5G is not the only exciting technology that’s keeping the entire mobile industry afloat, with excitement also growing for foldable and flip phones, which analysts are now expecting to see tremendous growth in over the next five years.
In a new forecast on foldable smartphones, analyst house IDC says it expects 21.4 million devices to ship this year. That’s more than 50% up compared to last year, when 14.2 million such units shipped.
By the time we reach 2027, the world will have bought 48.1 million foldable devices, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6% over five years.
Heating up the race
The smartphone market has been in freefall for some time, with IDC saying that sales dropped by more than 11%, IDC says. Other market analysts are saying that there is growing demand for used devices, mostly because they’re cheaper, and other consumers believe it’s more environmentally-friendly to buy used devices.
Finally, people are happy to keep their current devices for longer, as the build quality has improved and the software is more optimized.
"The foldable phone market finished slightly higher than previously forecast as consumers start to embrace the new form factor," said Anthony Scarsella, research manager, Mobile Phones at IDC.
"A 10% decline in ASP (average selling price) helped the market grow 75.5% in 2022, as foldable devices became more affordable in numerous markets. With new vendors and models joining the race this year, we expect the foldable market to be the one bright spot in 2023 with 50.5% growth, while the total smartphone market contracts 1.1%."
Nabila Popal, research director with IDC's Worldwide Tracker team also added that the recent success of current foldable phones will only mean higher demand, and new entrants to the market.
This is obviously an up-and-coming form factor: "Foldables were a key focal point at Mobile World Congress this year as vendors were eager to show off new models and concept devices. With the smartphone market declining over 11% last year, consumers need new motivation to go out and upgrade to something that can wow them. Foldable devices currently bring that 'wow factor' and I believe they will continue to grab more headlines and outperform non-foldable smartphones over the next five years."
OnePlus looks to be about to enter a busy period, because not only is the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite landing on April 4, but it seems like we might see the OnePlus Nord 3 soon too.
While OnePlus hasn’t confirmed anything about this latter phone yet, it’s been spotted on various certification sites (via MySmartPrice), suggesting that it exists and it’s landing soon, as well as revealing some details about the phone.
Certifications for the phone have so far been spotted in China, India, Singapore, and Germany, and in each case these are official organizations, which are granted access to devices before they launch. So the information they hold should be accurate.
From these, we can see that the OnePlus Nord 3 apparently has the model number CPH2493 and features 80W fast charging. It’s also listed, unsurprisingly, as having 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC.
So the most notable detail here is the charging speed, which is an improvement on the 65W OnePlus Nord 2, and quite a high speed for a mid-range phone.
It’s also worth noting that the phone’s presence on these certification databases suggests that it will launch soon, as usually phones appear in these places within a few months of release.
That tallies with what we’ve already heard, as earlier leaks suggested the OnePlus Nord 3 would launch in either late June or early July, so at the time of writing, there might be around three months to go.
No need to wait
If you’re keen to find out more about the OnePlus Nord 3 then you might not need to wait for its official unveiling, as leaker Max Jambor has previously said this will be the global version of the China-only OnePlus Ace 2V.
That phone has already launched, so we know all about it. Specs then include a 6.74-inch 1240 x 2772 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, up to 512GB of storage, up to 16GB of RAM, a triple-lens camera led by a 64MP sensor, a 5,000mAh battery, and 80W charging.
So, the charging speed matches what certifications suggest we’ll get, adding credence to the idea that this really is the OnePlus Nord 3. Hopefully it is, because that’s an impressive assortment of specs for a mid-range phone.
That said, the global version may well launch with less RAM and storage than the OnePlus Ace 2V tops out at. There’s also some question over whether this really is what we’ll get with the Nord 3, as leaker @Gadgetsdata has previously leaked different specs.
Either way though, if the OnePlus Nord 3 is priced right it has a good chance of ranking among the best OnePlus phones.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is the next affordable entry in the OnePlus' lineup, with the company already confirming that it’s landing on April 4. But ahead of release, president and COO Kinder Liu has exclusively confirmed some of the phone's remaining key features and specs with TechRadar.
Kicking things off, Liu told us that the CE 3 Lite would indeed pack a "120Hz 6.72-inch large screen;" that's notably bigger than the 6.59-inch panel on the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite and renders this the largest Nord device to date; suggesting a strong viewing experience (although we're not crossing our fingers on OLED tech, considering the phone's expected price point). Paired with the Lite's one-two punch of a large battery and promisingly-rapid fast charging, the company president continued, "[these are] features usually seen in our premium models."
The Nord CE 3 Lite will again run on a Snapdragon 695 5G chipset; which is the same as its predecessor, providing mid-range power, along with 5G support. As to whether this SoC has enough grunt one generation later, Liu told us, "users can look forward to extended gaming times, extra power, picture-perfect playback and lag-free streaming on multiple platforms."
The third major morsel of newly-confirmed information comes in the form of software. Building on the experience already available to the company's latest and greatest smartphones, the Nord CE 3 Lite, "debuts with the hyper-intuitive OxygenOS 13.1 for fast and smooth experiences." This means OnePlus has chosen to showcase the most recent revision of its range-wide user experience, not on a flagship, but what's assumed to be its most affordable and modest device of 2023.
Last year's OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite (Image credit: Future / Sachin George)
While details are scant right now, the jump from OxygenOS 13 to OxygenOS 13.1 should include improvements to privacy and security, with Liu also highlighting the release's focus on gaming on the CE 3 Lite, "Quick Startup gives users a quick entry into the game, Game Focus Mode automatically blocks unwanted notifications and defeats mistouches and the GPA Frame Stabilizer reduces system lag and enhances frame rate stability."
That looks to be it for exclusive details, but Liu also affirmed other previously-detailed specs, including the presence of a 108MP main camera (another OnePlus first), dual SIM functionality and 8GB of virtual RAM (on top of the phone’s dedicated RAM). This virtual RAM idea is something we’ve seen in a number of phones recently, and it means the device can temporarily convert 8GB of internal storage into RAM, to boost performance.
As for price, Liu told us, "with the powerful and outstanding specifications, the price of OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G will also be satisfying." Mysterious, sure, but for context, its predecessor cost £279 in the UK (approximately $345 / AU$515) , meaning we're hoping for the same or less in order for our expectations to be truly satiated.
One aspect some OnePlus fans might be dissatisfied with is expected regional availability, because OnePlus currently doesn't sell its CE phones in the US, or any phones at all in Australia. As such, this is likely mostly one for UK buyers (along with other key markets across Europe and potentially India).
A OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite (Image credit: OnePlus)
What we already knew
This isn’t the first time OnePlus has teased the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite though, as we already knew that it packs a 5,000mAh battery with 67W charging – a nice speed bump compared to its predecessor's 33W charging speeds. In fact, we’ve even seen the phone from the back in both Pastel Lime and Chromatic Gray shades; as you can see in this article.
So, there might not be too many surprises on April 4, but from what we’ve heard out in the wild – and from what Liu told us directly – this sounds like a promising low-cost handset; with not just a bigger screen than the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite but also far more megapixels on its main camera, much faster charging, and the addition of virtual RAM.
At the same time as spilling the beans to TechRadar, Liu also just launched his official Twitter account, which will no doubt serve as a fount of knowledge, with regards to forthcoming OnePlus product details and launches going forward.
As for the rest, we’ll bring you all the details about this upcoming phone on April 4, and perhaps some before then, if OnePlus chooses to share more in advance.
OnePlus has announced its mysterious Jupiter-themed OnePlus 11 variant, and it turns out that the teaser image the brand shared a few days ago was a little more literal than we'd initially assumed. The new phone is dubbed the OnePlus 11 Jupiter Rock edition, and it takes its design cues from the eponymous celestial body.
As for the material used, it's not exactly marble, as some had theorized. Rather, OnePlus says it's a new material that it's developed called '3D microcrystalline rock'. OnePlus has experimented with various materials in the past, including wood grain and sandstone, and this looks like a return to form for a company that's been seen as playing it too safe with recent releases.
Disappointingly, though, the phone has only been launched in China with an expected expansion to India, and it seems unlikely that it'll be released in Western markets any time soon.
Announcing the new phone on Chinese social-networking side Weibo, OnePlus China head Li Jie posted (machine-translated to English): "It is a material that has never been used in the mobile phone industry. It is a 'no man's land' and requires a lot of time and cost to explore".
"This is a very excellent material. It is derived from the combination of nature and technology. It has a unique texture and a tight texture. When you hold it in your hand, you can feel an unprecedented wonderful feeling. It seems like jade that has been washed by water for thousands of years."
Li added that the material would be resistant to fingerprints, wear, and bacteria. Due to the nature of the materials and processes used, he said the OnePlus 11 Jupiter Rock edition would be unique to each buyer.
Materials matter
(Image credit: OnePlus / Weibo)
It's always good to see companies break free of the metal and glass sandwich archetype – companies like Oppo have experimented with ceramic on the Oppo Find X5 Pro, while Huawei has used vegan leather, and Motorola actual leather. OnePlus says it's gone to great efforts to develop its new material, including creating entirely new tooling processes.
"The OnePlus 11 Jupiter Rock Limited edition took a whole year from the start of the project to the mass production," Li Jie wrote in another Weibo post. "We have developed the entire mass production process line, including nine complex processes, and pioneered the 'natural graining process'."
Of course, how much effort a company puts into making a product isn't relevant if the product itself isn't good, but in our OnePlus 11 review we awarded the phone four stars, and this new design looks genuinely interesting.
It's a shame the company hasn't announced plans to release the phone outside of India or China where it's priced at 4,899 yuan (that's about £580 / $700 / AU$1,050), as it would certainly add a dash of style to the mobile market.
In a new MacRumors forum post, an anonymous leaker has claimed that a new microprocessor will support the iPhone 15 Pro’s solid-state buttons, rendering them capable of detecting touches even when the device is switched off. The microprocessor in question is rumored replace the Super Low Energy Mode currently used in the iPhone 14 Pro, which allows apps like Find My and Apple Pay to function with next to no power.
This is important news for Apple fans skeptical about the functionality of the iPhone 15 Pro’s possible solid-state volume and power buttons. In essence, these new panels will be able to sense presses, holds, and a “version of Apple’s 3D Touch” while the phone is dead or powered down.
The presence of a new microprocessor should also mean that these buttons aren’t reliant on the active iOS to function, so you’ll still be able to perform actions like a hard reset should you run into trouble with your iPhone 15 Pro.
Per the aforementioned leaker – who, incidentally, is supposedly the very same person who first hinted that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will feature Apple’s Dynamic Island – the new microprocessor is currently being tested with and without Taptic Engine feedback, and will reportedly take on the responsibility of managing Find My, Bluetooth, and Apple Pay's express transit payments feature on the iPhone 15 Pro.
The same leaker claims that every model in the iPhone 15 line will feature the Dynamic Island (Image credit: Apple)
The source also claims that this tiny chipset will let you increase or decrease your iPhone 15 Pro’s volume faster depending on how much pressure is applied to each button. Alternatively, you may be able to control volume by swiping your finger up or down on the buttons themselves. Apple reportedly has yet to decide on its preferred method.
Finally, this anonymous leaker notes that Apple may not publicize the existence of this new microprocessor – which will “definitely” be there – when the iPhone 15 Pro is officially unveiled in September. Instead, the company could simply “[leave it] in the technical specifications.”
As for what other features might be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro (and the much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra), a chip upgrade – likely an A17 Bionic – will be made exclusive to Apple’s most expensive iPhones, with recent leaks hinting that this processor could make the iPhone 15 Pro as fast as an M1 MacBook. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, by contrast, are expected to inherit last year’s A16 Bionic.
A titanium frame and periscope camera have also been touted as arriving with the iPhone 15 Ultra, which looks set to take the place of an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
We’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks, as and when they surface, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the most up-to-date info on what's likely to be 2023’s hottest smartphone launch.
The Insta360 Flow is official, taking on DJI’s OM series and going after smartphone vloggers who want to smooth out their handheld footage or capture hands-free content.
Positioned as the world’s most advanced AI-tracking smartphone stabilizer, the Insta360 Flow works in conjunction with its smartphone app, available for iOS or Android, to combine 3-axis hardware stabilization with smart software features like subject tracking.
The Insta360 Flow itself looks similar to the DJI OM 6, consisting of a grip with a joystick, and a flip-out arm that flips out to hold the phone, and then extends to create a modest selfie stick for a wider shot and more shooting versatility in general.
In its Creator Kit, the gimbal also packs a USB-C LED light that plugs into the Insta360 Flow to brighten up scenes, and when it isn’t plugged in, you can connect your phone to the USB-C port on the Flow's arm for on-the-go power from the onboard 2900mAh battery.
(Image credit: Insta360)
What’s novel about the Flow is the rotating dial around the buttons that toggles zoom, and the touch-sensitive interaction around the joystick to switch between stabilization modes. Its design is also standout, featuring a combination of white plastic and a transparent section along its arm for some Nothing Phone (1) type see-through style.
Insta360 also promises live tracking in apps like FaceTime on iOS, and while live streaming to services like Facebook and YouTube, as well as 360-degree photo capture and time-lapse features.
Priced at $159 / £145 / AU$239, the Insta360 Flow matches DJI’s OM 6 pricing, making it one of the most premium smartphone gimbals around. For anyone after a more complete system, Insta360 has also launched a creator kit, which combines the gimbal with a USB-C light, a soft-touch Grip Cover, a Type-C to lightning cable, and a carry bag, and can be had for $209 / £199 / AU $319.
(Image credit: Insta360)
Analysis: All-in-one pocketable camera person
After spending a day with the Flow, and having used the DJI OM-series in the past, Insta360’s inclusion of an extending set of tripod legs within its mobile gimbal is a stroke of genius.
This makes it an all-in-one camera person in your pocket without the need to piece together multiple elements for it to be self-standing. And if you need a more stable, wide base, there’s also a tripod thread so you can easily mount it.
The inclusion of a cold shoe mount also means you can capture with upgraded audio, so whether you want to hook up a DJI Mic or Rode Wireless Go 2, your smartphone’s mediocre mics won’t hold your vlogs back.
You can see the gimbal in action in Insta360's video above, and check back for our full review in the coming weeks. And if you're not sold on the Flow, or just want to see what other mobile gimbals are out there before picking one up, check out our guide to the best phone gimbal out now.
iOS 16.4 only began rolling out to iPhone users this week, but that hasn’t stopped Apple from launching the first beta for iOS 16.5.
As reported by Bloomberg’s resident Apple expert Mark Gurman, iOS 16.5 is expected to be the final incremental iOS 16 update before the iOS 17 beta goes live in June, with only “minor” changes on the cards for apps, including Siri and Apple News.
“At this stage, it makes little sense to add anything of substance with iOS 17 around the corner,” Gurman wrote on Twitter, confirming that screen recording via Siri and a dedicated Sports tab in Apple News are the main additions in the first iOS 16.5 beta.
With regards to screen recording via Siri, iOS 16.5 will let you start a screen recording by saying, “Hey Siri, start a screen recording.” You’ll then be able to stop the recording by saying – you guessed it! – “Hey Siri, stop screen recording.”
iOS 16.5 looks to be about as minor as iOS 16.4 with only screen recording via Siri and a dedicated Sports tab in Apple News as the main additions in Beta 1. At this stage, it makes little sense to add anything of substance with iOS 17 around the corner.March 28, 2023
See more
For Apple News, iOS 16.5 will add a new Sports tab at the bottom of the screen. Currently, the My Sports section is positioned below the For You section on the Today screen. The dedicated Search tab will also form part of the Following tab in iOS 16.5.
As additional iOS 16.5 betas roll out in the coming weeks, we’ll likely learn more about other new features this upcoming incremental update will bring to the table. However, as with iOS 16.4 – whose flagship improvement was improved phone call quality – we’re not expecting iOS 16.5 to radically reinvent the experience of using the best iPhones.
To install the iOS 16.5 beta on your own iPhone, head to Apple’s Beta page and register with your Apple ID. After that, log in to the Beta Software Program, enroll your iOS device, then head to your Settings app. Tap General, then Software Update, then select the iOS Public Beta in the Beta Updates section.
iOS 16.5 proper is expected to roll out in either April or May 2023, before iOS 17 is officially unveiled at Apple’s WWDC developer conference in June.
When it comes to the features iOS 17 could introduce, we’re not anticipating any groundbreaking additions, like the lock screen or home screen widget upgrades that came with previous iOS releases.
However, although Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman had previously reported that development on the Apple VR headset would lead to “fewer major changes” for iOS 17, the seasoned Apple expert has since claimed that the upcoming update will actually provide several of users’ “most requested features.” In practice, this will likely mean a range of significant upgrades to existing iPhone features and apps, like CarPlay, Siri and Messages.
There are a handful of big names in gaming phones, with the likes of the Asus ROG Phone line, the Xiaomi Black Shark line, and the Lenovo Legion line regularly featuring in our best gaming phones guide. But one of them probably won’t ever feature again.
Following rumors that Lenovo was ending its Legion gaming phone line, the company confirmed as much in a statement to Android Authority, with a Lenovo spokesperson saying: “Lenovo is discontinuing its Android-based Legion mobile gaming phones as part of a wider business transformation and gaming portfolio consolidation.
“As a leader in gaming devices and solutions, Lenovo is committed to advancing the gaming category across form factors, as well as focusing on where it can bring the most value to the global gaming community.”
That wording technically leaves open the possibility that Lenovo could still make gaming phones without Legion branding, or that don't run Android, but that seems unlikely. More likely, we simply won’t see any future gaming phones from the company.
A few options remain, but they face tough competition
So, where does that leave you if you want a gaming phone? Well, the Asus ROG Phone line seems to be going strong, with the Asus ROG Phone 7 set to land on April 13.
We’re also expecting to see a Xiaomi Black Shark 6 later this year, and perhaps a ZTE Nubia Red Magic 9.
So, there are a handful of upcoming options, along with the already available gaming phones. But with only a few companies really making them in 2023, Lenovo leaving the market will have a noticeable impact on the available selection, which is a shame.
The successor to the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro is coming soon (Image credit: Basil Kronfli / TechRadar)
It’s perhaps not a surprise, though. Gaming phones have always been a niche proposition, with their garish designs often putting off a more general audience. There’s also arguably little need for a gaming phone for most people. Many of the best phones can handle games just as well as gaming phones, and are better all-round handsets.
Sure, they lack some gaming-specific features like shoulder buttons, and they don’t tend to have as large batteries as gaming phones, but instead they have better cameras, higher resolution screens, and more widely appealing designs.
With competition from the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck too, it’s a tough time for gaming phones, but hopefully some brands will stick around for the serious mobile gamers.
The Nothing Phone (2) has been spotted on a Bureau of Indian Standards government site, spotted by 91Mobiles, a phone blog covering the local market. This means production may be finalized and a launch could be imminent.
This is good news for anyone interested in Nothing Phone, not just Indian fans, as Nothing CEO Carl Pei has pledged to bring the upcoming Nothing Phone (2) to more markets, making the US a real priority this time, and not just a late round beta testing zone.
We'd heard recently from loose-lipped Qualcomm executives that the Nothing Phone (2) would likely use the company's late-2022 flagship mobile platform, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. The current top-of-the-line is the 8 Plus Gen 2 platform, but the latter chipset is powerful enough to run phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 4 portable tablet. That makes it a serious upgrade for Nothing.
Nothing Phone (1) with Nothing Ear (1) earbuds (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)
The 91Mobiles leaks also suggest that the phone could get 12GB of RAM as a standard. Paired with the fast chipset, that would make the Nothing Phone (2) a serious performer. If Nothing can deliver the phone near the bargain price of the original, that would make it an interesting contender.
Other leaked specs for the Nothing Phone (2) include a fast-refresh display with FHD+ resolution. It won't be very sharp, but it should look nice and smooth, especially with that high-performance platform.
There could also be a 5,000 mAh battery, the standard large cell for flagships and big phones. The Nothing Phone (2) could support 67W charging, which is faster than any Samsung, Apple, or Google phone, another indie win for Nothing.
The camera specs haven't been super impressive so far. We're hearing about 50MP sensors, but that doesn't tell us much. The camera could have some sort of image stabilization, but mileage varies greatly. A 32MP seflie camera up front will handle influencer portraiture.
This (2) sounds like one plus one
Nothing Phone is helmed by Carl Pei, the founder of Oppo's OnePlus performance brand. OnePlus started as an indie phone maker offering the OnePlus One, a high-performance handset that cut other corners for bargain pricing. It didn't have a great camera or superior durability.
While Pei's Nothing Phone (1) was all about design and cool looks and features, it didn't offer much for performance to draw serious phone fans away from flagships.
If the Nothing Phone (2) boosts the benchmarks significantly, those specs, plus a unique design that Nothing is sure to deliver, could be the right mix for today's budget-conscious phone market.
We've heard that the Nothing Phone (1) will be launched later this year, and there is no rush, especially with US availability in the cards. We want to see a refined phone that works well on our networks, and nothing less.
If you want to know about the latest Pokémon Go updates, then you've come to the right place. Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game by Niantic that allows you to live out the age-old fantasy of roaming the land, capturing, befriending, and battling adorable pocket monsters.
Available on iOS and Android and iPadOS, Pokémon Go enjoyed a period of elevated popularity in 2016, back when it was first released. Though the game has never quite captured the heart of popular culture again in the way it once did, Pokémon Go has been a juggernaut in mobile gaming, enjoying a constant stream of events and updates over the course of its seven-year lifespan.
The steady stream of new content from Niantic shows no sign of letting up any time soon. There are a lot of features for trainers to explore, so much so that it can get more than a little overwhelming. Fortunately, we've broken down all the details surrounding the game's latest updates and upcoming content drops. We've also included a handy index of all our guides to help you become the best Pokémon master you can be.
Pokémon Go updates: cut to the chase
What is it? An augmented reality Pokémon mobile game
Released: July 16, 2016
What can I play it on? Android, iOS, and iPadOS
Pokémon Go updates: what's new?
What's new? Season 10: Rising Heroes
Season 10 of Pokémon Go arrived on March 1 2023 and is bursting with new features that are sure to keep even veteran trainers busy.
Exclusive to Pokémon Go, trainers will now be able to catch Roaming Form Gimmighoul in the wild. Players are also now able to create Golden Pokéstops with the use of the Golden Lure Module. You can also gain access to a special coin that'll help you catch the elusive Gimmighoul by pairing your Pokémon Go app with your copy of Pokémon Scarlet or Violet.
New Pokémon sizes have also appeared. You'll now be able to catch Pokémon in XXS and XXL sizes, adding more variety to your pocket monster menagerie.
Season 10 also sees the return of Elite Raids, a challenging type of Raid Battle that trainers take on in person. Raid Bosses Regieleki and Regidrago will be available to challenge and ware the only way to catch either of those legendary Pokémon this season.
Season 10 also offers Timed Ticket Research, which will be available for players to purchase. This will allow trainers to unlock cosmetics for their character inspired by Professor Willow. It also leads to an encounter with a Melmetal that can use the Charged Attack Double Iron Bash.
There will also be the usual slew of events and community days, as well as the usual seasonal rotations. For more information, you can check out the official Season 10 website.
Pokémon Go updates: what's next?
(Image credit: Niantic)
With Season 10 having recently released, we don't have any inklings as to what might be coming next for Pokémon Go. We'll let you know the moment this changes. In the meantime, we recommend keeping an eye on the official website.
What's the next Pokémon Go Event?
(Image credit: Niantic)
What is the next Pokémon Go event? Let's GO!
What date is the next Pokémon Go event? March 21-29
In the latest upcoming event, Pansage Pansear and Panpour are appearing all over the world. You'll also be able to use the Mystery Box to encounter a Shiny Meltan. Ditto's transformations will also change during the event.
In order to use the Mystery Box, you'll need to send a Pokémon from Pokémon Go to Pokémon HOME or Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let's Go Eevee on the Nintendo Switch.
Lugia and Incarnate Forme Thunduras will be appearing in Five-Star Raids, while Mega Venasaur and Mega Alakazam will both be appearing in Mega Raids over the course of the event.
A new Special Research story will also be available, giving you the chance to save Shadow Regice from the clutches of the nefarious Team Rocket. There will also be an opportunity to rescue a range of Shadow Pokémon from Team Rocket Grunts including Shadow Alolan Grimer, Shadow Phanphy, Shadow Treecko, Shadow Torchic, and Shadow Drifloon.
There will also be a number of event bonuses:
Reduced waiting time for opening the Mystery Box.
2× Candy for transferring Pokémon.
Increased chance of finding XXS and XXL Meltan.
Increased chance of finding Ditto disguised as other Pokémon.
The following Pokémon will appear more frequently in the wild:
Diglett
Grimer
Snubbull
Corphish
Starly
Pansage
Pansear
Panpour
Roggenrola
Tympole
Litleo
Trubbish
Galarian Stunfisk
Goomy
When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?
(Image credit: Niantic)
What date is the next Community Day? April 15, 2023
Who's the starring Pokémon? Togetic
Niantic has announced that on Saturday, April 15, from 2pm to 5pm local time, Togetic will be appearing more frequently in the wild. If you're lucky, you may even encounter a Shiny version of the beloved Fairy-type Pokémon.
You will also be rewarded if you evolve Togetic during the event or up to 5 hours afterward with a Togekiss that knows the Charged Attack Aura Sphere, a powerful move in Trainer Battles, Gyms and raids.
Togetic will also appear in four-star raids, though you will need Raid Passes or Premium Battle Passes to access these – Remote Battle Passes cannot be used. Complete one of these raids and an additional Togetic will appear around the gym that hosted the raid for 30 minutes. There will also be Togetic-focused Timed Research and Field Research options, as well as event-themed stickers available by spinning Pokéstops and opening gifts.
The event also includes some more generalized bonuses, too. You'll be able to earn twice the usual Candy from catching pokemon, and Hatch Distance will be reduced to a quarter of its normal level when eggs are placed in Incubators during the event. Trainers at level 31 or higher will also be twice as likely to receive Candy XL from catching Pokémon
Incense and Lure Modules activated during the event will last for three hours, and trades made during the event and up to five hours afterward will cost you 50% less Stardust. Togepi also has an increased chance of hatching from 2km Eggs obtained during the event. Lastly, players on the 15th will be able to make one additional Special Trade, for a maximum of two for the day.
What is the best Pokémon in Pokémon Go?
(Image credit: Niantic)
Sure, you can catch ‘em all but what if you only want to catch the very best? Well, when it comes to the best Pokémon in Pokémon Go, that really depends on what you want to do with your Pokémon. Whether that’s PvP battling, raiding, or defending a Gym, you need to consider this.
One of the simplest (and therefore not foolproof) ways to look for a strong Pokémon is by determining its max CP. The Combat Power figure is determined through a combination of a Pokémon's Attack, Defense, and Stamina numbers but it isn’t everything and a Pokémon’s moves, stat distribution and type ought to be considered too. However, if you’re just looking to know which Pokémon has the highest potential max CP, then according to Gameinfo, that’s Slaking.
If you’re looking for a Pokémon that can be a bit of a punchbag and therefore a solid defender, then it’s hard to go wrong with Blissey — it has the highest HP and Stamina stats at the moment. For attacking, it’s worth considering Mewtwo—not only is its max CP second to Slaking, it has good stats across the board and a particularly high attack stat.
These are far from definitive picks (it can get pretty complicated when you get down into the numbers in Pokémon Go), but should at least give you a place to start.
Pokémon Go guides
(Image credit: Niantic)
Below, we've collated all our Pokémon Go guides to help you to catch them all:
A new report has claimed Pinduoduo, a major Chinese shopping app, took advantage of a zero-day vulnerability in the Android operating system to elevate its own privileges, steal personal data from infected endpoints, and install malicious apps.
The allegations were confirmed by multiple sources, including cybersecurity experts Kaspersky, which analyzed “previous versions” of the app that were still distributed through a local app store in China, and concluded that it exploited a flaw to install backdoors.
“Some versions of the Pinduoduo app contained malicious code, which exploited known Android vulnerabilities to escalate privileges, download and execute additional malicious modules, some of which also gained access to users’ notifications and files,” Igor Golovin, a Kaspersky security researcher, told Bloomberg.
Pinduoduo security
Google and Android are both not available in China, meaning the Play Store isn’t available there, either.
However, ArsTechica reports that the versions of Pinduoduo that can be found on both the Play Store and the Apple store are clean. Still, Google pulled it from its app repository last week, and urged its users to uninstall it if they have it.
The announcement called the app “harmful”, Bloomberg reported, and told its users that their data and devices were at risk. PDD, the company behind the app, denied any wrongdoing and said the apps were clean.
“We strongly reject the speculation and accusation that the Pinduoduo app is malicious from an anonymous researcher,” the company told ArsTechnica in an email. “Google Play informed us on March 21 morning that Pinduoduo APP, among several other apps, was temporarily suspended as the current version is not compliant with Google’s Policy, but has not shared more details. We are communicating with Google for more information.”
Lookout’s first analysis is that at least two versions of the app exploited a flaw tracked as CVE-2023-20963, which was patched roughly two weeks ago. It is an escalation of privilege flaw which was being exploited before Google publicly disclosed its existence.
According to Christoph Hebeisen of Lookout, this is a “very sophisticated attack for an app-based malware”. “In recent years, exploits have not usually been seen in the context of mass-distributed apps. Given the extremely intrusive nature of such sophisticated app-based malware, this is an important threat mobile users need to protect against.”
Vivo is expected to launch a new foldable phone soon – according to a report from tipster Snoopy Tech – rumored to be a flip-style or clamshell foldable, akin to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Motorola Razr 2022.
According to Snoopy, the phone is to be branded the Vivo X Flip and is already receiving Google Play certification, with a launch to follow shortly. Vivo has not yet announced any upcoming events as of time of writing. The company had previously launched an Vivo X Fold – its take on a Galaxy Z Fold-style foldable in 2022 – along with a successor later that same year, called the X Fold Plus. Neither has officially been made available globally, as of yet.
The launch of a potential new Vivo foldable comes at an interesting time for parent company BBK Electronics. Even if reports of sister companies Oppo and OnePlus pulling out of Europe proved to be grossly exaggerated (i.e. false), Vivo's foldable strategy to date does suggest that the X Flip may not see a release outside of China and other Asian markets. This leaves Oppo's first internationally-available foldable (read our Oppo Find N2 Flip review for more on that) and OnePlus' forthcoming foldable to operate in those markets in its stead.
A growing form factor
Some of Vivo's current clamshell foldable rivals (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd)
With the advent of smartphones, angrily ending a phone call by pressing a button lacks the gravitas you'd get from slamming a phone down or snapping a clamshell shut. Clamshell-style foldables solve that problem among others, and we're always happy to see more of them. Here at TechRadar, we favor clamshell foldables; with the top two entries in our best foldable phone roundup currently sporting that more compact form-factor.
Though Samsung has a first-mover advantage, one thing we can expect Vivo to bring to the market is enhanced camera functionality. The Oppo Flip N2 series have what are currently the best cameras you'll find on a foldable; buoyed by Oppo's experience in making really good camera phones. We can expect the same from Vivo, who also place a heavy focus on camera capability on its phones. Faster charging than what Samsung offers, a bigger battery, and possibly a larger cover screen could make this an enticing purchase, should it come to the UK, Europe and beyond.
Apple opted to remove the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the US last September, with the phones instead using an eSIM (embedded SIM), which is essentially a digital – and therefore more secure – version of a SIM card.
Now it looks Apple is preparing to move to eSIM in countries outside the US for the iPhone 15, with French website MacGeneration reporting that eSIMs could be coming to the next generation of Apple’s best iPhones in France.
This is big news for all prospective iPhone 15 buyers outside of the US. As MacRumors notes, Apple typically sells the same iPhone models across most of Europe, meaning SIM card-less iPhone 15s could also be coming to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and many other countries.
Given the scale of integration with mobile carriers needed to support the implementation of eSIMs in countries that don’t already use them widely, it’s unlikely that Apple will be able to flick a switch and ditch the SIM card tray for every iPhone 15 model sold in Europe come September.
However, major Apple markets like the UK seem ready to join France in its adoption of eSIMs with the upcoming iPhone 15 line, so we’re expecting to hear rumblings about additional European nations in the coming months.
A SIM-pler solution?
The US edition of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, without a SIM card tray (Image credit: TechRadar)
So, how do eSIMs work, exactly? Essentially, eSIM is a software solution that lets you connect your phone to a network without a physical SIM card to act as a key. If you want to use an eSIM, your carrier supplies you with a QR code to scan with a phone, connected to Wi-Fi, and it downloads the eSIM.
Suffice to say, the eSIM has its benefits. Not only does the absence of a physical SIM card tray make for a more aesthetically pleasing handset, it also breaks one more hold that the wireless network carriers held over Apple.
As our US Mobiles Editor, Philip Berne, noted in his article announcing Apple’s move to offer eSIM-only iPhone 14s in the US last year: “Previously, Apple could sell its phones however it liked, but it needed a little piece of plastic from the wireless carriers to make it work. When you bought a new phone at the Apple store, the representative needed to open the box and then the brand-new phone, install the card, and make sure it all worked properly.
“The SIM card was always a terribly inelegant solution, and decidedly un-Apple. With an eSIM card instead, Apple doesn't need to open any boxes. Apple doesn't need to install a card, or rely on the wireless carrier. The SIM card is now a QR code printed on a card, or possibly even an app on the App Store.”
That’s not to say the network solution is perfect, mind. As another TechRadar Phones team member, Michael Allison, explained in a recent article: “eSIMs may be the future, but they’re a mess right now [...] Their presence in many phones spans years, yet they haven't really been taken seriously until [now]. As a result, the current state of the technology has proven rather inconvenient compared to regular old physical SIM cards.
“In the UK, not every carrier or plan offers eSIM support. MVNOs like Voxi and Smarty don't support them, despite their parent companies doing so. Perhaps, it’s one of those situations where the road towards a future briefly touches upon familiar surroundings.”
In other words, eSIMs are the future – but it’s going to take some time for the whole world to embrace the new mobile standard.
LG has kept its promise to update its premium handsets despite shutting up shop a few years ago. The company is rolling out Android 13 to the LG V60 ThinQ on T-Mobile. It is expected to arrive on other carriers in the coming weeks.
According to a changelog shared on an LG V60 group onreddit, a recent software update includes Android 13, with accompanying bug fixes and security updates.
Android 13 was very much a behind-the-scenes update for all but a few Android phones. Still, LG's customers on Reddit have reported increased performance, and those security updates are definitely going to be handy.
Upon shutting down its mobile division in 2021, LG shared that it would be updating select premium smartphones for up to three years after their release. This marks the third year for the LG V60 ThinQ, and therefore most likely its final update.
The LG Wing phone, the last premium handset from LG’s phone division, got an Android 12 update in September, 2022, and hopefully that phone will be elligible for an Android 13 update.
The LG Wing should also get an Android 13 update (Image credit: Future)
In all, LG said it would keep updating its G series, V series, VELVET, and Wing phones for three updates after it shut down its phones team in 2020. Certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series were due for only two years of updates, so it is unlikely those phones will get a new Android system moving forward.
Promise kept
It's not often that Android manufacturers dish out timely updates to older flagships. It's even more heartening when a manufacturer that no longer sells phones keeps to its word with no easy marketing benefit. LG did well keeping its phones with Android 12 up to date, and while we doubted it would keep up with Android 13, the company has honored its promises so far.
It's worth noting that the LG V60 ThinQ will be getting Android 13 before more contemporary phones like the Motorola Edge 30. That says a lot about both companies involved.
Still waiting for 13 on our Motorola Edge 30 (Image credit: Basil Kronfli)
Other than the LGV60, the LG Velvet is also expected to pick up Android 13 this year. That phone was the company's last Android flagship and received rave reviews.
If getting the latest software update is important to you, we can recommendmany of the best foldables and best Android phones that you can buy today, whichget great updates. LG's time was good, but even this update is a reminder that its time is over.
The Motorola Edge 40 and Edge 40 Pro have leaked, courtesy of MySmartPrice which cites a source with direct knowledge of the official specs. The Motorola Edge 40 Pro is expected to essentially be the same phone as the Moto X40, which has already launched in China, while the Motorola Edge 40 will be a brand-new device.
According to the rumor, the Edge 40 Pro will have a lot of the X40’s specs, which would mean a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 paired with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. Cameras-wise, the Moto X40 packs three rear cameras; a 50MP main shooter, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 12MP telephoto, plus a 60MP front-facing camera. All this is powered by a 4,600mAh battery, with 125W fast charging.
Since the Moto X40 is already out in the wild, the specs can be assumed to be more or less accurate, based in the notion that Motorola is essentially going to package this same device for international markets.
The standard Edge 40, on the other hand, is expected to be an all-new phone – complete with an as-yet-unannounced MediaTek Dimensity 8020 chip – and is likely to be a step down from the Pro in all aspects. The display is said to be 6.55 inches, with a 144Hz refresh rate, while the rear camera setup is reportedly comprised of a 50MP main camera, accompanied by a 13MP ultrawide. According to the leak, it’ll have 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with a 4,400mAh battery and 68W charging rounding out the specs. Of course, we’ll take all this all with a pinch of salt until the phones are officially announced.
Powerful hardware isn't Motorola's weakness
If these reports are true, Motorola looks set to continue its streak of putting out excellent hardware. We were impressed by last year’s Edge 30 Ultra – in our Motorola Edge 30 Ultra review we praised it as one of the best Android phones so far – and the clean Android user experience means that many people are going to be pleased with it.
Where Motorola has floundered in the past is with software updates. The company has yet to roll out Android 13 to its flagships, even with the public beta of Android 14 due to roll out in the coming weeks. Whether that's good or bad is up to you.
Motorola is expected to release the Edge 40 and Edge 40 Pro sometime around April, with sales opening in May in Europe, based on the previous Edge 30 and Edge 30 Pro. A Moto Edge (2023) might also come to the U.S. around that time.
