GoKawiil
Tech News
Counterpoint Research reports that global smartphone retail prices have risen 15% in 2026, driven by rising component and memory costs, but US prices have climbed only 5% on average. Price-sensitive markets like India, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East/Africa have seen much steeper increases of 16-21%, while Europe and China saw 7% and 10% hikes respectively.
Motorola has released a new Razr flip phone edition covered in 35 hand-placed Swarovski crystals plus a 32-facet crystal hinge accent, this time in a black 'Meteorite' colorway with a quilted leather-like texture. The $900 package, available September 10, includes crystal-covered Moto Buds 2 Plus and a base Moto Watch, while internal specs match the standard 2026 Razr. Motorola also unveiled the Moto Watch Ultra, a $350 wearable with LTE, dual-band GPS, NFC payments and roughly two-day battery life, launching the same day.
Motorola showed off a limited-edition Razr foldable at IFA Berlin featuring 35 hand-set Swarovski crystals, a 32-facet crystal hinge, and a black meteorite finish, priced at 1,000 euros (about $1,159) versus $800 for the standard model. The company also launched the Edge 70 Plus and Edge 70 Plus Neo, thicker but longer-lasting siblings to the ultra-thin Edge 70, with 6,500-mAh and 7,000-mAh batteries respectively and differing camera setups.
Motorola has released a special-edition Razr 2026 covered in 35 individually placed Swarovski crystals, plus a larger 32-facet crystal embedded in the hinge, finished in a dark PANTONE Meteorite color with a quilted leather-like texture. Underneath the sparkle it's the standard Razr 2026, with a 3.6-inch cover screen, 6.9-inch AMOLED main display, dual 50MP cameras, and a 4,800mAh battery. It costs $900, which is $100 less than last year's Swarovski Razr though $100 more than the base Razr 2026, and Motorola is temporarily bundling in Moto Buds 2 Plus earbuds and a Moto watch.
At IFA 2026, Motorola introduced the Snap Wireless Charger, a magnetic puck that attaches to compatible Qi2 phones and cases and charges at up to 25W. It doubles as a portable puck or clips into an optional stand for upright desktop charging, and comes in an aluminum finish with a 1.5-meter braided USB-C cable. Motorola says it will ship in three Pantone colors, though pricing and release date are still unannounced.
Motorola showed off the Moto Watch Ultra at IFA 2026, marking its first Wear OS smartwatch since the Moto 360 in 2019. The device features a large 46.26mm stainless-steel case reminiscent of Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but weighs only 51 grams, and retains Polar-powered fitness tracking alongside a rotating crown control scheme borrowed from Motorola's earlier Moto Watch.
Motorola unveiled the Moto Watch Ultra at IFA 2026, a flagship smartwatch built with Polar that returns the company to Google's Wear OS platform. The watch features a Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1 chip, a 1.5-inch pOLED display hitting 2,700 nits, LTE eSIM support, and up to two days of battery life from a 550mAh cell. It launches September 10 for $349.99, with carrier versions to follow.
At IFA 2026, Hohem introduced the Eyepic, a pocket gimbal camera whose camera unit can pop off the gimbal and function independently as a waterproof action camera. It shoots 4K video at 60fps, supports true vertical 4K recording via a rotating touchscreen, and works underwater to 10 meters. Hohem also showed two new gimbals and a multi-mic system, though no pricing or release dates were given for any device.
Motorola has released the Moto Watch Ultra, its first premium smartwatch to run Google's Wear OS instead of the custom software used on its earlier Moto Watch. The 46mm stainless steel device uses a Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1 chip, features a 1.5-inch OLED display, and comes in black or silver with interchangeable leather and silicone straps, an IP68 rating, and 5ATM water resistance.
An Android Authority roundup argues that buyers considering the newly US-available Fairphone Gen 6 Plus ($650) might get more for their money elsewhere. It highlights the HMD Skyline as a nearly as repairable but cheaper (~$400) alternative with a better camera, bigger battery and faster display, alongside four other Android phones recommended for shoppers willing to trade some repairability for extra performance and features.
Samsung's $2,100 Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra pairs an 8-inch inner display with a 200-megapixel camera system, while the $1,200 Z Flip8 becomes the world's lightest and thinnest flip phone with a 4.1-inch cover screen. Motorola's first book-style foldable, the $1,900 Razr Fold, offers an 8.1-inch inner display and a 6,000-mAh battery lasting nearly three days, though it lacks a flagship chipset.
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.