If you’re in the market for a new phone then OnePlus has an option that might appeal, as the OnePlus 10T has just gone on sale in Europe. In the US it's going on general sale a little later, on September 29, although you can currently get it early if you order the 16GB model direct from OnePlus, with the handset shipping in five days at the time of writing.
The phone starts at $649 / £629 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, rising to $749 / £729 for the 16GB of RAM / 256GB version (we haven’t included Australian pricing as the OnePlus 10T isn’t available there).
Those prices undercut most flagship phones, which is impressive given that the OnePlus 10T offers 150W charging, which is enough to get it from empty to full in just 19 minutes. That's limited to 125W in the US, but that’s still far faster charging than most phones offer, with the OnePlus 10 Pro for example topping out at 80W (or 65W in the US), and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra at just 45W.
And that’s not the only flagship feature the OnePlus 10T boasts, as it also uses the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, which is more powerful than the chipsets in the aforementioned phones – in fact, it’s the most powerful chipset available to Android phones at the time of writing.
The OnePlus 10T also has a solid specs list elsewhere, including a 4,800mAh battery, a 6.7-inch 1080 x 2412 AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a triple-lens camera setup, consisting of a 50MP primary snapper, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro one.
Some of those specs sit slightly below the top end, but they’re still reasonable, and they could make this one of the more compelling conventional Android phones of late 2022.
We praised the power and charging speed of course, along with the display, but we were less impressed by the cameras and battery life, and noted that the phone’s large size can make it uncomfortable to use if you have small hands.
It also faces a whole lot of competition. OnePlus itself has launched a number of handsets this year, including the slightly higher-end OnePlus 10 Pro and the lower-end OnePlus Nord 2T.
And then of course there’s the incoming iPhone 14 line. While the OnePlus 10T arguably isn’t directly competing with those phones, it’s worth noting that Apple has now confirmed that these handsets will land on September 7, so there’s not long to wait.
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei has reportedly told its workforce to prioritise profitability rather than sales as it anticipates expect short term difficulties caused by a global recession.
In a leaked internal memo, Ren told staff to focus on revenue generation that would ensure the company’s survival over the next three years.
“No more stories, we have to talk about the realities,” Ren is quoted as saying.
China smartphone sales
The Chinese mobile giant has endured a challenging few years thanks to US sanctions that have limited its access to American technologies and pressure from Washington that led to its exclusion from the rollout of 5G in key markets – including the UK.
These developments have stifled its smartphone ambitions and its telecoms division, with the company doubling down on IT infrastructure and diversifying into emerging markets such as connected vehicles.
However, these ventures have so far failed to compensate for the decline of its core businesses, with the company reported declining revenues and even shrinking headcounts. Indeed, the memo suggested Huawei could scale back its interest in experimental business lines as it goes into survival mode.
It’s a far cry from when Huawei was briefly the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer in early 2020. However the impact of US sanctions, especially a lack of access to Google’s Android operating system, began to take hold and Huawei also sold its Honor subsidiary. But that’s not to say it has given up on smartphones entirely.
It has continued with the development of its HarmonyOS operating system and plans to launch a new ‘Mate’ smartphone next month, while it has also launched a steady stream of wearables and accessories over the past few years.
If you're looking for an inexpensive tablet connected to a fast cellular data network there are shockingly few options available. The new TCL Tab 10 5G will cost $300 and run on T-Mobile’s 5G network, making it a great value option if you want a backseat tablet for travel with its own connectivity. The ten-inch display is much bigger than the next cheapest option, and the battery is large enough that it should last through long trips.
The only tablet less expensive than the TCL Tab 10 is the Samsung Galaxy A7 Lite tablet, which uses only an eight-inch display but costs $100 less. For only $100 more, you get quite a step up with the TCL Tab 10. You get a larger screen, the 10.1” full HD display made by TCL’s NXTVISION group. You also get a much larger battery, an 8,000mAh cell compared to the 5,100mAh battery on the smaller Galaxy Tab.
The TCL Tab 10 has an 8MP camera on the back and a 5MP camera on the front for selfies. That front camera can also handle face unlocking for security measures, a very nice option for quick access to a tablet, especially for young ones.
This new Tab 10 runs Android 12 but includes a scant 4GB of RAM with only 32GB of storage space (after the system software), but that should be just enough for basic movies and Web browsing. Faster gaming and multitasking would be more difficult since it's running on the MediaTek Kompanio 800T processor.
Analysis: It's cheaper than what?
TCL also makes a Tab Pro tablet, available on Verizon’s network, for $100 more, but that tablet has very similar specs. You get a potentially more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor, but a similar screen size and resolution, and the same 4GB of RAM and 8,000mAh battery. The cameras are a bit higher resolution, but it ships with Android 11, and TCL is unproven with Android system updates. The Tab Pro also gives you 64GB of storage, a fingerprint reader, and microSD card expansion, for more professional use.
For much more power than this, you’d have to take a major step up in price. Apple’s cheapest iPad costs $160 more for a cellular-connected option. A Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE connected to T-Mobile starts at $669, more than twice what this tablet costs. For that price, you get a device that can replace a small laptop or Chromebook.
We’ve asked for a closer look at the TCL Tab 10 5G to see if it could be our favorite bargain tablet that you can connect to a superfast network. Check back for our full review.
Apple has set September 7 as the date for the launch of its rumored iPhone 14. There are no details beyond time and place: The "Far Out" event will take place at 1 PM PST at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Apple Park Campus and will stream online at Apple Events.
The announcement at least ends one bit of Apple world speculation but leaves the door open for just what we should expect to see and hear on September 7. By the way, it's worth noting that the newest iPhone is getting a fairly unusual first-Wednesday-in September launch date. Typically, Apple unveils products on a Tuesday and, with the iPhone, it's often been in the second week of the month. But September starts late in the week and then there's Labor Day weekend in the U.S., which basically cuts out Monday as a travel day for assorted analysts and press (like us!) who will be in attendance.
When Apple CEO Tim Cook walks out on stage on that Wednesday, he'll be carrying - well - nothing. Cook will first talk about the state of the company and how Apple has overcome the challenges of the pandemic and ensuing supply constraints. He'll laud new store openings around the world and, we bet, butter up Apple's "amazing team" in an effort to get everyone on board with coming back to Apple Park and other Apple offices at least three days a week.
Cook may also tease new Apple TV shows as a way of showing the strength of its services - and reminding investors that Apple's fortunes are not solely tied to its still highly profitable iPhone line.
At some point, Cook will start introducing the iPhone 14, which will actually be as many as four iPhone 14 models:
Most rumors point to the iPhone 13 mini being the last in a short-lived line of pint-sized iPhones.
Meanwhile, the new phone on the block, the iPhone 14 Max, will offer the size of the Pro Max but the features and affordability of the iPhone 14. There will also be a forking of the Max and Pro lines in that the former will retain the screen look and feel of the previous generation iPhone 13, while the Pro line should see the end of the full-scale notch.
While there's a lot that probably won't change between the iPhone 13 and anticipated iPhone 14 models (think basic design, screen technology), the cameras could be due for a big upgrade. Most rumors point to the Pro line getting 48MP cameras. That's a big jump from the 12MP cameras on the 13 line and, again, will help differentiate between the iPhone 14 and 14 Max and the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. It's worth noting that most people will probably end up shooing in some sort of "pixel binning" mode, which will combine four pixels at a time into an even better 12MP image.
We're still hoping for something approximating 5X optical (or above) zoom on at least one of the iPhone 14 models.
Yes, a new Apple silicon A16 Bionic chip should be in all of the iPhone 14 models, though aside from a potential battery-saving 3nm process, no one is expecting a major upgrade from the A15 Bionic. Apple may not feel it needs it since, in most tests, the A15 Bionic is still beating Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile CPUs.
We'd be lying if we said we weren't more than a little excited about the rumored purple iPhone 14.
The expected iPhone 14 launch would also start the countdown for the full launch of iOS 16, which is currently in public beta. The updated mobile platform and its new lock screen, notifications, and third-party widgets won't launch, though, until the new iPhones do, which should be before the end of September, though iPhone 14 preorders could happen as soon as the Friday after launch.
More than just iPhones
There's a solid chance that Apple will uses this September 7th event as a launchpad not just for a passel of iPhone 14 devices, but for multiple other home and wearable gadgets, as well.
We might see the rumored HomePod 2, one that hews more closely to the original HomePod design. This means it could be larger than the HomePod mini but probably still smaller than the original design. More important, it could have some serious audio power.
Many expect the new Apple Watch 8 (or Series 8) to arrive along with the iPhone 14. Few are expecting a full-scale redesign, though Apple might flatten the sides and face to give it a more, almost, iPhone-style look. The big news in Apple wearables will be, um, bigger. There should be an Apple Watch 8 Pro, a larger and more rugged version of the Apple Watch designed for extreme sports and/or intensive outdoor use.
We might also see the new AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 2, since they're both perfect companions for the rumored iPhone 14. There's a chance that just the next AirPods 4 show up. What's not anticipated is that either version's charge cases will come with USB-C charging ports. We may have to wait until next year for that update.
Something more
With each Apple launch event comes the hope (call it a desperate wish) that there'll be "one more thing." It's a tradition Apple Co-Founder, the late Steve Jobs, started more than a decade ago, and that current CEO Cook has honored only sporadically.
If it comes, however, we may finally get our first glimpse of Apple AR glasses. Maybe. Maybe not.
You can keep up-to-date with all the latest Apple iPhone 14 rumors here and do not forget to keep tabs on TechRadar. We'll be on the ground at Apple Park, offering a play-by-play of the event and first impressions of all the new gadgets.
For a good few years, almost every new cheap phone had a 48MP main camera, with mobile manufacturers hoping that a high-res snapper would convince prospective buyers that this was a good camera phone (high megapixel counts don't equal good quality, but brands likely hoped you wouldn't know that).
However in 2022 that's changed, as we've seen loads of budget handsets tout 50MP snappers instead, and a new Samsung phone shows that the trend is here to stay.
This is the Samsung Galaxy A04, which has just been announced on the company's website, though no pricing or sales information has been provided yet. Judging by the Galaxy A03 from last year, this will likely be the company's cheapest phone in most regions, as the A03 cost just $160 / £140 (it didn't officially go on sale in Australia).
In most areas, the phone's specs scream 'cheap mobile' - it has a 6.5-inch HD screen, no fingerprint scanner and an unnamed, but likely weak, chipset. The battery is big at 5,000mAh, a spec we see on most affordable phones, but no charging speed was detailed.
The memory is surprisingly decent, as while there are versions with 32GB or 64GB of storage, you can also get a 128GB model. Likewise, RAM goes up to 8GB, with options at 4GB and 6GB too.
But onto the cameras, the main focus of this article - there's a 5MP snapper on the front, while on the back there's a 50MP camera, joined by a 2MP depth sensor.
Analysis: why 50
We've seen plenty of budget mobiles in 2022 tout 50MP cameras, especially ones from OnePlus, Realme and Motorola, with brands opting to use this over 48MP in most phones.
It's worth pointing out that different phones use different 50MP cameras - both Samsung and Sony make smartphone sensors of this resolution that we've seen used loads.
One of these is Sony's IMX766 sensor, which we saw loads at the beginning of the year in phones like the Realme 9 Pro Plus, but since then high-end phones like the OnePlus 10T have adopted it too. This sensor is impressive because it's rather large, making it great for picking up colors, especially in low-light settings - yet its use in budget mobiles suggests that the component is pretty affordable.
We're glad that phone brands are adopting 50MP over 48MP - while the actual pixel increase is limited, from a purely experiential point of view, we've found that these cameras perform better than the older 2MP-fewer ones.
That's particularly the case for night photography, which has long been a weak point for mobile phones (not that actual cameras fare well either).
These 50MP cameras are bridging the void between budget phones and the best mobiles out there, making mobile photography just that little bit more accessible. And while we can't say that the Samsung Galaxy A04 will compete with the Galaxy S22 Ultra, or join our list of the best camera phones, it seems very likely that it'll outgun the Galaxy A03, and that's good enough.
While the iPhone 14 might be the biggest new phone coming out very soon, it might not be the best; we've just heard that the Huawei Mate 50 is set to debut literally the day before Apple's newest.
This comes from Huawei itself, which has confirmed the news via Chinese social media platform Weibo – this alone suggests that the launch is China-only, but we could see global availability provided in the next few months.
This phone is... late, to say the least. We used to see Huawei's P-series phones at the beginning of each year and the Mate at the end, but after the 40-series in 2020, the Huawei P50 only went on sale in January 2022, and the Mate 50 was rumored to be canceled.
We don't now exactly what will show up, beyond the Mate 50, as while we'll likely see a standard and Pro device, some leaks think budget and super-premium versions could come along too.
Analysis: a contender for best camera phone
Huawei's phones are known for being great camera phones, with the company often debuting innovative new features to give them the edge over rivals like Samsung, Google and, most relevantly to this article, Apple.
In particular, we'll likely see the Mate 50 phones come with much a better main camera than the iPhone 14, as Huawei has previously used RYYB sensors which, to cut lots of tech jargon short, are better at capturing more light and color than the RGB that most phones have.
Plus, we'll likely see better zoom photography too – no iPhone has had optical zoom over 3x, while the Mate 40 Pro had 5x, and other phones from the brand have hit 10x.
Admittedly, we're speculating about two unreleased phones, so we can't say for sure whether the Huawei Mate 50 or iPhone 14 will be better for photography (or in general). We'll test both when we can, but hopefully, both will find their way onto our list of the best phones.
The Sony Xperia 5 IV is one of this year’s smartphone mysteries, as while we had expected such a phone to exist, it didn’t launch alongside the Sony Xperia 1 IV, and leaks about it have been slim. But the best evidence yet for this phone has now emerged – and suggests that it might land soon.
GSMArena has spotted an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing for a phone that appears to be the Sony Xperia 5 IV. The device isn’t mentioned by name, but it’s a Sony smartphone with the sort of dimensions we’d expect.
Specifically, this phone is said to be 155.74 x 67.1mm, which would make it marginally smaller than the 157 x 68mm Sony Xperia 5 III.
The phone listed here also has a screen diagonal of 153.5mm, which should translate to a 6.04-inch display, making the screen marginally smaller than the 6.1-inch screen on its predecessor too.
Broadly though, this sounds like a very similarly proportioned phone. The FCC listing also mentions wireless charging – which isn’t something the Mark 3 model offers, along with NFC, a 3.5mm headphone port, and a USB-C port.
So if this is accurate then the addition of wireless charging might be one of the Sony Xperia 5 IV’s main upgrades, though of course a lot of specs aren’t included here. We’d take all of this with a pinch of salt anyway, but information held by the FCC is usually accurate.
Analysis: an FCC listing suggests an imminent launch
Beyond the included specs, the very existence of an FCC listing suggests that the Sony Xperia 5 IV could launch soon, as these listings tend to emerge quite soon before launch – though the exact timing can vary.
Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if we therefore officially see the Xperia 5 IV within the next month or so, and that timeframe would also make sense, as the Sony Xperia 5 III only went on sale in the UK in September 2021, despite an April announcement. Some other regions got it even later, with the US for example not seeing it until January 2022.
So Sony might well announce the Xperia 5 IV in September and then ship it soon after – at least in some regions. We can’t be certain of that, but if you’ve been looking for one of the best small phones, you might soon have a new option.
It's been a little while since we heard anything about the OnePlus Nord 3, but it looks as though we might not have to wait too much longer before the next affordable OnePlus handset gets an official unveiling.
According to reliable tipster Mukul Sharma, the OnePlus Nord 3 is indeed real and will be leading a whole host of new Nord devices: a Nord Watch, a Nord Band, new Nord Buds, a Nord smart measuring scale, and more besides.
That's an impressive expansion of the Nord ecosystem. We already have some OnePlus Nord Buds, so that product will be an update, but the other kit is new – assuming that the Nord watch will be a cheaper and separate product to the OnePlus Watch.
Nord 3Nord WatchNord BandNew Nord BudsNord smart measuring scale (not sure of the name)and more Nord-branded AIoT products coming up.August 19, 2022
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Needs more Nord
We're assuming that the Nord Band is going to be a fitness tracker, but we don't have any more information about these products beyond their names and their existence. It is clear, however, that OnePlus wants to grow the Nord brand pretty rapidly.
What with OnePlus and Oppo now joining forces, and the OnePlus flagship line continuing with handsets such as the OnePlus 10T, it can be difficult to keep track of all the devices launching from this behemoth of a tech company.
As yet we don't have any new information about launch dates, but it's been more than a year since the OnePlus Nord 2 was unveiled, and previous rumors have suggested that we might see announcements sometime in August or September.
Analysis: picking apart the OnePlus Nord strategy
Everything was so simple in the beginning, with the original OnePlus Nord quite clearly a value-for-money, mid-range alternative to the flagship phones offered by OnePlus. It's the same sort of strategy Google has with handsets such as the Google Pixel 6a.
In the two years since the Nord made its debut, we've had numerous different products from OnePlus, with and without the Nord branding – and sometimes with rather confusing numbering and naming schemes that have been difficult to keep track of.
The recently launched OnePlus Nord 2T, for example, is a minor upgrade over the OnePlus Nord 2, and one that we called "strangely superfluous" in regards to the rest of the OnePlus range – even if it is a relatively impressive mid-range smartphone.
Let's hope that when the new wave of OnePlus products arrives, their features and their pricing points will offer clear indications of where they sit among everything else that OnePlus makes (these days, that even includes television sets).
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was in some ways a big upgrade on the S21 Ultra, offering a new design and an S Pen slot, among other changes, but by the sounds of things the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be more just a tiny tweak on the current model.
That’s according to reputable leaker @UniverseIce, who on Twitter claimed that based on what they’ve heard so far, the S23 Ultra will be the “smallest appearance change in Samsung’s history.”
More specifically, they claim that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have dimensions of 163.4 × 78.1 × 8.9mm. For comparison, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm. So if this is right then the two phones will have the same thickness and be almost identical in their length and width.
The size of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is almost unchanged from that of the S22 Ultra, with only an increase of 0.1~0.2mm, 5000mAh, 8.9mm thickness, and still a 6.8-inch 3088x1440 screen.As long as the Snapdragon 8Gen2 + One UI 5.1 is excellent, the appearance can remain the same.August 21, 2022
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@UniverseIce also claims that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 6.8-inch 1440 x 3088 screen and a 5,000mAh battery – just like the S22 Ultra. The only changes they mention are a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and updated software – though the current model will presumably get the latter eventually too.
Of course, even if they’re right not everything is detailed here. So some specs and features could be very different – with the camera in particular sounding promising based on other leaks, but it sounds like the actual design might be very, very similar to that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Analysis: all about the camera
The saving grace of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be its camera – which in some ways was a disappointment on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The current model has superb cameras, but they’re almost identical to the ones on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, making that one of the few areas that didn’t get any real upgrade.
This time around though it sounds like the camera could be among the few areas that does get substantially upgraded, as rumors suggest the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 200MP snapper.
That would be up from the 108MP main camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, so quite an upgrade in terms of megapixels. Of course, megapixels aren’t everything, but presumably Samsung is intending for this sensor to be better than the current one.
So if you’re after one of the best camera phones then the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be worth waiting for, but whether it will be one of the best smartphones overall is sounding a little less certain.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was in some ways a big upgrade on the S21 Ultra, offering a new design and an S Pen slot, among other changes, but by the sounds of things the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be more just a tiny tweak on the current model.
That’s according to reputable leaker @UniverseIce, who on Twitter claimed that based on what they’ve heard so far, the S23 Ultra will be the “smallest appearance change in Samsung’s history.”
More specifically, they claim that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have dimensions of 163.4 × 78.1 × 8.9mm. For comparison, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm. So if this is right then the two phones will have the same thickness and be almost identical in their length and width.
The size of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is almost unchanged from that of the S22 Ultra, with only an increase of 0.1~0.2mm, 5000mAh, 8.9mm thickness, and still a 6.8-inch 3088x1440 screen.As long as the Snapdragon 8Gen2 + One UI 5.1 is excellent, the appearance can remain the same.August 21, 2022
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@UniverseIce also claims that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 6.8-inch 1440 x 3088 screen and a 5,000mAh battery – just like the S22 Ultra. The only changes they mention are a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and updated software – though the current model will presumably get the latter eventually too.
Of course, even if they’re right not everything is detailed here. So some specs and features could be very different – with the camera in particular sounding promising based on other leaks, but it sounds like the actual design might be very, very similar to that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Analysis: all about the camera
The saving grace of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be its camera – which in some ways was a disappointment on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The current model has superb cameras, but they’re almost identical to the ones on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, making that one of the few areas that didn’t get any real upgrade.
This time around though it sounds like the camera could be among the few areas that does get substantially upgraded, as rumors suggest the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 200MP snapper.
That would be up from the 108MP main camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, so quite an upgrade in terms of megapixels. Of course, megapixels aren’t everything, but presumably Samsung is intending for this sensor to be better than the current one.
So if you’re after one of the best camera phones then the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be worth waiting for, but whether it will be one of the best smartphones overall is sounding a little less certain.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra was in some ways a big upgrade on the S21 Ultra, offering a new design and an S Pen slot, among other changes, but by the sounds of things the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be more just a tiny tweak on the current model.
That’s according to reputable leaker @UniverseIce, who on Twitter claimed that based on what they’ve heard so far, the S23 Ultra will be the “smallest appearance change in Samsung’s history.”
More specifically, they claim that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have dimensions of 163.4 × 78.1 × 8.9mm. For comparison, the Galaxy S22 Ultra is 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm. So if this is right then the two phones will have the same thickness and be almost identical in their length and width.
The size of the Galaxy S23 Ultra is almost unchanged from that of the S22 Ultra, with only an increase of 0.1~0.2mm, 5000mAh, 8.9mm thickness, and still a 6.8-inch 3088x1440 screen.As long as the Snapdragon 8Gen2 + One UI 5.1 is excellent, the appearance can remain the same.August 21, 2022
See more
@UniverseIce also claims that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 6.8-inch 1440 x 3088 screen and a 5,000mAh battery – just like the S22 Ultra. The only changes they mention are a new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and updated software – though the current model will presumably get the latter eventually too.
Of course, even if they’re right not everything is detailed here. So some specs and features could be very different – with the camera in particular sounding promising based on other leaks, but it sounds like the actual design might be very, very similar to that of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Analysis: all about the camera
The saving grace of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be its camera – which in some ways was a disappointment on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
The current model has superb cameras, but they’re almost identical to the ones on the Galaxy S21 Ultra, making that one of the few areas that didn’t get any real upgrade.
This time around though it sounds like the camera could be among the few areas that does get substantially upgraded, as rumors suggest the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will have a 200MP snapper.
That would be up from the 108MP main camera on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, so quite an upgrade in terms of megapixels. Of course, megapixels aren’t everything, but presumably Samsung is intending for this sensor to be better than the current one.
So if you’re after one of the best camera phones then the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra could be worth waiting for, but whether it will be one of the best smartphones overall is sounding a little less certain.
The majority of the iPhone 14 rumors thus far have suggested that Apple isn't going to produce an iPhone 14 mini, and will instead release an iPhone 14 Max as the fourth flagship model of 2022 – but a new leak rows against that tide.
According to 91mobiles and Evan Blass – two well-known sources of leaks with strong track records – one of Apple's Asian partners is planning to stock seven new devices next month. Those devices apparently include an iPhone 14, an iPhone 14 Pro, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and... an iPhone 14 mini.
If that wasn't enough to raise a few eyebrows, the list is rounded out by the 10th-generation entry-level 10.2-inch iPad, and two new iPad Pros (an 11-inch model and a 12.9-inch model). Most other tipsters are predicting we won't see new iPads until October, but this leak has them appearing at the iPhone 14 unveiling.
The truth is out there
Add all of that up and it looks as though this partner information might be wrong – but it's worth reporting on simply for the track record of the sources involved. Blass accurately leaked information in advance about the Google Pixel Watch, among many other devices, for example.
That these details have appeared at all is evidence of how difficult it is to produce devices in secret. While companies like Apple, Samsung and Google might be able to keep tabs on their own employees, a whole host of third parties – from international retailers to phone case makers – need to be told what's coming ahead of time.
With that in mind we present this rumor for your consideration: it would be a huge surprise, but perhaps there will be a successor to the iPhone 13 mini after all. And perhaps Apple wants to save time by unveiling its new iPhones and iPads all in one go.
Analysis: picking apart the rumors
As we've said, it's difficult for new smartphones or tablets to launch without any kind of leaks or rumors happening in advance. As with the UK and European soccer transfer window, these days most announcements are talked about well in advance of them actually happening.
Not only do companies have the difficulty of keeping a lid on their plans, they also know that there's a huge amount of interest in these upcoming devices. That in turn drives publications and social media users to push as much speculative information as possible – which again is similar when it comes to players switching soccer teams.
We wouldn't say that's the case with this particular rumor: the sources involved here are usually reliable, and don't post predictions just for the clicks. As noted in the 91mobiles article, the details about the iPhone 14 mini and the iPads come from one of the largest Apple distributors in the Asian region.
It's crucial to take any leak or rumor in context, and considering that we've seen so many sources mentioning two standard-sized iPhones and two larger iPhones making up the iPhone 14 range, we're going to take this new information with a pinch of salt. However, you never know...
The 2000s were a unique time for smartphone design. There were candybar phones, flip phones, slider phones and even taco phones (the gaming focused Nokia N-Gage placed its speaker and microphone on the side of the device rather than on the front).
Full QWERTY keyboards were popularised by BlackBerry and T-Mobile’s Sidekick (but probably not by the Nokia 5510) before the touch-screen ‘slate’ iPhone arrived in 2007, setting a rectangular standard for the industry to follow.
The early 2010s were a period of consolidation as the industry migrated towards two main platforms – iOS and Android – and a handful of manufacturers.
The battle at the top
Smartphones were still hugely desirable and attractive items, becoming more powerful and feature-packed, but there was little differentiation on form factor beyond size.
Most of these devices looked good - and there was no way you could launch a device without an interactive display - but what was the last smartphone that really made you stand up and go ‘wow’?
For me it was the iPhone 4 or the original HTC One. Until last week, that is.
When Samsung first launched the Samsung Galaxy back in 2010, it kickstarted a legal dispute with Apple over claims the handset essentially mimicked iPhone’s iconic design – litigation that was essentially settled. More than a decade on and Samsung could never be accused of copying Apple’s homework.
As the nomenclature suggests, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 are not the first foldable or flip devices the company has launched in recent times. But the scale of the launch and the significant the Korean electronics giant is placing on the announcements suggests form factor could be a new battleground at the top of the market.
The company remains the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer in terms of shipments, but it is second-placed Apple that dominates the high-end, higher margin premium segment.
Samsung (and Google) have done plenty to make the process of switching to Android as painless as possible but the unparalleled brand loyalty commanded by Apple, coupled with the lure of its tightly integrated ecosystem, means luring customers away from iPhone is a formidable challenge.
This is especially true in the premium segment when price isn’t so much of a factor.
Hardware differentiation hasn’t necessarily been a decisive issue in recent times, either. Samsung has included plenty of innovations in its flagship devices, including near field communication (NFC), wireless charging, and 5G, long before Apple followed suit. But it was unclear whether this caused any defections.
But by offering a truly unique form factor – and one that Apple’s portfolio cannot match – Samsung could win customers away from its great rival in a way that internal specs and software cannot. The Samsung Galaxy Note had a loyal fanbase that still laments that product’s demise and even BlackBerry had its supporters until the company’s mobile business finally closed its doors.
(Image credit: Samsung)
Innovation with substance
Analysts suggest the fact that Samsung has already created multiple generations of the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip will do much to convince consumers that these are not just gimmick devices, but genuine product lines that have been created through years of refinement
“The Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 will be almost indistinguishable from their predecessors to most consumers. Although Samsung may be criticised for this, it makes sense to take an iterative approach given foldable devices are currently such as small segment of the overall smartphone market,” said James Manning Smith, Senior Analyst, CCS Insight.
“In most cases, a consumer buying one of Samsung’s new devices will be getting one for the first time so won’t really have anything to compare it with.
“Samsung’s iterative approach makes sense. We suspect it is still learning lots about the complexities of engineering this new category of products and although the phones look very similar to earlier models, they include numerous improvements such as better durability, longer battery life and multiple user experience updates.
“Samsung will be hoping the improvements to its foldable smartphone line up make the phones a more reliable rather risky purchases in the eyes of consumers and it should be applauded for its tireless work in developing the category."
These devices are unlikely to have mass market appeal just year, especially when the cost of living is placing such a squeeze on household incomes, but could be novel enough to attract early adopters and tech enthusiasts eager for something different.
Indeed, it could be the start of a wider trend with Oppo, one of several vendors hoping to achieve the number three spot and crack the European market, also reportedly working on its own foldable handset.
The slate design will persist for some time but as the smartphone becomes a hub for multiple connected devices rather than an ‘all-in-one’ unit, perhaps we are beginning to see a new era of diversity.
“In a homogenous market of black touchscreen rectangles, it makes sense for Samsung to have products for users that want something that stands out from the crowd,” added Manning-Smith.
Who knows maybe even Apple will get in on the act?
We were somewhat disappointed with the lack of face unlock functionality on the Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro when they launched last year – but as work continues on the Pixel 7, it looks as though the feature might make it to the older phones too.
Sources speaking to the usually reliable 9to5Google say that Google engineers are working on a face unlock feature for the Pixel 6 that makes use of its fingerprint sensor. The idea is that a fingerprint scan could be used in combination with a face scan, when the results of the face scan aren't conclusive enough.
That's not ideal, but it would mean face unlock could be brought to both the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro without any additional hardware – despite the Pixel 6 having an inferior selfie camera that can't scan faces as quickly or as comprehensively.
The Pixel 7 too
Leaked marketing materials suggested that Google originally planned to bring face unlock to the Pixel 6 Pro, but it didn't make it in the end. Concerns over the accuracy of the feature and its impact on battery life are two potential reasons why.
Google hasn't given up entirely on face unlock for the Pixel 6 series though, according to various leaks and rumors that have emerged since the devices launched in October 2021. It's possible that the same fingerprint sensor backup option would also mean that the feature eventually makes its way to the Google Pixel 6a.
Based on the information 9to5Google has, face unlock is still a work in progress for the Google Pixel 7 and the Google Pixel 7 Pro. We're expecting those phones in October, so face unlock for the Pixel 6 might be unveiled at the same time.
Analysis: another Pixel miss
If Google wants its Pixel phones to compete seriously with the Apple iPhone – and all the indications are that it does – then it needs to make sure that it's on a par in terms of every key feature being offered on phones such as the iPhone 13.
With that in mind, not having face unlock as an option – or cobbling together a watered-down version of it that uses the fingerprint sensor, and launches several months after the phone in question – isn't a particularly great look.
Apple has made Face ID (and Touch ID) so seamless and slick that they barely get a mention any more, they're just that good. Meanwhile Google veers from the excellent face unlock featured on the Pixel 4 to the current mess we've got with the Pixel 6.
Let's hope the Google Pixel 7 can right some wrongs in this regard with a face unlock feature that actually works properly – and without the fingerprint sensor too. In a month or two we should find out whether Google has managed to pull it off.
We're very much looking forward to seeing what Samsung has in store for us with its Galaxy S23 flagship next year, and the rumor is that the rear camera might be getting a major upgrade: all the way up to 200MP for the main sensor on the Ultra model, if the latest leak is to be believed.
This comes from ET News (via Android Police), and is apparently based on information that the Samsung Electronics' Mobile Experience (MX) division has been sharing with its industry partners.
We know that 200MP sensors are real – the Samsung ISOCELL HP1 already features in the Moto X30 Pro, for example – but the question is whether or not Samsung will decide to include it in one or more of its flagship smartphones in 2023.
A long-running rumor
This isn't the first time that this rumor has emerged, and it's actually been swirling since last year. The sources on this are ones that are usually reliable, so it looks likely that this will come to pass – though nothing is certain until it's official.
If it does appear in the Samsung Galaxy S23 range, the 200MP sensor is apparently only going to show up in the Ultra model. That matches the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has a 108MP main sensor versus a 50MP main sensor in the other models.
Everything will be revealed next year, and at the moment it looks as though February will be the month when the Galaxy S23 sees the light of day – and we're saying February primarily because that's the month when the Galaxy S22 was launched.
Analysis: the meaning of megapixels
More megapixels means more pixels in your final image, which means it can be blown up to bigger sizes without any loss in quality – or at least that's the theory. However, megapixels is just one part of the story when it comes to camera phone quality.
It's also about what manufacturers can do with those pixels, and while Samsung has traditionally been pretty good with its camera setups, it's important not to assume that a phone camera is going to be great just because it's packing in more megapixels.
As we've written about before, all kinds of other factors come into play as well, including the size of the pixels (which is an indicator of how much light they can capture. We'll have to wait until we've tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra to see how impressive the camera setup is.
And remember that 200MP sensors don't necessarily mean 200MP photos – cameras use a technology called pixel binning to improve image quality, where data from multiple pixels gets combined, so the end results are often smaller than the sensor might suggest.
