Our own write-ups of the latest Android phone news and reviews, sourced from the best in the industry.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy S26 Fan Edition in the US, offering a 50MP main sensor, Exynos 2500 chipset and a 1,900‑nit screen for £699. The device will soon be sold via Samsung’s site and select carriers, and UK buyers can expect contract deals to follow.
Google’s new WeatherNext 3 model replaces the old NWP‑based system with live satellite data, delivering hourly, 5 km‑resolution forecasts across Search, Gemini, Maps and Cloud – a boost for Android weather apps and everyday planning.
At I/O 2026 Google unveiled Gemini‑Live, a conversational AI layer for its core productivity apps. The feature lets users speak to Gmail, Keep and Docs to search, create and organise content, but it is currently limited to Google AI Plus, Pro and Ultra plans and will be rolled out gradually.
GrapheneOS developers initially thought Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 would lack Memory Tagging Extensions, a key security layer, and ruled it out. New information suggests the hardware still supports MTE, prompting a rethink and a possible future release for the flagship series.
Samsung’s latest software rollout brings the August 2026 security update to more than 20 Galaxy devices – from the S22 series through the brand‑new S25 range and several foldables – keeping UK users protected ahead of the holiday season.
Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 FE hits the market without a pre‑order window, offering a 6.7‑inch 120 Hz display, Exynos 2500, 7‑year OS support and a £200 Amazon gift‑card for early buyers. Prices start at £699 for the 128 GB model.
Motorola’s newest Edge 70 Plus arrives at IFA 2026 with a 6.78‑inch 144 Hz AMOLED, a 200 MP main sensor, a 6,500 mAh cell and a promise of Android 16 plus five years of security updates – all for £529.99 in the UK.
At IFA 2026 NVIDIA announced that its new RTX Spark super‑chips – built on the Blackwell GPU architecture – will hit the market in October. Two variants are detailed: a high‑end 6,144‑core model with up to 128 GB RAM, and a slimmer 5,120‑core version aimed at laptops only.
New carrier data points to the upcoming iPhone Ultra foldable costing well over $2,500 – roughly £2,000 in the UK – with Egypt and Australia showing even higher price tags after conversion.
Google’s DeepMind team has unveiled WeatherNext 3, an AI‑driven weather engine that refreshes every hour at a 5 km grid. The new model powers Google Search, Maps, Gemini and cloud services, promising up to 50 % better short‑term rain forecasts and tighter wind data for renewable‑energy planning.
German chemicals giant BASF, via its optical‑sensing arm trinamiX, has filed a patent infringement suit in Texas, accusing Apple of using its skin‑detection technology in recent iPhone and iPad models. The case could affect Face ID‑enabled devices worldwide.
Microsoft has teamed up with TV maker TCL to ship the Xbox app to Google‑TV‑based sets, letting UK gamers stream Game Pass titles straight to their living‑room screen without a console.
New certification data shows Samsung will keep the 60‑watt wired charging rate for every Galaxy S27 model, despite larger batteries on the Ultra and Pro variants. The lineup arrives in early 2027, with only modest design tweaks.
Samsung’s newest budget‑midrange offering, the Galaxy A18 4G, mirrors the A17’s look but adds a 6.7‑inch 90 Hz AMOLED, a Helio G99 chipset and a 5,000 mAh battery. It launches at €299 (≈£260) with 4 GB RAM and up to 256 GB storage.
At this year’s IFA, Sunseeker unveiled the S7 LiDAR Ultra AWD 3000 – a lawn‑mowing robot that can locate and lift small items with a built‑in arm. While the tech impresses, the arm’s sluggish motion and limited payload raise questions about its real‑world usefulness.
Samsung’s eighth‑generation foldable line now comes in three flavours – the Z Fold8 Ultra for power users, the Z Fold8 for media lovers and the Z Flip8 for on‑the‑go creators. A new visual guide helps UK shoppers match the right model to their daily habits.
Vodafone is giving a £100 bill credit to anyone who signs up for a 24‑month SIM‑Only contract, effectively shaving about £4.16 off the monthly price. The promotion applies to both standard Unlimited plans and the newer SuperMobile range, which touts 5G+ speeds.
Fairphone’s chief impact officer outlined a low‑cost model that adds just $1.05 to each handset to pay factory staff a living wage and fund safer mineral extraction, urging larger brands to follow suit.
From 16 October Vodafone will sell the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max (and Apple Watch Series 12/Ultra 4) on its SuperMobile contracts, promising up to four‑times the speed of regular 5G plans and data‑heavy bundles starting at £20.53 a month.
