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We've all rightly mocked AT&T for its ridiculous "5GE" branding, but the network improvements under that poorly named umbrella are having a real impact. According to PCMag's new mobile network tests, AT&T has surpassed Verizon to become the fastest network in the US. This is the first time AT&T has won in six years, which was way back in the early days of LTE.
Things look grim for Huawei as the US export ban threatens to cut the company off from the technology and services it needs to survive. One of its chief concerns is the very real possibility that it could lose access to Google services and Android updates. Still, Huawei remains confident with a pledge to update 17 phones to Android Q according to its new "Huawei Answers" site.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold should have been on the market for several weeks at this point, but the company delayed the launch after the first batch of review units began failing at a high rate. It pledged to modify the foldable display so it wasn't as prone to failure, but news has been hard to come by since then. In a recent appearance, Samsung Display Vice President Kim Seong-cheol said that the Galaxy Fold is almost ready to launch.
LG announced the Watch W7 last year with an exorbitant $450 price tag. Thankfully, that price didn't last long—the watch went on "sale" almost immediately and has never sold for full price. It's even cheaper than usual today, though. You can pick up this smartwatch for $190 at B&H.
Motorola promised at least three years of Mod compatibility when it announced the first Moto Z phones in 2016, and we're about to go beyond that with the new Moto Z4. Good on Motorola for sticking with it and giving consumers some confidence their Mod purchases would not be in vain. Although, Mods still don't seem like a worthwhile purchase, and even Moto is phoning it in with the Z-series. This is the first Moto Z that doesn't even attempt to be a flagship device—Motorola has essentially merged the Z Play and flagship Z-series. It would be easier if the Moto Z4 were an objectively bad phone, but it isn't. It gets the fundamentals right, and it works with any Moto Mods you might have laying around. However, the Moto Z4 is boring, a bit too expensive, and still fails to make the case for Mods.
It seems like no one can release a phone these days without getting it leaked. Today, it's Motorola having is (presumably) carefully laid plans dashed to ribbons. The upcoming Motorola One Pro has popped up in press render form, confirming a previous leak.
OnePlus has a little-known feature bundled with its phones called "Shot on OnePlus." It's a way for people to show off the photos they take on their phones by making them available to other OP users as wallpapers. However, OnePlus reportedly designed its API in such a way that it's easy for someone to harvest email addresses from Shot on OnePlus.
Google hasn't talked about its Daydream VR platform much lately, but it still exists and works with phones like the Pixel 3. Daydream has never had extensive app support, and there's one less Google app available today. Google has quietly retired the Play Movies & TV app for Daydream.
This may shock you, but the Moto Z4 is the latest phone from Motorola. Yes, you probably already know that after Amazon accidentally launched the phone early, but it's official now. This device represents the merging of the Z and Z Play lines with its Snapdragon 675 SoC, a step down from the 800-series chips used in past Z-series phones. There's a strong Verizon tie-in here, but it's not exclusive to Big Red.
It's easy to forget, but AT&T has technically had a 5G network since late last year. It just won't let almost anyone use it. That trend continues with the carrier's latest phone launch. The Galaxy S10 5G will go on sale June 17th, but only businesses and developers can buy it.
Phones are getting more powerful all the time, but there's only so much you can do to cool that beefy hardware in a smartphone form factor. Over on the Linus Tech Tips YouTube channel, they decided to look into the mysterious world of water-cooled smartphones. Yes, that's a thing. If you've ever fancied adding a water cooler to your smartphone, here's how you do it.
Google has long maintained an optional link between Google Drive and Google Photos, but it appears that feature is going away. According to Google, many users find the connection between those services confusing. So, get ready for a "simplified" experience going forward.
Several state attorneys general are set to file a lawsuit seeking to block T-Mobile's proposed takeover of Sprint on antitrust grounds. The effort, led by New York AG Letitia James, represents the latest headache for the carriers as they seek to unite and do battle with AT&T and Verizon. Even if the Justice Department eventually gives the deal its blessing, a federal judge could side with the states and prevent the merger.
OnePlus began selling its latest flagship phone a few weeks back, but the OnePlus 7 Pro only came in blue or dark gray at the time. That spiffy "Almond" color was just listed as coming soon. Get ready to open those wallets—OnePlus will start taking orders for the Almond color today.
Samsung tried to launch the trend-setting Galaxy Gold several weeks ago, but things did not exactly go to plan. After handing out a few review units to prominent publications, the folding screens began failing at an alarming rate. Samsung delayed the phone and pledged to fix the issues. It hasn't been entirely clear the phone would ever come out, but Samsung says it will release the Galaxy Fold, and it'll have a specific date soon.
Amazon launched its Key in-home delivery service last year, but now Walmart has taken that idea and run with it. The mega-retailer's new InHome service lets you order groceries online for delivery. Instead of just dropping off items inside the door like Key, Walmart will literally put them in your refrigerator while you're away.
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- You can now file your own claim to join the Nexus 6P settlement — which, it should be noted, still has yet to be approved by the court according to the settlement's site. The deadline to submit a claim form, opt out of the suit, or comment/object to the settlement is September 3rd.
The Nexus 6P was one of those phones with high initial quality that failed the test of time. In the months and years following the launch, many Nexus 6P owners noticed their phones would bootloop or simply shut down without warning. The law firm Chimicles & Tikellis filed a class action lawsuit in 2017, and it looks like a resolution is on the horizon. Nexus 6P owners may be eligible for as much as $400 in restitution from Google and Huawei.
Huawei has struggled to gain traction in the US market for the last few years, but things went from bad to worse a few weeks back when the US Commerce Department announced a ban on technology exports to the Chinese firm. Google fell in line, severing business ties with Huawei along with countless other US companies. That could cut Huawei off from Android updates. However, the Financial Times reports that Google is working hard behind the scenes to secure a government exemption for Android.
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Google promised to announce Stadia pricing today, but details have leaked early. Perhaps Google hoped to soften the blow in its live-streamed announcement because the raw numbers don't look great. According to detailed posted early by Canada's La Presse newspaper, Stadia will have both a subscription and individual prices for games. That seems pretty unappealing.
We got our first taste of Google's revamped gesture navigation in Android Q Beta 3, but something was missing. The rotation lock button we loved so much in Android Pie was nowhere to be found. In the new Beta 4 release, Google has added a new rotation button in gesture mode. Although, it looks a bit messy right now.