We don't know exactly when the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro are going to get a full launch – September or October seem like good bets – but in the meantime a hands on video showing off prototypes of both phones has emerged.

The revealing video is from Unbox Therapy (via 9to5Google) and gives us a good long look at both the standard and premium versions of Google's upcoming flagship. However, there's no working software on these devices, which appear to be developer handsets.

While it's important to remember that these aren't retail versions of the phones, the specs could well carry over: we've got 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the Pixel 7, and that goes up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on the Pixel 7 Pro.

Sizes and weights

Both phones get compared to their predecessors, the Google Pixel 6 and the Google Pixel 6 Pro, though there are really only minor tweaks when it comes to the design, with a few small differences in terms of dimensions and the curvature of the screens.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro look to be slightly shorter than their predecessors, though there's not very much in it. Meanwhile the Pixel 7 is slightly lighter than the Pixel 6, though the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 6 Pro come in at just about the same weight.

Apart from showing us the design, Google hasn't told us too much about these upcoming phones, except that they'll be running an upgraded version of its Tensor chipset. All should be revealed in the next couple of months.

Analysis: the slow launch

It was way back in May at the Google IO 2022 developer conference that the Pixel 7 became official – and if it goes on sale in October as has been widely rumored. that will be a whole five months between the first reveal and an actual proper launch.

That's certainly a drawn-out schedule, and it's difficult to know exactly what Google's thinking is. It's not a strategy that's been followed by the likes of Apple or Samsung, though OnePlus does like to launch its phones by pushing out little bits of information in the days running up to the big reveal.

Google IO is traditionally used to showcase the features heading to Android – Android 13 this year – and that makes sense because there are developer previews and public betas to work through before the final version of the software goes on sale. That's not the case when it comes to the Pixel 7.

It might actually put people off buying other Google phones, including the Google Pixel 6a, if they know that another handset is on the way. It's going to be interesting to see if Google tries this again next year, when we're expecting to see the Pixel 8.

• Here are the best Android phones you can buy right now

We're certainly excited to see what Apple has in store with the iPhone 14 – a launch event is expected early in September – but a couple of reports suggest that the iPhone 15 will include tech upgrades originally slated for this year's line-up.

First up is news from the supply chain (via MacRumors) that Apple partner TSMC will begin manufacturing 3nm chips before the end of the year – including the A17 Bionic processor that we're expecting to see powering at least some of the iPhone 15 models. That 3nm means 3 nanometers, and since the iPhone 12, Apple has used 5nm chips in its handsets.

Fewer nanometers means a higher level of performance in the same physical space, with less power draw (and better battery life). Despite whispers that the iPhone 14 would switch to a 3nm chip, it looks as though it's going to carry on the 5nm tradition.

Here comes USB-C

Besides the switch to 3nm and the associated performance increase, the iPhone 15 might also come with a USB-C port rather than a Lightning one. Again, this is something that has previously been rumored for the iPhone 14, but which now looks unlikely for this year.

As per Apple Insider, India is the latest country to consider introducing regulation that would standardize electronics chargers – and that would probably mean Apple having to adopt USB-C on its iPhones in the same way that it already has on its iPads and its Macs.

European governments are also making noises about this kind of standardization, and it's very possible that Apple would want to get ahead of any rulings by switching to USB-C on the iPhone as soon as it can... which might well be September 2023.

Analysis: slow and steady upgrades

It seems a long time since Apple really wowed us with an iPhone upgrade. In recent years, we've become used to steady, incremental improvements – some extra optical zoom here, a bit of additional RAM there – while the overall blueprint has stayed largely the same.

That's to be expected really: there are only so many ways you can design a smartphone, after all. Apart from the introduction of the foldable form factor, nothing has properly shaken up the market for the last few years, and we might have to go all the way back to the notch on the iPhone X for the last time we were truly surprised.

From what we're hearing, the iPhone 15 could buck that trend. Previous leaks have pointed to a significant camera upgrade, at least for the Pro models, and if it's also the first iPhone to come with USB-C and new 3nm chipsets inside, then it could be the major upgrade that we've been waiting a long time for.

Further complicating matters is Apple's rumored decision to start differentiating between the Pro and standard models in terms of their CPUs – that's apparently happening this year, and it's going to mean even more factors to weigh up when choosing a new iPhone.

• Here's everything we think we know about the iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 line is almost here, with a launch expected in September, and as such lots of rumors about the colors of Apple's forthcoming phones have emerged.

While nothing is certain just yet, we now have an idea of all of the shades we might see the iPhone 14 arrive in, along with the iPhone 14 Max, the iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Below, we look at all the iPhone 14 color rumors we’ve heard so far, including how likely certain colors are to actually arrive in the coming weeks. We're also exploring which colors that are likely to be dropped this year too.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max colors

Below you’ll find the colors that we’ve heard the iPhone 14 might be available in at launch. It’s worth noting that, in most cases, the iPhone 14 Max hasn’t been mentioned, but based on past form, we’d expect this larger model to land in the same selection of shades as the standard iPhone 14, much like the iPhone 13 mini is currently available in the same colors as the iPhone 13.

Purple

Purple could be a new shade for the iPhone 14 this year, as the iPhone 13 isn’t available in a purple hue at all. Being a new shade, it’s a color we’re less sure of than some, but it has been leaked at least twice.

First, a post on Weibo – a Chinese social network – from a user going by ‘Oivo sauce ovo’ claimed that we’d see a purple shade that could shift in tone depending on the lighting.

The post has since been deleted, but not before it was spotted by AppleTrack. However, this source doesn’t have much of a track record with leaks; so take the promise of a color-shifting iPhone with a pinch of salt.

More recently though, @Jioriku also claimed on Twitter that there will be a purple shade, though they didn’t mention whether it will shift in tone or not.

We hope a purple shade is planned though, as we’re big fans of colorful phones and the purple iPhone 12, along with the new Bora Purple finish available on the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 are all stunning.

Green

Green is another rumored shade and it’s another one that we’re not at all sure of, as while the iPhone 13 is available in green, so far we’ve only seen one source mention the iPhone 14 in this same color.

That source is the aforementioned @Jioriku – another source who doesn’t have much of a track record. So we wouldn’t count on seeing a green iPhone 14, but we also wouldn’t count it out, and as with purple, it’s a shade we’d really like to see.

Black

Although the closest current iPhone 13 color is called Midnight (which is, in fact, very dark blue), black is a color we fully expect to see offered on the iPhone 14, because it’s one of the most popular smartphone colors there is.

At least two sources – the two mentioned above – have suggested that a black shade is planned and although it’s not a color we’re terribly thrilled by, it’s a safe, understated choice that looks smart and will appeal to many.

White

As with black, white – or its closest neighbor, Starlight, as it will probably officially be called – is a color Apple offers in its current line-up, and will probably continue to offer with the iPhone 14, as it’s such a popular smartphone color choice in general.

This too has been leaked by both of the aforementioned sources, so it’s a highly likely one.

Blue

The same two sources have also mentioned a blue shade, and this is another shade that you’ll also find available on the iPhone 13 – though reportedly the iPhone 14’s blue might be more of a sky blue than the dark, deep shade found on the iPhone 13.

We’d say this color is less likely than black or white since it’s less of a standard shade, but given that it’s available on current iPhones and has been rumored by multiple sources there’s a good chance we’ll see it.

We're just curious to know where such a color would land tonally, as the last few generations of iPhone have all experimented with different shades of blue across models.

Red

Apple loves red almost as much as it loves black and white, so a red iPhone 14 was always very likely and that's especially plausible here because it’s been mentioned by the two sources above.

Expect this to be a bright shade, officially called PRODUCT(RED), with sales in this color contributing to the fight against global health emergencies, such as AIDS and COVID-19.

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max colors

Below you’ll find rumored iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max colors, some of which may be the same as those offered on the standard iPhone 14, but many of which will likely be different.

Gold or Rose Gold

At least three sources have suggested we’ll see the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in some shade of gold, but while the first of these – leaker Jon Prosser – pointed to rose gold, the other two – those mentioned above – simply describe it as 'gold'.

Right now we’re not sure which is more accurate, but we’d think just gold is most likely, as the iPhone 13 Pro is available already in gold, and the sources saying gold are the more recent.

We’d think one or the other is highly likely though, since Apple has form with both these shades and multiple sources increases the possibility of such a finish actually being amid the lineup.

If it is just gold rather than rose gold though, expect it to be quite an understated, almost muted shade, going by past form.

Purple

We’ve heard about purple as a new shade for every iPhone 14 model, including the Pro ones; though we’d think it would likely be darker or paler on the Pro models, since Apple tends to keep those phones smart and understated.

Both @Jioriku and the Weibo source mentioned above have pointed to purple, as has leaker Jon Prosser, who even went so far as to share unofficial renders of how it might look in a Front Page Tech video. You can see one of these above, showing a distinctly pale purple, less saturated than the purple on 2021's iPhone 12/12 Mini.

Green

The same source who mentioned a green iPhone 14 also said we’ll get a green iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max too, so this is another color possibility. If all these phones do get it, then we’d think the Pro models won’t have as bright a green as the standard and Max versions, but that’s just speculation for now.

Currently, only one source has mentioned this shade, so we’re not at all confident in its appearance, though Alpine Green is an option for the iPhone 13 Pro line, so we might see a variation on this existing theme for 2022.

Graphite

Graphite has been name-checked by both @Jioriku and ‘Oivo sauce ovo’, on top of which it’s also a color you can get the iPhone 13 Pro line in, so we’d think this one is very likely.

It’s essentially the Pro line’s alternative to black, offering a dark and smart, but frankly boring color.

Silver

Silver is another color you can get the iPhone 13 Pro in and it’s another one that’s been mentioned by the same two sources as most of these other shades, so there’s a high chance this will be offered on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, as well.

It’s quite a pale silver on current models and the closest thing to white – sorry, Starlight – you can get on the iPhone 13 Pro, so expect the same again this year.

What colors will be missing?

The colors above, while not guaranteed account, for the right number of shades on each phone, as there are six rumored for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max, and five for the Pro models, which is a match for the iPhone 13 line.

All of which is to say, this could well be the complete and final selection of colors we see. So which shades won't make the cut?

Well, if these leaks hold water, then we probably won’t see pink on the iPhone 14, with that seemingly being replaced by a new purple shade. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, meanwhile, might lack the Sierra Blue shade that you can get the iPhone 13 Pro in, with that also possibly being replaced by purple.

So, the only totally new color this year might be purple, if these leaks turn out to be accurate, but don’t be surprised if some of the other colors are offered in different tones to their predecessors, which you can see above or in our iPhone 13 colors guide.

If you were hoping the iPhone 14 line would come in a wide range of colors you might be in luck, as the latest leak suggests all four models might be offered in eight different shades.

That’s based on images of unofficial iPhone cases shared on Twitter by Majin Bu – a leaker with a reasonable track record.

While the cases are unofficial, they’re apparently identical clones of official iPhone 14 cases. What’s more, the colors of iPhone cases sometimes match the shades you can get the phones in, so we can speculate that at least some of the eight colors shown here might match the colors the iPhone 14 line lands in.

Specifically, that would mean a choice of midnight (black), succulent (pale green), chalk pink, red, lilac, sun glow (yellow), stormblue (blue), and elderberry (purple).

Going by slightly earlier Tweets from Bu, cases in these colors are apparently being made for all four iPhone 14 models – the standard iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Max, the iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so that suggests all four phones might be offered in the same eight shades.

We would however take this with a pinch of salt. For one thing, Majin Bu doesn't sound totally certain that these are the official case colors - and even if they are that doesn't mean they'll all line up with the colors the phones are sold in.

For another, these colors don’t fully match previous leaks, which suggested we’d see the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max in purple, green, black, white, blue and red, while the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max would land in gold, purple, green, graphite and silver.

So if this latest leak is right then the total range of colors this year may be smaller, but with them being the same on all phones each individual handset would come in a wider selection. On the other hand, it could just mean you'll be able to get cases in these colors, with the phones themselves differing.

Analysis: this doesn’t seem likely

We’re extremely skeptical that these colors will be the selection offered on the iPhone 14 line. Not only do these shades not match up with previous leaks, but based on past form it would be unusual for Apple to offer every iPhone 14 model in the same shades, as typically the company offers the Pro phones in a slightly different selection of colors.

Eight colors would also be more than the company usually offers for any single model, so we’d think it’s unlikely this selection will be offered on any iPhone 14 model, let alone all of them.

There’s a high chance that some of these colors are right. Black and red for example were both iPhone 13 colors and are shades that Apple commonly offers, and we’ve heard lots of rumors of a purple shade. But we’d be extremely surprised if all the colors shown here match up with Apple’s next phones.

If you were hoping the iPhone 14 line would come in a wide range of colors you might be in luck, as the latest leak suggests all four models might be offered in eight different shades.

That’s based on images of unofficial iPhone cases shared on Twitter by Majin Bu – a leaker with a reasonable track record.

While the cases are unofficial, they’re apparently identical clones of official iPhone 14 cases. What’s more, the colors of iPhone cases sometimes match the shades you can get the phones in, so we can speculate that at least some of the eight colors shown here might match the colors the iPhone 14 line lands in.

Specifically, that would mean a choice of midnight (black), succulent (pale green), chalk pink, red, lilac, sun glow (yellow), stormblue (blue), and elderberry (purple).

Going by slightly earlier Tweets from Bu, cases in these colors are apparently being made for all four iPhone 14 models – the standard iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Max, the iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so that suggests all four phones might be offered in the same eight shades.

We would however take this with a pinch of salt. For one thing, Majin Bu doesn't sound totally certain that these are the official case colors - and even if they are that doesn't mean they'll all line up with the colors the phones are sold in.

For another, these colors don’t fully match previous leaks, which suggested we’d see the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max in purple, green, black, white, blue and red, while the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max would land in gold, purple, green, graphite and silver.

So if this latest leak is right then the total range of colors this year may be smaller, but with them being the same on all phones each individual handset would come in a wider selection. On the other hand, it could just mean you'll be able to get cases in these colors, with the phones themselves differing.

Analysis: this doesn’t seem likely

We’re extremely skeptical that these colors will be the selection offered on the iPhone 14 line. Not only do these shades not match up with previous leaks, but based on past form it would be unusual for Apple to offer every iPhone 14 model in the same shades, as typically the company offers the Pro phones in a slightly different selection of colors.

Eight colors would also be more than the company usually offers for any single model, so we’d think it’s unlikely this selection will be offered on any iPhone 14 model, let alone all of them.

There’s a high chance that some of these colors are right. Black and red for example were both iPhone 13 colors and are shades that Apple commonly offers, and we’ve heard lots of rumors of a purple shade. But we’d be extremely surprised if all the colors shown here match up with Apple’s next phones.

Leaks and rumors suggest the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be extremely exciting handsets, but that the standard iPhone 14 could be underwhelming, not just because it’s likely lumbered with a dated design, but because it might not even get a new chipset.

This might not be a one off either, with a source claiming that the iPhone 15 might have older silicon too.

That’s according to a leaker posting on Weibo – a Chinese social network. The post was spotted by GizChina, and it states that the iPhone 15 will get the A16 chipset we’re expecting to see in the iPhone 14 Pro line, while the iPhone 15 Pro will get a new A17 chipset.

So in other words, next year’s standard iPhone would likely have a newer chipset than the upcoming iPhone 14 – which is rumored to be stuck with the A15 from the iPhone 13 line – but it would still be a year behind Apple’s top mobile processor.

The source doesn’t say whether this trend will continue beyond the iPhone 15, but we’ve previously heard from Ming-Chi Kuo – an analyst with a great track record for Apple information – that this is planned to be an ongoing situation.

So while we’d take this claim with a pinch of salt, the fact that two leakers have now said the latest chipsets will be reserved for Pro models suggests there’s a high chance this is true.

That said, it’s very early days to be talking about the iPhone 15, let alone subsequent iPhones, so even if this is Apple’s current plan it could always change. We hope it will, because even the standard models are high-end handsets, so it’s hard to justify them using year-old hardware.

Analysis: a shame but not a big deal

While this is disappointing news, it’s actually unlikely to be a big issue, as Apple’s mobile chipsets already outperform rivals significantly.

So even if the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 each launch with dated Apple hardware, there’s a good chance they will perform comparably to phones using top chipsets from companies like Qualcomm and Samsung.

Plus, arguably all of the top mobile chipsets provide more power than most users actually need, so in general use the difference is unlikely to be noticeable.

Still, even if the difference mostly only exists on paper, it could make the standard iPhone models a lot less appealing to potential buyers. But maybe that’s the whole point, with Apple possibly looking to boost the popularity of the Pro line.

Whatever the reasoning though, we’d think this might also tempt some Apple fans to check out the best Android phones.

This year's Apple iPhone 14 will hit earlier than last year, according to Mark Gurman, the most accurate Apple information leaker on the planet, and picked up by friends at The Verge. While the iPhone 13 made a late-September appearance, the new Apple iPhone 14 will show up just after the U.S. Labor Day holiday at a September 7th event. The phone will go on sale a week from the following Friday, on September 16th. 

Apple is expected to go large at this year's iPhone launch, by which we mean the new model will be a large-screen phone and not an update to the Apple iPhone 13 mini. Rumors suggest Apple will launch an Apple iPhone 14 and a large-screen iPhone 14 Max.

A separate "Pro" class will see further upgrades to processing, camera, and other features: The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. The phones without the "Pro" designation are expected to remain on last year's Apple A15 Bionic chip. If an upgraded A16 chip is announced, it may only be used on these "Pro" devices.

Analysis: A good sign of good supply

Last year's phone launch came just a bit later in September, but could have slipped even further due to supply chain issues. We have seen a number of phone launches late this summer and have heard little complaint about supply problems. Even though the Apple iPhone 14 is launching only a week or so earlier than last year, we still take this as a good sign that the industry is finding a balance to supply consumers without hiking prices or causing huge delays.

Quite a bit of information about the new Apple iPhone 14 has leaked out already, and you can take a deep dive into every tidbit at our explainer. Apple is also expected to announce a new Apple Watch 8 at the September event. You can read our reviews of the best Apple Watches currently available.

We’re expecting the Google Pixel 7 series will land soon and there’s now more evidence of that, as phones believed to be the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have been listed on an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) database.

The listings – which were spotted by 9to5Google – are something we’d expect to see close to launch. More specifically they suggest we might be around a month off, with a mid-September launch possible, as both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a hit the FCC roughly a month before they were unveiled.

The Pixel 6 was revealed in October, but it sounds like its successor could be early this year. As well as being a sign that these phones could be just weeks away, the listings also provide some details about them.

They don’t tell us much, but they do suggest the Google Pixel 7 Pro will get UWB (ultra-wideband), while the standard Pixel 7 won’t.

UWB, for those unfamiliar, is a wireless technology that can allow for extremely precise positioning and location tracking of devices. It’s used by Apple’s AirTag for example, and in the Pixel 6 Pro it’s used for Nearby Share, which lets you share content with nearby devices. Though notably you don’t need a Pixel 6 Pro for Nearby Share, so UWB is not an essential component here.

Currently the Pixel 6 Pro is the only Pixel handset with UWB, and it looks like Google is keeping it a Pro feature if this FCC information is accurate – which it likely is, since this is an official database.

The FCC listings don’t reveal much else, though they mention unsurprising things like support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, plus versions of the phones that offer both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G connectivity and ones that just offer sub-6GHz. Those refer to different 5G frequency ranges, and it’s likely that the mmWave version will only be sold in countries that can take advantage of those frequencies.

While we’d always take leaks with a pinch of salt, FCC details tend to be accurate. We should know for sure soon though, as - even without these listings - we'd be expecting to see the Pixel 7 line in October.

Analysis: limited UWB support means Google might still not do much with it

If you were thinking of buying the standard Pixel 7 you probably won’t miss out on much by not getting UWB, since Google doesn’t use the tech for much right now.

While it’s possible that will change, the fact that the company is keeping it exclusive to the Pro models suggests that there probably isn’t anything big planned for UWB in the near future – otherwise it would make sense for it to be more widely accessible.

So the presence or absence of UWB probably isn’t something you should overly factor in when choosing which of the best Pixel phones to buy.

Google is warning the owners of recent Pixel smartphones that upgrading to Android 13 will be permanent – there will be no way for them to return to Android 12 or an earlier OS.

Specifically, if you own a Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 6 Pro, or the new Google Pixel 6a and upgrade to the latest operating system, you won’t be able to revert to an earlier version. So while Android 13 may now be available to install, you might want to think twice if you want to be able to downgrade to earlier Android operating systems.

The warning appeared on Google’s Factory Images page – a source that enables older Android builds to be quickly installed on Google smartphones. In the warning, Google says that “the Android 13 update for Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and the Pixel 6a contains a bootloader update that increments the anti-roll back version. After flashing an Android 13 build on these devices you will not be able to flash older Android 12 builds.”

Flashing here is effectively another wording for updating, so you can read that last part as saying that after updating your smartphone to Android 13, you can’t go back.

Unless you have a specific reason to downgrade there often isn’t a need to return to an older operating system on any device – especially if you’re concerned about your digital safety and want your apps to work. But with Google’s new change to how its updates work, Pixel owners might want to take a bit of care before upgrading their OS.

While this Android 13 launch should be stable – with the kinks having been ironed out thanks to months of beta testing – problems with operating systems aren’t uncommon. Just look at Microsoft’s Windows 11 – that operating system has faced no end of problems that frequently sees users opting to downgrade to older versions of Windows.

That said, if you have already upgraded to Android 13 there’s no need to panic. Going forwards you just might want to wait a few days before downloading a new Android operating system, to make sure there aren’t any major bugs that you’ll be stuck with until Google fixes them.

It’s unclear why the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 6a are unique among Google’s phones in not allowing you to downgrade from Android 13, and it’s unclear if this limitation will affect other Android 13-compatible devices. We’ve reached out to Google to learn more, and we’ll update this piece if we hear back.

If you have Android 13 installed, check out this fun easter egg that will fill your screen with cats.

As we wait patiently for the iPhone 14 to show up (it should arrive next month), a new report suggests some significant changes could be coming to the software on iPhones and iPads: specifically, more advertising in Apple's own apps.

This comes via the reliable Apple-focused journalist Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who says that Apple is keen on expanding its integrated advertising efforts. A number of ads already show up in the News and Stocks apps, as well as the App Store.

Those apps could eventually be joined by Apple Maps, as well as the Apple Podcasts and Apple Books apps, according to Gurman. We might also see an expansion into Apple TV Plus content – adverts have already started to appear in the platform's Friday Night Baseball coverage, for example.

More ads, more revenue

The reason for the increase in ads is obvious: Apple wants to make more money from them. The ads that already exist inside iOS, iPadOS and Apple's apps currently bring in around $4 billion every year, as per the Bloomberg report, and the plan is to get that figure into the double digits.

Local businesses would be able to pay to get featured inside Maps, for example, while publishers could pay to get their titles featured more prominently. In line with the existing ads, they wouldn't be open to anyone and everyone.

Exactly when the change might start to happen isn't clear, but it looks unlikely to be this year. It would require some significant changes on the software side, and iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 are just about ready to launch – so keep an eye on next year's Apple software updates for more signs of advertising.

Analysis: Apple could still stay true to its privacy promises

Apple has long emphasized its commitment to user privacy, and often highlighted how different it is from Google in terms of the data it collects and the ads it serves up. Advertising is where Google makes the bulk of its money, whereas Apple has traditionally relied on hardware sales.

You may have noticed Apple cracking down on app tracking in iOS and iPadOS too, stopping advertisers from monitoring users across multiple apps without their explicit permission. This has hit revenues for Facebook, Snap and many other companies.

So how does all this fit in with the potential Apple ad expansion? We've already seen adverts in Apple software, and it's clear that they work differently to the ads you might get on Google – they're more like paid sponsorships than typical internet ads.

In other words, you might see a restaurant get a higher ranking in Apple Maps (with an ad label) – you're not going to see adverts for trainers that you were looking at on Amazon last week. Crucially, it means Apple doesn't need to collect any extra data from its users, which means it can keep its strict stance on privacy.

 Samsung is leading the way with foldable phones right now, with the brand new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 setting the standard for other phone makers to follow – and the next in line to launch a foldable handset or two could well be Oppo.

As per Pricebaba, Oppo is going to go head to head against Samsung, even down to the naming: we're apparently getting a tablet-style Oppo Find N Fold and a clamshell-style Oppo Find N Flip in the next few months.

We already have the foldable Oppo Find N, which was launched last year (and we enjoyed using), but it's only available in China. It looks as though the new Fold and Flip models are going to be sold in more regions across the world, ready to give Samsung some serious competition.

OnePlus too?

Apart from the existence and the naming of these devices, there isn't too much to glean from this latest report. 

One tidbit of information we do have is that the handsets are set to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, the flagship mobile CPU of the latter half of 2022 (at least as far as non-iPhones are concerned).

Oppo and OnePlus merged last year, and OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has recently been tweeting about the hinge system used on the Oppo Find N. He's also been asking for feedback on "the next generation of foldables" via the OnePlus Community forums.

That suggests more Oppo foldables are indeed on the way – and perhaps that they might be joined by a foldable with OnePlus branding. Such a device has been rumored for several months, and with OnePlus and Oppo now pretty much the same company, all the technology is already there to put out a OnePlus Fold.

Analysis: getting the timing right

Samsung is undoubtedly out on its own with its foldable phones at the moment. We've also seen foldables from Oppo, Xiaomi, Huawei and Motorola, but the availability of these handsets has been limited – the recently unveiled Moto Razr 2022 is only on sale in China at the moment, for example.

The signs are that plenty more foldables are coming though, and not just from Oppo. As manufacturers improve their production processes and the cost of foldables starts to come down, they should be much more widely available in a couple of years.

After Oppo and perhaps OnePlus, we're expecting to see a Google Pixel Fold make an appearance: Google has long been rumored to have a foldable phone in the works, but it feels as though there's finally some momentum behind the Pixel series, which would mean the timing is right to introduce another form factor.

It's the same with Apple – a foldable iPhone is almost certainly at least being tested, if not necessarily certain to be launched, but Apple seems prepared to take its time in developing it, clearly deciding that the world is not ready for ‘mainstream’ foldable phones, no matter what Samsung says.

The rumors and leaks around the iPhone 14 continue to roll in – we're just a month away from the phone's expected launch now – and the latest unofficial tidbits to appear online give us an idea of what we can expect from the rear camera on the new Pro models.

According to a source speaking to well-known tipster LeaksApplePro, the 48MP rear camera sensor being introduced on the Pro models this year is "the best one in a smartphone if there’s enough light", which sounds promising.

Less promising is the news that night mode has "some issues" to solve before it's ready, and is currently actually worse than the iPhone 13 Pro. Bear in mind though that iOS 16 is still being tested, so optimizations are likely to be in the pipeline.

Speakers, display and battery life

The same source confirms that the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max make use of a pill and hole design on the front display rather than the notch, as has been widely rumored. However it "doesn't add anything new" according to the source.

Battery life is said to be getting better again this year, with the iPhone 14 Pro apparently adding another couple of hours to the total (the iPhone 13 Pro is rated for 22 hours of video playback, by comparison).

The speakers have also been improved, according to this source, with better bass and improved clarity. As for display quality, this is said to be broadly comparable with the screens on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Analysis: this year Pro really does mean Pro

While we can't verify any leaks or rumors until a device actually launches, we do know which tipsters are more reliable than others – and as more and more information makes it into the public domain, we do get a general idea of what's most likely to happen.

From what we've heard about the iPhone 14 models so far, it's the two Pro handsets – the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max – that are going to be the most appealing. First and foremost, they're the phones that are actually going to have CPU upgrades.

Now we have the news that the camera system on the Pro models is the best yet from Apple (low light problems notwithstanding). The 48MP sensor – up from 12MP in the current iPhone 13 range – is thought to only be coming to the higher-end handsets.

So you've got faster internal components, a significantly better camera system, and what sounds like improved battery life too if you go for the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If the pricing is right, they could well be the iPhones to get this year.

If you thought Samsung was happy with just the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip lines when it comes to foldable phones then think again. We’ve known for a while that the company is experimenting with different foldable form factors, and now some of these experiments have been shown off in a video.

A short clip shared by @UniverseIce – a reputable leaker – shows several foldable and extendable Samsung phones which haven’t yet been announced.

One of these has the look of a standard handset but then lets the user pull one or both sides of the screen to extend it, while another is like a Galaxy Z Fold 4 but with two folds rather than one, so it opens out into a laptop-sized screen.

We also catch a glimpse of one that folds like a laptop, but it’s all screen rather than having a keyboard on the bottom half, and in this video it’s displaying a controller layout for gaming.

While we’d take any leak with a pinch of salt, this looks like an official Samsung promotional video, and the contents would have been hard to fake, so this is likely genuine.

That said, for now these are possibly just experiments and concept devices, so while some of these form factors might see the light of day eventually, we wouldn’t expect an imminent announcement.

Analysis: not the first time we’ve seen Samsung’s experiments

While this is the first time we’ve seen these concepts on video, it’s not the first time Samsung has shown off these ideas.

Back in November the company launched a site highlighting potential uses for foldable OLED screens, and these included several smartphone concepts.

One was the ‘Slidable Flex’ which looks a lot like the stretchable screen in the video. Then there’s the Flex Note which is the laptop-like device. There were others too which aren’t seen in this new video, like the Rollable Flex, which has a rollable screen.

So Samsung seems to have no shortage of foldable phone ideas. Hopefully some of them will end up as commercially available products eventually, as with the likes of the Motorola Razr 2022 and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 following Samsung’s lead in terms of designs, it’s already starting to feel like there’s a lack of innovation in the foldable space.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is an upgrade on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 in a number of ways, but while it packs a faster chipset and other hardware improvements, some of the best features are on the software side, and at least one of these software tricks could be coming to older Galaxy Z Fold models.

That’s according to leaker @TheGalox_, who claimed on Twitter that previous Samsung Galaxy Z Fold models will be getting the new taskbar feature alongside One UI 4.1.1 later this year.

The taskbar they mentioned is a new bar that sits at the bottom of the screen and is visible when you’re in apps. It houses shortcuts to favorite apps, along with icons for recently used apps, and you can drag any of these up to open them in split-screen mode, so it simplifies multitasking.

It’s a very useful feature, and one that helps you make the most of the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s big screen, so it would be a handy upgrade for older models if they do get it too.

The wording of the tweet above doesn’t make it totally clear whether every previous Fold model will get this feature or just some, but given that even the original Samsung Galaxy Fold has been updated to One UI 4, we’d think there’s a high chance it will get One UI 4.1.1, with the taskbar included.

Of course, as with any leak we’d take this with a pinch of salt, especially as the source doesn’t have as much of a track record as some. But it’s a believable claim, as we wouldn’t think there’s any reason Samsung couldn’t update the older models to add the taskbar.

Analysis: adding the taskbar could mean moving to Android 12L

The taskbar feature found on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is actually an Android 12L feature – that being Google’s version of Android 12 that’s designed specifically for tablets and other large screen devices, such as foldable phones.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 runs this, so if Samsung is adding the taskbar to other Fold models that might mean they’ll also get Android 12L.

That would make sense, as the Android experience has always been slightly lacking on tablets and foldables, and companies such as Samsung have had to pick up the slack and modify Android to make it work better on them.

So a move to Android 12L would make for a better experience with less work required from manufacturers. In the case of the Galaxy Z Fold line it could also make some of the best foldable phones even better.

Four iPhone 14 models are widely expected to be unveiled in mid-September, but there are still a lot of questions around the sort of upgrades we're going to get. 

One key spec that , it seems, won't be upgraded this year (despite previous rumors to the contrary) is storage space.

According to analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International (via MacRumors), the Pro versions of the iPhone 14 will follow the lead of the current iPhones: specifically, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.

There had been whispers that Apple would bump up the starting capacity for the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and that storage might even top out at 2TB. 

Based on this latest information though, it looks as though it's going to be a case of ‘carry on as you were’ in terms of internal storage.

Minor upgrades

If you're currently looking to buy an iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 mini, then your options are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. 

It's expected that those are going to be the same again in the iPhone 14 equivalents (though the mini is getting dropped in favor of an iPhone 14 Max model, if the rumors are to be believed).

What's more, the word on the Apple street is that the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Max are going to use the same A15 Bionic processor as the iPhone 13 range. If you're hoping for a major iPhone upgrade this year from Apple, you're probably going to be disappointed.

There are expected to be improvements in terms of the camera performance however – both with the selfie camera and the rear camera – so there will be some reasons to put down your money for a new model. All will be revealed by Apple in September, if it sticks to its usual iPhone launch schedule.

Analysis: cloudy with a chance of streaming

It would be nice to see Apple bumping up the storage available on the iPhones this year, if only to differentiate them from what's gone before. Storage prices continue to fall as time goes on – remember the iPhone X from five years ago was only available with 64GB or 256GB of internal storage.

However, it's also fair to say that internal storage is not quite as important as it used to be: Spotify keeps your music collection in the cloud, Netflix keeps your movie collection in the cloud, and so on. There's not the same need to save files locally.

What's more, cloud syncing services such as iCloud and Google Drive have improved a lot in recent years. Syncing photos and videos to the cloud is now easy to set up and all handled in the background for you, automatically.

We still think there's a case to be made for keeping large capacity phones on sale: for all those movies and shows you want to sync to your device, to keep photos and videos close to hand and available, to install large games, and to queue up plenty of podcasts, for example. Maybe next year we'll see that 2TB option appear.