The Apple rumor mill is a cruel mistress, and the twisting story of the long-awaited iPhone SE 4 may have just taken another turn for the disappointing.

Despite recent claims that the fourth-generation iPhone SE had secured itself a 2025 release, seasoned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now suggested that the device “is not currently part of Apple's new product planning” for the next couple of years.

Pouring cold water on his own predictions regarding the iPhone SE 4’s resemblance to the iPhone 14, Kuo also tweeted that he believes any currently-in-development iPhone SE 4 models are merely engineering prototypes for Apple’s ongoing 5G development.

Suffice to say, this is frustrating news for iPhone SE fans – but those excited by the prospect of a new affordable iPhone have surely grown accustomed to the iPhone SE 4 merry-go-round.

Only a few months ago, analysts reported that Apple had abandoned plans to release a fourth-generation iPhone SE, owing to doubts over the series’ popularity and profitability. Then, two months later, the same analysts counter-claimed that Apple had restarted development on the iPhone SE 4, albeit with the company eyeing a much later release date than initially intended.

Now, though, Kuo has cast doubt over whether we’ll ever see an iPhone SE 4. Do we really expect Apple to pick up development of a device with limited commercial appeal in 2026 and beyond? By that point, we’ll likely be speculating about the iPhone 18 line.

But then again, who knows? The most recent iPhone SE – the iPhone SE (2022) – came in March of last year, and didn’t exactly reinvent the series from a design perspective, so perhaps Apple is waiting until it can offer customers a real reason to buy an iPhone SE 4.

If indeed we do see an iPhone SE 4 in 2026, leakers have suggested that the phone could arrive packing a 6.1-inch OLED screen and a notch – though it's worth noting that those predictions were made based on the device’s expected 2024 arrival. A new iPhone SE that shares design similarities with the now-outdated iPhone X isn’t likely to go down well in 2026.

In all likelihood, then, the iPhone SE 4 is dead. Or at least, the iPhone SE 4 as we envisaged it is dead. There’s always a chance that Apple could pull a rabbit from its hat and resurrect the affordable iPhone line in the future, but the outlook isn’t great right now. Sorry, SE fans...

One big issue with foldable phones is how vulnerable to damage and wear they are. All those moving parts leave them more exposed to dust than more conventional phones, as well as making them harder to protect against water damage; not to mention they have a hinge that will inevitably wear out. That’s a big problem, especially given how expensive they tend to be, but the Google Pixel Fold might have rivals beat in this regard.

According to CNBC, which claims to have seen internal communications, the Google Pixel Fold will have the “most durable hinge on a foldable” phone.

They don’t get into specifics, but we’d guess durability is being measured by how many times you can fold it open and closed (measure that Oppo refers to as a 'cycle'). On that front, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is rated to survive a minimum of 200,000 cycles, but the likes of the Honor Magic Vs and Oppo Find N2 are rated for 400,000 cycles.

As such, if Google is using this metric and this report holds true, then the Google Pixel Fold should be able to withstand over 400,000 folds. Perhaps 500,000, given that these ratings seem to all be in multiples of 100,000.

That could also keep the Pixel Fold ahead of upcoming competition, with a leak suggesting the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will only be tested for up to 300,000 folds.

These numbers might sound pointlessly large, but if you’re a heavy phone user you could easily be glancing at your phone hundreds of times a day. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be unfolding it, since there’s also a cover screen, but you might, and the more folds it can withstand the more reassurance you have that it won’t wear out before you're ready to upgrade.

Durable in more than one way

The other big part of foldable phone durability is water resistance – something which recent offerings like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Huawei's Mate X3 all offer, but which most other foldables don’t. According to this report, the Google Pixel Fold will join this exclusive club.

The level of water resistance isn’t mentioned but with the majority of smartphones with certified water resistance topping out at an IP68 rating (or an IPX8 rating, in the case of foldables – as they don’t have the dust resistance part... yet), there’s a fair chance that the Pixel Fold will adopt this same level of protection against the wet stuff.

With as much water resistance as Samsung’s and Huawei's foldable phones, more than other rivals, and a more durable hinge than any other foldable out there, the Pixel Fold could have quite the set of selling points.

That’s especially good news, because this report also echoes another leak in saying that the Google Pixel Fold will likely start at upwards of $1,700 (around £1,365 / AU$2,535), so tell your bank account to steel itself.

The report also mentions a few other things that we’ve heard before, including that the Pixel Fold will apparently have a Tensor G2 chipset (like the Pixel 7 line), a 7.6-inch folding screen, and a 5.8-inch cover screen.

Other new information includes a claim that it will weigh around 283g, making it slightly heavier than the 263g Galaxy Z Fold 4. However, it might also pack in a bigger battery, as while we don’t know the exact capacity, this report claims that it will last for a respectable 24 hours, or up to 72 hours in low power mode.

We should find out all the official details soon, as multiple leaks – including this one – have said that the Google Pixel Fold will be announced at Google IO 2023 on May 10.

It recently came to light that the next major release of iOS might include the ability to sideload apps, something that Android users have been able to do for a while, but a practice that has formally been met with a lot of resistance from Apple in the past. So what is app sideloading and is it a good or bad thing for iOS users?

We recently reported on news that iOS 17 may grant users the ability to finally sideload apps. This has the potential to open up the best iPhones to a far greater selection of apps, from more sources than has ever been possible, but there are associated risks that come with downloading and installing apps on your iPhone (or iPad) that haven't been vetted by Apple.

We dive into the what and why app sideloading could appear in the next release of iOS.

App sideloading on iOS: What is it?

In the context of smartphones, sideloading is the act of installing a compatible application (or app) for the platform your device runs (by 'platform' that means Android, or – in this case – iOS), but one that isn't necessarily available, approved or at least monitored and maintained by your device's platform's official app store.

Take a phone like the Samsung Galaxy S23 as an example: it comes with two app stores natively: the Google Play Store (found on practically every Android smartphone and tablet) and Samsung's own Galaxy Store (found on practically every Samsung Galaxy smartphone and tablet). In both cases, apps downloaded from either source should install without issue and, aside for asking for certain permissions from the user during setup, these apps should run faultlessly and update automatically.

You might want to sideload an app if you're looking to run an older version of an available app that's no longer accessible on your device's native app store – perhaps because it doesn't suffer from a poorly optimized update or offers a layout or features that differ from the latest release.

Sideloading also lets you more readily install apps not available in your app store's geographical region; either apps that are written in another language or aren't intended for your market (Facebook Lite wasn't available in Europe but was in India, for example).

On iOS, we're yet to know just what sideloading an app will look like, but the closest experience currently available to iPhone users is adding when installing development builds of apps with the help of Apple's official TestFlight app.

For current examples on Android, users can either download an alternative app store to whatever comes pre-installed on their device, with offerings like the Huawei AppGallery and the Amazon Appstore up for grabs. Apps with the .apk or .apkx file extensions can also be downloaded directly from websites that host them. Just check the validity and authenticity of what you're downloading before you try and install them.

App sideloading on iOS: Why now?

In the past, Apple has been very vocal about its resistance to allowing sideloading on iOS. In mid October 2021, the company published a 30-page paper with the subheading 'a threat analysis of sideloading.' Later – in April last year – CEO Tim Cook took to the podium at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit, to speak about the harm allowing sideloading on iOS could cause; including the risks it would expose users to.

In both instances, Apple's protestations were in response to what has now become the Digital Markets Act (the DMA), enforced by the European Commission and set to go into effect in 2024.

In spite of Apple's disdain over the ruling, it would seem that the company is already in the process of making changes to iOS in order to allow app sideloading (among other DMA-compliance adjustments), in much the same way that rumors point to this year's iPhone 15 series sporting USB-C in place of Apple's proprietary Lightning connector – another change that looks to be a direct result of EU intervention.

App sideloading on iOS: What are the upsides?

If you follow the EU's reasoning as to why 'Big Tech' companies – including Apple – are being subjected to the DMA, according to Andreas Schwab of the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, "consumers will get the choice to use the core services of Big Tech companies such as browsers, search engines or messaging, and all that without losing control over their data. Above all, the law avoids any form of overregulation for small businesses. App developers will get completely new opportunities, small businesses will get more access to business-relevant data and the online advertising market will become fairer."

Fairness and better opportunities for smaller business and app developers sounds good to us but in terms of the end-user (i.e. you) there are more tangible benefits to consider.

• More choice: Those who've been put off from developing their own apps outright will no longer have to factor in Apple's App Store or developer costs, meaning more third-party apps will likely spring up to choose from.
• Cheaper apps: Apple takes a 30% cut, not just off the price of paid apps, but any in-app transactions too. It's part of the reason why Fornite got banned from the App Store (Epic didn't want to up its pricing or lose money via iOS/iPad OS) and why you can't renew your Disney Plus subscription in-app on your iPhone. For apps that you sideload from other sources that either cost money or facilitate in-app transactions, they won't have to account for Apple's 30% cut in their pricing.
• Greater personalization: Many iOS apps come with widget, more apps from more sources also means there's potential for more widgets to better personalize your home screen with the information your want to keep at hand.
• Reinstalling previously incompatible or banned apps: Speaking of Fortnite, sideloading may allow users the ability to get apps that were once only available through the App Store back on their device, provided developers make their apps available to sideload.

App sideloading on iOS: What are the downsides?

Of course, while it's easy to see the benefits of opening up iOS to new app sources, the risks and pitfalls become just as visible. Some of the risks below are expressed by direct quotes from Apple's 2021 report, mentioned earlier.

• Greater vulnerability: App Store approval has been famously stringent in the past and sometimes led to some noteworthy apps finding themselves temporarily (or permanently) banned for not sticking to the store's frequently-updated guidelines. As frustrating as this sounds, however, these guidelines exist, in-part, to prevent spurious apps from making their way onto the App Store; including those that could try to steal your data or expose a vulnerability.
• Reduced transparency: "Users would have less information about apps up front, and less control over apps after they download them onto their devices." Each entry in the App Store features an App Privacy section that developers have to fill in, detailing exactly what kinds of data their apps ask of users. Sideloaded apps wouldn't be subject to the same levels of transparency.
• Forced sideloading: "Users also may have no choice other than sideloading an app that they need to connect with family and friends because the app is not made available on the App Store. For example, if sideloading were permitted, some companies may choose to distribute their apps solely outside of the App Store."

Motorola is reported to be releasing two Razr-branded foldables this year, and a new rumor suggests that both phones could be coming to the US.

The Moto Razr Pro and Moto Razr Lite had previously been spotted in certification bodies over the year, but if this latest rumor is accurate Motorola could be launching them both in the US after a two-year hiatus from the region.  

This claim comes via a tweet from tipster Max Jambor and a follow-up from Android tech blog, Android Authority. Jambor claims that Motorola will be announce the Moto Razr Pro and Moto Razr Lite (though the names may vary depending on market) – on June 1, and that the launch will happen in Spain for European markets, and in New York for the US. 

The Razr Pro, the more premium of the duo, is expected to follow the Oppo Find N2 Flip in having a larger cover display than the current crop of foldables – including the Motorola Razr 2022 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 – and be designed to compete with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip series.

While the Flip 5 is also rumored to have a larger cover display, with the Razr Pro’s launch expected to take place first, Motorola has the potential to gobble up market share that might have otherwise gone to Samsung.

Bringing some high-tech goodness to an underserved table  

Though Motorola is regarded a US phone brand rather than a Chinese one, it's a subsidiary of Lenovo, which is an American-Chinese company. This means that while the US market may miss out on innovation from bigger, more recognizably Chinese brands like Oppo, Xiaomi, and Huawei, the influence of Chinese smartphone makers can still trickle down in Motorola devices.

Consider our recent Motorola Edge 40 Pro review. Though the camera was not as good as the Google Pixel 7 Pro’s, it offered a long-lasting battery, incredibly fast charging, a bright display with a high refresh rate, and other features that are par for the course on many devices from Chinese phone makers, like the Xiaomi 13 or Oppo Find X6; even if they’re far from the norm on the best phones you can buy from Apple or Google. 

If Motorola can deliver a worthwhile experience with its upcoming Razr phones (as well as further lowering the price of entry), the brand may find itself poised for a stronger resurgence in the mainstream than any number of Moto G phones could create.

Xiaomi's new uber-flagship – the Xiaomi 13 Ultra – just made its debut in China, and while the verdict is still out on whether we'll see it release internationally, it packs a photographic punch that looks purpose-built to give the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra a run for its money.

There have long been rumblings about an 'Ultra' entry to join the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Lite – which the Chinese phone maker brought to the international market earlier this year – but following a livestream which kicked off at 12pm BST on April 18, we now know all the juicy details surrounding the phone, including its price.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra looks like a direct evolution of the design enjoyed by the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, while building on the impressive camera hardware found on both the 12S Ultra and 13 Pro. The same 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor we've seen across these previous devices appears on the 13 Ultra too, however, this time it comes equipped with a new variable aperture (able to switch between f/1.9 and f/4.0); reminiscent of phones like the Huawei Mate 50 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9 long before that.

That's just one piece of this phone's photographic puzzle, however, with a quad camera setup on the back consisting of not one, but four 50MP sensors (that IMX989 and three IMX858s), with one of those secondary sensors set as an ultrawide, while the other two offer 3.3x and 5.2x optical zoom, respectively. Sensor cropping also grants the 13 Ultra two additional optically-zoomed focal lengths (46mm or 2x and 240mm or 10.42x zoom) without the need for a further two sensors (a trick we've seen on both the Google Pixel 7 series and iPhone 14 Pro line).

Rewatch the Xiaomi 13 Ultra's reveal above (English dub)

The phone's design is reportedly inspired by Leica M cameras, with an 'anti-bacterial nanotech silicon leather back' that certainly looks the part, concealing the thickness around the raised camera module that gives the phone its notable 9.06mm profile. This has, however, allowed Xiaomi to squeeze that 5.2x optical 'super-telephoto' zoom lens in without the need for the folded optics of comparable telephoto sensors found in phones like the Google Pixel 7 Pro (5x zoom) and the Galaxy S23 Ultra (10x zoom).

If the camera experience didn't seem Pro enough, Xiaomi also showcased a full set of add-ons, including a wireless camera grip with a physical shutter button and a detachable 67mm filter adapter ring; for those who really want to narrow the gap between phone and camera. The accessory pack is priced at CNY¥999 (approximately $145 / £120 / AU$215), with Xiaomi stating limited availability at launch.

While there's a lot more that could be said about the Xiaomi 13 Ultra's powerful-looking camera system – including its 'custom photographic styles' and Leica filters, let's take a look at the rest of the phone's feature set.

Like the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro, the Ultra runs on Qualcomm's latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, paired with the fastest and most power-efficient LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage currently available in the mobile market; up to 16GB and 1TB, respectively.

The user experience, meanwhile, should be familiar to those who've used any recent Xiaomi phone, powered by the brand's latest MIUI 14 experience (atop Android 13).

Other highlights include an astoundingly bright (2,600nit peak) WQHD+ C7 AMOLED display, improved cooling over previous entries, a sizeable 5,000mAh battery with 90W fast wired charging (as well as 50W wireless charging) and faster USB 3.2 support; ideal for transferring sizeable 8K and 10-bit log videos, along with 14-bit raw photos, all of which the 13 Ultra supports.

In China, Xiaomi has priced the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, as follows:

• 12GB RAM / 256GB = CNY¥5,999 (approximately $875 / £700 / AU$1,300)
• 16GB RAM / 512GB = CNY¥6,499 (approximately $945 / £760 / AU$1,400)
• 16GB RAM / 1TB = CNY¥7,299 (approximately $1,060 / £855 / AU$1,575)

While availability remains up in the air internationally, there's a slim chance that – unlike the 12S Ultra – this new uber-flagship will make it beyond Chinese borders; not least because of Xiaomi's willingness to host an English-language live stream on YouTube, alongside its native Chinese live stream on Weibo. The phone is also detailed on the company's regional websites, including Xiaomi UK, which could also be seen as a hint towards an intended global rollout.

We're left crossing our fingers, and if it does go international, this new Ultra would undoubtedly find a place on our rundown of the best Xiaomi phones and best camera phones, and that's just for starters.

Apple has launched a redesigned version of its Trade In website to help you swap your current Apple device for a new one, but the same old prices mean you may be better off looking elsewhere.

The refreshed Apple Trade In site is now easier to use, with its top navigation bar allowing you to choose an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Android phone or Other Product to trade in. 

The big change is a new section showing you the difference between trading in your device online or in store, with the latter giving you an exact value (rather than an estimate) on the spot. Interestingly, Apple has removed mentions of its Daisy robot, which disassembles iPhones into recyclable parts, although this is still mentioned on Apple's environment page.

But beyond the site's new sheen, there is unfortunately no great improvement to Apple's actual trade-in prices. In general, these prices aren't particularly good compared to the many alternatives, which include phone carrier trade-in offers, comparison sites such as Flipsy (in the US) or simply selling privately on the likes of eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

That said, the Apple Trade In site is the most hassle-free option if you're looking to swap your old Apple device for a new one, and you can also be sure that it'll go to one of the tech giant's approved recycling partners. 

But there's also no guarantee that Apple will recycle your old device. Instead, Apple says it will be "thoroughly inspected and assessed for reuse for recycling". This process, which can include reselling your old tech, is all factored into its prices. 

Still, using a trade-in service like Apple's a better option than letting your old device gather dust in a drawer, and according to a recent report from the analysts at Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), iPhone owners are far more likely to trade in their old phones than Android fans. According to the report, 43% of iPhone owners trade in their old phones, compared to only 14% of Android users.

Analysis: The price of convenience

Apple's trade-in prices do tend to fluctuate throughout the year – and we still highly recommend trading in your old iPhone in August rather than waiting for the iPhone 15 to launch in September, when prices for older Apple phones will likely drop.

But despite some small variations over the year, the prices on Apple's Trade In site are nearly always below the ones you can get from the alternatives. For example, in the table below you can see the extra value it's possible to get on an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 by checking comparison sites, retailers or private sales.

Still, there are certainly benefits to going the Apple Trade In route, namely the convenience of having one place to both trade in and buy a new Apple device –particularly if you do this in-store, rather than waiting the estimated "two to three weeks" for the online trade-in process.

And the small improvements to Apple's Trade In site do at least fit into a broader environmental policy that recently saw the tech giant committing to using 100% recycled cobalt in all Apple-made batteries by 2025.

The iPhone 15 Pro rumors have been more forthcoming than Michael Bublé songs at Christmas in recent weeks, but the latest supposed leak has left us scratching our heads.

We’ve seen plenty of indications that the Pro-level iPhone 15 and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra will be featuring an Apple Watch Ultra-style Action button, but serial tipster @analyst941 has suggested that this new toggle will shut down these phones when used in combination with their respective power buttons.

Why is this significant? Well, at present, if you want to power off or restart your iPhone, you need to press the volume button in combination with the power button. This leak, then, presupposes that the volume button won’t exist on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra in the same way as it does on today’s best iPhones – or more specifically, it implies that both new iPhones will be getting solid-state (i.e. non-physical) volume buttons.

Why is this significant, you ask? Two weeks ago, we’d have told you that this all makes a lot of sense – but two seasoned Apple analysts have since counterclaimed that Apple’s next flagship handset will be sticking with traditional button designs, after all. If that’s true, there’s simply no need for Apple to reconfigure the button combination for shutting down an iPhone, since the existing button combination will remain intact on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra.

As such, this latest iPhone 15 Pro leak again throws up the question: will Apple be embracing solid-state volume buttons or not? According to Haitong Tech analyst Jeff Pu and reliable Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has decided to delay the introduction of solid-state volume buttons until next year’s crop of new iPhones, with the pair explaining that the company needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power them.

Twitter leaker @analyst941, however, believes that Apple is sticking by its original plan to introduce solid-state (or capacitive) buttons on this year's premium iPhones.

“I’ll let you know if/when I hear changes about the capacitive buttons,” the tipster explained in a follow-up tweet to his aforementioned prediction, “but as of right now, I don’t understand how so many leakers agree they are delayed [until] 2024. [Apple is] on track, at least within core development, so... A major design change like this is, eh, unprecedented.”

It seems, then, that leakers are divided over the inclusion of capacitive buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro, but we’re inclined to side with Pu and Kuo on this one, owing to their respective track records when it comes to leaks.

According to Kuo, Apple’s decision to remove capacitive buttons from the iPhone 15 Pro “will simplify the development and testing process,” which also makes sense, given the technical intricacy of the technology.

Solid-state power buttons are complex beasts – another leaker had previously claimed that a dedicated microprocessor would be needed to support the new feature – and as much as we’d like to see them introduced on this year’s iPhone 15 range, we’ll hopefully see them arrive in 2024 with the iPhone 16 line (unless, of course, @analyst941 is proven right come September).

The Google Pixel 7a and Pixel Fold could both be landing very soon, with the latest leak suggesting they’ll both be unveiled on May 10, but we have what looks like some bad news when it comes to prices.

According to sources speaking to 9to5Google, the Pixel 7a will cost $499 in the US, which is $50 more than the Pixel 6a costs. There’s no news on pricing in other regions, but given that the Pixel 7 has the same price tag in pounds as dollars we might see the same in the UK, meaning £499, up from £399. So that would be an even bigger jump, but at a minimum the Pixel 7a will probably cost £449 if this leak is accurate.

Australia pricing is harder to guess at, but with the Pixel 6a retailing for AU$749 the Pixel 7a will presumably be at least AU$800, and likely more. Again, that's assuming this leak is correct.

These aren’t massive price increases, but the Pixel 7 itself only starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999 and it’s often reduced, meaning that the Pixel 7a might find itself in the unfortunate position of costing about the same as the higher-end Pixel 7.

The news isn’t great when it comes to the Pixel Fold either, which according to Jon Prosser – a leaker with a generally solid track record – will cost $1,799.

In this case there’s no previous model to compare that price to, but that’s exactly the same as the starting price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Samsung’s foldable starts at £1,649 in the UK and AU$2,499 in Australia, so perhaps Google’s pricing will be the same there too, but that remains to be seen.

In any case, while the Pixel Fold was always going to be a premium product, whether it can compete with Samsung’s top foldable is another matter entirely.

Samsung has been slowly building up foldable sales over four generations now, so it’s both a better-known and likely more trusted name in the foldable space than Google will be. Plus, with rumors that it'll use a Tensor G2 chipset, Google’s foldable likely won’t be as powerful – and it will soon have the even more powerful Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to compete with.

It’s worth noting that an earlier leak had pointed to the Pixel Fold having a far more palatable $1,400 US price though, so there’s still some hope that it could undercut Samsung’s rival.

Three new devices at Google IO

There is some good news in this leak too, as Prosser also claims that both the Google Pixel 7a and the Google Pixel Fold will be announced on May 10, which makes sense, as that’s when this year’s Google IO is.

The Pixel 7a will then be immediately available for purchase according to Prosser, although 9to5Google adds that it won't be available in-store until May 11. The Pixel Fold will apparently be available to pre-order on May 10 according to Prosser, but won’t release until June 27.

That tallies with another recent leak which claimed units of the Pixel 7a will soon arrive in retail stores, but that there weren’t any new signs of the Pixel Fold. If the latter isn’t going on sale until late June, it makes sense that there wouldn’t be any stock headed to stores yet.

Prosser also claims that the Google Pixel 7a will be available in Charcoal (dark gray), Snow (white), Sea (light blue), and Coral (likely a pale pink) shades, with the last of those being exclusive to the Google Store.

Finally, the Pixel Tablet will apparently also be announced on May 10, and the Pixel 6a supposedly won’t be discontinued – so there should still be a relatively cheap option among the best Pixel phones.

Samsung's Galaxy phones and Google's Android mobile operating system are inextricably intertwined, however, a new report suggests that despite this long-standing relationship, the South Korean phone maker is considering swapping out the default search experience on its phones from Google's established service to Microsoft's Bing.

A report from the New York Times speaks to Google employees' surprise at the news that Samsung is considering changing the default search engine on its devices to Microsoft's once-maligned alternative, inciting “panic,” according to internal messages from the search giant that were seen by the NYT. As such, come the launch of the expected Galaxy S24, new owners to some of the best Samsung phones may be met with a markedly different search experience.

When word of this potential change broke internally, Google reportedly put a call out for employees interested in working on a pitch to reassure Samsung – a call that was reportedly met with "emojis and surprise" according to the NYT's report.

Word of this possible change comes to light after a spate of developments surrounding AI-powered search from various companies; with Google seemingly scrambling to push a polished product out to consumers to rival Microsoft's ChatGPT-supported Bing experience, with Google Bard still playing catch-up for the time being.

If Samsung were to make this monumental switch, it could cost Google an estimated $3 billion in annual revenue and would bring an end to a 12-year partnership that has seen Google's search serve as the default option for Samsung Galaxy users in most markets internationally. At the time of writing, however, the contract between Samsung and Google is still being negotiated, meaning there's every chance Google search will remain the out-of-box choice for now.

Android is already widening its search

Although most Samsung Galaxy users expect and accept Google as the default search provider on their smartphones (and have done for years), some already get given a choice between a series of alternatives from the get-go.

Set up a Samsung Galaxy phone in Europe and you'll likely encounter an additional screen (formally referred to as the 'Choice Screen') during the process titled 'Choose your search engine,' which – as you might guess – throws out a number of alternative search providers alongside Google, including Ecosia, Bing, DuckDuckGo, among others.

This option went into effect in early 2020 after Google was billed $5 billion in anti-trust fines by the European Commission, the justification for which was partly due to the way Google's search services and web browser (Chrome) come as standard on the majority of Android devices worldwide.

With the outcome of this development still undecided, the ball genuinely seems to be in Google's court, or more specifically what it's able to produce in terms of AI-supported search experiences and whether they'll be enough to continue to woo Samsung, who's eyes have already clearly been caught by Microsoft's efforts with ChatGPT and Bing.

Apple is expected to enable app sideloading, allowing iPhone users to install apps from sources outside of the official App Store in iOS 17 – according to a new report. This follows the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which requires that platform operators allow apps from third-party developers.

The report comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, writing in the latest PowerOn Newsletter. Gurman noted that “Apple is working to overhaul the software to open up the iPhone to sideloading – the downloading of apps outside of its official store – to comply with new European regulations by next year.”

Android – iOS’s only viable competitor – already allows users to install apps from third-party stores with only a few taps. Though Gurman does not share the specifics of Apple’s plans, it’s likely that it would implement a similar policy. 

Other features claimed to be coming with iOS 17 include updates to services including CarPlay, Siri, and Messages. Other changes are said to bring improvements specifically to newer iPhones – such as the iPhone 14 Pro and its Dynamic Island – and enable rumored new camera features on the upcoming iPhone 15 handsets.  

 If EU say so 

The move comes as Apple is expected to shift its iPhones from using its proprietary Lightning cable to USB-C. The EU has made several regulatory moves that – though aimed at technology manufacturers in general – particularly affect Apple, due to hardware and software choices the company has made over the years, especially with regards to iOS and iPadOS. 

If these various rumors pan out, not only will the iPhone 15 range use the same connector as every modern Android phone or Windows laptop, users will also be able to download apps from non-Apple websites, or even a rival app store.

These changes would make Apple’s 2023 iPhones markedly different beasts from their 2022 predecessors. With choice in the Android phone market dwindling – as some big Chinese brands begin to opt for China-only launches (like the Oppo Find X6 series) – Apple may be positioned to attract customers who would otherwise contemplate buying one of the best Android phones instead of the best iPhone.

Only last week, we published a story explaining how the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra's zoom capabilities could leave Apple’s iPhones in the dust – but a new rumor suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra will come with the camera tech to rival Samsung’s next Galaxy flagship, after all. 

According to serial Apple tipster Revengus, the iPhone 15 Ultra will arrive packing a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens; the same setup rumored to feature on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – our current pick for the best phone currently on the market – already features two telephoto cameras, but its successor is expected to replace the former’s 3x and 10x lenses with a single telephoto sensor with a variable system that allows it to move optically between these degrees of magnification. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, in contrast, can only optically zoom up to 3x; so the rumored addition of any variable zoom lens to the iPhone 15 Ultra is particularly significant for Apple.

Variable optical zoom cameras are exceptionally rare among today’s smartphones. As noted in our aforementioned article, the Sony Xperia 1 IV uses one, but it’s only capable of zooming between 3.5x and 5.2x. So, if both Samsung and Apple can add variable zoom lenses (with superior ranges) to their respective upcoming flagships, our ranking of the best camera phones is in for a serious shake-up. 

As with all rumors, though, some caveats must be added. For starters, we’ve heard more iPhone 15 rumors in recent weeks than we can shake a stick at, with some – like the news that the iPhone 15 Pro could get solid-state volume and power buttons – being both corroborated and denied in the space of a few days. 

We wouldn’t be surprised, then, if a new rumor emerges tomorrow that contradicts today’s reports of an iPhone 15 Ultra with a variable zoom lens. In any case, it’s exciting to think that the possibility even exists.

iPhone 15 Ultra: what else to expect

As for what other features are expected to arrive with the iPhone 15 Ultra, we’ve heard that the device will – at the very least – be getting more advanced image processing capabilities than its Pro-level counterpart, the iPhone 15 Pro.

On the design front, unofficial iPhone 15 Ultra renders have hinted at a USB-C port, a slightly shallower camera bump and a curvier chassis than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the phone could be clad in titanium, too (which is typically stronger and lighter than the stainless steel used by current iPhones).

Despite using the same processor, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumored to be even more powerful than the iPhone 15 Pro, with one source claiming that the former’s software won't limit the phone as much as it will on the Pro model. The only real reason the software would limit it in the first place is to stop the phone overheating, so that also suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a better cooling system.

We’re keeping tabs on all the latest iPhone 15 Ultra rumors as and when they appear, so stay tuned to TechRadar in the run-up to this year’s potentially-seismic iPhone reveal event.

The Google Pixel 7a might be just weeks away from launch, with a new leak suggesting not only that it's due to land at Google IO 2023 but also that it will be available to buy soon after.

According to SnoopyTech on Twitter (via Phone Arena), the Pixel 7a will be unveiled at IO, which kicks off on May 10 - which is hardly a surprise. However, they go on to say that it will apparently arrive in retail stores within the next 14 days - which would mean it was in stores more than a week before it’s officially announced.

Of course, you won’t be able to buy the Google Pixel 7a until after it’s announced, but having stock in stores ahead of May 10 might mean the phone will go on sale shortly after the big reveal, rather than there being a long pre-order period.

Also in Pixel 7a news, the same source claims that this phone won’t come in a jade green shade, despite some previous reports saying there would be such a color. There may, however, be a green case, which might have caused the confusion.

That leaves white, dark grey, and blue as the remaining rumored colors for the Google Pixel 7a.

No new signs of the Google Pixel Fold

We were hoping the Google Pixel Fold might also arrive at Google IO 2023, but according to SnoopyTech there are “no new signs” of it, which suggests we might be waiting a bit longer for that long-awaited device.

Of course, a lack of new information doesn't necessarily mean the Pixel Fold won't arrive soon. Previous leaks had suggested it would land either in May or June, so it's possible it will be announced at Google IO but won't go on sale until a while after.

The other obvious release window for the new foldable would be alongside the Google Pixel 8, likely in October. So while we’re still hopeful for a launch at Google IO, we might instead be waiting around six months for Google’s first foldable phone.

We'll hopefully find out one way or the other at IO 2023 next month. We'll be there ourselves, and will bring you all of the big news as it happens. Bookmark our Google IO 2023 hub for all the latest rumors ahead of the show.

The Motorola Razr 2023 will be the fourth incarnation of the flip foldable, but it seems that Motorola has been busy preparing an extra surprise too: an additional model that's apparently launching at the same time.

Unofficial renders of one of these foldables are now on show at MySmartPrice, although the site does say that right now it's only a possibility that there will be two of these handsets – so adjust your expectations accordingly.

According to MySmartPrice and well-known tipster @OnLeaks, the standard Motorola Razr 2023 would be the Razr Lite, while the additional handset would actually be the more premium, more expensive Razr Plus.

Render reveals

It's the Razr Lite (which may just be called the Razr) that there are renders for. They show off a dual-lens rear camera next to a rather small cover display, and relatively thin bezels around the sides of the screen. There's a single selfie camera cut-out on the main display.

Apparently the renders are based on "low-quality, real-life pictures of a testing stage prototype" so they're by no means guaranteed to be accurate – though these are sources with good track records for leaks and advance information.

These renders suggest that the serious upgrades that have been rumored – a large cover display, two-tone color designs, and other overall improvements – are actually heading for the Plus model. A launch is expected around August time.

Analysis: more choice is always a win

The renders that we've seen here of what is supposedly the Razr Lite may seem a bit underwhelming at first – note that tiny cover display for instance – but bear in mind that Motorola is going to be pricing the handset accordingly.

There's a reason that there are a healthy number of mid-range phones on the market at the moment: not everyone wants or needs the latest and greatest technology in their phones. For most people, the top-tier handsets are priced too high as well.

That's where the Razr Lite might come in, giving consumers the opportunity to get a foldable phone at a more reasonable price. It's not something Samsung has tried yet with its own foldables, but it's a move that largely makes sense.

As well as differentiating on price, there will most likely be variations in the internal spec too, and more choices are always good. It's going to be interesting to see the price points that Motorola goes for when these handsets launch.

• Read our verdict on the Motorola Razr 2022

Fresh leaked case renders serve up more clues as to what the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro could look like when they launch, most likely in October, based on previous Pixels' release schedule.

These new renders come from MySmartPrice and showcase protective cases for the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Starting with the Pixel 8 case, it points to a design not much different to that of the current Google Pixel 7. There’s one pill-shaped hole in the case for the wide and ultrawide cameras, and slits on both sides for the power and volume buttons. The Pixel 8 is expected to be a little smaller than the Pixel 7, with a 6.16 or 6.2-inch display, meaning it wouldn't fit the Pixel 7, despite their similar designs and dimensions.

The case renders for the Pixel 8 Pro, meanwhile, suggest a design similar to the Pixel 7 Pro. The two Pros are expected to share similar dimensions, so it’s not surprising that the case designs would be broadly similar too. It too has a pill-shaped hole for the camera, albeit a wider one compared to the one shown in the Pixel 8 case renders, because Google’s Pro Pixels have an additional telephoto camera. The Pixel 8 Pro is expected to follow suit, although its camera bar is rumored to be getting an additional backup sensor.

 An iconic design

If – as these renders suggest – Google is sticking with the distinctive camera bar on its new phones, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Much like the iPhone's home button in the past, the camera bar is a feature that makes Pixel phones immediately recognizable, and retaining it would help to keep the brand distinct in the minds of buyers.

Though we rate the Pixels as some of the best Android phones out there, and as some of the best phones outright, Google has yet to win substantial market share anywhere. Things are going in the right direction, though, based on research from Kantar, published around the time of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro's launch. Google is, no doubt, hoping that this trend continues with the Pixel 8 and Pixel Pro 8, but regardless, you can't deny that its phones are hard to miss.

When it launches later this year, iOS 17 is expected to bring significant improvements to built-in iPhone apps, like CarPlay, Messages and Siri – and now we’ve got a better idea of what those improvements might be for the latter. 

According to Twitter leaker @analyst941, iOS 17 could shift Siri's on-screen interface away from the bottom of the iPhone screen and up into the Dynamic Island on compatible devices.

In its current form, Siri appears as an animated sphere when invoked with a button press or the "Hey Siri" command, while answers to user queries are displayed at the top of the iPhone screen with background content dimmed. Presumably, moving Siri’s interface up into the Dynamic Island would make the voice assistant appear less intrusive.

For obvious reasons, this change will only apply to iPhones that feature the Dynamic Island – which, at present, is the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max (aka the best iPhones money can buy). However, we’re almost certain that Apple’s quirky digital notch will be finding its way onto every device in this year’s iPhone 15 lineup, so we could see Siri moving home on the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, too. 

As for the other changes iOS 17 is expected to bring to Siri, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports – in his latest Power On newsletter – that users may soon only need to say “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri” when activating the personal assistant. 

This would bring Apple’s assistant in line with Amazon’s Alexa, which has only required users to say “Alexa” since its launch in 2014. Gurman suggests that the change could be implemented with iOS 17 either this year or next. 

Despite only being a “small change”, though, getting Siri to function correctly without the “Hey” has been a “technical challenge” requiring “a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work.”

“The complexity involves Siri being able to understand the singular phrase ‘Siri’ in multiple different accents and dialects,” Gurman notes. “Having two words – ‘Hey Siri’ – increases the likelihood of the system properly picking up the signal.”

In terms of which iPhones will support this change, we’ve heard conflicting reports surrounding the availability of iOS 17. According to a one source “with a proven track record,” iOS 17 will drop support for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X – but a second reputable leaker has since counterclaimed that iOS 17 will be compatible with all iPhones capable of running iOS 16.

In any case, Apple will almost certainly debut iOS 17‌ at its annual WWDC developer conference in June, with the update expected to begin rolling out to users sometime in September, so we’ll have confirmation on the matter soon.