Xiaomi unveiled the 18 Fold, its first book-style foldable since the 2024 Mix Fold 4, adopting the short, wide form factor now favored by Huawei and Samsung. Its inner and outer screens share a roughly 1.4:1 aspect ratio, making it both shorter and wider than the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with hardware specs that reportedly surpass Samsung's device. However, it lacks any announced IP water/dust resistance rating and is slightly heavier and thicker than its rival.
Arm has introduced its CSS for Mobile 2 platform for chipmakers, featuring a redesigned GPU called the Mali G2-Ultra NX that it describes as its first AI-native graphics processor. The chip uses three AI techniques—neural super sampling, frame rate upscaling, and denoising—to boost resolution and frame rates directly within the graphics pipeline, while updated CPU clusters target AI agent workloads. The technology is expected to appear in premium Android phones starting in 2027.
Arm has unveiled its Mali G2-Ultra NX graphics processor, the result of five years of work to build AI-based gaming acceleration into mobile GPUs. It debuts today inside Xiaomi's custom Xring O3 chip in the Xiaomi 18 Fold, launching in China, with Arm executives saying the chip will reach other phones, tablets and possibly Chromebook-style devices next year.
Xiaomi debuted a new foldable smartphone at IFA in Berlin featuring a passport-style design with a 5.38-inch outer display and a 7.58-inch inner screen. The device uses a custom three-link hinge for durability and marks the first phone to run Xiaomi's own XRing 03 processor. A CNET reporter who got hands-on time praised the build quality and near-invisible crease, though noted stiff competition looms from Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Apple's rumored foldable iPhone.
Rising memory chip prices driven by the AI boom are pushing up the cost of new smartphones, even as many flagship models already exceed $1,000. This is prompting consumers who damage their phones to weigh repair costs, often under a few hundred dollars, against the appeal of new features found only in devices like the Pixel 11 and iPhone 17.
Amazon has cut the price of Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra (Sky Blue, 256GB) to $953, a $347 reduction from its $1,299.99 list price, in a deal set to expire tonight. The discount is only slightly better than the Prime Day price and matches close to the lowest price recorded for the device, which currently holds a 4.6-star rating from buyers.
Apple's CarPlay, which mirrors iOS onto compatible car infotainment screens, is designed to reconnect automatically to a paired iPhone every time the driver gets in the vehicle. For those who prefer to skip it occasionally—whether to save battery or just take a break from the interface—there are several settings-based methods to disable that automatic reconnection without fully removing the device pairing.
Sony has begun pushing Android 17 to the Xperia 1 VIII, with the update also arriving for the Xperia 1 VII and Xperia 1 VI. The release adds a Desktop mode for connecting phones to external displays like a PC, along with new wallpaper and icon customization, a redesigned Quick settings panel, and upgraded screen recording that captures full-screen or single-app video with audio. The Xperia 1 VIII also gains the ability to save and name up to three custom looks in its AI Camera Assistant.
With the Pixel 11 lineup now priced from $899 to $1,900, Google is offering notably better trade-in credit for old phones than competing retailers. A 2024 Pixel 9 Pro XL that fetches only $255-$310 at Apple, Amazon or Best Buy can earn several hundred dollars more through Google's own trade-in program.
A CNET survey found 55% of US adults say a lower price would push them to upgrade their phone, while 52% cite longer battery life and 38% want more storage. Only 12% said AI features would motivate an upgrade, and just 13% said a new form factor like a foldable would sway them. The findings come ahead of Apple's Sept. 9 event, where the company is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone alongside new iPhone 18 Pro models.
Xiaomi has released the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China, its first wide-format foldable, featuring a 5.38-inch cover screen and a 7.58-inch inner display with a 2:1 aspect ratio, both running at up to 120Hz and 4,000 nits brightness. The phone runs on Xiaomi's own XRing 03 chipset, up to 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and a 6,000mAh battery with 67W wired and 50W wireless charging, starting around $1,639 with no confirmed global launch yet.
Huawei unveiled the Mate XT2, its second-generation triple-folding phone, featuring a 10.2-inch unfolded display, a slimmer design, and a special edition with a privacy screen borrowed from its laptops. The device runs on Huawei's own Kirin 9050 Pro chipset, which the company claims delivers major CPU and GPU performance gains over its predecessor.
GoKawiil