Material Design 3 (also known as Material You) was launched back in 2021 alongside the Android 12 update. The design language focuses on more animations and visual customizations at the entry level, allowing users to change line thickness, size of UI elements, and more.

Google gradually updated Gmail's web version and other apps with the new design language, but the iPhone's turn came after almost four years. Last year, it added a new Material You-based dark theme to the web version of Google Calendar.

Another Gmail feature that has been available on Android for a year is now coming to iPhone. Google Workspace customers and users with personal accounts can create and modify birthday events in the Gmail app on iOS.

However, what could be a Google announcement without the mention of artificial intelligence? The Gemini side panel in Gmail for Android and iOS is being updated with image generation capabilities. The feature is already available on the web; users can save, copy, or insert the AI-generated image into a compose draft.

Google said that image generation is rolling out to select Workspace tiers, including Business Starter/Standard/Plus, Enterprise Starter/Standard/Plus, Google One AI Premium, and those with Gemini add-ons.

The search giant is rolling out draggable dividers for Gmail and Google Chat users on Android devices with large screens. Users can pick between a one-pane or two-pane layout and control the width of each pane when in two-pane mode.

Apart from that, a new update is coming to Google's video editor Vids, allowing users to control the height of the timeline to view more objects when working on timing for individual scenes. These new features add to the list of Workspace updates Google pushed this week, including high-quality templates for Google Slides and data classification labels for Gmail.

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It has been tipped that the phone will be incredibly thin, measuring just 5.5mm. Dummy units of the entire iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone 17 Air, have popped up a few times in the past, giving us a glimpse at the device's design.

Now, reliable leaker Sonny Dickson has shared some images of the dummy units of the iPhone 17 series. Based on the images, the iPhone 17 Air looks remarkably thin, almost as thin as the USB-C port at the bottom. The images show the purported iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max from the side and bottom angles.

Since Apple has had a fair share of issues with slim phones in the past (the infamous iPhone 6's Bend Gate issue), for the iPhone 17 Air, the company is expected to be using a mix of titanium and aluminum chassis for the iPhone to ensure it can withstand bending.

To achieve the rumored 5.5mm thinness, Apple has decided to equip the iPhone 17 Air with a single 48MP camera, eSIM globally, Apple's in-house designed Wi-Fi chip, and ultra-efficient C1 modem, recently introduced with iPhone 16e.

Not everything's a downgrade, as the iPhone 17 Air, similar to other models in the lineup, is expected to get an upgraded 24MP selfie camera. MagSafe and Action buttons are also a part of the slim iPhone.

Image by Sonny Dicson on X

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After a flurry of leaks, Motorola has unveiled its 2025 foldable lineup. This will be the first cycle with three Motorola Razr flip phones, ranging from the relatively inexpensive base model Razr to the lavishly expensive Razr Ultra. All three phones have a slick foldable design, a stronger hinge, and big screens—and they come in a collection of snazzy Pantone colorways.

Pretty colors, stronger hinges

The three models have similar overall designs, but the specs are notably different. The base model phone again relies on a MediaTek chip, while the Plus and Ultra are Snapdragon-based. The Ultra has the same processor seen in Samsung's latest flagship phones, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. As Moto points out, it's the fastest chip available in a foldable.

The 2025 Razr in the Spring Bud colorway.

Credit: Motorola

Motorola's Pantone partnership, which was recently featured in the 2025 Moto G Stylus, is used to great effect here. All three phones are available in some stunning colors with various materials and finishes. The Razr comes in Spring Bud (above), Gibraltar Sea, Parfait Pink, and Lightest Sky. The Razr+ gets Mocha Mousse, Midnight Blue, and Hot Pink (below). The Ultra comes in Rio Red, Scarab, Cabaret, or Mountain Trail, with a wood body that harkens back to the days of Moto maker. It's refreshing to get so much choice when most phones are only available in a couple of boring tones.

The phones are very similar in size (within fractions of a millimeter), but the Ultra does have a slightly larger display. Thanks to a 20 percent reduction in bezel size, this phone measures 7 inches, compared to 6.9 inches for the base and Plus models. Resolution and refresh rate also scale upward with price. The cheapest Razr has a 1080p main screen at 120 Hz, while the Ultra is "Super HD," which is apparently 2992 x 1224. That's much higher resolution than the majority of phones, even in this price range.

Flip phones need an external screen, too. Similar to last year's phones, the base model Razr has a smaller 3.6-inch OLED on the outside. The Plus and Ultra expand that display to cover the entire available surface area, giving you a 4-inch pOLED to use.

The 2025 Razr Ultra in the Mountain Trail colorway, which includes sustainable wood.

Credit: Motorola

There is always a durability concern with foldables—while manufacturers say the hinges are good for a zillion folds, we've seen a number of foldable devices crap out early. Moto's devices have been more robust in our testing, and the new ones should be even more sturdy. Motorola says these devices have a new titanium-reinforced hinge, extending their predicted lifespan by about 35 percent. The foldable displays are also 30 percent smoother physically, reducing the appearance of the dreaded foldable crease.

More AI, obviously

It's 2025, so naturally, there are some AI features built into the new Razrs. They all have Google Gemini pre-loaded, but you also get a collection of features called Moto AI. For example, Catch Me Up can summarize notifications and content from select apps. The Razr Ultra also has a dedicated button for accessing Moto AI—it's unclear if that will get much use, as OEM generative AI features have been largely underwhelming. Hopefully it's remappable.

All these phones ship with Android 15 on board, which is the latest version of the platform right now. However, that won't be the case in a month or two when Google releases Android 16. Motorola has never been terribly concerned with long-term update support, and that's not changing despite the appearance of a more expensive foldable. These phones only get three years of full OS updates and four years of security patches. For a $700 phone, that might be acceptable, but the $1,300 Razr Ultra should have something closer to Google's and Samsung's seven-year update commitment.

The 2025 Razr+ in the Hot Pink colorway.

Credit: Motorola

While the updates could be better, Motorola's Android software is generally very good. Moto actually tries to optimize for the foldable form factor with different display features for the outer screen when the phone is in "tent" or "stand" mode. The phone can essentially become a desk clock or a music control console that wakes up when you reach toward it, and the Ultra phone gets some additional Moto AI interactions when it's propped up like that.

Availability

You won't have to wait long to get your hands on a new Motorola flip phone. In the US, Motorola will begin selling all three phones fully unlocked on May 7 through its own storefront, Amazon, and Best Buy. The base model ($699.99) will also launch on virtually every US carrier starting on May 15. It will come to Canada on May 7 as well, with carrier releases in June.

The Razr+ ($999.99) will come to just two carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile, on May 15. There's no Canadian release planned right now. Meanwhile, Motorola's new flagship Razr Ultra ($1,299.99) gets the same carrier release after its initial unlocked debut. However, the Ultra will also launch in Canada in June.

Moto is definitely branching out with the Ultra, but will wood paneling be enough to convince people to drop $1,300 on a Motorola flip phone? It can't hurt, at least.

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The leaked specs come courtesy of reliable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, aka OnLeaks (via 91Mobiles). Here are the complete specifications as per the leak:

Based on the leaked spec sheet, the upcoming Motorola Razr 60 Ultra is expected to feature battery, charging, chipset, and front camera upgrades over the Razr 50 Ultra. For instance, the Razr 60 Ultra is tipped to get the Snapdragon 8 Elite over the Snapdragon 8s Gen3 on the Razr 50 Ultra. The upcoming foldable could feature an ultra-wide camera instead of a telephoto lens. Plus, the front camera is expected to get upgraded from 32MP to 50MP.

Under the hood, the Razr 50 Ultra features a 4,000 mAh battery with 45W wired and 15W wireless charging, while the Razr 60 Ultra might get a 4,700 mAh battery with 68W wired and 30W wireless charging. Display is also slightly bigger at 7-inch on the Razr 60 Ultra compared to 6.9-inch on the Razr 50 Ultra.

While the pricing information is under wraps, a rumor claimed that the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra could cost EUR1,346 or $1,530 for the 12GB/512GB model. The Razr 60 Ultra could launch in red, green, wood, black, and pink.

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Samsung Auto was spotted by a Reddit user, and then 9to5Google later confirmed it by sideloading it on a US Galaxy S25 Ultra. The app allows users to connect their vehicles using either Baidu CarLife+ or ICCOA CarLink. However, both of these connection standards are currently only available in vehicles sold in China.

The app is compatible with a long list of vehicles from different brands like Audi and BMW, but again, only on the versions that are sold exclusively in China. 9to5Google, in their testing, found that the UI of Samsung Auto is very similar to that of Google's Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay.

The dashboard display features the navigation app, all the music controls, and a few widgets. Additionally, just like CarPlay, the Samsung Auto display also shows four apps placed vertically on the side.

Samsung Auto reportedly offers a quick navigation feature that acts as a bridge between your car and your smartphone. The feature lets you start navigation on your Samsung smartphone and move it to your car's display, or vice versa. It’s very similar to what you get with Google Maps, where you can send a navigation link from your phone to your car’s display.

The Reddit user’s post also suggests that the app is offering two exclusive features—location-based navigation and recognize addresses for quick navigation. According to Samsung, the location-based navigation feature automatically pulls the address the user receives in a message and updates their current navigation route in Samsung Auto map with it. This feature can really be helpful, as drivers won’t have to stop their car to manually enter a new destination when they need to change routes based on an address shared via message.

The "recognize addresses for quick navigation" feature is only compatible with select Chinese applications and works only when the user is inside their car. When one of these supported Chinese apps detects an address, a shortcut button will appear on the smartphone screen. Users can tap this button to send the address to their car’s display and begin navigation.

As mentioned earlier, Samsung Auto is currently available only in the Chinese market. The main reason for this is that the app relies on Baidu and ICCOA standards to connect with vehicles. Since implementing both standards would require significant firmware changes from both car manufacturers and Samsung, it seems unlikely that Samsung Auto will be available globally, at least not in the near future.

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In fact, Samsung did not use UDC in its Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition and instead opted for a punch-hole camera. The phone launched only in China and South Korea.

Now, a fresh report has surfaced, giving us details about the display on the rumored Apple foldable. And guess what? It mentions the use of under-display camera technology. Of course, this is just a leak and should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

The latest leak comes from Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, aka DCS on Weibo. The leaker claims that Apple's upcoming foldable could rock a 7.76-inch 2713x1920 pixel resolution display with the under-display camera. The outer screen is tipped to measure 5.49 inches with a pixel resolution of 2088x1422, corroborating a previous leak.

However, unlike the inner display, the outer display could feature a punch hole for the selfie camera. While this leak suggests details about a book-style Apple foldable, rumors of a clamshell iPhone have also circulated online.

Apple's delay in entering the folding phone market reportedly stems from its desire to bring some technological advancement compared to other foldables already available. News about Apple successfully eliminating the display crease has also surfaced, suggesting the company may have found its X-factor.

Reliable source Ming-Chi Kuo has also reported the same display specs for the alleged Apple foldable. He further suggested that the rumored Apple foldable could cost above $2,000 or $2,500. Information about the hinge also emerged, suggesting that Apple could use hinge made up of amorphous alloy, also known as metallic glass.

Metallic glass is said to be 2.5 times harder than titanium, which could serve as another USP of the upcoming foldable. Apple's entry into the foldable market is expected to bring a breath of fresh air to the currently stagnant foldable market.

Image via Weibo

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While people still wait to experience all the new features of One UI 7, a leak has popped up, allegedly giving us our first look at One UI 8. In an exclusive preview (via Smartprix), a Galaxy Z Fold6 was spotted running One UI 8 Alpha build. The new software is based on Android 16 and, as per the images of different apps, introduces subtle changes over One UI 7.

According to the shared images, the welcome screen on One UI 8 looks similar to what has been introduced with One UI 7—at least in the Alpha build. Moreover, the Software Information page also appears largely unchanged. However, tapping on the Android Version reveals the Android 16 Easter Egg.

The Samsung Gallery app has received some tweaks, with each content inside the Menu bar now featuring its own icon and tile. The My Files app is also getting a makeover with the Categories section, now changed to separate cards for Images, Videos, Audio Files, Documents, Downloads, and Installation Files. A storage indicator has also been added inside a pill-shaped element.

Additionally, the One uI 7 Now Brief feature—which has so far remained exclusive to the Galaxy S25 series—may also be made available for older Galaxy models. Samsung may expand the Now Brief feature to some older Galaxy phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6, with One UI 8.

Keep in mind that these aren't the only changes coming with One UI 8. Since this is reportedly an Alpha build, more features are expected in future versions.

Images via Smartprix

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Samsung began the process of updating millions of smartphones around the world to its latest One UI 7 (Android 15) software last week, but that process has now been halted. Over the weekend, Samsung purged the One UI 7 update from its servers, which indicates that a serious problem has occurred. The company isn't offering any explanation for the pause yet, but reports around the Internet suggest there are some bugs problematic enough that it required Samsung to slam on the brakes.

This update was destined for the Galaxy S24, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6, all of which launched with One UI 6 (Android 14). Samsung promises seven years of update support like Google, but it takes longer for it to release new operating system versions. Not only does Samsung modify the way Android looks, but it also integrates a raft of Galaxy AI features with Android. It takes time to do that—seven months and counting since Android 15's release—but it seems Samsung should have spent a little more time testing all those changes.

As soon as Samsung began the rollout on April 7, Galaxy S24 users in Korea noticed their phones would intermittently refuse to unlock, as reported by frequent Samsung leaker IceUniverse. There are also reports that Samsung's supposedly private Secure Folder has a bug in One UI 7 that can see photos from the gallery appear in auto-generated Stories. These Stories are accessible from outside the Secure Folder, which rather defeats the purpose of having private photos.

When asked about specifics, Samsung doesn't have much to say. "The One UI 7 rollout schedule is being updated to ensure the best possible experience. The new timing and availability will be shared shortly," the company said.

Samsung's flagship foldables, the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, are among the phones waiting on the One UI 7 update.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

One UI 7 is based on Android 15, which is the latest version of the OS for the moment. Google plans to release the first version of Android 16 in June, which is much earlier than in previous cycles. Samsung's current-gen Galaxy S25 family launched with One UI 7, so owners of those devices don't need to worry about the buggy update.

Samsung is no doubt working to fix the issues and restart the update rollout. Its statement is vague about timing—"shortly" can mean many things. We've reached out and will report if Samsung offers any more details on the pause or when it will be over.

When One UI 7 finally arrives on everyone's phones, the experience will be similar to what you get on the Galaxy S25 lineup. There are a handful of base Android features in the update, but it's mostly a Samsung affair. There's the new AI-infused Now Bar, more expansive AI writing tools, camera UI customization, and plenty of interface tweaks.

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Apple is taking another crack at iPad multitasking, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This year's iPadOS 19 release, due to be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, will apparently include an "overhaul that will make the tablet's software more like macOS."

The report is light on details about what's actually changing, aside from a broad "focus on productivity, multitasking, and app window management." But Apple will apparently continue to stop short of allowing users of newer iPads to run macOS on their tablets, despite the fact that modern iPad Airs and Pros use the same processors as Macs.

If this is giving you déjà vu, you're probably thinking about iPadOS 16, the last time Apple tried making significant upgrades to the iPad's multitasking model. Gurman's reporting at the time even used similar language, saying that iPads running the new software would work "more like a laptop and less like a phone."

The result of those efforts was Stage Manager. It had steep hardware requirements and launched in pretty rough shape, even though Apple delayed the release of the update by a month to keep polishing it. Stage Manager did allow for more flexible multitasking, and on newer models, it enabled true multi-monitor support for the first time. But early versions were buggy and frustrating in ways that still haven't fully been addressed by subsequent updates (MacStories' Federico Viticci keeps the Internet's most comprehensive record of the issues with the software.)

Stage Manager was Apple's first crack at a full overhaul for the iPad's app multitasking; the original implementation dated back to iOS 9, the first release to allow a pair of iPad apps to run side by side on the screen at the same time. Apple gradually improved this multitasking mode in subsequent releases, and it's still the way multitasking works on older iPads and the $349 11th-generation iPad.

But features like Split View and Slide Over were designed for iPads with weaker processors and as little as 2GB of RAM; by the time the iPads began shipping with the same M-series processors that Apple used for the Macs, it was clear that the hardware was capable of more.

A hallmark of our iPad Pro reviews, from the original in 2015 all the way up through last year's M4 models, is that iPadOS and its apps aren't making the best possible use of the hardware, especially for the prices Apple charges. The new software update could fix that, making the iPad Pro and Air feel more like the laptop replacements they're clearly capable of being. It could also feel like another half-measure. Either way, we'll know more in just a few weeks.

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By the time Apple releases M5-powered iPads, using iPadOS may feel closer to working on a Mac, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter. It won’t be macOS running on a tablet, but he writes that the changes will be significant enough to make people who want such a thing happy.

Updates to iPadOS coming this year will be focused “on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac,” according to Gurman. He says these changes are due “about a year” after the release of the M4 iPad Pro, a fantastic tablet with far more power than its software demands.

Stage Manager as it looks in iPadOS 18.

Image: Wes Davis / The Verge

Gurman’s report doesn’t give any indication of what Apple’s updated multitasking will look like, and it’s best to reserve any excitement until we see more. Back in 2022, Apple added Stage Manager to iPadOS 16, a feature that enables windowing and also groups app windows together in a dock-like collection on the side of the display. It might have seemed like an exciting change if you wanted to be able to ditch your MacBook, but what shipped felt too half-hearted to be a useful step in the direction of a proper desktop operating system.

Apple has iterated since, for instance by letting users resize windows more freely in iPadOS 17, but the approach is still much more iPad than Mac. That’s not necessarily a problem on its own unless you’re the type who wants to replace your MacBook with an Apple tablet. We’ll see how much the company moves the needle on that when it unveils iPadOS 19 in June.

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Smartphones are ever-present in our lives and can be endlessly useful and distracting, but whatever you do on your phone, it needs a steady supply of power. For most of us, phone charging is a daily ritual. While the batteries inside our phones are broadly similar across brands, the charging protocols and standards are sadly not. Most chargers with the right cable will work, but different phones have different capabilities, so you need specific cables and chargers to fast-charge them at the maximum possible rate.

Let's unravel the world of smartphone charging with a quick explanation of charging technology and explore what you need to fast-charge your phone before we dive into the common standards and proprietary protocols for wired and wireless charging.

Watts Up

If you’re happy charging your phone overnight, you don’t need to worry about specific standards and chargers. Just check your phone's port. All smartphones now rock USB-C ports, but older iPhones have Lightning ports, and you might still find some old Android phones with MicroUSB. With a cable that fits your phone’s charging port, almost any charger will juice it up.

If you want to fast-charge your phone, the first thing you need to know is how fast it can charge. The charging rate for smartphones is measured in watts. If it’s not listed, you can find the charging rate for most phones in the tech specs on the company's product page. Sometimes this is tougher than it should be, and you may need to read the small print. For example, Google says the Pixel 9 is capable of “fast charging” using a Google 45-W USB-C Charger, but check the footnotes and you'll see the maximum rate the phone accepts is 27 watts.

You also need to know what charging protocol the smartphone supports. Thankfully, there has been a move toward standardization on this front, with the majority of phones now supporting Universal Serial Bus (USB) Power Delivery (PD), but there are many other protocols we’ll dig into below. Things are clearer for wireless charging with the Qi standard, though Apple’s MagSafe and Qi2 have muddied the waters a little.

Once you know the wattage and the protocol, you can select a cable and charger capable of delivering power. Bear in mind that the cable and charger, whether it’s a wall charger, charging hub, wireless charger, or travel adapter, must be capable of providing the maximum wattage your phone can pull down, and it’s generally recommended to go higher since no charging technology is 100 percent efficient. It’s worth noting that the cable and charger that came in the box with your phone are usually capable of charging at the maximum rate. (Nowadays, phone makers don't include a charger in the box, just a cable.)

While the wattage is enough for the cable, the charger you select must also support the specific charging protocol or standard your phone employs. You should see Power Delivery or other supported standards listed—there might be a logo on the charger or box. If there’s no wattage (W) listed for a cable or charger, you can calculate it by multiplying the voltage (V) and the current (A), assuming they are listed.

Smartphones have a maximum charging rate in watts, but they will only charge at that rate some of the time. Phones communicate with the charger to dictate how much power they draw. When a battery is close to empty or full, it will charge more slowly. Charging rates are adjusted to reduce heat (energy loss) and prolong battery life (adaptive charging).

Wired Charging

The fastest charging rates are only possible by plugging in, and wired charging is the most efficient option, with between 90 and 95 percent of the energy deployed successfully received by the phone.

Here are some of the main charging standards you are likely to encounter:

Power Delivery (PD)

USB PD is the most common USB-C charging standard for smartphones, not to mention tablets and laptops. PD is as close as we currently have to a universal standard. Apple, Google, and Samsung use it in all their latest phones, and most smartphones are compatible with PD chargers. Confusingly, most phones that support proprietary charging standards also support PD.

While there are different versions of PD, there are only a couple of things you need to be aware of:

• Programmable Power Supply (PPS) in PD 3.0 allows granular configurable voltage levels, enabling fine control over power drawn to keep heat (energy loss) to a minimum and charge as fast as possible. Phones that support PPS need a PPS charger to charge at maximum speed.
• Extended Power Range (EPR) in PD 3.1 enables charging rates of up to 240 watts, up from the previous maximum of 100 watts.

Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC)

Qualcomm’s Quick Charge (QC) was developed to charge batteries in devices faster than standard USB, allowed by increasing the output voltage supplied by the USB charger. Since many phones use Qualcomm chipsets, support for QC is widespread. There have been several versions of QC, but the last three versions (QC 4, 4+, and 5) all support PD and can go up to 100 watts. QC is also cross-compatible with many other proprietary standards.

MediaTek Pump Express

MediaTek is another big chipmaker with its own fast-charging technology called Pump Express, much like Qualcomm’s QC. MediaTek doesn’t seem to promote it anymore, but Pump Express version 4.0 is compliant with the USB PD 3.0 standard.

Oppo VOOC and SuperVOOC

Developed by Oppo, Voltage Open Loop Multi-Step Constant-Current Charging (VOOC) was first introduced in 2014, with successor SuperVOOC following two years later. Both are proprietary standards, but Oppo has licensed them for use by other brands, such as OnePlus (its Warp Charge relied on VOOC technology) and Realme. While most fast-charging technologies supply a higher voltage, SuperVOOC uses higher amperage and employs two tricks: a dual-cell battery in the phone and offloaded charging circuitry in the charger.

While VOOC only offered 20 watts to start with, the standard has consistently been faster than most of the competition, and SuperVOOC 2.0 brought 65-watt charging in 2020. It jumped to 100 watts soon after and can go higher (theoretically up to 240 watts), though very few devices go beyond 100 watts today. To get the top speeds, you need a SuperVOOC 100-watt charger, but it’s worth noting that they double as PD chargers to deliver up to 65 watts.

There are several other proprietary charging standards:

• Xiaomi HyperCharge: Xiaomi’s proprietary charging standard offers up to 120-watt charging for some of its devices with the right Xiaomi charger, though the flagship Xiaomi 15 Ultra tops out at 90 watts.
• Motorola Rapid Charging and TurboPower: Motorola’s older phones employed Rapid Charging, but its latest phones use TurboPower. Different phone models have different maximum charging rates, but its fastest TurboPower charger is rated at 125 watts.
• Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging (AFC) and Super Fast Charging (SFC): You’ll find AFC in some older Samsung phones, but many of its newer smartphones support SFC for up to 45-watt charging. This may need to be activated via Settings > Battery > Charging Settings > Fast Charging.
• Huawei Fast Charge Protocol (FCP) and SuperCharge Protocol (SCP): The older FCP standard went up to 18 watts, but Huawei’s SCP can go up to 100 watts.

Anker PowerIQ

It’s not just chip and phone makers that offer fast charging. Anker makes some of our favorite chargers and power banks and has its own standard called PowerIQ. Version 3.0 of PowerIQ allows up to 100-watt charging and supports QC 3.0 and PD 3.0. The latest PowerIQ 4.0 is designed to automatically detect and adjust the voltage output of connected devices to shorten the overall charging time and supports PD 3.1 and PPS.

Wireless Charging

While it’s usually slower and less efficient, with between 70 and 90 percent of the energy deployed being successfully received by the phone, wireless charging is convenient. With wireless charging, there’s no need to fumble with cables, and no wear and tear on your phone’s port. Here are the main wireless charging standards you'll encounter:

Qi Wireless Charging

Pronounced (chee), Qi is the original, open, universal wireless charging standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC), and you can find the Qi logo on all the officially certified wireless chargers. First released in 2010, Qi originally only allowed 5-watt charging with the Baseline Power Profile (BPP). Version 1.2 brought the Extended Power Profile (EPP), increasing the maximum charging rate to 15 watts.

Apple MagSafe

Announced in 2020, Apple’s MagSafe standard combined Qi wireless charging with a magnetic array in the iPhone 12 and later, ensuring perfect coil alignment with MagSafe chargers. It also offered a maximum 15-watt charging rate. It now supports the Qi2 standard (see below), and select new iPhones can charge at 25 watts.

Qi2 Wireless Charging

In 2023, the Qi2 standard introduced the Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) based on Apple’s MagSafe technology. (Apple was involved in developing the Qi2 standard.) This allows Qi2-branded devices to add a ring of magnets to ensure perfect alignment with chargers and allow for faster charging speeds. The current limit is 15 watts, but this will likely increase with future revisions. We have a Qi2 explainer that delves deeper. It's worth noting that with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, a new “Qi2 Ready” standard arrived. These are phones that technically support Qi2, but do not have magnets baked inside. Instead, to enable the Qi2 charging features, you need to use a magnetic Qi2 case.

There are a few other proprietary wireless charging standards:

• Oppo AirVOOC: Oppo’s proprietary wireless charging standard, also used by OnePlus, is called AirVOOC and allows for wireless charging at up to 50 watts.
• Xiaomi HyperCharge: Xiaomi’s proprietary wireless charging standard can go as high as 80 watts with the right Xiaomi charger and smartphone.
• Samsung Wireless Fast Charge: Samsung developed a Proprietary Power Delivery Extension (PPDE) standard in the early days of Qi to offer higher than 5-watt wireless charging.
• Google Power Profile: Google’s Pixel Stand chargers charged certain Pixel phones, like the Pixel 8 Pro, at up to 23 watts, but the Pixel Stand has been discontinued.

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It took a few years, but Google's Pixel phones have risen to the top of the Android ranks, and its new Pixel 9a keeps most of what has made flagship Pixel phones so good, including the slick software and versatile cameras. Despite a revamped design and larger battery, Google has maintained the $499 price point of last year's phone, undercutting other "budget" devices like the iPhone 16e.

However, hitting this price point involves trade-offs in materials, charging, and—significantly—the on-device AI capabilities compared to its pricier siblings. None of those are deal-breakers, though. In fact, the Pixel 9a may be coming along at just the right time. As we enter a period of uncertainty for imported gadgets, a modestly priced phone with lengthy support could be the perfect purchase.

A simpler silhouette

The Pixel 9a sports the same rounded corners and flat edges we've seen on other recent smartphones. The aluminum frame has a smooth, almost silky texture, with rolled edges that flow into the front and back covers.

The 9a is just small enough to be cozy in your hand.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

On the front, there's a sheet of Gorilla Glass 3, which has been a mainstay of budget phones for years. On the back, Google used recycled plastic with a matte finish. It attracts more dust and grime than glass, but it doesn't show fingerprints as clearly. The plastic doesn't feel as solid as the glass backs on Google's more expensive phones, and the edge where it meets the aluminum frame feels a bit more sharp and abrupt than the glass on Google's flagship phones.

Were it not for the "G" logo emblazoned on the back, you might not recognize the Pixel 9a as a Google phone. It lacks the camera bar that has been central to the design language of all Google's recent devices, opting instead for a sleeker flat design.

The move to a pOLED display saved a few millimeters, giving the designers a bit more internal volume. In the past, Google has always pushed toward thinner and thinner Pixels, but it retained the same 8.9 mm thickness for the Pixel 9a. Rather than shave off a millimeter, Google equipped the Pixel 9a with a 5,100 mAh battery, which is the largest ever in a Pixel, even beating out the larger and more expensive Pixel 9 Pro XL by a touch.

The Pixel 9a (left) drops the camera bar from the Pixel 8a (right).

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The camera module on the back is almost flush with the body of the phone, rising barely a millimeter from the surrounding plastic. The phone feels more balanced and less top-heavy than phones that have three or four cameras mounted to chunky aluminum surrounds. The buttons on the right edge are the only other disruptions to the phone's clean lines. They, too, are aluminum, with nice, tactile feedback and no detectable wobble. Aside from a few tiny foibles, the build quality and overall feel of this phone are better than we'd expect for $499.

The 6.3-inch OLED is slightly larger than last year's, and it retains the chunkier bezels of Google's A-series phones. While the flagship Pixels are all screen from the front, there's a sizable gap between the edge of the OLED and the aluminum frame. That means the body is a few millimeters larger than it probably had to be—the Pixel 9 Pro has the same display size, and it's a bit more compact, for example. Still, the Pixel 9a does not look or feel oversized.

The camera bump just barely rises above the surrounding plastic.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The OLED is sharp enough at 1080p and has an impressively high peak brightness, making it legible outdoors. However, the low-brightness clarity falls short of what you get with more expensive phones like the Pixel 9 Pro or Galaxy S25. The screen supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, but that's disabled by default. This panel does not use LTPO technology, which makes higher refresh rates more battery-intensive. There's a fingerprint scanner under the OLED, but it has not been upgraded to ultrasonic along with the flagship Pixels. This one is still optical—it works quickly enough, but it lights up dark rooms and lacks reliability compared to ultrasonic sensors.

Probably fast enough

Google took a page from Apple when it debuted its custom Tensor mobile processors with the Pixel 6. Now, Google uses Tensor processors in all its phones, giving a nice boost to budget devices like the Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9a has a Tensor G4, which is identical to the chip in the Pixel 9 series, save for a slightly different modem.

With no camera bump, the Pixel 9a lays totally flat on surfaces with very little wobble.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

While Tensor is not a benchmark speed demon like the latest silicon from Qualcomm or Apple, it does not feel slow in daily use. A chip like the Snapdragon 8 Elite puts up huge benchmark numbers, but it doesn't run at that speed for long. Qualcomm's latest chips can lose half their speed to heat, but Tensor only drops by about a third during extended load.

However, even after slowing down, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a faster gaming chip than Tensor. If playing high-end games like Diablo Immortal and Genshin Impact is important to you, you can do better than the Pixel 9a (and other Pixels).

The 9a can't touch the S25, but it runs neck and neck with the Pixel 9 Pro.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Google isn't far off from the iPhone, but Qualcomm's latest chip is the gaming king.

Ryan Whitwam

 

The Pixel 9a will run games on medium or low settings just fine.

Ryan Whitwam

 

In general use, the Pixel 9a is more than fast enough that you won't spend time thinking about the Tensor chip. Apps open quickly, animations are unerringly smooth, and the phone doesn't get too hot. There are some unavoidable drawbacks to its more limited memory, though. Apps don't stay in memory as long or as reliably as they do on the flagship Pixels, for instance. There are also some AI limitations we'll get to below.

With a 5,100 mAh battery, the Pixel 9a has more capacity than any other Google phone. Combined with the 1080p screen, the 9a gets much longer battery life than the flagship Pixels. Google claims about 30 hours of usage per charge. In our testing, this equates to a solid day of heavy use with enough left in the tank that you won't feel the twinge of range anxiety as evening approaches. If you're careful, you might be able to make it two days without a recharge.

The Pixel 9a (right) is much smaller than the Pixel 9 Pro XL (left), but it has a slightly larger battery.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

As for recharging, Google could do better—the Pixel 9a manages just 23 W wired and 7.5 W wireless, and the flagship Pixels are only a little faster. Companies like OnePlus and Motorola offer phones that charge several times faster than Google's.

The low-AI Pixel

Google's Pixel software is one of the primary reasons to buy its phones. There's no bloatware on the device when you take it out of the box, which saves you from tediously extracting a dozen sponsored widgets and microtransaction-laden games right off the bat. Google's interface design is also our favorite right now, with a fantastic implementation of Material You theming that adapts to your background colors.

Gemini is the default assistant, but the 9a loses some of Google's most interesting AI features.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The Pixel version of Android 15 also comes with a raft of thoughtful features, like the anti-spammer Call Screen and Direct My Call to help you navigate labyrinthine phone trees. Gemini is also built into the phone, fully replacing the now-doomed Google Assistant. Google notes that Gemini on the 9a can take action across apps, which is technically true. Gemini can look up data from one supported app and route it to another at your behest, but only when it feels like it. Generative AI is still unpredictable, so don't bank on Gemini being a good assistant just yet.

Google's more expensive Pixels also have the above capabilities, but they go further with AI. Google's on-device Gemini Nano model is key to some of the newest and more interesting AI features, but large language models (even the small ones) need a lot of RAM. The 9a's less-generous 8GB of RAM means it runs a less-capable version of the AI known as Gemini Nano XXS that only supports text input.

As a result, many of the AI features Google was promoting around the Pixel 9 launch just don't work. For example, there's no Pixel Screenshots app or Call Notes. Even some features that seem like they should work, like AI weather summaries, are absent on the Pixel 9a. Recorder summaries are supported, but Gemini Nano has a very nano context window. We tested with recordings ranging from two to 20 minutes, and the longer ones surpassed the model's capabilities. Google tells Ars that 2,000 words (about 15 minutes of relaxed conversation) is the limit for Gemini Nano on this phone.

The 9a is missing some AI features, and others don't work very well.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

If you're the type to avoid AI features, the less-capable Gemini model might not matter. You still get all the other neat Pixel features, along with Google's market-leading support policy. This phone will get seven years of full update support, including annual OS version bumps and monthly security patches. The 9a is also entitled to special quarterly Pixel Drop updates, which bring new (usually minor) features.

Most OEMs struggle to provide even half the support for their phones. Samsung is neck and neck with Google, but its updates are often slower and more limited on older phones. Samsung's vision for mobile AI is much less fleshed out than Google's, too. Even with the Pixel 9a's disappointing Gemini Nano capabilities, we expect Google to make improvements to all aspects of the software (even AI) over the coming years.

Capable cameras

The Pixel 9a has just two camera sensors, and it doesn't try to dress up the back of the phone to make it look like there are more, a common trait of other Android phones. There's a new 48 MP camera sensor similar to the one in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is smaller and less capable than the main camera in the flagship Pixels. There's also a 13 MP ultrawide lens that appears unchanged from last year. You have to spend a lot more money to get Google's best camera hardware, but conveniently, much of the Pixel magic is in the software.

The Pixel 9a sticks with two cameras.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Google's image processing works extremely well, lightening dark areas while also preventing blowout in lighter areas. This impressive dynamic range results in even exposures with plenty of detail, and this is true in all lighting conditions. In dim light, you can use Night Sight to increase sharpness and brightness to an almost supernatural degree. Outside of a few edge cases with unusual light temperature, we've been very pleased with Google's color reproduction, too.

The most notable drawback to the 9a's camera is that it's a bit slower than the flagship Pixels. The sensor is smaller and doesn't collect as much light, even compared to the base model Pixel 9. This is more noticeable with shots using Night Sight, which gathers data over several seconds to brighten images. However, image capture is still generally faster than Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola cameras. Google leans toward keeping shutter speeds high (low exposure time). Outdoors, that means you can capture motion with little to no blur almost as reliably as you can with the Pro Pixels.

Main camera, fast motion

 

Main camera, outdoor light

 

Main camera, bright indoor light

 

Ultrawide landscape

 

Main camera, fast motion

 

Main camera, outdoor light

 

Main camera, moderate indoor light

 

Macro

 

Night sight

 

The 13 MP ultrawide camera is great for landscape outdoor shots, showing only mild distortion at the edges of the frame despite an impressive 120-degree field-of-view. Unlike Samsung and OnePlus, Google also does a good job of keeping colors consistent across the sensors.

You can shoot macro photos with the Pixel 9a, but it works a bit differently than other phones. The ultrawide camera doesn't have autofocus, nor is there a dedicated macro sensor. Instead, Google uses AI with the main camera to take close-ups. This seems to work well enough, but details are only sharp around the center of the frame, with ample distortion at the edges.

Ultrawide.

Ryan Whitwam

 

Main camera, no zoom.

Ryan Whitwam

 

There's no telephoto lens here, but Google's capable image processing helps a lot. The new primary camera sensor probably isn't hurting, either. You can reliably push the 48 MP primary to 2x digital zoom, and Google's algorithms will produce photos that you'd hardly know have been enhanced. Beyond 2x zoom, the sharpening begins to look more obviously artificial.

2x zoom.

Ryan Whitwam

 

8x zoom.

Ryan Whitwam

 

A phone like the Pixel 9 Pro or Galaxy S25 Ultra with 5x telephoto lenses can definitely get sharper photos at a distance, but the Pixel 9a does not do meaningfully worse than phones that have 2–3x telephoto lenses.

The right phone at the right time

The Pixel 9a is not a perfect phone, but for $499, it's hard to argue with it. This device has the same great version of Android seen on Google's more expensive phones, along with a generous seven years of guaranteed updates. It also pushes battery life a bit beyond what you can get with other Pixel phones. The camera isn't the best we've seen—that distinction goes to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. However, it gets closer than a $500 phone ought to.

Material You theming is excellent on Pixels.

Credit: Ryan Whitwam

You do miss out on some AI features with the 9a. That might not bother the AI skeptics, but some of these missing on-device features, like Pixel Screenshots and Call Notes, are among the best applications of generative AI we've seen on a phone yet. With years of Pixel Drops ahead of it, the 9a might not have enough muscle to handle Google's future AI endeavors, which could lead to buyer's remorse if AI turns out to be as useful as Google claims it will be.

At $499, you'd have to spend $300 more to get to the base model Pixel 9, a phone with weaker battery life and a marginally better camera. That's a tough sell given how good the 9a is. If you're not going for the Pro phones, stick with the 9a. With all the uncertainty over future tariffs on imported products, the day of decent sub-$500 phones could be coming to an end. With long support, solid hardware, and a beefy battery, the Pixel 9a could be the right phone to buy before prices go up.

The good

• Good value at $499
• Bright, sharp display
• Long battery life
• Clean version of Android 15 with seven years of support
• Great photo quality

The bad

• Doesn't crush benchmarks or run high-end games perfectly
• Missing some AI features from more expensive Pixels

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These processors are built on the 5nm "Zen 4" microarchitecture. Speaking of processors, the Ryzen 8000 HX lineup comprises four models: Ryzen 9 8945HX, Ryzen 9 8940HX, Ryzen 7 8840HX, and Ryzen 7 8745HX.

Key features of these processors include up to 16 cores and 32 threads for multitasking, rendering, and gaming performance. Additionally, integrated RDNA 2 architecture on-board graphics are meant to handle light gaming, video playback, and other desktop tasks.

While AMD has historically referred to their CPUs with integrated graphics as "APUs" or accelerated processing units, the company has made a distinction now to only refer to ones with more powerful versions of the iGP as APUs.

The specs of the Ryzen 8000HX parts are given below:

In terms of memory, they support DDR5-5200 speeds in the SODIMM form factor and support PCIe Gen5.

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According to a Naver source who goes by the name yeux1122, Samsung might abandon using the under-display camera technology in its future foldables as "it is still not easy to improve the cost-effectiveness and other aspects." Going by this, we may not see Samsung using under-display camera technology in next year's foldable.

The information looks somewhat credible because last year, Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition. Despite it being a special edition phone, the device lacked an under-display camera. Instead, Samsung opted for a punch hole for selfies rather than using UDC, as seen in the global Galaxy Z Fold6 model.

Apple, which was expected to introduce a foldable iPad with an under-display camera sometime in 2027 and 2028, might have shelved the technology for now. According to the blog, companies, especially Samsung and Apple, are finding it hard to improve the UDC technology at the current point.

Additionally, making significant enhancements to the technology without increasing prices remains a challenge. New tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump have already contributed to a trade-war-like situation, and Apple has already taken a hit after losing its top position (via CNBC) as the world's most valuable public company to Microsoft.

Increasing prices of smartphones for a technology that isn't widely popular may not be a priority for companies, especially given the current market situation.

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But after nearly 15 years, it looks like we might finally be getting an official Instagram app for iPad. An Instagram employee told The Information that the company is working on developing an iPad app. The news has taken everyone by surprise, especially since Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said multiple times that they have no plans to build an iPad app.

In 2020, Mosseri said he’d like to launch an iPad app but couldn’t do so due to a lack of staff. In 2022, responding to a tweet from Marques Brownlee asking why there still wasn’t a proper Instagram app for the iPad, Mosseri explained that there isn’t a large enough user base demanding it, so their focus remained elsewhere. Then, in 2023, while answering a question during one of his weekly AMA's, Mosseri once again cited a lack of staff as the reason why they’re not building an iPad app.

The reason why Mosseri might have gained the interest in developing an iPad app may be tied to the uncertain future of TikTok in the U.S. If TikTok ends up being banned in the country, Meta would likely want to promote one of its alternatives, Instagram, on as many devices as possible, including the iPad.

If you currently download the Instagram app from the App Store on your iPad, you'll get the same version that's available for the iPhone with big black borders surrounding the main Instagram screen.

Instagram isn’t the only social media platform working on an official iPad app. Recently, Snapchat finally released its iPad app after being available on iPhone for nearly 13 years.

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Reports indicate that two mobile variants, the RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 for laptops, will be announced within two weeks, as evidenced by press materials from multiple laptop manufacturers including Lenovo, LG and Razer.

Lenovo had recently showcased an IdeaPad Pro 5 that features the RTX 5050 in an unboxing video, and LG has specified its Gram Pro laptop for 2025 will also include this GPU, making it available for pre-order in the second quarter of the year. The new Razer Blade 16 will also be equipped with an RTX 5060 mobile GPU.

Gamers are already eager to see how the new RTX 5060 desktop GPU perform. Both the RTX 5050 and 5060 mobile GPUs are rumored to come with 8GB of VRAM, which may not exactly be enough in an age where newer games demand more memory. Nvidia is said to have opted for older, cheaper tech for the lower-end version. Rumors indicate that the RTX 5050 may utilize older GDDR6 memory rather than the more cutting-edge GDDR7 found in other Blackwell graphics cards. This raises questions about the performance levels of laptops equipped with the RTX 5050, particularly for budget-conscious gamers looking for affordable gaming options.

Despite promising revelations, availability concerns linger. Techradar reports that Nvidia's RTX 50 series graphics cards have faced widespread supply shortage, since their launch in March. As the release date for these new mobile GPUs approaches, it will be critical for Nvidia to ensure a steady supply to meet the anticipated demand from gamers eager for affordable gaming laptops. Pricing is another topic that fans are worried about, as the desktop GPUs in the Blackwell series have been priced significantly higher than its predecessors, albeit for a marginal difference in the performance.

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Now, the Galaxy S20 series—Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra—have finally reached the end of their road, as Samsung has removed them from its Software Update Schedule. Although the devices were launched with four years of update promise, Samsung gave them a grace period by shifting them to a quarterly update schedule last year in April.

Also, the Galaxy S20 series picked up the March 2025 security update last month. But now, the company has decided to pull the plug on software support for the 2020 flagship series. The Galaxy S20 FE, which was launched in October 2020, is still placed in the Quarterly Security Update schedule, meaning the device will pick up security updates every four months—for now. However, it might retire very soon.

Since the Galaxy S20 series runs on Android 13-based One UI 4, it may be a good time to upgrade to a newer Galaxy model. Not only will you get to enjoy the Galaxy AI goodies that Samsung has on offer, but if you pick any of the Galaxy S25 models, you will be entitled to receive seven years of software update support.

This means the Galaxy S25 series that runs Android 15 One UI 7 out of the box will be fresh (software-wise) until Android 22. Software updates are not only essential for keeping your phone and data secure but also for enjoying the latest software offering from the company.

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According to a new report by The Information, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has stepped in to acquire an AI hardware startup founded by Jony Ive and OpenAI's current CEO, Sam Altman. The deal is reportedly worth around $500 million.

The Ive-Altman partnership, dubbed io Products, is working on a slew of AI products and smart home gadgets. However, the startup allegedly wants to swim against the tide and release an AI phone without a screen. However, some people with direct knowledge of the matter have said the alleged product is not a phone after all.

It remains to be seen what product the former Apple design chief has kept up his sleeve. An AI-powered phone without a screen seems more like the failed Humane's AI Pin, which could never fulfill its potential and was a vague product. The entire company was eventually sold to HP.

OpenAI has also explored the possibility of partnering with Ive-Altman AI hardware startup instead of fully acquiring it. The giant AI company could provide software and support while Ive and his team work on product design.

OpenAI can also access the technology behind the product and the engineering team if it acquires the startup. Two former Apple designers, Tang Tan and Evans Hankey, have also joined Jony Ive's AI venture.

While the concept of an AI-powered phone is still in its infancy, it might hold great potential for the future. The key question that manufacturers need to address is how this product would differentiate itself from a traditional smartphone equipped with ChatGPT or Siri.

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While we have heard rumors that next year's iPhone could include Apple's C2 5G modem and possibly under-display Face ID, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared insights about the iPhone 19 Pro models, which are expected to launch in 2027.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman stated that Apple has planned a major shake-up for the iPhone's 20th anniversary. He said that "the company is preparing a major shake-up for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary, including a foldable version and a bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass."

According to Gurman, an all-glass iPhone could become a reality in 2027, when Apple will celebrate the iPhone's 20th anniversary. While not much detail was shared, as noted by MacRumors, Apple could surprise everyone with a "bold" new iPhone Pro model—much like it did with the iPhone X in 2017, which marked the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.

With the iPhone X, Apple ditched the famous Home button for an entirely touch-based design and replaced Touch ID with Face ID. The company also skipped the iPhone 9 series for the iPhone X to align with the 10-year milestone.

Given that, there's a possibility Apple could skip the iPhone 19 series in favor of the iPhone 20 or introduce a new naming scheme to mark the occasion. Plus, Apple is also tipped to launch a foldable iPhone, rumors of which we have been hearing a lot lately.

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As Samsung users spotted, the One UI 7 update began rolling out to users in South Korea today, with more countries potentially down the road in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, beta testers might be prioritized so they receive the update sooner than others.

The stable One UI 7 is initially rolling out to the Galaxy S24 series with build numbers S928NKSU4BYCG/S928NOKR4BYCG/S928NKSU4BYCG. More devices, including Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and Z Fold Special Edition, are also set to receive the update soon after.

Another user on the Samsung community website has also shared the official schedule for releasing stable One UI 7. Accordingly, the rollout process begins in April for some of the flagship Samsung phones released in the past two years and gradually moves toward older flagship and mid-range phones. The entire process is expected to end in June.

Here is the Samsung timetable for releasing One UI 7:

• April: Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Tab S10+/S10 Ultra, Galaxy S23/S23+/S23 Ultra, S24 FE.
• May: Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, Galaxy Tab S9/S9+/S9 Ultra, S23 FE, Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, A34, A35, S22/S22+/S22 Ultra, Tab S8/S8+/S8 Ultra, S21/S21+/S21 Ultra, Galaxy A16, Galaxy Quantum 5, Galaxy Quantum 4.
• June: Galaxy Tab S9 FE/S9 FE+, Galaxy A73, A53, A33, A25, A24, A15, Quantum 3, Jump 3, Jump 2, Buddy 3, Galaxy Tab A9/A9+, Tab Active 5, Tab Active 4 Pro, Wide 7.

While the update is currently available to South Korean users, Samsung has assured that it will soon be accessible to users around the world over the next few days and weeks. For American and Canadian users, Samsung has confirmed the update rollout on April 10 and April 11, respectively (via Sammyguru).

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Recently, dummy units of the entire iPhone 17 lineup surfaced, giving us a good hint at the design Apple is expected to introduce this year. Another set of dummy units emerged, suggesting a part-aluminum and part-glass design of the iPhone 17 series.

However, all leaks have highlighted that the back panel on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models will adopt a dual-tone design. However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently stated in his latest Power On newsletter that none of this is true, and the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will feature a camera module that matches the color of the device.

Gurman stated:

Some images online even show a two-tone design, with a dark-black camera block on top of a silver iPhone back. Those are, like many renders on the internet, not an accurate representation of what’s to come.

 

The iPhone 17 Pro won’t have a two-toned back, I’m told. The camera area will be the same color as the rest of the device. That speaks to the more gradual design changes that Apple is making: The iPhone 17 Pro isn’t a major departure from current models.

It appears that aside from the new camera module, Apple may not be going with a dual-tone paint scheme—at least this year. Earlier reports suggest that this year's iPhone 17 models will feature an in-house designed Apple Wi-Fi chip. Also, all iPhone 17 series models are tipped to get an upgraded 24MP selfie camera, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max featuring a much smaller Dynamic Island. Apple could unveil the iPhone 17 series sometime in September.

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If you’re taking your laptop away from the safe environs of your home or office desk and still want to stay online, you’ve got a couple of choices (assuming it doesn’t have cellular connectivity built in): hunt around for a Wi-Fi network you can connect to or run a Wi-Fi hotspot from your phone.

Running a hotspot from your phone comes with advantages and disadvantages. It’s more secure than a public Wi-Fi network, as you’re in charge, and you may well get better upload and download speeds, too — though this will, of course, depend on the 4G and 5G coverage in your part of the world. On the downside, you may be limited in terms of your data allowance, and battery life on your phone will take a hit.

If you want to take the mobile hotspot route, here’s how to do it.

With Android devices, as always, the exact steps vary depending on the manufacturer. These are the steps for using a Pixel device with Android 15:

• Open Settings on Android.
• Choose Network & Internet > Hotspot & tethering.
• You can toggle Wi-Fi hotspot from here to enable it, but if you’ve never used the hotspot before, tap on it to set your options.
• You’ll see options to set the Wi-Fi name and password, which other devices need to connect. You can also set the hotspot to turn itself off automatically if it’s no longer being used and use Instant Hotspot to automatically sign in other devices on your account.
• Enable the Use Wi-Fi hotspot toggle switch.

Note: if you use Android’s Data Saver, which stops some apps from sending or receiving data in the background, you’ll have to turn it off in order to use the hotspot.

The steps are slightly different for a Samsung Galaxy device loaded with One UI 7:

• Open Settings.
• Select Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
• Again, you can toggle Mobile Hotspot on from here, but you may want to tap on it instead to check the network name and password. There’s also an Auto Hotspot feature so you can automatically share with other devices signed in to the same Samsung account and info on how much mobile data has already been shared.
• When you’re ready, toggle Mobile Hotspot on.

Hotspot options on a Pixel phone.

Screenshot: Google

 

Hotspot options on a Galaxy phone.

Screenshot: Samsung

 

Hotspot options on a Pixel phone.

Screenshot: Google

If you’re using an iPhone with iOS 18:

• Open Settings in iOS.
• Tap Personal Hotspot.
• Turn on the Allow Others to Join toggle switch.
• Enable Maximize Compatibility if you want to use 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (rather than 5GHz) for the hotspot. It’s slower, but it ensures compatibility with older devices.

The name of the Wi-Fi hotspot will be the name of your iPhone (set in General > About > Name in Settings). The password will be shown on the Personal Hotspot screen, and you can tap on the entry to change it.

Apple also offers a feature called Instant Hotspot. If the hotspot is enabled on your iPhone, you can connect to it with a tap from iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices using the same Apple account — you won’t need to enter the password.

It’s now the norm for carriers to offer unlimited or very generous amounts of data in their plans, but most of the time, hotspot data will be handled separately. If you’re going to be using your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, you need to check what’s included in your plan.

For example, Verizon’s $40 per month Unlimited Plus plan gives you 30GB of high-speed hotspot data per month, while you get the same amount with the $41 per month Unlimited Extra EL plan from AT&T. In both cases, once you go over that limit, you’ll be restricted to much slower speeds for the rest of the month.

There is another option, which is to buy a dedicated hotspot device, like these sold by T-Mobile. You’ll need to pay for an extra SIM with its own data plan to use with the device, so it can be an expensive option — but you’ll usually get better performance than you would from a phone hotspot (especially if you’re connecting multiple gadgets), and you don’t have to worry about draining your phone’s battery).

Something like the Netgear Nighthawk M6, which varies in cost from about $500 to $600, will deliver Wi-Fi 6 speeds to up to 32 devices when supplied with a SIM card. Definitely not cheap, but it’ll offer better range and speeds than your phone, and it’s good enough to be used as a backup home router if your broadband goes out.

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According to the document, the standard Pixel 10 will come equipped with an 11MP Samsung 3J1 telephoto camera. While this might sound like a major upgrade—especially since the telephoto lens has been exclusive to the Pro model since the Pixel 6—its addition to the base model comes with a trade-off. Google is reportedly downgrading the primary and ultra wide cameras on the Pixel 10.

The Pixel 9 features a Samsung GNV 1/1.31" primary sensor and a Sony IMX858 1/2.55" ultra wide sensor. However, the base model of the Pixel 10 series is expected to feature a Samsung GN8 1/1.95" primary sensor and a Sony IMX712 1/3.1" ultra wide sensor. These specs might sound familiar because they’re the same ones found in the Google Pixel 9a. So essentially, the upcoming Pixel 10 will be a Pixel 9a with an added telephoto lens.

While Google might grab attention by adding a new telephoto lens, the device may not deliver the level of camera performance you'd expect from the Pixel 10 due to the smaller sensor size. Google may eventually use AI and on-device processing to help make up for the reduced sensor size, but at the end of the day, it’s hard to beat the laws of physics and achieve the same image quality the Pixel 10 could have delivered even using the same sensor as the Pixel 9.

That said, Google will need to launch the Pixel 10 at a lower price than the Pixel 9; otherwise, it may struggle to attract customers who are primarily interested in the Pixel lineup for its camera capabilities, especially when deciding between the Pixel 10 and the more affordable Pixel 9A.

The report also reveals that Google isn’t planning to make any changes to the Pixel 10 Pro models. However, the Pro Fold model is getting a slight upgrade to its primary sensor. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold features a Sony IMX787 sensor, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will reportedly come with a Samsung GN8 sensor.

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However, according to ET News, Samsung has delayed the launch and is considering debuting the Galaxy S25 Edge sometime in May or June. The report adds that Samsung is keeping the launch window flexible due to the recent changes in the leadership of the MX (Mobile Experience) division.

Sources state that "the original release date was set for the 15th of this month, but internally, there was a need to reexamine the schedule. It has been confirmed that this information was also conveyed to the three mobile carriers that sell the Galaxy S25 Edge."

Additionally, it has been suggested that no separate Unpacked event will take place for the launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge. Instead, it will be done via an online event, most likely through an official newsroom blog. Moreover, the release plan was similar to that of the teaser video of the Galaxy Z Fold6 Special Edition.

Samsung is rumored to keep the price of the Galaxy S25 Edge between the Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Edge is expected to be priced around KRW 1.5 million (roughly $1,000) for te 256GB model. The exact reason for the launch delay hasn't been revealed, but it is likely not related to quality issues with the device.

While we wait for the Galaxy S25 Edge to officially launch, you can already grab its high-quality wallpapers from here.

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Motorola announced the first phone in its midrange Edge 60 series, which ships with a novel twist: a faux-canvas finish. The Edge 60 Fusion looks the part otherwise, with its molded camera module and surprisingly slim body, but the basic specs match the low price tag — just £299.99 (around $390) in the UK.

The canvas-effect finish might be one of the phone’s main draws, but it’s only available on the “amazonite” (read: teal) version of the phone. It’s also launching in blue and pink colors, but these use a faux leather finish instead. Every version has IP68 and 69 ratings, meaning the phone is fully protected against dust, immersion in water, and high-pressure sprays.

There’s some international variation in the Edge 60 Fusion’s specs, but the model launching in the UK is slim for its size, at less than 8mm thick, despite fitting in a fairly large 5,200mAh battery behind its 6.67-inch OLED screen. Models elsewhere pack an even bigger 5,500mAh cell, but run a touch thicker.

The Fusion comes with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but is likely to be held back by the relatively basic MediaTek Dimensity chipset used — either a 7300 or 7400, depending on the market, but there’s not much difference between them. Cameras are limited too — it may look like four on the back, but one is the flash and another a flicker sensor, so you only really get a 50 megapixel main lens and a 13 megapixel ultrawide.

The Fusion is expected to be the first in a series of Edge 60 phones — there were five models across last year’s Edge 50 line. None of those launched in the US, and this year’s phones likely won’t either, so American buyers will have to make do with January’s $299.99 Moto G Power, which lacks the Fusion’s OLED display and canvas feel, but has wireless charging. Motorola is expected to announce its updated Razr flip phones soon, with rumors predicting a wooden finish, in a throwback to 2014’s wood-backed Moto X.

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