It's not always easy to find good open-ear earbud deals, at least when compared with those of traditional earbuds. For that reason, it's exciting to see Amazon cut our favorite open-ear earbuds, the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, back down to their lowest price ever. The deal represents a 33% price drop, marking $100 in savings and bringing their price down to just $199.

We love the Bose Ultra Open earbuds for a number of reasons, but especially for their powerful immersive sound setting, their minimal, sleek design, fast charging speeds, and a relatively long battery life.

While they don't come with multipoint connection or wireless charging, the Bose Ultra Open are still head and shoulders above other competitors in overall quality and design. At $199, they're still a little more pricey than others, but $100 off feels like it could be all the justification you need if you're already in the market.

✅Recommended if: you want the best open-ear earbuds on the market and your budget is around $199; you want a pair of open-ear earbuds that won't compromise on immersive, high-quality audio; you like having easy-to-use button controls for playback, volume, answering calls, and more on your earbuds; you need something with a minimal, comfortable fit that can be worn and used for long periods of time.

❌Skip this deal if: you aren't looking for open-ear earbuds and would rather spend this amount of money on higher-quality, fully in-ear devices; you need something that offers more than 4 hours of battery when spatial, immersive, or other modes are engaged; you prefer a pair of earbuds with a higher dust and water resistance rating than IPX4.

The Bose Ultra Open earbuds are a certifiably great pair of open-ear buds, featuring a mind-blowing immersive mode and a solid stereo audio mode, a charging case, and a minimal, comfortable design. Bose says they'll get users up to 4 hours of playtime in immersive mode or up to 7 in stereo mode, while the case can offer up to 48 hours of with intermittent charges.

As a Google Pixel user, I have a wide variety of Qi2 and Pixelsnap accessories to choose from, made by both first- and third-party sellers. But sometimes, I come across products like the Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger that are made for Apple, and stare at them longingly.

Although they can be very expensive, accessories for the Apple ecosystem are well-designed and feature-rich. Most multipurpose chargers for iPhones include Apple Watch chargers, which is a rare find for Pixel users. Whether it's a charging dock or a portable charger, it's hard to find officially certified accessories for Google that support the Pixel Watch.

The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger is a modern kit with 3 wireless charging pads

The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger is an all-in-one charging package. It features three wireless charging pads: a 25W pad to charge your iPhone, a 7.5W pad for the Apple Watch, and a third 5W pad for AirPods.

Mophie developed the StealthCharge Technology featured in the Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger specifically for iPhones. It makes for a quiet, aerated charging pad that dissipates heat without fans or coolants.

Both the iPhone and Apple Watch charging pads fold open and closed, so you can use them as stands if you wish. This also makes it easy to pack the kit into a smaller form factor once you're done using it.

It's a MagSafe and Qi 2.2-certified kit, but the first two pads can also be used with non-Apple devices. But the Apple Watch charger is obviously not compatible with any other smartwatch.

Mophie curated this kit for travel, so it has a small footprint and comes with everything you need to power the 3-in-1 wireless charger, all in a sleek, minimalist pouch. It has several compartments so nothing moves around or gets entangled mid-travel.

The leather pouch is small enough to neatly fit in any backpack, carry-on luggage, or small suitcase. A 40W USB-C charger with U.S. prongs and a 1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable are included in the box, along with three separate prongs for the U.K., Europe, and Australia.

You can squeeze all the accessories in, but it's really only designed to hold one or two of the included global prongs.

Mophie also includes a handy ferrite bead in the kit. When attached to a USB cable, a ferrite bead — sometimes also called a ferrite ring, choke, or core — acts as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield, preventing unwanted RF signals from being transmitted to and from a device.

The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger is a luxury product with a high-end build quality

The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger set comes in two colors: Black and Cream. It retails for $149.95 at Apple or Mophie.

This is the 2026 iteration, the fourth generation of this kit from Mophie, with updated charging speeds all around. Older-gen variants are more widely available and come in some fun colorways like a cherry blossom print. The older-gen kits have slower charging speeds, but most of them still retail for the same price.

Overall, I love how the Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger is the perfect portable charging kit for an avid Apple user. It supplies the fastest wireless charging speeds to six generations of iPhones, as well as every single Apple Watch and AirPods iteration.

I wish Mophie made a similar kit for the latest Pixel hardware, certified by Google for official Pixelsnap support. There isn't a single similar product available for Google Pixel users.

Even if accessory makers were able to make a universal travel charging kit with wireless charging pass for Pixel phones and Pixel Buds, the Pixel Watch would still make it hard. Since the chargers of all Pixel Watch iterations are not compatible with each other, this complicates things.

If you're an Apple user, this is the most comprehensive travel kit for all your gear.

What you need to know

• Rumored renderings for the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra claim the device's design might not change much from its predecessor.
• The tablet's renderings showcase it with the same camera notch, dual camera array, and thin build.
• Rumors add that the Tab S12 Ultra might feature a 14.6-inch display, an 11,600mAh battery, and upwards of 16GB RAM/1TB storage.

Another round of Galaxy Tab S12 series rumors has surfaced. This time, the leaks claim to have discovered the design of the Galaxy S12 Tab Ultra.

To end the week, rumors about Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra have appeared, alongside renderings of its apparent design. In collaboration with tipster OnLeaks, Smartphone Checker posted a few alleged Tab S12 Ultra renderings (via SamMobile). Users hoping for a design change might be disappointed. The tipster's discovery suggests the Tab S12 Ultra won't veer too much from what the S11 Ultra delivered. The selfie camera notch, fairly thin bezels, and dual camera array remain.

The leaked renders showcase the Ultra tablet in black (or gray), keeping things similar to what we're used to.

The publication adds that evidence "strongly" suggests the S12 Ultra will feature a 14.6-inch display. This is based on its rumored dimensions, which say it will measure 326.34 x 208.46 x 5.12mm. Other rumors claim the device could stick with a MediaTek chip. One that's upgraded, but still a year old. The folks at SamMobile mixed in some other rumors, stating the Tab S12 Ultra could feature a maximum of 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM.

The story so far

On a related note, the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus surfaced in what rumors claimed were "live images." Similar to what these Ultra renderings suggest, the Tab S12 Plus might not look different either. The images showed a tablet that still featured rather thick display bezels and a selfie camera nestled inside them. The image was spotted in a Safety Korea database listing. This is something significant, which could point toward the device seeing a late 2026 launch, which many have anticipated.

On the other hand, we have a Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra battery rumor that's pretty mild. Supposedly, the device could settle for the same 11,600mAh with 45W charging support that the Tab S11 Ultra offered.

Apple's Find My network has long been a compelling reason to pick up an iPhone. It uses hundreds of millions of devices to track your products using crowdsourced location data, and almost everyone chooses to participate. Google lacked a true alternative for a while, but we've had one for the past two years with Find Hub (formerly Find My Device). It's still relatively new, so many Android users forget to use Find Hub or aren't aware of everything it can do.

I don't even remember to check Find Hub when I can't find an Android phone, Wear OS watch, or Bluetooth earbuds — but I'm starting to change that. Google Find Hub is loaded with features that help you keep track of your gadgets and protect your data in a worst-case scenario. These are the five Find Hub features you need to know about.

Check your phone's Wi-Fi network and battery percentage

Most people probably know that Find Hub uses crowdsourcing to update a device's real-time location so you can find it. You may not know that Find Hub can provide additional information about your phone, and this remote data can help you locate it. Crucially, Find Hub lists your device's battery percentage in the app — this lets you know how much time you have to find it before the charge runs out.

More importantly, Find Hub will tell you whether your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. It'll also let you know the strength of the connection signal. This only works when your device is online, but it can be very helpful. For example, if I see a phone in the Find Hub list connected to my home Wi-Fi network with a strong signal, I know it's in my apartment. If it's connected to my network with a weak signal, it could be in my car out front.

Sometimes, the information you get from a device's battery and connectivity status can be more helpful than the raw GPS coordinates. To try it for yourself, open Find Hub and tap a device in the Devices list. If it is online, you'll see when the device was last seen, its battery percentage, and network connection status under its name.

Find your device on a map, and get directions to it

If you can't remember where you left your device, its location data can help. I don't always turn to Find Hub location data first because, unless you're using a tracker with ultra-wideband (UWB) support, the app can't help you narrow down the device's location beyond providing GPS coordinates. Still, it can be useful if you can't remember whether you left your phone at home, at work, or at a coffee shop.

To check it, open Find Hub and tap the name of your device in the list. A map will open with a pin showing the device's last known location. You can tap the Get directions button to open Google Maps, view the coordinates on your device, and start navigating to them.

I use the Play sound feature in Find Hub more than the Get directions tool. If you think a device is lost near you, navigate to Find Hub > [Device Name] > Play sound to blare an alarm through your device if it is nearby and visible. It's really loud, and sounding the alarm gives you a great chance of locating your lost product.

Share ownership of a device with someone else

For accessories like earbuds, you can share ownership with a trusted friend or family member in the Find Hub app. The way it works is simple. Open the Find Hub app, find your device in the Devices list, and tap it. Then, press Share ownership and hit Continue. This will create a shareable link that can be sent to one person and expires after 24 hours.

When the person you share an accessory with accepts the invitation, they'll be able to see the device's location until you stop sharing it. This is helpful for devices you share with someone else, as both of you will be able to track their location. It isn't available for every device, though, and it's made for accessories. I used it with the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, sharing the location with my partner so we both can keep track of the earbuds.

Mark a device as lost, and get notified when it's found

Of course, there are times when you lose a device away from home and might not be able to easily locate it. Find Hub can help in this situation too, with a Mark as lost mode. In the Find Hub app, locate your lost device in the Devices list and tap its name. Then, hit Mark as lost and Continue.

You'll be able to add a contact phone number or message that appears on your lost device. It'll completely lock down your lost phone, showing a black screen with a shortcut that allows anyone who finds it to instantly call the owner (you). When you find it, you'll be able to unlock it from this screen, but you'll need to use two-factor authentication. Alternatively, you can remove the lost device lock remotely using the Find Hub app or the Find Hub web client at https://www.google.com/android/find/.

Factory reset your device when all hope is lost

If you can't regain access to your device, Find Hub can permanently erase it to ensure your data is never compromised. This should be your last resort, as erasing a lost device remotely will remove it from Find Hub, and you won't be able to see its location. To do this, open the Find Hub app, find your device in the list, and tap it. Then press the Settings gear icon next to your device's name. Then, tap either Factory reset or Remove device — the former is for phones, and the latter is for accessories.

Completing the factory reset process will remotely wipe your lost device, permanently deleting all its data. This certainly isn't an easy decision to make, but erasing your device could be better than letting your data potentially fall into the wrong hands.

Google Find Hub works with Android-powered devices, Wear OS watches, Bluetooth accessories, and item trackers. When you learn to master it, you'll have a much better chance of finding your lost devices and items.

OnePlus announced earlier this week that it's no longer launching new phones in the U.S. and Europe. Current devices will remain supported, but the company is effectively exiting these markets, and for people like me, that's a problem.

The OnePlus 13 remains the only smartphone I've ever given a 5-out-of-5 score to. Looking back at the early 2025 launch, it's clear this was the company's last-ditch effort to impress would-be buyers, and I know it would have worked if OnePlus had a better presence with U.S. carriers. The fact of the matter is that smartphones — especially flagships — live or die based on carrier availability, and OnePlus could be found in exactly zero U.S. carrier stores.

This tremendous misstep is but one of many mistakes the company made over the years, but it was likely the single largest problem that simply couldn't be overcome in a very broken retail system. Losing OnePlus particularly sucks in the U.S. because no other smartphone companies in the country push specs the way OnePlus did, and no other flagship phones here have flicker-free displays.

That's not to say some other phones globally don't have even better displays than the OnePlus 13 or 15, but the company's models have been the only choice for PWM-sensitive people in the U.S. since the OnePlus 12 debuted, and now it's difficult to know where these folks will turn.

What made OnePlus and its displays so great

I've been writing about PWM dimming and its negative effects on people since I became PWM-sensitive in early 2023. My sensitivity stemmed from using the Galaxy Z Fold 4 too often in dim light (I regularly read in bed at night on the phone), and it took me months to learn that PWM dimming was the cause of the increasingly debilitating headaches I was getting.

OnePlus and Motorola were among the first companies to make phones I could comfortably use again, and it was amazing to me that these companies were paying attention to a problem that the Big Three (Apple, Samsung, Google) seemed unaware of. Honor has also become a favorite among the PWM-sensitive community over the years, but the company mainly operates in Europe rather than North America.

Now that OnePlus is exiting the U.S. market, the only companies left making major phones with healthier dimming options are Motorola and Nothing. Smaller vendors, like TCL and Nuu, also make phones with healthier displays, but those companies typically target more budget-friendly releases, not the spec-boundary-pushing flagships that OnePlus has long made.

Motorola's last traditional flagship phone in the U.S. was the Edge Plus 2023, and while the company has pushed its folding phone lines with the Razr Ultra and Razr Fold since then, there's no sign of an iPhone, Galaxy S Ultra, or Pixel competitor from them. Nothing also makes some pretty great phones, but even the company's "flagship" phone is not a true flagship.

The only real solution for flicker-sensitive people is to either choose an under-specced phone or to import something, and both options have their downsides. Oppo told Android Central that Realme is replacing OnePlus in the global market but didn't speak specifically to U.S. availability. And thus remains the problem of what to do.

My recommendation right now is to buy whatever is available from OnePlus until it's no longer available. The company is still offering the promised seven years of support for the OnePlus 13 and 15, and the OnePlus 15R has the best OLED display for flicker-sensitive people I've seen to date. You'll also still get warranty support if something goes wrong.

But the future looks murky at best. No companies based in China want to enter the tumultuous U.S. market because of politics, and, aside from UK-based Nothing, no new brands have entered the market in a while anyway.

Unless Samsung decides that it all of a sudden cares about our eye health, or vendors like Google and Apple start adopting displays with better eye-care solutions, the only real solution is to import and hope the phone works on your carrier of choice, and that's a pretty lousy place to be in.

What you need to know

• Google Health app is rolling out v5.04, which focuses on Nutrition Logging.
• Users are introduced to "custom foods," which brings a more seamless and personalized touch to logging what you've eaten, alongside more freedom with entries.
• The Health app is also adding Quick Logging for food, refining Cycle trends, and more.

We've just gotten comfortable with Google Health's last update, and now the company is rolling out another. This time, your daily food intake is taking center stage.

Late this week, Google announced v5.04 of its Health app is rolling out on Android and iOS. This update "builds on improvements" it's made in recent history, but the main highlight is its Nutrition Update. Google is introducing "custom foods" with v5.04. The goal is to make logging seamless and personalized. With custom foods, users can "create, edit, and delete" their entries with more freedom.

A search function for custom foods is included, making it easier to log what you've eaten throughout the day. Joining this are Quick Logging "calories and macro estimates." This is an alternative route to logging what you've eaten. Google says users don't have to "search or add" the specific name of what they've eaten. Users can "log an entry by just adding calories and macronutrients." Rounding out the Nutrition Update is a fix for macronutrient percentages.

Cycle Health is getting refined this week. Google is making it easier for users to view trends in chronological order (designed for long-term viewing).

Naps head to the Today tab, while Google rolls out a fix for "incomplete heart rate charts and maps that did not represent the full duration of the exercise." This final fix concerns iOS users. Google states users with an iPhone can now properly invite friends.

Continuing the trend

Since introducing Google Health, the company's been fairly consistent in fixing problems and introducing new features. The last update, v5.03 of the Health app, only rolled out a week ago. Health metrics were where Google placed its focus. A huge selection of metrics via tiles was added to the app. Tiles for "heart rate variability, breathing rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), resting heart rate, skin temperature variation, blood glucose, mindful days, mindful minutes, resilience, protein intake, fat intake, carbohydrate intake, and your friend leaderboard" were added.

On the other hand, what we're seeing for naps in this week's version builds on what we received last week. The Google Health app will include any naps you've taken (20 mins or more) in your main sleep session stats.

Android Central's Take

Nutrition is a huge part of our everyday lives. They always say "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," yet many of us skip it. For multiple reasons, I'm sure. What we eat matters. Getting enough calories, protein, carbs, what-have-you. Keeping track of that, if you're working out or managing your diet, is also important. I like that the Health app is taking this seriously since it matters to so many of us.

Google is expected to unveil its newest flagship lineup on August 12th, but if you don't want to wait, there are some exceptional Pixel 10 deals that are available NOW. Head to Amazon today and you can score $300 off the Google Pixel 10 Pro, a limited time offer that drops the price of the super-powered flagship down to just $699. That's $100 cheaper than the starting price of the base model Google Pixel 10!

Considering that the upcoming Pixel 11 is getting a price increase and it isn't expected to be a massive overhaul from its predecessor, I would seriously consider this deal if you're in the market for an unlocked smartphone.

After all, 2025's Google Pixel 10 Pro is still considered to be one of the best Android phones on the market, and its seven-year software update promise means it will be a long time before it even begins to feel obsolete. 

The Google Pixel 10 Pro takes the compact frame of the base model Pixel 10 and packs in a ton of premium hardware and software features under the hood. Straight out of the carton, you'll behold a lovely 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and IP68 water-and-dust protection. 

The phone comes loaded with 16GB of RAM and the powerful Tensor G5 chipset, plus you get versatile cameras, unrivalled haptics, and all of the latest AI tricks from Gemini. Google even added Qi2 wireless charging support. 

The big question, of course, is whether or not you should buy the discounted Pixel 10 Pro today or wait for the Google Pixel 11 to be unveiled on August 12th. We don't have a lot of confirmed information yet, but if the latest leaks and rumors are to be believed, the 2026 version of the phone isn't expected to feature many dramatic upgrades over its predecessor. 

You'll get a new Tensor G6 chipset and an upgraded battery, for sure, but does that justify the $1,099 price tag? Only time will tell. There is a good chance that many retailers will be offering some impressive preorder discounts starting August 12th, so it's up to you whether you'd like to take the chance and wait for a good Google Pixel 11 deal to come along.

What you need to know

• Pinwheel introduced its Home series this week, a pair of landline phones for kids aged five to 10.
• The Home series includes the Spark (smaller, lightweight) and the Classic (a true landline experience) that needs a power outlet and Wi-Fi to work.
• Pinwheel says its goal with the Home series was to deliver a screen-free experience for kids that is built on talking to one another and crafting friendships.

Have you ever thought about using a phone without a screen? Pinwheel's bringing that bit of history back for kids aged five to 10, which is all about friendship.

The Pinwheel Home series is the latest from the company that's putting a "modern take on the old-school landline." Kids nowadays might not know this, but landline phones didn't have Wi-Fi, nor did they have a proper screen. However, Pinwheel's Home series features Wi-Fi connectivity and parent management. What's more, the company's choice not to provide a screen is more of a social aspect.

Pinwheel says this solution "helps kids build real back-and-forth conversation skills without the distractions of apps, notifications, or social media feeds." While talking on the phone is becoming increasingly more "rare," Pinwheel wants to cut back on screen addiction, too. According to its research, roughly 78% of homes are "cell-only," which pushes one in four kids to get a phone by eight years old.

On the other hand, parents can keep a watchful eye on their kids. The Pinwheel Home series lets parents approve contacts and set "calling hours" to prevent late calls, spam, and more.

Setting up a Pinwheel Home is rather easy. The press release says all users will need is a power outlet and Wi-Fi. Parents will also find a relatively straightforward onboarding process to customize their child's phone experience.

Sorry, wrong number

The Pinwheel Home series consists of two models: Spark and Classic. The former is a smaller, lightweight landline phone with vibrant colors (black, blue, purple). Pinwheel designed this one with the younger ones in mind. The Pinwheel Home Spark is available for $68. The Home Classic is larger and gives that true nostalgic landline phone experience. This phone can be purchased for $79 in pink, black, or white.

Pinwheel is running a bulk purchase incentive for customers. Groups ordering 10 or more Home Sparks can do so for $55/each. If the Classic is more your style, you can buy 10 or more for $70 each.

Consumers can call other Pinwheel Home devices for free (Pinwheel Circle); however, when calling external numbers, the company says you'll need a service plan. Alternatively, parents will find the Friends & Family plan for $6.99 a month. This provides "everything in Circle, plus a full 10-digit phone number to call up to 5 external numbers." What's more, the Unlimited plan for $9.99 a month delivers "everything in Circle, plus a full 10-digit phone number to call any external number."

The Pinwheel Home series has started shipping on July 14. The company says consumers can expect its landline phones to arrive on Amazon this fall.

It's no secret that storage devices are getting more and more expensive, which has led some users to switch to NAS for all of their file management needs. NAS servers haven't been quite as affected by the 2026 memory shortage as other devices, which means you can still find some pretty exceptional deals if you know where to look.

UGREEN is a rising star in the NAS space, and unlike popular models from brands like TerraMaster and Synology, UGREEN's NAS servers for home tend to get discounted on a fairly regular basis. Case in point: at this very moment, Amazon is slashing prices on a bunch of the brand's best devices, making now a perfect time to invest in one of these versatile storage solutions.

My top UGREEN NAS deal

• See the full list of deals at Amazon

More deals from Amazon's UGREEN NAS sale

• More NAS deals: Amazon | Newegg | Best Buy | Walmart

Redmagic's Astra gaming tablet was a revelation last year; OLED-toting Android tablets are vanishingly rare, and it was great to see a sensibly-sized tablet with a gorgeous OLED panel, high-end hardware, and great battery life. I used the Astra more than any other Android tablet over the course of the last 12 months, so when Redmagic said it was coming out with a new model, I was obviously interested.

What you need to know is that the Astra 2 isn't a wholesale refresh; it instead makes a few tweaks to the original design, and introduces liquid cooling. There's also a slightly bigger battery and Qualcomm's latest silicon, and outside of that, it is fundamentally unchanged — and that is a good thing.

The Astra 2 starts at $749/€699/£599 for the 12GB/256GB model, which is a modest $50 increase from last year. There's also a 16GB/512GB model that costs $849/€799/£679, and there's no 1TB variant this year. As always, Redmagic is incentivizing the launch with deals, and these will go live starting mid-August, with general sale slated for the end of August. If you're eyeing this tablet, my suggestion would be to get it at launch — Redmagic sold the Astra for as low as $499 last year, and you can get a decent deal if you buy as soon as it's available.

This OLED panel is a sheer delight to use

The OLED panel is the clear star of the show; the 9.06-inch panel has a resolution of 2,400 x 1,504, and it has exquisite colors and contrast levels. Overall brightness is unchanged from last year, but it didn't prove to be a problem at all — I was able to use the tablet outdoors without any issues. There's 185Hz refresh as well, but you don't see that in gaming; that said, most games go up to 120Hz, which is great to see.

The size of the Astra 2 makes it particularly well-suited to read comics or books, and that's what I did. It's just the right size to comfortably hold while sitting in the couch, and there's a dedicated reading mode that switches the panel to monochrome — if you want to read e-books on the device. Of course, this is a gaming tablet, and it excels in that regard. The smaller size makes it ideal to slot into a mobile controller like the GameSir G8 Plus, and that's predominantly how I played games on the tablet.

The Astra 2 retains a bold design - and you get LED lighting

Like last year, Redmagic went with an all-metal design, and it looks great. It just feels good to hold and use, and the sizing is just right; it isn't as huge as my iPad Pro M4, but it still has a decent-sized panel. The rounded edges make it comfortable, and while it has chunky bezels, they are uniform. The front camera is nestled into the bezel, so you get a panel that doesn't need any cutouts — which is a welcome change.

One of my favorite things about the Astra 2 is the flat design; the camera sits entirely flush with the body of the tablet — just like the Pixel 10a — and it feels wonderful. Thankfully, it doesn't slide off a table like the Redmagic 11 Pro, and that's down to the matte texture at the rear. It is on the heavier side at 363g, but it never gets uncomfortable to hold. The tablet retains IP54 ingress protection, and while it isn't good enough for a dunk in the pool, it withstands splashes of water.

Redmagic prides itself on bold designs, and the Astra 2 delivers in this area. It has a rectangular insert that houses LED lighting, and it immediately shows off the tablet's gaming credentials. This section houses the biggest upgrade this year: a liquid cooling system similar to that of the Redmagic 11 Pro. You can see the coolant moving through the connectors, and it isn't just for aesthetics — it makes a genuine difference while gaming.

The tablet gets stereo sound, and it's decent enough if you're just playing casual games. I like that there are two USB-C ports; one is located at the bottom, and the other is mounted on the left side, making it convenient to charge the tablet when you're gaming.

This is a seriously cool tablet

On that note, Redmagic went with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is the fastest mobile silicon you can get at the moment. It's evident that Redmagic tuned the tablet to deliver reliable framerates, and it excels at sustained gaming — no other Android tablet comes close. It held up particularly well in thermal stress tests, and while there was some heating, the liquid cooling system did an admirable job.

So if you're looking to play marathon gaming sessions on a tablet, this is the one to get. I'm using the 16GB/512GB edition of the tablet, and I'd suggest getting this model over the base 256GB variant; it's easy to run out of storage these days, and you need the additional headroom if you're planning on using it as a gaming tablet. The only feature missing is cellular connectivity; that was the case last year as well, and it's evident this isn't a priority.

Alongside the hardware, you get plenty of software tools to optimize your games. Game Space is an overlay that includes an fps counter, and it has a ton of settings that allow you to make the most out of any game. I also like the side-mounted USB-C port as it lets me connect video glasses — like the Rokid Max 2 — to the tablet. The Astra 2 gets USB-C Alt Mode, so you can easily connect it to an external monitor, TV, or smart glasses.

The software itself is pretty clean, and you get Android 16 out of the box. There isn't much in the way of overt styling (which is good to see), and the interface itself is fluid and optimized to take full advantage of the high-end internals. You get a decent amount of customizability as well, and there's the obligatory AI features, which are easy to ignore. There is a lot of bloatware, but it can be uninstalled with relative ease. Redmagic is doing a better job with updates, and while it guarantees five years of updates, it's unclear if that includes platform updates.

Battery life is reliable; the 8,300mAh battery is good enough for marathon gaming sessions or watching an entire TV series. And when you need to plug it in, the Astra 2 uses 75W charging and takes just over 50 minutes to charge fully. You don't get a charger in the box, so you will need to buy a USB PD charger if you don't have one.

The best part about the Astra 2 is the OLED panel, and Redmagic thankfully didn't change it this year. The smaller size of the tablet combined with the caliber of the hardware makes it a delightful choice for everyday use and intensive gaming, and if you need a new Android tablet, you'll love what the Astra 2 has to offer.

Google has officially confirmed that the 2026 Made by Google event will be held on August 12th in London, which means we're likely just weeks away from the launch of the Pixel 11 lineup.

While many folks can hardly wait for the new phones to drop, the arrival of a new generation has led some Android users to wonder if now is a good time to pick up last year's model, the Google Pixel 10.

While Pixel 10 deals have become more common in recent months, the answer may not be as cut-and-dry as you think. Should you buy the Pixel 10 today or wait for the new generation to launch? Let's discuss.

What we know

The Google Pixel 11 lineup is expected to be announced on August 12th at 6pm EST during the 2026 Made by Google event. According to the latest rumors, the flagship lineup is going to include four phones: the base model Pixel 11, the Pixel 11 Pro, the Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Unfortunately, Google hasn't been exempt from the memory shortage that has been impacting tech prices this year, which means most of the phones will be seeing a $100 price increase in 2026. Here are the new prices for each phone, according to the latest leaks and rumors:

• Google Pixel 11: $899 / €999
• Google Pixel 11 Pro: $1,099 / €1,199
• Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: $1,299 / €1,399
• Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: $1,899/ €1,999
  
  (Prices displayed are for the 256GB starting configuration. Google is reportedly ditching the 128GB of base storage this year.)

Those prices are pretty daunting in this day and age, and it doesn't help that the Pixel 11 series isn't expected to be a dramatic upgrade from its predecessor, according to the latest reports. You get the new Tensor G6 processor, yes, plus the rumored LED light array that is expected to border the phones' camera bar (which is admittedly quite cool).

Aside from that, however, the upgrades appear to be largely iterative, which returns us to our original questions: is it worth skipping the Google Pixel 11 and grabbing last year's Pixel 10 instead? If so, will the Google Pixel 10 get cheaper once the new generation launches, or should I buy it today?

Is the Google Pixel 10 about to get cheaper?

While some Android phones do get permanent price drops when a new generation launches, it's just as likely that the Google Pixel 10 will be completely sold out by the time the 2026 phones hit store shelves next month. Think about it this way: when was the last time you saw a great deal on a Google Pixel 9 that wasn't refurbished?

This is because retailers generally try to make room for new devices prior to their launch, which means they will often discount last year's model right before its successor arrives. In other words, if you want to buy the Google Pixel 10, now is a good time to do it.

Fortunately, there are plenty of active Google Pixel 10 deals that could make the 2024 flagships dirt cheap (or even free) if you play your cards right. Stock is already running low, however, so don't wait too long if a particular offer catches your eye.

If you do miss these last-minute Pixel 10 offers, don't worry too much: the launch of the Google Pixel 11 series is sure to come with some incredible preorder deals in tow, and I'll be covering all of those promotions as they go live.

Whichever generation you choose, you can rest easy knowing you're getting a great Android phone with a sophisticated design, versatile cameras, and all of the latest AI-boosted software tricks straight out of the box.

The top Google Pixel 10 deals this week

What you need to know

• Motorola debuted the Edge 70 Max overseas with a 6.8-inch Quad HD Plus (2K) display and a smooth glass back.
• Bigger moves were made elsewhere, as the Edge 70 Max features a huge 7,100mAh battery and fully integrated Qi2.2 wireless charging.
• The phone is available in India for ₹59,999 (~$622), and there's no word yet on a U.S. release.

Motorola is expanding its latest phone series overseas in 2026. Its Max model is walking an interesting line that's putting all eyes on Moto.

Motorola debuted the newest entry to its 70 series: the Edge 70 Max. The company states this phone delivers "strong performance and power" over previous iterations. Immediately, the Edge 70 Max features a 6.8-inch Quad HD Plus (2K) display. Motorola states it has included "Extreme AMOLED" tech, which helps produce "enhanced contrast so that blacks are truly black and colors pop..." With 7,000nits of peak brightness, the Moto Edge 70 Max boasts a smooth 144Hz refresh rate.

What catches our eyes about the Edge 70 Max more are the upgrades Motorola has given it. Its press release states the phone offers a huge 7,100mAh battery with 90W wired charging. A battery like this would keep users in the game longer; however, Motorola integrated 25W Qi2.2 wireless charging, too. What's more, Motorola has placed Qi2 magnets inside the phone, meaning users won't need anything extra (other than the charger) to charge wirelessly.

Let's be real, Samsung has yet to build Qi2 magnets into its Galaxy phones.

Elsewhere, the Moto Edge 70 Max delivers a 50MP main sensor that's been Pantone SkinTone validated. The company says this "assures the camera captures results representing the vast spectrum of human skin tones." An 8MP ultrawide plus macro lens and a 32MP selfie lens round out its camera.

The design of the Edge 70 Max's back panel also leaps forward. The phone features an all-glass back, bringing about a cleaner (and slipperier) experience.

Max means power

On the power front, the Moto Edge 70 Max is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC. While this is a one-year-old chip, Qualcomm designed it to bring flagship-quality power to affordable phones. The chip targeted users who want to game on affordable devices, while also bringing AI and device performance up to par. The SD 8 Gen 5 is built on a 3nm process with Qualcomm's strong Oryon CPU cores.

Motorola says this chipset facilitates a 36% boost in CPU performance, an 11% increase for its GPU, and a 46% boost in NPU (AI-related performance). The phone offers 8GB and 12GB of RAM paired with 256GB of internal storage.

GSMArena spotted that the Moto Edge 70 Max has been announced for India. It seems like this is the only market to have received this announcement. The phone will be available on July 20 for ₹59,999 (~$622), and consumers can grab the phone in Dark Shadow, Aqua Gray, and Ice Melt. There's no word yet about a U.S. launch.

Android Central's Take

I need to remind everyone of something: in the U.S., in Q1 2026, Motorola was the only phone maker that made serious headway in a struggling market. Motorola jumped 18%, and I think it's because the company's been making some incredible moves. I saw comments from my colleagues Derrek Lee and Nicholas Sutrich when the Edge 70 Max debuted. I completely agree with them: this is interesting, especially coming from Motorola. Its foldables are already interesting to me, now a phone has caught my attention for the first time in a while.

Years ago, you could go nearly anywhere outside of a city and have no cell coverage. Mobile networks have improved substantially since then, but there are still places that don't have adequate cell coverage for one reason or another. Thankfully, T-Mobile has an ingenious solution to fix this problem: satellite connectivity.

While some phones have had satellite connectivity for decades, modern smartphones only recently received the feature when Apple introduced it on the iPhone a few years ago. Since then, Google has adopted it on its Pixel phones, and T-Mobile has taken things further by expanding coverage to phones that were never advertised to have satellite connectivity in the first place.

T-Mobile calls this program T-Satellite, and it's available to both T-Mobile customers and subscribers to other phone carriers. The program uses StarLink satellites to connect to T-Mobile's Network anywhere you can see the sky, which substantially opens up the coverage possibilities when compared to traditional cell networks.

What is T-Satellite?

T-Satellite is the name of T-Mobile's satellite connectivity service, which operates using newer StarLink satellites. These satellites have a new kind of cell radio that can transmit via the 1980-2000 MHz spectrum, using T-Mobile's FCC-authorized LTE Band 25. This means that phones that support T-Satellite can automatically switch between T-Mobile's terrestrial Network and the StarLink-based satellite Network on the fly to ensure that you have connectivity 99% of the time.

Because of this, T-Mobile says its T-Satellite service can be used across over 500,000 miles in the U.S. that aren't covered by any other cell phone service. T-Satellite is also available internationally in select countries, including Canada, New Zealand, and Japan.

Other satellite-based connectivity with phones like the iPhone, for example, requires you to point the phone toward a satellite to initiate contact. This also means that connectivity is limited to basic text messaging and is only intended for emergencies. T-Satellite doesn't require you to hold your phone a certain way because it connects via an LTE channel, making the experience seamless.

You can use full voice and data services through a specific set of approved apps. Thankfully, this includes common apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps, AllTrails, AccuWeather, X (formerly Twitter), and even MMS texting, so you can send and receive pictures in addition to text messages. T-Mobile maintains a full list of compatible apps here.

Voice calls are made through WhatsApp, while users can text 911 from anywhere. You'll know you're using the T-Satellite service when the connectivity icon on your phone changes to show "T-Mobile SpaceX" or "T-Sat+Starlink" in the status bar. Compatible apps may also show a banner letting you know that you're connected via satellite.

T-Satellite isn't as fast as T-Mobile's regular 5G Network, but since it's available virtually everywhere, that's an okay trade-off. The company launched this service in 2025, and things have only gotten better since then, making this a must-have service in the modern era.

Is my phone is compatible with T-Satellite?

T-Mobile T-Satellite is available for T-Mobile and non-T-Mobile customers. T-Mobile customers on any of the company's "Experience Beyond" plans can use the service without additional fees or add-ons. Folks using other carriers (like Verizon, AT&T, etc) can sign up for T-Satellite service separately for $10 per line per month via the secondary SIM on your phone.

T-Mobile says most phones sold in the last four years are compatible with T-Satellite, but I found that doesn't seem to be the case. What T-Mobile likely means is that most phones sold through its distribution channels and stores are compatible, but a significant number of smartphones made over the past four years don't appear to work with the T-Satellite service.

I tested phones from several phones from major brands not sold by T-Mobile and found that none of them are compatible. That includes phones from brands like OnePlus, Oppo, Nothing, Honor, RealMe, and Xiaomi. Phones officially sold through T-Mobile channels, like Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, Apple iPhone, Motorola, and even the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro, all work splendidly with the service. Thankfully, T-Mobile regularly runs great deals so you can get a compatible phone.

To find out if your phone is compatible, head over to T-Mobile's official compatibility tool and input your IMEI and EID numbers to check. To find these numbers, open your phone's system settings (found in the app drawer) and scroll down to About Phone. Most phones show these numbers in this section, although you may also have to open the Status section (under About Phone) to find them.

How to enable T-Mobile T-Satellite

If you're already signed up for a compatible T-Mobile plan (as discussed in the section above), or you have a separate SIM just for T-Satellite, you should be all set. It's good to double-check and make sure things are working before you venture out, though, so follow these steps to ensure that T-Mobile T-Satellite is enabled:

1. Open your phone's system settings. On most Android phones, this is found by tapping the settings icon in your app drawer.

2. Open the Network & Internet section (Connections on a Samsung phone).

3. Select SIMs & mobile network.

4. Tap your SIM card in the list (not the toggle button to the right of it). On Galaxy phones, you can go directly to Satellite networks and skip the next step.

5. Select Satellite connectivity from the list.

If your phone doesn't support satellite connectivity, you will not find a Satellite Connectivity option in the menu.

The next screen will let you know if your phone is set up for satellite connectivity. On one of my T-Mobile plans, my Motorola Razr Fold shows that the plan doesn't support satellite connectivity features.

On another T-Mobile plan that supports T-Satellite, the connectivity section shows that data and messaging are included with the account, plus a list of all supported apps currently installed on the phone.

Now that you're all set up, enjoy advanced satellite connectivity anywhere you can see the sky. Keep in mind that any obstructions, including trees, signs, and buildings, could block your connectivity.

For the best results, get to a clear, open area and keep an eye out for the special "T-Mobile SpaceX" or "T-Sat+Starlink" in the status bar on your phone to know you're connected to T-Mobile's

What you need to know

• Caviar unveiled a luxury Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra edition before Samsung has even announced the phone.
• The special edition honors Lionel Messi with hand-painted cloisonné enamel artwork and 24-karat gold accents.
• Only 19 units will be made, with prices starting at a staggering $13,130 for the 256GB model.

Samsung’s next foldables aren’t expected to be announced until its Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22, but luxury customization brand Caviar has beat it to the punch with a wildly expensive special edition based on the unreleased Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

The customized Fold 8 Ultra is part of Caviar’s new Legends collection, swapping out the standard rear panel for a hand-painted portrait of football icon Lionel Messi in the colors of Argentina’s national team. The artwork is created using the centuries-old cloisonné enamel technique, and the outlines, jersey number 10, national symbols, and frame accents are finished with 24-karat gold plating. Caviar says the jewelry craftsmanship and the premium materials are meant to help make the foldable a collectible, not just another smartphone.

It sounds exclusive by design, and the production numbers reflect that. Only 19 units of the Caviar will be made worldwide, and pricing begins at $13,130 for the 256GB variant before any optional customization. Buyers can also request additional services such as custom engravings, logos, design modifications, or custom packaging.

The collection launches ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup final and the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra phone, an appropriate time considering that the 2026 tournament is expected to be the last World Cup appearance for both stars.

None of this, of course, gives us any new information about Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone. The base phone is still expected to be the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra that Samsung will unveil on July 22. What Caviar has done is give us a peek at how luxury brands are already betting on Samsung's next flagship, if you're willing to pay more than the price of a decent used car to own one.

Android Central's Take

I can personally appreciate the craftsmanship here, and there’s no denying that turning a foldable into a piece of collectible art is going to have a tiny niche of deep-pocketed football fans eating this up. But for the rest of us, this is more evidence that luxury phone customizations are less about improving the actual user experience and more about showing off. I’d rather see Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra wow me with meaningful hardware upgrades instead of a layer of gold and enamel that sends the price soaring into the five-figure range. At the very least, this special edition proves there’s always someone willing to pay for exclusivity.

What you need to know

• Google is rolling out Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 to Pixel users with a Pixel 6 or newer phone.
• The patch is lighter; however, it features a trifecta of fixes for the Pixel Quick Settings menu for issues that have been reported since January.
• Beta 6 rolled out at the top of July, achieving the major milestone of Platform Stability.

Google is following up on a huge milestone for its first quarterly Android 17 update with a beta that fixes issues Pixel users have been vocal about.

Compared to what Beta 6 achieved, Android 17 QPR1 Beta 7 might seem a little lackluster. However, what it does is roll out solutions to problems Pixel users have been reporting for months. Google shared its patch notes on Reddit this week, stating enrolled testers with a Pixel 6 or newer phone can begin downloading it. There are two issues that users have continued to report to Google. Both involve the Pixel Quick Settings menu.

Google states that it's rolling out a fix for "Battery Share from Quick Settings." Users have informed Google that Battery Share would "sometimes do nothing" or "sometimes it shows the wireless charging animation." Another round of Issue Tracker reports states that Battery Share wasn't working properly. The user says it would "turn off the second I try to turn it on." What's more, they state that the UI would incorrectly say their phone is wirelessly charging when "it's not connected physically to anything."

While Google has known about this problem since January, a fix is now rolling out for Pixel users in Beta 7 to solve a "failure to start charging" and "repeatedly displayed the charging animation." Two more fixes are rolling out for Pixel Quick Settings. Please read them below.

Quarterly update soon

• Turning off Wi-Fi created an empty gap between the battery and mobile data icons in the Quick Settings status bar
• A crash in the Quick Settings font size controller that prevented users from adjusting their text size from the quick access panel

The hope is that we're coming up on Google's first quarterly release for Android 17. Usually, this takes place around September. Google has been moving quickly with Android 17's development, so maybe the timeline has changed. Either way, QPR1 Beta 6 rolled out two weeks ago, achieving the major milestone of Platform Stability. This matters for both sides, but more so for developers. Better preparation for their apps to work with this new version can begin. For users, this means we're one (major) step closer to downloading it.

There was a Quick Settings-related issue in Beta 6, as well. Users reported that there was a visual glitch when "rapidly swiping" through the media carousel. The Quick Settings layout and settings icon were affected by this bug. Now, the company's rolling out even more fixes for Quick Settings.

What you need to know

• Google announced a Connected Apps expansion in AI Mode in Search, opening access to Instacart, YouTube Music, and Canva for U.S. users.
• These services let users lean on the AI for grocery shopping, as AI Mode asks for their preferred store before filling their Instacart bag ahead of checkout.
• Google states that it's working with other partners in preparation to add more services

Google's Connected Apps let users bring Gemini into their emails, Drive, and more. This experience is expanding this week, as AI Mode lends a helping hand.

Google announced this afternoon (July 16) that it's rolling out Connected Apps in AI Mode. The post states, "...we’re enabling you to directly connect your apps in Search." Connected Apps in AI Mode will roll out first for U.S. users, and it's adding three "go-to" services for users getting started. U.S. users can connect their YouTube Music account with AI Mode for playlist creation.

The company offers a brief example, stating users can prompt the AI to create a playlist for someone's birthday. Offering their age helps, as the AI rolls the time machine back to their birth year to create a playlist that blends the past and present. AI Mode will produce its results in your chat with it. Users will find the playlist's AI-generated title, number of songs, playlist length (mins/hours), and buttons to "add to library" or play.

Something to note is that AI Mode's playlists in YouTube Music will expire after a duration. Google recommends that users save their playlist to avoid losing it.

Instacart is another service users can let the AI leverage. If you're looking to get some groceries before a big party, you can tell the AI to "get me all the things I need for my BBQ and add them to my grocery cart." AI Mode will sift through your Google Account, Gmail, and more to gather the details, and since you mentioned "grocery cart," Instacart is where it'll lean to complete the process.

Users can select their preferred store, verify the items in their cart, and open Instacart to complete the transaction.

Let AI do the heavylifting

The final service arriving in AI Mode is Canva. You may know that this is a go-to app for creating flyers and other promotional material. Users can tell AI Mode to create a specific banner in Canva, alongside specific details, such as its theme, date/time for the event, and more. AI Mode will offer its results in chat. Users can tap on the individual AI creations to edit them in the Canva app.

Connected Apps in AI Mode are rolling out today (July 16) for U.S. users. Google says it's "working with a range of partners," teasing that there's more to come.

Personal Intelligence was a huge update for Gemini in January. This allowed users to bring Gemini into their personal lives by connecting Photos, Gmail, YouTube, and other apps. Users could ask Gemini to find dates from a recent string of emails or find replacement tires. The AI would look through emails and their photos to find their car's make and model before completing the search.

Google rolled this experience out in AI Mode, Gemini, and Gemini in Chrome for more U.S. users in March. It was confined to Google's apps, but this expansion gives users even more room to work with.

If you missed all of the festivities during Prime Day last month, you're in luck: the Google Pixel Watch 4 just scored another $100 discount at Amazon, returning the LTE version of the beloved wearable back down to its lowest price ever recorded. 

The discount comes just weeks before the expected unveiling of the new Pixel Watch 5, but if you don't need the latest gadgets on the market, this is an awesome way to save some serious cash on one of the best Android smartwatches ever built. 

We gave the Google Pixel Watch 4 4.5 out of 5 stars in our review last October, and it isn't hard to see why. Straight out of the box, the watch sports a lovely water-droplet-inspired design with a domed 3,000-nit display and a 5ATM / IP68 water-and-dust resistance rating. 

Things get even more impressive under the hood, as the Pixel Watch 4 is powered by a Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with 2GB of RAM and some fantastic Wear OS software. In addition to all of the latest health and fitness tracking technology powered by Fitbit, the watch features dual-frequency GPS tracking, upgraded battery life with lightning-fast charging speeds, and all of the Gemini features you'd expect from a Pixel device in 2026. 

So yes, it's a great smartwatch, but let's address the elephant in the room. Should you buy the Google Pixel Watch 4 now that it's on sale, or should you wait for the Pixel Watch 5 to be revealed on August 12th? 

I'll start by saying that, unlike the upcoming Pixel 11 phones, we don't know a lot about the Pixel Watch 5 just yet. In fact, one of the only reputable bits of information that we do have so far is that the new watch is expected to have a price increase of $50 for the Wi-Fi version and $100 for the LTE variant.

I'm sure that the Pixel Watch 5 will come with some new features and a boost in performance/battery life to offset the price hike, but it's unlikely to be a dramatic transformation from its predecessor. So in conclusion, unless you're a passionate Pixel fan who needs the latest and great gadgets from the OEM, if you simply want a reliable smartwatch today, I'd grab the Pixel Watch 4 while it's on sale.

Marshall just launched brand-new over-ear headphones for the affordable price segment on May 19, 2026. The Marshall Milton ANC headphones retail for $229.99, walking headfirst into a starkly competitive neck of the woods: budget wireless headphones.

The Milton ANC have been getting overwhelmingly positive reviews everywhere I look online, which I don't fully understand. Audio quality-wise, the pair does a fantastic job, right on the money. But the entire wear experience is destroyed by what I feel are the smallest ear cups in the world.

This is a very subjective experience, so you be the judge of whether my hands-on experience is relevant to you. If you have the ears of a child, you can skip the review and go ahead and buy them. Otherwise, read on, my friend.

Initial setup and customization is a breeze

The Marshall Milton ANC connect via Bluetooth, but you can also use the included 3.5mm audio jack to the USB-C port to plug them into your smartphone manually. This does, however, prevent app usage.

First-time installation and setup is easy breezy. Turn the headphones on, enable Bluetooth on your phone, and almost immediately, a connection request pops up thanks to Google Fast Pair. After that, you can even add the Milton ANC to your Google Find Hub or Apple Find My Device.

Then you open the Marshall app to customize ANC, the dynamic equalizer, M-button settings, power-off timer settings, soundstage options, and more.

There is a dedicated Auracast broadcast section to tune in to nearby broadcasts. Noise cancellation can be switched between three modes: ANC on, ANC off, and a transparent mode. The ANC mode allows you to adjust the level of noise cancellation with greater granularity.

Unlike the Marshall Monitor III ANC, there is no dedicated ANC button. The M-button can be customized to toggle that while doubling as the Spotify Tap trigger. You also don't get auto pause/play when you take the Milton ANC on and off your head.

The physics of the Marshall Milton ANC headphones

Marshall advertises the Milton ANC as extremely lightweight, portable, and comfortable headphones with better airflow than other Marshall headphones.

These are quite bendy, and they only weigh 200g, so half of those claims are true. You can fold both ear cups and stow the Milton ANC headphones away in small spaces. They even fit in a handbag, or oversized baggy pant pockets. But the prongs that extend from each ear cup stick out at odd angles when folded.

My biggest issue (and only major complaint) with the Marshall Milton ANC is the square ear cups. I have so many questions for Marshall. Why are the ear cups so small? Are they built for Lilliputians, because what in the Whoville is going on?

I do not have big ears by any measure, so I can't imagine others with even larger ears than mine having a positive wearing experience with these. It felt like I was wearing children's headphones with these on.

And why square? I know a lot of over-ear headphones do have boxy ear cups, but the size and shape make for a bad combination. I had to position the Milton ANC ear cups just right, but I still felt they didn't fully or ergonomically cover my ears. Not to mention, I have plenty of piercings in each ear, including helix and tragus piercings, so that added to the discomfort.

Should you buy the Marshall Milton ANC headphones?

To me, the Marshall Milton ANC headphones are proof that a brand can do everything right, but if the design isn't truly ergonomic or inclusive, it's not worth buying.

Even at the full retail price, the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones are better than the Milton ANC. However, you can currently get these $380 headphones on Amazon for $229.99 — the same price as the Milton ANC.

So tell me, if one can find good deals on the Monitor III ANC, why would anyone buy the Milton ANC? Unless you have really tiny ears, I suggest you go for the bigger, better headphones.

Samsung debuted its latest flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, back in March, and it's been a real hit. The company saw a huge uptick in preorder demand thanks to the Ultra's new Privacy Display and other great features.

But Google's latest releases are right around the corner, with the Pixel 11 family debuting on August 12. The Pixel 11 Pro XL is rumored to bring notable improvements in processing speed and power efficiency, plus a fun design addition that incorporates LEDs into the camera bar on the back. Here's how to choose between them.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Design

For this comparison, I'm going to use the Pixel 10 Pro XL since we're not expecting any major size or design changes from Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL.

Both the Pixel and Galaxy S lines feature flat sides and fully flat glass on the front and back surfaces. Google uses more rounded corners and edges on its phones, making them more comfortable to hold without a case.

Pixels also use a horizontal camera bar, which provides a better balance and prevents the device from wobbling when placed on a table. Most cases aren't thick enough to fix the Galaxy S26 Ultra's annoyingly off-balance design.

We're expecting the Pixel 11 Pro XL to add a new Pixel Glow LED in the camera bar, which will light up when you talk to Gemini or display an array of colors. Pixels also feature Pixelsnap, which are built-in magnets that work with MagSafe accessories. If you want this functionality on a Galaxy S26 Ultra, you'll need to get one of the best cases for the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

But Samsung's S Pen might be a more useful feature for folks who love to take handwritten notes. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra's S Pen lacks the cool Bluetooth features of previous Galaxy S Ultra S Pens, it's still a handy tool for precision input.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has the new Privacy Display, which makes it difficult for people to view your screen at an angle. Privacy Display is one of the coolest display innovations we've seen in years, but it comes with some significant drawbacks. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's screen doesn't look as crisp as the Pixel 10 Pro XL's, and it also sports lower brightness and a chromatic aberration-like effect.

Pixel 11 Pro XL users can achieve a similar effect by using a privacy-tempered glass protector on their phones, like this one for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but Samsung's built-in privacy function lets you dim specific types of content on-screen. A tempered glass protector will dim the whole thing at an angle.

Neither of these phones' displays is suitable for people with PWM sensitivity since they use very slow dimming rates. Samsung's Privacy Display also seems to cause headaches and discomfort in a different group of people. These problems don't affect everyone, but they make the phones unusable for people who are affected.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Battery life, performance, and specs

Both phones are expected to feature the same 5,000mAh battery cell, and with the more efficient Tensor G6 and the new MediaTek modem inside the Pixel 11 Pro XL, the Pixel may actually match the Galaxy S26 Ultra's battery life.

Samsung improved charging speed on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but we haven't seen any rumors of charging upgrades on the Pixel 11 Pro XL. Likewise, the Pixel is still expected to use a slower chipset than the Galaxy S26 Ultra, making it a poorer choice for mobile gaming.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Camera and software

Last year, my Pixel 10 camera review showed how close Samsung was getting to Google's historically superior camera experience, but this year could be anyone's game. In my Galaxy S26 Ultra camera review, I found that the phone's ultrawide camera and portrait modes left a bit to be desired, and this is an area where Google may once again overtake Samsung.

While I expect the Pixel 11 Pro XL to take a slight lead in photo quality over the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung has historically offered better video recording quality.

If one thing is clear, Google is behind Samsung's software quality. Samsung's One UI is not only the most full-featured Android skin on the market, but it's also one of the best-supported and often most bug-free.

Google packs Pixel phones with cool features like Magic Cue and call screening, but Samsung offers most of them. Google often adds new features via quarterly Pixel Drops but doesn't always keep them around for long, and new experimental features cause big problems more often than we'd like.

Additionally, you can choose to limit AI processing on the Galaxy S26 Ultra to local-only processing (and off the cloud), while the Pixel offers no such option.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Which should you buy?

For most people, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is likely the better buy, since you're getting the best from both Google and Samsung in one premium phone. That said, the Pixel 11's August 12 announcement will settle the argument, and we'll see if users prefer the S Pen or this mysterious Pixel Glow. Barring a huge surprise that hasn't been leaked yet, I'm confident Samsung's best will still be the champ between these two choices.

What you need to know

• Google Store's official Pixel 11 teaser highlights its Pixel Glow design, which sits inside the camera bar beside the phone's camera lenses.
• Google describes the video as showcasing an "olive and coral Pixel 11 Pro phone."
• The company sent its invitations, confirming its Made by Google event will take place on August 12 at 6 pm ET in New York.

Pixel Glow has been a more intriguing topic in the world of Pixel 11 rumors. However, after the company's storefront teaser, we have something a little more substantial.

The Google Store is getting ready for the Pixel 11 in August. The company's Pixel 11/Made by Google event teaser page has been updated with a new animation. As the animation rolls on, we're now able to see Pixel Glow's LED indicator beside the phone's camera lenses. This confirms that Google is placing Pixel Glow inside its iconic camera bar.

There's still a lot we're curious about, but the animation suggests Pixel Glow will offer a soft, multi-colored LED experience. What's more, my colleague Derrek Lee got crafty. Inspecting the page revealed a little more about the device we're looking at. According to his discovery, Google says this video shows "The side view of an olive and coral Pixel 11 Pro phone."

It's difficult to make out the color of the phone in question. All we're treated to, much like its emailed invitations, are phones with a gold or rose gold finish along the camera bar and sides. At the least, we can (potentially) take this as confirmation that there will be olive and coral variations of the Pixel 11 Pro. Google teases once more that pre-orders for the Pixel 11 will begin on August 12.

We've been wondering

Rumors about Pixel Glow have had us speculating about its design for months. Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich made the mockup you see above. We hoped that Google would create a ring of RGB lights around the camera bar. In our heads, it would make the phone pop even more. That hope continued with users online after Google I/O 2026. Social media was buzzing after a Gemini Omni teaser showed a model holding a Pixel phone with a glowing camera bar.

Everyone wondered, "Could this be Pixel Glow?" The odds were stacked against this theory. It was a segment about Google's AI, for one. Moreover, the phone looked like it was in a case, and the glow was coming from the case. Rumors had also evolved, claiming Google might opt for an RGB LED dot in the camera bar, replacing the temperature sensor.

Google confirmed earlier this month that the Pixel 11 series will debut on August 12 at 6 p.m. ET in New York.

Android Central's Take

I feel like the design Google's gone with keeps things... classy? There's a chance that a full LED ring around the phone's camera bar makes it stick out too much. Perhaps it takes away from the Pixel design in an unnatural way. Still, I think it would've been sick, but that's the gamer in me. Regardless, an LED dot like this has its uses. I think back to Nothing's Glyph Matrix or Glyph Bar. The lights mean something. So, how will Pixel Glow be helpful?

What you need to know

• Google says AI glasses will only succeed if people feel comfortable wearing them, making privacy its top priority.
• Its Intelligent Eyewear will use a reliable recording LED, plus hardware that detects any attempt at tampering.
• Google admits the original Glass was ahead of its time, but says Android XR and Gemini finally fill those gaps.
• Audio-only Android XR glasses launch later this year with Samsung, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster as partners.

Google believes its Android XR-powered AI glasses won't take off until they earn users' trust, which is why the company says it's putting privacy ahead of everything else.

Samsung has already confirmed that its first Android XR-powered smart glasses are arriving later this year, and ahead of their launch, Google has shared more about its vision for "Intelligent Eyewear" and what it believes will ultimately determine whether AI glasses succeed or fail.

In an exclusive interview with Tom's Guide, Google's XR product management lead, Juston Payne, said the biggest hurdle isn't the technology itself, but convincing people they'll actually feel comfortable wearing smart glasses in public.

Payne put it plainly, saying that if people don't feel comfortable wearing the glasses, and privacy is a big part of that, they simply won't wear them at all.

We all recently saw how Meta had to push out a mandatory software update to make sure the camera on its Ray-Ban Meta and first-party AI glasses gets disabled the moment someone tampers with it or covers the LED. It seems Google wants to avoid making that mistake from the outset with Android XR.

Google has revealed that its Intelligent Eyewear will signal to people nearby when they're being recorded, and that the LED indicator will be reliable. Payne added that the company is also investing in hardware that can detect if someone attempts to tamper with the device, though he stopped short of explaining exactly how those protections work.

The company also plans to lean on Android's existing permission framework alongside additional security measures already found on Android phones.

Payne also shared how Google learned several lessons from the original Google Glass, admitting the product was simply ahead of its time.

According to him, the hardware wasn't ready, and AI wasn't capable enough to deliver the experience Google had envisioned. This time, with Android XR and Gemini, Google believes those missing pieces are finally in place, giving its latest attempt at smart glasses a much stronger foundation.

The executive also revealed that Google is putting design front and center. He said the company wants its smart glasses to look and feel like regular eyewear rather than a gadget, believing people are far more likely to wear them if they don't stand out.

The first set of audio-only Android XR glasses is set to launch later this year in partnership with Samsung, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster. Display glasses haven't been revealed yet, though Payne did confirm that Google will kick off a trusted tester program for display-based Android XR glasses later this year.

What you need to know

• Galaxy Z Flip 8 leak points to another incremental upgrade, with familiar hardware and few meaningful changes.
• Samsung may opt for its in-house Exynos 2600, a surprising move for a premium foldable.
• European prices could jump by up to €180, making the Flip 8 significantly more expensive despite its modest improvements.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is expected to launch on July 22, alongside the Z Fold 8 models, but the latest leak reveals a frustrating reality: you may soon be paying a lot more for almost the same hardware, except without the premium Snapdragon silicon everyone was expecting.

Thanks to a detailed leak from WinFuture, we now know precisely what this foldable brings to the table. The phone is said to pack a 6.9-inch 120Hz inner display and a 4.1-inch outer screen. The camera hardware seems to have been left entirely untouched, with the same 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP selfie shooter.

But instead of the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that’s expected to power the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung is said to be opting for its own 10-core Exynos 2600. This chip runs at a respectable 3.8 GHz, but at this price point, passing on Qualcomm’s flagship silicon is a tough pill to swallow.

Note that there are a few minor physical tweaks. The Flip 8 is likely to lose some weight, dropping down to 180g from last year’s 188g. Strangely enough, though it loses mass, the device is actually two-tenths of a millimeter thicker in height and width when unfolded.

On the battery front, the 4,300mAh capacity is tipped to remain the same, but there is now optional 45W wired charging and standard 12GB of RAM.

The real pain is at the till. Base pricing in Europe could start at €1,299 for the 256GB configuration — a flat €100 hike over the Flip 7, if true. The 512GB will reportedly be €180 more expensive at €1,499. The device is said to be available in Graphite, Cream, and Pink. WinFuture shared a few renders of the device, as seen below.

Android Central's Take

We’ll find out soon enough if these leaks pan out, but from where I sit, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 seems more like Samsung checking boxes than pushing its foldable forward. After years of iterative releases, I can’t get away from the feeling that Samsung is leaning a bit too hard on the fact that it remains the biggest name in foldables. If these specs are true, existing Flip owners will have a hard time justifying the jump, while first-time buyers get a refined device that still doesn’t move the category forward in any meaningful way.

Cheap 2-in-1 laptops can sometimes be hard to come by, which is why it's so exciting that Amazon has cut 40% off the price of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook. This price drop brings the 12.2-inch touchscreen device down to just $350, although it's normally priced at $580.

The IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook has a 360-degree rotating hinge and a Full HD touchscreen, making it easy to use in multiple configurations, including as a standard laptop. The device also lets users flip the hinge all the way to lay it flat like a tablet, or to stand it upright for use in a tent-like shape.

Buyers like this model for its utility, and it's a little cheaper than the upgraded 5i model, which is one of the best Chromebooks for students on the market, in our opinion. All that to say, $350 for a 2-in-1 Chromebook is a pretty decent price, as long as you don't mind having a slightly bulky device with large bezels.

✅Recommended if: you need a durable 2-in-1 Chromebook with a responsive touchscreen, and a 360-degree rotating hinge; you like having a device with a long-lasting battery that you know will last through marathon use sessions; you prefer a user-friendly netbook-style operating system, or you've liked other Chrome OS devices you've owned in the past.

❌Skip this deal if: you're looking for a laptop with a sleek, lightweight design that's easy to transport and looks super modern; you need a device with industry-leading performance speeds; you don't need a 2-in-1 laptop and would rather go with a more traditional tablet or computer.

Lenovo says the 3i Flex Chromebook will get users up to 10 hours of battery life per charge, and it also comes with 128GB of storage, a microSD card reader for added storage, an HDMI port, two USB-C ports, and a USB-A port. The display measures 12.2 inches and features an IPS touchscreen, along with a front-facing, 720p camera.

It's backed by the cloud-based Chrome OS, and while performance isn't flawless, it's still plenty quick for most casual users, students, and professionals in need of a touchscreen laptop.

The Google Pixel 10 series includes three flagship phones — the base model Pixel 10, the Pixel 10 Pro, and the large Pixel 10 Pro XL. Regardless of which device you choose, there are plenty of deals that could make these AI-boosted Android phones dirt cheap (or even free) if you play your cards right, and I've dropped a selection of this month's best offers below.

The deals on display for July 2026 range from simple no-strings discounts to incredible trade-in opportunities and carrier promotions. Didn't find anything today? Check back later to see what's new: with the launch of the Pixel 11 lineup just around the corner, deals on last year's model are certain to get even more impressive in the coming weeks. So what are we waiting for? Let's jump right in.

Quick links

• Google Pixel 10 review: ★★★☆
• Google Pixel 10 Pro, XL review: ★★★☆
• T-Mobile: FREE Pixel 10 Pro; up to $1,000 off Pixel 10 Pro XL
• Verizon: Pixel 10 Pro XL from $5 per month; trade-in savings
• Mint Mobile: $650 off the Google Pixel 10, 50% off wireless
• AT&T: FREE Pixel 10 phones with eligible trade-in, new line
• Amazon: up to $300 off the Pixel 10 series
• Best Buy: up to $300 off the Pixel 10 series
• Boost Mobile: up to $700 off with eligible unlimited plan

Google Pixel 10 deals

Google Pixel 10 Pro deals

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL deals

FAQ

When does the Google Pixel 11 come out?

Although we don't know much for certain, recent leaks and rumors about the Google Pixel 11 series have left very little to the imagination. That said, Google has officially announced that the next Made by Google event will be held on August 12th at 6pm EST, which means we're likely to get our first look at the Pixel 11 lineup on that date.

How much does the Google Pixel 10 cost?

The Google Pixel 10 starts at $799 for the 128GB version, while the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL start at $999 (128GB) and $1,199 (256GB), respectively. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the base model Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro both kept the same starting price as their Pixel 9 counterparts, which feels somewhat unusual in a time of widespread price increases on tech. The Pixel 10 Pro XL, on the other hand, did receive a $100 price hike while removing the 128GB storage option.

If you want something affordable, it's also worth mentioning that the Google Pixel 10a is an option for budget-minded consumers, retailing for just $499. There's also the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which is a premium foldable phone that starts at a hefty $1,799.

Which Google Pixel 10 should I buy?

It depends on what you're looking for in a smartphone. All three devices in the flagship lineup will give you ultra-efficient performance with powerful cameras and a bunch of fun AI features, but that doesn't mean that all three of the devices are made equal.

Starting at $799, the Google Pixel 10 will give you the perfect entry-level experience, with a 6.3-inch OLED display, 12GB of RAM, and a long-lasting 4,970mAh battery. If you need a bit more power, you can upgrade to the Pixel 10 Pro and receive 16GB of RAM, better camera tech, and up to 1TB of storage. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is very similar to the standard Pixel 10 Pro, you just get a larger 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED display with a considerable boost in battery size.

No matter which Google Pixel 10 model you choose, all three devices boast the Tensor G5 chipset with a ton of AI-boosted software features and seven years of software support guaranteed. Check the table below for some more granular info on the flagship series.

OnePlus is exiting the U.S. and European markets by the end of this week. A report from earlier this week indicated as much, and the company has confirmed to Android Central that it is pulling out of these regions. Additionally, OnePlus is killing off OxygenOS, with the company noting that its phones will use ColorOS, made by its parent company OPPO.

OnePlus also mentioned that OPPO will take over warranty agreements in Europe. "Backed by OPPO, existing OnePlus devices will continue to receive scheduled software updates and security patches within the support periods originally committed for each device model." However, the company is ending all presence in North America by the end of this week.

This isn't the end of OnePlus altogether; I had a meeting with OnePlus India's Marketing Director Ishita Grover earlier in the week, where I received confirmation that the Indian business is unaffected by these changes. OnePlus will maintain its China unit as well, but it will no longer have a global presence outside of these two countries.

The move itself isn't surprising. The smartphone industry as a whole had to contend with flagging sales and increasing costs this year, and estimates suggest storage and memory prices will be inflated at least until 2028. It's clear that OPPO found OnePlus' global business to be unsustainable as a result of these headwinds, so it's pulling the plug.

By contrast, its India business is doing relatively well — for now. From the beginning, India contributed an outsized share of OnePlus' global market, with the country regularly exceeding 50% of the company's overall shipments. If anything, OnePlus has doubled down in India in recent months, launching the Nord CE6, Nord CE6 Lite, and the budget-focused OnePlus N6.

As for existing users, the biggest change will be the switch to ColorOS. After 11 years, OnePlus is shuttering OxygenOS, and future phones will launch with ColorOS. Existing phones will migrate to ColorOS with a platform update, and OnePlus said it will honor all existing update guarantees — these phones will just get ColorOS instead of OxygenOS.

Honestly, this is long overdue; ever since OxygenOS merged its codebase with ColorOS in 2021, I didn't see the point of having two interfaces. For all intents and purposes, OxygenOS 16 is identical to ColorOS 16, and barring minute tweaks to the design and unique AI features, there isn't any difference between the two.

With OnePlus now pulling out of most global markets, there's a distinct dearth of choice in the Android ecosystem — particularly in North America and Europe — and it's sad to see the brand make such an unceremonious exit.

Most DACs largely look the same and don't really stand out in anything other than their tonal characteristics. That's why I enjoy using the Fiio K17 and K19; these DACs don't look like a regular black box, and the styling makes them look great on a desk.

The Muse 300 is now aiming to do the same, but this desktop DAC is taking things to a new level: it has a 5-inch panel, three distinct sound modes, a built-in OS, and a unique UI. Muse HiFi is a recent entrant in this category, and the brand has released six DACs until now. The Muse 300 is its most ambitious effort yet, and it's now being crowdsourced for $379, a $60 discount from its eventual retail price of $439.

Obviously, design plays a big part here, so let's start there. The Muse 300 is a sizeable chunk of metal, and there's nothing subtle about the angular design — it's meant to stand out. It doesn't look like a DAC at all, and that's because you just have the 5-inch panel and a control knob up front; the 6.3mm and 4.4mm connectors are located to the right. I prefer this design as it lets me plug in a headset and not have the cable jutting out the front, and it looks cleaner on my desk.

The control wheel has built-in lighting, and it has excellent tactility. Honestly, the design and build quality make the Muse 300 feel like a high-end DAC, and it holds its own against the likes of the K19, which costs four times as much.

A big selling point for the Muse 300 is the OS, and it enables three distinct audio modes: Balanced, Tube Amplifier, and ACG. The Balanced mode has a neutral soundstage — similar to most DACs — and the Tube Amplifier mode switches to a warm profile that's great for casual listening. The ACG is a unique addition that leads to a bright sound with fast transients, and it's the one I'd suggest if you're gaming.

What's unique about the Muse 300 is that it has dedicated physical circuits with each mode instead of just relying on EQ, and it makes a noticeable difference. I tested the DAC with the Meze 99 Classics v2, Audeze LCD-S20, and the MM-500.

The Balanced mode is the one I used for analytical testing, and the Muse 300 proved its worth by delivering a clean sound with great dynamics. It allowed the MM-500 to shine, but it's the Tube Amplifier that I enjoyed using the most — it just has a warmth and liveliness to the sound that just makes listening to music that much more enjoyable, and it made me want to get a dedicated tube amp. You don't quite get the same amount of definition in this mode, but it is the one that I enjoyed using the most.

The Muse 300 features ESS' ES9039 Ultra DAC chip alongside a Qualcomm QCC3095 Bluetooth 5.4 modem. It does 32-bit/384kHz PCM decoding alongside DSD256, has a 129dB SNR and low distortion of 0.0006% THD+N.

The built-in amp delivers 1.1W of power at 32 ohms via 6.3mm, and 2.2W of power at 32 ohms over the balanced 4.4mm connector. There's good connectivity at the rear, with the DAC offering USB, Bluetooth, optical, and coaxial, in addition to XLR and RCA line out. The only annoyance is that the Muse 300 uses USB-B instead of a standard USB-C port. You'll need an external 12V/5A power brick to drive the DAC, and it's bundled in the box.

The 5-inch IPS panel has a resolution of 854 x 480, and it's driven by Muse OS. The OS lives on a 32-bit MCU, and is designed exclusively for audio playback and user interface. There's a lot to like in the UI, and while it is barebones, it doesn't have any lag, and you get all the usual settings. It doesn't have any additional features — like the ability to install apps — so you will need to use one of the inputs to play music.

After a month of use, the Muse 300 proved to be a revelation. It has the design and build quality of a high-end DAC, and it's clear that Muse HiFi paid a lot of attention to the tuning of the sound with each mode. The idea of Muse OS is interesting in its own right, and I want to see how it evolves over the years. The DAC has enough power to drive demanding headsets, and on the whole, it's a great all-round choice in the sub-$500 category — I didn't think I would enjoy using the DAC as much as I did.

Xiaomi is now rolling out the stable Android 17 update to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Xiaomi 17. I just got the update on both phones today, and there's no telling when other Xiaomi phones will make the switch — my Xiaomi 17T Pro is still on Android 16.

Xiaomi has struggled to deliver platform updates on time in the last two years, so this is a refreshing change of pace. It's almost as if someone at Xiaomi read my post on Android 17 updates and decided to take action. As it stands, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Xiaomi 17 are the only phones outside of Google Pixels to have made the switch to Android 17.

There's just one problem: I don't see anything new with the update. Although the phones are now on Android 17, they're still based on HyperOS 3.0.332, so I don't see any changes to the interface or new feature additions. It's possible we will get those with HyperOS 4.0, so if you're looking to delve into all the new stuff that Google introduced with Android 17 on your Xiaomi phone, you will have to wait until Xiaomi updates its skin.

Interestingly, Android 17 isn't mentioned in the 9.6GB update changelog; it just lists the usual stability tweaks and June 2026 security update. While I didn't see any changes in the UI or features, the only difference is that the interface has slightly better fluidity.

Outside of that, it's virtually identical to the Android 16-based version of the interface. That's by design; Xiaomi largely ignores Google's platform-related changes, instead focusing on its own interface and features as a point of differentiation. While that was a positive in the past, Xiaomi's interface is in need of an overhaul, and I was counting on the brand to do so with Android 17 and HyperOS 4.0 — leaks pointed to an iOS-esque Liquid Glass design that looks much more modern. It looks like I'll just have to wait a little longer.

The Pixel 10 is one of our favorite smartphones of 2025, but now that we approach the Pixel 11 launch, I'm taking a speculative look at both phones to determine whether it's worth upgrading from the Pixel 10. Or at least which phone you should consider buying.

For now, we don't have any official information on the Pixel 11, aside from rumors and leaks. Fortunately, there have been plenty of both, allowing us to paint a pretty good picture of what to expect. And having reviewed the Pixel 10 myself, I'm more than interested to see what upgrades Google is bringing to its successor.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: More of the same design with one illuminating mystery

From the leaks we've seen, the Pixel 11 won't look much different from the Pixel 10. The dimensions are supposedly very similar, although the Pixel 11 may be a hair thinner. The Pixel 10 is already pretty thick, so we welcome any way Google can reduce that, especially given the battery bump.

More noticeable design changes may appear on the rear. The camera visor appears to have removed the aluminum bit housing the camera flash on the Pixel 10. Instead, the entire housing appears to be covered in glass for a more uniform look.

There's also the matter of this mysterious Pixel Glow. We're not entirely sure what this is, but based on Google's Pixel 11 teaser on the Google Store, it appears to be part of the LED flash unit within the camera bar, serving as a colorful indicator light (not a light bar as previous rumors suggested). This could be an indicator for notifications or AI interactions, similar to what we expect with the upcoming Googlebooks.

There's also a chance this won't be available on the base model, but I have my fingers crossed!

On the front, the display won't change much either. It will likely remain a 6.3-inch OLED panel, and Google may improve display brightness, as companies usually do with each generation. With any luck, Google could include some of the accessibility features introduced with the Pixel 10 Pro, but we won't hold our breath.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: Rumored specs point to some important changes

The biggest changes to the Pixel 11 will mostly be under the hood. The phone is expected to be powered by the Tensor G6, likely a 2nm chipset built by TSMC, which should make it more efficient. I didn't have many problems with the Pixel 10's performance, but any improvements here are welcome.

One benefit of the Tensor G6 may be a new MediaTek-built modem. This could mean we'll see marked improvements in connectivity, which users often complain about on Pixel phones with Samsung modems.

Interestingly, the Pixel 11 may come with an outdated GPU, so you probably won't count on it for heavy gaming. Fortunately, compatibility should improve, especially after the Pixel 10 initially lacked updated GPU drivers, which made games look a little wonky.

Unfortunately, there probably won't be much in the way of battery gains, but I didn't have any issues with battery life on the Pixel 10. I hope Google improves charging speeds from the Pixel 10's 30W wired and 15W Qi2 wireless, but I won't hold my breath.

One thing I'm excited to see with the Pixel 11 is the new base storage. These days, 128GB just doesn't cut it for a flagship, so I'm happy to see that 256GB may become the new standard. Unfortunately, this may come with a higher price tag for the base Pixel 11, with rumors pointing to a $100 increase to $899.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: How will the Pixel 11 enhance the software and AI experience?

One good thing about Pixels is that the software experience will be pretty much the same across models. The Pixel 10 adopts Material 3 Expressive, so it's very colorful and full of fun shapes. I actually enjoyed the Pixel software experience for the first time with Android 16, thanks to improvements like the customizable Quick Settings menu and the notification organizer.

That extends to the AI experience, which has been enhanced with the Tensor G5 chip. Google introduced some neat new AI features, like Camera Coach and automation that lets Gemini place orders for rideshares and food deliveries on your behalf. And with features like Gemini Live, the Pixel 10 is the full package.

The Pixel 11 will no doubt improve upon the software and AI experience, especially with Gemini Intelligence set to arrive this summer. The Pixel 10 will likely receive many of these features as part of the upgraded AI experience, but a new chipset could bring exclusive capabilities to the Pixel 11.

For now, we don't know what features the Pixel 11 will launch with aside from the potential Pixel Glow light array. It's expected to launch with Android 17 out of the box, and since we're still waiting on some previously announced features to arrive, there's a good chance they'll come with the Pixel 11.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: Welcome camera improvements in tow

Last year's Pixel 10 featured a 48MP primary camera "downgrade," although it still took great photos. Thanks to the addition of a third 5x telephoto sensor, zoom photos were excellent. For the Pixel 11, rumors suggest Google is returning to a 50MP primary sensor, which could improve noise reduction and low-light performance.

Overall, we could see minor improvements in image quality compared to the Pixel 10. However, I would like to see the Pixel 11 receive the same camera features as the Pro models, since the Pixel 10 missed out on a few.

Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: So should you upgrade?

If you already have the Pixel 10, I expect there will be little reason to upgrade to the Pixel 11. The Tensor G5 is a very capable chipset and will likely support most of the new features coming to the Pixel 11. And even so, I doubt any new features will be enough to convince many to swap their device.

Plus, with seven years of OS upgrades and security patches, the Pixel 10 still has a lot of life left in it.

Still, the Pixel 11 may be a good phone to consider for anyone who doesn't own a Pixel 10. That is, if you can handle the rumored base price increase (which will likely include double the storage, mind you). Perhaps if you're coming from a Pixel 9 or earlier, the Pixel 11 could be worth the upgrade, especially if it means you're getting a third camera lens.

What you need to know

• Rumors claim that Samsung might not offer its free storage upgrade for its upcoming Galaxy foldables.
• This was offered to customers who pre-ordered devices, helping them to upgrade from a 256GB model to the 512GB model for free.
• A report claims that Samsung might have customers pay half the cost to upgrade to higher storage, and soaring memory prices might be the reason.

Future Samsung Galaxy customers might have a sour future ahead of them. Reports claim the company might not offer one of its sweetest upgrades.

The report surfaced from Chosun (Korean), which cites "industry sources" in stating Samsung might remove its free storage upgrade offering (via Android Authority). This upgrade was reserved for customers who pre-ordered an upcoming Galaxy device. Think Galaxy S25, S26, or Samsung's upcoming foldables, which is what this rumor is focused on. The Korean publication claims that Samsung might remove its free storage upgrade for all pre-ordered Galaxy Z Flip 8s and Fold 8s.

This storage upgrade would double what you previously selected. If you wanted to grab a 256GB Flip, Samsung would give you the 512GB version at no extra cost. However, the company might replace this free offer by pushing half of the storage upgrade cost onto you, the consumer.

We'll have to wait and see how prices shake out for U.S. customers once the foldables are fully released (if this is true). Chosun's sources reportedly highlight the only culprit anyone's pointing fingers at nowadays: soaring memory prices. That's where things get interesting.

Can't have nice things

We're already stir-crazy over price hikes. There were a few rumors that said the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could cost $2,099 in the U.S. For reference, that's $100 more than the Fold 7. The Fold 8, which might be the wide foldable we've been hearing about, could start at $1,899. Prices are all over the place, but the ongoing situation with AI taking up all the memory is real.

A research report was published earlier this week, citing another drop in the global smartphone market. For Q2 2026, the phone market fell by 4%, and Omdia places the blame squarely on soaring memory prices. It adds that the market might not recover in 2026, and the holiday season, which typically brings a surge, might not happen. In Q1, the U.S. phone market fell by 3%, so things have been bleak this year.

That's not the only issue. These soaring memory prices might also claim budget phones as collateral. Researchers suspect that the budget phone market might fall by 22% as companies struggle to find a way to make a profit off such devices. We're a week away from knowing for sure if Samsung's free storage upgrade is gone or not. Samsung confirmed Galaxy Unpacked will take place in London, U.K., on July 22 at 9 am ET.

What you need to know

• Google announces that it's running an open enrollment period for its Pixel Care Plus program for customers with a Pixel 9 or 10 device.
• Users who skipped out on this plan before can get it now; however, users have from July 14 to August 2 before this "limited-time" chance is gone.
• Pixel Care Plus gives customers $0 screen and battery repairs, unlimited accidental damage protection, and more.

Like everything in tech, device makers often provide protection plans that consumers can pay for. Google's version is typically offered within a narrow window, but it's now available to everyone who skipped it at checkout.

Open enrollment arrives for Pixel Care Plus this week. Google announced the open period in a Keyword post. The company states that from July 14 to August 2, consumers who purchased a Pixel 9 series (including Pixel 9a) or Pixel 10 series phone (including Pixel 10a) qualify for a "limited-time opportunity." Consumers with one of these models can add Pixel Care Plus protection to cover any damage.

Google states consumers enrolling in Pixel Care Plus through this open period will be awarded "$0 screen and battery repairs, unlimited accidental damage protection, and optional loss and theft coverage." However, while this is open to quite a decent cast of phones, Google says that not everyone qualifies.

It's great if you have a Pixel 9 or 10 series phone, but Google needs to ensure that you're a U.S. customer and that your device "is in good working condition." In layman's terms, your Pixel 9 or 10 needs to be "fully functioning and free from cracks, mechanical defects or liquid damage." If your device checks out, you're good to go.

Google directs users to the My Pixel app or its online store to add Pixel Care Plus protection.

Another chance

Pixel Care Plus was first announced last summer, shortly after the Pixel 10 series launched. The plan replaced Google's old Preferred Care and Fi Device Protection for U.S. customers. With Pixel Care Plus, consumers receive $0 screen/battery repairs and post-warranty malfunction claims, priority support, and a few more goodies. As previously stated, customers usually have a limited window to grab a protection plan for their new device.

This window of opportunity typically lasts 60 days from the phone's purchase. Google made sure to highlight last summer that Care Plus customers were eligible for free "upgraded shipping" during repairs. Priority Support is another perk. Customers can speak to Google's experts about any issues. Preferred Care and Fi Device Protection in the U.S. were migrated from those older plans to Google's updated offerings.

Android Central's Take

This a mini-event that's pretty good to capture. To break things down, Google offers monthly coverage for a Pixel 10 Pro XL at $13, $239 for two-year protection. Having protection for a device you use every day for calls, scrolling, gaming, what-have-you, isn't a bad idea. But not everyone splurges on that sort of thing amidst the assortment of other bills we have to pay. But, hey, here's a chance if you've ever felt like you should've gotten it at checkout.

What you need to know

• Spotify announced that it's removing the Premium lock on Managed Account, making them free for all parents to create for kids under 13.
• Managed Accounts are a music-only experience, meaning kids' profiles will be private, non-discoverable in search, and parents can filter out explicit content and more.
• Kids will have access to popular playlists like Discover Weekly, Daylist, and Made for You.

Managed Accounts with parental controls are a good way for parents to get their kids into Spotify, but it was locked to Premium. Spotify's changing that this week, and it might be a huge win for parents.

Spotify announced this morning (July 15) that it's making Managed Accounts free for all parents on Spotify globally. It doesn't matter which Spotify plan you're on. Spotify says parents can "create a free Managed Account for their child in the U.S., UK, Australia, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, with many more countries either already live or following soon." It teases Canada, New Zealand, and multiple European countries are coming soon.

Setting up a Managed Account is fairly simple. Parents can open Spotify > (side menu) Add Account > Create a Managed Account. Ads will be present if you're on a free account; however, Spotify says these will offer "helpful information about how to get the most out of the app."

Managed Accounts are focused on kids under 13. The experience is purely music-based, providing access to Spotify's music library and playlists (including playlist creation). Since a Managed Account is music-only, Spotify says its videos and Canvas content are turned off by default.

A few music discovery playlists that users have on Spotify are available for Managed Accounts. Kids can receive their own Discover Weekly, Made for You mixes, and Daylist. It's worth mentioning that while these playlists lean on the kids' taste in music, they will also adhere to the settings their parents have chosen. Spotify Wrapped is a huge year-end celebration of your listening habits, and kids will get one, too.

Safety in mind

Spotify has become a little more social over the years. Managed Accounts take a step back from those features. The company states Managed Accounts will not have access to messages and cannot upload custom profile pictures. What's more, a Managed Account is immediately made private and cannot be discovered via search.

Parents will have a dashboard of parental controls for their child's account. Users can filter out certain content they'd rather keep their kids away from, such as explicit music. Parents will also find settings to "manually manage the playback of specific artists or songs." If parents need to change anything, they can easily return to their parental dashboard for a Managed Account and alter its settings.

Android Central's Take

This is management made easy for parents. I've got a few family members that I know would've loved this a few years earlier. Better late than never, right? I think that these Managed Accounts should've always been free. It's not a bad thing to have had free for parents, as I'm sure many let their child use their account. There are still parents that will continue to do so, but at least there's the option to give them their own "account."

Just yesterday, I was putting together a guide to the best Google Pixel 10 deals on the web, and I remember being disappointed that Mint Mobile wasn't running any kind of promotion on the flagship phones. Fortunately, my prayers were answered overnight, as the T-Mobile-owned wireless carrier is now running one of the best Pixel 10 promotions I've ever seen.

For a limited time, if you bundle the purchase of the Pixel 10 with one year of the Unlimited plan, Mint will give you $650 off the phone AND 50% off the wireless. That means you're getting a full 12 months of unlimited talk, text, and data alongside a powerful Android phone for a single payment of $329 (or $28/month if you use affirm). It's as simple as that.

There's a bit of urgency here, however. With the arrival of the Google Pixel 11 series slated for August 12th, Mint Mobile can't have that many Pixel 10 phones left in stock. In other words, once this deal sells out, it's gone for good. Don't wait too long if you're interested.

This Pixel 10 deal sounds too good to be true

The Google Pixel 10 is a sophisticated flagship phone with a lovely OLED 120Hz display, endlessly versatile and fun-to-use camera tech, and an upgraded battery with lightning-fast charging. The Google Tensor G5 chipset will handle just about any task you throw at it, while the seven guaranteed software updates ensure that your phone will feel cutting-edge for many years to come.

So what's the catch?

If you're looking for a new wireless carrier, there are honestly very few drawbacks with this deal. Unlike some carrier deals, which involve so many eligibility requirements that it hardly feels worth it, with Mint Mobile's deals, what you see is what you get.

Sure, you have to pay for some wireless to get the discounted phone, but it shakes out to only $15 per month for one of our favorite unlimited plans around. You get talk, text, and data on T-Mobile's vast network, in addition to a mobile hotspot and free calls to Mexico, Canada, and the UK.

And come on, think about how nice it would be to drop a single payment today and not think about your phone bill again until mid-2027.

I will note that this Google Pixel 10 deal is exclusive to new Mint Mobile customers, and the carrier only has the 128GB configuration of the phone left in stock. If you need lots of bells and whistles with your phone plan, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you simply want some reliable wireless and a great new phone for as cheap as possible, this Google Pixel 10 promotion is worth jumping on ASAP.

I attend a lot of product briefings and meetings, and that's particularly true now as we're once again heading into phone silly season. Normally, I just attend the briefing, take notes, and write up any salient points. If I'm conducting an interview — like the one about Arm's neural gaming tech — I usually record the audio and transcribe manually. That's what takes the most amount of time, and in the last six months, I used an AI-assisted solution: Viaim's RecDot earbuds.

Now, there's no shortage of AI-assisted audio-to-text transcribing services available, and you can do it on your phone as well; this is one of the things I use the most on my Pixel 10 Pro XL. Viaim is one of many brands that are positioning AI-based products to do this automatically. I used Plaud Note in the past to do something similar, but I like the idea of the Viaim RecDot better as it isn't another thing I have to carry.

The versatility of having earbuds that record calls and meetings and automatically transcribe audio is a big deal, and it made a noticeable difference in my daily use. My favorite feature is Instant Summaries, which provides insights and key takeaways from hours-long meetings; this saved me a decent chunk of time.

A pretty cool addition is FlashRecord, a feature that records conversations up to four hours locally on the buds without needing your phone. You can also record when you're not wearing the buds by pressing a button on the case. There's also an AI-assisted translation feature, and it provides real-time translations. The RecDot did a decent job with Hindi to English translations, but it didn't hold up anywhere as well with Telugu (my native language) to English. That said, the buds have the ability to translate between 78 languages, and that's a cool use case if you're traveling abroad.

The RecDot earbuds are available for $199, and while that's quite a lot of cash, you are getting decent earbuds even outside of the AI features. The buds have a standard design with a lengthy stalk, and they don't really stand out. They have a glossy coat and the shell nuzzles into the ear comfortably, and I didn't see any fatigue even with extended use. At 4.8g, each bud is light enough that you won't even notice it.

There are other niceties; the RecDot gets IP55 dust and water resistance, and sound quality from the 11mm dynamic driver is much better than I imagined; it's not going to overthrow Bose or Sony, but it's clear that Viaim paid attention to the audio tuning. You get a boosted low-end that makes listening to most modern music that much more enjoyable, and while there isn't much extension to the treble, the overall tonal characteristics are decent. You get Qi charging, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, and the buds connect to two devices at once.

There's pretty good noise isolation too, and the RecDot did a reasonable job tuning out ambient sounds in my immediate vicinity. Again, while they weren't as effective as my Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds, they're good enough that I wouldn't mind using the buds while working at a cafe. You don't get AptX codecs, but there's LHDC, which made a difference while using with my Find X9 Ultra and X9 Pro.

The Viaim app is what you'll be using to generate summaries and transcribe audio, and it's decent enough. I had issues where it crashed while using it on the Find X9 Ultra, but I didn't run into problems on the iPhone 17 Pro, so that's what I used predominantly with the buds. The UI itself is easy to navigate, and you get all the notes and transcribed text easily accessible.

On the whole, Viaim did a good job with the RecDot, and if you attend a lot of meetings and need an easy way to transcribe and summarize key takeaways, these earbuds are a great option.

What you need to know

• Samsung is taking aim at the foldable crease with its Galaxy Z Fold 8, promising a dramatically slimmer, tougher, and nearly crease-free display.
• Flex Titanium replaces carbon fiber beneath the screen with a titanium support layer that's lighter, stronger, and better suited for ultra-thin foldables.
• Early hands-on impressions back up Samsung's claims, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 reportedly feeling thinner while maintaining a premium build.

For seven years, across seven generations of devices, owners of foldable phones have been contending with the same glaring compromise: the inescapable display crease. You either got used to ignoring the physical trench down the middle of your screen or you skipped foldables entirely.

But the hardware landscape is transforming. There is a lot of talk about Apple entering the market with a foldable iPhone Ultra, and Samsung is directly answering the threat with the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8. The firm claims to have completely re-engineered the flexible screen to be almost crease-free, far more robust, and considerably thinner.

Samsung has announced Flex Titanium, a new display structure that replaces the support layer of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) used in previous Galaxy Z Fold models with a titanium-based plate. Samsung says the material is lighter, stronger, and more suitable for ultra-thin foldables, as it can hold its shape while taking less space.

Thinner without compromise

The company’s announcement is in sync with hands-on impressions from Tom's Guide’s Mark Spoonauer, who had a chance to get an early look at what Samsung says is the new display of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. The screen is significantly thinner but still retains the premium feel of a foldable, the outlet (sister publication of Android Central) reports.

The change is not simply swapping out one material for another. Traditionally, CFRP under the display is used to provide reinforcement for the flexible screen of foldable OLED panels. Titanium offers the same structural support but allows a thinner overall panel, helping manufacturers to squeeze precious millimeters from ever-thinner devices, per Samsung. The company also combined the new support layer with a new OLED process, which is designed to improve flexibility and durability, two areas that have defined the evolution of foldables since the original Galaxy Fold.

Samsung’s announcement comes amidst ongoing rumors surrounding Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone, with Samsung Display expected to be a major supplier of foldable OLED panels.

Android Central's Take

Personally, I’m all for anything that makes foldables thinner and tougher, because that’s what people actually notice after the novelty wears off. Titanium sounds impressive, but Samsung still has to prove this is more than just another flashy material name. If Flex Titanium means a phone that’s easier to carry, survives daily wear better, and doesn’t come with compromises, users win. Otherwise, I don't think buyers are going to care what metal is hiding under the display.

WiiM has consistently delivered great products over the last two years, and while it started out with amps, it is branching out into home audio, and that's exciting. The WiiM Amp Ultra sits at the center of my home theater system, and it does a great job paired to my Wharfedale Linton. I use the WiiM Pro Plus daily, and it continues to be the ideal way to connect older stereo gear to the internet. Similarly, the WiiM Sub Pro is an interesting addition that ties in really well with existing stereo systems if you need to add a subwoofer.

Then there's the WiiM Sound. I've been using it for the last six months, and it has proven to be the perfect smart speaker. It sounds much better than the Nest Audio, the stereo sound is much more detailed than the Sonos Era 100, and its connectivity is unmatched. There are plenty of other features that I'll get into below, but if you need a great-sounding stereo speaker with Google Assistant and Alexa integration, this is the one I'd get in 2026. And coming in at $299, it doesn't cost much more than the equivalent Sonos while giving you so much more.

While convenience is always high up on the list when considering a smart speaker, I care about sound quality above all else, and the WiiM Sound does well in this area. The speaker has a 4-inch woofer alongside two 1-inch silk-dome tweeters, and it delivers 100W of sound with plenty of detail. I would've liked a bit more rumble to the bass, but it is tightly controlled, and the mids are clean, with vocals shining through. Audio quality is better than what you get with Amazon, Google, and Sonos in this category.

Where the Sound truly stands out is the connectivity. It has Google Cast, Spotify Connect, DLNA, Tidal Connect, and Roon Ready integration. Additionally, you can easily connect it existing multi-room audio systems if you use Google Cast or Alexa.

You can get two units and create a true stereo pair, and if you need a 2.1 system that has much better bass, you can connect it to the $449 WiiM Sub Pro like I did. Rounding out the connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm aux in, and Ethernet, so there isn't much missing anything in this area.

This flexibility is a key selling point of WiiM products in general, and with the brand rolling out a soundbar — dubbed the WiiM Bar — soon, you can use the Sound as a rear surround or center channel in a home theater configuration. The Sound has 24-bit/192 kHz playback, and combined with Roon integration, you get the easiest way to stream your local music library — that's how I've been using it in the last six months.

The WiiM Sound connects via the WiiM Home app, and it has a modern interface with an exhaustive amount of customizability. It does a great job bringing together all of your media streaming platforms, and it's just a joy to use. Setting it up takes just a matter of minutes, and if you don't like the way it sounds, you can easily tweak the EQ.

Design is another area where WiiM is doing the right things; the Sound has a modern aesthetic that resembles the HomePod 2, but it includes a 1.8-inch panel up front that lets you control the speaker without pulling out your phone. I use it as a clock, but you can customize it to show album art, and you can change the settings. There's also a top portion with playback controls.

There's a $229 WiiM Sound Lite as well, and the only difference is that it doesn't have the front panel, and you don't get the Bluetooth WiiM Voice Remote 2 Lite. If you're looking to maximize value, the Sound Lite is the one I'd buy.

I have a half-dozen WiiM products at this point, and a big reason why I use the brand's audio gear is because of the connectivity and easy configurability. Value also plays a big part, and while the Sound costs $299, you're getting a feature-set that far exceeds what other products deliver in this category. If anything, the only feature omission is AirPlay; this was an issue on the Amp Ultra as well.

Outside of that, the WiiM Sound does everything I want in a smart speaker. It looks great, connects to every music platform and digital assistant I use, has decent sound, and is highly configurable. If you're looking to get a new Cast-enabled speaker or want something to extend your multi-room audio setup, the WiiM Sound should be your go-to choice.

What you need to know

• Google is said to be testing a redesigned Android Auto media card that prioritizes playback controls over oversized album art.
• The new layout adds quick-access buttons like Like, Shuffle, and Repeat, depending on the media app you're using.
• The expanded controls appear to be limited to vehicles with larger infotainment displays, leaving smaller screens with a simplified layout.

Google seems to be rolling out a major usability upgrade to the media player in Android Auto’s dashboard interface, swapping out the oversized album art for quicker access to playback controls.

Android Authority spotted the new media card in an APK teardown, which replaces the current layout with a more compact presentation. The card prominently displays the album art, with track information positioned below it. The background is still a blurred version of the album art, but the biggest difference is a larger set of playback controls.

In addition to the standard play/pause and track skip buttons, Android Auto could also show app-specific shortcuts such as Like, Shuffle, and Repeat. The exact controls appear to differ depending on which media app you’re using, so podcast players and other audio apps may show different actions.

That’s a welcome change from the current design, which can require opening the full app just to access commonly used features.

But there's another catch. Android Authority’s teardown suggests that not all cars will display the expanded controls. It appears that a larger display on the head unit has room for these additional buttons, while smaller screens might revert to a simpler design.

The company recently added swipeable media cards and has been slowly rolling out interface changes it announced at Google I/O 2026, such as the new Immersive Navigation experience in Google Maps. This potential change looks like it’s a logical addition to the overall experience.

For the time being, the new media player remains hidden within recent Android Auto builds, and there’s no official release date. As with many Google experiments, there’s no guarantee it will ship in its current form. That said, if this interface makes it to stable users, it could make controlling music in the car noticeably faster with fewer taps and less time hunting for the buttons you use most.

What you need to know

• Samsung teased what consumers can expect from the Galaxy Watch 8 a week before Galaxy Unpacked.
• The device is positioned as a health-first, always-on gateway for users, delivering heart insights, "all-new internal components, and enhanced battery."
• Samsung confirmed its Galaxy Unpacked will take place on July 22 in London, U.K., at 9 am ET/6 am PT.

Galaxy Unpacked is a little over a week away, and Samsung is starting to step up its teasers. The company's come forward with what consumers can expect from the Galaxy Watch 9.

In a blog post, Samsung neatly packaged what we can find from its next-gen "AI-powered health companion." Again, the company is trying to nail home how AI can become "meaningfully integrated into everyday life." Samsung wants to offer true support with the Galaxy Watch 9's AI, turning it into a health-first, always-on gateway. Such a gateway would open up new insights into your heart health.

Samsung's first teaser video opens with an electrocardiogram, beginning at a resting heart rate before quickening. The post highlights aspects of the watch we're familiar with: constant background activity and detailed insights. However, Samsung adds that the Galaxy Watch 9 has received "all-new internal components and enhanced battery life," as well as "increased accuracy" for its metrics.

While this will likely benefit its heart analytics, Samsung teases its Activity stats, too. The Galaxy Watch 9 will continue to track the user's rest, movement, and sleep with enhanced "AI-driven insights" for better real-time understanding. The final teaser is a tiny font blurb about the Galaxy Watch 9 before a magnifying glass slides into place over "All-new inside."

The folks at 9to5Google enhanced the image and found a couple of worthy highlights: a titanium build, a "personal health coach," and Gemini raise-to-talk, likely along the same lines as the Pixel Watch.

All will be revealed soon

We've known that Samsung had a few updates up its sleeve for the Galaxy Watch 9 after its Health app updated. The company announced that the Galaxy Watch 9 will come equipped with Vitals, a feature that combines five key metrics: heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen. Vitals is also going to improve the daily energy score users receive by comparing it to their baseline to highlight changes.

Heart Health Score is another emerging feature for the Health app. This will observe a user's sleep, stress, activity, and body composition data to identify negative impacts.

All we have left to do is wait another week for Galaxy Unpacked. Samsung confirmed that its event will take place on July 22 in London, U.K., at 9 am ET/6 am PT. Reservations have also begun for the company's next wave of watches and foldables.

Android Central's Take

Focusing on health has been Samsung's M.O. with its smartwatches for a while now. I remember one of my colleagues' reviews of the Galaxy Watch 8, and he enjoyed it for the most part. One area that he felt could've been better was its battery life, and I'd have to agree with him. The good news is Samsung teased that the Watch 9 has better battery life. The thing is: how much better?

What you need to know

• Samsung has reportedly started rolling out One UI 9 Beta 4 (Android 17) to the Galaxy S26 series overseas.
• The beta carries a ~1.25GB download with mostly bug fixes ahead of a hopeful launch for current and past-gen devices.
• Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked is coming up next week (July 22), and the company is expected to debut new foldables and watches.

Android 17's been out for a few weeks now, and Samsung is continuing to work on its version for Galaxy phones.

Earlier this morning (July 14), SamMobile spotted the Korean OEM rolling out the next version of its Android 17 beta. One UI 9 Beta 4 is rolling out for the Galaxy S26 series; however, the publication reports it's only been spotted in India. The patch is ~1.25GB and carries the July 2026 security update for the S26 series. So far, it seems that Samsung is more focused on fixing a handful of problems its current flagship series has experienced.

One issue affects the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung states it's rolling out a fix for the Privacy Display routine. While this routine is running, the changelog states it would "not operate normally" when users turn it on/off in the Quick Panel or Settings. Another issue hampered Galaxy S26 gamers.

It says that the navigation bar would disappear under "certain conditions" while gaming. This should be fixed, alongside a Bluetooth problem. Samsung says a problem crippling its "Bluetooth audio media volume" when connecting to a vehicle should be solved in Beta 4.

The following fixes are also included:

• Fixed an issue where timer notification numbers are cut off or the Ul is unstable in Live notification
• Improved Ul performance issues that occur when opening and closing the Quick Panel
• Improved an issue where the clock size appears abnormal when rotating the lock screen horizontally/vertically

One UI 9 launch soon?

Samsung has been consistent with its beta, rolling updates for it at a near-monthly cadence. Mid-June is when we got Beta 3, which was also over a gigabyte in size. The patch was available early in several overseas regions, similar to what we've got with Beta 4. However, that should begin to change. Nevertheless, Beta 3 brought several fixes, such as a solution to a rebooting issue that plagued the S26 series during video streaming.

A focus accuracy at 30x zoom was included, as well as a white screen during calls.

Samsung's next wave of products is on the way, and there's a chance One UI 9 is on the horizon, too. We're expecting the usual suspects: the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Fold 8. There's also been hype around a Wide Fold 8, which we could see during this summer's Unpacked, alongside Samsung's new smartwatches.

What you need to know

• Google Images celebrates 25 years, and it's rolling out a new "immersive, browseable gallery" in July.
• Users will find a gallery in Images that updates in real-time based on their interests, with an added option to save content into "Collections."
• AI Overviews receives Nano Banana, meaning users can ask the AI to generate images based on their prompt.

This week marks 25 years of Google Images, a part of the company's search experience that's often overlooked. That's changing with a complete redesign that updates in real-time.

Today (July 14), Google is celebrating 25 years of its image search experience with an update that's going to change the game. The company is starting to roll out a complete redesign of Images, calling it a "brand new browseable home." In a way, Google Images looks inspired by Keep or the Photos app. Users will find images spread out, almost like a collage. Google says this "dynamic, immersive gallery" will still display results from across the web.

However, it will also "update in real-time, intelligently tailored to your unique interests." Google Images features a series of tabs right above its results. These tabs go beyond hopping between other Google-related results. Users will find "Saves and For You" tabs. The first influences the rest: users can save photos they find on Google Images to a "Collection" and name it.

Your Collections will appear beside the For You, so you can "jump back in and continue exploring based on what inspires you." This redesign for Google Images will roll out over the next few weeks for English desktop users in the U.S. Users are encouraged to sign in to their Google Account once it arrives.

The second update brings AI Overviews into the mix. Google says this update is for users who "have a highly specific vision where an image doesn’t yet exist." Google's Nano Banana brings its image generation capabilities directly into AI Overviews. Text prompts telling the AI to "create a visual" or "help me visualize" will produce "high-quality, custom visuals." The top of your AI Overview will show the generated photo, along with a few ways to tell the bot to tweak it.

Moreover, Google Images will appear beneath it with a few real-world examples that fit your prompt to help.

25 years of Image Search

Since this is a birthday bash, Google is walking back 25 years, back to where its image search started. The company recalled an update in 2001 after Jennifer Lopez's captivating green Versace dress stunned the world a year prior. Google said, "People didn’t just want to read about the dress — they wanted to see it. So in July 2001, we launched Google Images, making it possible for the first time to search and instantly explore visual content from across the web."

Eight years later, in 2009, Similar Images debuted. Web searches can often turn up results that you're not interested in. With "find similar images," users could ensure they got the results they wanted (i.e., bow and arrows, not a hair bow). Circle to Search in 2024 was a major milestone for Google after Lens took over in 2018 (then multi-search for Lens in 2022). Now, in 2026, Google has relied on its "intelligent search box" to help carry user queries for text-based and image searches.

Android Central's Take

I don't use Google Images that often. It's been like that for years. I use it occasionally for looking up cities in different countries, or for snapshots of movies. Google's trying to change that. This update makes Google Images a better assistant for inspiration or ideas if you're going to travel. The real-time updating aspect is another important aspect of this new sentiment that looks pretty good. Here's to another 25, Google Images.

What you need to know

• Google accidentally listed the entire Pixel 11 series on Amazon a month early, revealing pricing, specs, and colors.
• Prices are rising by $100 across the board, with the base Pixel 11 now starting at $899 with 256GB of storage.
• Google is hit by the memory crisis, with base Pro and Pro XL variants dropping to 12GB of RAM instead of 16GB.
• The Pixel 11 Pro Fold starts at $1,899 but drops to a smaller 4,750mAh battery, down from last year's 5,000mAh.

Ahead of the Google Pixel 11 series launch next month, a massive leak on Amazon has revealed almost everything you might want to know about the upcoming Pixel phones.

Google has officially confirmed that it's launching "next generation of Pixel devices," Which is expected to be the Pixel 11 series, on August 12 at 6:00 PM ET in New York. Surprisingly, there haven't been many leaks about the lineup so far. Sure, we've seen renders and a few smaller leaks here and there, but not much concrete information. Well, that was the case until now.

A new leak from Android Authority has revealed pretty much everything about the Pixel 11 series, including US pricing, storage options, specifications, and more.

According to the publication, the Pixel 11 series will once again consist of four models: the base Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The listings were accidentally published by Google on Amazon, though the company has since taken them down.

In the official listing, you can see the new colors of the Pixel phones as well as the suggested pricing. It appears the Pixel 11 series will now start at $899 for the base variant with 256GB of storage. There seems to be no 128GB model this year, meaning Google is bumping the base storage to 256GB, though the starting price is also rising by $100.

• See our guide to the best Google Pixel 10 deals of July 2026

According to the listing, the Pixel 11 will be available in four colors: Frost, Pistachio, Hibiscus, and Obsidian. There may also be a 512GB variant priced at $1,019 (via Droid-Life). Other specs for the base Pixel 11 include a 6.3-inch OLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, a sub-5,000mAh battery, and a 13-MP front camera.

Moving on to the Pixel 11 Pro, it also looks set to rise by $100. That means the Pixel 11 Pro will start at $1,099 for the base 256GB variant in the U.S. The 512GB variant may come in at around $1,219, while the 1TB variant will reportedly cost $1,449.

Similar to the base Pixel 11, the Pixel 11 Pro is expected to come with a 6.3-inch display and up to 120Hz refresh rate. The battery will be slightly smaller than the base variant at 4,850mAh, though it will reportedly offer up to 120x digital zoom.

However, according to another report, Google appears to be hit by the memory crisis this year too. The base 256GB model will reportedly come with just 12GB of RAM, while the higher 512GB and 1TB storage variants will retain 16GB. That's a change from last year, where all Pixel 10 Pro variants came with 16GB of RAM across the board.

Moving on to the Pixel 11 Pro XL, pricing will reportedly start at $1,299 for the base 256GB variant, while the 512GB and 1TB variants will cost $1,419 and $1,649, respectively. Just like the Pixel 11 Pro, there's a RAM split here too, with the base variant offering 12GB and the higher storage variants offering 16GB.

In terms of specs, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is expected to feature a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a slightly smaller battery than last year, at 5,115mAh. There's also support for Wi-Fi 6E (no Wi-Fi 7 just yet,) along with Bluetooth 6.0.

Finally, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold looks set for a price increase this year, as with every other foldable out there. The 256GB variant will reportedly cost $1,899, while the 512GB variant will come in at $2,019.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold's specs include a 6.5-inch OLED cover display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 4,750mAh battery, and folded dimensions of 6.11 x 5.92 x 0.4 inches. One thing worth noting is that the battery is actually shrinking compared to last year. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold featured a 5,000mAh battery, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold drops slightly to 4,750mAh.

So there you have it. This is pretty much the biggest Pixel leak we've ever seen, with Google accidentally listing the phones on Amazon almost a full month ahead of launch.

Although it's no surprise that prices are going up this time around, especially with component and memory pricing climbing across the entire tech industry.

What you need to know

• Opera says its monthly active users on Android grew 66% in the UK and 40% in the US year over year in Q2.
• Opera credits its growth to features Chrome lacks out of the box, like a free VPN, ad blocker, and built-in AI tools.
• The company says its European momentum has continued following the EU's Digital Markets Act, boosting both new users and retention.

Chrome may come preinstalled on almost every Android phone, but Opera says more users are actively choosing its browser instead.

Google has been working hard to add more and more features to Chrome on Android. We recently saw Chrome rolling out Gemini features to more countries, but it seems that still isn't enough to keep everyone on board. As it turns out, more and more users are switching to, or at least trying, third-party browsers, including Opera.

In its latest report, Opera says a growing number of users are making the move to its browser. According to the company, monthly active users of Opera on Android grew 66% in the U.K. and 40% in the U.S. year over year in the second quarter this year, suggesting that plenty of people are looking beyond the default browser on their phones.

More people are ditching Chrome than you'd think

The company says this isn't limited to the U.S. and U.K. either. Opera reports that its momentum across Europe has continued following the European Union's Digital Markets Act. It also notes that this isn't just about acquiring new users, but retaining them too, thanks to the kind of features Opera offers on Android.

The company credits its growth to features Chrome doesn't offer out of the box, including a free unlimited VPN, a built-in ad blocker, AI tools, and more.

Opera also says recent additions, like a dedicated football hub on its Android browser, have made it easier for users to check World Cup stats and details, which is bringing even more people to its browser.

Android Central's Take

I'm still firmly a Chrome-first user on my Pixel 10 Pro, but I've been giving Opera a shot over the past few months, and it's become my go-to second browser, if you will. Do you use different browsers for different tasks on your Android phone? Let us know in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Samsung Health's new AI consent comes with a major catch: Opt out of AI training, and you could lose cloud syncing and Samsung account backups for your health data.
• Samsung wants access to a wide range of sensitive information, including sleep, activity, nutrition, medical records, medications, body measurements, and menstrual cycle data to improve its AI models.
• Declining consent doesn't just disable AI features. Samsung warns it will stop syncing your health data and may delete previously backed-up records unless it's legally required to retain them.

Samsung is quietly rolling out a new AI consent prompt in Samsung Health, but its approach to user choice is already raising eyebrows. The company doesn't just offer users a choice to opt in or out of AI training; it ties the choice to cloud syncing, so if you opt out, you could lose Samsung account backups of your health data.

The folks at How-To Geek report seeing a new notice labeled "Consent to the Use of Health Data for AI Training and Modelling." According to the notice, Samsung requires permission to use a broad spectrum of health data to improve its AI models and health algorithms. That includes activity metrics like steps, sleep, nutrition, and body measurements; medication details; medical records; and menstrual cycle tracking data. Samsung also says some of this data may be reviewed by humans during AI training.

The controversial part isn’t Samsung asking for consent; it’s what happens if you don’t. If you disable the AI training option, you’ll get a warning that Samsung Health will no longer sync data to your Samsung account.

The notice also says that any health data that has been synced previously will be deleted, unless Samsung is legally required to keep it. That is, you can only get cloud backup in exchange for helping train Samsung’s AI.

The company seems to be promoting the collected info as fuel for smarter health features, saying the data will help improve health analysis algorithms and AI-powered experiences inside Samsung Health.

Privacy advocates and users are unlikely to object to AI improvements alone. The bigger problem is that a core feature — keeping your health history in sync across devices — now depends on an unrelated decision about consent. If you just want your fitness records backed up – without being part of the AI development process – Samsung’s current implementation doesn’t offer much room for compromise.

Android Central's Take

I’m all for AI getting smarter if it actually helps deliver better health insights, more accurate wellness recommendations, or earlier warnings about possible problems. Those are benefits to which most of us can relate. But the choice between contributing sensitive health data or keeping cloud backups seems an unnecessary trade-off. Consent only exists when it's freely given, not when one of your app's core features is held hostage.

What you need to know

• Gemini in Chrome is expanding to the UK, bringing Google's AI-powered browsing assistant to more desktop users.
• The AI works directly inside Chrome, letting you summarize long articles, compare information across tabs, and complete tasks without switching apps.
• Smarter AI features are coming , including conversation memory for personalized responses and Nano Banana 2-powered image editing from simple text prompts.

Google is expanding the reach of Gemini in Chrome, with its AI-powered browsing assistant now beginning to roll out to desktop users in the UK, a significant expansion for a feature that has been limited to fewer markets thus far.

So what do you get? This isn’t some dumb chatbot tacked onto your browser. Google says Gemini in Chrome is your own personal assistant, integrated deeply into your day-to-day workflow. It’s designed to quickly summarize super dense articles or compare specs across multiple shopping tabs without you having to change screens.

Google is also tightly tying the experience into its own ecosystem. You can schedule meetings through Google Calendar, look up locations in Maps, draft emails in Gmail, and even ask questions about YouTube videos without leaving the page.

Persistent context is another addition. Gemini in Chrome can remember information from earlier conversations so it can offer more tailored responses as you move forward. Google is also adding Nano Banana 2 capabilities to the experience, allowing users to transform images found on the web with a simple text prompt, rather than having to go to a separate AI image editor.

Of course, the deeper access that an AI assistant has to your browsing also raises security questions. Google says it’s built in safeguards for the experience, including protections against known prompt injection attacks and confirmation prompts before Gemini performs sensitive actions.

Android Central's Take

It makes a lot more sense to keep AI inside the browser than to jump between tabs, apps, and chatbots. If Gemini can reliably summarize pages, compare information and deal with quick tasks without slowing me down, that’s a real productivity win for users. That said, Google still has to demonstrate that this is more than just a flashy AI demo. Browsers are cluttered enough, and the last thing anyone needs is an assistant popping up everywhere just because it can.

I always enjoyed using Marshall's Bluetooth speakers; I bought a Stanmore 11 years ago, and it's still going strong. The Emberton III is my go-to choice for portability, and its small design combined with great sound and water-resistant chassis makes it ideal for use anywhere.

And then there's the Bromley 450. I've been using the portable Bluetooth speaker for just over a month now, and it is a powerhouse: it weighs 24lb, has two woofer units and four audio drivers that produce a 360-degree sound, comes with Auracast, and has RCA as well as XLR connectors that lets you easily start a karaoke party.

Basically, the Bromley 450 has everything you need to get a party started, and it is more powerful than most home-focused Bluetooth speakers I used, including the likes of the Stanmore. There's a price attached to all of this: the Bromley 450 costs $746 on Amazon as of writing. There are plenty of other speakers like the $279 Tribit StormBox Blast 2 (which I like a lot), but the Bromley 450 is in an entirely different league altogether.

There's also the small matter of the design; the Bromley 450 looks like an old-school Marshall amp, and that alone makes it worthy of consideration. Instead of a regular review, I'm going to highlight four things I liked the most about the Bromley 450, so let's dive in.

The Bromley 450 is the loudest Bluetooth speaker I used yet

The sheer size of the Bromley 450 has allowed Marshall to slot in a total of six driver units, and this leads to wall-rattling sound. This is designed to be a party speaker, and it absolutely nails the brief; even with the volume at 50%, the sound is loud enough to fill a decent-sized room, and crank it any higher than 80%, and you'll have the neighbors at your door.

It's not just the loudness either — the Bromley 450 sounds pretty great in its own right. The speaker has two 90W woofer units alongside four 55W drivers and two passive radiators, and you get a classic Marshall sound: engaging low-end with a lot of energy, clean mids that make guitar riffs stand out, and a soaring treble.

The orientation of the drivers means you get 360-degree sound, and it makes a big difference, particularly if you're looking for a party speaker.

Of course, like most Marshall speakers, you have full control over the tonality of the sound. There are physical controls to adjust the volume, bass, and treble, and the app allows you granular control over the equalizer.

Lastly, you can daisy-chain two Bromley 450 units; the speaker has aux in and out, and this makes it easier to connect two units to double the sound.

It connects to just about everything

The Bromley 450 has the best connectivity of any portable Bluetooth speaker around — it connects to just about everything. It uses Bluetooth 5.3 and Auracast, and it connects to two devices at once. I didn't see any issues with range in my testing, and it maintained a steady signal even at 30ft.

Where it stands out is the inputs; you get 3.5mm aux in and out, USB-C, RCA, and the ability to connect two instruments via XLR. You can easily hook up an XLR mic as well, and it's this versatility that makes it stand out. I predominantly tested the Bromley 450 with Bluetooth — I paired it with my Find X9 Ultra and Vivo X300 Ultra — but I also used it with RCA by plugging in my WiiM Pro Plus, and connected it to my Teenage Engineering OP-1 field synthesizer via 3.5mm.

Oh, and you can easily charge your phone with the speaker — the USB-C port charges at up to 15W. While it isn't as fast as a dedicated power bank, it's still nifty to have, and I like that Marshall included the feature.

This speaker is built for all-nighters — and it charges your phone

Marshall did all the right things when it comes to battery tech. The Bromley 450 uses an LiFePO4 battery that has better longevity than the standard lithium-ion batteries in most speakers.

The best part about the battery is that it is removable, and this gives the Bromley 450 a definite edge over other Bluetooth speakers. You can basically switch out the battery should it degrade down the line, and honestly, it's refreshing to see a manufacturer provide this in 2026. The battery itself doubles as a power bank, and it has USB-C.

It also makes charging effortless; I only had to charge the speaker once, and in that instance, I just took out the battery and connected it to a 100W USB PD charger. The Bromley 450 comes with a standard AC connector, but I found it much easier to just take out the battery and use USB-C instead. It takes over three hours to fully charge the battery, but there's fast charging that gives you six hours of music playback with just a 20-minute charge.

And when it comes to battery life, the Bromley 450 easily lasted over 40 hours with the volume set to 50%. This is a speaker that just doesn't quit, and it can easily handle all-night parties.

It has an iconic design that grabs attention

A big selling point of Marshall products is the classic design, and the Bromley 450 is its best showing yet. It has a domineering presence that immediately stands out, and the Marshall logo with the grille are all reminiscent of the brand's vintage amps.

Build quality is excellent, the edges are reinforced, and it gets IP55 dust and water resistance, making it ideal for pool parties. There's a carrying handle on the left that makes it easy to lug the Bromley 450 around, but there's no getting around the fact that this is an absolute unit.

I also like the physical controls; you get knobs to adjust the volume, bass, treble, a delightful power button, toggle to switch between connection modes, and knobs to adjust the volume of connected instruments, and add effects. It's just plain cool, and there's built-in lighting as well, with three effects. The lighting isn't distracting, and it makes the Bromley 450 that much more enjoyable to use.

Overall, the Bromley 450 is an absolute beast of a Bluetooth speaker. It gets louder than anything else I used in this category, it has the best design, connectivity, and battery life. You are paying quite a lot, but after a month of use, I can say with some confidence that it's worth it.

What you need to know

• OnePlus' future in the West looks increasingly uncertain, with a new report claiming OPPO will announce the brand's exit from Europe and the US this week.
• The latest report builds on months of warning signs, including shrinking operations, executive departures, and earlier claims that OnePlus was scaling back its global presence.
• OnePlus has denied similar rumors before, but the steady stream of reports continues to fuel doubts about the company's long-term strategy outside China.

The uncertainty around OnePlus just refuses to die. After months of rumors about shutdowns, executives leaving, and reports of shrinking global ambitions, a new report says the brand is about to make its biggest move yet, and it might not be good news for fans in Europe or the US.

A new Bloomberg report states OnePlus is getting ready to shut down its operations in the US and Europe as part of a larger restructuring led by parent company OPPO. The exit from both markets could begin as early as this week, the report said. Bloomberg cites OPPO’s attempts to streamline its smartphone business after failing to gain traction in key markets such as the US, Europe, and India.

Realme, another OPPO-owned brand, is also expected to leave the Chinese market, according to Bloomberg. OnePlus will reportedly continue operations in China before finally shutting down operations in other regions, such as India, sometime in 2027. Neither OPPO nor OnePlus responded to the report.

Earlier, German outlet WinFuture reported that parent company OPPO would announce this week that OnePlus would stop operating in Europe and the US. If that sounds familiar, it's because the warning signs have been building up. Earlier this month, Android Authority reported that OnePlus seemed to be getting ready to exit the US, with evidence pointing to a retreat from another major international market.

That was not long after reports surfaced that the company was already reducing its footprint in Europe, sparking speculation that OnePlus was shifting almost all of its focus to China.

The writing was on the wall

This latest claim also fits in with OnePlus' increasingly complicated year. The company had strongly denied reports of a shutdown in January following reports that OPPO was restructuring its smartphone business. More recently, OnePlus confirmed the departure of a top executive who publicly dismissed those earlier claims, adding more uncertainty to the company’s long-term plans.

The rumored withdrawal comes amid a host of challenges. Poor sales of smartphones, geopolitical pressure on Chinese phone makers in the US, and Apple’s lawsuit against OPPO for trade secrets are cited by Bloomberg. OPPO is said to focus more on Central Europe going forward, while it is said to rely on Realme to cover Nordic countries where the latter’s products gained stronger traction.

For existing OnePlus owners, the reported withdrawal wouldn't necessarily mean their phones stop working. Existing OnePlus devices are expected to continue to receive promised software updates and after-sales service during a transition period, but new product launches, retail sales, and local marketing activities are expected to end.

But until OPPO confirms it, nothing is official. The company has denied similar reports in the past. Nevertheless, if this announcement does come, it would mark the end of OnePlus as a meaningful competitor in the West after more than a decade of challenging Samsung, Google, and Apple with flagship specs at aggressive prices.

Android Central's Take

I hope this report isn’t true. It would be a shame if OnePlus drops out of Western markets, whether or not you own one of its phones. Competition keeps brands honest, drives innovation, and gives buyers more than just the same handful of flagship options year after year. If OnePlus is really pulling back, Samsung, Google, and Apple won’t really be crying about one less competitor to worry about. And if the company is wrong about these reports again, it may also want to consider changing its communication strategy, because if rumors of your departure are front page news every few months, clearly something is not working.

What you need to know

• Omdia's latest research report states Q2 2026 brought a 4% decline in the global smartphone market, and the memory crisis is getting all the blame.
• Samsung and Apple saw a 2% and 4% increase, respectively, while all others trend downward.
• Omdia's researchers suspect that the phone market will continue to decline even into the busier holiday season later this year.
• Budget phones are also expected to take a major hit with an expected 22% drop in market share.

Research data for the second quarter is in, and while the market has dipped, there are two shining stars.

Today (July 13), Omdia shared its data regarding how the smartphone market has performed in Q2 2026. According to its research, the phone market dipped by 4% year-on-year, and Omdia is pointing a finger at the ongoing memory shortage for this drop. Its analysis states, "The current dynamic has created severe market polarization, reflecting stark differences in vendors’ mitigation strategies which vary according to their priorities, scale, price-band focus, and core audience demographics."

Despite this decline, Omdia says Samsung and Apple have gained ground, and the former is in first place. Samsung reportedly held 22% of the market share, a 2% increase compared to Q2 2025. The post states this is likely thanks to its "resilient demand" and the delayed launch of the Galaxy S26 series. Coming in second place is Apple with 20% market share (4% increase). However, Omdia raises two key points: Q2 is typically a slow period for Apple, but the company has raised prices for its other devices.

There are questions about whether or not this could impact its iPhones later this year. While Samsung and Apple are the only two companies to see an increase in volume in Q2, Runar Bjorhovde, principal analyst at Omdia, says this might not last. Bjorhovde states, "We anticipate the sharpest volume declines to hit in the upcoming two quarters, where normal seasonal demand peaks – driven by new launches, holidays and shopping festivals—collide with constrained memory chip supply."

It's also not the memory shortage that's putting more stress on companies. Bjorhovde says "semiconductor bottlenecks, such as within foundries," are also causing cost issues.

Searching for better times

The phone market hasn't had the best of years. A Q1 2026 report saw the U.S. market drop by 3% YoY. It was said that while the memory shortage and storage costs were significant culprits, so were "restrained carrier upgrades." Samsung and Apple were highlighted earlier this year, as well. Samsung, while dropping 5% YoY, still led the Android charge with 24% of the market. On the other hand, Apple dropped 3%, but held a 60% majority.

The surprise in Q1 was Motorola. While everyone else struggled, Motorola saw an 18% growth earlier this year.

A recent research report published by Omdia says times aren't looking good for budget phones. Devices placed more affordably might be the hardest hit, thanks to the pressure companies are feeling from rising memory costs. The budget phone market could plummet by 22%. This is a sour future for phones priced under $400. With that, Omdia speculates that devices priced at $400 or higher could be where companies turn next.

The reason has to do with materials. Omdia states that higher-priced phones typically offer more leeway in what a company can swap out to lower costs.

Android Central's Take

Prices are everything in the market. No one wants to burn a hole in their pocket. This is an issue Omdia brought up in its research. Le Xuan Chiew, a research manager at Omdia, said that memory prices might decline early in 2027, but there's a chance consumers won't see market prices anywhere near 2025 levels. We've seen how consumers' worries have caused them to buy phones now, not later. I can only hope that things get better.

External storage devices just keep getting more expensive, which is why every discount is worth considering nowadays, no matter how small. Fortunately, Amazon has just dropped a bunch of storage discounts that aren't small, even if they're not quite to pre-2026 standards. 

Whether you want a sturdy Samsung SSD, an all-in-one NAS server, or a compact flash drive to throw into your pocket, there is no shortage of storage discounts to check out at Amazon today. 

Indeed, these prices can still be a bummer if you're accustomed to how things were before the current RAM crisis, but if you need more storage for your tech today, this is about as good as it gets. In fact, since prices are continuing to go up for these devices, unless you want to wait another year (at least) to upgrade your storage, I'd jump on these deals while you can.  

• See the full list of deals at Amazon

Fight the global memory shortage with these Back to School storage deals

Why are storage devices so expensive right now?

Storage devices (such as SSDs, HDDs, and DRAM) are getting more expensive because of a global memory shortage caused primarily by the rise of AI data centers. The rapid growth of AI technology has led to a huge demand for memory products, which means there's less supply for consumers. Some devices have seen price increases of 200% or more, so it's important to take advantage of deals whenever you can. 

When will the memory shortage end?

No one knows for sure, although most projections have stated that the global RAM shortage will last through 2027 at minimum. Our sister site Tom's Hardware has even reported that the memory crisis will be "even worse" in 2027 than it is this year. In other words, if you need to invest in an external storage device, I'd do it sooner rather than later. 

What you need to know

• Hisense has started teasing a 6.1-inch hybrid E Ink phone with a detachable LCD, called the A10.
• A separate report claims Hisense might sell the LCD separately, meaning users would need to buy the accessory for the A10.
• This is giving BigMe some early competition and its Hibreak Dual 2 hasn't released yet.

A new trend's getting started in the world of pocketable e-readers. Hisense has started teasing a hybrid phone that's giving BigMe's next iteration a run for its money.

Hisense says it wants in on the unique e-reader, E Ink market. The company has started teasing the A10: a 6.1-inch E Ink device (via Gizmochina). This phone reportedly utilizes a 4nm 8-core Qualcomm chip, alongside Android 16. The "hybrid" nature of the phone comes into play with its magnetically atachable/detachable" LCD secondary screen.

This display sits right beneath its horizontal camera bar. The idea, which is a sentiment we've heard from another company, is to give consumers versatility. The Hisense A10's E Ink display will be (primarily) reserved for reading and writing, while the LCD brings a more traditional phone experience. It's full color, so users can open apps that are far more enjoyable on this type of screen, rather than an E Ink, paper-like display.

Interestingly, NotebookCheck cites a tipster who claims this detachable LCD might not ship with the Hisense A10. If true, then we might have to prepare for an attachable screen accessory. A separate purchase users can grab if they desire. Hisense has started teasing the A10 in China, and it's been listed with a CNY 3,999 (~$590) starting price.

Competition is good

This device will seem familiar if you caught BigMe's Hibreak Dual 2 teasers last week. BigMe finds itself in an interesting spot with the Dual 2. Its first iteration was fine, but if you were to ask my colleague Nicholas Sutrich, he'd tell you that it left a lot to be desired. The Hibreak Dual 2 looks like a step in the right direction. BigMe states this phone will feature a 6.1-inch color/BW E-Ink display and a 5-inch LCD.

Users can find this LCD on the back of the phone. BigMe said on Reddit that the goal was to "create a phone that gives you both a comfortable E Ink screen for reading/writing and a smooth LCD for everything else. No more carrying two devices." Versatility is the name of the game for BigMe and Hisense.

Users have their concerns about this device from BigMe. The company has been active on Reddit, listening to user feedback and making an effort to get it right.

What you need to know

• Meta has been pushed to remove Muse Image's capabilities in its AI chatbot on Instagram following user unrest.
• The AI could snag images of people from public Instagram accounts, turning them into unknown creations based on another user's prompt.
• Meta grappled with another privacy concern on its smart glasses, as an update now disables the camera if the privacy light is tampered with.

Meta announced the next step for its "people first" AI era last week, but it didn't sit well with users who saw its intentions for Instagram.

Meta came forward with a statement about its Muse Image AI after extreme user backlash hit the company. Reuters reports that Meta is now "discontinuing" the feature. According to the publication, Meta said, "We've ​heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so ⁠it's no longer available," when referring to Muse Image on Instagram. The company adds that it intended to deliver "a useful creative tool" and to give users "control" over their public imagery.

It's this last part—the user's "control"—that's caused an uproar in its own right. This feature quickly arrived on Instagram last week, but users were opted in for their public content to be used by others, prompting Muse Image in Meta AI. This was done without the knowledge of many, and when they found it, word quickly spread on social media to disable it.

Reuters quotes SAG-AFTRA, the union for actors and more, who said, "Anything other than a clear and conspicuous opt-in for these types of uses of Instagram users' images ​is unacceptable..." The union then highlighted the dangers of "nonconsensual digital ​replicas" as anyone can prompt Muse Image in Meta AI to take someone's photo and turn them into... anything.

What's unclear now is how Meta will proceed with Muse Image. The feature is gone from Instagram, but whether we could see it return in a different, perhaps, more acceptable capacity, isn't clear.

A lack of privacy

There's one thing to have an AI image generator that "creates" something based on the user's prompt. But users have been quick to tell Meta that the alternative, using real people's photos, is a line they're not willing to cross with it. Muse Image was launched last week and was quickly positioned as an image generator built on Muse Spark—new AI for a new era. One aspect that Meta kept pushing was that Muse Image can be "rooted" in your social circles.

This meant that people chatting with Meta AI on Instagram could @-mention their friend (or anyone with a public profile) and tell it to make something. It's not necessarily that the person consented to their photos being used. It's more that, well, their profile is public (or they haven't opted out), so Muse Image can snag it.

This wasn't the only privacy concern Meta had to deal with. Last week, the company rolled out a mandatory update that disabled its smart glasses' camera if the privacy light was tampered with. This update was the result of continued misuse of smart glasses technology, as the public detested "this creepy behavior."

Android Central's Take

I'd say I'm surprised. But I'm not. Right off the bat, the feature seemed strange. This is a big feature to opt everyone into. Most people didn't even realize it was there, or Muse Image's capabilities. Now that they do, it hasn't sat well with them. It's a privacy issue. It's the feeling you get knowing that someone can take your photo and make you look how they want. It's unsettling, and now Meta knows it.

The upcoming Google Pixel 11 series may be dominating the headlines, but with back to school season upon us, you may not want to wait any longer to buy that new smartphone. 

Last year's Google Pixel 10 Pro continues to reign as one of the best Android phones on the market today, and now you can get one for FREE by adding a new line with an eligible data plan at Verizon. 

The carrier's Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate plans will all earn you the full $999.99 in savings over 36 months, making this one of the best Verizon deals I've seen all year. No trade-in required!

Although many new phone releases feel somewhat iterative these days, Google bucked that trend by making the Pixel 10 Pro a significant upgrade from its predecessor. Straight out of the box, the phone boasts a lovely and compact 6.3-inch pOLED display — the same size as the base model Pixel 10 — while under the hood you get a hefty 16GB of RAM, outstanding performance from the Tensor G5 processor, and seven years of guaranteed OS and security upgrades.

The Pixel 10 Pro also comes packed with the latest exclusive AI-boosted software features from Gemini, including Voice Translate for Calls (a godsend when traveling), Magic Cue, Edit with Ask Photos, and more. Moreover, you get all of the features we've come to expect from Pixel phones, like excellent haptics and versatile camera tech, plus you get to enjoy some new additions like Pixelsnap Qi2 support.

All things said and done, if you're a Verizon user (or willing to switch), this is an excellent Google Pixel 10 Pro deal that comes with surprisingly little fine print attached. Sure, buying an unlocked device may be more straightforward, but if you need a new wireless plan any way, why not give Verizon a shot and get an incredible Android phone out of the deal??