5G

OPPO has been tipped to release a second-gen foldable flagship Android smartphone with the potential advantage of reduced mass compared to its predecessor. Now, according to a famous leaker, it will be at least 13% lighter, in fact, possibly outdoing even a top-end iPhone in this regard. Should this new tip prove accurate, it could be a major win for the "Find N2" in its category.

Qualcomm is (still) a vociferous proponent of the potential of millimeter-wave (mmWave) 5G in commercial applications. Now, the company claims to have leapt a key hurdle in its race to become a major supplier of standalone mmWave in China. It involves the achievement of multi-gigabit per second (Gb/s) peak download and upload speeds using the Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System.

Vivo is said to release a top-end variant for its upcoming X90 series of Android smartphones so premium that it will ship with Qualcomm's next-gen flagship mobile SoC. Now, a device with a potentially authentic model number has appeared on Geekbench with 12GB of RAM. However, the rest of the specs fail to match those of previous "Snapdragon 8 Gen 2" leaks.

The ROG Phone 6 Pro is an Android flagship with a class-leading 165Hz display, a rear-facing RGB secondary display and an increasingly rare 3.5mm jack. However, it also has a predecessor that failed the ever-popular JerryRigEverything test of structural integrity. Can the ~US$1,300 gaming smartphone do any better in 2022?...apparently not.

The 80 series is tipped to emerge as Honor's next-gen crop of premium mid-range Android smartphones. Now, one of their latest leaks seem to hint that their displays might follow a trend set by the new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Meanwhile, the rear cameras in at least 1 variant might fall short of another.

Xiaomi has prepared a new Imaging Limited Edition gift-box for the 12S Ultra, which presents the super-premium smartphone alongside compatible filters. They can be screwed onto the smartphone thanks to a case with threads for its circular rear camera hump, and, according to the OEM, can get the best out of the device's main 1-inch Leica-branded camera sensor.

Infinix has announced the Zero 5G 2023 as its latest Android smartphone. It has a large FHD+ 120Hz display is driven by MediaTek's new mid-tier Dimensity 1080 SoC, and an up-to-date camera hump with a 50MP main camera. The new Zero-series variant also has a large battery with fast-ish charging - however, it runs software that looks slightly outdated next to its new name.

The device repair vlogger Hugh Jeffreys has found that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are among the least user-fixable mobile devices of the year, as with their predecessors. However, neither received the YouTuber's award for the least repairable phone of 2022 thus far - it went to Nothing's inaugural, highly customized Android smartphone instead. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 7 came in for the praise missed out on by other flagships.

2022 has been a year of apex smartphone camera humps, tech with finishes inspired by classic works of art and premium Android devices refreshed with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. These trends all seem to have come to a head in Nubia's freshly announced version of its Z40S Pro flagship. It may have the same specs as the standard variant - however, its rear panel has turned into a Van Gogh painting.

Kuba Wojciechowski has confirmed the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will feature 1x Cortex-X3, 4x Cortex-A715 and 3x Cortex-A510 cores in a tri-cluster arrangement. The previously rumoured 2x Cortex-A710 cluster is no longer needed because Arm added 32-bit app support to the Cortex-A510.

Honor is projected to launch the Magic 5 and 5 Pro as its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered flagship smartphones in 2023. However, they are now said to be joined by a Prestige Edition as a new type of Ultra in the same year. The putative US$1,000+ top-end variant might launch with a "custom" OLED display and a 1-inch main camera sensor.

Nokia is known for its eco-friendly smartphones. With the X30 5G, the Finnish brand is now utilizing the sustainability angle more than any other manufacturer. The 6.43-inch mid-range smartphone makes comprehensive use of recycled materials and can also be rented as an alternative to buying it.

Should Samsung's Galaxy A13 5G get a direct successor in 2023, it may emerge at least looking like an extremely affordable version of the corresponding flagship S23 series. Now, the same device is thought to land in India in the new year, thanks to its reported arrival on a national regulator's database. Interestingly, it has reportedly been listed alongside even less familiar, yet still Samsung-esque, model numbers.

Realme is thought to launch a new mid-range Android smartphone called the 10 Pro Plus with a series-first curved display driven by the new SoC. Now, a well-known tipster claims to have evidence of at least one of those updates. Meanwhile, the device's full spec sheet has allegedly leaked out ahead of its launch.

The iQOO Neo7 can be described as one of the most interesting premium Android smartphones of 2022, as it stands out from this crowd with MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 Plus SoC. It is now thought to get a sub-flagship SE variant, the predecessor of which saw a global release. It may, poetically enough, launch with a processor that is, despite being more mid-range itself, is backed to top 3GHz in terms of clock-speed.

The latest leaks pertaining to the next generation of premium mobile Android devices from the OEM Honor suggests that the flagship among these smartphones will have a main rear camera of the same resolution as that of its predecessor. Then again, it is now backed to be augmented by new in-house branded AI in this "Magic5 Pro". Meanwhile, more details on its foldable and mid-range counterparts have allegedly emerged.

Available for free with a new line, the new OnePlus Nord N300 5G has a full retail price that starts at US$228. This handset features a MediaTek Dimensity 810 processor, a generous 6.56-inch 90 Hz display, 4/64 GB of memory/storage, a 5000 mAh battery, and is only available in Midnight Jade finish.

Samsung hasn't abandoned the prospect of launching an Exynos 2300-powered Galaxy S23. The company is supposedly obligated to include the chipset in a current-generation device. However, it will likely be sold in the Indian market only.

iQOO is a smartphone brand with a penchant for launching mobile devices with high-end specs for surprisingly reasonable prices. Now, it is projected to build on that reputation with upcoming next-gen flagships to launch with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 as soon as possible after that processor's predicted November 2022 launch. This is now expected to happen so fast that they will debut in India by December.

OPPO's 2023 flagship Android smartphone is projected to upgrade to a Sony IMX989 as a main rear camera. Should this be the case, the top-end 1-inch sensor may stand to be a unique version, as it may be the only one enhanced with a MariSilicon X-series co-processor in the Find X6 Pro. A new leak asserts that not only is this the case, it will render the camera capable of next-level video features.

The Snapdragon Summit is officially on, and will take place from its traditional Hawai'i setting in 2022. However, it will also be livestreamed, starting with its Day 1 keynote. The event is widely projected to introduce the new top-end 8 Gen 2 mobile processor, although Qualcomm asserts that it will also debut its latest developments in the areas of extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) as well as new dedicated solutions for audio and connectivity tech.

Additional Motorola Edge X40 specifications have been revealed. They include 50 MP + 50 MP + 12 MP triple rear cameras, a 5,000 mAh battery and up to 18 GB of RAM. The 12 MP sensor is a telephoto lens with 4x optical zoom.

Google's latest top-end Android smartphone has now made its appearance on the JerryRigEverything YouTube tech teardown channel. The Gorilla Glass Victus- and anodized aluminum-enhanced Pixel 7 Pro might have passed the traditional battery of online durability tests with flying colors - were it not for one of its series' most distinctive and prominent hardware attributes, that is.

Industry analyst Ross Young says that the iPhone SE 4 could substitute its LCD panel with an OLED variant. Apple is yet to decide on the phone's screen size, which could vary between 5.7 and 6.1 inches.

Vivo is a smartphone OEM that has just secured the #1 spot in its native market of China for the third quarter of 2022 (3Q2022). Therefore, it could bring up this opportunity at a flex during the press conference it has scheduled in November 2022 to unveil its latest software for mobile devices sold in the same country. OriginOS 3 is touted to enhance IoT control as well as bring Android 13 features to the first flagships to see its public betas.

Some leaked promotional material from KT suggests that Samsung could announce the Galaxy S23 series on January 5. Subscribers can supposedly pre-order the smartphones on December 23 and get a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for their efforts.

The Fan Edition or FE variant of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series has remained on One UI 4 based on Android 12 since its launch. Now, however, "test builds" of a major upgrade for the flagship-alternative smartphone have allegedly been detected online. They are slated to elevate the latest FE to the newest software experience its OEM can offer.

The iPhone 14 Plus is Apple's response to the disappointing sales numbers of the iPhone 13 Mini. With a 6.7-inch display, the Plus version offers as much screen space as the Pro models and the battery life matches that of its big siblings as well.

Ulefone's latest rugged smartphone boasts the "latest" Lepton 3.5 thermal imaging tech from FLIR in one of its rear-facing shooters. It is joined by a 108MP sensor as a 'normal' main camera, and also steps up to an FHD+ 120Hz display kept on with a 9,600mAh battery that even has fast charging in this generation. The rugged device has a 5G MediaTek Dimensity chipset - then again, it still runs Android 12.

OPPO's well-received first-gen foldable Android smartphone, the Find N, is now linked to an equally flexible successor. Its latest leak paints this "N2" as more of a refresh with a slightly updated SoC that drives screens with potentially upgraded specs. Then again, the newer model might come with more subtle design tweaks that might make it easier to use day to day.

Sony has announced a new over-the-air (OTA) software upgrade for its Xperia PRO-I smartphone. It adds an option to live-stream directly from the Videography Pro app for the device's camera UI, which might make its use on social media apps easier and more effective. The update also gives the Android flagship a quicker way to re-map a first-party grip/tripod accessory's custom button.

The G60 is one of Nokia's first Android smartphones to upgrade to a 120Hz display in 2022. Now, its appearance on the HMD Global brand's official Indian website hints that it will bring that spec with it to its new market. The device may be available in 2 colorways on its new launch, and already promises "longevity" in terms of software support.

OnePlus has now released a timeline for its OxygenOS 13 beta roll-out. The schedule "approximately" outlines which devices will become eligible for the official preview builds of the brand's Android 13-based software, and when. It shows that the 10T is the next flagship-series variant in this queue, along with the Nord 2T, and has a potentially welcome Easter egg for Nord N20 SE owners.

The Realme 10 and its siblings are the subject of new leaks suggesting that they will replace their 2022 9-series counterparts. Now, the putative mid-range Android smartphones' brand now hints that they will launch soon - before the end of the year, even. The devices are now also officially touted to make advancements in three key areas.

Vivo has announced Funtouch 13 as the latest UI for its smartphones. It is intended for those devices sold in markets such as India and Europe, and is based on up-to-date Android 13. Its rollout starts with a series of public betas, mainly available to flagships such as the X80 and X70 Pro Plus, although some mid-rangers such as those from the V and T series are in line alongside them for the upcoming November 2022 phase of this program.

The MediaTek Dimensity 9200 has made its AnTuTu debut with an overall score of 1,266,102 points. It is over 10% faster than the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. MediaTek is rumoured to unveil the SoC sometime in November.

The luxury-focused smartphone brand Vertu has adopted Web3 with the new Metavertu handset. It sports a number of 'normal' flagship-grade features such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered device and a large FHD+ AMOLED display, yet purports to augment them with features such as a "secure chip" for the user's blockchain activities, not to mention a choice of premium finishes that include an alligator leather rear panel that pushes the Metavertu's USD asking price into five figures.

The Realme 9 is a 2022 Android smartphone that launched with a distinctive Sunburst Gold color option. Now, a new leak suggests that its 4G/LTE-only successor will drop it for more traditional gradient finishes. Meanwhile, the 10 series is now tipped to get higher-resolution main rear cameras and 5,000mAh batteries across the board.

Motorola has now made the Razr 22 official as a product on some European versions of its website. The new clamshell smartphone is touted as a design icon redefined thanks to the enlarged 2.7-inch cover screen to go with its up-to-144Hz main 6.7-inch OLED display, both driven by an up-to-date Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 SoC. Then again, its global variant has arrived in just 1 RAM/storage SKU that barely competes with its Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 rival in terms of zero-day cost.

OnePlus' Ace Pro (the Chinese-market version of its latest 10T flagship Android smartphone refresh) will be available as a new, official Genshin Impact Limited Edition soon. Its pre-orders are set for the same week in which the brand will hype its upcoming Black Friday sale in the US and Canada with event such as Mystery Box sales.

Samsung's official US webstore is holding a multi-day event during which a consumer can buy a new Galaxy S22-series device with 256GB of internal storage for the price of a 128GB base model. There are also deals on the new top-end Galaxy Z Fold4, as well as potentially improved trade-in offers.

The Motorola Moto Razr 2022 has proven a hit on the Chinese foldable smartphone market thanks to its upgrades over its predecessors. Now, it is finally ready to try and do the same in other regions such as Europe. Then again, according to the latest leaks, it might fail to undercut its main rival the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 on its impending global launch.

OPPO reportedly intends to pair the new Sony IMX890 mobile image sensor with its in-house MariSilicon X co-processor for potentially enhanced quality. This combo will apparently find a number of homes within the brand's 2023 Android smartphone range, the first of which might be the upcoming top-end Find X6 Pro. Then again, it might play second fiddle to an even higher-end main camera in that case.

Talk of an upcoming Xiaomi 12 variant that is simultaneously Lite, 5G and NE has sparked back up again with the discovery of this alleged product name on an IMEI database. Its apparent status as a re-brand of a heretofore Chinese-market exclusive may also have been confirmed this time, thereby suggesting that a new Snapdragon 7 Gen 1-powered device is on the way to at least 1 new region.