Google Pixel 7 Pro leak suggests it won’t worry Apple

Just a day ago we saw a full specs leak for the Google Pixel 7, and now the source of that is back with a similarly complete leak for the Google Pixel 7 Pro, but it’s a similarly disappointing one too.

Yogesh Brar – a leaker with a solid track record – has tweeted out this specs list, and almost nothing is different from what we saw on the Pixel 6 Pro.

The only real difference is the presence of a Tensor G2 chipset, which is Google’s next-generation chip. We know this will be present because Google has confirmed as much, but it might still lag behind the competition if leaks are to be believed.

See more

The rest of the listed specs meanwhile include a 6.7-inch QHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery, 30W charging, wireless charging, Android 13, and a triple-lens camera, with a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and a 48MP telephoto one. That’s all stuff that you’ll find on the Pixel 6 Pro.

So is Google really going to release a new phone where the only upgrade is the chipset? Well, not quite. Assuming this leak is accurate – which we can’t be certain of – the design is still being tweaked at the very least, and it’s possible that things like the camera could perform better, despite the similar specs. But it does sound like the Pixel 7 Pro could be very similar to the Pixel 6 Pro.


Apple iPhone 14 Pro home screen

The iPhone 14 Pro is a much bigger upgrade (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Analysis: no threat to the iPhone 14 line

Google shook things up with the Pixel 6, offering a phone with a distinctive new design and a bespoke chipset. It might have been enough for Apple to take notice, but Google doesn’t seem to be repeating the trick this year, leaving the iPhone 14 with less competition.

Or rather, leaving the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with less competition, as the standard iPhone 14 is, if anything, even less of an upgrade from the iPhone 13 than the Pixel 7 Pro looks to be from the Pixel 6 Pro.

But at least Apple gives you options – buy the almost pointless but relatively affordable iPhone 14, or shell out more on the bigger upgrades in the Pro. With the Pixel 7 line though, Google might give people very little reason to upgrade from the Pixel 6 phones.

Still, those are only a year old, and the world would be in better shape if more people kept their phones for longer, so maybe that’s not such a bad thing. And if you are in the market for a new handset, there are loads of other top options in our best phones guide.

Posted in Uncategorised

Apple Pay Later could be facing some serious delays

It looks like Apple’s buy now, pay later (BNPL) service won’t be seeing the light of day for some time yet. 

Apple Pay Later – an extension of Apple Wallet that will let shoppers split the cost of a purchase made with their device into four equal payments over six weeks, without incurring interest or late fees – is facing some “significant” setbacks that could delay its launch until next year, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

Having first announced the BNPL service at WWDC in June 2022, Apple had hoped to launch Apple Pay Later alongside iOS 16 this September. But with the new operating system now out in the wild and no Apple Pay Later to speak of, Gurman predicts that the service may yet be delayed until the release of iOS 16.4 in the spring of 2023 (i.e. between March–June next year).

Pay Later... much later

This new estimated timeframe comes as Apple, at the foot of its official iOS 16 page, writes that Apple Pay Later is “coming in a future update”, where other features on the same page (like no-setup Siri shortcuts) are listed as “coming later this year.”

Digital wallets

Apple Pay Later was announced at WWDC in June 2022 (Image credit: Visa)

“Apple isn’t completely certain when Apple Pay Later will be ready for launch,” Gurman adds in his Bloomberg report. “I’m hearing there have been fairly significant technical and engineering challenges in rolling out the service, leading to the delays.”

These “technical and engineering challenges” remain unclear for now, but we do know that Apple plans to end its partnership with Goldman Sachs – which currently handles credit checks and lending for Apple Card – and move its financial services in-house (under Apple Financing LLC) in time for the arrival of Apple Pay Later.

Apple Pay Later has faced its fair share of pre-launch criticism, too. BNPL services have come under fire in recent years for encouraging unsustainable spending, and Apple Pay Later – when it does eventually launch – will reach far more users than comparable services like Klarna and Afterpay. Some financial experts fear that the widespread accessibility of Apple Pay Later could make it easy to abuse when used for nonessential purchases.

Posted in Uncategorised

A rare Google Pixel 7 leak reminds us why this phone hasn’t been leaked much

The upcoming Google Pixel 7 isn't leaking anywhere near as frequently as its oft-teased Pro sibling, but it's starting to become very clear why.

A rare leak for the smaller sibling has come out, from regular phones leaker Yogesh Brar, and if you hadn't had your morning coffee, you'd be forgiven for confusing Brar's provided information with the specs list for the Google Pixel 6.

The Pixel 7 will apparently have a FHD+ OLED 90Hz screen, 50MP and 12MP rear cameras, 8GB of RAM, either 128GB or 256GB of storage and 30W charging. These are all specs that the device has in common with its predecessor.

See more

There are a few differences, but it's not clear whether these are actual things that could be different in the upcoming phone, or just minor discrepancies. For example, Brar points to the phone having a 6.3-inch screen (0.1 inches smaller than last year) and a 4,700mAh battery (86mAh larger than last year), however, these tiny differences could be rounding errors as much as actual changes.

There is one genuine upgrade listed here, but it's something we already knew about: the Google Pixel 7 will get the Google Tensor G2 chipset, which is the second-gen version of the original Tensor which debuted in the Pixel 6. Google already confirmed that the Tensor's successor would show up in the Pixel 7, so no news here.


Analysis: why there aren't many leaks

With a specs list that's so familiar, it's hard to get excited for the Google Pixel 7. There are no eye-catching changes, or even a curious downgrade that might point towards a focus shift.

Sure, there will likely be some software changes to focus on when the Pixel 7 family launches, including hopefully new camera modes in the spirit of Magic Eraser, and integration with all Android 13's new features.

But even so, the Pixel 7 likely won't feel very different to use compared to the Pixel 6, and the biggest indicator of that is the huge lack of leaks around the upcoming phone (other than this new one, obviously).

Leakers are tech fans, and generally, when we see few leaks around an upcoming product (especially a high-profile one), it means that the leakers aren't excited - maybe there aren't going to be many changes over the previous generation, for example.

This is commonly an intriguing way to gauge how big a reinvention each generation of Samsung Galaxy mobile in particular is over the previous one - earlier, and more frequent, leaks suggest Samsung is brewing something big. But the same principle applies to all brands.

A relative lack of Google Pixel 7 leaks hints toward this phone being quite a dull one, with nothing new from last year. That's a shame, because at best it means that the device might not make its way onto our list of the best smartphones, and at worst it means that Google hasn't learned from its Pixel 6 reinvention, where a flashy new phone got people to care about the Pixel line after a duff few years.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

The Samsung Galaxy S23 edges closer to launching, with another spec leaked

Before a smartphone can make it out into the world, it has to be approved by various regulators – and the Samsung Galaxy S23 just showed up at 3C, the Chinese regulatory agency, revealing another key spec along the way.

This comes from SamMobile and Ice Universe, which are both trustworthy sources when it comes to upcoming Samsung products. The fact that the phone has now shown up at 3C suggests that it's still on track for a launch in the not-too-distant future, with February 2023 the month that the handset is most likely to be launched in.

The only real tidbit of information we get from this filing is that the wired charging speed is going to stick at 25W, just like the Samsung Galaxy S22. By today's standards, that's not speedy at all, with some handsets almost five times faster (120W) at recharging the battery.

Slow and steady

This caution when it comes to charging speeds is something that we've noticed on Samsung's other premium phones as well. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, for example, also tops out at a wired charging speed of 25W, with wireless charging at 15W.

It's perhaps understandable that Samsung is sticking to the 25W wired charging speed for the Galaxy S23, considering what happened with certain Galaxy Note 7 models catching fire – that was back in 2016 though, so it's not all that recent.

There is one caveat, which is that this regulatory listing only mentions the standard Samsung Galaxy S23 handset. It's possible that the other models, the Galaxy S23 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, will up the charging speeds.


Analysis: how important is charging speed?

The wired charging speed of a phone is maybe not the most important spec when it comes to choosing a new device, but it does have an effect on how a phone is used. If a device can be fully charged in minutes rather than hours, it means battery life isn't quite so crucial.

If you're rushing out of the house or making a quick stop at the office then knowing that you can get a significant amount of juice back in your phone's battery in a short space of time helps to reduce that creeping anxiety that can come on about ending the day with a phone that has died.

Samsung can at least point to Apple as another company that's taking it slow when it comes to battery charging speeds. The iPhone 14 maxes out at 30W when it comes to wired charging, not far above the reported ceiling for the Galaxy S23.

As long as the 2023 phones come with other improvements, Samsung can probably get away with keeping the charging speed the same on the Galaxy S23 as on its predecessors – and it should at least come with more powerful internals.

Posted in Uncategorised

iPhone 14 Pro Max drop test goes about as well as you’d expect

Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max did not escape unscathed in a recent drop test versus Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra and may have new owners of Apple's flagship phones shopping for cases.

A major caveat here. YouTuber PhoneBuff's new iPhone 14 Pro Max CVS Galaxy S22 UYltra Drop Test was sponsored by - you guessed it - case maker Casetify. A result where neither phone survives is, obviously, in the case maker's best interest. Even so, we've seen drop tests of previous iPhones that employ the similar kinds of drop apparatus, distance to ground, and battery of tests. The results we saw were not surprising but are also a good reminder that these are metal devices wrapped in glass - strengthened glass - but glass nonetheless.

As for the tests, PhoneBuff put an iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and one more iPhone 14 Pro Max in, naturally, a Casetifiy case, through the same series of drop tests from a distance of 1.5 meters from the ground.

PhoneBuff first dropped the phones on their backs, then positioned them so they landed on one corner, and then did another drop where the phones landed on their screens.

The results were, to be charitable, mixed.

In the first drop, the back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max shattered, though all the glass remained attached to the phone. Notably, the iPhone 14 Pro Max's larger camera array also suffered some damage, though the cameras still functioned properly.

Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra also cracked, though it didn't look as bad as the iPhone.

Both phones handled the corner drop pretty well, though the Galaxy S22 Ultra's aluminum body looked a little more beat up than the iPhone 14 Pro Max's steel band.

A drop on the face or screen of the devices cracked a corner of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra's screen looked more significantly damaged.

A final drop from the same distance, but onto steel sent pieces of the iPhone 14 Pro Max's back glass flying, though it remained functional. The S22 Ultra's display ended up with some dead pixels in one corner.

The results don't surprise us.

While TechRadar is not in the habit of purposely dropping phones to test them, I have accidentally dropped an unprotected iPhone 14 Pro Max from a distance of 24 inches onto the floor without breaking it. And I memorably let a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra drop (while in a case) from a distance of four feet onto a tiled floor.

In that instance, the Galaxy S22 Ultra screen did crack (it was such a clean break that I didn't notice it immediately). The phone still functions perfectly to this day.

What's going on here?

While we're no experts in drop science, we do know that there are differences in iPhone 14 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 construction that could help explain some of PhoneBuff's and even our own results.

In the case of that shattered back on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, it's worth noting that Apple does not use the same material on the front and back of the device. The back is made of dual-ion glass. It might be considered similar to the Gorilla Glass Victus used on the back of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Neither glass held up all that well in a five-and-a-half-foot drop onto concrete.

On the front of Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max (and the rest of the iPhone 14 line) is Apple's Ceramic Sheild. This is material infused with ceramic crystals. In PhoneBuff's tests, the iPhone 14 Pro Max's screen held up better in face-down tests. This might be due to the Ceramic Shield. Granted, the glass still cracked, but only in one section. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Gorilla Glass Victus-covered display suffered more significant damage in the drop.

Look, this is one test of the iPhone 14 Pro Max (and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra) conducted by a company paid by a case manufacturer. On the other hand, if you just paid $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899 or more for an iPhone 14 Pro Max, it couldn't hurt to also buy a case.

We'd start by looking at this list of best iPhone 14 Pro cases.

Posted in Uncategorised

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: what we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip line are the most popular collection of foldable phones on the planet, and with good reason – they pair a folding form factor with decent specs and a relatively affordable price.

Hopefully, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will continue that trend, and in this article we’ve created a wish list of what we want from it beyond that.

But that’s not all. We’re already starting to hear rumors about what the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 might offer, so you’ll find those below too; along with information on the possible release date and price. We’ll also update this article whenever we hear anything new about this phone, so check back soon.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next entry in Samsung's foldable Z Flip line
  • When is it out? Probably August 2023
  • How much will it cost? Likely around $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 release date and price

While there’s no news yet on when the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be announced, we can take a good guess. We predict we’ll see it on August 9, 2023, because that’s the second Wednesday of next August, and Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 on the second Wednesday in August of their respective release years.

Based on past form, there will probably then be a wait of around two weeks before it ships, so you should be able to have it in your hands in late August, if our predictions are right.

The price is harder to predict, but it’s likely to cost a similar amount to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, which starts at $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 hands on beige front angled

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 might have a similar price to the Z Flip 4 (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 news and leaks

The only Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 leak so far comes from a source who claims it run on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

Given that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 uses the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, this always looked likely – though if there’s another Plus version of the chipset next year, then the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 2 is also a possibility.

In any case, that’s likely to be one of the top Android chipsets of 2023, so it should provide plenty of power.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: what we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 wasn’t much of an upgrade on the Galaxy Z Flip 3, so we want to see bigger improvements from the next model, including the following things.

1. A telephoto camera

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review Bora Purple back angled

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is lacking in cameras (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd)

A telephoto lens is a standard feature across almost all high-end phones, yet it’s a feature the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 lacks.

In fact, the Z Flip 4 only has a dual-lens camera, comprised of a 12MP primary and 12MP ultra-wide snapper, so it’s quite basic and lacking on the photography front. We want to see big upgrades here for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, with a telephoto lens added and ideally upgrades to the other cameras too.

2. Better battery life

Battery life is a problem for a lot of phones and even more so for foldables, as they tend to have smaller batteries than similarly-sized conventional handsets.

That’s presumably because the folding mechanism takes up space that could otherwise be used by a battery, but it’s a definite issue; often leading to sub-par longevity.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, for example, only has a 3,700mAh battery, and in our review, we noted that its output was underwhelming, so we want to see a battery boost in the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

3. A lower price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is actually one of the more affordable foldable phones, but for the specs you get – folding screen aside – it’s still fairly expensive, so we’d love to see Samsung push the price down a little further for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

This probably won’t happen – especially if there are significant upgrades to the specs – but it would make the device all the more appealing.

4. A bigger cover screen

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review Bora Purple cover display

The Z Flip 4 has a tiny cover screen (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd)

While the 6.7-inch foldable main screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a decent size, the 1.9-inch cover display – which is what you can see and interact with when the main screen is folded shut – is too small to do much with.

Sure, it can show notifications and the time, but it’s too tiny to properly interact with, meaning that for most smartphone functions you have to flip the phone open. We’d like to see a bigger secondary screen on the next model, allowing you to keep the phone folded shut more often.

5. More substantial upgrades

We’ve detailed some of the upgrades we want above, but just in general we want the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 to feel like a substantial improvement on the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

The last two models have been extremely similar to each other, so it’s past time we saw some major updates – and we'll need to for this to have a good shot at ranking among the best foldable phones.

Posted in Uncategorised

Wish you had the iPhone 14 Pro’s new Dynamic Island? Android has an app for that

Apple's Dynamic Island feature on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max has been available for a short while, and already a developer has made it into an app for Android devices.

The Dynamic Island is a seismic change to the iPhone, with this new feature replacing the notch with a cut-out that houses interactive notifications, but Android users needn't feel they're missing out.

With dynamicSpot, you will see a Dynamic Island-like feature appear near to the punch-hole or notch on your Android smartphone, and you can use this to interact with notifications or control your music.

dynamicSpot app on Android

(Image credit: dynamicSpot)

Installing the app is a simple affair, and you can customize how tall and wide this take on the Dynamic Island can be, so it can fit the punch-hole or the notch on your device perfectly.

There is a bug where duplicate notifications may appear, but there's a setting in dynamicSpot that can force-stop these regardless.

For an app that's only been available in beta form for a short time, it's an impressive feat that's already giving the impression that we could see this in Android 14 or another version from Samsung or OnePlus in due course.

However, it could also tempt you to switch to an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max for the full Dynamic Island experience, as you'll have access to iPhone apps that will have adapted to fully take advantage of the new feature.

Posted in Uncategorised

Google Pixel 7 price leak makes the phone sound like a real bargain

Flagship phones are expensive - except of course when they’re not, which looks to be the case with the Google Pixel 7, as a price leak suggests it will substantially undercut rival handsets.

According to Artem Russakovskii – the founder of Android Police – the Pixel 7 will start at $599, which is exactly the same starting price as the Pixel 6, and substantially less than the $799 starting price of the iPhone 14.

Given that the price in dollars is apparently the same as last year we can theorize that other currencies might be as well, which could mean the Pixel 7 will start at £599 in the UK and AU$999 in Australia.

They also claim that the Pixel 7 Pro will have the same $899 starting price as its predecessor – which might mean a price of £849 / AU$1,299 elsewhere.

See more

These prices are apparently based on current data in Target’s systems, and come from a source that Russakovskii claims to 100% trust, so it sounds quite credible, though of course we’d still take it with a pinch of salt.

The data also mentions a pre-order date of October 6 for both models, which is the same day as they’re being announced. Google had already confirmed that date for the Pixel 7 Pro though, so it’s no surprise to hear that pre-orders for the standard model will likely also open then.

October 13 is mentioned as the shipping date, though a recent leak pointed to October 18, and Russakovskii isn’t sure whether this leak is wrong or whether Target’s data here is out of date.

Finally, if you pick up one of these handsets from Target itself then you’ll seemingly be able to get a $100 gift card with the Pixel 7 and a $200 one with the Pixel 7 Pro, though it’s unclear whether there are additional eligibility requirements, beyond just buying one of the phones.


Analysis: undercutting everything

The Google Pixel 7 isn’t set to just undercut the iPhone 14 – by a hefty $200 if this leak is right – but also much of its other competition.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 for example also starts at $799 (or £769 / AU$1,249), while even the OnePlus 10T is a bit more at $649 / £629. This isn’t terribly surprising – Google’s phones often undercut the competition, but in a world of rising prices and inflation it’s nice to see.

Hopefully, the price will remain the same as last year outside the US too, but there’s no guarantee of that. Apple for example charged the same for the iPhone 14 as the iPhone 13 in its home country, but hiked prices in the UK.

If Google does keep the prices relatively low though then the Pixel 7 could easily be a contender for our best phones list.

Posted in Uncategorised

New iPhone 14 update fixes a big issue that users have complained about

When the iPhone 14 series launched, lots of users immediately began complaining about a big issue: when you opened the camera using third-party apps, the picture would often shake and return blurry visuals, and sometimes even make grinding noises (leaving many to speculate that the phone's OIS was the culprit).

These issues didn't just occur on third-party apps designed solely for photography, though: Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and other such services became hard to use as a result.

However, it sounds like Apple has a fix on the way. A new version of iOS 16 has been spotted rolling out to phones, as listed in Apple's security updates log, which is referred to as iOS 16.0.2.

This update, which began rolling out on September 22, fixes the camera issue on iPhone 14 models, and also fixes a few other bugs like an issue with copy and pasting text between apps. 

So if you've been facing the third-party camera app problem, then simply updating to a newer form of iOS will help with that. To do so go into the Settings app, and in the General list select Software Update. If you're eligible for the update, it'll appear here.

Well, that's in theory, but we'll need to hear from early iPhone 14 adopters that the issue has gone away, before we believe it for good.

This update is good timing, as the iPhone 14 Plus hasn't even been released yet, so people who buy that large-body lower-cost phone will never even end up facing this camera-shake concern.

The Apple-fan corners of the internet were working themselves into a frenzy about this issue and we totally understand – if we couldn't use the 'Gram we'd be annoyed too. But hopefully, now that an update is rolling out, these handsets will be more deserving of their place on our list of the best smartphones.

Posted in Uncategorised

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: what we want to see

Over the last few years, Samsung has almost perfected the foldable phone, and 2023’s Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is expected to be even better than the current models.

We’re not expecting to see this phone until quite late in 2023, so there aren’t many rumors about it just yet – but we have heard a few things, and you’ll find all of those below, along with information on the possible release date and price.

We’ll also be updating this article whenever any new leaks or rumors emerge, so bookmarked it if you want to keep up to date.

Plus, at the bottom of this article, you’ll find a wish list of the key things we want from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, to ensure it fixes all the issues with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Samsung's next flagship foldable phone
  • When is it out? Probably August 2023
  • How much will it cost? Unknown but expect it to be very expensive

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date and price

There’s no word yet on when we might see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, but the Galaxy Z Fold 4 was announced on August 10 of 2022, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 was unveiled on August 11 of 2021. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 was also announced in August of its release year, albeit slightly earlier on August 5.

So early to mid-August seems likely for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. These announcements all happened on a Wednesday too, so our best guess for a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 release date is Wednesday, August 9 of 2023.

As for the price, there’s no word on that yet either, but the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799 / £1,649 / AU$2,499, so a similar price is possible.

A Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 folded in half, in someone's hand

The price is likely to be similar to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 news and leaks

There’s only been one real Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 leak so far, and this points to the phone having a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

That would be the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipsets that power many of 2022’s Android flagships, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4. So either the Gen 2 or a Plus version of it always seemed likely.

The same source also suggests the phone will have a triple-lens rear camera with a 50MP main sensor. That’s exactly what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has – with the other two sensors being a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto – so this might mean there aren’t many upgrades to the camera. Though of course this far out we’d take all of this with a pinch of salt.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: what we want to see

For Samsung to make the ultimate foldable phone there are five key things it needs to do, which we’ve highlighted below.

1. The same cameras as the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera array

The Z Fold 4's cameras are good but not great (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 aren’t bad at all, but they aren’t Samsung’s best, despite it being the company’s most expensive phone. Anyone who can spare the sort of money the Z Fold 4 costs is likely to want the best of the best, and on the camera front it just doesn’t manage that.

So for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 we want the phone to match the camera configuration of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which based on past form probably will have the company’s best snappers.

2. No visible crease

As impressive as Samsung’s foldable screens are, the company hasn’t cracked the crease, with it being visible and something you can feel when you swipe across the display.

This isn’t a big deal and is something most people will quickly get used to, but it is an imperfection in an otherwise excellent screen, so we’d like to see Samsung successfully hide it on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

3. A lower price

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 box

The Z Fold 4 is too expensive to ever have mainstream appeal (Image credit: Future)

The single biggest issue with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is simply how much it costs, as this is one of the most expensive phones on the planet – almost making the iPhone 14 Pro Max look cheap by comparison.

It’s no surprise the price is high given the size of the screen and the tech involved, but if this foldable line is ever to be truly mainstream then the price needs to drop, and we hope Samsung starts decreasing it with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

4. Faster charging

Most Samsung phones have rather slow charging, and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is no exception. It tops out at 25W wired or 15W wireless, both of which are far lower than other flagships like the 150W OnePlus 10T or the 120W Xiaomi 12 Pro.

We don’t expect or need Samsung to reach those sorts of levels of charging power, but we’d like to at least see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 split the difference and offer around 60W-80W.

5. A bigger battery

Along with faster charging, we’d also like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to have a bigger battery. At 4,400mAh, the one in the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is average in size at best, and actually smaller than the batteries in plenty of conventional phones.

But given that this has a huge foldable screen, it could do with a particularly big battery. So at a minimum, we want a 5,000mAh one in the Z Fold 5 - the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has that, so it shouldn't be too much to ask for.

Posted in Uncategorised