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Tech News
A retrospective traces how Nokia dominated the late-1990s phone market with rugged, one-handed candybar handsets like the 5110 and later the 3310, at a time when networks were too slow to make internet access worthwhile. These devices prioritized durability, battery life, and simple monochrome displays over connectivity, cementing Nokia's lead as the US shifted from analog to digital 2G networks.
Apple confirmed to CNET that its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, will launch on Oct. 23 running iOS 27.1 instead of the base iOS 27 version. The company said this build adds features specifically designed for the foldable form factor, while other iPhones are already testing the next update, iOS 27.2. Preorders for the Duo open Oct. 16, and all devices will eventually be able to move to iOS 27.2 later this year.
Nothing CEO Carl Pei has responded to speculation that the upcoming Phone 4b is actually a rebranded CMF device rather than a genuine Nothing product. Pei clarified that the Phone 4b is instead a direct successor to the Phone 3a Lite, positioning it within Nothing's existing budget lineup rather than its sister sub-brand CMF.
Google disclosed that a vulnerability in Pixel phones' modem software, tracked as CVE-2026-58704, was exploited in a limited number of targeted attacks before being patched this week. The flaw allowed attackers to escalate privileges from the isolated modem component into the phone's broader system without any user interaction, a so-called zero-click exploit. Google has not identified who carried out the attacks.
Android Authority released its weekly roundup of Android wallpapers for September 16, featuring submissions from readers and the site's own team. The collection offers a fresh batch of images that phone owners can download and set as backgrounds.
A global memory chip shortage is pushing smaller device makers like Fairphone, Jolla, and Framework to rethink product design, order chips months ahead, and test incoming shipments for counterfeits. Fairphone's CEO says memory now accounts for nearly 60% of the bill of materials on its roughly $400 phones, while SK Hynix's chief has warned the shortage could persist until 2030, peaking in severity around 2027.
WIRED's roundup of the best Android phones for 2026 includes guidance for shoppers considering models outside the main recommendations, covering display type, screen size, processor, RAM, cooling and refresh rate. It notes that OLED screens are now common even in budget phones, that Qualcomm Snapdragon 7-series or MediaTek Dimensity 7000-series chips or better offer reliable performance, and that 8GB of RAM (ideally 12GB) suits multitasking and AI features.
According to a blogger tracking Chinese social media chatter, Samsung is moving up the release of its Galaxy Z Trifold 2, seemingly in reaction to Apple's incoming iPhone Duo. The move comes despite the original trifold device's lackluster commercial performance, and the new model is expected to carry a similar price tag.
CNET is revisiting its original 2007 review of the first iPhone, written by Kent German and Donald Bell, as Apple prepares to launch the foldable iPhone Duo starting at $2,000. The original review praised the iPhone's design but criticized its missing features, slow EDGE network, and $499 price tag, which required a two-year AT&T contract.
iOS 27 adds a small feature to the Phone app that displays a festive fireworks banner animation when a user calls a contact whose birthday is saved in Contacts. The detail, spotted by an X user, mirrors an animation Apple already uses on Apple Watch's midnight birthday notifications and New Year's celebrations.
Google is rolling out its Scam Detection feature to preview notifications on Pixel devices, extending the protection beyond just calls and messages to more countries. However, the most advanced version of the feature, which offers deeper analysis, remains limited to users in the United States.
Shoppers looking to save money on smartphones often encounter listings labeled 'pre-owned,' 'used,' or 'refurbished,' terms that sound similar but carry different meanings. A refurbished phone has typically been inspected, cleaned, tested, and repaired with replacement parts as needed, while a pre-owned phone is usually sold as-is without such processing.