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I want to live in a world where small phones can coexist with behemoths
The death of the compact flagship
I wouldn't say my hands are alarmingly small, but you won't find me playing piano at Carnegie Hall, and I've never managed complex guitar chords. And you'll never catch me using any near-7-inch high-end phablets like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. My thumb simply cannot reach the notification bar without dislocating.
Will 2024's Android flagships actually last seven years?
As Android heavy-hitters promise longer software support, how gracefully can we expect our hardware to age?
The days of groundbreaking changes to slab smartphones are largely behind us, with modern flagships only seeing iterative upgrades each year. And while we've seen some important efficiency gains recently, systems-on-a-chip and other critical hardware don't jump in performance year-on-year.
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New budget phone vs. old flagship: Which is best for you?
Everyone wants the best bang for their buck, but your priorities may vary
If you're like us, you're always drooling over whatever gadget is on the horizon. Sure, you could look at older hardware or consider holding onto your current device for another few months. Still, when every review praises whatever phone Samsung or Google just launched, keeping your wallet in your pocket can be tough. But smartphones are more expensive than ever before, and with inflation on every consumer's mind, it's only natural to wonder whether a new flagship is worth the cash, leaving you with a couple of options to consider
Should you buy a OnePlus 9, or the OnePlus 8T? It's less obvious than you think
Unless camera performance and wireless charging are deal breakers
Following weeks of hype, OnePlus finally debuted its OnePlus 9 series last month. If you're not looking to splurge almost a grand on the OnePlus 9 Pro (probably a good call), you might have your sights set on its cheaper sibling, the OnePlus 9. Surprisingly, it's priced lower than its predecessor at launch (at least in the US) and it arguably comes without any significant sacrifices. However, the OnePlus 8T has received a timely price cut and is now available for just $599 on the OnePlus store — $130 lower than the OnePlus 9.
It's seldom a good idea to purchase expensive consumer electronics at launch. The initial asking price doesn't stick around for long, and you can save some serious cash if you exercise a modicum of self-control. We've recently seen this happen with the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, shedding a couple of hundred dollars within a month of release. But if you didn't snag that one, Woot has a deal that's worthy of your attention — the Note20 Ultra is on sale for a mere $799.99 with free shipping.
Galaxy S21 series colorways leak shortly before launch, Custom Colors said to have wait times
And there's plenty to choose from
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- Courtesy of Quandt via WinFuture.de, we've learned some more information about these Custom Colors. According to him, the Phantom Gold and Phantom Red colors for the S21+, as well as the Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown colors for the S21 Ultra, will all be considered "custom." This means that customers will have to order it via Samsung's site and have a wait time of several weeks, as these colors are apparently only delivered upon request. There won't be any additional costs or storage spec limitations, though, which is nice.
We're already well-acquainted with the Samsung Galaxy S21 series by now. We know pretty much everything about the phones — right from the next-gen hardware and software to pricing and availability. The leaks are still coming in, though, and the latest one gives us a look at all the colorways that we will see on Samsung's upcoming flagships.
Samsung opens Galaxy S21 series pre-order reservations in the US
Get $60 credit to spend on S21 accessories
If the reported launch date of January 14 is to be believed, the Samsung Galaxy S21 series isn't far away from being announced. Naturally, this also means that it's about time for the South Korean smartphone giant to open up pre-orders. Shortly after a flagship store in India began doing so, Samsung is letting customers in the US reserve the upcoming phones.
New OnePlus 9 leaks show off iPhone 12-like protruding lens rings on top of large camera bump
They also confirm March 2021 release date
Just a few days ago, we took our first glimpse at OnePlus' upcoming flagship device, thanks to its CAD renders leaking on the web. It's now time to learn more about the handset's higher-end model, the 9 Pro, thanks to a new leak revealing its design and some of its specs.
In May, our David Ruddock called the realme X "the most powerful 'budget' phone I've ever used." Fast forward to October, and realme has its sights set on a more prestigious target: the high-end market at large. Here's what we know about the upcoming realme X2 Pro, headed for Asia and Europe.
We're used to being told that you have to spend more to get more, all the while flagship prices have doubled over the last four years. So not only are we told that the best should cost more, but that's also turned into a moving signpost. Thankfully we have companies like OUKITEL that can repeatedly stretch how far your cash can go. The company's recently announced MIX 2, coming this October, delivers flagship-like specs in a low-bezel package for just $299.99.
So far, HMD Global has released three Nokia-branded Android phones - the Nokia 6, 5, and 3. But the most-expensive model, the Nokia 6, still had a mid-range Snapdragon 430 processor. With HMD/Nokia's clean Android ROM and competitive pricing, many hoped for a true flagship model to be released. Now the time has come, as HMD has taken the wraps off the Nokia 8.
Watching HTC release phones is almost as frustrating as Google's current messenger app situation. After two years of incremental releases to the company's 'HTC One' lineup, many considered last year's HTC 10 to be a great phone (besides being rather expensive at launch). The company followed up this year with the HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play, neither of which has received positive reviews.
HTC has been lagging behind its competitors for years, despite some fantastic hardware and critical acclaim. So for 2017 the company is going in a completely new design direction, dumping the aluminum unibody phones it's become known for and shifting to a more generic glass front and back. The first products displaying this new direction are the HTC U Ultra, the new flagship phone, and the U Play, a mid-range model. They'll both go on sale later this year.
Today, Meizu pulled the wraps off its latest top-of-the-line smartphone, the PRO 6 Plus. This device marks the latest entry into the PRO line and also a more souped-up version of the Pro 6 from earlier this year. It also features the latest version of the Android-based Flyme operating system.
So Lenovo, you're not going to let Motorola announce its own stuff anymore, is that it? That certainly seems to be the take-away from the company's reveal at its Lenovo Tech World presentation in San Francisco. In between discussions of new tablets, augmented reality 3D design, and network tech, the much-leaked Moto Z flagship was announced at the event, along with the Moto Z Force. They're both coming in "DROID Editions" only to Verizon, at least initially.
Pour one out for the Xperia Z series. It's served Sony well since 2013, going through a relatively rapid five generations in under three years, plus offshoots like the massive Xperia Z Ultra, the diminutive Xperia Z Compact and its well-regarded descendants, and even a tablet or two. But all things must pass away, and so it is with the Z moniker. Probably. There won't be an Xperia Z6 at any rate, at least according to the statement that the company gave to XperiaBlog.
You won't have to fumble around with remembering the year with the newest Moto X. Or should I say, Moto Xs. This time the company is introducing multiple versions, and each has a name that sets it apart from the crowd. One Moto X has style. Moto X Style.
Thanks to the fanatical culture that's grown up around mobile technology, we haven't been truly surprised by a new device in years. Even LG knows this: the company has been slowly revealing its upcoming G4 flagship, piece by pedantic piece, in the weeks leading up to the April 28th launch event. Last night an LG "micro site" was briefly published and removed, and it leaves very little of the G4 to the imagination. Google+ user Pedro Peguero Jr. grabbed some screenshots of the site.
Chinese manufacturer Meizu has unveiled its latest flagship device, the MX4. It's a high-end, 5.36-inch phone that spares no expense in some components, but seems to go a little down market in others. The 4th-generation MX4 will be available later this month in China starting at 1800 Yuan (about $290) for the 16GB version, with the 32GB and 64GB versions going for 2000 and 2400 Yuan, respectively. eBay and other official import shops are pre-selling the 16GB model for $449.99.
Xiaomi has been making waves in the expanding Chinese smartphone market thanks to solid hardware and customized Android software. The company's 4th-generation flagship, the Mi 4, looks like a definite step up. While the 5-inch 1080p screen matches the Mi3, the design is... well, let's call a spade a spade, shall we? It's a big iPhone. Between the segmented metal band, the specifically rounded corners, and the edge-mounted speakers, it's pretty clear that Xiaomi was going for a particular look.