Chinese smartphone brands slip in China – but India is different

The irony is interesting. Chinese smartphone-makers are slipping in their home turf but seem to be doing rather well in a place where they weren't expected to --- India. Chinese brands' loss in their country is a gain for Apple, where it has put it past Vivo in October 2021 to become the largest smartphone brand for the first time since December 2015.

As per Counterpoint Research’s Monthly Market Pulse Service, Apple’s sales grew 46% MoM, driven as it was by the demand for the iPhone 13 series. For the record, the iPhone 13 series was launched cheaper than the iPhone 12 series in China. 

Overall, China’s smartphone market grew only 2% MoM in October.

Chinese companies make the most out of Make in India campaign

Though the numbers for India for the corresponding period (October) are still to arrive, the previous months' stats establish that the Chinese brands continue to flourish even though there is a larger anti-China sentiment persisting since last year when Indian banned several of its apps

According to market research, all the Chinese brands put together held a whopping 79% share across segments in the previous quarter in India.

Individually, Xiaomi led the market in the second quarter of 2021 with a 28% shipment share in India. The brand registered its highest-ever ASP (average selling price) in a single quarter due to the strong performance of the Mi 11 series.

Samsung captured the second spot with an 18% share. But it was again a Chinese brand, Vivo, that got the third place with a 15% share.

In the second quarter, Realme became the fastest brand to reach 50 million cumulative smartphone shipments in India. 

In the premium segment, things were no different. Another Chinese brand OnePlus led the market (> Rs 30,000) with a 34% share.

Brands like Xiaomi and Realme were able to maintain high volumes in India because of their better online reach. 

More importantly, they have shed the image of being Chinese companies as most of them have managed to make the most out of their local production facilities.

Chinese companies benefiting out of Make in India initiative nicely completes the circle of irony.

Posted in Uncategorised

Chinese smartphone brands slip in China – but India is different

The irony is interesting. Chinese smartphone-makers are slipping in their home turf but seem to be doing rather well in a place where they weren't expected to --- India. Chinese brands' loss in their country is a gain for Apple, where it has put it past Vivo in October 2021 to become the largest smartphone brand for the first time since December 2015.

As per Counterpoint Research’s Monthly Market Pulse Service, Apple’s sales grew 46% MoM, driven as it was by the demand for the iPhone 13 series. For the record, the iPhone 13 series was launched cheaper than the iPhone 12 series in China. 

Overall, China’s smartphone market grew only 2% MoM in October.

Chinese companies make the most out of Make in India campaign

Though the numbers for India for the corresponding period (October) are still to arrive, the previous months' stats establish that the Chinese brands continue to flourish even though there is a larger anti-China sentiment persisting since last year when Indian banned several of its apps

According to market research, all the Chinese brands put together held a whopping 79% share across segments in the previous quarter in India.

Individually, Xiaomi led the market in the second quarter of 2021 with a 28% shipment share in India. The brand registered its highest-ever ASP (average selling price) in a single quarter due to the strong performance of the Mi 11 series.

Samsung captured the second spot with an 18% share. But it was again a Chinese brand, Vivo, that got the third place with a 15% share.

In the second quarter, Realme became the fastest brand to reach 50 million cumulative smartphone shipments in India. 

In the premium segment, things were no different. Another Chinese brand OnePlus led the market (> Rs 30,000) with a 34% share.

Brands like Xiaomi and Realme were able to maintain high volumes in India because of their better online reach. 

More importantly, they have shed the image of being Chinese companies as most of them have managed to make the most out of their local production facilities.

Chinese companies benefiting out of Make in India initiative nicely completes the circle of irony.

Posted in Uncategorised

Samsung Galaxy S22 phone sizes shown off in latest image leaks

We've already seen a plethora of leaks around the Samsung Galaxy S22, but we're happy to add another one to the pile: new pictures show off what look to be official screen protectors for all three phones in the range, giving us an idea of their front-facing design and their relative sizes.

These come from prolific and reliable tipster @UniverseIce, so it's more likely than not that they're the real deal. The clues that they give us match up with what we've seen from previous leaks and rumors as well.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is clearly the largest of the three smartphones, and takes a more Galaxy Note-like approach to its design, with squared corners – in fact, there has been talk that the S22 Ultra is actually going to adopt the Note moniker this time.

See more

Selfie cameras

Based on previous rumors, we're expecting the standard Galaxy S22 to have a 6.06-inch screen, the Galaxy S22 Plus to have a 6.55-inch screen, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra to have a 6.81-inch screen. That fits in with these new images that have found their way online.

These screen protectors also confirm that all three models are going to come with punch hole selfie cameras cut out of the front display. As per earlier leaks, under-display front-facing cameras are going to have to wait until the Galaxy S23 update (or perhaps even later than that).

Screen protector accessory leaks like this one aren't the most revealing, but it does mean that we've got more evidence for some of the rumors we've been hearing about these phones. As for a launch date, they're likely to be arriving in February 2022.


Analysis: the Samsung empire strikes back?

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. (Image credit: Future)

We've seen strong showings from Apple and Google in recent months, with both the iPhone 13 and the Pixel 6 impressing us and attracting lots of interest from smartphone buyers – and that means the next Samsung Galaxy S series phones are going to be up against some stiff competition.

Like just about every other company on the planet, Samsung has been affected by the ongoing pandemic over the last 18 months. Add in the global electronic chip shortage and it's no surprise that the Galaxy Note 21 was canceled and the Galaxy S21 FE is appearing later than we expected it to.

With that recent history in mind, it's going to be interesting to see what Samsung is able to offer consumers with the Galaxy S22 range. These phones will of course be faster and better than ever, but just how much better they'll be than their Galaxy S21 equivalents remains to be seen.

It looks very much as though the Galaxy S22 Ultra is going to fill the Note-shaped void in Samsung's 2022 line-up, and it would seem to be the most interesting phone of the three – complete with support for the S Pen stylus and a more advanced rear camera.

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Save £140 on the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE in this surprise Cyber Monday phone deal

Curiously, one of the most-searched-for products in the Cyber Monday phone sales has been 2020's Samsung Galaxy S20 FE, the budget spin on the Galaxy S20 that didn't receive a successor in 2021 despite expectation.

Well, in the UK Cyber Monday deals you can pick up the Galaxy S20 FE for £140 off, which is a pretty good saving on the popular mobile.

We've only ever seen the phone for £2 cheaper too, so if you've been waiting a long time for the device it may be your vigil is over.

(Not in the UK? Scroll down for deals in your region).

Today's best Samsung Galaxy S20 FE deal

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE: £599 £459 at Very (save £140)
This popular mid-range phone is nearly at its lowest-ever price from Very, and this is for a 128GB version of the phone and the navy colour (it doesn't seem like Very is discounting the other colours).

The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE took some of the key specs of the S20 but came at a more affordable price.

The phone has a top-end processor (well, it did for 2020) as well as great cameras and a good-looking screen. The downgrades came in the design department, though we appreciated how colorful it was in our review.

We were expecting a Galaxy S21 FE in 2021 but one never came along, apparently because of the components shortage, so there's no newer version of the device.

More Samsung phone deals

No matter where you live, you'll find all the lowest prices for the Galaxy S20 FE and other Samsung phones from around the web right here, with offers available in your region. 

More Cyber Monday deals

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Sky Mobile’s Black Friday sale saves you 50% on all three Samsung Galaxy S21 devices

While Black Friday has now passed, the sale continues over the weekend and into Cyber Monday! And if you're in the market for a new phone contract, Sky's Black Friday deals could be the perfect option right now.

On all of the network's 60GB of data plans, you can currently save 50%. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S21 trio, iPhone 13 devices, iPhone 12 and 12 mini and Samsung's two foldable Z 3 devices.

However, it's the Samsung S21 trio that has some of the most impressive discounts this Black Friday from Sky. You can get a 60GB of data plan on the Samsung Galaxy S21 for just £39 a month.

Alternatively, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in at £52 a month for 60GB and finally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra will cost you £59 a month. All of these are fantastic prices for that much data.

You can find out more about Sky's Samsung Galaxy S21 deals below or, head straight to Sky to see all of its best Black Friday deals in one place.

Sky's best Black Friday phone deals

Samsung Galaxy S21: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £39pm
This Samsung Galaxy S21 deal is a great choice if you need a lot of data on your phone contract. It doesn't cost anything upfront and then your monthly bills follow at £39. For that price, you'll get a 60GB of data plan. That's plenty for most people's monthly usage.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £52pm
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is the middle of the series   and with Sky, you'll currently pay £52 a month for the 60GB of data plan. It is worth keeping in mind that the Galaxy S21 Ultra isn't much more expensive at Sky but offers a major boost in specs.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £59pm
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in at £59 a month right now at Sky. With this deal, you'll get the same 60GB of data plan but there is also a great price on 8GB of data if you're after a cheaper price. Overall, this is one of the best S21 Ultra deals this Black Friday.

What is Swap24 from Sky Mobile?

It requires a few more grey cells to work out, but Sky Mobile's Swap24 tariff can be a great way to get your new phone and know that you'll have the chance to upgrade later down the line.

In essence, Swap24 is a 36-month contract with the option to upgrade after 24 months. As long as you're phone is in full working order, you can return it to Sky after 24 months which will help pay off the bills of whatever shiny new handset you choose to upgrade to in two years' time.

If you get to 24 months with your new device and decide that you want to keep it for the remainder of the contract, you can do that, too.

While the premise is simple, it is important to note that Sky states on their website "full working order with no physical damage".

You can also swap your phone out any time after the first 31 days, you just need to pay what's left in your contract balance after the value of your phone is taken into account.

Why go for Sky Mobile?

Looking past the obvious reason of the affordable pricing above, Sky Mobile has a few special features that make it stand out:

Roll: Don't use all of your data one month? No problem! Sky will let you roll it over into the next month. You can keep rolling data over for up to three years, perfect if there's a time where you'll need it more. You can even cash in your unused data for a range of rewards from Sky or gift it to other phones if you're on a family account.

Watch: If you're also a Sky TV customer, you can watch the Sky Go app on your mobile without using up data on your phone - perfect for train journeys.

Mix: Go for any of the prices above and, if you realise later down the line that the data cap you chose isn't enough, you can change it up at any time.

Swap: Sky lets you swap your phone contract after 24 months, meaning you can upgrade to a new phone if you like. Obviously, you will need to pay for the upgraded contract price, but otherwise, it is pretty simple. Just to be clear, Sky's Swap 24 plans keep you contracted in for 36 months.

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Sky Mobile’s Black Friday sale saves you 50% on all three Samsung Galaxy S21 devices

While Black Friday has now passed, the sale continues over the weekend and into Cyber Monday! And if you're in the market for a new phone contract, Sky's Black Friday deals could be the perfect option right now.

On all of the network's 60GB of data plans, you can currently save 50%. This includes the Samsung Galaxy S21 trio, iPhone 13 devices, iPhone 12 and 12 mini and Samsung's two foldable Z 3 devices.

However, it's the Samsung S21 trio that has some of the most impressive discounts this Black Friday from Sky. You can get a 60GB of data plan on the Samsung Galaxy S21 for just £39 a month.

Alternatively, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus comes in at £52 a month for 60GB and finally, the Galaxy S21 Ultra will cost you £59 a month. All of these are fantastic prices for that much data.

You can find out more about Sky's Samsung Galaxy S21 deals below or, head straight to Sky to see all of its best Black Friday deals in one place.

Sky's best Black Friday phone deals

Samsung Galaxy S21: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £39pm
This Samsung Galaxy S21 deal is a great choice if you need a lot of data on your phone contract. It doesn't cost anything upfront and then your monthly bills follow at £39. For that price, you'll get a 60GB of data plan. That's plenty for most people's monthly usage.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £52pm
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is the middle of the series   and with Sky, you'll currently pay £52 a month for the 60GB of data plan. It is worth keeping in mind that the Galaxy S21 Ultra isn't much more expensive at Sky but offers a major boost in specs.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: at Sky | FREE upfront | 60GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £59pm
Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes in at £59 a month right now at Sky. With this deal, you'll get the same 60GB of data plan but there is also a great price on 8GB of data if you're after a cheaper price. Overall, this is one of the best S21 Ultra deals this Black Friday.

What is Swap24 from Sky Mobile?

It requires a few more grey cells to work out, but Sky Mobile's Swap24 tariff can be a great way to get your new phone and know that you'll have the chance to upgrade later down the line.

In essence, Swap24 is a 36-month contract with the option to upgrade after 24 months. As long as you're phone is in full working order, you can return it to Sky after 24 months which will help pay off the bills of whatever shiny new handset you choose to upgrade to in two years' time.

If you get to 24 months with your new device and decide that you want to keep it for the remainder of the contract, you can do that, too.

While the premise is simple, it is important to note that Sky states on their website "full working order with no physical damage".

You can also swap your phone out any time after the first 31 days, you just need to pay what's left in your contract balance after the value of your phone is taken into account.

Why go for Sky Mobile?

Looking past the obvious reason of the affordable pricing above, Sky Mobile has a few special features that make it stand out:

Roll: Don't use all of your data one month? No problem! Sky will let you roll it over into the next month. You can keep rolling data over for up to three years, perfect if there's a time where you'll need it more. You can even cash in your unused data for a range of rewards from Sky or gift it to other phones if you're on a family account.

Watch: If you're also a Sky TV customer, you can watch the Sky Go app on your mobile without using up data on your phone - perfect for train journeys.

Mix: Go for any of the prices above and, if you realise later down the line that the data cap you chose isn't enough, you can change it up at any time.

Swap: Sky lets you swap your phone contract after 24 months, meaning you can upgrade to a new phone if you like. Obviously, you will need to pay for the upgraded contract price, but otherwise, it is pretty simple. Just to be clear, Sky's Swap 24 plans keep you contracted in for 36 months.

Posted in Uncategorised

These iPhone 13 deals lead the Black Friday sales this year

The Apple iPhone 13 has predictably been one of the most sought after products of Black Friday 2021, and the deals have been...OK. We haven't seen the kind of jaw-dropping discounts of years gone by, but there have definitely been savings to be made.

If we were buying one (and we may very well do!), we'd probably go for one of the two best options that Mobiles.co.uk are pushing this year. Starting at £32 per month on Vodafone, you won't be left wanting for data, calls or texts.

Then again, if you're happy to commit to the same tariff for the next three years, Sky Mobile can go even cheaper. The bills are almost as cheap, with the benefit of a free handset, too.

Below you'll find our favourite five iPhone 13 deals of Black Friday 2021.

2021's top 5 Black Friday iPhone 13 deals

iPhone 13: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £150 upfront (with code 10OFF) | 200GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £32/pm
If you have a bit of cash to splash upfront, then you won't do much better than this tariff from Mobiles.co.uk. Our 10OFF discount code brings the upfront price down to £150, but the £32 monthly bills are very tempting indeed.

iPhone 13: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £29 upfront (with code 10OFF) | unlimited data, minutes and texts | £40/pm
200GB data not enough? Or has the chunky upfront spend put you off? Then £30 now will get you the iPhone 13, unlimited data every month and reasonable monthly payments of £40.

iPhone 13: at iD Mobile | £19 upfront (with code IDM10OFF) | unlimited data, minutes and texts | £38.99/pm
Another unlimited data deal, but even cheaper thanks to iD Mobile. Use the code above to bring the upfront spend down to less than £20, then after that you're left with monthly bills of just £38.99. For that price, you'll get all the data you like.

iPhone 13: at Sky | FREE upfront | From £33pm
Sky Mobile really comes into its own if you don't mind going from a 2-year to a 3-year phone contract. It costs you £27 per month with nothing to pay at the start, and then you add the data limit to suit you. So if you can cope on 2GB, then the monthlies are £33. But the best value is if you go for 60GB of data, which makes the whole thing £42 per month. Plus, after two years, you can upgrade to a newer model for free.

iPhone 13: at Affordable Mobiles | O2 | FREE upfront (with code TRBF25) | 400GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £45/pm
Changing up the network, this tariff could be the perfect option for you. And because it's on O2, it means you get 6 months of Disney Plus thrown in absolutely free. The network just cranked up the data from 250GB to 400GB, so no excuses for not streaming more Star Wars, Marvel, Simpsons and Pixar.

What is the iPhone 13 like?

The iPhone 13 is the main device of Apple's four 2021 models, sitting in between the Pro models and the mini, offering a blend of affordability and specs, as well as a slightly larger design than the mini for those put off by its size.

It includes Apple's A15 Bionic chip, the same durable glass display, dual camera technology and more. The main differences is its larger and slightly brighter display as well as featuring a larger battery.

The iPhone 13 has a dual camera set-up but those two lenses are the best we've seen from Apple so far. This is mostly in internal improvements to processing, drastically improving low light ability and ability to stop blur.

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for.

More Black Friday deals in the UK

Posted in Uncategorised

These iPhone 13 deals lead the Black Friday sales this year

The Apple iPhone 13 has predictably been one of the most sought after products of Black Friday 2021, and the deals have been...OK. We haven't seen the kind of jaw-dropping discounts of years gone by, but there have definitely been savings to be made.

If we were buying one (and we may very well do!), we'd probably go for one of the two best options that Mobiles.co.uk are pushing this year. Starting at £32 per month on Vodafone, you won't be left wanting for data, calls or texts.

Then again, if you're happy to commit to the same tariff for the next three years, Sky Mobile can go even cheaper. The bills are almost as cheap, with the benefit of a free handset, too.

Below you'll find our favourite five iPhone 13 deals of Black Friday 2021.

2021's top 5 Black Friday iPhone 13 deals

iPhone 13: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £150 upfront (with code 10OFF) | 200GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £32/pm
If you have a bit of cash to splash upfront, then you won't do much better than this tariff from Mobiles.co.uk. Our 10OFF discount code brings the upfront price down to £150, but the £32 monthly bills are very tempting indeed.

iPhone 13: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £29 upfront (with code 10OFF) | unlimited data, minutes and texts | £40/pm
200GB data not enough? Or has the chunky upfront spend put you off? Then £30 now will get you the iPhone 13, unlimited data every month and reasonable monthly payments of £40.

iPhone 13: at iD Mobile | £19 upfront (with code IDM10OFF) | unlimited data, minutes and texts | £38.99/pm
Another unlimited data deal, but even cheaper thanks to iD Mobile. Use the code above to bring the upfront spend down to less than £20, then after that you're left with monthly bills of just £38.99. For that price, you'll get all the data you like.

iPhone 13: at Sky | FREE upfront | From £33pm
Sky Mobile really comes into its own if you don't mind going from a 2-year to a 3-year phone contract. It costs you £27 per month with nothing to pay at the start, and then you add the data limit to suit you. So if you can cope on 2GB, then the monthlies are £33. But the best value is if you go for 60GB of data, which makes the whole thing £42 per month. Plus, after two years, you can upgrade to a newer model for free.

iPhone 13: at Affordable Mobiles | O2 | FREE upfront (with code TRBF25) | 400GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £45/pm
Changing up the network, this tariff could be the perfect option for you. And because it's on O2, it means you get 6 months of Disney Plus thrown in absolutely free. The network just cranked up the data from 250GB to 400GB, so no excuses for not streaming more Star Wars, Marvel, Simpsons and Pixar.

What is the iPhone 13 like?

The iPhone 13 is the main device of Apple's four 2021 models, sitting in between the Pro models and the mini, offering a blend of affordability and specs, as well as a slightly larger design than the mini for those put off by its size.

It includes Apple's A15 Bionic chip, the same durable glass display, dual camera technology and more. The main differences is its larger and slightly brighter display as well as featuring a larger battery.

The iPhone 13 has a dual camera set-up but those two lenses are the best we've seen from Apple so far. This is mostly in internal improvements to processing, drastically improving low light ability and ability to stop blur.

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for.

More Black Friday deals in the UK

Posted in Uncategorised

This retailer has the best Black Friday iPhone deals for the EE network this year

Black Friday has proved to be a great time to invest in a new iPhone with retailers across the UK dropping prices, launching big promotions, or generally offering fantastic tariffs. But, one area that feels slightly lacking is EE deals.

Most UK retailers are now unable to stock EE iPhone deals but, the retailer Affordable Mobiles still has them, and luckily, there are actually some really great choices this Black Friday.

Affordable Mobiles has launched low-cost EE plans on the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 11, and iPhone 13 Pro and we've picked out the best options, gathering them all below.

All of these Black Friday iPhone deals come with loads of data and with the exception of the iPhone 13 Pro, you won't pay a penny upfront for any of these deals right now.

The standout offers from Affordable Mobiles:

iPhone 13: at Affordable Mobiles | EE | FREE upfront | 100B data | unlimited minutes and texts | £47/pm
If you're looking for the iPhone 13 on the EE network, this will be the deal to go for. It doesn't cost anything at all upfront and then, your monthly bills will follow at £47 a month. For that price, you'll get 100GB of data on the EE network. 

iPhone 13 Pro: at Affordable Mobiles | EE | £99 upfront | 100B data | unlimited minutes and texts | £55/pm
The iPhone 13 Pro is another option that Affordable Mobiles has a great offer for. You'll pay £99 upfront and then £55 a month while getting 100GB of EE data. Overall, that is a brilliant offer for anyone who wants to max out on one of the pricier iPhones.

iPhone 12: at Affordable Mobiles | EE | FREE upfront | 75GB data | unlimtied minutes and texts | £38/pm
The iPhone 12 is now an older but more affordable device from Apple and realistically, one of the best value options for the EE network. With this deal, you won't pay a penny upfront and then your monthly bills follow at £38. For that price, you'll get 75GB of data. While that isn't as much as the offers above, it is still plenty for most people.

iPhone 11: at Affordable Mobiles | EE | FREE upfront | 50GB data | unlimtied minutes and texts | £32/pm
The iPhone 11 is one of the cheapest offers Apple still offers and if you're trying to keep your costs low, this will be a great deal to choose. You won't pay a penny upfront and then your monthly bills follow up at £32. For that price, you'll secure a decent 50GB of data.

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Black Friday has arrived and these are the 9 best phone deals from the massive sale

Well, Black Friday has officially arrived! If you've bookmarked this big day of saving as the time to buy a new smartphone, you're in luck as there are some huge discounts on the top devices.

While we've seen promotions spanning cheap Samsung devices, SIM plans, flagship devices and everything in between, it's the premium handsets and popular iPhones we've seen the most impressive offers on.

Despite being a very new option, the Google Pixel 6 has featured frequently, along with the Samsung Galaxy S21 series and iPhones ranging from the 13 series through the 12 and 11 devices.

Below we've picked out the nine absolute strongest offers we've seen so far. These include both SIM-free and contract offers but, if you don't see anything that stands out to you, consult our Black Friday phone deals guide to see everything in one place.

The 9 best Black Friday phone deals

Google Pixel 6: at iD Mobile | £19 upfront (with code iDM10OFF) |  unlimited data, minutes and texts | £26.99/pm
This Google Pixel 6 deal from iD Mobile is really impressive. It gets you a completely unlimited data plan for only £26.99 a month and using the code iDM10OFF, you'll only pay £19 upfront. That makes this far cheaper than any other Google Pixel 6 deals around, even those with a smaller data plan!

Samsung Galaxy S21 from Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | FREE upfront | unlimited calls and texts | 200GB data | £28/pm with £168 cashback
This is undoubtedly the best Samsung Galaxy S21 deal we've seen since the phone was released at the start of the year. You don't have to pay a penny upfront, and then the £168 offsets the monthly bills, making them effectively £28 per month.

Google Pixel 6: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £55 upfront | 105GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £26/pm
If you're not too keen on the iD Mobile network, here's another fantastic offer on the Google Pixel 6. It comes from the retailer Mobiles.co.uk and offers 105GB of data on the Vodafone network. It will only cost you £55 upfront and then £26 a month. Next to the iD deal above, this is the second best price we've ever seen on the Google Pixel 6.

iPhone 13: at Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | £40 upfront (with code 10OFF) | 200GB data | unlimited minutes and texts | £39/pm
If the iPhone 13 was the device you had on your wishlist, this is the deal that we would pick. It only costs £40 upfront (with the code 10OFF) and then £39 a month. Despite that being a pretty affordable price, you'll get a massive 200GB of Vodafone data - more than plenty for how most people use their device.

iPhone 12 mini: at Fonehouse | Three | £49 upfront | unlimited data, minutes and texts | £28pm
The iPhone 12 mini has seen a lot of discounts this Black Friday but this offer is certainly one of the best. You'll pay £49 upfront and then £28 a month. Despite that being one of the most affordable prices around, it gets you a completely unlimited data, calls and texts plan - not bad at all!

iPhone 11: at iD Mobile | FREE upfront |  20GB data | unlimited texts and minutes | £30.99pm £27.99pm
Another incredibly affordable deal from iD Mobile. The iPhone 11 came right down in price to now only cost £27.99 a month. That's down from £30.99 and one of the cheapest prices out there for the iPhone 11. Despite the low costs,  you'll get a 20GB of data plan here.

Samsung Galaxy A22 | Virgin | 2GB data | Free upfront | £23 a month + Nintendo Switch
If you want a cheap smartphone but also feel like you should get something else for your money, this offer from Virgin will be perfect. You get the Samsung Galaxy A22 and, a Nintendo Switch thrown in for only £23 a month. That's a fantastic level of value for a phone and console that has become hard to find in stock.

Three SIM | 12 months | 100GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £12 a month
For yet another year running, Three takes the title of best Black Friday SIM only deal. The numerical network always pulls something out of the bag, and 2021 hasn't disappointed. Sign up for a year of coverage, and you'll pay only £12 per month, while getting advantage of a massive 100GB of data.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3: at Samsung | SIM-free |  £949 £799
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is one of Samsung's most recent devices and we were sure it wouldn't be discounted this Black Friday and yet, here we are with a massive £150 saving on the device. We would be shocked to see a better discount on a folding smartphone any time soon.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | SIM-free | £1149 £969
Like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 deal above, this is an impressive saving directly from Samsung. Right now, you can save £180 on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. While it isn't the lowest we've seen this handset fall, it really isn't far off and is likely the best price we'll see for the Ultra this Black Friday.

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for.

More Black Friday deals in the UK

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Black Friday’s top 5 SIM only deals revealed – from only £2.50 a month

Whether you've helped yourself to a new smartphone in the Black Friday sales, or have come to the end of your existing contract and want to reduce the monthly bills on your current mobile, now is a great time to bag a bargain SIM only deal.

Networks and retailers fall over themselves to attract shoppers' attention at this time of year, promising cheaper bills, more data and better perks.

Top of the pops in 2021 has to be Three's 100GB for £12 per month tariff. That's an astonishing amount of data - together with unlimited calls and texts - for an extremely reasonable monthly cost.

But if you care less about data and more about pound signs, Lebara is offering a flexible SIMO where you pay a mere £2.50 a month for the first half-year. You won't find cheaper than that.

And a shout out to O2, who - at this time of year particularly - should be praised for throwing in free Disney Plus streaming with its tariffs. Its best comes in at £20 per month for 250GB of data.

2021's top 5 Black Friday SIM only deals

Three SIM | 12 months | 100GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £12 a month
For yet another year running, Three takes the title of best Black Friday SIM only deal. The numerical network always pulls something out of the bag, and 2021 hasn't disappointed. Sign up for a year of coverage, and you'll pay only £12 per month, while getting advantage of a massive 100GB of data.

Lebara SIM | 1 month rolling | 2GB data | unlimited calls and texts | £2.50 a month for six months
Lebara is offering something rather special this Black Friday - the cheapest SIM in the UK! For the next six months, you can lock in 2GB of data SIM for only £2.50 a month. After that period it will 'skyrocket' up to £5 a month - still one of the cheapest tariffs around.

Smarty SIM | 1 month rolling | unlimited data, calls and texts | £16 a month
If it's unlimited data, calls and texts that you crave, then Smarty is the brand you want. Piggy backing off Three's coverage, you'll pay just £15 a month for its unlimited data plan. That makes it the sames as Three's 5G unlimited SIM, except here you have the flexibility to walk away when every you wish.

EE | 24 months | 160GB data | unlimited calls & texts | 5G ready | £20 a month
EE is going to be an obvious network for most people, offering the UK's fastest speeds. With this plan, you'll be paying £20 a month for your SIM plan but that price will secure you a massive 160GB of data. That's absolutely plenty for the large majority of people.

O2 | 24 months | 250GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £20 a month + free Disney Plus
We don't tend to recommend O2 for its SIM only plans, as it rarely competes on price. But with a data boost for Black Friday and the promise of six months' free use of Disney Plus, it has squeaked into our top five SIM only deals countdown this year.

  • Still looking for a new phone? Check our best SIM-free phone price guide

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for.

More Black Friday deals in the UK

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At £28 a month and free upfront, this is the best Samsung S21 deal of Black Friday

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During previous Black Fridays, flagship Samsung smartphones have been a bloody battleground with retailers trying to undercut each other on price. This year has been slightly different, with no barnstorming deals coming out of the woodwork… until now.

Via the magic of cashback, Mobiles.co.uk has come through with a Samsung Galaxy S21 deal that removes the upfront cost and brings the monthly payments down to an effective £28 per month. That works out at a total of £672 over the two-year contract – £27 less than the handset's RRP!

On that tariff, you get unlimited calls and texts, a huge 200GB of monthly data allowance, and the benefit of the fantastic 4G and 5G coverage offered by the Vodafone network.

Somehow need even more data? Pay an extra £1 per month and crank it all the way up to unlimited.

As we say, the fantastic price relies on you claiming up to £264 cashback. But when the ultimate saving is this good, we reckon that's a small price to pay.

The best Samsung S21 deals of Black Friday 2021

Samsung Galaxy S21 from Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | FREE upfront | unlimited calls and texts | 200GB data | £28/pm with £168 cashback
This is undoubtedly the best Samsung Galaxy S21 deal we’ve seen since the phone was released at the start of the year. You don’t have to pay a penny upfront, and then the £168 offsets the monthly bills, making them effectively £28 per month.

Samsung Galaxy S21 from Mobiles.co.uk | Vodafone | FREE upfront | unlimited calls and texts | unlimited data | £29/pm with £264 cashback
Still a little worried that your penchant for downloading, streaming and social media scrolling will eat through that 200GB data limit? It doesn’t cost much more to take things up all the way to unlimited.

How does the cashback work?

As we say, there is a bit of an effort required by you to bag this fantastic Samsung S21 deal. But we think it's worth it.

Five times over the course of the two-year contract, you have to claim back a fifth of the cashback total.

So, if you take the first deal above as an example, your monthly bills will actually be £35 per month. But every few months you have to head to the Mobiles.co.uk website, login and claim £33.60 of cashback. It really is very simple, and stands to save you some substantial cash overall.

If that puts you off, the retailer has some other eye-catching tariffs. The first costs £28 a month for 105GB of data, but with a £50 upfront spend. Or double the data, take away that upfront spend and pay monthly bills of a still-reasonable £32.


Samsung Galaxy S21

(Image credit: TechRadar)

What's the Samsung Galaxy S21 like?

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the cheapest of the three handsets in Samsung's 2021 flagship series. It's a 5G handset at a price that rivals the iPhone 12 and is much cheaper than the S20 was on launch.

Despite that lower price tag, you're getting Samsung's new Exynos 2100 processor – a super-powerful chip powering Samsung's already impressive camera software and operating system.

The camera is an incremental upgrade on what the Galaxy S20 provided, boosting the 8K video software, super steady video, and an improved 60fps 'Director's View'. Thanks to the new processor, the camera's AI software is working better than ever.

TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for.

More Black Friday deals in the UK

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BT opens new London HQ in Aldgate

BT has officially opened the doors of its new London headquarters, marking a significant milestone in the company’s transformation programme initiated by former chief executive Gavin Patterson.

As part of those changes, BT is restructuring its workforce and decentralising its operations to 30 sites around the UK. 

It is hoped the changes will save £1.3 billion, allow the more streamlined company to react more rapidly to market trends, and means it can get closer to customers.

BT Aldgate

‘One Braham’ in London’s Aldgate will house 3,500 staff, supporting BT’s planned regional hubs, contact centres and specialist buildings. The facility has community hubs and a public café, while it also houses a new concept store that the company will use to test out future retail ideas.

BT says it still believes in the future of the office but that individual teams within the company will adopt ‘smart working’ practices where individuals choose how they spend their time between home and work.

“Our new HQ in London will bring our people together in an impressive and modern environment, transforming the way teams work,” said BT CEO Philip Jansen.

“We’re really excited to be moving into One Braham. It represents a changing BT, one that is more agile, forward thinking and able to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by the acceleration of digital technologies.

“We want our colleagues to be proud of where they work, to feel part of something brilliant at BT. Our new HQ has been designed to support our people, to enable them to be at their best and deliver great results for our customers.”

One Braham replaces BT’s previous home of nearly 40 years in St Pauls. BT Centre was sold for £200 million in 2019 after the company deemed the ten-storey building to no longer be “fit for purpose.”

The company says the restructuring will be completed by 2024. 

Fancy an upgrade? Here are the best mobile deals around

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Xiaomi phone Black Friday deals are one of the best ways to get a new cheap handset

The best Xiaomi phone deals this Black Friday may be the best way for you to pick up a cheap smartphone in this year's discount bonanza.

We've seen discounts across the whole Xiaomi range this Black Friday with everything from the Redmi 10 to the Xiaomi Mi 11 getting price cuts through Amazon's Black Friday deals.

These offers are among the best Black Friday phone deals, and if you're looking for a new smartphone we'd recommend checking out our other guides to the best Black Friday iPhone deals and best Black Friday Google Pixel 6 deals.

Not in the UK? Scroll down for deals in your region.

Today's best Xiaomi phone Black Friday deals

Xiaomi Redmi 10 128GB: £199 £159
Save £40
- The discount isn't as dramatic on this handset as some in this list, but £40 is a solid saving on the Xiaomi Redmi 10. If you're looking for a cheaper Xiaomi phone, this is a good choice, with a 6.5-inch Full HD 90Hz display, a 50MP rear camera, 128GB of storage and a 5,000mAh battery.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S 128GB: £229 £159
Save £70
- Xiaomi doesn't just do mid-range and flagship products. Its cheaper handsets are also discounted this Black Friday, and the Redmi Note 10S is at a great price with a saving of £70 for a phone with a 64MP camera, 5,000mAh battery and a 6.43-inch Full HD display.

Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro 256GB: £249 £159
Save £90
- The Poco X3 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 chipset and a 48MP rear camera. We gave this smartphone a score of 4 out of five citing it for its superb gaming performance and long battery life.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro 128GB: £269 £229
Save £40
- The Redmi Note 10 Pro is discounted for Black Friday with a £40 reduction on Amazon right now. We gave this phone a glowing review with a score of 4.5 stars and we particularly enjoyed its stereo speakers, huge display and long battery life. You don't get 5G connectivity with this handset, though.

Xiaomi Poco F3 5G 128GB: £329 £249
Save £80
- The Poco F3 5G recieved a 4.5-star rating from TechRadar, and we praised this phone with its bright display, great performance and a classy design. The camera isn't particularly impressive, but otherwise it's hard to criticise the Poco F3 5G. Plus, it's currently £80 off if you're looking for a cheap smartphone.

Need more storage? The 8GB of RAM + 256GB of storage is now down to £269 from £349

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G 128GB: £399.99 £309
Save £90
- The Mi 11 Lite features a slim design, decent performance and a capable main camera. With a £90 discount, this is great price for the Mi 11 Lite. We have seen this phone drop as low at £350 before, but this is the Mi 11 Lite 5G at its best price yet.

Xiaomi 11T 256GB: £549 £379 at Amazon
Save £170 -
Xiaomi's latest mid-range phone comes with the Mi 11's main and telemacro cameras, and its software, but has some downgrades in the design and processing departments to save money.

Xiaomi 11T Pro 128GB: £599 £499
Save £100
- There's a £100 saving on the Xiaomi 11T Pro, if you're looking for a slightly higher spec handset. We found it was a smooth experiencing using this phone, the cameras peform well and we particularly loved its impressive fast-charging abilities.

Xiaomi Mi 11 256GB: £799.99 £599
Save £200
- The Xiaomi Mi 11 has taken a spot in our definitive list of the best smartphones money can buy since it was revealed earlier this year. This is the cheapest price you can buy it for right now for the 256GB version, and if you're looking for a flagship quality handset at a lower price this could be a great option for your next phone.

More Xiaomi phone deals

No matter where you live, you'll find all the lowest prices for the Xiaomi Mi 11, Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite and the Poco F3 5G below.

More Black Friday deals

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A guide to Vodafone’s hottest Black Friday deals

It is Black Friday season once again. That means it’s time for us to bring you all the deal highlights from the world of tech. Vodafone has a stack of Black Friday bargains live at the moment, and we’re going to take a look at just a few of them to whet your appetite. 

Vodafone is currently offering discounts on a lot more than just phones, so we’ll touch on its SIM-only bargains and the ways to save on Vodafone home broadband this Black Friday. 

However, we’re talking about Vodafone here, so we can’t leave out a good old handset deal. You can currently save big on one of our favourite phones of the year at Vodafone.

It’s the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, an Android that fits an amazing triple rear camera array with 30x Space Zoom, a world-class processor and a 6.2-inch screen into a phone that weighs just 171g. You’d normally pay up to £36 a month to get the phone before adding your Airtime Plan, but from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, you can pick one up for just £19 per month plus £29 upfront (Price based on 36-month contract including trade in). So, all in all, that's a saving of up to £600 on your airtime when you also trade in your old device.

This phone is the smallest member of the S21 family, making it the easiest to handle, and is the best showcase for the gorgeous two-tone design Samsung devised for its 2021 flagship Androids. 

To view the full range of Black Friday handset offers visit the Vodafone site.

A SIM-ple sale

Vodafone's Black Friday SIMO, handset and broadband offers

(Image credit: Vodafone)

Already happy with your phone? Why not give it a Black Friday upgrade with a new SIM only plan instead?

Vodafone is currently offering its Unlimited Max data plan for just £20 a month, a saving of £10 off the standard price, and is running this offer right up until Cyber Monday. 

Unlimited Max is the perfect fit for all you movie streamers, online gamers, serial downloaders and Wi-Fi hotspot-ers. 

All of Vodafone’s Unlimited plans provide unlimited data while you’re in the UK, but only Unlimited Max lets you Vodafone’s powerful 5G network at full speed. Roaming in 83 destinations across the world is included too, with a generous monthly fair use threshold of 25GB. That should see most of you comfortably through a holiday or work trip with gigabytes to spare. 

Signing up for a Vodafone Unlimited Max plan means no more hunting for free Wi-Fi or worrying about whether you can “afford” to watch that YouTube video on the way home from work. Check out the full range of Unlimited plans at the Vodafone website. 

As part of Vodafone Unlimited Max you can also choose between a subscription to YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime or Spotify. Vodafone Unlimited Max is a good deal throughout the year, but during these Black Friday sales it’s something else. 

To view the full range of Black Friday SIMO offers visit the Vodafone site.

Home-bound bargains

Vodafone's Black Friday SIMO, handset and broadband offers

(Image credit: Vodafone)

Vodafone’s Black Friday deals also have something for your home. There are significant savings on several Vodafone’s home broadband packages. 

During Black Friday, Vodafone's Superfast 2 home broadband with speeds of up to 63Mbps has been cut down to just £20.

A Superfast 2 plan includes Vodafone’s Intelligent WiFi Hub, designed to ensure a consistently reliable Wi-Fi connection in every room of your home. However, while these Black Friday discounts are about, we suggest you consider making the leap to one of Vodafone’s Pro plans. 

Vodafone Pro Superfast 2 adds a 4G Broadband Back-up system. It automatically switches to a mobile network connection if, for whatever reason, your standard home broadband service is interrupted. You also get access to Vodafone’s WiFi Xperts, a team of engineers who can help if you’re having Wi-Fi troubles. 

These are just a taster of the Black Friday deals available at Vodafone this year: a new phone, a treat for your current phone and a big home broadband upgrade for your home. Check out further details on these deals and others over at the Vodafone website. 

-To view the full range of Black Friday home broadband offers visit theVodafone site.

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