GoKawiil
Tech News
Android Authority's Robert Triggs tested portrait photography on three flagship phones, examining how each handles skin tones, facial detail and background blur. The Pixel's portrait mode offers a simple zoom-based interface with a default 2x setting, plus finer manual controls for exposure, white balance and blur strength than its rivals provide outside their Pro modes.
Using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto can drain phone batteries and cause overheating because the device simultaneously runs normal phone functions and powers a tablet-like dashboard display, including a constantly updating map. The guidance recommends using a wired connection when possible, while cautioning that constant charging can itself generate heat, and suggests setting charge limits in phone settings or keeping the device in a cool, shaded spot in the car.
Google's support documentation confirms that any verified phone number on an Android device is now automatically linked to every Google account signed into that device, including accounts added later or numbers from new SIM cards. The company and carriers periodically re-verify these numbers, a process that can incur carrier charges, and the linkage can only be adjusted from the phone itself. Verification also enables features like phone number sign-in, lost device location, emergency services, Quick Share, and a newer account-recovery tool launched in October 2025.
Apple's new foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, starts at $2,000 and lets users fold the device into a tent-like stand. A columnist reports that while many mainstream iOS apps still render poorly on the Duo's unfolding screen, some developers have begun building apps specifically optimized for its foldable design.
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is a $400 smartphone-sized E Ink reader running Android with Google Play access, letting users install apps like Kindle, Kobo, Libby and audiobook apps. A reviewer tested it for two months, praising its adjustable warm/cool front light, low-brightness dimming for nighttime use, and its 175-gram weight, which made it lighter and more comfortable than a phone.
Engadget published its review of Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, alongside other product reviews including the Rivian R2. The review found the device heavy, expensive, and lacking full app optimization for its interior screen, but praised it as a polished first attempt overall.
Developers have begun releasing apps designed around the iPhone Duo's folding hinge and dual screens, with Apple adding a 'Made for iPhone Duo' badge to highlight ones built for the larger display. Examples include Battlefleet Duo, a board-game-style naval battler that uses tabletop mode for local multiplayer, and Flipcorder, a retro camcorder app that turns opening the device into 'removing the lens cap.' A reviewer who has covered Android foldables for years says their inbox has seen an unusual surge of pitches from indie developers eager to showcase apps for Apple's first foldable phone.
A hands-on comparison tests the OPPO Find X10 Pro Max, which uses a triple 200-megapixel camera system, against Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL, which gained upgraded main and ultrawide sensors plus a larger 5x telephoto lens this year. The reviewer finds the two phones' main cameras produce very similar color, detail, and low-light results despite OPPO's much higher on-paper resolution and sensor size.
Oppo is bringing its flagship Find X10 Pro smartphone to European markets, while the device will not be released in the United States. The phone represents Oppo's high-end ambitions for future premium handsets.
An Android Authority writer prompted ChatGPT's voice mode and Gemini Live to debate which smartphone deserves the title of best overall, without specifying a year, price range or operating system. The experiment followed a similar earlier test comparing iOS and Android, and the piece also included a reader poll where 44% picked the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and 30% picked a Pixel model.
Social media and forum posts from owners in the US, Australia and China show the $2,000 foldable iPhone Duo developing a distinctive L-shaped crack running along the fold and extending across the internal display. One Australian buyer said the screen cracked just six hours after purchase after fewer than 20 folds, with no visible external damage. Apple Stores have reportedly granted full replacements in some cases, though phone support offered a slower paid-hold process.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection searches of travelers' laptops and phones increased 32% this year compared to the prior period, according to reported figures. The increase continues a trend of more frequent device inspections at U.S. entry points, affecting both citizens and visitors.