Android

The July update is now live for numerous Pixel smartphones. While the Pixel 2 series stopped receiving updates last year, the Pixel 3 series onwards is eligible for this month's update. The July update contains a few device-specific bug fixes and addresses numerous security vulnerabilities with Google's handsets.

The Galaxy S21 FE has arrived at the TENAA, following its submission to the FCC. The new listing confirms several aspects of Samsung's next Fan Edition smartphone, including its dimensions and the lack of any expandable storage.

Vivo filed a patent for a smartphone that could house an entire mini-drone inside of it. Some new concept renders of the device have emerged online, giving us a rough idea about how it would operate. The drone will draw power from the phone's battery and serve as a suspended camera of sorts.

A new Xiaomi device, described as "a tablet" by a reliable tipster, has reportedly been approved for sale in China by its Ministry for Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). This might be a sign that the rumored 2021 Mi Pad is set to launch soon. Its latest leak suggests it is powered by the 5g-capable Snapdragon 870 SoC.

No, Redmi Note 8 owners, you aren't forgotten. Xiaomi has now begun the Android 11 rollout for the Redmi Note 8. The Android 11 OTA is now being sent out to the European model of the then-popular mid-range phone. It weighs in at over 2 GB but owners will have to wait some more for MIUI 12.5.

Xiaomi announced a resumption of its in-house mobile chipset project with the launch of the Surge C1, a custom image-signalling processor (ISP) found in the premium Mi Mix Fold. Now, a famous leaker asserts that OPPO is working on one of its own, with the aim of enhancing the camera performance of its own next-gen phones. The OEM has also patented its own wraparound-display phone, thereby copying another Xiaomi move.

Sony has launched its latest set of speakers, but they aren’t what you might expect. Its new SRS-NB10 is a wearable stereo speaker that sits on a user’s shoulders that have been targeted at the work from home market, but are also useful around the home more generally.

Another day arrives with yet another issue of OnePlus messing things up. The company has now been found to be severely throttling browser performance of Chrome, Twitter, and pretty much all popular internet-based apps on the OnePlus 9 Pro. Geekbench considers this to be a form of benchmark manipulation and has now delisted the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro.

If, for some reason, you still use the Galaxy Gear, then it is worth noting that an important change is headed your way from next month. After August, it will be impossible to install any new apps on the Galaxy Gear, although other avenues are available.

Samsung is now rolling out the July security update to its 2020 flagship phones, the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 series. Phones in the two lineups get heavy OTAs weighing upwards of 800 MB, with the S20 series' listing camera improvements in the changelog.

Samsung is rumored to be working on a next-gen 200MP mobile image sensor for debut in the 2022 Galaxy S-line flagship. However, the reliable leaker Ice Universe seems all but certain this tip will not work out in reality. Instead, the "new Ultra" will get a possibly upgraded main sensor instead, albeit one that is still 108MP in resolution.

OnePlus still sells the vanilla version of its 2021 flagship smartphone, the 9, for US$729 on its official United States website. However, Best Buy offers the same device (unlocked) for as little as $549.99 - so long as it is activated via the chain's website or physical stores on the same day on which it is ordered. Alternatively, it can be had for different discounted prices without this caveat.

The first MIUI 13 build is expected to be rolled out in a beta form very soon for users of some Xiaomi smartphones with the China ROM. While it was widely expected that the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 would be one of the first devices to operate MIUI 13 out of the box, it now seems the Mi Mix 4 will come with MIUI 12.5.

Xiaomi is preparing a handful of interesting devices for an August launch event. One of them will be the Redmi K40 Ultra, a device tipped to be powered by MediaTek's latest and greatest while trading punches with OnePlus's upcoming mid-range phone, the OnePlus Nord 2.

Reviews for the Sony Xperia 1 III have started popping up and there seems to be a general agreement over two points in particular: The Snapdragon 888 smartphone has middling battery life and is priced way too high. Users will expect nothing but the best from the Xperia 1 III if they are to pay US$1,299.99 for it.

Evan Blass has detailed Motorola's upcoming Edge 20 series. Apparently, Motorola will release the Edge 20, Edge 20 Lite and Edge 20 Pro, all with 108 MP cameras. The Edge 20 series should debut within the next few weeks, too.

Nokia has now missed multiple rumored deadlines for the launch of new Android flagship phones. However, a new report from a Chinese media outlet claims that a company executive has confirmed that one will coincide with a late 2021 festival day in that country. As it is often accompanied by major retail promos, this might make sense.

Samsung often partners with the designer Thom Browne for limited-edition runs of the OEM's premium foldables. Now, a tech blog has combined its esthetics with what is thought to be known about the upcoming "Galaxy Z Flip3", combining the by-now classic tricolor stripe with the enlarged secondary display the clamshell is rumored to launch with.

The Kospet Optimus 2 has a 1.6-inch display, a 1,260 mAh battery and runs Android, rather than Google's Wear OS platform. Kospet has even included a 13 MP camera for good measure.

Google has refreshed the Play Store on Wear OS. Sporting a Wear OS 3.0 redesign, the revised app store has reached the Suunto 7 running Wear OS 2.x.

LG's TONE FREE accessories stand out in the TWS earbud market with their "UVnano" charging case, rated to kill up to 99.9% of all in-ear bacteria while they charge. Their latest generation also re-introduce a Meridian Audio collaboration for sound clarity, active noise cancellation (ANC) and an AirPod-like design.

The GT Master Edition is rumored to launch as the world's first "Realme x Kodak" smartphone. It has also been slated to do so with the high-end Snapdragon 870 processor on board. However, the latest tips suggest the OEM has opted for a new mid-range 5G chipset in this device instead.

The Android 11-based One UI 3.0 firmware for the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is now rolling out in almost 30 countries across the globe. The list of changes includes a refreshed UI, one-time permissions, chat bubbles, improved stock apps, additional lock screen options, a conversations section in the notifications area, and more.

After incidents with a Poco X3 and Redmi Note 9 Pro months ago, two Xiaomi devices have now also chosen to go the way of flames. The two devices, a Poco C3 and a Redmi 8, exploded and dealt damage to the owner and a child respectively, with Xiaomi initially absolving itself of all blame in one instance.

An unofficial Android 12 list featuring phones from Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark has included over 70 devices that are expected to either receive the update or are even already in internal testing. There are some surprising omissions, with the Xiaomi Mi 9T, Redmi K20 Pro, and Redmi Note 8 series not getting a look in.

Yesterday, the OxygenOS 11.0.4.4 software update has arrived for OnePlus Nord CE handsets in India. Other markets should get it in the coming days. The list of changes includes faster charging, improved front camera performance, reduced noise in night photos, optimized video call experience, as well as the June security patch.

Qualcomm is said to be working on the successor to the Snapdragon 888 processor already, which is to be based on an advanced 4 nanometer (nm) process. Now, a famous leaker asserts that not only is this SoC's Plus variant also being planned with the same spec in mind, but that it will be made by a different supplier to the 895.

With the Poco M3 Pro 5G, Xiaomi updates its low-budget Poco M3 smartphone and improves it in several aspects. Among other things, it now also features 5G, NFC, and a 90 Hz display. The price, however, has only increased negligibly.

Xiaomi is now expanding the MIUI 12.5 rollout for two of its premium devices released last year—the Mi 10 Pro and Poco F2 Pro. The OTAs are now parsing randomly to the global models of the two phones, and deliver MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11, as well as the June security update.

The Witcher: Monster Slayer is an AR-enabled game reminiscent of Pokemon Go. The title is set to launch on iOS and Android on July 21.

With its 6,000mAh battery and 6.5-inch screen, the Realme C15 might have seemed like enough of a bargain on its 2020 Indian launch. Now, however, one version of this phone (the one with a Snapdragon processor) has become even more worthwhile with a new and more up-to-date major software upgrade.

ZTE is rumored to launch a second-gen under-display camera smartphone later in 2021. Now, a new leak indicates that the OEM has certified a new device with the Chinese regulator 3C with reasonably high-end 55 watt (W) charging tech. This has led to speculation that the "Axon 30" will launch with this spec as well as its cutting-edge selfie camera.

Samsung initially launched its early 2021 flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, in a number of colors including Phantom Black and Phantom Gray. However, its latest option freshly released to the US market is a little less sober: Navy. This new shade is available on Best Buy's website as an unlocked or Verizon device.

Xiaomi's Mi 11 flagship smartphones have launched with fairly novel squircle-shaped rear camera modules of varying (and occasionally extreme) shapes that house large individual lenses. However, according to sketches apparently obtained from the OEM by Digital Chat Station, it could have gone a considerably different way with these premium devices.

MIUI 12.5 is apparently rolling out to more smartphones that sport either the Global or EU (Europe) ROM. A list of 14 devices has been provided, which includes popular smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite, Redmi Note 9, POCO X3 NFC, and POCO F2 Pro. Even the venerable Redmi Note 8 Pro has a spot saved for it.

A new video published by National Geographic and Samsung has shown how far smartphones cameras have come on in the last few years. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first smartphone to be used to photograph and video an underwater expedition.

According to a new report, the switch from Tizen to One UI Watch will correlate with a sharp price increase for Samsung's smartwatches. Apparently, the Galaxy Watch4 will cost at least €350, while the Galaxy Watch4 Classic could be closer to €500.

The launch of the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition may be a while away, but official renders have already leaked. The renders show the device in four colours and with a design that is a simpler take on the Galaxy S21 series.

TikTok has been marked since its launch by its limit of 60 seconds per portrait-oriented post. Now, however, it has announced that this hallmark property of its app is to get more flexible soon. The option to make 3-minute videos should start rolling out over the month of July 2021.

Sony has officially confirmed that the Xperia 5 III will ship in September. This will be hot on the heels of the Xperia 1 III which is confirmed to start shipping in the US from August 19.

Samsung is predicted to launch the Galaxy Z Fold3 as its next premium foldable smartphone in August 2021. Now, a new benchmarking leak allegedly confirms its super-flagship status, with specs including 12GB of RAM and Android 11 out of the box. Furthermore, it will be powered by the Snapdragon 888 processor.

Smartphones "enhanced" with household names in the photography industry are fast becoming the order of the day in the Android world. Now, Realme is reportedly getting into this game in its own way: through a partnership with Kodak. The OEM is said to have a "GT Master Edition" that will come with its logo on its camera hump in the works.

Racks of multiple cameras in the same smartphone just don't cut it any more...or so the OEM Vivo seems to believe, based on its latest patent. It depicts a mobile device with a cavity large enough to house its very own miniature drone. Therefore, consumers of the future might be able to buy their own cinematic set-up and Android in one.

LG may not make smartphones anymore; however, it has pledged to support some of its existing models. Now, it has started to deliver on this promise with the Q92 5G mid-ranger. It now has an OTA to upgrade it to Android 11; then again, it only seems to be available in South Korea thus far.

Samsung is now teasing the Galaxy F22's release in India with a new launch trailer. This device is a re-brand of the budget Galaxy A22 (4G/LTE); however, the new version stands apart with a larger 6,000mAh battery. Otherwise, the 2 phones only differ in their rear panel options - and, of course, in the F22's new and more attractive prices.

According to a report, Mobvoi is set to upgrade the TicWatch E3 and TicWatch Pro 3 to Wear OS 3.0, Google's latest Wear OS platform. Mobvoi has not denied that this will happen at some stage, but we would take this rumour with some scepticism as it stands.

In close collaboration with Google, the Indian company has announced a budget smartphone that is intended to outmatch the Chinese competition when it comes to affordability. In the all but saturated Indian market, even low-income workers are supposed to be able to afford the new budget device.