News and Updates about Smartphones

You know what caught my attention this Black Friday season? T-Mobile just dropped what might be the most aggressive smartphone deal I've seen in my decade of covering mobile carriers. Starting November 6th and running through December 3rd, T-Mobile is offering four iPhone 17 devices absolutely free when you switch four lines to their Essentials plan—and here's what makes this unprecedented: no trade-in required.

The tablet wars have reached a new peak in 2025, with two premium powerhouses going head-to-head in what might be the most compelling flagship face-off we've seen in years. Samsung launched their massive Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra in September (Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra was released on September 4, 2025), featuring a jaw-dropping 14.6-inch display that's bigger than many laptops. Apple quickly responded in October with their iPad Pro M5 (Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5, 2025) was released on October...

Sony's legendary baseball franchise is taking its biggest swing yet at mobile gaming, and it's happening right on your iPhone. After years of dominating consoles, MLB The Show is officially making its smartphone debut with a dedicated mobile version that's currently testing in the Philippines. This isn't just another companion app or watered-down port – Sony San Diego Studio has built this experience from the ground up specifically for mobile devices. The move represents a fundamental shift for...

India's telecommunications ministry has quietly delivered what might be the smartphone industry's biggest regulatory bombshell in years. The November 28 directive doesn't just ask manufacturers to include another government app—it mandates that every major brand selling devices in the country must embed the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity application as permanent, unremovable software on every single phone, according to confidential orders reviewed by Reuters. Companies get exactly 90 days to...

Looking at the Android flagship landscape in 2025, we are seeing a fascinating battle between two phones that embody very different ideas of what a premium smartphone should be.

Reviewed by: Y. Garcia

Black Friday just dropped something special for stylus fans and budget-conscious shoppers. Motorola's latest midrange phone hits a new low, putting premium perks within reach of far more people. It blends practical productivity tools with serious specs, a combo that blurs the line between budget and flagship. With the price cut, an already strong pick turns into what might be the season's most compelling smartphone deal.

When you think about the "most powerful phone on the planet," what pops into your head? Raw processing muscle? Fancy AI tricks? Or something more basic, like keeping all that silicon from frying when you push it hard. Recent teardowns of flagship smartphones have pulled back the curtain on how manufacturers are taming heat, leaning on liquid cooling tech that would make desktop PC modders grin.

You've probably heard it a thousand times. Put down your phone before bed, or you'll toss and turn all night. What if that bedtime scrolling advice isn't as black and white as we've been told?

T-Mobile just made a move that could change how we think about emergency communication. The carrier has opened up its satellite 911 texting service to everyone, including AT&T and Verizon customers, at zero cost, according to Android Authority. It is a sharp pivot from competitive exclusivity to public safety collaboration, powered by the carrier's T-Satellite system that connects to SpaceX Starlink's 650+ Direct-to-Cell satellites (operated by SpaceX, not owned by T-Mobile). Coverage spans...

Reviewed by: Jame Jimenez

The smartphone camera race is heating up, and the next leap looks wild. Dual 200MP camera systems, a setup that felt sci‑fi a few years ago, are now in active development across multiple brands. The most promising candidate is the Vivo X300 Ultra, which industry sources suggest could become the world's first smartphone to pack two separate 200MP sensors when it launches in early 2026. And Vivo is not alone, rumors indicate that other major Chinese manufacturers are also experimenting with...

WhatsApp has been the world's go-to messaging platform for over a decade, but it has always had one fundamental limitation that separates it from other social platforms: you need someone's phone number to connect with them. That is about to change. After years of development and user requests, WhatsApp is preparing to launch usernames, a shift that could reshape how we connect and how we shield our privacy on the platform.

So you're telling me a modular, repairable smartphone is finally hitting American shores for $899, and instead of rolling my eyes at another "premium" price tag, I'm genuinely excited? Same here. The Fairphone 6's arrival in the US through Murena feels bigger than another Android drop. It is a phone built around a different philosophy, one where sustainability and repairability actually take priority over the upgrade-every-two-years treadmill we've all been running.

Nothing's latest smartphone launch has everyone talking for good reason. Meet the Phone (3a) Lite, their most affordable device yet, according to reports. Starting at $310(£249), it lands as Nothing's first venture into the budget smartphone segment while keeping the brand's transparent flair. It saves about $100 compared to the standard Phone (3a), which lowers the bar to entry without losing the look that turns heads.

Reviewed by: Ysa Garcia

OPPO's Find X9 series has finally gone global, and the launch feels like a watershed moment for the brand. For years, Find flagships stayed in China. Now OPPO says its most comprehensive upgrade is leaving home. The Find X9 and Find X9 Pro read less like yearly refreshes and more like a reset, especially in imaging and battery endurance.

Reviewed by: Jame Jimenez

WhatsApp is rolling out one of its biggest anti-spam tests yet, a trial that caps how many messages you can send without getting a reply (Engadget). The company is testing different monthly thresholds to target high-volume senders and spammers while leaving regular users alone (Engadget).

AI is not just changing how we tap and swipe. It is reshaping what we pay for the hardware in our pockets. Thinking about a phone upgrade? Timing suddenly matters. This is not the usual blip from a shipping backlog or a holiday rush. It is a reshuffling of global semiconductor priorities that lands right on your bill.

Imagine your fitness tracker could predict health problems before symptoms appear. That's the ambitious vision behind Oura's latest platform transformation, and it goes far beyond step counting into medical monitoring territory. The company's comprehensive update brings enhanced stress tracking and new blood pressure research, positioning the smart ring as a serious health assessment tool rather than just another wearable gadget.

Smartphone photography just took a wild turn. The Oppo Find X9 Pro introduces something we’ve never seen before: a detachable Hasselblad zoom lens that reimagines what is possible with mobile photography. Not just another incremental camera update. A phone with a lens you click on and off? Yes. The device features a sliding attachment system that transforms your phone’s built-in telephoto into something approaching professional camera territory, according to Wired. The device launched globally...

When two tech titans collide in the flagship smartphone arena, sparks fly. Two titans. One showdown. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra, expected to launch in January 2026, represents the cutting edge of what's possible in premium Android technology. Meanwhile, Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL has already made its mark as one of the hottest new Android phones right now, launching in August 2025 with a mix of computational photography prowess and AI-driven features.

When Nothing unveiled their budget-friendly Phone 3a Lite today, they delivered exactly what the name promises: most of what makes the Phone 3a compelling, just more affordable. This stripped-down version launches in the UK and Europe at £249/€249 for the 128GB model, according to The Verge, making it Nothing's cheapest smartphone to date. Unfortunately for US consumers, The Verge reports this budget option won't see a stateside release. Tough break.

When you picture a budget phone, you brace for trade-offs. Sluggish performance, middling cameras, build that whispers "cheap." The Motorola G86 Power 5G flips that script. It costs $499, yet it behaves like it missed the memo on compromise. The price is almost the least exciting part.

Meta's Instagram Threads takes a significant leap with group messaging, bringing conversations between up to 50 people directly into the app. Not just another feature update. It signals that Threads seems to be moving past its X (formerly Twitter)-alternative phase into something broader and more useful.

Reviewed by Meg Flores

You know that moment when a platform you rely on suddenly changes the rules? That's exactly what's happening with WhatsApp right now. The messaging giant is testing one of its most significant anti-spam initiatives yet, with monthly caps on broadcast messages that could fundamentally reshape how we think about mass communication on the platform.

When you think about flagship smartphones these days, you usually have to pick your battles. Do you want incredible camera performance or all-day battery life? Well, Oppo just said "why not both?" with their new Find X9 Pro, and the specs are genuinely revolutionary.

Reviewed by Jame Jimenez

Remember when smartwatches first promised to change how we glance at our wrists? Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch grabbed the spotlight, sure, but a quieter favorite won hearts with simplicity and battery life that seemed to last forever. That beloved underdog is back, and the tech crowd is buzzing.

When you're fed up with that unsightly camera bump jutting out from your phone's back, what if you could simply swap it for something better? The H-One Pro concept device introduces a fascinating approach to smartphone modularity, featuring what designer Mechanical Pixel describes as a minimalist modular system with just one swappable section. Unlike Google's abandoned Project Ara with its multiple modular components, this design focuses on a single rectangular section that can house various...

When a single stolen phone becomes the thread that unravels an entire criminal empire, it shows how potent modern tracking has become in the fight against organized crime. London saw this up close when mobile device theft hit alarming highs, with approximately 80,000 phones reported stolen in 2024 alone, a significant increase from the previous year. The estimated value reached £50 million, equivalent to over Rp1 trillion, a snapshot of the scale of this underground economy.

You've probably heard this song before: "world's thinnest foldable phone!" But the Honor Magic V5 might actually deserve the hype. At just 8.8mm thick when folded and weighing a mere 217g, this thing makes other foldables look chunky by comparison. Honor didn't just chase thinness records though, they packed in a 64MP periscope telephoto camera and the world's first 6,100mAh silicon-carbon battery for a foldable. The engineering feat represents something bigger than spec sheets: it's the moment...

Reviewed by Meg Flores

When artificial intelligence meets the smartphone market, the battle lines are drawn between two tech giants with very different approaches. Samsung leverages its massive global reach and comprehensive device ecosystem, while Honor focuses on innovative features and accessible pricing. Let’s break down how these brands stack up in the ultimate AI showdown.