A new leak from tipster @phonefuturist suggests Samsung's standard Galaxy S27 and S27 Plus could adopt the same 3x telephoto camera system found in the upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro. An earlier ETNews report had pegged that Pro model's zoom lens at 12MP, though the new leak doesn't confirm sensor details for the base models. Samsung is separately said to be testing a 50MP 4x telephoto for the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Smartwatches from Apple, Google and Samsung all include a basic flashlight feature that simply maxes out the display's brightness and turns it white. Despite mockery of the feature compared to a phone's dedicated camera flash, it proves genuinely useful for quick tasks like finding a dropped pill, precisely because the watch is already on your wrist rather than buried in a pocket or bag.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-31
A ZDNET tester took Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold to Germany to compare their camera systems side by side. The Z Fold 8 relies on two 50-megapixel wide and ultrawide sensors, while the Pixel 11 Pro Fold pairs a 48-megapixel main camera with a 5x telephoto lens and a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, giving it a zoom advantage the Samsung device lacks.
zdnet.com
· 2026-08-31
Google explains that using Find Hub to mark an Android device as lost will log it out of the owner's Google account and strip all cards from Google Wallet, with an option to show a contact message on the lock screen. If account access isn't possible, users can lock the phone remotely via android.com/lock by verifying their identity and phone number. Samsung devices with SmartThings Find offer a similar safeguard, automatically locking Samsung Wallet and pausing transactions until identity is confirmed.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-31
Samsung is reportedly diverting Display Driver IC components originally set aside for future foldable production to sustain current Galaxy Z Fold 8 manufacturing, according to ZDNet Korea. The move comes as demand for the foldable has exceeded Samsung's forecasts, while supplier UMC's 22nm production line is already running at capacity and unable to expedite output.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Honor has begun selling its experimental Robot Phone in China, a device that hides a tiny three-axis gimbal mechanism behind the main 200-megapixel camera on its back. The company says it engineered a custom 2.6-gram motor to make the mechanism small enough to fit inside a handset, though the result is a 9.6mm-thick phone. Despite showing the device internationally at MWC 2026, Honor is limiting the launch to a small production run in its home market for now.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-31
Huawei has started taking pre-orders in China for its second-generation tri-fold phone, the Mate XT 2, ahead of a formal launch on September 7. The device switches to an inward-folding mechanism that fully shields the inner display, unlike the zig-zag fold on the original Mate XT that left part of the screen exposed, and will come in 16GB/512GB and 16GB/1TB configurations, including a purple variant with a built-in privacy screen.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Android Authority surveyed readers on which phone they'd buy instead of Google's new Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the results showed a near three-way tie between the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the previous-generation Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the Moto Razr Ultra. No single device dominated, reflecting mixed enthusiasm for this year's Pixel 11 lineup.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple considered building a shortened Apple Pencil for its upcoming iPhone Ultra but abandoned the idea. Gurman cites three reasons: awkward ergonomics from side-mounting, tension with Steve Jobs' original stance against styluses, and the risk of the pencil scratching the display.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-31
A year after buying the Galaxy S25 Edge outright, a reviewer traded it in for a Galaxy Z Fold 8, citing persistent battery and screen shortcomings that undercut its ultra-thin, lightweight design. Despite flagship specs like the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a 200MP camera packed into a 5.8mm body, Samsung has shown no sign of releasing a follow-up model.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Code found in the One UI 9 Beta 7 build for the Galaxy S26 references Scam Detection support for a wide range of devices, including the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, Z TriFold, and the unreleased Galaxy S27 lineup. The same code lists model numbers tied to these devices and references an Exynos 2700 chip alongside a Qualcomm option for the S27 series, hinting at Samsung's continued dual-chipset approach.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Android Authority outlines five foldable phones that could serve as alternatives to Google's new $1,899 Pixel 11 Pro Fold, including Motorola's Razr Fold and Razr Ultra, plus Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra. The comparison highlights that despite the Pixel 11 Pro Fold being thinner and lighter than its predecessor, it has a smaller battery than last year's model and faces stiff competition on price, charging speed, and battery capacity.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-30