"Not only does the Google Pixel Fold in half," says AT&T, but "customers (new and existing, of course!) get the device for HALF the price." A clever tagline and an even smarter Pixel Fold deal which brings Google's debut foldable phone to AT&T customers for just $25/month with no trade-in required.
That's $900 off the Google Pixel Fold price, "an easy path to ownership for an $1,800 device." The Google Pixel Fold launches today, June 20.
AT&T is also quick to remind us that it is "making the entire Pixel portfolio accessible – anyone can get the Pixel 7a for only $2/mo, the Pixel 7 for $5/mo; or the Pixel 7 Pro for $10/mo – all with no trade-in."
As a reminder, the Pixel Fold is impossibly thin for a foldable phone, and rather compact with its 5.8-inch cover screen and a big 7.6-inch main display, not to mention that it comes with one of the best set of cameras on a foldable phone, just as we'd expect from Google.
Since before the pandemic, Samsung has been the most prominent producer of foldable phones. In 2023, it's finally starting to get some competition. The Google Pixel Fold just launched, and OnePlus is expected to reveal its first foldable soon. You won't have to wait to glimpse this phone—a new leak has revealed the design, and Samsung better watch out.
The image is a render but not an official one. The leak comes from OnLeaks (via MySmartPrice), who has a long history of creating accurate smartphone renders based on leaked CAD files. These reports can include a few details on the hardware, usually in the form of physical measurements. Still, there are always some parts of the design (like materials and camera module layout) that are, at best, educated guesses.
Clearly the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip have something to do with the July Samsung Unpacked event. Samsung
This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products.
Fans of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold devices will likely have something new to look forward to later this month. Samsung announced on Wednesday that its next Unpacked event will take place on July 26. While Samsung hasn't shared details on the specific products being announced, the company previously said it plans to introduce new foldable devices at its upcoming product launch event in Seoul.
Samsung has been a frontrunner in the growing but still nascent foldable phone market, releasing the first iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold back in 2019. But it now faces fresh competition from rivals like Google and Motorola, both of which have released new phones with screens that can bend in half. The next Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold, expected to be announced at the July 26 event, will be critical for Samsung in maintaining its leadership position in the foldable market as new competitors emerge.
Wednesday's announcement came after Samsung had already said it will host its next major product launch at the end of July in Seoul, marking the first time the event has been held in the tech giant's home country. In a press release, Samsung said it chose that location "because of its role in influencing global trends with its dynamic culture and innovation," adding that it "also reflects Samsung's strong confidence in the foldable category." In addition to the live event, Samsung will be hosting a livestream on YouTube and its other channels.
Android phone hits 24GB of RAM, as much as a 13-inch MacBook Pro
The Nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ gaming phone sports a huge spec sheet. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07 ... cbook-pro/
Ron Amadeo - 7/6/2023, 11:43 AM
Android manufacturers tend to love big spec sheets, even if those giant numbers won't do much for day-to-day phone usage. In that vein, we've got the new high-water mark for ridiculous amounts of memory in a phone. The new Nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ is an Android gaming phone with an option for 24GB of RAM.
The base model of the RedMagic 8S Pro+ starts with 16GB of RAM, but GSMArena has pictures and details of the upgraded 24GB SKU, which is the most amount of memory ever in an Android phone. Because we're all about big numbers, it also comes with 1TB of storage. Keep in mind a 13-inch top-spec M2 MacBook Pro has 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, and that's a desktop OS with real multitasking, so Nubia is really pushing it. This suped-up 24GB version of the phone appears to be a China-exclusive, with the price at CNY 7,499 (about $1,034), which is a lot for a phone in China.
Android manufacturers tend to love big spec sheets, even if those giant numbers won't do much for day-to-day phone usage. In that vein, we've got the new high-water mark for ridiculous amounts of memory in a phone. The new Nubia RedMagic 8S Pro+ is an Android gaming phone with an option for 24GB of RAM.
The base model of the RedMagic 8S Pro+ starts with 16GB of RAM, but GSMArena has pictures and details of the upgraded 24GB SKU, which is the most amount of memory ever in an Android phone. Because we're all about big numbers, it also comes with 1TB of storage. Keep in mind a 13-inch top-spec M2 MacBook Pro has 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, and that's a desktop OS with real multitasking, so Nubia is really pushing it. This suped-up 24GB version of the phone appears to be a China-exclusive, with the price at CNY 7,499 (about $1,034), which is a lot for a phone in China.
After joining the 200-megapixel club with the international launch of the Honor 90 smartphone, former Huawei sub-brand Honor is keeping up the momentum with the release in China of what's billed as the thinnest and lightest book-style foldable smartphone to date.
"We are thrilled to introduce the Honor Magic V2, which achieves a new level of sophistication with thin and lightweight packages that were previously thought impossible," said company CEO, George Zhao.
Dealing with the headline claims first, the new foldable handset measures just 9.9 mm (0.389 in) when folded – a good deal thinner than Samsung's Galaxy Fold4 (which measures 15.8-14.2 mm), slimmer than Google's Pixel Fold (at 12.1 mm) and even beats Xiaomi's Mix Fold 2 (11.2 mm).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5: upgraded folding phones launched
Wed 26 Jul 2023 12.00 BST
Samsung has unveiled its next-generation devices with folding screens, including the popular Z Flip phone, alongside new water-resistant premium tablets and Galaxy Watch smartwatches.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 were unveiled on Wednesday at an event in the company’s home country of South Korea, alongside a new series of Tab S9 Android tablets and the Galaxy Watch 6 running Google’s Wear OS software.
The Z Fold 5 has improved software and supports the S Pen stylus that is intended to turn the device into a productivity power house. Photograph: Samsung
Google Announces Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Watch 2: What You Need to Know
Google's new hardware is elegant and packed with AI smarts, but it's not cheap.
By Ryan Whitwam October 4, 2023
https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/goog ... ou-need-to
Google has wrapped up its 2023 Pixel announcements, and the latest hardware is available for pre-order. Are Google's second-generation smartwatch and the more expensive Pixels worth your hard-earned money? That depends on what you're looking to get from your mobile technology. Fans of photography and AI will be pleased, but you'll have to spend more to get all of Google's new experiences.
The Pixel Watch 2 Is an Evolution
Google's second smartwatch looks identical to the first—it's round with a pebble-like chassis and Google's custom band connector. Google says the glass has been strengthened, and the frame is made from recycled aluminum. Hopefully, the improved durability helps because repairing the watch might be nigh impossible. Google never had replacement parts for the first-gen watch, so there was no option to repair it in the event of damage. From what Google told us, that won't change with the second-gen hardware.
Self-Healing Smartphone Displays to Arrive by 2028, Analysts Say
The screens would use an air-reactive material to fill in scratches and minor dents on their own.
By Adrianna Nine October 16, 2023
What if we could skip all the talk about smartphone screen repair and let our displays fix themselves? According to one group of analysts, that reality is just over the horizon. CCS Insight, a technology research firm based in the United Kingdom, shared Tuesday that major smartphone manufacturers are working to bring self-healing displays to market by 2028.
The firm’s forecast was just one of many in its Predictions for 2024 and Beyond booklet, published at the start of its three-day event of the same name. The firm said displays “capable of repairing minor scratches and dents on their own” could hit “smartphones and other consumer electronics” within the next five years.
The technology is admittedly in the early stages of development, but it can be done. In 2017, a group of engineers in Tokyo accidentally created a glass-like material capable of fixing its own fractures. Other scientists have been studying and producing self-healing components on purpose, from spacecraft hulls to pure metals. The consumer tech vertical has experimented with the idea before, albeit not very successfully: In 2013, LG released the G Flex, a curved smartphone with a self-healing coating on all sides. Motorola and Apple filed patents for similar technologies a few years later, but neither company developed a corresponding device.
First OnePlus foldable flagship confirmed for US release
By Paul Ridden
October 20, 2023
OnePlus, subsidiary of Chinese multinational Oppo, has announced its first challenger for the flagship foldable phone space, throwing down the gauntlet to more established rivals like Samsung and Google. The Open rocks a durable hinge, 2K 120-Hz OLED displays and Hasselblad-branded cameras.
"The OnePlus Open provides unparalleled hardware, innovative software features and services built around the new form factor, continuing to live up to OnePlus' Never Settle belief," said company president and COO, Kinder Liu. "With the launch of the OnePlus Open, we are thrilled to bring an uncompromising flagship foldable experience to users worldwide. The OnePlus Open is a true flagship that will revolutionize the foldable market."
When folded ready for stowing in your pocket, the outer AMOLED (LTPO 3.0) screen measures 6.31 diagonal inches, has a 2,484 x 1,116-pixel resolution for a 20:09 aspect, a peak brightness of 2,800 nits, and a 10-bit color depth. There's also a 32-megapixel holepunch fixed-focus camera for 4K video at 30 frames per second.
OnePlus Will Reveal the OnePlus 12 on Dec. 5
The Chinese launch is just days away, but other markets will have to wait a bit longer.
By Ryan Whitwam November 27, 2023 https://newatlas.com/medical/lidocaine- ... k-cancers/
We've reached the end of 2023, a year filled with interesting mobile announcements—there was the first USB-C iPhone, Google's first foldable, and Samsung's decision to focus on AI for the upcoming Galaxy S24 family. There's still time for one more big reveal, though. OnePlus has confirmed on Weibo that it will announce the OnePlus 12 on Dec. 5, and it'll have the latest and greatest mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC). There are even some official images.
The device, which you can see above, is a dead ringer for the OnePlus 11. After changing up the shape of the camera module almost every year, OnePlus is sticking with the round design that flows into the frame. The most obvious change is that the camera module now matches the color of the rest of the chassis.
Inside, this phone will have a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, likely making it one of the first devices to go on sale with Qualcomm's new chip. It will also have a 1440p OLED display from China's BOE and a 64MP Sony image sensor, the latter of which is a partnership to advance Sony's Lytia imaging brand. Whether that will boost OnePlus' middling camera performance is anyone's guess.
The Dec 5 announcement will be for the Chinese market. While we'll learn more about the hardware, some specifics (including price) will be speculative until the international reveal. OnePlus says that date will be announced on Dec. 15, reports Engadget.
Hot on the heels of last month's launch in China, Vivo has announced that the follow up to February's photo-centric X90 series smartphones has been opened to international markets. The X100 features an upgraded Zeiss imaging system, Mediatek's flagship chipset and more battery life.
As before, the new flagship handsets come in two flavors: the X100 and X100 Pro. We'll focus on the Pro here, and kick off with the rear cameras. The main shooter shapes up with a 1-inch-type image sensor boasting 50 megapixels that's been treated to "Optical Precision Calibration" for the promise on "consistent image sharpness and quality" as well as "SLR-level" stabilization chops.
The other modules in the circular camera bump are also 50-MP snappers. The so-called floating telephoto is reported to be the first mobile imaging system to meet the Zeiss Vario-Apo-Sonnar standards for reduced chromatic aberration, and comes with a f/2.5 aperture "to ensure high image quality in various scenarios, even from 6x to 10x." The remaining camera is a super-wide angle unit.
The X100 Pro's main camera is built around a 1-inch-type sensor for the promise of pro-level imagery
New Leak Reveals Samsung Galaxy S24 Specs, Announcement Date
Samsung's AI-infused phones are coming soon.
By Ryan Whitwam December 22, 2023
https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/new- ... ement-date
With 2023 almost wrapped up, Samsung is no doubt preparing for its first 2024 smartphone launch. The new Galaxy S family always drops early in the year, and a new leak suggests we're less than a month away from the big reveal. If that's not enough, we also have what appears to be an official spec sheet for the Galaxy S24 family, revealing some of the core features of these Android smartphones.
The leak, courtesy of noted mobile leaker Evan 'evleaks' Blass, features an early look at a countdown clock that will hit zero at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 17. On X (formerly Twitter), Blass posted the countdown and followed that up with a "F*** it" post that includes the spec sheet. This is not the full spec sheet you'd find buried on Samsung's site post-launch. It's a simplified comparison sheet that shows how the three S24 models and select features compare.
Minimal phone gets back to basics with E Ink display and real keyboard
By Paul Ridden
January 25, 2024
https://newatlas.com/mobile-technology/ ... -keyboard/
We've seen a number of handsets over the years that have been designed to cut down on over-stimulating distractions present on smartphones. The latest looks like a happy marriage between a Blackberry and e-reader, and goes by the name of Minimal.
Only very basic information has been shared on the startup's website so far, but founder and CEO of the Minimal Company Andre Youkhma recently took to Reddit to answer key queries.
The Minimal phone is going to be constructed using eco-friendly materials, though no specifics have been revealed as yet. It will boast a backlit monochrome E Ink display topped with a capacitive touchscreen, which will doubtless make it a per-charge warrior as well as being eye-friendly. In fact, the 4,000-mAh battery is reckoned good for four days of usage and there's support for rapid charging. Under this sits a full QWERTY keyboard for a "more satisfying and accurate typing experience."
Pixel Fold 2 Could Arrive Late, Featuring Tensor G4 Instead of G3
The new report suggests Google's second foldable is still early in development.
By Ryan Whitwam February 7, 2024 https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/pixe ... tead-of-g3
Google tried making a foldable phone last year, and the results were interesting. It doesn't feel quite right to call the Pixel Fold a success, but it wasn't a failure, either. Google is reportedly taking a little more time with the successor, which won't launch around Google I/O as previously believed. The device could instead arrive in late 2024 with a Tensor G4, skipping the current G3 entirely.
The Pixel Fold debuted in June 2023 after the I/O announcement, offering Google's first take on a foldable smartphone experience. This, after multiple generations of Samsung foldables, set the stage for Google's attempt. The Pixel Fold has a lot going for it, including a smooth, elegant version of Android and a thin chassis. However, the hinge didn't open completely flat, and the $1,800 price tag was hard to swallow.
Google Pixel Phone Sales Hit 10 Million Last Year
And Google hopes to do it again in 2024.
By Ryan Whitwam February 23, 2024
Google revamped its approach to making smartphones in 2016, and a new report says that change is finally bearing fruit. The Android maker reached a milestone in 2023 of 10 million Pixel phones sold. These numbers no doubt dwarf sales from the old Nexus phone program, but Google is still a long, long way from being a major player in the smartphone hardware market.
The report comes by way of Nekkei Asia, but Google doesn't typically announce official numbers for Pixel phones. Nekkei claims to have a source with direct knowledge of Google's plans, who says not only has Google reached 10 million sales, but it has set an "ambitious" goal of replicating that feat in 2024.
Huawei unveils Pocket 2, a stylish flip phone with satellite
Feb 23, 2024
On Thursday, Huawei launched the Huawei Pocket 2, a sleek flip foldable phone seemingly targeted at a young, predominantly female demographic, hitting the shelves after a 16-month gap since the previous generation. The Pocket 2 stands out as the industry’s first foldable flagship to support messaging via China’s Beidou satellite, facilitating communication in regions lacking ground network signal. The device also represents Huawei’s first foldable device equipped with its self-developed Kirin chipset.
Why it matters: Foldable smartphones, an emerging product range in the smartphone industry, have huge market potential in the Chinese market compared to traditional models – although overall phone shipments in China saw a decline in 2023, the foldable category experienced a sharp rise in sales.
