Android Authority ran side-by-side tests comparing the Pixel 11 Pro's new MediaTek modem against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering signal strength, cellular data speeds, and battery drain while streaming. Both phones used identical SIM cards, software, and starting battery levels, disconnected from Wi-Fi, to keep the comparison controlled. Google switched from Samsung's Exynos modem to MediaTek for the Pixel 11 series, following reported gains over last year's Pixel 10 Pro in speed, reception, and efficiency.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-23
A TechInsights teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max confirms that the US model uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem instead of Apple's own C2 chip, which powers the device everywhere else and in the smaller iPhone 18 Pro globally. The X80 is the same modem found in last year's iPhone 17 Pro line, meaning Apple hasn't fully extended its in-house modem rollout to this specific US model.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-19
Google's September 2026 security bulletin fixes 110 vulnerabilities in Pixel devices, including a high-severity flaw (CVE-2026-58704) in the Cellular Modem component that is being exploited in limited, targeted attacks. The bug stems from a logic error that lets an attacker on an adjacent network bypass permissions and escalate privileges without user interaction. The update, rolling out at patch level 2026-09-05, also addresses 12 critical remote code execution bugs and 89 privilege escalation issues.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-16
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro uses its own C2 modem, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max sticks with a Qualcomm modem despite otherwise similar specs like mmWave support. Meanwhile, battery life improved for both models, but the Pro Max jumped by six hours of video playback to 45 hours total, compared to just a three-hour gain to 36 hours for the standard Pro.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-09
Apple unveiled the A20 Pro, its first 2-nanometer chip built for iPhones, alongside a new in-house C2 modem, at an event led by CEO John Ternus. The chip will power the new foldable iPhone Duo as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, featuring a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, dual neural engines, and a redesigned cooling system with a larger vapor chamber.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-09
Router manufacturers and security experts note that routers, as small computers, accumulate memory buildup and temporary files that degrade performance over time. Restarting a router clears this cache, refreshes connections with your modem and internet provider, forces a rescan of less congested Wi-Fi channels, and disrupts malware or lingering connections attackers could exploit. This differs from a factory reset, which erases all saved settings including network name and password.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-05
Google switched the Pixel 11 series from Samsung's Exynos modem to a MediaTek chip to fix years of connectivity complaints, but a subset of owners are now reporting 5G icons with no data, Wi-Fi dropouts, slow speeds, and network switching issues shortly after purchase. Reports have surfaced on Reddit from multiple Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro XL owners, though many other buyers say their devices work fine.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
A technical retrospective examines a decompiled 2004 RuneScape 2 client to explain how Jagex packed a 3D game world with up to a couple thousand concurrent players onto connections as slow as 5 KB/s. The analysis traces a single player movement command byte-by-byte from click to server to another player's screen, revealing the extreme data-efficiency techniques used. These core network principles reportedly persisted from RuneScape Classic through to Old School RuneScape and RuneScape 3 today.
jkm.dev
· 2026-09-01
Android Authority's Joe Maring initially planned to skip the Pixel 11 Pro, criticizing Google for making only incremental updates like Samsung and Apple. He instead upgraded after Google introduced a new modem in the Pixel 11 series and he secured the phone for under £200 through combined trade-in and pre-order discounts.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-31
Google has replaced the Exynos modem used in previous Pixel phones with a MediaTek modem in the Pixel 11 series, promising better reliability, speed, and power efficiency. Android Authority ran side-by-side signal and performance tests comparing the Pixel 11 Pro against last year's Pixel 10 Pro using identical SIM cards and network conditions to verify these claims.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-27
GoKawiil