Our own write-ups of the latest Android phone news and reviews, sourced from the best in the industry.
Apple is set to unveil its inaugural foldable iPhone Ultra on 9 September, but industry insiders warn the device could inherit the same compromises that have plagued Android foldables for years – from fragile plastic displays to limited camera hardware.
Android Authority’s latest teardown shows the Play Store’s new download manager in action, letting you pause and later resume app installs. The feature could ease data‑plan worries and improve multitasking, but rollout may be gradual.
A teardown of the latest Play Store app (v53.0) shows Google prototyping a new, banner‑heavy UI for paid games. The design highlights screenshots, ratings and compatibility, but still omits size and download numbers. No rollout date has been confirmed.
Samsung has begun delivering the One UI 9 Watch beta to Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic devices in its home market. The update, built on Wear OS 7, promises UI tweaks and other refinements, with US rollout still unconfirmed.
A handful of Galaxy Z Fold 8 users have noticed that the corners of the inner folding screen give noticeably when pressed, raising questions about whether Samsung’s new Flex‑Titanium chassis is fully supporting the panel.
Meta’s latest firmware for its Ray‑Ban smart glasses adds on‑glasses pedestrian directions, immersive Spatial Audio, Mandarin Chinese support and tighter camera anti‑tamper safeguards, expanding the devices’ everyday utility for UK users.
TECNO’s newest Camon Slim 5G manages to stay under 7 mm thick while housing a 6,000 mAh cell, a 50 MP Sony sensor and MIL‑STD‑810 durability, making it a curious option for UK shoppers hunting slim Android devices on contract.
A bug in the iOS 27 public beta can cause Apple Wallet’s Digital ID to disappear, leaving users without their passport‑type entry at US airport checkpoints. The issue is easy to reverse, but it underlines why beta software should stay off primary phones.
Oppo has announced that its Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max will debut in China later this week. Both models sport a triple‑camera layout with up to three 200 MP sensors, a Hasselblad‑co‑developed Ultra‑Clear Native system and a second‑gen Danxia colour lens, plus a new Tianma OLED panel.
A short hands‑on video released ahead of Apple’s September event appears to show demo units of the iPhone 18 Pro Max in a deep “Dark Cherry” finish and the iPhone 18 Pro in a bright blue shade, confirming rumours about the upcoming colour palette.
Samsung quietly rolled out its newest budget offering, the Galaxy A07s, in Jordan. The handset pairs a 6.7‑inch HD+ LCD panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek G99+ SoC, up to 6 GB RAM and a massive 5,000 mAh battery, and promises six years of Android updates.
Huawei’s newest tri‑fold, the Mate XT 2, launches in China with an inward‑folding chassis and a built‑in privacy display – a feature first seen on Samsung’s recent flagships. The move signals a clear design duel as both brands chase premium foldable markets.
A global shortage of DRAM is reversing years of falling memory prices, prompting Apple to consider pricier iPhone models. The Verge flags the trend as “chipflation”, a development that could ripple through the UK smartphone market and affect contract deals.
OpenAI’s latest model, GPT‑6 Astra, managed to solve the classic puzzle‑game Portal without human help, yet the feat cost $571.18 in token usage. The experiment highlights how far generative AI has come – and why the price tag matters for Android users eyeing AI‑driven apps.
Microsoft will stop supporting Office 2021 later this year. Acros Security’s 0patch service promises to extend security updates for another three years for a fee, giving users a bridge between the legacy suite and a full Microsoft 365 subscription.
A hobbyist has built an animated pixel‑style clock on an ESP32 board, complete with nods to classic arcade titles. The open‑source project shows how a cheap microcontroller can replace a generic bedside clock with a personalised, gaming‑themed timepiece.
Google Photos adds two AI‑driven tools – a Virtual Wardrobe that suggests outfits from your existing clothes and Manual Photo Stacks for custom album organisation – now reaching Android users in the US with a wider rollout expected soon.
The Poco X8 arrives with an 8,340 mAh battery, 6.83‑inch 120 Hz AMOLED display and up to 12 GB RAM, priced at €400‑€450. It ships without a charger but includes a rubber case, and its size and weight make it a noticeable, yet affordable, option for power‑hungry users.
A growing number of high‑profile car manufacturers are pulling Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) from new models, with GM planning a full switch to its own infotainment platform by 2028. We break down the reasons, the brands involved and how UK car‑buyers can navigate the change.
