Phablet

Samsung has yet to specify when its next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place or what will debut during the show. However, Evan Blass has released an entire salvo of tweets revealing pretty much every device to be showcased therein, in every new color per product. They include the Galaxy S21 FE, despite rumors that it will in fact miss the launch in question.

LG's choice to leave the Android smartphone market has left empty space on shelves within the OEM's flagship physical stores in its native South Korea. The company had intended to put it to potentially lucrative use by allowing Apple to stock iPhones there instead. However, those plans are now on hold due to backlash from the business community in the country.

Samsung has long been rumored to introduce its 2021 flagship foldable as the Galaxy Z Fold3. Now, a telecomms regulator has inadvertently revealed these leaks to be true in approving it for sale in Thailand. Meanwhile, another tip purports to confirm the device runs on Android 11.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Increasingly 'futuristic' mobile devices such as rollable and slidable phones are projected to join their slightly more familiar foldable counterparts on the market soon. A new leak of trademarking activity suggests that the OEM Vivo plans to get in on this game, using the trend to revive its premium sub-brand NEX in the process.

The latest generation of Samsung's foldable flagships are projected to be announced in August 2021. The Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 are said to be right on track for this event, having now entered mass production. Interestingly, they are allegedly being manufactured in far higher volumes compared to their predecessors.

According to recent rumors circulating around China's tech media, Huawei may be obliged to skip updating its Mate series of premium phablets in 2021. However, the latest word is that this launch is back on. Then again, the 50 series' debuted might still come much later than usual.

Google already provides a Find My Device service for Android. Now, a new leak suggests that it is working on making it more like Apple's version. The Mountain View giant is reportedly working on a new OS option that allows devices to join a network that locates missing possessions such as phones.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra proved to be a very capable smartphone in our review. It is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s true competitor. However, there is still some room for improvement, especially in terms of software.

Google has been testing the ability to send texts, files and photos through its Messages service with end-to-end encryption for some time. Now, it has announced that it is to become available for the stable version of this app. The Mountain View giant claims that it results in messaged content that stays between 2 people in the same chat.

Huawei usually launches premium mobile devices known as the Mate series in the third quarter of the year. However, according to the latest word from the Chinese media, an upgrade for the current 40 line will not be forthcoming this year, as the OEM may prefer to focus on the P50 series and existing customers instead.

What appears to be a widespread issue is affecting Galaxy S21 Ultra devices and looks like the camera app is the culprit. In some cases, the battery drain can go as far as 21 percent in seven hours and only 15 minutes of screen time. Sadly, the regular battery stats monitor does not detect anything wrong.

Leaks concerning a successor to Qualcomm's current top-end mobile SoC, the Snapdragon 888, have only just started to emerge. Nevertheless, there are hints that phone manufacturers have been sent samples of this alleged "895" to test already. According to a reliable tipster, these OEMs have one thing in common: they are all Chinese.

A new Twitter leak suggests that Samsung has won the contract to supply Qualcomm with the successor to its flagship mobile SoC, the Snapdragon 888. Should this be the case, the South Korean giant will make this chipset alongside its own next-gen top-end processor, the Exynos 2200, possibly using the same "4nm" process.

Samsung has delivered on an earlier teaser with the launch of the ISOCELL JN1 camera for mobile devices today (June 10, 2021). It packs the industry's smallest pixel size of 0.64 microns, which fits in well with its relatively tiny overall size. The OEM asserts that it is ready to become the main, wide, ultra-wide or telephoto camera of the mid-range to flagship phones of the immediate future.

Samsung has announced that its next new ISOCELL sensor for smartphone cameras is "for everyone", thereby suggesting a new, mid-range variant is slated to join this series soon. The OEM has invited its Twitter audience to "stay tuned" for more details to be released on June 10, 2021.

Although not perfect, MIUI 12.5.1 pushes the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro out of the red zone and irons out most of the bugs present in MIUI 12.1.5. The latest Android 11-based update for this handset makes the whole interface snappier and comes with a few changes to the Notes app, new sounds, and more.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold2 sits at the bleeding edge of current consumer mobile tech thanks to its foldable display. However, this spec comes with a drawback: it is easily twice the depth of the average 'normal' smartphone when closed. Now, a display-focused leaker claims its impending upgrade will get no slimmer.

Google has reportedly informed developers that it will introduce a new setting in Android that allows users to suspend Advertiser ID sharing across apps. The measure might boost privacy, although some app-makers might argue that it might also increase the risk of certain frauds, as well as revenue loss. Nonetheless, the changes are slated to start taking effect from late 2021.

Several specs for the SM8450, Qualcomm's purported next generation of flagship chipsets for mobile devices, have emerged quite recently. Not long afterward, a Lenovo executive has reportedly confirmed that the OEM will develop phones based on this SoC, to be sold under its brand as well as that of Motorola.

A Twitter-based leaker claims that Samsung has a new, AirPower-like wireless charger in the works. This pad is apparently thinner than its closest pre-existing counterpart, thanks to slimmer coil and thermal-management technology. The putative accessory is touted to power compatible devices at up to 25W.

Recent leaks have pointed to a mysterious Motorola phone with the code-name of Denver, rumored to have a stylus and a new affordable-grade Qualcomm processor. Now, it has just surfaced again, on Geekbench and as a registered Bluetooth device this time. Both new tips may confirm that it will be called the Moto G Stylus 5G on its launch.

What has been only a rumor so far is finally official: AMD CEO Lisa Su has confirmed during her Computex 2021 keynote speech that the next-gen Exynos SoC will feature a custom AMD RDNA 2 architecture with ray tracing and variable rate shading. More details about this upcoming 5G chip will surface later this year.

Although Huawei has been facing many problems lately, both software- and hardware-related, the infamous Chinese brand is now working on a next-gen 3 nm SoC. Currently known as the Kirin 9010, this high-end piece of hardware should enter production next year, when the first devices to use it should surface as well.

Samsung has just applied to trademark the words "Z Slide" with the EU's intellectual property office (EUIPO). Given the category this new potential product name falls into, it gives the profound impression of belonging to a device with a rollable or slide-out display. It may thus fuel rumors that the OEM is indeed nearly ready to launch just such a cutting-edge phablet.

Huawei has confirmed that it will launch its latest ANC TWS earbuds, the FreeBuds 4, very soon. However, a new Weibo post may have spoiled their reveal with new hands-on images. They suggest that the accessories will resemble their predecessors, although they are expected to be improved in other ways.

Xiaomi's FlipBuds Pro are the OEM's first TWS earbuds with triple-mic active noise cancellation. They also feature a dedicated audio chip from Qualcomm, Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 28 hours of battery life. These high-end specs do make them more expensive than their predecessors.

The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold is a device with leaked renders that have generally hinted at triple rear cameras, not to mention an inaugural under-display selfie shooter, thus far. A leaker now claims to outline their actual resolutions, along with some other parameters for the upcoming super-flagship's photography prowess.

TCL's latest press event served to unveil next-gen displays for the TVs, rollables or laptops of the near future. They include new 15.6- and 17.3-inch panels described as ultra-high-res with scope for ultra-thin bezels. The conference also unveiled the OEM's Star Obsidian Screen for 75-inch mini-LED 8K devices, as well as the latest version of its 17-inch scrolling display.

Advertised as the world’s first smartphone with HDMI input, the new Xperia PRO by Sony is now official in Europe at a price of almost US$3,000. Shipments will kick off on May 10 and pre-orders are already live. This premium handset is available via authorized dealers throughout the UK, Germany, and Nordic regions.

Recent reports suggest that Samsung is developing an "Armor"-themed series of new design features for its next-gen mobile devices, the latest of which could be applied to rear panels, displays or both. These leaked marketing buzzwords have sparked speculation that they are intended to enhance durability in next-gen products, the Galaxy Z Flips and Folds of the future included.

What happens when you bend a ~US$3,000 foldable phone the wrong way? Fans of the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything can now find out, as the Huawei Mate X2 has paid it a visit. Its new chassis endured various tests of its robustness in the process, ending with a possibly surprising end to the vlogger's famous test.

Samsung is reportedly developing the new "Armor" frame for the smartphones of the immediate future. Now, a new tip suggests the OEM might combine it with another new feature called Pro-Shield. It is apparently destined for various device categories, and might thus benefit the potential tri-folding tablets hinted at in another new leak.

The Mate X2 foldable phablet has been slated as the first device to see a public roll-out of Huawei's new in-house software, HarmonyOS. According to some knowledgeable Weibo users, the OEM has now started this process off. It seems the new system is still a developmental build, but is being sent as an OTA to the general public nonetheless.

A brief post by a noted leaker has led to speculation that Sony could be actually working on a very belated successor to the Xperia Z Ultra. The large-screen Sony Xperia Z Ultra was released in 2013 and was considerably wider than current slender devices like the Xperia 1 III. The device was praised for its outstanding display.

Huawei launched its Mate X2 flagship in February 2021 with a new design and a sky-high price-tag, even for a foldable device. Its new refresh might be a slightly better deal, however. It has the exact same specs as before - except for its SoC, which is the Kirin 9000 without the usual 5G modem. Therefore, it might cost a little less on its release in China.

It could be said that Xiaomi's Mi Mix Fold is the best flexible-display device on the 2021 market thus far. However, it debuted as a Chinese-market exclusive. Then again, the tipster Mukul Sharma has uncovered evidence that could point to its first international release soon.

After a buggy update from Android 10 to Android 11, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro finally gets things right. The MIUI 12.1.5 update that includes last month's security patch feels snappier and some of the most annoying issues of its predecessor (fingerprint scanner response, overall lag) are now history.

The Legion Phone Duel 2 (or 2 Pro) launched with one of the most innovative and landscape-oriented designs of any Android device in 2021 thus far. Unfortunately, this also made it one of the most fragile phones this year. The OEM has started to respond to customer concerns with extended warranties.

According to a new leak, the Galaxy Z Fold3 has obtained an actual certification for ingress-protection. The new tip fails to mention the exact IPxx number in question; nevertheless, it will still be the first time a foldable phone has had such a spec. Meanwhile, the Z Fold3 is also now rumored to be lighter than its predecessor.

LG has announced that it is out of the Android smartphone game; on the other hand, the cutting-edge Rollable mobile device is apparently being readied for launch. The latest step in this process is having it certified to use NFC, as the leaker Mukul Sharma has discovered.

Samsung is slated to launch the next generations of the Z Fold and Z Flip flagship lines in the second half of 2021. However, the OEM is now said to have an even more interesting foldable in the works for the next year after that. This "Galaxy Z Fold Tab" might be capable of bending at two points and, thus, have the scope for more modes compared to its predecessors.