already looked for Apple’s ‘trade secrets’ and ‘confidential information’ and found nothing that it might disclose, retain, use or be obligated to return.”

It remains to be seen how this will play out. However, if Apple’s evidence is as damning as they claim, it might not look good for Oppo or Shi.

The post Apple Accuses OPPO Engineer of Stealing Apple Watch Trade Secrets appeared first on Android Headlines.

Foldable smartphones have managed to evolve quite a bit over the last 5 or so years. Samsung has finally started catching up to the competition, and we have some really great offerings on the market at the moment. If you’re in the market for one such phone, picking out the very best foldable smartphone for your needs is crucial. Well, this list may help you, as it’s a buying guide, of sorts. Do note that the list is US-centric, so you won’t find devices that cannot be purchased in the States.

With that being said, quite a few compelling foldable smartphones are available in the States. You can take your pick between book-style ones and flip phone ones, there’s something for everyone. If you’re aiming for the very best, we have you covered. If you’re on a budget, that’s not a problem either, even though foldable phones are not as affordable as regular ones, of course. Either way, let’s delve into it, and hopefully help you choose your next or first foldable smartphone. These are some of the best Android phones in general, by the way.

Best Foldable Smartphone

There are several excellent foldable phones out in the market at the moment. We’ve decided to especially highlight the Galaxy Z Fold 7 from Samsung, though. Samsung made a huge leap with this phone compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it’s finally extremely competitive. This is the phone to get if you’re looking for a proper foldable phone that can become a tablet when you need it to.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Rating

$1,999

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is our pick for the best foldable smartphone in general. This is a larger foldable, of course, but it’s the best pick for those of you who live in the US, easily. It is a major improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it can easily compete with basically every foldable smartphone in the market.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is much thinner and lighter than its predecessor, while it’s also plenty powerful at the same time. It is only 8.9mm thick when folded, and weighs 215 grams. needless to say that’s a huge improvement over 12.1mm of the Fold 6, and its 239 grams of weight.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, while it also packs in 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. A 4,400mAh battery is included here, while the device does support wired and wireless charging. The charging is not blazing fast, though, but it does the trick. You’ll also find two 120Hz displays on the device, both of which are great, actually. Regardless if you need a phone or a tablet, this phone does the trick.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Mindblowingly thin and light
• Bigger, Brighter Displays
• Better cameras
• Class-leading performance

Cons

• Another price increase, now $1,999
• Battery capacity and battery life need improvement
• S Pen Support removed
• Insane camera bump

What makes this phone special?

What makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 special? Well, the first thing that always comes to mind when we think of this phone are the design improvements. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 weighs only 215 grams and is only 8.9mm thick when folded. That’s a major improvement over 239 grams and 12.1mm of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The Fold 6 felt like it was several generations behind the competition, design-wise, that’s not longer the case, not at all. We’d even argue it’s worth upgrading from the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for this reason alone.

Other than that, this phone does offer a really good balance. It has two outstanding 120Hz displays, while it also packs in more than enough power to last your for years. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is here, along with plenty of RAM and storage. The device is also IP48 certified, which is always good to see, especially on a foldable. Granted, its camera performance and battery life could be better, but it’s still a major improvement over its predecessor, and it can compete with basically any foldable out there.

Specs

• Inner Display: 8″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
• Cover Display: 6.5″ Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
• Brightness: 2,600 nits peak (inner and cover display)
• Protection: UTG (inner display) / Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 (cover display)
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
• RAM and Storage: 12GB/16GB RAM ; 256GB/512GB/1TB Storage
• Cameras: 200MP primary camera at f/1.7, 10MP 3x telephoto at f/2.4, 12MP ultrawide at f/2.2 (120-degree FOV)
• Battery: 4,400mAh
• Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
• Colors: Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jet Black, Mint

Features

• Android Version: Android 16 (One UI 8)
• Software Support: 7 years of major Android updates
• AI Software: Gemini, Bixby, Circle to Search, Galaxy AI
• Camera Score: N/A
• Camera features: LED flash, Auto-HDR, 8K recording at 30fps, 4K recording at 60fps, HDR10+ recording, 10-bit HDR recording, OIS
• Battery life Score: 20 hours and 2 minutes
• Charging time: 1 hour and 16 minutes

Review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultimate Review: Thinner, Faster, More Expensive

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Best Small Foldable Smartphone

If book-style foldables are not really your thing, and you prefer flip phone foldables, there are several great options on the market. The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is one of them, and arguably the very best flip phone that you can buy on the market at the moment. It’s a completely different form factor compared to book-style foldables.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

Rating

$1,299.99

Not everyone likes book-style foldables. Some of you just want a regular phone that folds in half basically. That was you get a regular phone, and a tiny phone that you can use. Well, in our opinion, the very best such device on the market, at the moment, is the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. This is an excellent phone in every way, basically, and unlike the Galaxy Z Flip 7, it allows you to use that cover display to its full potential out of the box. You don’t have to jump through hoops to do it.

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 comes with a rather large cover display, a 4-inch panel. That is large in cover display numbers, and that panel is also really good. It’s an OLED display that has a 165Hz refresh rate, just like the main panel on the phone. It also gets quite bright. The main display is great, too, and it gets even brighter than this one at 4,500 nits of peak brightness.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite will make sure the phone runs properly, along with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Motorola really didn’t skimp out on what matters. A 4,700mAh battery is also included, along with fast wired and wireless charging. Even the camera performance this phone offers is not bad at all, especially with the main camera. Motorola’s processing here is also quite good.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Excellent battery life
• One of the fastest charging smartphones in the US
• Unique materials and colors make the Razr Ultra really pop
• Motorola is still unmatched with its cover display, it’s insanely helpful
• The crease is mostly gone
• Finally, true flagship performance out of the Razr Ultra

Cons

• The Razr is still a bit too tall. It takes some getting used too.
• New AI button is not needed
• Don’t expect many software updates, unfortunately

What makes this phone special?

The design and the cover display are the things we think of first when it comes to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. The phone looks great, it has a large cover display, and silicon polymer back. That makes it more grippy than its competitors, and it’s actually a pleasure to hold, whether it’s unfolded or not. Motorola did a fantastic job in the design department. The phone is also not too heavy, not at all, it weighs 199 grams.

The cover display is also worth highlighting. It’s not only quite large for what it is, but it supports a 165Hz refresh rate, and it allows you to use all the same apps as on the main display… out of the box. It also gets very bright when you need it to. The main display is great too, while the phone will also charge very fast when you need it to, thanks to 65W wired charging. Wireless charging is also supported, though

Specs

• Display: 7″ & 4″ LTPO AMOLED 165Hz
• Brightness: 4,500 nits / 3,000 nits peak
• Protection: Gorilla Glass Ceramic (cover)
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
• RAM and Storage: 16GB RAM ; 512GB/1TB Storage
• Cameras: 50MP primary camera at f/1.8, 50MP ultrawide at f/2.0
• Battery: 4,700mAh
• Charging: 68W wired, 30W wireless, 5W reverse wired
• Colors: Pantone: Rio Red, Scarab, Mountain Trail, Cabaret

Features

• Android Version: Android 15
• Software Support: 3 years of major Android updates
• AI Software: Gemini, Circle to Search
• Camera Score: N/A
• Camera features: Pantone Validated Color and Skin Tones
• Battery life Score: N/A
• Charging time: N/A

Review

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 Ultimate Review: Great Cameras With PANTONE-Validated Precision

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Second-Best Small Foldable Smartphone

We had a hard time deciding between the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 for the best small foldable, so we decided to include both of them on the list. They’re basically standing side-by-side on the throne, even though we gave a small advantage to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is an excellent flip phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

$1,099.99

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 was neck-to-neck with the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 for the best small foldable. We had to make a choice, though. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is still a great option, though, of course. It may actually suit a lot people better than the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 simply from the software standpoint, if you’re used to using Samsung’s One UI skin.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 also has a very nice and large cover display. It fact, it’s even slightly larger than the one on the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Both displays on the phone offer a 120Hz refresh rate, and both of them are more than bright enough. The Exynos 2500 fuels the phone, while the device comes with 12GB of RAM.

This smartphone ships with Android 16 out of the box, and comes with a huge software support promise. Samsung is promising 7 years of major Android OS upgrades for the device. A 4,300mAh battery is also a part of the package, while the phone also supports both wired and wireless charging. You’ll find a very fast and reliable fingerprint scanner on the right-hand side of the phone. All in all, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 does have a lot to offer, and it’s also not heavy at all, quite the contrary.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Solid, thin design
• Larger foldable display
• Good performance
• Large, and nice cover display
• Outstanding software support

Cons

• Slow charging
• Cameras could be better

What makes this phone special?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is one of the best-looking flip phones out there, if not the best-looking one. The bezels around its cover display are immensely thin, as Samsung managed to spread out that display to the max. The phone has two really good displays, and you can make that cover display serve you as well as the main one with some slight tweaking. The Exynos 2500 may not have been as great of a choice as the Snapdragon 8 Elite for this phone, but the chip does perform well, you don’t really have to worry about performance here.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is also IP48 certified, which is another positive for the phone. It will give you some piece of mind, that’s for sure. The battery life may not be its strength, but the device does support wired, wireless, and reverse wireless charging. The charging may not be blazing fast, but at least that battery capacity is not huge, so it’ll charge faster than you may think. While its ultrawide camera is kind of forgettable, the performance of the main unit is not bad at all.

Specs

• Display: 6.9” (main) & 4.1” (cover) AMOLED 120Hz
• Brightness: 2,600 nits peak
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover display)
• Processor: Samsung Exynos 2500
• RAM and Storage: 12GB RAM ; 256GB/512GB Storage
• Cameras: 50MP primary camera at f/1.57, 12MP ultrawide at f/2.2
• Battery: 4,300mAh
• Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless

Features

• Android Version: Android 16 (One UI 8)
• Software Support: 7 years of major Android updates
• AI Software: Gemini, Bixby, Circle to Search, Galaxy AI
• Camera Score: N/A
• Camera features: HDR, panorama, 4K at 60 FPS
• Battery life Score: N/A

Buyers Guide

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Ultimate Buyers Guide – October 2025

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Best Budget Foldable Smartphone

Yes, budget foldable smartphones are a thing these days. Back in the day, that was certainly not the case. Now, you can get a foldable at a rather reasonable price, a current-gen foldable. The Motorola Razr 2025 is our pick for this category. This is also a flip phone, but it’s a rather compelling flip phone at $549.

Motorola Razr 2025

$549

If you really, really want a foldable, but you’re on a budget, the Motorola Razr 2025 is a great option. This smartphone costs only $549, which is actually quite affordable for a foldable smartphone. The Motorola Razr 2025 is also no slouch. Yes, it is inferior to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025, obviously, but it’s still a very good smartphone and worth this price tag, that’s for sure.

The Motorola Razr does offer a really nice design. Even though it doesn’t have as thin cover display bezels as the ‘Ultra’ model, and has a smaller display, it still looks very appealing. Its main display is a very nice 120Hz panel, while the cover display has a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone itself is fueled by the MediaTek Dimensity 7400X, which does a fine job. Don’t expect ‘Ultra’ performance, but it does the trick.

Both wired and wireless charging are supported here, too, while the phone is IP48 certified for water and dust resistance. There is also a solid 50-megapixel main camera included. It’s not great, but it’s not bad either, it does the trick. It’s far better than the ultrawide camera that is included here. Motorola had to cut corners somewhere. Its side-facing fingerprint scanner is fast and reliable.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Nice-looking phone
• Not flagship, but good performance
• Very good cover display
• Good photo processing

Cons

• Plenty of bloatware
• Software update longevity

What makes this phone special?

The price tag is something that we always think of first when the Motorola Razr 2025 conversation comes knocking. $549 is a very appealing price tag for a foldable smartphone, especially one as solid as the Razr 2025. If you can catch a discount, then it’s an even better deal, of course. This phone offers a really good design and build quality, and it’s one of the grippiest foldable smartphones on the market. Its eco leather backplate has a lot to do with that, that’s for sure.

The device may not have the best displays on the market, but both panels on the device are really, really good. The fact you can use that cover display for basically anything, same as the main panel, is a huge bonus. That’s not something a lot of flip phones can say for themselves. Despite the fact it’s technically a budget device, this phone supports both wired and wireless charging, and has a very fast and reliable fingerprint scanner on its right side.

Specs

• Display: 6.9″ & 3.6″ Foldable LTPO AMOLED 120Hz
• Brightness: 3,000 nits / 1,700 nits peak
• Protection: Gorilla Glass Victus (cover)
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7400X
• RAM and Storage: 8GB RAM ; 256GB Storage
• Cameras: 50MP primary camera at f/1.7, 13MP ultrawide at f/2.2
• Battery: 4,500mAh
• Charging: 30W wired, 15W wireless
• Colors: Pantone: Gibraltar Sea, Spring Bud, Lightest Sky, Parfait Pink

Features

• Android Version: Android 15
• Software Support: N/A
• AI Software: Gemini, Circle to Search
• Camera Score: N/A
• Camera features: 4K at 30 fps, gyro-EIS
• Battery life Score: N/A
• Charging time: 55 minutes

Buyers Guide

Motorola Razr 2025: Your Ultimate Guide To Motorola's 2025 Flip Phones – October 2025

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Best Foldable Smartphone for Android Purists

If you simply love Google‘s iteration of Android and don’t want third-party software on top of it, there’s a foldable out there for you, too. We’re talking about the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, of course. This is not the best foldable on the market, as it does have several notable drawbacks compared to the competition, but it’s still a very good Pixel smartphone, and it may be ideal for some people.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Rating

$1,699

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is Google’s best foldable yet, and the only one announced in 2025. This handset is different than most of the book-style competitors. It is thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, OPPO Find N5, and other competitors in the space. However, it’s not too thick nor too heavy, at least in our opinion. So if you don’t mind the the added thickness and heft, this phone is definitely worth considering.

The phone looks really nice, Google did a fine job in the design department. Google also made some improvements over the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the design department. The phone has two very compelling 120Hz displays, an 8-inch main panel, and a 6.4-inch cover display. The Google Tensor G5 fuels the device, the latest and greatest chip from the company. Some of the competitors are still more powerful, but this chip is more than enough for this phone. Everything works really, really well.

Google managed to stuff a 5,015mAh battery on the inside of this phone. It could be larger if Google used a silicon-carbon pack, but this is not bad. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold supports 30W wired and 15W wireless charging, while it also supports reverse wired charging. The latest version of Android is included here, while Google promised outstanding software support for the device. Stereo speakers are included as well, and much more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Good cameras, not the best on a foldable however
• Bright, readable displays
• AI features are top-notch
• Great build quality
• First foldable with IP68 rating
• Good battery life for a foldable

Cons

• Heavier and thicker than the competition
• Still Expensive
• No major camera upgrades

What makes this phone special?

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a book-style foldable, but it’s notably heavier and thicker than most of the competitors. Some of you may actually like that, and consider that a positive. You’re probably in the minority, though. Still, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold feels so good to hold and use. It’s a quality piece of hardware, at least it feels like it.

A major positive for this phone is its IP68 certification. It is the first foldable phone, to our knowledge, to offer such certification. That puts it on the same level as regular smartphones when it comes to water and dust resistance. Needless to say, quite a few of you will appreciate this.

Google also made a huge software update promise here. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be getting Android OS updates for the next 7 years. There’s a higher chance that the phone will become obsolete or broke down before you lose software support for it, which is saying a lot.

Specs

• Display: 8″ & 6.4″ Foldable LTPO OLED 120Hz
• Brightness: 3,000 nits peak
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover)
• Processor: Google Tensor G5
• RAM and Storage: 16GB RAM ; 256GB/512GB/1TB Storage
• Cameras: 48MP primary camera at f/1.7, 10.5MP ultrawide at f/2.2, 10.8 telephoto at f/3.1
• Battery: 5,015mAh
• Charging: 30W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2)
• Colors: Moonstone, Jade

Features

• Android Version: Android 16
• Software Support: 7 years of major Android OS updates
• AI Software: Gemini, Circle to Search
• Camera Score: N/A
• Camera features: 4K at 60 fps, gyro-EIS, 10-bit HDR
• Battery life Score: 16 hours and 49 minutes
• Charging time: 1 hour and 35 minutes

Review

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The post Best Foldable Smartphone Ultimate Buying Guide 2025 appeared first on Android Headlines.

OnePlus has now announced when the OnePlus 15 will launch in the US. That date is November 13, which was previously leaked, but now we know the official date. That is just a few weeks after the Chinese launch event, which was this past Monday. Shortening the gap quite a bit from the China to Global launch – OPPO recently did the same thing with the Find X9 series.

OnePlus is also releasing a few more details about the OnePlus 15. Including the new DetailMax Engine, which powers the cameras here. OnePlus has decided to go with its DetailMax Engine here instead of continuing with Hasselblad – OPPO has the exclusive on Hasselblad now, apparently.

The company notes that its “Ultra-Clear 26MP mode combines data from the multi-frame 12MP shots with a single 50MP high-resolution frame, producing a final 26MP photo with improved clarity, especially regarding complex textures such as fur, foliage, and fabrics, all in a practical file size ideal for sharing.” That’s just one of the new camera features that OnePlus is debuting this year.

OnePlus says to expect full pricing, specs, and availability announced on November 13 at its global launch event. You can watch on its YouTube channel.

The earliest OnePlus launch event yet

This will mark the earliest launch event for OnePlus yet. Seeing as we had the OnePlus 13 launch in January, and now just 10 months later, the OnePlus 15 is on its way.

While we don’t yet know pricing, we do believe it’ll be priced pretty similarly to the OnePlus 13, which started at $899. OnePlus 15 is shaping up to be a pretty big change for the company, not only in its design philosophy but also in things like the cameras. There do seem to be some downgrades here, even in hardware. But we’ll have to wait til November 13 to know for sure.

The post OnePlus 15 officially launching on November 13 appeared first on Android Headlines.

This time around, we’re comparing Samsung’s latest “clamshell-like” foldable phone with an Apple classic. The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Apple iPhone 15 Pro will go head-to-head. Both the very different form factor of Samsung’s phone and the age (launched in 2023) of the still-powerful iPhone 15 Pro make the clash even more interesting.

Here, we’ll break down exactly what both devices bring to the table. We’ll start with the raw technical specs before moving into the key areas that matter most: design, display, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio output. Let’s jump straight into the full comparison between these two handsets.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

$1,219.99 from

Apple iPhone 15 Pro

$639 from

	Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7	Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Dimensions (unfolded/folded)	166.7 x 75.2 x 6.5 mm / 85.5 x 75.2 x 13.7 mm	146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3 mm
Weight	188 grams	187 grams
Main display	6.9-inch Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X (120Hz)	6.1-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED (1-120Hz)
Cover display	4.1-inch Super AMOLED (120Hz)	N/A
Resolution	2520 x 1080 / 1048 x 948	1179 x 2556
Chipset	Samsung Exynos 2500	Apple A17 Pro
RAM	12GB (LPDDR5X)	8GB
Storage	256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0)	128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB (NVMe)
Main camera	50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.57-inch sensor size, dual pixel PDAF, OIS)	48MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.28-inch sensor size, 1.22um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS)
Ultra-wide camera	12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.2-inch sensor size, 123-degree FoV)	12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/2.55-inch sensor size, 120-degree FoV, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF)
Telephoto camera	N/A	12MP (f/2.8 aperture, 1/3.5-inch sensor size, 1.0um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF, 3x optical zoom)
Periscope telephoto camera	N/A
Selfie camera	10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1/3.0-inch sensor size, 1.22um pixel size)	12MP (f/1.9 aperture, 1/3.6-inch sensor size, PDAF, OIS)
Battery size	4,300mAh	3,274mAh
Charging	25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless (charger not included)	20W wired, 15W wireless (MagSafe & Qi2), 7.5W wireless (Qi), 4.5W reverse wired (charger not included)
Colors	Blue Shadow, Jet Black, Coral Red	Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium

View Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Design

Let’s begin by examining the hardware materials. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 adopts a sleek construction with a combination of glass and aluminum. Its competitor, the iPhone 15 Pro, achieves a more premium feel by using durable aerospace-grade titanium, complemented by glass. Both manufacturers prioritize a minimalist look with smooth, gently rounded corners. However, the main surfaces—covering the frame, front, and back panels—maintain a largely flat plane. On the front of the Z Flip 7, the inner folding screen features a centered, small hole-punch cutout for the camera. In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro shows its already classic pill-shaped cutout. In both cases, you will find good optimization work in terms of bezels, being small and symmetrical.

When we look at control placement, the phones handle buttons quite differently. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 has all of its controls neatly along the right side, stacking the volume keys and the power/lock button there. The power button serves a dual function, integrating a fingerprint scanner. The iPhone 15 Pro divides its controls: the power/lock key is on the right edge, but the left side is home to the volume controls, just below the customizable Action Key.

Flipping the devices over reveals the most significant visual contrast. The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s top half rear panel integrates a substantial secondary display. Two horizontal cameras are set cleanly into a corner of this large cover screen. The iPhone 15 Pro uses a more traditional form factor. Apple’s device presents a triple-camera system housed within Apple’s familiar raised, square camera island, located in the top-left corner.

Finally, the physical dimensions show clear variation. When unfolded, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 stands noticeably taller than its rival, though it maintains a narrower and slimmer overall profile. Despite their different forms, their weights are almost identical: the Galaxy Z Flip 7 weighs 188 grams, while the iPhone 15 Pro is just one gram lighter at 187 grams. For water and dust resistance, the Z Flip 7 carries an IP48 certification. The iPhone 15 Pro, however, offers the superior protection of an IP68 rating. Regardless of their distinct high-quality builds, both of these flagship devices tend to feel quite slippery in the hand.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Display

Unfolding the device reveals the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s notably larger main screen, which extends to 6.9 inches. Samsung built this panel as a Foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X. Media consumption is excellent thanks to a smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and HDR10+ support. Its brightness capability is high, achieving a peak of 2,600 nits. The display efficiently maximizes its available area, reaching an approximate 88% screen-to-body ratio. It presents visuals at a sharp 2520 x 1080 resolution, utilizing a tall 21:9 aspect ratio. Furthermore, the phone includes a secondary 4.1-inch cover display. This smaller unit is a Super AMOLED panel that maintains a fixed 120Hz refresh rate (not adaptive) and matches the main screen’s impressive 2,600 nits peak brightness. This exterior screen displays content at a 1048 x 948 resolution and is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro features a substantially smaller 6.1-inch screen. This display, an LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED panel, also supports an adaptive refresh rate capping at 120Hz. For superior media quality, Apple includes support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision standards. While its screen remains very bright, its peak output is slightly lower than its competitor, maxing out at 2,000 nits. The usable screen area is strong, registering a screen-to-body ratio of about 88.2%, and the resolution for content output is 1179 x 2556. The iPhone 15 Pro utilizes a slightly wider 19.5:9 aspect ratio and incorporates Apple’s Ceramic Shield glass for surface protection.

Regarding the overall viewing experience, both devices deliver top-tier performance. You can expect incredibly sharp detail, remarkably vivid colors, and exceptional viewing angles even on the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cover display. Touch response is instantaneous across the board. Crucially, every display reaches sufficient brightness levels for comfortable use outdoors, and their high refresh rates ensure fluid navigation and seamless motion. A notable improvement on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is that the crease on its folding panel is significantly less noticeable compared to previous generations.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Performance

Powering the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is Samsung’s self-developed Exynos 2500 processor. This chip employs an in-house 3nm manufacturing process and gets robust support from 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM. For storage, Samsung relies on the fast UFS 4.0 flash technology. Looking at the competition, the iPhone 15 Pro depends on the mighty Apple A17 Pro chip, which also benefits from a 3nm architecture, but courtesy of TSMC. This powerful processor pairs with 8GB of RAM and uses speedy NVMe flash storage. One key detail to remember is that neither of these flagship models gives users the option of expandable storage.

In day-to-day operation, both flagship devices possess more than enough capability to handle virtually any workload. Of course, this includes even the most resource-intensive applications. The Exynos 2500 is a newer chip, but the Apple A17 Pro definitely stands as a strong competitor. In fact, in benchmarks like Geekbench, Samsung’s SoC falls slightly behind in single-core performance. However, Samsung’s chipset shows dominance in multi-core tasks with up to 30% more performance.

Both chips also integrate powerful GPUs. This translates smoothly into mobile gaming. They easily manage demanding graphical software without encountering major issues, though extended heavy use will naturally cause them to warm up. Crucially, this generated heat does not cause their processing power to dip significantly. Neither phone suffers from performance-killing overheating, meaning they consistently maintain smooth operation even when running the most graphically advanced games available today.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Battery

Peel back the layers, and you’ll find the Galaxy Z Flip 7 relies on a 4,300mAh battery. That is a notable contrast to the iPhone 15 Pro, which packs a smaller 3,274mAh cell. This size gap is noticeable, although the way Android and iOS manage this capacity differs noticeably—especially when it comes to multitasking capabilities and app background behavior—which allows Apple to get extra juice from smaller batteries. Fair enough, the Z Flip 7’s battery is still on the smaller side compared to many conventional, non-folding Android giants.

So, how do these numbers stack up in the real world? Both phones actually provide decent longevity. However, external tests show that the iPhone 15 Pro has the advantage, offering around 10-12% more battery life. This could differ a lot depending on how you use the Galaxy Z Flip 7, considering its particular form factor. Some might rely more on the cover display than others, for example. But, overall, these are the numbers assuming you always use the inner display (device unfolded for a fair comparison).

When it’s time to plug in and power up, both devices offer very comparable wired speeds. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 supports 25W wired charging, plus it handles 15W wireless and even 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, supports up to 20W wired charging, backed up by 15W MagSafe wireless and 4.5W reverse wired charging. The time spent waiting for a full charge is almost identical: the Galaxy Z Flip 7 needs about an hour and a half to hit 100%, while the iPhone 15 Pro can take up to an hour and 40 minutes.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Cameras

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 features camera hardware built around a dual-sensor arrangement located on the rear. This setup centers on a 50-megapixel primary camera (which uses a 1/1.57-inch sensor). It is assisted by a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens (equipped with a 1/3.2-inch sensor and offering a wide 123-degree field of view). Users often skip the internal selfie camera entirely when shooting portraits. Instead, they prefer to utilize these two high-quality rear sensors, a choice made easy by the phone’s large cover screen.

In contrast, the iPhone 15 Pro comes with a more complete triple-camera system. Its primary shooter is a robust 48-megapixel sensor (featuring a large 1/1.28-inch sensor size). Additionally, it includes a 12-megapixel ultrawide snapper (with a 1/2.55-inch sensor and a 120-degree field of view). The cherry on top is a 12-megapixel telephoto lens (1/3.5-inch sensor) capable of delivering 3x optical zoom.

When comparing the quality of the final images, both phones achieve very similar results. Apple’s color science makes pictures from the iPhone 15 Pro typically remain closer to real-life color and tone, and the phone consistently delivers reliable output across varied lighting. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 produces good camera results with plenty of detail and vibrant colors.

Both devices handle low-light conditions well when relying on their main cameras. That said, the ultrawide cameras on both models struggle more compared to their respective primary lenses. They exhibit a significant resolution gap in the ultrawide lens when compared to the main one (12MP versus 50MP or 48MP). Predictably, the iPhone 15 Pro easily takes the win in any telephoto comparison, given that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 completely lacks this camera.

Audio

Both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the iPhone 15 Pro include a stereo speaker setup. While the audio quality remains strong on both flagship phones, the speakers found on the iPhone 15 Pro achieve a higher maximum volume. This shows the importance Apple gives to making its iPhones attractive for enjoying multimedia content even when you don’t have earphones nearby.

However, neither smartphone features the traditional 3.5mm audio jack, a common omission among high-end modern devices. For those who prefer a wired connection, you must rely on the Type-C port that both phones offer for audio output. Shifting to wireless options, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 supports the newer Bluetooth 5.4 standard. In comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro has Bluetooth 5.3.

The post Phone Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs Apple iPhone 15 Pro appeared first on Android Headlines.

A major conflict is brewing in the Android ecosystem over the future of app distribution. Google is about to tighten the security check for installing external APKs on Android. However, the company recently assured users that sideloading—the ability to install apps from sources other than the Google Play Store—”isn’t going anywhere.” That said, the alternative app repository F-Droid has publicly challenged that statement, calling Google’s assurances about Android’s upcoming app sideloading verification rules “clear, concise, and false.”

F-Droid Says Google’s promise about Android app sideloading staying is false

The core of the dispute lies in Google’s new developer verification system. This policy requires every app developer worldwide to verify their identity using government documentation and link apps to a registered Google account. F-Droid argues that while this process might technically keep sideloading alive, it fundamentally strips away the freedom and openness of the process.

F-Droid warns that this new requirement effectively puts all independent app developers and alternative stores under Google’s unilateral control. If Google doesn’t approve an app, users won’t be able to install it, regardless of where they obtained the file.

As F-Droid puts it, consumers purchased Android devices believing they were an open computing platform where they could choose their software. Starting next year, an OS update could irrevocably block this right. This will leave users “at the mercy of their judgment over what software you are permitted to trust.”

A name problem and safety concerns

The F-Droid community also takes issue with the very term “sideloading.” They argue that installing software should simply be called “installing,” regardless of the source. They also state that the term “sideloading” was coined to imply the process is inherently risky or sinister.

Google claims the new policy is necessary to enhance security. The company cited an analysis that allegedly found “over 50 times more malware from internet-sideloaded sources than on apps available through Google Play.”

F-Droid counters this security argument by pointing to recent news of large-scale malware campaigns and malicious apps being removed from the Google Play Store itself. They argue that instead, Google should focus on improving its own safeguards.

What this means for users and creators

This policy applies to virtually every Android Certified device globally. We are talking about basically over 95% of the market outside of China. It affects everyone, even those who use competing marketplaces like the Samsung Galaxy Store.

For creators, the promise of Android’s “openness”—a key historical advantage over the iPhone ecosystem—is vanishing. Developers can no longer create and share an app directly with their community without first submitting it for Google’s approval.

F-Droid warns regulators that this system centralizes too much power. It could cede “digital sovereignty” to a single unaccountable corporation. The platform urges both consumers and developers to advocate for keeping the Android ecosystem open to maintain user choice and market competition.

The post F-Droid Slams Google for Misleading Users About Android’s App Verification appeared first on Android Headlines.

It seems like Samsung is not sure whether it should kill off the Galaxy S26 Edge or not. As we are now seeing rumors that the device hasn’t been canceled, and might actually still launch next year. Alongside the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Ultra.

GalaxyClub has found that Samsung has started developing a new phone under the codename “More Slim” a few months ago. For those wondering, the Galaxy S25 Edge codename was “Slim”. So, potentially, the Galaxy S26 Edge would be even slimmer?

But the most interesting part here is that the device with the codename “More Slim” is not the device that was originally set to be the Galaxy S26 Edge. Development on this started long after the original device that was going to be the Galaxy S26 Edge, which was set to replace the Galaxy S26 Plus.

A bit confusing, but not surprising to see Samsung working on multiple devices here. When it comes to a new phone, companies are typically working on multiple prototypes before they get to a final one. However, with the Galaxy S26 series set to launch in January, Samsung should be getting very close to the final version.

Could Samsung launch the Galaxy S26 Edge later in the year, again?

Samsung might be looking to launch the Galaxy S26 Edge later in the year, similar to the Galaxy S25 Edge this year. How much later, is up for discussion however. I do think that launching it in May was not a good idea for Samsung, as it was just a couple of months after the Galaxy S25 series launched, and it was priced between the Plus and Ultra, while being a downgrade for both.

If Samsung were to launch the Galaxy S26 Edge in the Fall, potentially replacing the Galaxy S25 FE (or Galaxy S26 FE), that might be a better idea. But, it’s likely going to remain an experiment for Samsung next year, as the Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone Air have both sold very poorly. Showing that consumers don’t want less battery for a thinner device.

The post Samsung Can’t Decide if the Galaxy S26 Edge Lives or Dies appeared first on Android Headlines.

Google has just added yet another interesting feature to Gboard app on Android, a new way to enter symbols. You can now flick keys to enter numbers and symbols, basically, which is exactly what this new feature is called.

Gboard now has a new shortcut for entering numbers & symbols

This is essentially a new shortcut for entering symbols. How does it work? Well, it allows you to quickly enter numbers and symbols via a swipe down, which is what the ‘flick’ means in this case.

You can swipe down on Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U, I, O, or P for 1-0, in which case the number in question will briefly replace the letter inside the key in a slide-down animation. It’s a rather subtle animation, though.

It is not enabled by default, though

Now, do note that this is not enabled by default, though. You’ll need to open Gboard settings, and navigate to Preferences -> Shortcuts, and there you’ll see the ‘Flick keys to enter symbols’ option, which you need to enable.

An explanation on how it works is also included. It simply says “touch a key and pull downward to enter its hinted symbol”, it’s quite straightforward, though it takes some time to get used to. You can accidentally trigger glide typing, if you have it enabled. I got used to it pretty fast, though.

Just to be clear, this is a part of the latest stable release of Gboard. It may be a server-side change, though, so even if you have the Gboard 16.2 installed, you may have to be patient to get it. We’re not sure at this point, but we do have the option.

It’s actually quite useful

This is another useful addition by Google. I got used to it pretty fast, and it does make typing more enjoyable for entering symbols, I have to admit. Not that touch&hold option is bad, but this just seems more natural somehow, at least to yours truly.

As a reminder, Google also added a font slider to Gboard not long ago, which is another useful feature, especially if you find the font on the keyboard itself to be too small.

The post Gboard Adds a Clever Shortcut for Entering Numbers & Symbols appeared first on Android Headlines.

The Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra is the company’s new rugged flagship tablet with a built-in projector. Well, if you’re wondering what you’re getting in the package, the company has filmed an unboxing experience, which you can now watch.

Watch the unboxing of the Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra

The video itself has a duration of less than a minute, and yet it shows you everything you need to see. It’s nicely packaged, and also embedded below.

Ulefone will ship you a very nice box, a playful box. Inside, you’ll find the tablet itself, a handle stand, a 120W charger, and a charging cable. In addition to that, a screwdriver is included, along with screws, and a SIM card ejector tool. Plus, of course, paperwork.

This video will also show you the tablet’s UI, well, a part of it, along with how you can easily attach the handle stand. At the very end, the company also shows the tablet in action… as a projector.

It has a built-in projector

This project offers brightness of up to 200LM, and it can project an image in a resolution of 960 x 540. It supports both auto and manual focus, and has a dedicated physical key. There are also dual versatile LED lights included, with a total of 754 LEDs. Dual Warning Lights are also a part of the package.

The Ulefone Armor Pad 5 Ultra includes a 24,200mAh battery and supports 120W charging. The MediaTek Dimensity 7400X fuels this tablet, while you’re also getting 12GB of RAM here. You can expand the device’s storage, while it comes with 512GB out of the box.

A 64-megapixel main camera is backed by a 64-megapixel IR Night Vision camera. 5G is supported here, and the same goes for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4. Android 15 comes out of the box.

You can win one for free

The Ulefone Armor Pad 5 series will see its premiere sale on November 11 on AliExpress, Amazon, and the official Ulefone store. The company has also organized a giveaway for the tablet.

The post Watch Ulefone Unbox Its Rugged Armor Pad 5 Ultra — and Win One for Free appeared first on Android Headlines.

Google added UWB to its Pixel lineup in 2021, starting with the Pixel 6 Pro. While this is a wise move to anticipate the advancements in technology, it seems there are certain limitations. It appears that the specific UWB implementation in older Pixel phones doesn’t support precision finding. This prevents them from using trackers like Moto Tag, like their recent counterparts. 

UWB precision finding is not available on older Pixel phones

Android Authority has spotted a post on the Pixel support forums from a user complaining that their Pixel 7 Pro can’t use precision finding with their Moto Tag. This is despite being on the latest firmware. Moto Tag is currently the only UWB-equipped tracker that works with Android. It allows you to precisely pinpoint its location from the Find Hub app.

A Google product expert clarified, with a support page link, that UWB precision finding is only available on the Pixel 8 series and above (Pro models only). This confirms that the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro don’t support precision finding despite having UWB. Google later confirmed the same to Android Authority as well. However, neither the support page nor Google explains why the feature isn’t available on older Pixels.

Google hasn’t clarified the reason behind the limitation

Though the report initially assumes that the reason for this limitation could be that both phones lacked support for determining the angle-of-arrival (AoA) of a UWB signal. This is a feature that allows a device to determine the signal’s direction. However, on checking the UWB capabilities of both phones using Android’s UWB API, Mishaal from Android Authority found that only the Pixel 6 Pro “lacks part of this feature.”

The only UWB feature that the older Pixels lack is background ranging support. This allows an app to use UWB while in the background, but it’s not clear why it would be necessary for precision finding when the Find Hub app is in the foreground while tracking. It’s possible there could be some other explanation for this feature’s omission.

The post Older Pixel Phones Have a Weird UWB Tracking Limitation appeared first on Android Headlines.

The next major evolution of smart home devices is here. After testing it for months, Google has officially started the early access rollout of Gemini for Home in the US, bringing a powerful AI upgrade to Google Home devices. With this update, the home device adopts a more advanced Gemini AI as an assistant, replacing the traditional Google Assistant.

Gemini for Home is now available for the enrolled early access program users

Google began testing Gemini for Home in early October by inviting select users to try it. Now, the update is rolling out in early access for enrolled US users. The global stable release of the update is expected to take place in early 2026. Those enrolled in the program will automatically be upgraded from Google Assistant to Gemini.

Gemini, as a voice assistant, is noticeably more capable and natural in terms of conversation. Users will be able to access Gemini through their existing Google speakers and displays simply by saying “Hey Google.” It is compatible with the following devices:

• Google Nest Hub (1st & 2nd gen)
• Google Nest Hub Max
• Google Nest Audio
• Google Nest Mini (1st & 2nd gen)
• Google Home and Home Max
• Google Nest Wi-Fi Point

Gemini brings smarter control for Home devices

As the Gemini is now integrated into Home devices, users will now be able to do much more than just control lights or play music. The AI-powered assistant can now answer more complex questions, help with learning, and even offer lifestyle advice. For example, you can ask: “Hey Google, how can I improve water pressure in my shower?” or “OK Google, what should I eat before a 5K run?”

Furthermore, please note that the feature is currently being rolled out to users already enrolled in the early access program. Stable users in the US may receive the update by the end of the year, whereas the global rollout is expected to begin in 2026. Once global access expands, setting up and managing your smart home devices will likely become simpler than ever.

The post Google Brings Gemini to Your Smart Home — Early Access Users Get It First appeared first on Android Headlines.

The Motorola Edge 70 is on its way, as more images of the phone have surfaced. Two new images of the device have appeared, along with the EU Energy label as well. Some specs have been confirmed as a result.

Before we get into it, it’s worth noting that the Motorola Moto X70 Air has already launched. Why is that important? Well, the Moto X70 Air is essentially the same phone as the Motorola Edge 70, but for the Chinese market.

The Motorola Edge 70 has just surfaced again in several images, along with some of its specs

With that being said, if you check out the gallery below, you’ll see the two new images that appeared. Both of these phones have green-ish colors, and they’ll allegedly be claled Pantone Bronze Green and Pantone Lily Pad.

On the screens of both phones, some specs are mentioned. A 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery will be included in this ultra-slim phone. 68W wired charging will be supported, while the phone will be 5.99mm thick. It will weigh 159 grams and include a 50-megapixel main camera.

That’s pretty much all the spec information confirmed here. You can also see that the phone will have a flat display with a centered display camera hole up top. It will also have a mostly flat back and a raised camera island in the top-left corner. Three camreas will sit up there, by the way.

Its EU Energy lable confirms IP68 certification

The EU Energy label doesn’t really reveal much, but it does confirm that the phone will be IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. It will also have an A rating for drop protection, and a B rating for ease of serviceability. An A rating for battery life is also mentioned.

The Motorola Edge 70 will become official on November 5, that much has been confirmed. It will launch in Europe first, it would seem, and it’s expected to cost around €700. It remains to be seen if there will be some minor changes compared to the Moto X70 Air.

The post Motorola Edge 70 Surfaces With 5.99mm Body & 50MP Camera appeared first on Android Headlines.

About a decade ago, many of us tech geeks were very excited for a new project that Google was working on, with Motorola (before Google sold Motorola off to Lenovo, and spun off Motorola Solutions). And that was Project Ara.

This project was shown off at Google I/O, in fact, I vividly remember sitting in a session about Project Ara at Moscone West in San Francisco – before Google moved it to Mountain View. It was a pretty cool concept. Where it would let you hot-swap different components like cameras, batteries, speakers, and much more.

The device was being beta tested back in 2014, but ended up getting delayed before Google decided to shelve it entirely.

Now, we’re seeing some prototypes pop up from 2014 and Project Ara, to show us what Google was actually working on.

TikToker posts prototypes of Project Ara, a decade later

A decade after the project was shelved, a TikToker by the name of Racoondetecionsquad ended up with three Project Ara prototypes and several modules for these prototypes.

He also has a video showing the process of removing the modules and popping in a new one. Another module has a switch of some kind included. These modules are definitely different from the ones that had leaked in 2016, it’s likely that this could have been a later prototype as well.

This definitely would not work in today’s smartphone world, as companies want you to buy new phones every few years – that’s mostly how they make their money. And being able to replace batteries, cameras, and other components with ease, would not be great for their bottom line. Still, Project Ara was a really cool pipedream that would have been cool if it came to fruition.

The post Google’s Canceled Project Ara Just Resurfaced — And It’s Still Wild a Decade Later appeared first on Android Headlines.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge seems to still be under development. In a recent development, it came to light that the company has been working on a “More Slim” project, which aligns with the Galaxy S26 Edge, a successor to the S25 Edge.

For a few months, Samsung has been working on the “More Slim” project. This codename fits well with the S26 Edge, as the company has internally used the “Slim” codename for its first slim phone, called the Galaxy S25 Edge.

Recently, Korean media revealed that the Galaxy S26 Edge isn’t coming. Samsung has reportedly canceled the Edge lineup due to sluggish sales. However, the company doesn’t seem to have completely scrapped Edge plans.

As the “More Slim” project is in the pipeline, we could see the Galaxy S26 Edge sometime in 2026. Samsung may consider a separate launch for its next slim smartphone, similar to its strategy with the Galaxy S25 series this year.

The Unpacked may be held to reveal the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. The S26 Pro is indeed coming, but without the Pro tag. The company is also rumored to be testing a secondary S26 prototype with a brand-new camera setup.

GalaxyClub highlighted that the work on the “More Slim” project has started “significantly later” than the phone rumored as the S26 Edge. It’s also possible that Samsung is doing it intentionally to avoid device leaks.

Apple’s iPhone Air is a little slimmer than the Galaxy S25 Edge. Other rivals are also bringing their slimmer phones, such as Motorola and Huawei, so Samsung has to present an incredibly thin yet powerful device in 2026.

It also remains to be seen whether Samsung continues the Edge lineup or bring the next slim phone with a brand-new identity or naming scheme.

Image via Android Headline

The post Samsung’s ‘More Slim’ phone hints the Galaxy S26 Edge isn’t dead appeared first on Sammy Fans.

A photographer whose biology work brings him up close and personal with bats captures incredible portraits of the often-misunderstood creatures.

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Apple has begun seeding its iOS 26.1 Release Candidate (RC) version. This version is available for developers and public beta testers and comes just over a week after the iOS 26.1 beta 4 release. Apple is expanding Apple Intelligence support to an additional eight languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. The RC release also fixes several bugs, including unexpected falls asleep while using lock screen apps like Calculator, Timer and Notes. AirDrop enhancements alongside smoother animations and...

In a move that's as close to an official announcement as it gets, Motorola has listed the Edge 70 on its official Polish and German websites, along with the phone's full specifications. The Motorola Edge 70 is the global variant of the China-locked ultrathin Motorola X70 Air, but it wasn't yet clear whether it will share its exact specs. It seemingly is now. The Edge 70 comes in three Pantone-branded colors - Gadget Grey, Lilly pad, and Bronze Green. All three colors come with a unique nylon-textured finish on the back of the phone, the frame is an aircraft-grade aluminum, and the front...

In the past, buying an SSD for your PC meant spending a lot of money. Granted, the benefits of an SSD are huge over regular HDDs, but the price-to-performance ratio was a little too expensive for the average user. These days, SSDs have become a lot more affordable. In fact, PNY unveiled its brand new CS3250 SSD. This is an M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen5 x4 SSD that’s built for gamers, AI developers, and content creators who need performance but don’t want to pay a premium.

PNY CS3250 SSD, built for speed

The PNY CS3250 SSD uses the PCIe Gen5 interface and fits the standard M.2 2280 form factor. This makes it compatible with most modern desktops and laptops. The company is selling the SSD in both 1TB and 2TB capacities. If you need even more space, the company says a 4TB model is coming soon).

The SSD features advanced thermal control to prevent overheating during intensive workloads. The thermal-coated controller keeps performance steady. This is helpful if you’re looking to render 4K video or training AI models, basically activities that might require a lot of read/write functionality.

In terms of read and write speeds, the 1TB model delivers write speeds up to 13,500 MB/s, while the 2TB version maxes out at 14,000 MB/s. Last but not least, customers can expect a 5-year limited warranty and an impressive 1.5 million hour MTBF rating.

Should You Buy It?

The PNY CS3250 SSD starts at $125.99 for 1TB and $219.99 for 2TB. The price alone positions it competitively against other similar SSDs. For AI development, AAA gaming, and professional content creation, those speeds translate to faster load times and seamless multitasking. However, you have to ask yourself, do you actually need Gen5 speeds?

If you’re someone who works with large datasets, editing 8K footage, or running AI training models, the CS3250 makes sense. Gamers who play games that are DirectStorage will experience faster asset streaming and reduced stuttering. Content creators who edit videos with multiple 4K timelines will probably appreciate the snappier performance as well. But if you’re a casual user who browses the web and streams videos, a Gen4 drive will save you money. You might not even notice the difference in performance.

But if you’re building a new PC and want to futureproof it with an SSD that won’t drain your bank account, the PNY CS3250 might be a good choice

The post PNY’s New SSD Delivers Blazing Speeds Without the Crazy Price Tag appeared first on Android Headlines.

Editor's Choice

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro – $165

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, announced in July 2024, are the latest and greatest earbuds from Samsung. Complete with Galaxy AI, and the most comfortable fit you’ll ever experience.

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Samsung has dropped the price of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to just $165. That is not an all-time low; in fact, it’s about $15 away from it. But this is the lowest price we’ve seen in quite a few months. So if you’ve been waiting to get a pair, now is the time to grab one.

Samsung talks a lot about the AI inside the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but honestly, that’s not really a selling feature. The audio quality and comfort are. These are not audiophile earbuds, but they do sound quite good for Bluetooth earbuds. In fact, they are some of the better-sounding earbuds I’ve used recently.

Then there’s the fit, which is super comfortable to wear. I’ve been able to wear these for hours on end without any issues or ear fatigue. That’s not something I can say about a lot of other earbuds, unfortunately.

As you might expect, these work great in the Samsung ecosystem, but since they are Bluetooth, they will work with virtually any other phone or tablet.

Battery life is also quite impressive here; we’re looking at six hours of continuous playback, which is an increase over the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro’s five hours. It also offers up to 26 hours with the included charging case. These are IP57, making them great for use when working out, too.

The post Galaxy Buds 3 Pro See a Rare Price Drop for Prime Big Deal Days appeared first on Android Headlines.

Popular social media platform, Twitter, saw a change in branding to ‘X’ in 2023 after the billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk, took over. The social network’s core systems were fully transitioned to X.com last year, leaving no trace of the bird logo. The platform is now moving a step closer to completely retiring Twitter. If you’re a former Twitter user who’s still using X and uses hardware security keys for your two-factor authentication (2FA) method, you need to re-enroll them before November 10th.

X users need to re-enroll security keys

X’s Safety account notified users of the deadline in a post last week, as spotted by The Verge. Re-enrolling your security keys will associate them with the X domain, allowing the company to retire the Twitter domain eventually. If you enroll a new security key, any other security keys will no longer work, the Safety account clarified. You will receive a prompt automatically if this relates to you.

“By November 10, we’re asking all accounts that use a security key as their two-factor authentication (2FA) method to re-enroll their key to continue accessing X. You can re-enroll your existing security key, or enroll a new one. A reminder: if you enroll a new security key, any other security keys will stop working (unless also re-enrolled),” the account said.

The change doesn’t apply to 2FA authenticator apps

The tech giant clarified that the change only applies to YubiKeys and passkeys, and not 2FA authenticator apps. Failing to re-enroll their affected keys before the deadline (November 10th) will have repercussions. You won’t have access to your account until you either complete the re-enrollment process or choose a different 2FA method. You can also decide not to use 2FA altogether, but X advises against it.

The process of re-enrolling your hardware key or adding a new one is quite simple. Head to Settings in the X app, then click Security and account access and Manage Passkeys within the Security section.

The post X Users Have Until November 10 to Re-Enroll Their Security Keys — Or Lose Access appeared first on Android Headlines.

We finally have some good news when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, they may not be more expensive than their predecessors. While many other companies raised prices for their flagship phones, Samsung may not do it with the Galaxy S26 series.

The Galaxy S26 series phones may not get a price hike, unlike the competition

The information comes from a South Korean publication, Newdaily, which claims that Samsung is not under pressure to bump prices. Why? Samsung makes its own memory for smartphones. So, even though DRAM prices are expected to jump up 30% in Q4, that won’t affect Samsung as much.

On top of that, the Exynos 2600 chip is tipped to fuel at least half devices from the Galaxy S26 seires. The Exynos 2600 is Samsung’s very own processor, so that will cushion the blow as well.

In other words, Samsung’s lack of reliance on external manufacturers could help the company keep the prices of the Galaxy S26 phones in check. An industry insider said: “Samsung may be able to maintain prices in the short term thanks to its vertical integration structure and inventory security.”

Recently, another publication, Hankyung, said that Samsung is considering raising prices. Well, Newdaily disagrees, obviously. The publication also added that solid sales of the Galaxy S25 are another reason why Samsung will keep prices unchanged.

The three devices are coming in Q1 next year, but the may arrive later than expected

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series was expected to arrive in January next year. Recent reports are saying that Samsung will postone the launch of the devices, though. Late February or early March are mentioned as launch timeframes.

Samsung is allegedly making some last-minute changes, and/or is having problems ensuring enough Exynos 2600 chips to use with these phones. Either way, the launch could be later than we expected.

The post Samsung Galaxy S26 Series May Not Get a Price Hike — Here’s Why appeared first on Android Headlines.

OnePlus is a relatively young company compared to a number of other mobile tech giants in the market, but this China-based company managed to rise extremely fast thanks to releasing extremely compelling flagship-grade smartphones at affordable price tags. The company has been using the “Never Settle” motto from the start. It has managed to sell quite a few devices to date and establish itself as one of the best smartphone manufacturers in the market.

The company’s first smartphone, the OnePlus One made quite a splash in the tech community. OnePlus wasn’t exactly all that well-known back there, but all of that changed over the years. The company’s initial practice of invite-only purchases also changed. Such practice was in place due to low smartphone stock. If you’d like to take a trip down memory lane, read on. In this article we’ll take a look at OnePlus’ flagship smartphones one by one, starting with the OnePlus One. It is also worth noting that this article will be updated as new OnePlus flagship phones arrive.

OnePlus One

The OnePlus One is the company’s very first smartphone, and it was referred to as the “Flagship Killer” back when it launched, mainly due to its flagship-grade specs and qualities, and not a huge price tag. This smartphone was announced back in April 2014, and it was priced at $299 and $349 for 16GB and 64GB storage variants. The OnePlus One came with a Sandstone back, and it shipped with a commercial variant of CyanogenMod on it, CyanogenOS, which ran on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

This smartphone features a 5.5-inch fullHD display, along with 3GB of RAM and 16GB / 64GB of storage. The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, while it sports a single 13-megapixel camera on the back. A 5-megapixel unit is included on the phone’s front side. A 3,100mAh battery is also a part of the package. The phone does sport a 3.5mm headphone jack, in case you were wondering.

OnePlus 2

The OnePlus 2 arrived in July of 2015, while it was released in August that same year. That handset does resemble the OnePlus One to a degree, but it features a fingerprint scanner below its display. That fingerprint scanner is flanked by two capacitive keys, which are customizable. The phone still includes a single camera on the back, and the Sandstone material made a comeback here.

The OnePlus 2 shipped with Android 5.1 Lollipop and OnePlus’ OxygenOS skin on top of it. This happened because OnePlus and Cyanogen decided to terminate their cooperation. Luckily for OnePlus, OxygenOS ended up being a truly compelling skin for Android. It’s a close-to-stock one with a number of useful additions. The OnePlus 2 features a 5.5-inch fullHD display, 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 16GB / 64GB of storage. The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 810 SoC, while it ships with a 3,300mAh battery.

OnePlus 3

The OnePlus 3 was the very first OnePlus-branded phone to sport a metal unibody build, and the phone was announced in June 2016. The device sports a single camera on the back, which does protrude a bit. A front-facing fingerprint scanner made a comeback here, along with capacitive buttons that flank it. The OnePlus 3 ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box, with OnePlus’ custom UI.

The device retained a 5.5-inch fullHD display size from the OnePlus 2, but unlike the OnePlus 2, this phone came with an OLED panel, and Optic AMOLED display, to be exact, which made it the first OnePlus flagship to include an OLED panel. The OnePlus 3 also shipped with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of non-expandable storage. It features a 16-megapixel camera on the back and is fueled by the Snapdragon 820. A 3,000mAh battery is included in this package, as are two SIM card slots (2x nano SIM).

OnePlus 3T

The OnePlus 3T looked the same as the OnePlus 3, save for a new color variant that was available, and it was announced in November 2016. This was the first time OnePlus released a “T” variant of a smartphone. The OnePlus 3T did bring some improvements over the OnePlus 3, including a more powerful processor (the Snapdragon 821), a larger battery, and several other improvements.

Other than that, this phone is the same as the OnePlus 3 in the spec department as well. The phone features the same display, same RAM count, same software, same camera setups, and so on. The phone ended up being quite successful for OnePlus, though, so the company opted to continue releasing two flagship smartphones per year. These were usually iterative improvements over the main phone.

OnePlus 5

The OnePlus 5 was announced in June 2017, and it looks similar to its predecessor from the front, though the whole phone is somewhat different in terms of the design. The OnePlus 5 sports a front-facing fingerprint scanner with two capacitive navigation buttons on each side of that scanner. The device also ships with two horizontally aligned rear-facing cameras. This is the first OnePlus-branded handset to sport two rear-facing cameras.

The OnePlus 5 is made out of metal, and it features a 5.5-inch fullHD Optic AMOLED display. The device is fueled by the Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor, while it arrived in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants. Those two variants pack in 64GB and 128GB of storage, respectively. Android 7.1.1 Nougat comes pre-installed on the device, along with the company’s OxygenOS Android overlay.

OnePlus 5T

The OnePlus 5T was announced in November 2017, and it sported a similar design to the OnePlus 5, but it looked quite different on the front. The in-hand feel between these two phones was quite similar due to a similar shape and everything. The OnePlus 5T, on the other hand, offered considerably thinner bezels. Also, instead of a front-facing fingerprint scanner, it included a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. Other than the fingerprint scanner, the back side of this phone looked identical to the OnePlus 5.

The OnePlus 5T includes the very same processor that was utilized in the OnePlus 5, the Snapdragon 835, while the phone also comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, with the same storage setups as the OnePlus 5. A 3,300mAh battery is included on the inside of this phone, while the device ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box. The OnePlus 5T does include a 3.5mm headphone jack, just like its predecessors.

OnePlus 6

The OnePlus 6 arrived in May 2018 with even thinner bezels than the OnePlus 5T, but unlike the OnePlus 5T, this phone includes a rather noticeable display notch. The OnePlus 6 is the first OnePlus flagship to be made out of metal and glass (the OnePlus X was not a flagship-grade phone), and it includes two vertically aligned cameras on its back. Those two cameras are centered, and right below them, a fingerprint scanner is located.

The OnePlus 6 features a 6.28-inch fullHD+ display, 6GB / 8GB of RAM, and 64GB / 128GB / 256GB of storage. The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 845 64-bit octa-core processor, and a 3,300mAh battery is included on the inside. Android 8.1 Oreo comes pre-installed on this device, and the OnePlus 6 also sports a 3.5mm headphone jack, which remains unchanged compared to its predecessor.

OnePlus 6T

OnePlus 6T was announced in October 2018, only five months after the OnePlus 6, and it offers an extremely similar design to the OnePlus 6. The only two differences come in the form of a new display notch, and the design of the OnePlus 6T’s back. The OnePlus 6T includes a much smaller, teardrop notch on the front, while a fingerprint scanner is not located on the back of the device, like on the OnePlus 6, it is located underneath the phone’s display. The OnePlus 6T ships with an optical in-display fingerprint scanner.

Other than those differences, the design of this phone remains pretty much the same as on the OnePlus 6. The OnePlus 6T includes a larger 6.41-inch fullHD+ display, though, while it arrived in 6GB / 8GB / 12GB RAM variants, the 12GB RAM model is reserved for a special edition variant of the OnePlus 6T. The OnePlus 6T also arrived with a noticeably larger battery than the OnePlus 6, a 3,700mAh unit. The device ships with Android 9 Pie out of the box.

OnePlus 7 & 7 Pro

The OnePlus 7 series was announced in May 2019, the company introduced two smartphones, the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro. The OnePlus 7 Pro is the more premium of the two phones, even though the two devices do share some specifications. Both devices are made out of metal and glass, though their design is considerably different overall, as OnePlus opted for a different approach in these two cases.

The OnePlus 7 Pro features no bezels or display holes, unlike the OnePlus 7, which sports a waterdrop notch. The device features a pop-up selfie camera instead of the notch, and it also comes with a curved display. The OnePlus 7 Pro is the larger of the two phones, and it sports three cameras on the back, compared to the OnePlus 7’s two rear-facing units. Neither of the two phones offer a 3.5mm headphone jack, but they do offer stereo speakers.

Both devices are fueled by the Snapdragon 855 64-bit octa-core processor, and both ship with UFS 3.0 flash storage. Android 9 Pie comes pre-installed on both devices, along with OnePlus’ OxygenOS 9.5. The OnePlus 7 Pro’s display also offers higher resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and it is HDR10+ certified, not to mention that it offers faster charging. Neither of the two phones are IP certified, nor do they offer wireless charging.

OnePlus 7T & 7T Pro

The OnePlus 7T was announced in September 2019. The phone arrived as an upgraded variant of the OnePlus 7, and this may be the most notable change a T series phone brought to the table. The OnePlus 7T comes with an upgraded processor, display, charging, and cameras, compared to its predecessor. The OnePlus 7T is made out of metal and glass, and it features a waterdrop display notch, in addition to a camera oreo.

The device features a 6.55-inch fullHD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 855 Plus fuels this handset, while a 3,800mAh battery is included on the inside. Warp Charge 30T is also a part of the package and is 23 percent faster than Warp Charge 30. The device includes 8GB of RAM and comes in 128GB and 256GB storage variants (UFS 3.0). 48, 12, and 16-megapixel cameras are placed on its back, while Android 10 comes out of the box.

OnePlus 8 & 8 Pro

The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro were announced in April 2020. Needless to say, the OnePlus 8 Pro was the more premium of the two. Both devices were flagship-grade smartphones, though, and both were fueled by the Snapdragon 865 SoC, Qualcomm’s best processor at the time. The two devices also looked quite similar, but the OnePlus 8 Pro was larger and had a different-looking rear camera setup.

Unlike the OnePlus 7 Pro, the OnePlus 8 Pro did not have a pop-up selfie camera. OnePlus opted to include a display camera hole instead. That move removed moving parts inside the device, but it left the phone with a noticeable hole in the display. The OnePlus 8 Pro was also the very first OnePlus-branded smartphone to offer wireless charging and an official IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. Android 10 shipped out of the box on these two smartphones, along with OxygenOS 10.

OnePlus 8T

The OnePlus 8T was announced in October 2020. This time around, OnePlus opted to announce only one T series smartphone. A year before that, the OnePlus 7T and 7T Pro were launched. This is actually a good move by the company. Why? Well, for the most part, there was no need for two 7T variants. The OnePlus 8T was a half-cycle upgrade. It came with the same processor as the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro.

This phone did come with a flat display, unlike its siblings. It also delivered faster charging than the two devices that came before it. The OnePlus 8T was the first smartphone from the company to offer 65W fast charging. Do note that we’re talking about wired charging here. The OnePlus 8T did not support wireless charging. The phone included four cameras on the back, with the same sensor that was included in the OnePlus 8.

OnePlus 9 & 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 series was announced in March 2021. The company announced two flagship smartphones during that event, while also showing off its first-ever smartwatch. In addition to that, the OnePlus 9R was announced, but not for global markets. Having said that, the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro arrived as the first smartphones to feature Hasselblad branding on them. OnePlus agreed on a 3-year partnership with a renowned camera company.

The OnePlus 9 has a flat display this time around, combined with a plastic frame, and glass back. The OnePlus 9 Pro is made out of metal and glass and has a curved display. The ‘Pro’ variant does come with a better display, a QHD+ LTPO panel, though the OnePlus 9 can compete. It also includes a better camera system, on paper. Both phones support 65W fast wired charging. The OnePlus 9 Pro offers 50W wireless charging, while the regular model launched with 15W wireless charging. The Snapdragon 888 was included to fuel both of these phones.

OnePlus 10 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro was announced in January 2022, in China. The global variant of this smartphone arrived at the end of March. It’s interesting that the ‘Pro’ model launched without the ‘vanilla’ variant of the device. It’s also interesting that OnePlus decided to launch it in China first, as that’s not what OnePlus users are used to. Regardless, the OnePlus 10 Pro arrived with truly powerful specs and changed design.

The phone’s rear camera module is an extension of the phone’s frame. Design-wise it does remind us of some phones from Samsung. The front side of the phone is very similar to the OnePlus 9 Pro. The OnePlus 10 Pro is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, and it includes either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. OnePlus also included UFS 3.1 flash storage inside of this smartphone.

The Hasselblad partnership continued with this smartphone, while the phone includes four cameras overall, three of which are on the back. A large 6.7-inch LTPO2 AMOLED display was also included by the company, and the same goes for immensely fast charging. The OnePlus 10 Pro launched with a 5,000mAh battery, along with 80W (65W in the US) wired, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

OnePlus 10T

The OnePlus 10T was announced in August 2022. After skipping 2021’s T series smartphone launch, OnePlus opted to launch on in 2022. This phone is technically a successor to the OnePlus 8T which arrived in 2020. The device does resemble the OnePlus 10 Pro quite a bit, though there are some design differences. This phone has a flat display, not a curved one, and its rear camera setup looks a bit different. On top of that, it has a different coating on its glass backplate.

The OnePlus 10T does not come with Hasselblad branding, unlike its OnePlus 10 Pro sibling, but it has some advantages over that phone. The OnePlus 10T offers faster charging, 150W one (125W in the US), and it’s fueled by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. In every other way, though, it’s inferior to the OnePlus 10 Pro. It’s also considerably more affordable, though, so there’s that.

A 6.7-inch fullHD+ 120Hz flat Fluid AMOLED display is used here. The company included 8GB/16GB of RAM inside of this phone, which comes with 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. Wireless charging is not supported, but there are stereo speakers included here. Android 12 comes pre-installed on the OnePlus 10T, along with the company’s OxygenOS 12.1 skin.

OnePlus 11

The OnePlus 11 was originally launched in January 2023. The global model is set to follow on February 7, 2023. That being said, the device is somewhat similar to its predecessor in terms of design, but it comes with a redesigned rear camera island. It is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, and it launched in two color options. Those are essentially black and green models.

It’s the very first OnePlus smartphone to include LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. Up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, depending on the model. It also has a 5,000mAh battery, with 100W wired charging support. The charger is included, but wireless charging is not supported at all. The phone also comes without IP certification for water and dust resistance, unlike its predecessor.

A large 6.7-inch curved LTPO 3.0 AMOLED display is included. That display can go between 1 and 120Hz when it comes to the refresh rate. OnePlus included three cameras on the back of this phone, and Hasselblad helped with color calibration. A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 32-megapixel telephoto camera. OnePlus included Android 13 out of the box, along with ColorOS 13 in China, and OxygenOS 13 in other markets.

OnePlus 12

The OnePlus 12 was announced in early December, originally. its global variant arrived in late January. The phone itself looks very similar to its predecessor, the OnePlus 11. It’s made out of metal and glass, and it’s a large phone, that’s for sure. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC fuels this handset, the best SoC OnePlus could get its hands on at the time.

Globally, the OnePlus 12 comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, though in China that number goes up to 24GB. When it comes to storage, you can get up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 flash storage globally, and up to 1TB in China. A large 5,400mAh battery is also a part of the package, and the phone supports 100W (80W in the US) wired charging. A charger is included in the retail box. 50W wireless charging is also supported, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

OnePlus also included a compelling triple camera setup on the back. A 50-megapixel main camera is backed by a 48-megapixel ultrawide unit and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. The device is also certified for water and dust resistance. It has a truly bright display and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 has been announced at the very end of October. It’s a direct successor to the OnePlus 12, and unlike that phone, it doesn’t have a curved display. OnePlus opted for a flat display this time around, and flat sides as well. Those are the most notable design differences between the two. Metal and glass are once again used to make the device, as was the case last year.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor fuels the OnePlus 13, a flagship chip that launched right before the announcement of this device. A 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED display with all the bells and whistles is included here. It’s not only immensely bright and sharp, but it has great viewing angles, thin and uniform bezels, and more. OnePlus also included plenty of RAM inside of this smartphone, and fast storage too.

The battery capacity also got boosted. OnePlus used a silicon-carbon battery to fit a 6,000mAh battery capacity on the inside. 100W wired (80W in the US) charging is supported, along with 50W wireless, and 5W reverse wired charging. Three 50-megapixel cameras sit on the back of the device, and they have the benefit of Hasselblad’s color tuning. The device is also water and dust resistant, and ships with Android 15 out of the box.

OnePlus 13T

The OnePlus 13T has been announced as the company’s compact high-end smartphone. It was announced in China at the very end of April 2025. This smartphone has the same processor as the OnePlus 13, it’s fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It pairs that chip with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 flash storage. The device itself has two cameras on the back, and it’s easily recognizable. It also has very thin display bezels.

Speaking of its display, the OnePlus 13T features a 6.32-inch LTPO AMOLED panel. That display offers a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and its resolution is 2640 x 1216. Android 15 comes pre-installed on the phone, with ColorOS 15 in China. Outside of China, the phone will ship with OxygenOS 15, of course. A large 6,260mAh battery is also a part of the package here, along with 80W wired charging.

There are two 50-megapixel cameras included on the back of the OnePlus 13T. A 50-megapixel main snapper (1/1.56-inch sensor size) is backed by a 50-megapixel telephoto shooter (1/2.76-inch sensor size, 2x optical zoom). An in-display fingerprint scanner of the optical variety is used inside of this phone too, while stereo speakers are also a part of the package.

OnePlus 15

The OnePlus 15 has been announced in October 2025 as the company’s new flagship smartphone. It was announced in China, while the global launch is expected to follow in November. With that being said, this phone represents a redesign compared to the OnePlus 13. OnePlus opted to go with a completely flat display and glass this time around, no more quad-curved ordeal. The camera island on the back has been heavily redesigned as well, it’s now more of a square than a circle.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor fuels the phone, the company’s most powerful chip. That chip is also brand new at this point. The phone also includes a huge 7,300mAh battery, which is a huge upgrade from the 6,000mAh unit in the OnePlus 13. Its wired charging is also a bit faster at 120W, while 50W wireless and 5W reverse wired and wireless charging are also supported here.

The phone comes with a series of water and dust certification ratings, offering great ingress protection. There are three 50-megapixel cameras included on the back, albeit they’re a downgrade compared to the OnePlus 13, at least on paper. A 165Hz AMOLED display sits on the front of the OnePlus 15, a 1.5K unit. OnePlus also issued an upgrade in the storage department, as UFS 4.1 is now used instead of UFS 4.0. The phone does bring plenty of improvements, and ships with Android 16 out of the box.

The post History of OnePlus Flagship Smartphones – 2025 appeared first on Android Headlines.

Samsung has a new Gloria-themed Flipsuit case for its Galaxy Z Flip 7 foldable phone. The company has crafted these exclusive cases in partnership with one of Peru’s most recognized brands, which is also a dairy company.

Crafted for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, the Gloria Flipsuit cases feature a transparent cover and a collectible NFC card. When placed on the phone, the NFC chip triggers activation of a matching animated wallpaper on the device.

Samsung users can also download additional Gloria-designed wallpapers from the official website. It allows users having qualifying devices to gain additional personalization perks driven by the latest exclusive collaboration.

With this incredible Gloria case collection for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Samsung is blending advanced mobile technology with the Peruvian brand’s visual identity.

Source – Samsung Newsroom

The Korean tech giant announced that the collaboration with Gloria was realized under its new creative concept “Movilismo.” It represents a new artistic movement where tech and self-expression merge to accompany the style of youth.

Apart from Gloria’s Flipsuit Cases, Samsung also offers a variety of special designs to add dynamism and style to the new Galaxy Z Flip7. These special cases are available exclusively through Samsung stores in Peru.

Why did Samsung pick Gloria?

Peruvian brand Gloria has its iconic branding and cultural significance for the creation of Samsung’s exclusive Flipsuit cases.

Given its identity, authenticity, and strong emotional bond with consumers, Gloria aligns with Samsung’s values of innovation, continuous evolution, and inspiring users in new ways.

The post Samsung launches Gloria-themed Flipsuit cases and 6 wallpapers for Galaxy Z Flip7 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung’s faster Exynos 2600 has reappeared on Geekbench, securing impressive performance scores. It seems Samsung is testing two different versions of Exynos, with the main difference anticipated in CPU frequencies.

Earlier, an underclocked Exynos 2600 emerged on Geekbench, showing a performance decline. It took Samsung around a week to reevaluate its powerful Exynos 2600 chip, which has broken the previous performance records.

In the test conducted on October 29, Samsung’s Exynos 2600 chip hit 3,455 and 11,621 in single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

This particular chip’s prime core is clocked at 3.80 GHz, while the 6-core cluster is clocked at 2.76 GHz and the 3-core cluster at 3.26 GHz.

In the past, the same SoC scored 3,309 in single-core and 11,256 in multi-core tests. That said, Samsung has improved the overall performance, which is not huge but worth praising.

Via – Jukanlosreve/X

Last week, an underclocked Exynos surfaced for the first time. The prime core was clocked at 3.55 GHz, while the other setups were at 2.46 GHz and 2.96 GHz. It managed to score 3,047 in single-core and 10,025 in multi-core tests.

Two versions of its upcoming Exynos hint at a future strategy or chip diversification. Who knows if Samsung’s preparing a faster version for Galaxy S26 Ultra and the underclocked for the other two models, base and Plus.

Exynos 2600 is manufactured using Samsung’s cutting-edge 2nm process technology. It’s a huge technological edge over Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is still based on TSMC’s 3-nanometer foundry process.

Samsung plans to equip the Asian and European Galaxy S26 and Plus with its 2nm Exynos chipset. Meanwhile, the US, Chinese, and Canadian variants would still feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

The post Faster Exynos 2600 returns with impressive performance scores appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Nvidia will make a $1 billion equity investment in Nokia at a subscription price of $6.01 per share, the two companies announced. With this investment, which is subject to certain customary closing conditions, Nokia will issue 166,389,351 new shares to Nvidia, giving it a 2.90% stake in the Finnish company. Nokia said it will use the proceeds from the issuance to accelerate its strategic plans to "advance trusted connectivity for the AI supercycle and other general corporate purposes." Moreover, Nokia intends to accelerate development of its 5G and 6G RAN software to run on Nvidia's...

So, you’ve decided to dive into the world of laser cutting and engraving. It’s an exciting step! But with a range of machines available, choosing the right one can be the biggest hurdle. Should you start with an entry-level model or invest in a professional powerhouse?

At Falcon, a sub-brand of Creality dedicated to high-performance laser engraving, we continue to push boundaries—empowering hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and professionals alike to bring their boldest ideas to life.

Understanding Your Needs

Before we look at the specs, ask yourself these questions:

– What will I primarily create? (e.g., personalized gifts, intricate art, commercial products)

– What materials will I use? (e.g., wood, leather, acrylic, anodized metal, glass)

– Is this for hobby, small business, or production?

Your answers will directly point you to the right Falcon. Here’s how our series break down:

– The A1 Series (A1 10W/ A1 PRO 20W): Your entry into the laser world, balancing safety, simplicity, and impressive performance.

– The Falcon2 Pro Series (40W & 60W): The professional’s choice for high-precision work on a wider range of materials.

Let’s dive into the details.

1. For the Beginner & Hobbyist: The Falcon A1 Series

– Falcon A1 (10W) – Your Creative Starting Point

Ideal for first-time users, the A1 10W makes entering the world of laser engraving safe, simple, and affordable.

Perfect For: Hobbyists, students, and families.

Key Materials: Wood, leather, paper, cardboard, dark acrylic.

Create: Personalized wood coasters, engraved leather tags, and custom acrylic phone cases.

– Falcon A1 Pro (20W) – Upgrade Your Output & Material Range

Double the power for faster speeds and the ability to handle thicker materials. Unlock even more possibilities, including direct metal engraving, with the optional 2W Infrared Laser Head—the perfect tool for growing skills and expanding your creative or commercial potential.

Perfect For: Advanced makers, small Etsy shops, and creators working with diverse materials.

Key Materials: All A1 materials, plus the ability to cut thicker wood and acrylic efficiently. Excellent for engraving stone, glass, and ceramics, metal.

Create: Intricate wooden puzzles, multi-layer acrylic signs, engraved glassware, and precise engravings on metals like stainless steel and anodized aluminum.

2. For the Professional: The Falcon2 Pro Series (40W/60W)

When your passion demands professional-grade capabilities, you need a tool that conquers a wider range of materials. The Falcon2 Pro series, with its significantly higher laser power, is engineered to handle tougher, denser, and more diverse materials—expanding the boundaries of what you can create.

Perfect For: Professional workshops and commercial businesses.

Key Strength: Masters the broadest spectrum of materials, capable of engraving on metals like stainless steel and anodized aluminum, while effortlessly cutting and engraving thick acrylic, hardwoods, composites, and stone.

Ready to Choose?

– Start Creating with the Falcon A1.

– Scale Your Projects with the Falcon A1 Pro.

– Power Your Business with the Falcon2 Pro.

Don’t miss the Halloween Sale: Up to 18% off Creality Falcon A1 Series & up to 15% off Falcon2 Pro Series. (Oct 20 to 30)

The post The Ultimate Creality Falcon Laser Engraver Buyer's Guide (Halloween 2025) appeared first on Android Headlines.

Phone storage often disappears faster than anyone expects. Photos accumulate in the background silently, apps grow with each new update, and fragments of invisible data remain behind until the phone crawls along or won’t hold anything new. It occurs on both Android and iPhone devices, though the platform addresses the condition in its unique manner. 

This article explains practical steps that show how to free up space on iPhone and Android devices safely. It breaks down what really fills your storage and how to clear it without risking your personal files.

How iPhone and Android Handle Storage Differently

Let’s start with how the two platforms manage memory. iPhone and Android face the same challenge – limited space – yet each system deals with it in its own way. For anyone curious about how to declutter storage on their iPhone or how to free up space on Android, the first step is, naturally, to know the difference.

iPhone:

Every app on an iPhone has its home in a ‘sandboxed partition’, separate from the rest of the system. The user cannot access an application’s folders, and most applications don’t provide a way to clear the cache. This is handled by iOS without any scope for human error. The phone keeps downloads inside the Files app or an app’s sandbox and does not support microSD cards. 

While this setup keeps things tidy, it also makes it harder to free up space without deleting actual files. That’s part of the reason more users are skipping storage upgrades altogether – why pay more if you still end up running out of space? On Reddit, it’s common to see complaints about System Data ballooning even after removing apps, which is why how to free up storage on iPhone remains such a hot topic.

Android:

Android gives users deeper control over space and app data. A user can open Settings → Storage to review categories, clear cache or app data, and move files through a file manager. Many phones also allow external microSD cards, which let users move photos, videos, and documents outside internal memory in a few minutes. 

This flexibility makes it easier to manage growing storage needs without deleting important content. Users can access app folders directly, and even automate cleanup with scheduled tools. It’s no surprise that Android users are less dependent on paid cloud plans or expensive storage upgrades – when space runs low, they have options.

Bottom line:

iPhones depend on automation and strict control, which protects users but hides files that occupy valuable space. Android provides full access and extra options such as expandable memory, but it demands regular care. A clear view of these differences helps users manage storage safely and keep both platforms stable.

How to Free up Storage on Your Phone

Both iPhone and Android include built-in options that help remove clutter and restore performance without risk. To keep the process clear, this guide presents three reliable methods that solve the most common storage issues.

Each method addresses a separate cause – hidden files, large media folders, or leftover data from unused apps. Together, they demonstrate how to clear the storage on any given phone without risking the loss of important files.

Method 1: Use Smart Cleaner App

Users believe that removing a few images or apps will solve the issue, yet there is much more on the phone than anticipated. Cache files, leftover folders, and invisible media quietly fill memory, especially inside chat or social apps. Many people ask why “System Data” or “Other” keeps increasing even after a cleanup. A reliable cleaner app offers a direct answer.

On iPhone:

Apple’s system maintains order but hides the details. iOS does not display cache or residual data inside normal menus, so a part of the storage remains out of reach. A tool such as Clever Cleaner helps users manage photos and files with ease. 

It detects duplicate or similar shots, chooses the best version automatically, removes heavy items, compresses Live Photos, and deletes screenshots in one tap – all without ads, subscriptions, or hidden fees. It’s one of the better free iPhone cleaner apps we’ve tested. The app checks your device safely, sorts results by category, and gives full control before anything disappears.

Real steps that help clear your phone’s memory:

1. Download Clever Cleaner from the App Store.

2. Open Clever Cleaner and give Manage access to Photos and Files.

3. Tap Smart Scan to detect duplicates, heavy videos, and screenshots.

4. Find​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the items that you want to delete in either Similar Photos or large files (Heavies) and then Slide to Delete to get rid of them.

5. Make​‍​‌‍​‍‌ sure you remove all unnecessary files first, after which you can head to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much free space you have. Finally, navigate to the Recently Deleted album in Photos and delete the files that you wish to remove ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌forever.

The convenient thing is that at every step, you know exactly how much space you’re freeing up (the app clearly displays the size of all selected files before you clean them out). Very satisfying to use.

On Android:

Android provides more control, but that freedom leaves traces. Old app folders stay after uninstall, unused downloads remain, and updates create duplicate files. Google includes a native solution known as Files by Google, available on nearly every device.

Simple ways to clear phone storage:

1. Open Files by Google and switch to the Clean tab.
2. Review suggestions such as “Old screenshots,” “Large files,” or “Temporary app files.”
3. Approve each entry that no longer serves a purpose
4. Open the Settings menu, choose Storage, and check how much capacity has returned.

Because Android grants direct access to system folders, most users never need another app. A short cleanup session with Files by Google every few weeks keeps the phone responsive, organized, and free of unnecessary data.

Method 2: Remove Large Media and Duplicate Files Manually

Cleaner apps remove hidden clutter, yet photos, videos, and chat attachments still occupy the most space. A short manual review exposes old albums, outdated downloads, or message files that quietly block new storage.

On iPhone:

Apple provides built-in tools that allow direct control over photos and videos. The Photos app identifies duplicate shots, and menus allow for quick deleting of large attachments or unused programs.

Easy ways to reclaim phone storage:

1. Open Photos, tap Albums, then open Duplicates to review identical shots. Combine similar photos or delete the ones that repeat.

2. Next, scroll to Large Media to view videos and high-resolution photos that take up the most space. Remove clips or images that no longer matter.

3. In​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the case of Messages that are taking up most of the storage space, you should go to Messages, tap on Manage Storage, and delete attachments or conversations that contribute to the largest part of the storage.

4. Next,​‍​‌‍​‍‌ you can check the amount of space that has been freed up by navigating to Settings – General – iPhone ​‍​‌‍​‍‌Storage.

5. The​‍​‌‍​‍‌ last step is to remove the storage that is apparently still ide with these deleted files by going to the Recently Deleted section in Photos and deleting the trash from ​‍​‌‍​‍‌there.

Users who complete these steps often free several gigabytes within minutes. 

On Android:

Android grants full access to its file system, which provides more freedom but also demands closer attention. Old downloads, duplicate photos, and cached folders can remain long after you remove an app. The built-in Files by Google app simplifies this process by listing the largest files first.

Quick ways to release extra space:

1. Open Files by Google, select Clean, and review the section labeled Large files.
2. Sort the list by size and delete the biggest videos or documents that have no purpose.
3. Open Gallery, find duplicate or blurred photos, and remove them.
4. Move older media to Google Drive or an SD card to create more room on the main device.

A careful review of large media keeps Android phones responsive and organized. For extra guidance, visit this guide, which explains practical methods to recover phone storage and maintain solid performance over time.

Method 3: Clear App Data and System Cache

Even after photo or video removal, a large share of phone storage often stays blocked by app data and cache files. Each app creates temporary files to make actions faster, but these leftovers slowly occupy valuable space. A direct reset of app data can recover several gigabytes in minutes.

On iPhone:

Apple allows users to erase extra data from apps without removing them completely. This method frees memory while keeping files, messages, and preferences intact.

How to free the storage on your phone: 

1. Navigate​‍​‌‍​‍‌ through your Settings to General, and then tap on iPhone Storage.

2. Inspect the long list of apps sorted by their size and check the largest ones.

3. Tap the Offload App, and you remove the extra data that is a memento of the app while the information is preserved.

4. In the case of Safari, go to Settings, tap Safari, and then select Clear History and Website Data to get rid of the additional ​‍​‌‍​‍‌space.

This method releases memory on an iPhone quickly without changing how apps behave. Repeating the same routine once a month helps avoid another “storage almost full” alert.

On Android:

Android offers direct control over cache and stored data through its system menus. This option restores memory fast without touching personal information.

Direct actions to clear phone storage safely:

1. Open the Settings menu and find the Storage section. Inside, you’ll see an option called Apps or App Management – tap it to view all the apps currently on your phone.

2. Find the app that takes up the most space – social media or video apps usually top the list – and open its details to see what can be cleared.

3. Select Clear Cache in order to delete cached material or Clear Storage to clear the app completely.

4. Get back to the Settings, Storage section, and it should tell you how much space the phone has reclaimed.

A quick review of app data often returns several gigabytes and improves system response. Phones remain fast and organized once unnecessary files disappear.

Final Tip

Storage issues often return if left unchecked for too long. To understand how to clear up storage on iPhone, remove old downloads, check large photo folders, and use a trusted cleaner to erase leftover files before they pile up again.

Regular care stops the “Storage Almost Full” alert and keeps your phone fast without extra costs. Small, steady steps always give better results than one rushed cleanup.

The post How to Free Up Storage on Your Phone: iPhone vs Android appeared first on Android Headlines.

Samsung Health teamed up with HealthTap to offer an in-app feature for doctor visits in the US. This partnership aims to benefit approximately 7 million users in the United States.

Under this partnership, Samsung and HealthTap add access to virtual primary and urgent care directly into the Samsung Health app. It’s the first time HealthTap’s first in-app experience is expanded to a third-party platform.

As a result, Samsung Health users in the US can book, conduct, and follow up on virtual care consultations. It essentially ends the need for leaving the Samsung Health app for doctor visits, but the feature is limited to US users.

How HealthTap works within Samsung Health:

Through an embedded interface, Samsung Health users will be able to select a virtual visit option, complete a short intake, and connect to a HealthTap doctor for a video consultation within minutes.

Once done, patients can review the clinician’s notes and follow-up instructions within the app. The entire process is designed to be seamless, requiring no app switching or additional downloads.

Image via Samsung

Thanks to Samsung Health’s integration of the virtual doctor visits feature, users can connect with a physician in the same place they record their daily steps, monitor sleep, or track vital signs and medication schedules.

Now, the wealth of medical, health, and fitness data captured by Samsung’s phones and watches and the Galaxy Ring can finally be discussed in real time at the point of care by a patient with their own primary care doctor.

This Health app upgrade is pretty much beneficial. When this data informs the clinical conversation, it enables more personalized diagnoses, more accurate treatment decisions, and ultimately, better outcomes for patients.

Dr. Ricky Choi, US Head of Digital Health, Samsung Electronics America, says:

“By making available telehealth services into the Samsung Health experience, we are making care actionable, enabling users to move from wellness to clinical care and back in a trusted environment.”

The post Samsung Health adds in-app doctor visits for US users appeared first on Sammy Fans.

One UI 8 elevates Dynamic Color Wallpaper, but some users are reporting functional issues with this feature. Samsung is also aware of the glitch and is working on a fix that will be provided through an app update.

Dynamic Wallpaper is a smart wallpaper service available on flagship Samsung Galaxy phones. It keeps refreshing the elegant colors featuring a striking gradient based on the time.

There’s no widespread outrage since a small portion of users utilize the feature. Others use their favorite picture or video as wallpaper or stunning images provided through third-party wallpaper distribution platforms.

Samsung fans who use Dynamic Color Wallpaper are facing a major issue. The glitch wipes out the wallpaper selection and replaces it with stock wallpaper. Per the users, it happens in certain hours, most reportedly overnight.

As the reports arose, Samsung investigated and found a glitch. The company confirmed (via Larry S White), the team is aware of it and preparing a fix. A new version of the Samsung Wallpaper app will be provided with the necessary improvements.

The new Samsung Wallpaper may already be rolling out to certain users. Samsung said the new update will be expanded to users gradually. So if you’re facing a wallpaper reset issue, make sure to update the app from Galaxy Store.

Remember, the app version may differ, but the improvements won’t. Therefore, install an updated Samsung Wallpaper from the Galaxy Store without worrying about the version number, package size, or release notes.

For those having a problem where the dynamic wallpaper that turns back to the stock wallpaper the next day. Samsung is working on the problem. I only use one third party wallpaper app for almost a year so I ruled it out. I have three devices where I didn't use it on one and… pic.twitter.com/7RW0deGRZj

— Larry S White (@F15Mechanic63) October 28, 2025

The post Samsung is fixing the Dynamic Wallpaper reset issue appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung has just widened the Android 16 rollout to the Galaxy S21 FE, and it locks the path to One UI 8.5. The company is bringing the One UI 8 to the Galaxy S21 FE smartphone users in India, starting with Exynos models.

You may find One UI 8.0 boring, but it is the setup for One UI 8.5 for your Galaxy S21 FE. Without One UI 8, you can’t even think of the next big upgrade. You know, owners of the Galaxy S21 series consider them the unluckiest.

There was a generational gap when Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 series and S21 FE. It was just a move similar to the Galaxy S25 series and S25 FE.

The flagship models were released with Android 11-based One UI 3.1, while the Fan Edition arrived with Android 12-based One UI 4.0. Similarly, the Galaxy S25 series launched with Android 15, while the S25 FE boots Android 16.

Samsung is strictly proceeding with what it promised. The Galaxy S21 series has already received four major OS upgrades to Android 15. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S21 FE has completed its OS lifecycle at Android 16 this week.

While there’s no major difference between the One UI 7 and One UI 8, users are still disappointed, and they have a reason: One UI 8.5.

Samsung is developing the next big upgrade, the One UI 8.5. Leaked screenshots signal plenty of new features and a massive overhaul to the user interface. The mid-cycle update will significantly widen the gap from One UI 7.

With Samsung bringing One UI 8 to the Galaxy S21 FE users this week, it’s a moment of celebration. The current update isn’t that exciting, but the next mid-cycle version will be, when it lands in the second quarter of 2026.

• Don’t miss – Galaxy S21 FE’s One UI 8 has 30+ upgrades, lacks key features

The post Galaxy S21 FE’s Android 16 update is the green light for One UI 8.5 appeared first on Sammy Fans.

The Oppo Find X9 and Find X9 Pro were launched in global markets yesterday. During the event, Oppo also shared the global release timeline for its ColorOS 16 update. While the ColorOS 16 rollout for compatible devices is scheduled to begin in China on October 30, global users will have to wait a little longer. Oppo’s ColorOS 16 update will be first available on the Find N5, Find N3, Find N3 Flip, the Find X8 series, Reno 14 lineup, Reno 13 series, and the Pad 3 Pro in November. Older Oppo phones and tablets will receive the Android 16-based software update in December and Q1...

Apple’s iPad Air and mini lineup could receive big display upgrades soon, according to a report by Bloomberg. The company is also working on upgrading the display on the MacBook Air. The report states that the Cupertino giant is testing new iPad Air, mini, and MacBook Air models with OLED displays. As per the report, Apple plans to introduce the iPad mini with an OLED panel in 2026. While an OLED display would be a welcome upgrade for the iPad mini, it’s expected to come at a higher price. The report suggests that the OLED version could cost up to $100 more than the current...

Samsung has released the Android 16-based One UI 8 stable update for two more smartphones - the Galaxy M55 and the Galaxy M55s. The stable One UI 8 update for the Samsung Galaxy M55 comes with firmware version M556BXXU4CYJ4 and requires a download of over 2.6GB, whereas the update for the Galaxy M55s comes with firmware version M558BXXU2CYJ4 and weighs more than 2.5GB. Samsung Galaxy M55 • Samsung Galaxy M55s The update for both smartphones comes with the October 2025 Android security patch in addition to One UI 8 goodies. [#InlinePriceWidget,12896,1#] Samsung is...

Samsung has finally responded to the One UI 8 battery draining problem affecting users of Galaxy phones and watches. The company explains why users see a sudden decline in battery life after installing the One UI 8 update.

On September 15, Samsung started the One UI 8 update rollout. Starting with the Galaxy S25 series, the update was gradually expanded to dozens of devices. One UI 8 Watch update is also rolled out to the Watch Ultra and Watch 7.

Galaxy users are complaining about the battery drain problem on community forums and social media. They are asking others if they are also facing the same issue and seeking a fix to improve the battery life declined after the update.

Battery drain complaints

Users are filling the Samsung Community with criticisms about reduced battery life after the One UI 8 update. One of the comments reads, “I wonder if Samsung is unaware of the fast battery drain issue or if they simply have no intention of fixing it.”

One user with a Galaxy S24 posted a question, “The battery is draining fast after the update, is there a solution?” Another user stated, “There’s almost no change compared to the previous version, but the battery drains faster.”

Reddit’s Samsung-related subreddits are also filled with similar complaints. A user named claimed, “I regret the One UI 8 update. When I was using One UI 7, the Screen-On Time (SOT) on my Galaxy S25 was about 7 hours, but now it’s only 5 hours.”

A Galaxy Watch 7 user also left a question: “After the update, if I leave home with a 100% charge and return, the battery only has about 20% left. Previously, it had about 70-80% remaining. Can I downgrade (revert to the previous version)?”

Samsung’s response

Commenting on some complaints, Samsung explained that the cause behind battery drain isn’t just the One UI 8 update. The decline is influenced by various factors, including app updates, different usage environments, and usage patterns.

Samsung recommends users report the problem via the Members app and keep the log file attached. It also sought detailed information to better evaluate what’s wrong with the devices that are ruining the battery life.

Samsung (via Chosun) responded to users, saying:

Battery consumption is complexly influenced by various factors, such as updates to installed apps, changes in the device’s usage environment, or usage patterns.

The post One UI 8 draining battery on Galaxy phones, watches – Samsung breaks silence appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Galaxy S26 series and One UI 8.5 are stamped with each other, and they affect Galaxy S25 users as well. A delay in the next-gen flagships could also postpone the Beta launch of the new software and rollout to older devices as well.

Samsung has just unveiled its first TriFold device, scheduled for late 2025 release. Meanwhile, the S26 series is the most anticipated reveal. The software part has also become similarly awaited, given its scope of changes.

Why Samsung could delay the Galaxy S26?

Samsung is running late with the development of the Galaxy S26 Plus. The company reportedly had no plans to bring the Plus model next year. Instead, it has almost finished developing the Galaxy S26 Edge as a Plus replacement.

Meanwhile, Samsung has canceled the S26 Edge at the last minute after determining no potential in the form factor. As a result, the Galaxy S26 Plus has rejoined the lineup, but the development may render Unpacked a little late.

How Galaxy S26 delay affect S25 users?

If Samsung delays the Galaxy S26 series, the One UI 8.5 reveal will naturally be delayed. The new software is set to come preinstalled with the new flagships. The upcoming phones and software directly affect Galaxy S25 users.

Galaxy S25 series was rumored to get One UI 8.5 Beta in late November. With Samsung changing its plans, the Unpacked event seems to be pushed to March. That said, the Beta Program may also be delayed until early 2026.

Rumors suggest the One UI 8.5 Beta could be delayed, and the Galaxy S26 Plus is to be blamed. One UI 8 didn’t take much time to go official, but the update doesn’t seem like a major one despite bumping the Android version.

If you own a Galaxy S25 (or Plus or Ultra), the next couple of weeks are going to be quite important. If Samsung unveils the One UI 8.5 Beta, users will be able to access the new software advancements early, as the official release is likely in May 2026.

The post How Galaxy S26 delay could affect Galaxy S25 users appeared first on Sammy Fans.

iQOO launched the 15 last week, and now it's getting ready to unveil the Neo11, which will become official in China on October 30. The brand has already teased the device and revealed that it has a 7,500 mAh battery and a "2K" resolution screen with 144Hz refresh rate, and it will come in four colorways. Today iQOO has also confirmed the Neo11's chipset. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which came out last year and was the top dog in the Android world until its successor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, showed up a few weeks ago. iQOO Neo11 teasers iQOO says the...

Motorola recently got into the slim smartphone game with the X70 Air in China (and this is going to be launched internationally as the Edge 70), and next up is Huawei. The Mate 70 Air is expected to become official next month, and ahead of that it was spotted in an online listing last week. Today an offline poster advertising its design got leaked, and was seemingly photographed in a warped fashion - rest assured, the phone isn't curved like that. The Mate 70 Air is just over 6mm thick and allegedly comes with a 6.9-inch "1.5K" screen, up to 16GB of RAM, and a main camera with a...

If you’re looking for a great smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is one of the best options, especially for Android users. It looks like a traditional watch but has all the smart features you need. Right now, you can get it for an amazing price, which makes it a perfect time to buy.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic usually costs $499.99, but it is now available for just $319 on Woot, an Amazon-owned deals website. That’s a huge discount of $180.99, and it’s the lowest price we’ve seen for this watch so far.

You also get a full one-year manufacturer’s warranty with your purchase. Keep in mind, this deal is only for the White color, and there is a limit of two watches per customer. The offer will last for eight days or until the stock runs out.

Source – Samsung Mobile Press

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic features a stainless steel body and a sapphire crystal screen, materials usually found in luxury watches. The rotating bezel is not only stylish but also makes it easy to use the watch. Its 1.37-inch Super AMOLED screen is bright and sharp, with a 438 x 438 resolution.

The watch is very durable, with IP68, 5ATM, and MIL-STD-810H certifications, meaning it can handle water, dust, and tough conditions. The battery lasts up to 30 hours with Always On Display or 40 hours if it is turned off.

If you want a smartwatch that is stylish, durable, and full of features, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic $319 deal is a great choice. Click here to visit the deal page.

The post Grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for $180 off appeared first on Sammy Fans.

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) is warning photojournalists about rights-grabbing credentialing agreements following a recent controversy surrounding The Gazelle Group's credentialing agreements.

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KEH is gearing up (pun intended) to host its annual Gear Expo & Trade Event, which it calls the Southeast's Ultimate Photography Event. Taking place November 14-15, the pre-owned camera gear dealer promises demos, workshops, and special trade-in savings.

[Read More]

Zettlab, a Shenzhen-based startup founded by former engineers from DJI, Huawei, and ByteDance, has announced a pair of AI-infused storage solutions for digital content creators, the D6 Ultra and D4 NAS.

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Professional landscape photographer Robert Bilos turned his passion for nature and the great outdoors into his career. He explains how his creative philosophy, techniques, and love of the outdoors inform each one of his breathtaking photos.

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Honor launched the Magic8 and Magic8 Pro in China earlier this month, but it's also rumored to be working on the Magic8 Ultra that will arrive at some later point, probably early next year. This is now said to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, unsurprisingly. It allegedly boasts a quad-curved 6.71" LTPO OLED screen with "1.5K" resolution, with an ultrasonic embedded fingerprint sensor and support for 3D face recognition. Honor Magic8 Pro The main camera will have 50MP resolution and will be using OmniVision's OV50R sensor with ultra high dynamic range. The phone is...

Samsung is rumored to be launching the Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro alongside the Galaxy S26 series, which is now expected to only arrive in March. According to a new report, both the Buds4 and the Buds4 Pro will come with a new case, which will have an ever so slightly bigger battery than the one in the Buds3 and Buds3 Pro. Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro The new case will allegedly have a rated battery capacity of 515 mAh. This will probably end up advertised as a typical capacity of 530 mAh. The Buds3 and Buds3 Pro case has a rated capacity of 500 mAh and a typical capacity of 515...

The mobile tech world never stands still. New phones featuring Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 flagship processor are just hitting the market. However, rumors about its successor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, are already circulating. The next-gen SoC is expected to officially debut in late 2026, so there’s still a long way to go. However, early reports about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip hint at major performance improvements, including support for the LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 memory and storage standards.

Artificial intelligence has taken over multiple segments of the tech industry. The smartphone segment is no exception. The heavy implementation of AI by companies like Google and Samsung makes this abundantly clear. Well, the “Elite Gen 6” chip will be better prepared than ever for these tasks.

LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0: The essential upgrades driving the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip

To handle the increasingly complex AI workloads, future silicon requires massive boosts in data speed. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip tackles this directly by reportedly introducing support for two critical, high-speed standards: LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage. These upgrades will dramatically increase how fast the chip can access and write data.

Perhaps the most compelling (and controversial) rumor centers on the manufacturing process. According to the source (tech tipster Digital Chat Station on Weibo), the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chip will mark Qualcomm’s transition to the next-generation 2nm node from TSMC. Qualcomm reportedly plans to use TSMC’s more advanced N2P process. This next-level 2nm variant theoretically offers huge gains. It promises up to 18% better performance or a substantial 36% reduction in power consumption compared to the previous 3nm node.

However, it’s noteworthy that other voices in the industry express doubt about this timeline. They argue that due to TSMC’s expected production ramp-up, Qualcomm, along with other large customers, will only secure the initial N2 2nm process for a 2026 launch.

Skipping an entire lithography step seems ambitious. The simple shift to 2nm nodes guarantees major gains in both power efficiency and raw computational ability, regardless of the exact variant used.

Higher flagship costs

Regardless of the precise manufacturing details, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 looks set to be an exceptional leap forward. The combination of a 2nm design with the far faster LPDDR6 memory and UFS 5.0 storage promises significant improvements across the board. These technological advances, unfortunately, rarely come cheap. Analysts expect the Gen 6 to carry a higher price tag than its predecessor. This will likely translate into more expensive flagship devices for consumers.

The post Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 to Adopt LPDDR6 & UFS 5.0 Standards appeared first on Android Headlines.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is already making many headlines. Most conversations are focusing on the expected regional split between the Exynos 2600 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processors. There is also discussion about the potential performance that the Exynos 2600 chip could offer. However, a newly spotted component suggests a nice upgrade might be hidden in a completely different part of the Samsung Galaxy S26: the Bluetooth and overall connectivity experience.

New leaks indicate the Galaxy S26 lineup could debut with a dedicated companion chip for connectivity. This approach mirrors steps taken by other industry giants toward greater hardware independence.

Samsung Galaxy S26’s Exynos S6568 chip may enable Bluetooth 6.1

A fresh listing on the Bluetooth qualified products website reveals a new Samsung chipset: the Exynos S6568. Described as a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi companion chip, the S6568 aims to work alongside a main Exynos SoC. This move suggests Samsung is ready to offload crucial connectivity duties from its flagship processor.

The core technical headline is its support for Bluetooth 6.1. Announced earlier this year, Bluetooth 6.1 is the newest standard, promising better security features and noticeably improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor. Currently, no mass-market devices use this latest specification. So, the Galaxy S26 could be one of the first.

The real advantage: Efficiency and thermals

Why would Samsung introduce a separate chip for features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth? The prevailing theory among tech analysts is that by dedicating the Exynos S6568 to these tasks, Samsung can significantly improve the performance and power efficiency of the main processor (the Exynos 2600).

This architectural approach allows the primary chip to focus solely on high-demand tasks. Think about running applications and processing complex graphics. The result should be a potential gain in battery life for the S26, faster performance during heavy use, and better thermal management. In the end, the phone should run cooler when you need it most.

The rumored S6568 certification coincides with other reports suggesting the Galaxy S26’s development schedule is changing. The launch, traditionally held in January, is now rumored to be pushed back to March 2026. This delay reportedly stems from an internal strategy reevaluation that involved shuffling the model lineup. The move would also imply the delay of the One UI 8.5 update to eligible Galaxy devices.

The primary battle between the Exynos 2600 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will still define the S26 experience in many regions. However, the integration of the Exynos S6568 points to Samsung also prioritizing other core aspects of the user experience. Making the phone run cooler and last longer, all while offering the newest connectivity standard, sounds like a great move.

The post Galaxy S26's New Connectivity Chip May Bring Massive improvements appeared first on Android Headlines.

Google Chrome is generally thought of as a pretty safe browser to use, but that doesn’t make it an impenetrable fortress, and a Chrome exploit used to distribute malware is the latest proof of that. A zero-day is an exploit that, once discovered, is immediately used to attack an entity or other users. This gives the company that makes the software that contains the exploit zero days to prepare for its malicious use. Instead, they’re forced to work on patching the previously unknown vulnerability after the fact.

According to a report from Bleeping Computer, a zero-day was recently used to target a variety of entities by distributing malware. Reported targets include Russian media outlets, educational institutions, and financial institutions. The malware, known as ‘Dante,’ is said to be a piece of commercial spyware. It was also reportedly created by Memento Labs, an Italian company formerly known as Hacker Team.

The Chrome exploit that was distributing malware was discovered by Kaspersky

Dante was initially discovered back in March of this year, as malware used as part of an attack called Operation ForumTroll that targeted Russian organizations. However, it wasn’t until recently that Kaspersky shared more intricate details of the malware and its inner workings.

As noted by Kaspersky, the initial point of infection from this malware occurred when users clicked a link in a phishing email. Once at the malicious website, the victims were “verified” and then the exploit was executed.

According to reports, these phishing emails were sending out invites to Russian organizations to attend the Primakov Readings forum.

Kaspersky further details that the Dante software, as well as other tools used in Operation ForumTroll, were developed by Memento Labs, linking the company to these attacks in some form. It’s worth noting that this company isn’t 100% confirmed to be behind the attacks. As noted by Bleeping Computer, there is a possibility that someone else was behind the zero-day attack and distribution of the malware.

The post 'Dante' Malware reportedly targeted Chrome users through zero-day exploit appeared first on Android Headlines.

Xbox has a new rival in town, and you might be surprised to know that it’s TikTok, as well as movies, that keep the Head of Xbox Game Studios up at night. Not PlayStation, not Nintendo. A social media application available on Android and iOS, and those motion picture films that you used to flock to theaters to see, but can now more easily than ever before watch from the comfort of your own couch.

It’s likely strange hearing that a video game company isn’t considering other video game companies its competitors anymore. That’s understandable. Xbox targeting TikTok and movies as its new rivals probably feels entirely random. As random as it might feel, if PlayStation were to stop competing with other video game companies and start targeting fast food chains. On a surface level, it doesn’t make any sense. But if you dig a little deeper, you can start to see the direction that Xbox is probably taking, in addition to the reason it’s taking it.

Xbox probably sees TikTok and movies as its new rivals because it’s competing for your time

To be clear, this has always been the case. Video games are a form of entertainment, and as long as they’ve been around, they’ve had to compete for your time with any other form of entertainment. So, that’s not an entirely new aspect of things. However, things have changed quite a bit. Now more than ever, entertainment through mediums like movies and TikTok is commanding the time of everyone, from teenagers to full-blown adults.

TikTok consumption is on such a massive scale that it wouldn’t be surprising to learn if some users were avoiding all other forms of entertainment to scroll through new clips. There likely are some users out there who are like this. Microsoft and its Xbox team appear to think so, and this is likely a big reason why it considers TikTok one of its new main rivals.

This is just speculation, of course, but it’s the most reasonable assumption that can be made. TikTok, movies, and streaming video make up a huge chunk of media consumption these days. Naturally, Xbox wants users to spend time playing games as opposed to watching videos. So, it’s setting its sights on those types of services.

The Xbox, as we know it, has changed forever

The days of Xbox being the third console behemoth in the market are long gone. This console platform of the early 2000s and 2010s has transformed into something entirely different. It’s not dead per se, but it’s certainly dead in the sense that the Xbox that fans have loved for two decades isn’t the same. Not only is Microsoft now targeting social media apps as its new rival, but its Xbox consoles won’t be traditional consoles anymore. The next Xbox will reportedly be a Windows gaming PC with an Xbox UI layer on top. It’s a new age for Xbox. For better or worse, this is the path Microsoft has chosen to take.

The post Xbox's new rival is TikTok, not PlayStation or Nintendo appeared first on Android Headlines.

Rumors of the next-gen Xbox console powered by Windows, making it a full-fledged gaming PC, began floating to the surface of the news cycle earlier this month. Now, it seems that those rumors actually have weight to them. So much weight that the rumors are reportedly true.

When the rumors first popped up, we said it sounded like the next console would just be an expensive gaming PC. That’s exactly what Microsoft is going for, according to Windows Central. (It is worth noting that this report is based on “trusted sources within Microsoft.” So, Microsoft itself has not publicly announced these details). This probably comes as no surprise to some. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally launched on October 16, and both feature a new software experience. It’s called the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, and it’s designed to be more of a console-like user interface than Windows 11.

One of the main complaints that Windows 11 handhelds have had so far is that they don’t feel like handheld consoles, which is essentially what they are. The Xbox Fullscreen Experience takes steps to address that issue. In most ways, it does a fine job at this. All your games are accessible right from one place. This includes games across clients like the Xbox app, Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and more. The next Xbox console is following in these footsteps.

Microsoft’s next Xbox console is a Windows PC, but it will have a console-style UI

The important bit here for console fans is that the new Xbox will have a console-style UI. Similar to, or perhaps exactly like, the Xbox Fullscreen Experience for the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally. The console experience will be layered on top of Windows, just like those handhelds. It will also boot into this experience as soon as you power it on, as opposed to booting into Windows first.

There is a major difference, though. As Windows Central reports, those who prefer this console UI can stay within it indefinitely. With no requirement to ever leave it. That means updates, game installs, etc., will all be doable from this experience. For comparison, with the ROG Xbox Ally X, if you want to update anything, it all has to be done from the Windows side of things. It’s not a great experience, all things considered. The next console is reportedly not going to have this problem. That’s a big step in the right direction if you want a console to be a console.

That being said, gamers will have the option to move to the Windows layout if they want to play games from other clients, such as Steam, or play Windows games that run in their own client and aren’t available on Xbox.

It’s still unclear what the price is going to be. However, Xbox President Sarah Bond did confirm that the next-gen Xbox will be a “very premium, very high-end, curated experience.” So, chances are the next Xbox won’t be as affordable as some people are hoping.

The post The next Xbox console is indeed a gaming PC powered by Windows appeared first on Android Headlines.

You only really know about a company based on the public image it wants you to see. But what really goes on behind the scenes? Behind the glitzy product launches, what exactly takes place in the planning process? If you’re curious about how a carrier operates, PhoneArena managed to land an exclusive interview with a Verizon representative who spilled the beans on the company’s operations.

Verizon representative tells all

According to the interview with the Verizon representative called “Jim,” it uncovered some of the things that take place behind the scenes. For starters, Verizon is relying pretty heavily on AI. This comes in the form of an AI tool called “Personal Shopper.” This feature automatically builds a cart of so-called recommended items when customers open a new account.

While it might sound useful, Jim suggests that this usually results in a ton of irrelevant products, which makes it annoying for employees to manage. Employees are also pressured to meet strict sales quotas with mandatory upselling. These are not optional goals, and failing to meet a quota could jeopardize their employment.

Unfortunately, this has created a somewhat toxic environment. Due to the immense pressure to perform, some employees resort to deceptive tactics. We’re talking about hidden insurance or fees here. So, the next time you get your bill, you might want to take a deeper look at the charges.

All of this comes from the higher-ups too, where management encourages upselling for items like extra lines, even if a customer doesn’t need it.

But it’s not all bad

Based on the interview, it sounds like Verizon resorts to some pretty shady tactics when it comes to upselling. However, it’s not all bad. It seems that despite the stressful sales environment and pressure to meet quotas, Verizon is apparently a pretty good employer. The carrier offers decent pay, commissions, and benefits.

Still, these pressures can lead to burnout, which results in employees leaving. But it seems that many of them eventually return. This is because the pay and benefits are simply too good to give up on.

Jim acknowledges some of the shady tactics Verizon uses, but he also notes that it’s the same thing at T-Mobile. “It’s just that you wear pink instead of a red shirt, and you hand out goodies on Tuesdays.”

The post Verizon's 'Personal Shopper' AI is Driving Reps Crazy & Hurting Sales appeared first on Android Headlines.

WhatsApp has released a new beta update for Android, which reveals that the company is working on the ability for users to set a cover photo on their profile. This feature, already available for WhatsApp Business accounts, will soon be coming to regular users as well.

The new cover photo option will let users add a banner image at the top of their WhatsApp profile, similar to what we see on Facebook or LinkedIn. This image will allow people to express their personality, mood, or style through visuals, to make profiles more fun and personal.

Currently, only WhatsApp Business users can set cover photos to make their pages look more professional and appealing. However, WhatsApp now plans to expand this feature to everyone. Users will be able to upload or select a picture from their gallery directly in their profile settings.

Image via WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is also testing privacy settings for cover photos, giving users control over who can see them. The available options include “Everyone,” “My contacts,” and “Nobody.” For now, there’s no “My contacts except” option, but it might be added later. These privacy options ensure that users can customize their profiles while staying in control of their personal information.

The cover photo feature is currently under development and is not yet available to users. WhatsApp is currently testing and improving it before a wider release. Once ready, the update will likely roll out to beta testers first and then to all users in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

The post WhatsApp soon lets you personalize your profile with cover photo appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are currently under development. Fans are expecting these new earbuds to launch in early 2026, probably alongside the Galaxy S26 smartphones. Now, new information reveals the battery life of Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro cases.

According to the latest information via GalaxyClub, both earbuds will come with slightly larger charging cases. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro cases could have a rated battery of 515 mAh, with a typical capacity around 530 mAh.

This is a small upgrade compared to the Galaxy Buds 3 series, which had a 515 mAh battery. Even though the improvement is minor, it should mean users will need to charge the cases less often. Samsung may also improve the earbuds’ efficiency so they can play music longer on a single charge.

Recently, the codenames and model numbers of the new earbuds also leaked. Samsung calls the Galaxy Buds 4 “Handel” (model SM-R540) and the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro “Bach” (model SM-R640).

Moreover, some design details have also appeared online. Early sketches show that the Galaxy Buds 4 will keep the stem-style design from the Buds 3 series, with a few small changes. The stems may be slightly reshaped for better comfort and use.

The Galaxy Buds 4 series seems to bring small but meaningful improvements. Stay tuned for more information.

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If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone like the Galaxy S25 Ultra or S24, you may have noticed that your device often feels faster and smoother after a software update. Even small security patches can make a noticeable difference. Many people assume it’s just in their imagination, but several real-time changes improve your phone’s performance.

Software updates don’t just fix security issues, as they often include tiny improvements to the system that make users feel better. They refresh your phone in ways you might not see but can definitely feel.

Here’s How Samsung Software Updates  Make Your Phone Feel Smoother

1.) System Cleanup

When you install an update, your phone automatically removes temporary files, logs, and cached data. This “system cleanup” frees up storage and helps reduce memory issues, which makes the device run more efficiently. After a reboot, apps open faster, animations feel smoother, and overall performance improves

2.) Smarter Task Management

Even security updates often include small improvements to background task scheduling, Samsung tweaks components such as Device Care, Game Booster, System UI, and SmartThings to manage CPU and GPU resources better. These adjustments help animations stay consistent, apps launch quicker, and scrolling feels more stable.

3.) Performance Reset

Over time, your phone’s AI performance mode or thermal throttling may slow down the system to prevent overheating. Updates often reset these settings to their default values, allowing the phone to perform at its best temporarily. This reset can make the device feel faster and more responsive immediately after updating.

4.) Visual and UI Refresh

Minor changes like smoother transitions, improved font rendering, and subtle tweaks to icons or animations can create a noticeable “fresh” feeling. Even small visual improvements are enough to make your phone feel newer.

So, Samsung updates do more than keep your phone secure as they clean up the system, optimize background tasks, reset performance settings, and improve visuals. That’s why even minor updates can make your Galaxy phone feel faster, smoother, and more enjoyable to use.

Source: PhoneArt

The post Here’s everything new you get in Samsung software updates appeared first on Sammy Fans.

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