Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 release date, price and everything you need to know

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 goes on sale August 26, just a few days from now, and it could well be the most popular foldable phone of the next year, if it's anywhere near as popular as its predecessor.

Launched at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked August 2022, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, this new clamshell foldable has a petite – dare we say cute? – design, but it's housing some powerful internals.

This is the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip 3, and that proved to be an immensely popular phone, outselling the Z Fold 3 by quite a margin according to Samsung's stats.

You can read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review right now. For everything else you need to know about the new device, read on below!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 pricing and deals

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 price starts at $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499, which - other than in the UK - is exactly how much the Z Flip 3 cost. That's welcome news given the price rises we're seeing almost everywhere else.

That's for 128GB of storage, and you can also pick up a 256GB model for $1,059.99 / £1,059 / AU$1,649, or a 512GB version for $1,179.99 / £1,199 / AU$1,849, if you want more space for your snaps and apps.

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

Pre-orders opened on August 10 (August 11 in Australia), and the phone goes on sale on August 26. If you order from Samsung.com, you can double your storage capacity for free and also get a free case, which is one of the best deals for launch. Check out all the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 pre-order deals right here.

Buyers in the U.S. can get the phone for "free" where free means credit towards your monthly bill over the period of a contract. If you trade any Galaxy phone, regardless of its condition, AT&T will give you $1,000 in bill credits over two years.

T-Mobile will give you the same bill credits for opening a new line on the Magenta MAX plan. You'll still have to pay upfront, but the plan pays for itself over time. Verizon is offering up to $800 on a trade, plus a $200 bonus if you're switching from another carrier. 

So, all of the major U.S. carriers will try to find some way to give you $1,000 toward the price of this phone. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 display and design

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a 'clamshell' foldable phone, so it has the form factor of a regular handset until you fold it in half to become an easily-pocketable block. Samsung says the phone can withstand more than 200,000 folds.

The frame is an aluminum Samsung calls 'Armor Aluminum,' which is tougher than normal aluminum. The cover screen meanwhile is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ , which Samsung says makes the display up to 45% stronger than the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Samsung also says the attached screen protector is stuck with better adhesive than before.

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

This is important because the handset has only IPX8 resistance, which means it can be immersed in over a meter of water for up to half an hour and is resistant to rain and splashes, but there is no certified protection against solid particles like sand or dust, so the better screen protector is all you've got.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 weighs 187g, so it's not enormously heavy, and it comes in at 84.9 x 71.9 x 15.9-17.1mm when folded or 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9mm when unfolded.

When opened the phone has a 6.7-inch 2640 x 1080 AMOLED display, broken up by a punch-hole cut-out for the front camera. That display has 426 pixels per inch, HDR10+ support, a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, and a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

On the outside there's a 1.9-inch cover screen. The cover screen has a 512 x 260 resolution, and it performs some minimal tasks. When you are taking selfies for example, the cover screen can show you the viewfinder and even offers a few aspect ratios for lining up your shot. 

You can also control a smart home with SmartThings using just the cover screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Plus you can pay using Samsung Wallet, and adjust some quick settings on the phone. Otherwise, you can see incoming notifications and even respond to a text message using the cover screen and text-to-speech. 

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is available in Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, and Blue shades, and there's also the Bespoke Edition, which lets you mix and match different colors for the front and back glass panels as well as the frame. 

Using Samsung's Bespoke Studio web page, you can mix front and back panels each in white, yellow, green, navy, or red, along with frames in gold, black, or silver. The Bespoke Edition brings the total number of color options to above 70.

If you'd like your phone ASAP but still want something Bespoke, Samsung recommends a few options on its sales page that should ship fastest. The Bespoke Studio phones are all 256GB. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 cameras and battery

There are two rear cameras on the Z Flip 4, a 12MP (f/1.8) main and a 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, and those exactly match the ones on the Z Flip 3. There's no difference if you like taking selfies either, with the 10MP (f/2.4) snapper lifted straight out of last year's phone.

With the phone folded in half in its 'Flex Cam,' Samsung is playing up the camera tricks you can pull with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, allowing you to prop up the folded phone and aim it in more interesting ways than you could with a normal flat device.

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

For selfies, there are now options to see yourself in a different aspect ratio on the cover screen, so you don't just see your eyes peeking through a mail slot. When you are recording video, you can record with the main screen open and then close the display for a more compact grip without stopping your recording.

The battery is a better story than before, as the 3,700mAh power pack is 300mAh bigger than the one in the Z Flip 3. That's a sizeable upgrade on its own, and Samsung says the increased battery capacity will equate to three hours of use.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 will also charge much faster than before, if you buy or own an optional 25W power adapter. There won't be an included adapter in the box, and it's definitely worth buying, as a 25W adapter will charge the Z Flip 4 up to a 50% charge in around 30 minutes.

You can also charge the Galaxy Z Flip 4 wirelessly with Qi chargers at 15W. The Z Flip can even charge other Qi devices like the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro using Wireless PowerShare.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 power and features

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 could be the most powerful phone that you can fold into a tiny bundle. It has the 4nm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, running at up to 3.2GHz.

We've tested the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 in a few phones now, and it provides loads of processing power for games and video editing, though it can get a bit warm.

That chip is joined by 8GB of RAM, which isn't as much as on some top-end phones, but it should be enough for most tasks. There's also a choice of 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage (with no microSD card slot), 5G support, stereo speakers, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

The phone is running Android 12 at launch with Samsung's One UI 4.1, in addition to all of the Galaxy Z Flip-specific tweaks for the folding display. Samsung is already testing Android 13 with its new One UI Beta group on the Galaxy S22, but for now Android 12 is all you'll find on the Z Flip 4. 

One Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 specific feature is the ability to work on multiple tasks on the top and bottom halves of the display, or give you more options to use the halves separately. So while it's not as ideal for multitasking as the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it's better than most non-foldable phones. 

Z Flip from Samsung Unpacked 2022

(Image credit: Future)

Flex Mode activates when you tilt the phone from 75 - 115 degrees. This splits the screen and opens a second window to add functionality to some apps. Samsung has worked directly with WhatsApp, Google Meet, YouTube, and Netflix to add features when the phone is in Flex Mode. Additionally, other apps will be able to use a trackpad and buttons on the bottom half of the screen while the display is bent.

The most popular Flex Mode app is the FlexCam. You can turn the phone into its own stand when you want to take photos or videos hands-free, and Samsung has added automation and additional wide angles to improve the shooting process.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 release date, price and everything you need to know

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is here; it's the newest large-form foldable phone from the Korean tech giant, replacing the Z Fold 3 from last year – though it's certainly an iterative update in most departments.

Launched alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Z Fold is Samsung's newest member of its legacy line of book-style folders, which first reared its head in 2019.

This line has proven the popular model for those who need big screens and lots of power, and the Fold models are great for work and multi-tasking – though the Flip historically has outsold the Fold by quite a margin.

Could that change with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4? We'll have to see for our full review, which we're currently working on. But in the meantime, here's everything you need to know about the device.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799.99 / £1,649 / AU$2,499, which matches the Z Fold 3's starting cost of $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 in most regions... unless you're in the UK. Sorry, Brits.

That's for 256GB - there's also a 512GB version for $1,919.99 / £1,769 / AU$2,699 and a 1TB model for $2,159.99 / £2,019 / AU$2,999. So it's certainly an expensive phone – not one to buy if you're not committed to the foldable future.

The phone goes on sale on August 26, alongside the Z Flip 4, though you can pre-order it from August 10 in most places (but a day later in Australia).

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Design and display

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 unfolded back view

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 retains the 'book-style' folding format of its predecessor – that means it starts like a normal 'chocolate-bar' phone, but you can unfold it to create a larger display.

According to Samsung, this is its most svelte Fold to date, with a weight of 263g and some millimeters lost in the height and width of the device. That's partially thanks to the use of Ultra-Thin Glass, which is strong but, as the name suggests, slender.

This outer screen is 6.2 inches diagonally, with a 2316 x 904 resolution, so it's quite long and thin. The inner screen is much bigger at 7.6 inches, and its 2176 x 1812 resolution shows that it's much more squarish than the other display.

Those dimensions mirror the Z Fold 3's, and in general, this new phone doesn't bring a redesign over the older model – just tweaks. On the back it has a sleek sheen broken up by a camera bump (we'll get onto that in a moment).

The Fold comes in green, beige and black colors,  but the S22 Ultra's range of vibrant shades is a no-show, apparently.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Cameras and battery life

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 camera array

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

It's in the camera department where we see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 bring most upgrades over its predecessor.

For starters, there's a 50MP main camera, up from 12MP on the older model, and while we don't know the sensor here, we rarely see bad 50MP snappers in phones. There's also a 3x zoom optical lens, up from 2x on the Fold 3, though the sensor is actually a downgrade at 10MP instead of 12MP.

Plus, there's a 12MP ultra-wide, but that's the same as last year. The front-facing cameras are the same as before too: 10MP for the outer display, and 4MP for the inner one. That latter is an UDC, or Under-Display Camera, and it sits under the screen so you can't see it... however the snapper wasn't great in the Z Fold 3, and Samsung hasn't mentioned any improvements here.

These cameras will be improved with all the regular Samsung software accouterments – modes like Single Take, Food and others are useful as they utilize AI to help you take the best possible snap.

The battery might not be as impressive though, as at 4,400mAh, it's quite small. In comparison, the S22 Ultra has a bigger power pack despite only having one screen. Perhaps some optimizations could make the phone last longer than we're expecting, though, and we'll have to see.

Charging isn't quick either, at 25W, and at that speed, it'll likely take you well over an hour to power the device to full. Samsung says that the phone will power up to 50% in 30 minutes.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4: Performance and software

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 with S Pen

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

With a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a supremely powerful phone, lapping all other Android mobiles (except others that use the same chip, of course). 

However we've found Snapdragon's 8-series chipsets do have an overheating problem, so be warned if you're a big mobile gamer.

The chip is paired with 12GB RAM, which should make the tablet quick for multi-tasking purposes (as you'd hope, for a big-form phone).

Samsung uses Android for its phones, but layers its One UI skin on top – it does the same for the Fold, but uses Android 12L.

Android 12L is a version of Android 12 that's designed for larger screens, with a redesigned notification shade, new lock screen, easier multitasking and tweaked app designs to better work on tablets and foldables.

One UI then gives this a design makeover, and also brings lots of Samsung apps like the App Gallery, Samsung Pay and more.

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5 reasons you should buy a cheap phone over an expensive one

If you're looking for a new phone, a key consideration is always budget – you want to buy the best phone you can afford. But maybe, even if you've got the money for a premium device, you should still opt for a cheap phone.

"Wait," you're probably thinking, "are you asking me to spend less than I'm able on my new phone?"  Yes, I am – you're absolutely right.

You see, despite budget phones being weaker than premium ones in quite a few ways (obviously), there are a few departments in which they actually beat top-end models.

So we're going to run through some different areas in which cheap phones actually trump their pricier rivals. 

1. It costs less money

Okay, we've got to start with the really, really obvious point. A cheap phone is – you guessed it – cheaper than an expensive one.

If you spend less on your phone, you've got more to spend on the best power banks, phone cases, charging cables, and so on. Plus, you've got extra for non-smartphone things. Y'know: bills, food, transport, and so on.

Smartphones operate on the rule of diminishing returns: a $400 smartphone is not twice as good as a $200 one, and a $1,200 phone isn't twice as good as a $600 version or four times better in any way than a $300 one.

So if you want the best bang for your buck, a budget mobile will get you there.

Moto G9 Power

The Moto G9 Power has a massive battery. (Image credit: Future)

2. Much better battery life

Phones don't have great battery life sometimes: when you factor in features like 5G, high refresh rates, top-end processors, and so on, a giant battery can get worn down incredibly quickly.

But you know what cheap phones don't have? That's right – any of those features. If a phone is 4G-only, has a low-res screen, and only runs with a middling chipset, it uses the battery at a much slower rate. All of the longest-lasting smartphones are budget ones.

That's doubly the case when you consider that cheap phone makers like to use huge batteries in their phones - plenty have 5,000mAh power packs. Motorola has even used 6,000mAh ones in some phones, and certain Chinese rugged phone brands have gone even higher.

If you want a long-lasting phone, you've got to opt for a cheap handset with fewer features. It also makes such devices reliable for more extended periods.

3. Hardier designs

Glass has become one of the most commonly-used materials for smartphones – it adds to a premium-feeling build and looks good from all angles. 

But you know what glass isn't? Durable. It can easily smash from an impact like a drop. It's also slippery, making glass phones harder to hold. Because of this, mid-range and premium phones are more susceptible to damage, even if brands slap silly marketing terms on them like 'Gorilla Glass Victus' or 'Ceramic Shield'.

Cheap phone makers generally stay away from glass. This is mainly because of cost, but it's beneficial for affordable phone fans because plastic is hardier.

A plastic phone is much more likely to survive a drop or hard knock, letting you avoid the experience of having to get your device repaired as often (or ever, hopefully).

Realme 9 Pro Plus

The Realme 9 Pro Plus has a cool-looking, yet plastic, rear. (Image credit: Future)

4. Cooler chipsets

Cheap phones often have cooler chipsets. No, we don't mean 'sunglasses and Tommy Bahama shirt cool' - we mean temperature-wise.

Premium phones get top-end chipsets, which provide loads of processing power for tasks like games. An annoying side-effect of loads of power, though, is that these chips can get incredibly hot if you use them for long periods.

Counter-intuitively, this means that mid-range chips can be better for gaming if you like playing for extended amounts of time, and don't need the most top-end graphics available to you.

As you can imagine, budget phones often have weaker internals, so they generally don't have overheating issues, and are fine for gaming. Plus, in this day and age, you rarely find phones that are slow, even in the lower-cost market.

5. A bigger range of fingerprint scanners

There's a trend in the premium phone market towards in-screen fingerprint scanners, where the sensor for unlocking your phone is embedded under the display.

This is a fine way of unlocking your device for some, but if you prefer a back- or side-mounted scanner, you're mostly out of luck at the top end of the market.

That's not the case for cheap phones, though: you'll find those digit sensors all over the place in the lower end of the market. Some phones have them in-screen, others have them on one or both sides of the phone, while plenty have the scanner on the back.

So if you like tapping the rear of your phone to unlock it, or caressing the side of the device, instead of just tapping the screen, budget devices are, in fact, the best phones for you.

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OnePlus 10 Pro price drop makes waiting for the iPhone 14 much harder

If you're waiting for the iPhone 14 to launch before you buy a new smartphone, we've got some bad news for you: one of the best phones we've tested just received a price cut, and now costs the same as the expected price of Apple's forthcoming phone.

This is the OnePlus 10 Pro – it's seen a permanent reduction by $100, so although it initially cost $899 for the lowest storage and memory configuration, it's now just $799. If you live outside the US, we're sorry to say that it doesn't seem like OnePlus is reducing the price of the 10 Pro anywhere else right now.

That price cut coincides with the launch of the OnePlus 10T which is, in theory, a budget version of the 10 Pro that focuses on performance (though this price cut narrows the gulf between them).

However, at this new price, the OnePlus 10 Pro is likely a very close rival to the iPhone 14, which we're expecting to launch in September.

The iPhone 13 cost $799 at launch, for the same amount of storage as you're getting on the now-$799 OnePlus 10 Pro (that's 128GB). And it's very likely that the iPhone 14 will launch at the exact same price, or at least a similar enough price that they're directly comparable.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs iPhone 14

OnePlus 10 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro on its box. (Image credit: Future)

Of course, we don't know what the iPhone 14 will offer just yet – but judging by the leaks and rumors, it sounds inferior to the OnePlus 10 Pro.

While the iPhone is slated to get a main and ultra-wide camera, the OnePlus has three sensors on the back, including a telephoto snapper for zoom photography; and two of them have really high megapixel counts that allow for improved stabilisation and fidelity. Plus, the 10 Pro has lots of additional camera tricks from Hasselblad, that will likely give it a photographic edge.

In terms of performance, the gap isn't likely to be particularly big – Apple's chipsets are often the best in the industry, but we've heard that the iPhone 14 could use the same chipset as its predecessor, instead of getting a newer one (thought to be exclusive to this year's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max).

In terms of battery and charging, the OnePlus 10 Pro clearly takes the cake too – it has a massive 5,000mAh battery and quick 65W charging (or even faster 80W on models outside of the US) – we haven't heard many rumors regarding the iPhone in this department, but Apple has yet to embrace fast charging that keeps step with its rivals.

Perhaps the biggest fact in the OnePlus' favor is its screen, though. It has a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3216 120Hz AMOLED display that curves gently at the edges. The iPhone 14 is expected to sport a smaller 6.1-inch panel, with a lower resolution and lower refresh rate than the Android too.

As long as the iPhone 14 gets the specs that the leaks say it will, the Apple device will likely be a weaker-looking offering on paper, compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro.

If you're looking to buy a new phone in the next few months, and were planning to wait until the iPhone launched, OnePlus' 10 Pro is now an incredibly tempting rival. However, since it's a permanent price reduction, there's no harm in waiting a little bit to see if the iPhone 14 can join the OnePlus 10 Pro on our list of the best phones.

Posted in Uncategorised

OnePlus 10 Pro price drop makes waiting for the iPhone 14 much harder

If you're waiting for the iPhone 14 to launch before you buy a new smartphone, we've got some bad news for you: one of the best phones we've tested just received a price cut, and now costs the same as the expected price of Apple's forthcoming phone.

This is the OnePlus 10 Pro – it's seen a permanent reduction by $100, so although it initially cost $899 for the lowest storage and memory configuration, it's now just $799. If you live outside the US, we're sorry to say that it doesn't seem like OnePlus is reducing the price of the 10 Pro anywhere else right now.

That price cut coincides with the launch of the OnePlus 10T which is, in theory, a budget version of the 10 Pro that focuses on performance (though this price cut narrows the gulf between them).

However, at this new price, the OnePlus 10 Pro is likely a very close rival to the iPhone 14, which we're expecting to launch in September.

The iPhone 13 cost $799 at launch, for the same amount of storage as you're getting on the now-$799 OnePlus 10 Pro (that's 128GB). And it's very likely that the iPhone 14 will launch at the exact same price, or at least a similar enough price that they're directly comparable.

OnePlus 10 Pro vs iPhone 14

OnePlus 10 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro on its box. (Image credit: Future)

Of course, we don't know what the iPhone 14 will offer just yet – but judging by the leaks and rumors, it sounds inferior to the OnePlus 10 Pro.

While the iPhone is slated to get a main and ultra-wide camera, the OnePlus has three sensors on the back, including a telephoto snapper for zoom photography; and two of them have really high megapixel counts that allow for improved stabilisation and fidelity. Plus, the 10 Pro has lots of additional camera tricks from Hasselblad, that will likely give it a photographic edge.

In terms of performance, the gap isn't likely to be particularly big – Apple's chipsets are often the best in the industry, but we've heard that the iPhone 14 could use the same chipset as its predecessor, instead of getting a newer one (thought to be exclusive to this year's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max).

In terms of battery and charging, the OnePlus 10 Pro clearly takes the cake too – it has a massive 5,000mAh battery and quick 65W charging (or even faster 80W on models outside of the US) – we haven't heard many rumors regarding the iPhone in this department, but Apple has yet to embrace fast charging that keeps step with its rivals.

Perhaps the biggest fact in the OnePlus' favor is its screen, though. It has a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3216 120Hz AMOLED display that curves gently at the edges. The iPhone 14 is expected to sport a smaller 6.1-inch panel, with a lower resolution and lower refresh rate than the Android too.

As long as the iPhone 14 gets the specs that the leaks say it will, the Apple device will likely be a weaker-looking offering on paper, compared to the OnePlus 10 Pro.

If you're looking to buy a new phone in the next few months, and were planning to wait until the iPhone launched, OnePlus' 10 Pro is now an incredibly tempting rival. However, since it's a permanent price reduction, there's no harm in waiting a little bit to see if the iPhone 14 can join the OnePlus 10 Pro on our list of the best phones.

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OnePlus 10T launch live blog: catch up with the big Android phone launch

OnePlus' newest phone has launched, and you can check out our early OnePlus 10T review to see what's up with this new Android device. 

The launch event was an hour and a half long, and gave us an exhaustive look at the company's newest mobile, as well as OxygenOS 13, a software update that'll come to the company's phones at some point in the future.

The contents of the event weren't a surprise (though the length was) - OnePlus had teased many aspects of the phone ahead of time. We did find out the price for the first time though, and it's more affordable than its sibling the OnePlus 10 Pro.

We live-blogged the entire event - as you can tell from the title to this article - and you can read through our comments on the entire launch below. If you'd rather watch it back, we've got a guide on how to do that here.

It's OnePlus 10T launch live blog time at TechRadar, and we're getting the engine running for another launch event - there are still hours to go before OnePlus' live stream starts though, so there's no need to warm up your popcorn just yet.

Something that's interesting is that OnePlus had two launches today.

One was obviously the OnePlus 10T launch - that's what you're here for, presumably - but the other was a Chinese-only one for the OnePlus Ace Pro.

However this second launch event has been cancelled at the last minute, and it's not quite clear why. What's doubly odd is that this cancellation happened the day after Motorola called off a similar China-only event.

So what's going on? We don't know - but the OnePlus 10T launch is still going on.

OnePlus 10T

(Image credit: OnePlus)

OnePlus hasn't really been shy with information about the phone.

Here's one big example - it's the phone in green and black (an image that OnePlus shared well in advance of the one at the top of this article). 

This is what let us know that the phone looked like the OnePlus 10 Pro, and had three cameras too.

Another thing that OnePlus has confirmed is that the 10T will get the Sony IMX766 sensor for its main camera. That's a 50MP snapper that we've seen used quite a bit in cheap phones over the last few months.

In fact, we've tested it extensively thanks to phones like the Realme 9 Pro Plus and Nothing Phone (1). We've found it very good for low-light imagery, at least compared to other sensors we see used in budget mobiles.

Realme 9 Pro Plus camera sample

(Image credit: Future)

Here are some images that we took on the Realme phone, to give an example of how it performs at night.

While the sensor stands out from the crowd for low-light photography, its performance isn't as impressive in well-lit conditions. It's not bad, it just doesn't stand out from the competition as much.

We'll have to hear about the OnePlus 10T's other cameras before we make judgements on its photography prowess though.

The OnePlus 10T live stream has kicked off on YouTube, and you can see it here.

This doesn't mean there's actually a video playing right now - it's just a premiere, with the actual video scheduled to start 15 minutes before the event begins.

Another piece of camera information we know about the OnePlus 10T is that it won't feature the Hasselblad branding that previous OnePlus phones have.

This branding boasted that legacy camera brand Hasselblad had contributed to some of the camera hardware and software for the phone, and in the 10 Pro, it manifested as a few new camera modes and AI tweakery on the normal photo mode.

It's not clear if the lack of the branding means these modes won't reappear, or if it's simply the marketing aspect that's changed, and OnePlus likely won't discuss this on stage. We'll have to test the phone ourselves to see.

OnePlus 10 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

Another thing that OnePlus has confirmed is the absence of an alert slider, a popular feature of the company's phones - you can see it on the edge of the OnePlus 10 Pro in the above photo.

An alert slider is for easily flicking between silent, vibrate or full volume modes for notifications without having to open your phone. You can easily turn it onto silent when you walk into a meeting, or deactivate it when you walk out, without spending ages in menus.

As we said, it's a popular OnePlus feature, and fans are already upset at its removal.

The battery and charging information has already been confirmed too, and we imagine that's something that will be a big draw to the device.

The power pack is 4,800mAh, which is pretty big, but the eye-catching spec here is the 150W charging.

This isn't the first phone with powering speeds this fast, but we certainly haven't seen one that powers faster just yet, and we can expect to see the phone go from empty to full in less than 20 minutes.

OnePlus will certainly go into more detail on this at the launch.

OnePlus 10 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

The OnePlus 10 Pro is one of our favorite phones of 2022 so far, so the 10T has big boots to follow - though it doesn't sound like it's trying to emulate its older sibling. Rather it sounds like it's trying to provide an alternative version of it.

That's why there's no zoom camera, a seemingly flat-edge display and a smaller battery - it's about speed on this new phone, in terms of charging and performance.

This year we've also seen a few OnePlus Nord phones: the Nord 2T, the Nord CE 2 and the Nord CE 2 Lite.

These are all relatively affordable phones, especially by the standards of the 10 Pro, designed for people who want one or two top-end features but without paying a high price.

In China, the OnePlus Ace launched, but that didn't leave the country.

There's an hour left until the launch, so we're hoping OnePlus' live stream will start soon.

The OnePlus 10T live stream has... only 400 people in it.

Sure, the event hasn't kicked off yet, but we're used to seeing thousands viewing streams even this far in advance. So maybe there's less of an interest in the 10T than we expected...

And we've begun! Sort of

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The live stream video has begun, although the event itself hasn't. We're just seeing the above logo with some repetitive music for now.

But if you're hurriedly making a drink or snacks before the event, perhaps this beat will help you keep the pace.

We're also seeing shots of people filing into a conference hall to see the launch - this is in New York City, where OnePlus is hosting a physical launch.

Let's see if we can spot US Editor in Chief Lance, who is at the event in person.

Here's a view of inside the conference center itself - if you're watching the stream, it looks rather small, but as it turns out it's much bigger.

See more

Weirdly, the event hasn't started yet - it sounds as though the organisers are quickly grabbing more chairs for the physical attendees.

And it's finally started! TheCEO of OnePlus America is on stage

OnePlus

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The company's overall CEO, Pete Lau, isn't attending, but a pre-recorded message from him is broadcasting about OnePlus' worldwide community.

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

Oh look, it's us! (read: it's me!).

"We hear you loud and clear"

OnePlus has addressed criticism from fans that it's lost its way a little bit, and that's certainly something we've noticed fans of the brand complaining about. Hopefully the OnePlus 10T will address that.

Now we're seeing a video that OnePlus shared on its YouTube channel days ago, about the history of new features that OnePlus phones have brought.

It's here if you want to see it, called "fast and smooth".

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

OnePlus has wasted no time in sharing basically all the specs of its new phone - admittedly it did show off most of this ahead of time.

There are some things missing - camera sensors for one, and design specs for another - but it's a fairly well-rounded list.

Now we're getting some boring stats on how the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is improved over... something. Likely the 8 Gen 1, possibly the 888 Plus, it's not clear.

Either way, this is all sound bites like "20% faster" or "15% quicker", but this doesn't necessarily means it'll feel different in your hand - that's something we'll only be able to feel during testing, so wait for our review for that.

An issue we find with Snapdragon 8-series chipsets is that they get super hot incredibly quickly when gaming, and that's something OnePlus is addressing right now.

Apparently the OnePlus 10T has improved cooling systems to stay cold, which apparently took 18 months to develop. It's all a bit technical, but the gist is this: the OnePlus 10T shouldn't get too toasty.

Apparently OnePlus has designed a case that keeps the phone cool:

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

Looking at those gaps and vents, it sounds like this could be quite... cooling? I don't really know how it works, to be honest, but it looks interesting.

But will this keep the phone cooler than simply removing the case would? We'll have to see.

OnePlus is saying that, if you buy the 16GB RAM version of the 10T, it can keep 30 apps open at once...?

I'm not sure about you, but I don't think I even have 35 apps on my phone, so that seems a little excessive. But hey, there might be one or two of you out there who jump between this many apps at any point, so maybe it's useful.

They're talking a bit more about gaming - clearly performance is a bit part of the OnePlus 10T.

But if they're spending this long to talk about the processing speed - bear in mind that we're already 30m into the conference - what are they going to skimp over? Cameras? We think it's cameras.

With all this talk of processing, let's see if OnePlus decides to discuss its controversial processing throttling practices that we saw in 2021...

Oh, no, we've moved onto charging instead.

OnePlus told everyone before the event that the phone will have a 4,800mAh battery and 150W charging, and it's discussing that in more detail right now.

We're also hearing about OnePlus' smart charging, which uses AI to adapt to your charging schedule -  a few other brands have similar things, like Google for its Pixels.

The phone can adapt to climate temperature and your schedule to moderate how fast the phone is powering up.

This is quite a technical launch and it's not all exciting or interesting.

But our US Editor in Chief is appreciating the surround-video situation OnePlus has going on, which presumably makes the in-person event more interesting.

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They've confirmed the display specs, which we didn't know (other than that brief slide earlier).

It's a 6.7-inch FHD+ 120Hz screen that shows over a billion colors but has a rather limited max brightness of 950nits.

Next, we're moving onto the cameras.

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The above are camera samples taken on OnePlus phones through the years (not on the 10T).

The cameras on this phone are a 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide and... some extra macro lens, the latter doesn't sound great.

OnePlus is moving onto design now, yet another thing we know about (it looks very similar to the OnePlus 10 Pro).

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

It has a unibody design, so the camera bump isn't a separate part - it just extends from the rear.

There are two color versions, black and pale green, and the black one has a grippable texture.

It sounds like the phone launch is wrapping up - about time too, because we've been looking at the same device for an hour - but we're moving onto software now. In particular, we're hearing about OxygenOS 13.

Apparently OxygenOS 13, based on Android 13, has an 'aquamorphic design', or based on water... whatever that means. 

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

We've seen some thematic adverts for it, but no actual examples of how Oxygen OS 13 looks like compared to the OS 12. 

We've heard it'll have a different color scheme though, as it's based on Klein Blue (a very blue kind of blue).

OnePlus is mixing up its metaphors a bit here. Apparently scrolling through the software is like breathing 'ie Oxygen OS' but also flowing like water. 

Which is it OnePlus, water or respiration?

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

Here's an example of how OxygenOS 13 will look, with some examples of different apps and the main menu.

This event is going on so, so long. How long does it take to tell us about a single phone, and a small software update?

This OxygenOS 13 part in particular seems horribly stretched out.

Lots of the OxygenOS 13 features we're hearing about are actually Android 13 ones that OnePlus has adapted, like Nearby Share for sharing files with people nearby, as well as more security tools.

The OnePlus 10 Pro will get OxygenOS 13 first, though we didn't hear when. The OnePlus 10T will also get it later this year, but after the Pro.

Say what you want about OnePlus' weird TV-show-parody phone launches that it's used before, but at least the were short. 

The event is still going on, and OnePlus is talking about mobile game championshops and its red cable club etc.

OnePlus 10T launch

(Image credit: OnePlus)

We've heard the price.

There's an 8GB RAM and 128GB storage version thatll ost $649 / £629, and an 16GB and 256GB version that's $100 / £100 more.

The phone goes on sale August 25 in Europe but September 29 in the US - that's quite a wait!

And the event is over!

Now that the event is over, our embargo is up, and we can share our early impressions about the phone.

OnePlus 10T

(Image credit: Future)

Here's our OnePlus 10T review. It's an early impressions piece for now, as we haven't had the phone long enough to give our full verdict on it.

We liked the phone's display and charging speed, but its fingerprint scanner feels quite temperamental, and the camera isn't very impressive either. But stay tuned in the next week or so for our full review.

As per our on-the-ground reporter, OnePlus is putting quite a bit of showmanship into its device...

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Bear in mind, that's just a display to hype up the cooling tech. With artificial smoke. And dramatic lighting.

Okay, I'm signing off now, but will be passing the baton to our US Mobile Editor Philip who's also got hands on the phone. Expect more analysis and comment over the next few hours.

Hi folks! It's Phil Berne on the U.S. side of TechRadar. Our US Editor-in-Chief Lance is on site getting hands-on with the phones, but I have a unit on hand and I'll be keeping our live look going.

We've mostly seen the Jade Green version of the phone, but I've got the Moonstone Black color in hand and here are just a couple of shots showing the very cool texture on this phone. It feels very smooth and sanded, not polished like glass but not rough in any way. 

close up texture of OnePlus 10T moonstone black color showing OnePlus logo

(Image credit: Future)

You can also see the camera lenses up close. We're a bit disappointed that this won't have the same shooting prowess as the OnePlus 10 Pro, but we can't argue with that price! We'll have to test the cameras to see where they shine. 

close up texture of OnePlus 10T moonstone black color showing camera lenses

(Image credit: Future)

OnePlus talked a lot about power and performance, as well as the phone's ability to keep cool when pushing the maximum. As you can see below, I tuned out a bit during the live broadcast and decided to give the OnePlus 10T a run for its money. 

I can say that the phone did not get considerably hot, even when I pushed its capabilities to the limit. I also managed to drain the battery, and though I don't have hard numbers, I can tell you the battery charged to 100% between these Live Blog updates. Our full review will have the definitive look on whether the OnePlus 10T can match OnePlus battery claims. 

OnePlus 10T in landscape playing Call of Duty Mobile attached to an Xbox controller

(Image credit: Future)

We're just about ready to close out the Live Blog, but here is a final look at the device in the Glacier Mat case, which OnePlus says dissipates heat for better cooling. It certainly screams "gamer," though maybe at the cost of that very cool Moonstone texture. 

OnePlus 10T in glacier mat case with red striping sitting on wooden beam

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, here is a super close-up look at that Moonstone Black texture. We have hands-on for the OnePlus 10T for you to check out right now. 

Macro image of the moonstone black color showing ripple texture

(Image credit: Future)
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This iPhone Flip patent would solve our biggest foldable phone concern

If you're considering buying a foldable phone, your biggest concern is likely its durability – these fancy flexing mobiles surely can't survive too many folds before breaking, right?

Well, foldables have come on leaps and bounds since the original Samsung Galaxy Fold, but it's clearly something that Apple has been looking at, and a new patent, spotted by PatentlyApple, shows a bending mobile with some durability tricks.

This patent shows a folding phone – different images show different form factors, so it's not clear that it's the iPhone Flip or any other rumored device – with an extra layer over the screen that fills in any micro-cracks that form due to bending. 

These small cracks can turn into larger-scale screen cracks, and addressing the issue early reduces the risk of that happening. In theory, this tech could also be used for screens on non-folding phones, although there's less risk of those cracking over time.


Analysis: Apple doing what it does

Apple has a reputation for only committing to a new tech when it knows it's ready for it. That's why it's often late to follow trends, notably recently with 5G and displays with high refresh rates.

It's likely that the company is also taking this approach to foldable phones. The first such device came out in 2019, and Apple's version likely isn't coming any time soon – which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the original Galaxy Fold was little short of a disaster, with early test units breaking in a variety of ways.

However, we're now a few generations of Samsung foldable in, and the company has refined its folding technology and has put out several very capable devices, while Apple is still twiddling its thumbs with nothing to show. So perhaps in this case it's acting a bit too coy, although this patent suggests that it's working on ways to ensure that its folding phones, when they do appear, are extremely durable.

We're not expecting to add the iPhone Flip to our list of the best iPhones any time soon, but hopefully when they do show up they'll be worth the wait.

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Yet another iPhone 14 Pro upgrade has leaked

We've been hearing plenty of rumors about how the iPhone 14 will be inferior to its Pro and Pro Max siblings - more so than last year - and a new leak has told us yet another way that Apple might be differentiating its phones.

This comes from Korean site The Elec, from which we often hear supply chain information about devices. This time, the website has provided information on the screens we can expect in the four anticipated iPhone 14 models.

As previous leaks have suggested, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are expected to have 6.1-inch displays, while the 14 Max and 14 Pro Max are set to get 6.7-inch ones. However what's really interesting - and what the headline to this article refers to - is the tech used in those screens.

The two lower-tier iPhones - that's the 14 and 14 Max - are set to use LTPS tech, while the top-end Pro devices are slated to get LTPO.

What's the difference? Well, LTPO is a lot better for variable refresh rates - that means it's quicker and more efficient when gliding between 1Hz, if you're reading an e-book, to 24Hz if you're watching a movie, to 60Hz or even 120Hz if you're doing other tasks.

High refresh rate phone screens are known to burn through battery quickly, and LTPO is much more power efficient, ensuring battery life will last for longer. So the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max could go longer without charges than their same-size equivalents.


Analysis: saving costs

While we've heard loads of ways that the iPhone 14 will be beaten by its non-Pro sibling, including the front camera design, rear camera resolution, number of camera lenses and worse chipset, The Elec provides a clear reason why.

It refers to the use of LTPS screens as a means to save costs on the new phones. Apple can spend less money making its devices, and therefore turn more of a profit.

Well, that's not entirely fair - production costs are getting higher in most industries around the world, so it's possible that Apple is just looking to prevent losses, rather than make more money.

But either way, it means the consumer is getting less bang for their buck on these new phones, which obviously isn't a good thing. Maybe our list of the best phones won't be challenged by Apple this year.

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Getting your Samsung phone repaired? This new update makes it a lot easier

Getting your smartphone repaired can seem like a daunting prospect; knowing that your mobile - full of personal information and photos and sensitive apps - is going to be in the hands of a stranger for a time without you present.

And sure, the vast majority of repair specialists are trustworthy experts, but now Samsung phones are getting an extra feature that'll help ease your mind. This is called Repair Mode, and it's rolling out to phones from the company starting with the Galaxy S21 series.

When activated, Repair Mode lets you block access to certain functions or apps on your mobile - for example, you could lock off your social media accounts or gallery apps, so that they can't be accessed by strangers.

According to Samsung, once you trigger Repair Mode, your phone will reboot and "you won't be able to access your personal data, such as photos, messages, and accounts, and only use the default installed apps."

This means you can hand your smartphone over to repair companies without either worrying about your information, or having to back up and reset your phone. 

It's not quite clear when this update will arrive on users' devices and although we know the S21 series will be the first to receive the feature, Samsung hasn't provided a timeline as to when that mobile family, or subsequent ones, can expect to gain access to Repair Mode. That said, we expect Samsung is staggering its updates on a region by region, as that's common industry-standard practice.


Analysis: a good time to get a Samsung phone

Samsung has been surprisingly generous in 2022, with multiple updates bringing new features to its smartphones.

Sure, the company has a habit of bringing the latest functionality from its flagship phones to older models soon after launch, but we've seen more this year.

For example, the company recently launched the Photoshop-esque Enhance-X app, which lets you use AI to fix photos, even those you didn't originally take on a Samsung phone.

It seems that Samsung is taking a page out of Google's book, which has previously been good at bringing new tools and features to Pixel phones with its regular Pixel Feature Drops.

Because of this, and also because of Samsung's promise that its newer phones will get four years of software updates, now is a really great time to pick up a new phone from the company. We've got a list of the best Samsung phones if you want to peruse them, but our list of the best Android phones overall will help you check out Samsung alongside its rivals.

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Google Pixel 7 will have a disappointing lack of camera upgrades, leak suggests

While Google has teased some aspects of the Pixel 7 we're left guessing on other fronts - or, more accurately, letting leakers fill in the gaps. However, according to one leak, the Pixel 6 provides all we need to know.

This comes from leaker and developer Kuba Wojciechowski, who wrote a Twitter thread on a deep, deep dive they took into Pixel software to uncover the names of the sensors that the Pixel 7 phones will use.

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To skip to the end of their adventure, it sounds like the Google Pixel 7 phones will use the same sensors - at least for the main and ultra-wide cameras - as their Pixel 6 predecessors. That means a 50MP main and 12MP ultra-wide.

The Pixel 7 Pro will also use the selfie sensor that the Pixel 6 Pro had, at 11MP, but it sounds like the Pixel 7 will get this too, instead of using a lower-res one.

Apparently the Pixel 6 Pro's telephoto camera will get a sensor change, though it's switching from one 48MP sensor to another, so it won't exactly be a massive upgrade. Wojciechowski speculates that this move is to ensure all the sensors are made by the same company, which is Samsung.

So that's a surprising lack of changes in the new series of phones, and while Google could be preparing some software features (think Magic Eraser), it's possible that cameras just aren't the focus of the next-gen phones.


More camera specs too

Wojciechowski didn't just provide information on the two Pixel 7 phones, but on the Google Pixel Tablet and Google Pixel Fold.

The latter, a rumored foldable phone that's likely at least a year out, will apparently get a 50MP main camera joined by two 12MP sensors and an 8MP one - due to the folding nature of the device multiple of those could be front-facing ones for the multiple displays it could have.

Finally, the tablet, which Google confirmed is coming in 2023, will apparently get two 8MP cameras, one on the front and one on the back - that adds to the idea that this won't be a top-end tablet, and will instead be affordable. It seems Google is aiming to hit our ranking of the best cheap tablets.

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Motorola’s svelte Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 rival has been shown off

Motorola has taken a break for a few years after launching its last foldable phone, the Motorola Razr 2020, but we now know that it's got a Razr 2022 on the way - because the company itself has confirmed as much.

Posting on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, Motorola has teased its upcoming folding phone in detail, providing a look at the design as well as specs for the thing.

You can see the first image above - it shows two rear cameras, as well as a large outer display that seems to have loads of functions. Separately, the brand confirmed that the phone will use the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, a top-end processor that'll provide lots of processing power.

The phone is being teased alongside the Moto X30 Pro, which we now know will have 125W fast charging and three rear cameras.

Both are set to debut on August 2, another thing that these teasers confirm, which is when we'll find out all the other specs of the phones.

It's not clear if it'll be a global unveiling or just a Chinese one. In the last few years Motorola has made a concerted effort at breaking into the Chinese market, launching a few products that don't make their way to the rest of the world, but hopefully we'll see the Razr globally.


Analysis: a busy time for foldables

The Motorola Razr 2022's launch date, of August 2, means it'll debut just eight days before a close rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.

This will have the exact same form factor - a 'clamshell' folding phone - as well as likely equally high-end specs, and possibly a similar price too.

The Z Flip 4 will likely go on sale soon after its August 10 unveiling, so we'll have to see if the Razr 2022 gets a similar release date or whether it arrives in second place - if it comes before the Z Flip, it could sway people interested in buying a new clamshell.

The Z Flip 4 is expected to debut alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, so that's going to be a big day for folding phones - it sounds like the first half of August will bring us lots of new members of that growing niche.

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Google Pixel 6a is out now – but here’s why I’d hold out on buying it

If you've read my Google Pixel 6a review, you'll know that I have mixed feelings about the phone. While it has a nice small form factor and easy-to-use fingerprint scanner, it has an awful battery life and charges too slowly.

The phone is now available to buy, so lots of you might find the same issue. But one issue I had could easily be solved by waiting a few months to buy it - in fact, that's what this whole article is about.

You see, the Pixel 6a has a price that's a bit too high - while its $449 / £399 / AU$749 price tag makes it a touch cheaper than the Google Pixel 6, nine months of price cuts meant that the older mobile has been available to buy for basically the exact same price as its budget alternative.

This is a bit of an awkward problem for Google because it means that if you find a decent Pixel 6 deal, you can pick up the more powerful phone for a lower price. However, if for whatever reason you want the Pixel 6a, there's a way to get it for much cheaper.

Black Friday is soon

Google is clearly a fan of reducing the price of its tech during sales seasons. During Prime Day 2022, it liberally sliced the price of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

Black Friday 2022 is going to fall in late November and there's a very good chance that the Pixel 6a could see a good price cut then. It'll have been around for four months at that point, so it won't be too new to see a reduction.

Judging by Google's past habits, as well as the way Black Friday works, we'll very likely see the Pixel 6a hit a new low price, and it'll almost definitely then be much more affordable than the Pixel 6 ever has been.

That'll make it a great deal - one worth waiting for, I'd say. So unless you really need a brand-new phone in the next four months, my advice is to wait until Black Friday to pick up the Pixel 6a.

Of course, I can't guarantee that the budget Pixel phone will get a discount, or that it'll be a good one, but precedent suggests it will. And anyway, if it doesn't there will be plenty of other Black Friday deals on all the best phones that you can pick up instead.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s best feature may not get an upgrade for the S23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's best camera feature is its 10x zoom periscope telephoto camera, which lets you take fantastic pictures from a great distance - however it's not perfect, and it sounds like the phone's Galaxy S23 successor might not improve it.

According to Samsung fan website GalaxyClub, based on information from its sources, the Galaxy S23 Ultra will get the same periscope lens as before, and it'll also be paired with a 10MP sensor like in the S22 Ultra, though it's not clear if this will be the exact same sensor or not.

That's a shame - while 10x zoom is great, a 10MP sensor doesn't really lend itself to high-res photos, particularly if you use digital zoom to get even closer.

We weren't expecting Samsung to use even longer-ranging telephoto lenses for its phones, but a higher-res sensor could help a lot.

For example, simply bumping the resolution up to 12MP would allow for 4K video recording on this lens, which would be useful for pro videographers who want to take some nice long-ranging video.


Analysis: what about the other cameras?

GalaxyClub also points out that the other zoom camera - in the S22 Ultra this supported 3x optical zoom and had a 10MP sensor - will possibly retain that resolution, thanks to the fact that the S23 will apparently have a 10MP zoom camera.

Other than that, GalaxyClub doesn't have information on the extra cameras, but a previous leak points to the main one having a whopping 200MP resolution.

There will probably be a fourth snapper with an ultra-wide lens, but leakers haven't provided much information on this camera, likely due to the fact that this kind of camera is a little less exciting than standard or zoom ones.

So it sounds like the main upgrade in the Galaxy S23 Ultra is in the main camera. The phone will need to bring camera improvements over the S22 Ultra, as that phone had no camera hardware changes over the S21 Ultra - a higher-res main camera is one, but we'd like to see more if this phone is to have a shot for our list of the best camera phones.

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Google Pixel 6 update adds one of the Pixel 6a’s cleverest camera features

When the Google Pixel 6 debuted it brought a new feature in the form of Magic Eraser, which lets you use AI to remove unwanted background subjects in pictures, and the Pixel 6a took it a step further with Camouflage mode. Turns out, this expanded mode is now coming to the earlier Pixel 6 devices.

When the Google Pixel 6a goes on sale on July 28, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will be getting an update that brings Camouflage mode with it - confirmed to The Verge by a Google spokesperson.

Camouflage mode in Magic Eraser doesn't remove an unwanted object but instead tweaks the colors so it isn't as obvious, usually by dropping the saturation. This method isn't as prone to failure as the AI-powered standard Magic Eraser mode, which can often leave noticeable smudges when the AI doesn't quite work out what was meant to be in the background.

This new mode coming to Pixel 6 devices should give owners of those older phones an extra camera tool to play around with, and is another in a long line of updates that Google has given to its flagship phones.


Analysis: making the Pixel 6 an even more tempting buy

In our Google Pixel 6a review, we pointed out that a year of Pixel 6 price cuts made the older phone roughly similar in terms of price to the newer one - despite the Pixel 6a ostensibly being a budget version.

And with Pixel 6a features finding their way over to the Pixel 6, there's one more reason to opt for the superior older phone over its budget alternative.

That's as long as the Google Pixel 6a's price remains stable after it launches - when 'cheap' phones like this are overpriced on launch, we often see the companies cut the prices quickly after only a month or so on sale. So maybe towards the end of the year we'll see the Pixel 6a get a more tempting price point.

Until then, though, the Google Pixel 6 is by far the best phone out of the two.

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OnePlus defends decision to remove popular feature from next Android phone

Leaks hinted towards it, but now the company has confirmed it: the upcoming OnePlus 10T will be the first main-series OnePlus phone to arrive without an alert slider. It's an intriguing shift of focus for the company.

The news comes directly from OnePlus, which has been frantically detailing information on its new phone ahead of the official launch on August 3. In a forum post, OnePlus defended its decision to lose the feature, blaming new features coming with the phone.

"Our users expect OnePlus devices to have high wattage charging, a large battery capacity, and better antenna signal. To excel in each of these three areas, the space inside the OnePlus 10T needs to be occupied by new technology."

This line of reasoning does make sense - there's only a certain amount of space within a phone, and unless a brand is willing to make a huge mobile (which apparently OnePlus isn't), sacrifices must be made.

Alert sliders were popularized by iPhones, but in the Android phone world, OnePlus has been the real champion of them. They're a physical slider that you can use to easily jump among silent, vibrate, or full-volume ringing modes, which saves you from having to unlock your handset and change these settings if you go into a meeting or want to catch a call.

Most recently, the OnePlus 10 Pro had the slider, though we should point out that the feature isn't used in the company's mid-range and cheap OnePlus Nord devices.


Analysis: clearly an unpopular decision

This decision hasn't gone down well with OnePlus fans.

In comments in the forum thread, many fans expressed displeasure, with some accusing the brand of stripping away the uniqueness of its devices, and one pointing out the irony of the brand's slogan (Never Settle) when it's going to remove features like this.

Still, it's possible that those fans will change their tune when the mobile launches. 

Fast charging, in particular, is a popular feature among phone fans right now, and OnePlus debuted 150W fast charging in phones earlier in 2022. So, it's very possible that the 10T will get it, too.

We'll need to see what hardcore OnePlus fans say beyond August 3 when the company launches its next mobile. Be sure to check back then, as we'll have our initial impressions on whether this could join our ranking of the best smartphone.

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