A new flip phone has been unveiled as a way to offer minimalism to your pocket and, hopefully, your life. Light, the company best known for its distraction-free phones, has revealed the Light Flip. This is a modern take on the classic clamshell handset that's designed to be opened only when you actually need it.

Unlike today's foldable smartphones, there's no flexible display or cover screen demanding your attention. Instead, you get a physical keypad, a compact 2.8-inch OLED display and a tiny notification light on the outside.

That minimalist philosophy continues inside. Running the company's custom LightOS software, the phone skips social media, web browsing, app stores and AI assistants entirely.

Instead, you'll find practical tools including calls, texts, navigation, alarms, notes, podcasts, music playback, weather, a hotspot mode and two-factor authentication. The idea is to keep everything genuinely useful and to remove the features that encourage endless scrolling.

Light says the flip phone was created after repeated requests from customers – especially younger people – who wanted a better-built alternative to ageing feature phones without being dragged back into the smartphone ecosystem.

Closing the phone is intended to create a physical signal that you're switching off, rather than simply locking another glowing screen.

Despite its retro appearance, the hardware is actually modern. The Light Flip supports 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C charging, dual SIM via nano SIM and eSIM, a removable 1,800mAh battery and even retains a 3.5mm headphone jack.

There's also a 12-megapixel rear camera, and predictive T9 typing is joined by voice-to-text and audio messaging, to make communication straight forward too.

Available in six colours, the Light Flip is priced at $299 (around £220 / AU$460) and is expected to ship in April 2027.

Whether this becomes the ultimate antidote to smartphone overload remains to be seen. For anyone craving a calmer relationship with technology, this is one of the more refreshing phone launches for 2026.

Okay, so it wasn't the best-kept secret in world history – Samsung had been openly teasing the new shape of its Galaxy Z Fold 8 for a couple of weeks. So, even without the many leaks that preceded it, we had a pretty good sense that the main Z Fold phone would be getting a new look.

Still, it's one thing to see leaks and another to get an entire Galaxy Unpacked event to check the phone out, and then the hands-on thoughts of our Tech editor, Mike Lowe. The phone looks like it's making a great impression on people in the first instance, although we'll doubtless get more context in the next few weeks.

I'll admit, though, that I've been a bit of a sceptic. The steep price tag attached to foldables makes them a non-starter for me, and I didn't see why a squatter design would change that. What I didn't expect was one moment in Samsung's presentation when they showed the phone opened up, but not in landscape mode – using a portrait orientation instead.

The photo at the top of this article shows that moment exactly, and that Samsung was using it to underline how the Z Fold 8 could be a great little e-reader alongside all the other more phone-like tools it offers. My surprise? I'm won over, at least moreso than before.

I've tested every Kindle released in the last few years, and I still regularly use the Kindle Paperwhite when I'm travelling, to cut down on the weight of a book (especially if I'm reading something chunky). Still, while I like an e-reader as much as the next reader, I'm mostly doing it for that weight reason.

So, if I had a phone that could be as satisfying to hold and as easy to read with, that would indeed be pretty tempting. There's a lot to wonder about in terms of ergonomics, still, and the biggest question for me would be how reliably I'd be able to read on the Z Fold 8 without worrying about battery life, but the concept it still quite a winning one.

The simple reality is that as long as these foldables stay this expensive, there's no way I'd ever commit to them – at £1,699, I just don't think the Z Fold 8 having a more adaptable aspect ratio is enough to move the needle. Still, this is the first time in a few years that I've even really perked my ears up at all in this area.

I'll be super interested in the folding iPhone we're likely getting later this year, but again will almost certainly never get my hands on one, if the rumoured pricing is to be remotely believed. Perhaps in half a decade, though, when folding phones are even more widespread, and the memory crisis has hopefully abated, I could end up not needing a Kindle at all – one less device is rarely a bad thing.

Privacy Display made its headlines at the launch of the Galaxy S26 Ultra and it looks like Samsung is boosting its features in a forthcoming software update.

The clever feature that's exclusive to Samsung's flagship Galaxy S phone works by limiting the light output to narrow pixels, limiting the viewing angle of the display. That means that only those right in front of the screen can see what's on it and those to one side can't.

It appears that Samsung is now going to expand the use of the feature to cover another use case, with Privacy Display working on picture-in-picture video too.

That means that if you're watching something that you want to keep private and you leave the source app, the floating miniature version of that video will remain obscured to those spying on your screen. The rest of the display becomes visible as normal.

Previously, if you left the app, the entire phone would stay in Privacy Display because part of that app was still open.

To get it to work you firstly need app support for picture-in-picture video. That list includes some big hitters like YouTube and Netflix, but it also extends to WhatsApp, Zoom and Google Meet, which is where you might have more sensitive video that you want to keep private.

When these apps are playing video, swiping back to the home screen minimises the video to a floating picture-in-picture window, which will then benefit from being private.

There are a couple of things you'd have to ensure to get this to work: first, you'll have to have selected the individual apps that you want Privacy Display to work on. Second, you'll have to ensure you're not using Privacy Display across the entire screen, in which case it would all be private all the time.

It's an interesting move and if you don't want that person next to you on the train watching your videos, this could potentially be useful.

The feature is reportedly included in beta One UI 9 software, according to 9to5Google, so once the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is out of the way, we're sure this will be heading the S26 Ultra in an update.

Samsung will launch its new range of foldable phones today, with the wider Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 being the much talked about newcomer.

It'll be joined by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8 at the Galaxy Unpacked presentation being held in London, and you can watch it all unfold live right here on T3.

We also expect to see two new smartwatches announced on stage during the event, with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also heavily leaked in recent times.

And who knows, maybe there'll be a surprise or two along the way? Let's hope so.

Here then is everything you need to know about the summer Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, including when it starts, running time and more.

When does the Galaxy Unpacked launch event start?

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked has a kick off time of 2pm BST – that's earlier than usual thanks to the event being held in London for the first time in years.

Here are the start times for your region:

• US West Coast: 06:00 PDT
• US East Coast: 09:00 EDT
• UK: 14:00 BST
• Central Europe: 15:00 CEST
• India: 18:30 IST
• China (Beijing): 21:00 CST
• Japan: 22:00 JST
• South Korea: 22:00 KST
• Australia (Sydney): 23:00 AEST

How to watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked live

You can watch the entire event live via the video feed higher up this page.

It will also be available on Samsung's website and YouTube.

What to expect

We expect the main presentation to last around an hour, with the main focus being the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. This is the wider version of its book style foldable, which pre-empts the Apple iPhone Ultra by a few months.

The idea is that while more square-shaped when folded, the handset unfolds into a mini tablet form factor that's better to view videos on in comparison with conventional foldables.

The more traditionally-shaped Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will also launch. It'll be a direct replacement for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It will also have a beefier camera system than the new wider model, and maybe a few extra upgrades, too.

Finally, the Flip 8 will be very similar to the Flip 7, we believe. We're just waiting to see what upgrades it might enjoy.

There will be a couple of smartwatches launched too – the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Both have leaked extensively in recent times.

As for surprises, we might hear a bit more on Samsung's Android XR ambitions. Watch this space.

Samsung will unveil its new foldable phones later today, during its London Galaxy Unpacked event, but just in case you haven't had enough spoilers already here's another.

One of the most talked about upgrades coming with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is its alleged "crease-less" display. And now we have some evidence. An image shared by an online leaker shows the new flagship device against the model it's replacing and the difference is obvious.

Posted by @kro-roe on X, the hands-on photo looks to have been taken in a factory environment or during an official event. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 on the left has a very visible crease down the middle of the open display, while the Fold 8 Ultra does not.

Admittedly, the Fold 7 in the shot might be a well-used device, as the crease can become more pronounced through wear and tear. However, it does seem that Samsung has made a major breakthrough in its screen technology – as it has suggested during the launch build up.

Of course, this might be a bogus image and we're not that familiar with the leaker, so do take it with a pinch of salt. But it does comply with previous rumours and information we've seen over the last few months.

What else is launching during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be the flagship model launched today, with an upgraded Z Flip 8 expected too.

For many though, the most exciting new foldable to be announced will be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (sans the "Ultra"). This is a brand-new device with a wider, more square external display which unfolds to reveal a screen with a traditional tablet aspect ratio.

It is effectively Samsung's push to get ahead of the iPhone Ultra, which should launch in September. That is expected to have a very similar form factor. Indeed, it might even have the exact same display, as Samsung is likely to be supplying it to Apple as well.

Hopefully, the wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 will also feature the crease-less technology we can see in the latest leak (the iPhone Ultra, too). It will have some cutbacks, we understand, in comparison with the Z Fold 8 Ultra – such as a lower-spec'ed camera – but will still be the main focus of Unpacked.

You can also expect new smartwatches today, in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

It's a good job that Spain won the World Cup, because it gave defender Eric García the perfect platform to show off Honor's unreleased Robot Phone.

Mixed into the celebrations, the Barcelona player was seen filming with Honor's next-gen smartphone, which features a pop-out camera on a gimbal.

That camera, powered by Honor's AI, can respond to what it sees, reacting like a little robot, while also offering a versatile capture platform, a bit like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

This isn't the first time that's we've seen the Robot Phone. No, at Mobile World Congress we got up close and personal with it, but we weren't allowed to touch it. That doesn't seem to be the case for World Cup winner García – and perhaps that's what Argentina's Leandro Paredes was after during their post-match scuffle.

Well, judging by the look on García's face, all that was forgotten as he set about capturing a few moments on the pitch with the new device.

He's seen taking a selfie, filming his teammates still on the pitch while many of the fans seem to have left the stadium.

When you just won the World Cup but you also need to test out the new Honor 'RobotPhone' camera rig. 🥇 from r/Honor

Honor's Robot Phone currently seems to be in its launch phase, having appeared at WAIC 2026 (World Artificial Intelligence Conference) in China, with confirmation that the phone will be launched in August.

It's not clear exactly where the device will be available, but it's available for preorder in China.

Honor has previously reported that it had really focus on reducing the size of the motors for the gimbal, allowing it to be stored in the phone and pop-out when needed. Previously, we've seen it dancing along to music, providing pretty amazing stabilisation, while also offering great object tracking.

But so much of the experience will depend on software and the AI behind the camera that gives it its personality. There's fine line between cute and creepy and I guess Honor will be one of the first to experiment with that.

We don't have many confirmed specs for the phone: a 200-megapixel main camera is expected to be joined by a 50-megapixel ultrawide and a 200-megapixel telephoto.

It's thought to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with a battery around the 6000mAh mark, and a 6.4-inch screen.

On the pre-order page on Honor's Chinese website, I spotted that Honor is offering free gimbal replacement for the first year to assuage fears. It's rumoured to be very expensive - perhaps you'll have to be a top flight footballer to afford one.

Samsung will host its annual foldable phone launch event this week, with Galaxy Unpacked on Wednesday, but there might be nothing left to announce by then. Nothing that will come as a surprise, anyway.

That's because just about everything is either already known or subject to more leaks than the hull of the Titanic. We fully expect a couple of new Galaxy Watches and a trio of new foldables, including the wider Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Samsung itself has not been shy about its ambitions for the latter, revealing a new, more square-like form factor is coming in online teases. And now we have almost everything else, thanks to serial leaker Evan Blass and a regular Samsung collaborator, J-Hope from BTS.

J-Hope's posts on X (via @smasithick) show him using the new device openly during the band's global tour – currently in Paris.

His hands-on clips are likely staged for Samsung, as we never get to see the new phone open. However, you do get to see the device's shape and, as all the videos are recording using it, what the selfie camera is capable of.

Perhaps more revealing are a mighty bunch of marketing images posted by Blass. He has a renowned history of acquiring press images from a number of companies, including Samsung, ahead of launch. And while he's on a self-imposed "retirement" at present, he clearly couldn't resist sharing the latest.

Appearing on his Leakmail newsletter (via 9to5Google) there are official-looking images of all the foldable phones we expect, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8, too.

The Ultra is the more conventional book-style foldable, but with a few tech tweaks to justify its new moniker.

The Flip 8 looks very similar to the existing Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, so arguably the most interesting is the wider device, which unfolds into an iPad mini-like tablet.

The rest of the leaked images reveal some details, but not everything. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, for example, will sport dual 50-megapixel cameras on the rear (wide and ultra-wide). The selfie cam on the front will be 10-megapixel. As will the one on the internal screen.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra ups the ante in that regard. It'll have a similar 50-megapixel ultra-wide, but a 200-megapixel wide and a third lens for the 10-megapixel telephoto cam.

The selfie cams will be the same.

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 will sport a 50-megapixel wide and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, with a 10-megapixel selfie cam on the "main screen.

All will become more clear this Wednesday, when Galaxy Unpacked starts at 2pm BST in London, but don't be surprised if there are more rumours and leaks in the meantime.

The rumours are true, OnePlus has confirmed that it is pulling out of Europe and the US, marking the end of a brand that shot to fame on the back of viral marketing for the OnePlus One. Sadly, it seemed to struggle to differentiate from parent company Oppo in recent years.

While the brand will continue in regions such as China and India (for now), those with recent phones in the UK, Europe and US might be wondering what will happen next to those devices.

The good news is that some level of support will continue, but the bad is that you'll be prompted to move to ColorOS.

That's to be part of the move to Android 17, so if you have a device with continuing support, you'll be moved away from the OxygenOS that OnePlus was once famous for, and moved over to ColorOS, the Android skin that Oppo uses.

That update will also include continuing security updates and aftersales support. And OnePlus has confirmed that warranties will be respected, including repair services.

The decision is yours

There's an extra twist in this tale: the move to ColorOS will be voluntary and OnePlus says that you'll be able to roll-back to an older version of OxygenOS if you want to.

The news will come as a blow to those who have loyally supported OnePlus, although arguably, there's another brand in town that offers a similar exciting feel – and that's Nothing.

Many will point to the change in OnePlus starting with the departure of Carl Pei, the co-founder alongside Pete Lau. While Lau continued to lead the Oppo and OnePlus brands, Pei left to ultimately found Nothing Tech.

Nothing offers a similar focus on software efficiency, pushing devices that are good value for money, often with respectable core power and with interesting designs. OnePlus devices, however, quickly moved down the path of mirroring Oppo's launches, which perhaps explains waning enthusiasm.

OnePlus hasn't shared a definitive list (it should be devices that still have support remaining), but the list according to a community post should include:

• OnePlus Open
• OnePlus 15
• OnePlus 15R
• OnePlus 13
• OnePlus 13R
• OnePlus 12
• OnePlus 12R
• OnePlus 11
• OnePlus Nord 5
• OnePlus Nord CE 5
• OnePlus Nord 4
• OnePlus Pad 3
• OnePlus Pad 2
• OnePlus Pad Lite
• OnePlus Pad Go 2

It's a sad day for OnePlus fans, especially those who have followed the brand from the start, but with such a change to the feeling of what OnePlus stood for, I suspect many will not be surprised.

Google has now officially started talking about its Made By Google event, with an official teaser on the Google Store that shows off a brief glimpse at Google's new Pixel phones.

The image shows what we assume in the Pixel 11 Pro with its gold frame and camera surround on the rear which points out a difference in design to the previous device. It also shows off a new feature.

The big difference is that the Pixel 10 Pro isn't glass all the way across the camera bar, only the area surrounding the three lenses is glass, with the LED flash and temperature sensor sitting within a metal surround.

Now the whole thing is glass and where we'd expect to see the flash, we are instead treated to something new – the Pixel Glow array on the back of the phone. There's a colourful glow as it dances through Google's favourite red, green, yellow and blue colours that make up its brand identity.

The existence of Pixel Glow was first spotted in Android 17 beta code in relation to laptops as well as phones. It's thought, like Alexa's blue light or Siri's coloured swirls, that this is going to some sort of interactive notification feature.

Indeed, in the original leak of Pixel Glow, the description said it "uses subtle light and colour on the back of your device to inform you of important activity when it’s face down".

So this appearance in Google's official tease suggests that it's very much part of the plan for the Pixel 11. We're assuming that what Google has done is change the flash from white LEDs into coloured LEDs, so it's dual purpose. There's no sign of the temperature sensor, but I'm not sure anyone will miss that.

Exactly what you'll be able to do with Pixel Glow remains to be seen. It's a much more subtle indicator than something like Nothing's Glyph Matrix, but potentially suffers from the same problem: when you place your phone face down to avoid distraction, it's going to be there to distract you.

LED indicators have long been a hallmark of mobile devices. From the first BlackBerry phones with a red flashing indicator through to the flashing sides of the screen – especially on devices with curved edges – phones always seem to want to tell us that something is happening, even when on silent.

That might make sure you don't miss that important message, but whether it does anything else remains to be seen.

Official-looking images of all the devices expected at Galaxy Unpacked next week have leaked, giving us a good look at the new phones and watches.

The devices are grouped together, posed with hands holding them, providing a really good comparison of the sizes of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the new more compact folding device that's going to adopt the Galaxy Z Fold 8 name.

In addition to the phones, we also get to see the new Galaxy Watch models on the wrist, also gripping the new phones, although they don't look quite right.

These images come from Android Headlines and they look really detailed, but there's a distinctly unrealistic look to them. The hands look quite cartoony, the textures are really smooth, and the fabrics don't look realistic.

They look a little too clean, so I'd approach them with caution. Although, having seen numerous other leaks for these devices, they look exactly as we'd expect and this is a good opportunity to compare the sizes of those models.

That's not all that this leak contains. There are also images of two colourways that are going to be Samsung.com exclusives, including the Pistachio Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Mint Z Flip 8.

Samsung always keeps a couple of colours in reserve for those who buy directly from its online store. These colours don't get offered to networks or other retailers.

While buying directly from Samsung might deter some customers, there's often a good deal offered on trade-in, while sometimes there are bundle deals or other offers. It's been said that the pre-order double storage offer is changing for this series, with Samsung instead asking customers to pay 50% of the upgrade cost.

So here we have images for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. All these devices are expected to be revealed on 22 July at the Galaxy Unpacked event in London.

The event was also rumoured to see a new Galaxy Ring, although that hasn't leaked so might not appear – while rumours pointing to the unveiling of the Galaxy Glasses might also be wide of the mark.

There's only a week until we'll have all the official details from the event.

Just last week, a colleague wrote about the incoming Nothing Phone (4b) in a special edition colourway – and the internet lit up with excitement about it. Red is most definitely in.

My pre-release Phone (4b) just arrived on my doorstep for sake of review, and while it's very much not a special edition version – much as I'd want blue or red, I got the white – there was one thing in the box that still stopped me in my tracks.

Behold, the Nothing Phone (4b)'s SIM tool. It is massive. It is unlike anything I've ever seen before. And it is so downright peculiar that I actually kinda love it. Typical SIM tools are too small and dainty, but this one's easy to hold and actually makes sense.

As you can see in my gallery of images, embedded above, there's a USB-C male cable end for approximate comparison. Other phone manufacturers simply don't make SIM tools like this one.

It's perhaps a bit of a spoiler, as the Phone (4a) hasn't gone on general sale as yet – but you can pre-order from £299 on Nothing's Store right now (that's AU$629 in Australia; it's not on sale in the USA).

What else do you get for that low cash outlay? There's a 6.77-inch OLED display, 50-megapixel main camera (and 8MP wide-angle alongside), decent 5200mAh battery capacity, and mid-grade Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip.

Increasingly, however, eSIM is being used by more people, bypassing the need for a physical card. Not so in the Phone (4b), however, as it doesn't support eSIM – save for some special regions, where it's a required specification differentiation.

I'm yet to get into my Nothing Phone (4b) review – and it may be some time yet, what with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 series due at Samsung's second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year.

But if you are on the hunt for a cheap Android phone, then Nothing always has that focus in mind. Indeed, the Phone (4b) is even more cost-effective than the earlier Phone (4a), showing there's still major need for mid-tier handsets, not just fancy flagships and foldables.

Samsung's new folding phones will be announced on 22 July, with pre-orders expected to open soon after. However, you might not get the pre-order perk that you were hoping for.

One of the biggest perks that Samsung has offered in the past is its double storage deal. This sees shoppers getting the 512GB model for the price of 256GB, for example. Sadly, that's set to change with the next generation of Galaxy Z devices.

According to Korean outlet Chosun (via 9to5Google), instead of offering a free storage upgrade, Samsung is only going to offer half the usual discount. That means instead of getting the larger storage at no additional cost, customers will be asked to pay 50% of the difference.

This is in response to the component crisis facing the industry at the moment, it's said, as well as declining profits in Samsung's mobile section. That's not only led to increased prices for Samsung's new phones – thought to be about €100 more per model – but the pre-order benefit will be reduced too.

According to the leaked prices we've seen, that might mean that the 512GB Galaxy Z Flip 8 pre-order offer comes in at €1,359 instead of €1,499. While that's only €60 more than the base price, in previous years customers would only pay the €1,299 price for higher storage under the pre-order deal.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra are expected to be like-for-like replacements of the previous generation, and considering that Samsung offers a seven-year software support promise, that could convince some buyers to opt for older models instead of new.

The model that's going to stand out most this time is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 – the new wider folding phone. As this will introduce a new format, and is expected to be priced lower than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, it could be the model that defines 2026's sales.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to open with a 4:3 internal display while reducing the cameras by dropping the telephoto lens. It might otherwise offer flagship-level power and seeing as it's going to be cheaper than the Ultra, could be the performance phone of choice.

At the moment it's not known if Samsung will have other pre-order incentives: previously there has been the bundling of accessories in some regions, like Galaxy Buds or Galaxy Watch.

According to the source, Samsung will open pre-orders for the new devices on 28 July, with an in-store date of 7 August.

All will be revealed on 22 July at Galaxy Unpacked.

Samsung will be announcing its new portfolio of folding phones on 22 July and there's going to be a change to the display, to reduce the crease and increase durability. Samsung has outlined a new structure for its foldable displays, called Flex Titanium.

While regular displays pose no problem, folding phones have always drawn attention to the fold because of the visible crease. To boost the performance of the folding section of the screen and reduce it, Samsung has turned to titanium.

In the new structure, there's a titanium-alloy film directly behind the OLED panel, replacing a polymer film. Samsung saye that it offers greater mechanical stiffness – up to 20x. This film is said to be a third of the thickness of a human hair.

Beneath the titanium-alloy film is a titanium plate which is flexible, but Samsung says it allows tighter bonding with the rest of the display, eliminating air gaps, and providing more support for the display when unfolded.

Combined, Samsung claims that it "reduces crease visibility", while the OLED panel itself is said to be more efficient with increased performance. Together, the company believes this will set a new standard for folding displays as it looks to fend off rival suppliers BOE.

One thing worth noting, however, is that while these changes take place under the display, the top of the display will still have a protective layer.

I recently wrote about folding phones and their top layer, which is a plastic film. While this can be removed to reveal the ultra-thin glass that sits beneath it, for most phones this will void the warranty and damage the display.

In the past, that top polymer layer has meant that folding displays typically attract lots of reflections, an area where folding screens can't compete with regular displays.

Samsung to launch a trio of folding phones

Samsung is expected to launch three folding phones. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is expected to be nigh on identical to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is expected to be the same as 2025's Galaxy Z Fold 7.

The device that's going to attract the most attention is the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is expected to adopt a wider format, opening with a 4:3 display while making some hardware reductions to be more affordable than the "Ultra".

The wider format of folding phone will likely compete with Apple's much-rumoured iPhone Ultra, that's all but certain to arrive in September.

Rumours have also suggested that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could be the last of that format, although I much prefer the clamshell-style of folding phone for its compact design over the larger book-style devices.

Google's future Pixel 11 phones have spilled out, revealing themselves through both FCC filings as well as a huge retailer leak. With an official announcement scheduled for 12 August, we're left wondering whether Google will have anything left to show.

Starting with the FCC filing, the first reveal we saw was for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, but now six of Google's expected phones appear to be in the FCC listings. This isn't a surprise, but it is great confirmation of what's coming.

The FCC listings, discovered by Droid Life, add to the GZDQ6 number of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold to give us GPQQ7, GUJ0N, G7SWN, GBC0H and G4HCD.

It's thought that GPQQ7 and GUJ0N are Pixel 11 models, G7SWN is the Pixel 11 Pro, while GBC0H and G4HCD are thought to be the Pixel 11 Pro XL. Duplication might refer to different carrier models, some offering 5G mmWave and some not, while the latter models list support for UWB and Thread, while the first two (Pixel 11) do not.

That's enough of model numbers, however, because the huge leak from Amazon is a lot more interesting. This comes from 9to5Google with the discovery of placeholders for three listings that seem to have been published and subsequently retracted.

There are some inconsistencies in the listings, so they are worth approaching with caution. That reveals the Pixel 11 in Sterling, Moss, Fuchsia and Midnight colours, with a 6.3-inch 2424 x 1080 pixel resolution, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM and a price of $899, with the 512GB model at $1,019. There's a 4,985mAh battery.

The Pixel 11 Pro has prices starting at $1,099 for 256GB ranging up to $1,449 for the 1TB model, with a 6.3-inch 2856 x 1280 pixel resolution and 4,850mAh battery. Meanwhile the Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to have a 5,115mAh battery and come in Pine, Midnight, Dune and Light Fog. The XL starts at $1,299 and runs up to $1,649 for 1TB.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is said to have a 4,750mAh battery and come in Pine and Midnight colours. The prices are said to start from $1,899 and head all the way up to $2,249 for the 1TB model.

Here's a quick summary of those prices:

• Pixel 11 - $899 (256GB), $1,019 (512GB)
• Pixel 11 Pro - $1,099 (256GB), $1,219 (512GB), $1,449 (1TB)
• Pixel 11 Pro XL - $1,299 (256GB), $1,419 (512GB), $1,649 (1TB)
• PIxel 11 Pro Fold - $1,899 (256GB), $2,019 (512GB), $2,249 (1TB)

That gives us a full run of colours for the phone, with attached prices, but as these listings weren't supposed to be live, they need to be taken with a pinch of salt. The details that have been extracted are incomplete and the biggest changes – like the move to Tensor G6 or any changes to the cameras – are not detailed.

We're sure there will be further leaks coming for these phones: there's been a flurry over the last couple of days and there's still about a month to go until launch.

Shock news comes from a reliable source, with the suggestion that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could be the last in the series. That's right, Samsung could move away from small format folding phones.

That might come as a shock to many, with the Flip offering a nostalgic hook to clamshell phones of the past and popular with buyers because it's a compact device.

The source of the information – Universe Ice – doesn't offer a reason why, but this rumour has to be taken seriously because of the source.

Traditionally, the Z Flip model outsold the Z Fold, although it's said that that situation reversed in 2025 with the launch of the slimmer and lighter Z Fold 7. However, this doesn't take into account that these phones appeal to completely different users.

There isn't a pot of people determined to buy a folding phone, no matter the format: the Flip is attractive because it has retro charm and is really compact, the Fold's appeal is in offering more screen space. Those are totally different traits.

However, despite the Z Flip model outselling the Z Fold, figures that came from IDC early in 2026 told us that in the US, Motorola had over 50% folding phone market share – and at that time, Motorola only offered flip-type folding phones. This, if nothing else, demonstrates appetite for the format.

But Motorola has had tiered folding devices for a couple of years, with a Razr Ultra model at the top (the latest being the Razr 70 Ultra) and a regular Razr 70 lower down. There's even a Plus model in the middle.

This gives buyer more choice, with lower entry prices to such devices. Samsung didn't make this move until 2025, introducing the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE.

Samsung exiting the market would be a gift for Motorola. While both brands (and all brands) are struggling with rising prices because of the demands that AI is putting on the industry, it's currently a market split between two players.

Samsung might, perhaps, be looking at pressing pause on smaller folding phones until it can reduce the costs to make it more profitable, or it might have simply decided that enough is enough.

This is definitely a rumour to keep an eye on: the end of the Galaxy Z Flip would be a sad day indeed.

Samsung will announce three folding phones on 22 July and it's the Galaxy Z Fold 8 that's going to get most of the attention. In a twist to the naming convention, the new phone will just be called Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the update to the Z Fold 7 will have the Ultra name appended.

The two larger format devices will be launched alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 8 with both the Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra looking exactly like the devices they update from 2025. That puts one phone in the focus as it appears to offer something new.

Thanks to leaked renders of all these devices, we can now see what they look like, along with the expected colours that will be revealed at Galaxy Unpacked.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 sports a wider format, so it's a shorter device, while the cameras on the back have been reduced to two. It's going to miss out on the telephoto camera, but priced cheaper than the Z Fold 8 Ultra. That might be a compromise many will accept.

From the leaked images on Android Headlines (Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Flip 8) we can see Lavender, Graphite and Cream colours, while Pistachio is expected to join the pack. The renders match previous case leaks and dummy leaks.

It's expected that both the Z Fold 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra will be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, after Samsung confirmed that it would be using Snapdragon on Weibo. That could mean that apart from different aspect displays, the camera – and potentially different battery capacities – the two phones will offer very much the same experience.

It's hard to see why you'd pick the Z Fold 8 Ultra.

As for the Ultra, we're expecting to see Cream, Graphite and Purple, with a green colour that's exclusive to Samsung.com.

Looking over these images, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra appears to be exactly the same as the Z Fold 7 from a design perspective and with prices expected to increase over the previous models, some might be deterred, choosing the Z Fold 8 or the older Z Fold 7 instead.

Finally we have the Galaxy Z Flip 8. This, again, looks visually unchanged compared to the Z Flip 7. The expected colours are Cream, Graphite and Pink – while it's also said there could be a Mint version, although that's likely to be a Samsung exclusive.

Samsung exclusives are worthy of your attention if you're buying a phone outright. The manufacturer usually offers competitive trade-in values and is expected to have a double storage offer for preorders, perhaps with other incentives.

Everything will be revealed on 22 July at Galaxy Unpacked, but it's expected that all the attention will be on the new format of Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Honor has plans to join the wide folding trend, with the launch of a device of its own. This was first suggested early in 2026, but that rumour has returned – and now has some specs attached to it.

Key to these specs is the suggestion that the battery will exceed 7,000mAh, which is huge for a folding phone – and something that Honor seems to be especially good at.

The Honor Magic V6 has a 6,660mAh battery which is huge compared to the 4,400mAh battery in the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Honor will likely use silicon-carbon tech to achieve this and likely offer faster charging in its device too.

Honor's challenge to the forthcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8 has been revealed thanks to Digital Chat Station on Weibo. The timing is convenient as Samsung has just confirmed its 22 July launch event for its new folding phones.

It's not just the battery that the leaker is sharing, it's also suggested that it will be a 2nm device, which is interesting. It might use Exynos 2600 but it's unlikely; it might use Dimensity 9600 or it could be one of the launch devices for Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. Both the latter chips are expected to be announced in September 2026.

Moving on, it's suggested that Honor's phone will have a 7.6-inch internal display and 5.5-inch cover display. It's the 5.5-inch screen that's a giveaway here, as the Magic V6 uses a regular aspect is 6.52 inches. So Honor's next foldable is shorter and wider.

We're told that there's a change to the camera layout with a "runway design", with a 200-megapixel main camera as well as a periscope telephoto.

This all points to Honor lining up a wide folding phone that's designed to be the absolute premium: while Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 is expected to slot in under the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and be more affordable, it will sacrifice some hardware in the process., handing the advantage to Honor.

In our recent review of the Honor Magic V6, we praised this phone's endurance, its excellent displays and the zoom camera. Honor's challenge is in software, presenting something that can rival the consistency of One UI, while Samsung's industrial design also shines through.

Honor will no doubt have Apple in the back of its mind too: while the iPhone Ultra is expected to make its debut in September 2026, it could be that Honor has its own maxed-out device looking to assert its dominance on the segment.

Google has scheduled a Made by Google event for 12 August, with invites being sent out for an event in New York. It's expected that the Pixel 11 series of phones will be announced alongside the Pixel Watch 5.

The timing of the event falls a little earlier than previous launches, with the Pixel 10 announcement on 20 August, but it can't be a coincidence that Google confirms its new launch event on the same day that Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked is confirmed.

Google itself has remained rather quiet about the event – there are no teases on social channels – instead the invitation has been sent to media outlets in the US. Whether there will be a parallel events in different regions remains unknown.

The invite is for an evening event in New York, perhaps pointing to a celebrity host. The Pixel 10 launch featured Jimmy Fallon and was more like a chat show. There's every chance that the Pixel 11 launch will be the same.

The invite features a phone with a gold frame, with a design that's expected to be the same as the Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 models. Rumours have pointed to a Pixel Glow feature, a light effect that's expected to range across a number of Google products.

By coincidence, a huge leak from Dealabs has spilled the beans on Google's new devices, pointing to the Pixel 11 coming in grey, black, pink and green colours, with the Pixel 11 Pro in white, black, pink and green. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is thought to come in black and green colours.

The storage is expected to be 256 and 512GB, with a model of the Fold available in 1TB capacity.

Prices are expected to be around €100 higher compared to the Pixel 10 series, which could see the Pixel 11 Pro starting at €1,199 / £1,079. The top spec Pixel 11 Pro Fold would cost €2,389 / £2,149 with the 1TB storage.

The Pixel 11 series is expected to have a new Tensor processor with enhanced Titan security chip, while it's expected to deploy Samsung's latest display tech with a brighter screen and more vibrant colours.

The Pixel Watch 5 is also expected to be announced alongside the new phones.

We've speculated on the date for a fair while but Samsung has finally confirmed its next Galaxy Unpacked, and it promises to be a bumper event.

Taking place in London on Wednesday 22 July 2026, the showcase will be the launch platform for the brand's new foldable phones, smartwatches, and likely earbuds. We might always see the actual Samsung Galaxy Glasses made in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm, and perhaps a surprise or two.

The star of the show though will be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. While it's not been fully confirmed as launching, all the marketing teases and even the new invite suggest it's the main attraction.

That's because the Z Fold 8 will be a wider foldable device than we've seen before – unfolding into more of a tablet shape than the square-like aspect ratio of previous Fold models.

The invite to the event even sports the words "a new shape unfolds" down the side (in small letters). While the tearing of the ticket in the graphic – and accompanying video – signifies the longer form factor being reduced to a wider design.

This is all carefully planned, as Samsung is set to gazump Apple, which will launch its own wider foldable in September – the iPhone Ultra.

Confusingly, it is believed that Samsung has opted not to use "Ultra" for its own wide-aspect foldable phone. It will instead use it on the replacement for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

So basically, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 will not be like the Fold 7, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will. Yeah, we know.

Of course, they're not the only devices we expect to see on 22 July. There will undoubtedly be a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, likely a Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, plus new Galaxy Buds.

The smart glasses were already revealed during Google I/O earlier this year, but we should find out more about them. And maybe we'll see a tease of further Android XR devices – smart glasses with a display, perhaps?

It's certainly not a show to miss, and T3 will be there covering live as usual. You'll be able to follow our reports and watch it live yourself on YouTube and the Samsung Newsroom, starting at 2pm BST (9am EDT).

Nothing has had a busy year, launching the Phone (4a) and the Phone (4a) Pro, the latter introducing an aluminium unibody to give it a sleek design. But there's another phone joining the pack in the form of the Nothing Phone (4b).

The (b) doesn't actually stand for anything, but it marks out a new tier of phones, still part of the 4 family, but taking a step down. So while some of the specs will be a grade lower, we're expecting it to be cheaper too.

Here's how to watch the unveiling of the Nothing Phone (4a) live, as well as a rundown of everything we know about Nothing's new affordable phone.

How to watch the Nothing Phone (4b) launch?

The Nothing Phone (4b) launch will be livesteamed on YouTube, where it's likely that we'll see an introduction from co-founder Carl Pei, with support from other Nothing execs. The video is near the top of the page for your convenience, or you can watch it on YouTube here.

The Nothing Phone (4b) launch will take place at 11am BST on 7 July 2026.

What to expect from the Nothing Phone (4b)

The Nothing Phone (4b) design has already been revealed, while there's also going to be a special limited edition model for cricket fans. The design reflects what as saw with the Nothing Phone (4a), but with some modifications to reflect its lower positioning.

Nothing has confirmed that it's Snapdragon powered, with leaks suggesting that it'll come with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. That positions it as an entry- to mid-range device, as does the expected 8GB RAM.

Moving on, Nothing hasn't officially revealed much more, but we believe that it will have a 5,000mAh battery on the international version while India will have a 6,000mAh battery.

There's thought to be a 6.7-inch screen with 120Hz refresh, while there are Glyph lights on the back as part of the design – with blue, black and white models expected.

The camera is said to be 50-megapixels with an 8-megapixel ultrawide, while there's a 16-megapixel camera on the front.

What's exciting about the Nothing Phone (4b) is that you're getting a great design and a nice big display.

We don't know the price at the moment, but we're expecting it to be in Nothing stores from 11 July.

Nothing is preparing to launch its next phone and if you had any doubts about how serious the company is about India, this latest pairing should make everything clear.

While Nothing flaunts the blue version of its handsets via its global accounts, Nothing India is showing off a limited edition of the phone that you'd be able to pick up at the Nothing Store in Bengaluru, bedecked in the RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) colours.

It's an interesting pairing as we've seen brands working with football teams in the past, but cricket is less common. While local fans will likely be wildly excited, it's a great design and should to be sought after by those looking for something a bit different.

Nothing recently confirmed that its budget line CMF would not be releasing a new phone in 2026, just days before we caught wind of more exciting plans.

With the Nothing Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro already available, no one saw the Nothing Phone (4b) coming. It takes that Nothing DNA and strips out some of the specs to give us what's expected to be a slightly more affordable phone.

Nothing, in its normal style, has happily shared that the phone will be revealed on 7 July, with an 11am BST time, and it now adds to the details. It's going to be available from 11 July at the Soho store for those in Nothing's hometown, London.

Nothing has also confirmed that it will be a Snapdragon-powered phone, with previous leaks suggesting Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. Elsewhere, we're expecting a 6.7-inch screen with 120Hz, and there'll be a dual camera on the rear of the phone.

What's striking about the Nothing Phone (4b) is the design and while we don't know what the price will be – the Phone (4a) is £379 – we're expecting it to firmly sit at the affordable end of the Android spectrum.

Nothing will likely confirm more of the specs before the launch next week, but we'll soon have all the details.

Samsung has now officially started teasing its next folding phone, showing off a shorter stature device. It's expected to launch as the new Galaxy Z Fold 8, a shorter but wider folding phone. And while Samsung hasn't officially confirmed the date of the launch event, a fresh leak gives us a hint.

We first heard details for Galaxy Unpacked in April, with the suggestion that the event would take place in London on 22 July. That's the timeframe that we've been working towards, and that's now corroborated with a leak directly from Samsung.

In this case, Samsung Malaysia (via SamMobile) shared details about a pre-order voucher via the Samsung Members app, which said that the voucher was valid from 22 July through to 4 October.

Through the offer, those pre-registering to buy the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra could get RM700 off (about £130 / $170 / €150). There also appears to be an offer for wearables too, with the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 expected on launch day.

That ties in nicely with what we've been hearing about the launch of Samsung's new devices. While the price may be increased because of rising component costs, it's expected that Samsung will have a range of pre-order offers.

That's expected to include the double storage offer, which represents a real saving and benefit, while trade in values could also be increased.

What is expected at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

Samsung is expected to have a busy event come launch day. First of all, we're expecting a complete refresh of its folding phones, including:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Then we're expecting updates to Galaxy Watch, expected to include:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

There might be more on offer too, with the expectation that Samsung will be showing off its Android XR glasses. The models built with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker were briefly demoed at Google I/O, with a launch expected later in the summer.

We're also likely to see the introduction of One UI 9 on Android 17.

While the event is expected to take place on 22 July (a Wednesday), with pre-orders opening immediately, the in-store date is likely to be 31 July at the earliest (Friday the following week). Either way, there's not long to go and the official build-up has started.

While Samsung readies itself to announce its new folding phones on 22 July there's been no shortage of leaks. Now we have images claiming to be the official cases that Samsung will offer, modelled by the new phones.

The phone that everyone is excited about is the Galaxy Z Fold 8. That's thought to be the name for the wider model, with the taller model adopting the Ultra name. Finally, we also have cases for the Galaxy Z Flip 8, which appears to be much the same as the previous version.

These cases where shared by Android Headlines, a site with a reputation to leaking information of this type. These are high quality images, so look believable.

The collections appear to be based around aramid fibre cases, including a kickstand, as well as clear cases. There are also silicon cases including magnetic charging rings.

Starting with the aramid fibre cases, these appear to come in a number of colours, likely to support the colours of the phones, so there should be different options to match the two different Fold models. Above is a selection on cases on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Samsung's next-gen folding phones are also going to feature clear case options with artist designs from Esher Kim, Joker and Kakao Corp – which adds a nice touch, as seen below.

Next we have some silicon cases, which aren't as exciting as the previous ones, but give a good look at the three folding phone models that Samsung is going to launch. While the Z Flip 8 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra look the same as they did before, the addition of the Z Fold 8 (the wide one) looks great.

This is just a selection of the cases that Samsung is expected to offer – and there are many more pictures over at the source so you can get an idea of what you might dress your next folding phone in.

Currently, it's believed that Galaxy Unpacked will be taking place in London on 22 July, with the new wider folding model lining up to be the star of the show.

For the better part of the last decade, foldable phones have been the ultimate marker of a phone brand's ingenuity and innovation. That's only set to get more prominent, as it seems Apple will enter the space with its iPhone Ultra later this year.

But Samsung is already looking beyond the world of folding handsets. According to a new report, the brand is working on a device with a rollable display, which could launch in the first half of 2028.

It's not the first time we've seen rollable displays. Lenovo has been a major player in this arena, with many concepts being showcased at trade shows around the world over the last few years.

This feels a little different, though. The report suggests that the device from Samsung will be a full production model, rather than just a concept.

There's also no denying that Samsung is more of a household name brand, and we've already seen what kind of impact that can have. You only need to look at the Samsung Galaxy Ring and the subsequent uptick in smart ring interest to see that.

According to SamMobile, the device is expected to feature a 10-inch OLED panel, with a pixel density of 440ppi. That should make it a bit of a productivity demon, which can blur the lines between a traditional phone and tablet, similarly to how foldable phones have.

Personally, I'm really interested in this. I've always advocated for more innovation in the modern phone space, where things can often feel very one-dimensional.

While I can't possibly say whether or not this would be any good, I already know that it would be markedly different to anything else on the market right now – and that can only ever be a good thing. It's still a little way off, but we'll be keeping a very close eye on how this one develops.

First impressions of Samsung's forthcoming folding phones raise a question over the "Ultra" naming for one of the devices, while the new format device garners more excitement.

Samsung will launch two book-style folding phones soon. The first will be an update to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and one will be a new wider model. However, the Ultra label that's been added to the replacement for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – retaining the old style – isn't justified based on the first impressions from one leaker.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra appears to have got its name because it’s a superior device based on the spec sheet. But a familiar leaker – Lanzuk on Naver – says that the crease and the "display pixels" are better on the wider device.

If the display is better on the wide device, then it's going to be harder for the Ultra phone to earn its name.

Elsewhere, Lanzuk says that first impressions of the wide folding phone is how light it is, calling it "unbelievable", before going on to say "the overall perceived weight is really light".

This has been a focus for Samsung, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 weighing 239g and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 weighing 215g. It's suggested that the wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 will weigh 200g, which is about the weight of a regular candybar phone.

More impressively, the leaker says it "feels like a new beginning".

While talking about the Ultra name, we get the impression that the wide model presents the display better than the updated legacy phone.

What else do we learn about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra?

While the post gives us snippets of information, it's easy to get the sense that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is going to be exciting, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra isn't.

As a new format device, the wider phone has an advantage, especially if it tackles the two areas of weight (or bulk) as well as the quality of the display and the crease. Those things might overrule the rest of the package and help it appeal to buyers.

From leaks, we've seen that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will have two cameras, while the Ultra will have a third camera, likely the telephoto. That's probably the distinction that Samsung is drawing between these two phones, which are otherwise expected to have the same core power and offer the same overall experience.

What will really matter is pricing: the Ultra name might attract a higher price handing another advantage to the new device.

While specs and prices are important, Lanzuk nails a key point: first impressions will matter. Some will be drawn to Samsung's folding phones for the first time in 2026 – perhaps spurred on by Apple's forthcoming iPhone Ultra launch – and the lighter weight of the wider device could be what sells it.

Nothing will announce the Nothing Phone (4b) on 7 July, expanding its range of phones towards the more affordable. While the company has confirmed that we won't be getting a new CMF phone, it seems that this is going to be the affordable route to a Nothing Phone.

The reason that plans for a new CMF phone have been put on hold is the increasing price of components, so it might be that moving to Nothing Phone allows the brand to use some of its existing design to reduce manufacturing costs, while enabling a slightly higher price.

As teased on X, Nothing says it "kept sketching the Phone (4a) series and accidentally made a new phone".

The brand has now gone a little further, revealing the design of this new device, sporting two cameras on the back – and the Glyph Bar from the Nothing Phone (4a).

Through a series of social posts, we've been treated to a number of design teases and it looks like transparency will remain in the top section around the cameras, while the rest of the body looks like it's an aluminium unibody – although it could just as easily be plastic.

At the same time, the Nothing Phone (4b) is listed on Flipkart, giving us a good look at the design (above).

Nothing has also clarified that "b" doesn't stand for anything, it's just a new segment for the brand, designed to slot in under the existing "a" devices. That hardly needed explaining, but there it is, but it's clear that the Nothing Phone (4b) is an evolution of the devices already launched this year.

While official specs are yet to be confirmed, we also have a Geekbench listing (via GizmoChina) for the device, which tells us that it's powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, which is the sort of hardware expected at the affordable end of the spectrum. That also confirms 8GB RAM and Android 16.

Beyond that, a reliable leaker suggested that there will be 128 and 256GB options and the phone will come in three colours – including the blue that's being teased, black and white. The screen is said to be a 6.7-inch AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate.

While two cameras are clearly seen on the design, it's not clear what the make-up is: it's likely to be the 50-megapixel camera from the Nothing Phone (3a) Lite, along with the 8-megapixel ultrawide. That would be typical for a cheaper phone.

That's currently all the details we have, but new leaks and official teases seem to be appearing every day, so it's likely we'll have a complete breakdown of the specs before the phone is official announced in a couple of weeks.

CMF made a big impact in smartphones with the CMF Phone 1 and CMF Phone 2 Pro, but it seems like that's the end of the line for the darling of affordable phones – and it's all down to a familiar problem.

When CMF launched its phones, the general reaction was "how is this so cheap?". Therein lies the problem: the components that Nothing would need for the CMF Phone 3 Pro are no longer cheap.

Rather than remain silent on the issue, both Carl Pei (Nothing CEO) and Akis Evangelidis (Nothing co-founder and president) have both come forward to talk about the problem.

Posting on X, Akis Evangelidis said in a long post: "We've decided not to launch a new CMF phone this year."

The reason for that comes down to memory prices: "We were working on a successor but with memory prices where they are right now, we can't build a phone that feels like a genuine step forward at a price that makes sense for CMF," he added.

This builds on messaging that we'd previously seen from Carl Pei, who said: "For Phone (4a), memory costs doubled between when we decided to build the device and when it launched. They've doubled again since.

"If you've been waiting to upgrade a device, the best time was yesterday. The next best time is now. This year's sale season won't have the discounts people are used to."

The increase in prices – to sate the appetite of ever growing demands from AI – seems to have claimed its first victim in CMF, with the brand's devices also pulled from the Nothing online store.

But there's a glimmer of hope for affordable devices elsewhere: returning to Akis' message, he says: "Oh and the smartphone launch season at Nothing isn't over yet. More to come. Soon."

Cue a post on Nothing India teasing the Nothing Phone (4b).

As is typical of Nothing, we get to see a pencil sketch of what looks like a new device, with a couple of hints. First, the caption is "(b)usted", while at the end of the clip, the pencils are laid down and the one that's been used is the 4B.

It's hard to imagine it's anything other than the Nothing Phone 4(b). We saw the £349 Nothing Phone (4a) launched in March and it's not instantly clear how the Nothing Phone (4b) fits in.

One of the frames appears to show a round element that could be a single camera, so perhaps this is a way to bring the price down further. Will this undercut the Nothing Phone 3a Lite (which was £249) or will it replace that device's price point?

As the teasing has officially started, we should know soon.

Samsung's forthcoming folding phones – the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 – will come with a higher price than previous years, according to a fresh leak. However, Samsung plans to offset that with more incentives to encourage people to buy.

The details about the increase in price come from Lanzuk on the Naver blog, saying (translated) that "the price increase for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series models is confirmed", citing sources in European and Asian sales channels.

That news is going to come as a blow for those looking to upgrade or move to a folding phone, but shouldn't come as a surprise. The surging demand for hardware to fuel the AI boom has pushed up component prices.

Current estimates suggest that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could be around $1,200 (the Z Flip 7 is $1,099) while the Z Fold 8 Ultra could be $2,100 (compared to $1,999). Direct exchange to UK prices don't work, because it's already more expensive in the UK, but it could be a 1:1 exchange, ie., £1,200 and £2,100.

To offset this price increase, Samsung will reportedly look at more pre-order perks and bundles, higher trade-in values and repeat the storage upgrades that it's offered before, according to Phone Arena.

The details of those offers aren't specified, but they do have real value: the pre-order offer for double storage on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 meant that a 512GB phone could be had for the price of a 256GB phone – in the UK that's worth about £200.

Trade-in is also a serious consideration, as your existing phone could be worth hundreds, especially if it's a recent model. When it comes to preorders, those things are definitely worth factoring in.

What is Samsung going to launch?

Samsung is expected to host Galaxy Unpacked on 22 July where the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (the new, wider model), Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will likely be launched.

The introduction of a wider folding phone with the standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 name suggests that it's going to be cheaper than the replacement for the Z Fold 7, which will get the Ultra name.

There's the suggestion that the Ultra will have a higher capacity battery than the Z Fold 7, with faster charging, and support for the S Pen will return. Otherwise, we're not expecting huge design changes.

The launch of these new Samsung devices is rapidly approaching, and we'll soon have all the answers.

If you've ever wanted an iPhone but didn't fancy buying one from Apple, there may well be a solution for you. That's because Honor has just shown off it's Android 17 update – and it looks very familiar.

Blink and you'd be forgiven for mistaking this for Apple's Liquid Glass operating system. In fact, even if you stared at it longingly, I'd give you a pass – this is practically a clone of Apple's design language.

It's not uncommon for brands – especially those based in China – to take some fairly blatant inspiration from Apple when designing their hardware and software. However, it's fair to say this one goes further than most.

Those glass-like halos surround apps and buttons, control panels and notification all in broadly the same manner that you'd find them on iOS. Even the large clock display shown looks identical to the standard iPhone one, though I suspect that's customisable to a degree.

Check out videos of the design here: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

The MagicOS 11 update is currently being tested on devices in the Honor Magic 8 series. It's expected to launch later in the year for other models, meaning a full launch should only be weeks away.

Personally, I'm not a fan of this. While I understand why brands follow the lead of Apple so closely, I can't help but feel it narrows the pool of what's available.

I've said it time and time again here at T3, but there's a lot less innovation and differentiation between handsets these days, and it's something I'd love to see changed. Who wants to effectively choose between the same offering from Apple, Google, Samsung, Honor, Oppo and more, when we could have something different designed with ingenuity from each brand?

I'm sure the new software will prove popular when it launches, and that's almost certainly enough to justify it. I just hope that brands spring forward from here with a bit more of their own personality.

Honor's forthcoming X80 Pro Max phone will have a screen brightness rated to 10,000 nits the company has confirmed, alongside messaging that suggests it will offer a "high-brightness sunlight screen" (translated).

Screen brightness has become the new metric that manufacturers measure themselves against, with recent launches turning the dial on peak brightness. That's seen phones like the Motorola Edge 70 Fusion boasting 5,200 nits.

In the case of the Honor X80 Pro Max, the 10,000 nits display will represent a 67% increase in brightness over the X70 Pro Max at 6,000 nits. It sounds great, but what does it actually mean?

In reality, it means very little. It's undeniable that a mobile display that can produce 10,000 nits is an engineering achievement, but it won't enhance the day-to-day use of the phone.

Peak brightness applies to a very small percentage of the screen and it's only used to display HDR content. That allows pinpoint brightness – like a star in the sky – rather than this being a way to combat reflections and increase daylight visibility.

That's where Honor's marketing – via GizmoChina – should be approached with caution: it won't be using 10,000 nits to increase daylight visibility.

Phones typically have a high brightness mode (HBM) which is what you see when you step out of the house on a sunny day. When HBM is used, the screen is ramped up to counter the effect of high ambient brightness and reflections. It means content remains visible.

Phones with a lower brightness suffer in such conditions, but in recent years pretty much every phone now offers a high brightness display.

Ramping up the brightness has other side effects: it consumes battery at a much higher rate and it produces a lot of heat. Sustaining 10,000 nits across the whole display would probably cause it to melt.

Indeed, the HBM on the X80 Pro Max is 2,000 nits, which is well within the reach of most other recent phones. So in that sense, the high peak brightness of the X80 Pro Max doesn't matter.

Then we come to HDR content. Phones use high brightness is to display HDR photos. This gives an image a lot more contrast, with highlights that really pop off the screen.

But I've seen images on a TV capable of 10,000 nits – the TCL X11L – and those high brightness images can be uncomfortable to watch. While the scale of a phone is different, it's unlikely that anything will ever be shown at 10,000 nits on the display.

Finally, it's worth a mention of HDR standards in the movies. Dolby Vision and HDR10 both allow up to 10,000 nits in their specification, but current HDR mastering is around 1,000 to 4,000 nits.

Professional mastering monitors sit at 4,000 nits and this is typically the brightest HDR peak that Hollywood will master to. Theoretically, through Dolby Vision or HDR10 support you could watch a movie containing those sorts of peak brightnesses on your phone – but there aren't any movies mastered to 10,000 nits.

So, for Honor this is a marketing move for its X series device that otherwise offers Snapdragon 6 Gen 5, a 50-megapixel rear camera and a plastic frame. There's also a huge 11,000mAh battery.

If the Honor X80 Pro Max is to launch outside China, it will likely be renamed before it arrives.

With the Steam Deck and other gaming handhelds soaring in price (the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is a staggering $1,800) you might want to turn to a device that's already in your pocket.

Android games are moving much closer to their console counterparts these days, while emulation apps – such as GameNative – allow you to play almost the entire Steam PC catalogue on an Android smartphone or tablet.

Google clearly recognises this and, as part of its forthcoming Android 17 update, has included a new mode that will turn a foldable phone into a clamshell gaming handheld.

Foldable Gaming Mode will work with devices such as the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. It effectively turns them into a full gaming phone by utilising the bottom half of the internal display as a controller, while running the game in the upper.

This makes the experience more like a clamshell handheld, such as the Android-powered Retroid Pocket Flip 2, although the controls are touchscreen rather than physical.

I'm not so keen on touchscreen controls, especially during fast-action games that require quick, responsive inputs. I'll often miss a button if I can't feel it, and that can be the difference between dodging or taking a rocket to the face in an FPS.

Be wary...

There's also a major caveat – foldable displays aren't always as sturdy as their single-screen counterparts. As they need to fold, they are normally covered with a softer material rather than glass, and so you could run the risk of damaging your screen if you get over enthusiastic.

Still, it's an interesting concept, especially as Google claims on its blog that the control pad will be dynamic. That means developers can give you the controls you need for their specific game, so the pad can change in style per title.

Android 17 will also improve the use of external controllers, it is said, with native controller remapping. And frame drops and stutters will be better managed though more efficient memory cleanup.

Foldable Gaming Mode will be available as part of Android 17 "in the coming months".

If you're using a Google Pixel handset, you could be in line for a decent suite of upgrades pretty soon. That's because a new set of adverts have been spotted, which seem to showcase the next edition of features coming as part of the Pixel Drop series.

That's expected to arrive pretty soon based on the historic schedule for such releases, meaning we could see it any day now. So, what exactly is coming?

As reported by DroidLife, there are a few different ads being shown at the moment, which each point towards a different feature. Those are Screen Reactions for Creators, Gemini Omni and Music Generation.

As noted in that report, the latter two features are already available as part of the Google Gemini offering. That does suggest that there's something more to this, though it's not something they were able to gleam from the videos. Sadly, they've since been removed.

The Screen Reactions feature essentially enables the user to react to what's on their screen with a cutout of their face from the selfie camera. That does appear to be a feature exclusive for Pixel devices, and will be handy for capturing reaction content.

The report does also note a small – but potentially significant – change in terminology. Previously, the new features for Google Pixel devices were unveiled as part of something called the Pixel Feature Drop, but now appears to only be dubbed the Pixel Drop.

Whether or not that's significant remains to be seen, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on. Regardless, it's exciting to see some new features coming to these handsets after a few months without a new arrival.

With new devices anticipated towards the end of the year, there should be a lot to look forward to for fans of the Google Pixel range before 2026 draws to a close.

Oppo could be developing a wider format folding phone to compete with the iPhone Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8. The device – which might be called the Oppo Find N7 – could offer a creaseless display and be packed with power.

Samsung is expected announce its wider folding phone in July, before Apple makes its entry to the market with the iPhone Ultra in September. Oppo could follow a little later, with the new folding model said to use the as yet unannounced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6.

With that hardware not expected until September at the earliest, Oppo's new device might not get announced until Q1 2027.

The details come from Digital Chat Station on Weibo (via GSMArena), who outlines that there will be 7.6-inch folding display and a 5.5-inch screen on the cover.

The new Oppo phone is expected to use the creaseless technology seen on the Oppo Find N6, where the hinge is scanned and 3D liquid printing is used to make sure the surface is perfectly flat to better support the screen.

Moving to a wider format of folding phone seems to be the industry trend right now, with many brands looking to offer a rival device to Apple's folding phone when it's announced. It's thought that the wider display has been chosen because it's more useful, more like a small tablet than the square displays of current models.

So far only Huawei has a wide folding phone, but that's set to change with a flurry of devices expected over the coming months.

Samsung is expected to launch a wider model – called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 – alongside the traditional style of folding phone that will adopt the name Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Folding phone shipments are expected to grow by 20% in 2026 according to Counterpoint Research, although in 2025, folding phones only made up 1.6% of the global smartphone market.

Folding phones remain a premium option with a high price attached, with Samsung and Huawei dominating global shipments so far.

Given the existing launch time frames for the next generation of folding phone, Oppo's new device is set to have a later generation of hardware than Samsung, which could make it a tempting alternative.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 has just appeared in an official capacity for the first time. No, nothing has come from Samsung itself yet, but the model number for the new phone has appeared in the GSMA database.

GSMA is the organisation that manages the global mobile ecosystem. Getting listed on its database brings the Galaxy S27 into the real world and out of the realm of sheer speculation.

That means the phone is real, with the SM-S952U model number listed (via Smartprix). The U indicates that this is a model for the US, but for now, that's all we have. For reference, the Galaxy S26 is SM-S942U.

Of course, we knew that Samsung would be launching the Galaxy S27 without this confirmation: it's one of the world's biggest phone manufacturers and it's not just going to abandon that. And naturally, because we're talking about the internal model number, there's every chance it won't be called the Galaxy S27, but that would be a huge break with tradition.

We're expecting to see the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27 Plus and Galaxy S27 Ultra as the next run of Samsung's flagship phones, although launch shouldn't be expected until January or February 2027.

What else do we know about the Samsung Galaxy S27?

While this is the first time the model number has appeared somewhere official, it's not the first we've heard about Samsung's plans, although most have focused on the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

There's been a rumour that it might use a LOFIC sensor for the main camera to boost the performance. That's on top of the 3x telephoto camera potentially being dropped from the selection.

But elsewhere we've heard that Samsung could have another model, the Galaxy S27 Pro. This is pitched as sitting above the Plus and below the Ultra, with a large display and premium camera, but without S Pen support – something that could be really popular.

In recent years, Samsung's phones have only seen minor changes from year to year, the biggest introduction in 2026 being Privacy Display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. And although the Galaxy S25 Edge was a major addition the year before, it didn't continue after that first model.

That might temper expectations for the next generation: will we see a dramatic change from Samsung? It's unlikely.

Samsung's Galaxy S FE range is something of an oddity, offering a mid-year alternative to Samsung's flagship phones. And for 2026, it looks like we'll be getting the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE.

The FE phone – standing for Fan Edition – isn't expected until after the launch of the new Galaxy Z devices, so it's likely that it will appear in August or September. It'll offer a discount on the flagship phones, while still delivering much of the experience of those devices.

Our first look at this phone reveals a design that's pretty much as we expect. It looks just like the Galaxy S26, with the raised camera presentation on the back. The images come from a listing at the Wireless Power Consortium (via 9to5Google), so we know it will have wireless charging at least.

We don't know much else about the Galaxy S26 FE, aside from a previous rumour that suggested that Samsung might be switching from using Samsung Display sourced panels, to CSOT, a change you probably won't even notice.

As Samsung generally continues much of a device's specifications from one year to the next, I'd expect that to be a 6.7-inch screen with 120Hz, with an Exynos 2500 sitting at its core. That's the hardware that powers the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy S26 FE is expected to have a triple camera as shown in the image, comprised of a 50-megapixel main, 12-megapixel ultrawide and 8-megapixel telephoto with 3x optical zoom.

Samsung is in a bit of a bind with this phone: having kept the same camera hardware on the Galaxy S26 models, it can't really make changes to the Galaxy S26 FE without cannibalising those devices. The weakest camera is that 8-megapixel telephoto, but moving to a 10-megapixel sensor would present the same camera as the more expensive Galaxy S26.

The battery is expected to stick to 4,900mAh with 45W charging, while it would be reasonable to expect it to run Android 17 with One UI 9 out of the box – with seven years of updates.

The Galaxy S25 FE launched at £649.00 / $649.99 and we'd expect the Galaxy S26 FE to arrive with the same price. The Galaxy S26 is priced at £879.00 / $899.99.

The changes, then, apart from the design, are likely to come in the software features that it offers and increased power from the new hardware.

Samsung hasn't made huge hardware changes to recent devices, so it would be entirely typical for the Galaxy S26 FE to be much the same as before, just to offer a slightly cheaper sub-flagship option.

Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at a forthcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, with the name confirmed after a listing appeared on a certification site.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra has been listed on Bluetooth SIG, where all Bluetooth devices are registered, with the listing revealing a range of model numbers. It was uncovered by Sumahodigest in Japan.

The various model numbers listed align with different carriers in Japan, confirming that's it will be available from all the major national networks.

While that's great news for readers in Japan, what's more interesting is confirmation of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra name.

We've previously heard this name, but it's thought that Samsung is going to shuffle the naming of its devices, with the Ultra name getting appended to devices with the exsiting format - i.e., the replacement for the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

That leaves the old name - Galaxy Z Fold 8 - to the new shorter format "wide" model which is where most of the excitement is focused right now.

So, while confirmation of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra name leads us towards Samsung's plans for its next-gen folding phones, while also confirming that launch is imminent, it's the Galaxy Z Fold 8 that we're more interested in, even if that sounds counterintuitive.

The reason for the switch in naming is because the Ultra will be the higher spec device, offering three cameras on the back rather than two. There may be more to set these devices apart, but so far we don't have a full breakdown of other differences.

Samsung is thought to be launching the Galaxy Z Fold series at Galaxy Unpacked on 22 July, with the shorter format of phone pitched to fend off the anticipated iPhone Ultra.

The thing that's likely to differentiate Apple's folding phone from Samsung's is the price: the iPhone Ultra is thought to cost around $2,500.

With Samsung's folding phone previously costing around $2,000, it might be that Samsung's wide model is cheaper than the "Ultra" – making it look like good value compared to Apple.

We've reached that point in the rumour cycle where things step into the real world, with the new format Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 spotted out in a restaurant. The excursion helps build confidence that we're going to see this model introduced by Samsung soon.

Following the likes of dummy units appearing online (such as the new shots shared by UniverseIce on X), it's not uncommon for new smartphone models to be spotted in the wild. Now Samsung is doing a turn here. In this case, the source of the images says they were taken at 20x zoom and apologises for the quality.

The Samsung phone appears to be in a protective (or camouflage) case so it looks quite bulky on the table, but we also get a good look at how it might sit in the hand.

From the photos, we can see two cameras on the rear, but that's about all. There are other phones on the table and it's not uncommon for those working on developing devices to use them out in public.

Indeed, this sort of leak is so common, that if you were cynically minded, you might say that it's deliberate to keep the hype rolling, safe in the knowledge that the photos taken don't really reveal anything at all – it certainly wouldn't be the first time that's happened.

For those who haven't kept up with the leaks, it's thought that Samsung is shifting device names around, so the new wider model of phone will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the conventional aspect model will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra – likely to compete with the iPhone Ultra that's expected later in the year.

Samsung is thought to be announcing its new devices on 22 July at Galaxy Unpacked, with the new compact model shifting the aspect of the folding display, resulting in a shorter but wider device.

Until now, Samsung has focused on a slightly taller type of folding phone that evolved from its original device in 2019. Over the years, this type of device has moved to offer larger displays and got significantly thinner with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

It's thought that the change in naming will reflect that Samsung's taller format device will remain the flagship with a triple camera, although Samsung fans will be quick to point out that it doesn't compare to the Galaxy S Ultra that also carries the name.

An image has appeared online showing the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. It comes from a reliable source, but it's said that these phones are dummy versions of the devices expected at Samsung's next launch event.

Samsung is thought to be announcing a new format of folding phone on 22 July at its Galaxy Unpacked event, which is shorter and wider, taking on the name Galaxy Z Fold 8. The Ultra name will be applied to the larger device, the one with the traditional format.

The change in names is thought to reflect the different positioning of these devices and as this image shows, the Ultra model has an additional camera and is expected to be slightly higher spec.

The image has been shared by UniverseIce and it's not the first time that we've seen these devices side-by-side – although previously it was in graphic from within unreleased Samsung software.

As these are dummy devices, the source is unknown: they could very well have been manufactured to match that previous image and based on leaked measurements, so don't take this as official in any way.

Samsung is thought to be releasing the wider format of folding phone to fend off Apple's arrival in the folding phone space with the iPhone Ultra, which is thought to offer a similar design, more like a folding iPad mini.

While we don't have many details about the design of the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 devices, it's expected that they will continue the thin and light theme from the Galaxy Z Fold 7. This dummy phone certainly looks like the previous device.

It's also thought that the telephoto camera will be dropped on the wide model, part of the motivation behind the switching of the names.

At the same time, the Galaxy Z Fold has never quite had parity with the hardware offered on the Samsung Galaxy S Ultra model, so some might question why the renaming is taking place.

Samsung it thought to be hosting Galaxy Unpacked on 22 July, with a rumour suggesting that the launch will take place in London.

It's expected that there will be a new Galaxy Z Flip model and a Galaxy Watch, as well as more information on Android XR devices developed with Samsung.

The crease in the display has long been a point of contention in folding phones, but it could be much improved on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series according to an established leaker.

In a recent post on X, UniverseIce claims that the "crease control on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is just as impressive as that of the Oppo Find N6".

When we previewed the Oppo Find N6, we said that it has "an unfolded display that feels flat across its entire surface", thanks to an innovative 3D liquid printing solution. That's a great starting point for Samsung's next folding phone.

The solution, it seems, is about supporting the area behind the display. While hinge designs are often talked about, we currently don't know what changes Samsung is going to make for its next folding phones.

As the source refers to the "series", it's expected that the crease control will be impressive in both the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (that's the wide model) as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (that's the normal/old format). If you didn't get the memo, it's believed that Samsung is shuffling the names around.

So, how will this change the experience? Users of folding phones usually report that they don't notice the crease in the display. Yes, you can feel it when you run your finger over it, but typically, when there's content on the display, you can't really see it.

When the screen is off, the darkness then shows the crease much more prominently, but regardless, it's been a focal point for discussions around folding phones and it's certainly an area that has been progressively improved.

It might be that with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, Samsung hits peak crease flatness and we can move on to something else, like usability.

Samsung is expected to launch two Z Fold models in 2026, with a wider version thought to be designed to counter the arrival of Apple with its first folding phone, thought to be called the iPhone Ultra.

Currently, it's believed that Samsung will position the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra as the top model, while the wide model is more affordable, with slightly pared back specs.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 – the wide model that's expected to launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra – feels more real than ever after appearing in a quick video.

The video is described as using a "low-quality dummy" of the wide folding phone from Samsung, but it has been shared by a reputable source, UniverseIce.

It gives us a much better idea of how the phone will sit in the hand and what it's actually going to be like to grasp, which previous renders have not.

Samsung is thought to be launching a wider format folding phone in response to Apple's entrance to the folding phone market with the iPhone Ultra. Up 'til now, we've mostly been calling this phone the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, but recent information suggests it's just going to be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The existence of the phone feels pretty certain at this point, with Samsung including it in the One UI 9 beta.

The design of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 appears to use the same language as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with squared sides that should almost seamlessly meet when the phone is closed.

There are two cameras on the rear, so it's a step down from the three cameras of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, with the expectation that the telephoto camera is the one that's dropped. It looks a little like the Galaxy S25 Edge as a result.

We don't get to see the folding display on the interior, but then this is a dummy model and it's probably just a blank panel.

What's most striking about it is the width: the current candybar design of phone has evolved over the years so that even with larger screens, it's manageable. That was thanks mainly to adopting a 20:9 format, so that it fits comfortably in the hand, even with a larger screen.

The width of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is 77.6mm, while this folding phone could be 82.2mm wide, not to mention that it could be 9.8mm thick. While these are only small increases over a traditional phone, it could be a little harder to use and feel bulky.

Samsung is thought to be hosting Galaxy Unpacked on 22 July which is where we should see both formats of folding phones released.

Ever wished travel could be just that little bit easier? Well, if you're a Samsung Galaxy user, your wish may have just been granted.

As reported by T3's sister publication, Android Central, Samsung phones can now act as a TSA-approved digital passport. The brand has partnered with CLEAR to offer verified Digital IDs in the Samsung Wallet.

The service will be available at over 250 TSA checkpoints and selected sporting venues in the USA, though it's currently only available in that country. To make use of the feature, you'll need a US passport and a Galaxy handset capable of running Android 9.0 or higher.

From there, simply head to the Quick Access section within the Samsung Wallet and click the plus button to add a new option. Under the Digital IDs section, you should now see an option called Samsung ID with CLEAR.

In theory, that then makes travel at any of the approved locations as easy as tapping your phone or scanning a QR code. And there's no need to worry about the safety or security of the system, with the brand's Knox hardware security ensuring everything is kept safe.

Personally, I think this is a really neat addition to the Samsung suite of features. While it's definitely not a catch all solution – you'll only be able to use it for domestic travel, for example – it's a good sign of what's possible with modern technology.

I certainly hope that such a feature could become more commonplace around the world. It would allow us to streamline the process and, potentially, do away with outdated physical documents.

There's still a way to go before we get to that point, though. For now, at least, a large swathe of Android users in the USA can reap the benefits – with the rest of us watching on jealously!

The naming of Samsung's forthcoming folding phones have been leaked from a reliable source, with the claim that we'll be getting the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. That leads to some irregular naming for Samsung's wide folding phone.

Samsung has long been rumoured to be working on a wider format of folding phone, thought to counter the arrival of Apple into the segment. Apple's folding phone could be called the iPhone Ultra – and Samsung might have an "ultra" foldable of its own.

However, rather than calling the new wider model Ultra, Samsung is said to be renaming its existing format device to be the Ultra model.

The details come from UniverseIce on Weibo and we'd normally dismiss them as nonsense. But given this source's long history of accurate leaks, we have to seriously consider that this is Samsung's next move.

What's more confusing though is that while the Galaxy Z Fold 7's successor could be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the new wider model will reportedly just be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

You'll have to be paying attention to what you're ordering, as the shift in naming will mean that many assumptions will go out of the window – while many existing stories about the forthcoming phones will potentially point to the other device.

Why would Samsung change its folding phone names?

Currently, it's thought that the wider folding model will be lower spec than the traditional format of device, which comes with a triple camera and should have a higher capacity battery. It would seem strange to give the Ultra name to the new device, given what Samsung already offers.

However, giving the existing name to a new device will just lead to confusion, especially for those who don't keep up with the latest tech news.

The Ultra name might also be controversial, because of the existing Galaxy S Ultra series. The flagship candybar phone is a higher performer than the Galaxy Z, with a better overall hardware loadout, so the two aren't comparable.

It might just be that Samsung wants an Ultra folding phone to compete directly with Apple's naming, so picking the top folding phone makes sense.

Again, there will be some confusion, because Apple's Ultra and Samsung's Ultra will be totally different formats, with Apple's device more like a folding iPad mini.

It's unlikely that we'll hear anything about Apple's folding phone plans until launch (unless they tease it at WWDC in June), while Samsung is expected to launch its new phones on 22 July.

Samsung continues to look at versatile phone formats, including expandable phones that use a flexible rolling display. Thanks to a patent filing dated 5 May 2026, it's possible to get an insight into some of the development work that Samsung is carrying out.

Much of this patent (via WearView) is about AR applications and calculating the changes to the device beyond the physical. While the system describes how the change in camera position is calculated, it's the technical drawings that are more interesting.

They show a phone with typical Samsung design – it looks like a recent Galaxy S model from the rear – but there are two pieces to the bodywork, with the inner section able to expand the width of the phone and it's that section that has the camera attached to it.

The design has the advantage of keeping the whole phone encased in the body – it opens like a drawer – meaning that the rear of the flexible display isn't exposed. It's similar in design to an unreleased LG rolling phone from a few years back.

The original filing date for this patent is 2023, when there was a little more activity around this type of device. And while we're yet to see any real commercial success for this type of flexible display device, it does have some advantages.

It allows the phone to behave like a regular device, because when "closed" it's just a normal candybar phone. But when expanded, there's a lot more screen space to use.

However, it's also easy to see why Samsung might not be rushing to launch this type of device.

Book-style folding phones already struggle to really make use of that large display effectively and this minor screen expansion might not offer a great advantage considering the complexity and cost of the design.

As is always the case with these sort of patents, it's not clear if this will ever make it to a device that gets launched, so while it's clear that development work still continues on rollable phones, it's not an indication of launch.

Instead, it gives Samsung the opportunity to develop and protect various technologies through the patent process. The renders – drawn up by xleaks – make for a great looking device, however.

Nothing is thought to have some big upgrades in store for its next affordable phone, the CMF Phone 3 Pro. Leaked specs suggest that this device is going to have a couple of power upgrades.

The CMF Phone 2 Pro was announced in April 2025, but it seems to be taking a little longer to get the CMF Phone 3 Pro to market, with a full launch not expected until August or September.

There will, however, be an entry-level device announced before we get to the launch of the CMF Phone 3 Pro, so that's something to look out for. The details come from Gatagetsdata on X (via Notebookcheck).

The biggest change seems to be a move from a MediaTek hardware to Qualcomm, with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 said to power the new CMF Phone 3 Pro. Although this is an affordable device, that hardware pulls it towards the mid-range.

It's a little more powerful than the Dimensity 7300 Pro, but within the same sort of ballpark. It's worth noting though that while Snapdragon hardware tends to be preferred with customers, it sometimes makes for a slightly more expensive device.

In addition, the battery capacity is expected to increase, moving from 5,000mAh to 5,400mAh, with 45W charging. It's a compelling makeup, especially if this phone sticks close to the current £249 asking price – although I suspect it might creep north to £299.

The cameras are expected to be a 50-megapixel main and 50-megapixel telephoto, along with an 8-megapixel ultrawide, the same as it was before.

It's also expected that it will retain a 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED display.

The design is the biggest thing about CMF devices: although they are affordable, they have a unique aesthetic, working with accessories. It's said that the phone will have a metal frame, which again, adds a premium touch at this price point.

It was previously leaked that the CMF Phone 3 Pro would have an entirely plastic build, so there's some disagreement between the leaks so far.

We're still some way from launch, so we can expect to see this device leak again to clarify the details further. But if any of the above is genuine, this could be a candidate for the best budget phone of the year.

RedMagic has announced its latest Android gaming phone, the RedMagic 11S Pro, making its official debut in China. The new models aim for peak gaming power with transparent designs and visible liquid cooling systems.

The new S model is a mid-life refresh, building on the RedMagic 11 Pro with an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This "Leading Edition" version of the chip matches the "for Galaxy" clock speeds of 4.74GHz to give a little extra boost over the original phone.

Keeping the chip at workable heat levels is a challenge, but there's a comprehensive cooling system to do just that. It's called the AquaCore and here it combines a 24,000 RPM TurboFan, through-channel airflow design, a vapour chamber and liquid metal technology, all designed to ensure consistent performance under load.

RedMagic is a sub-brand of Nubia (itself part of ZTE) and has emerged as top choice for many gamers, especially with Asus announcing its departure from phones and ending ROG Phone development.

The RedMagic 11S Pro continues its upgrades over the existing models with an 8,000mAh battery – that's a 500mAh increase – along with 80W charging.

Power is controlled by the Energy Cube 3.0 to make sure that cooling, performance and power consumption are all coordinated.

While the phone has a mostly flat design to aid grip, it features a 6.85-inch BOE AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and there's no notch or punch hole on this screen for cameras, so you get all the space to play. There's an under-display camera instead.

There will be two colours of the 11S Pro – Matte Black and Matte Silver – while the 11S Pro+ comes in Nightfreeze (transparent black) and Subzero (transparent silver), allowing you to see the cooling systems and internal components. There's also customisable RGB lighting for the shoulder triggers and other areas.

RedMagic has also confirmed that it will be launching the Gaming Tablet 5 Pro, which will launch globally as the Astra 2 Gaming Tablet.

The phone will initially be available in China, but international availability will be announced on 27 May, at which point the pricing will be confirmed.

For many years now, the new iPhone has had to compete with the best and brightest in the Android world. Usually, that's meant the top spec Samsung phone, though in recent years other players have entered the fray.

For 2026, it looks like a new challenger is ready to battle the brand's most innovative phone in years. The iPhone Ultra is expected to debut this autumn, marking the first ever foldable phone to come from Apple.

Alongside it, seemingly, will be the Honor Robot Phone. That was first shown off at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, drawing eyes from around the world thanks to its unique look.

That effectively fuses a traditional handset with the gimbal camera head from a device like the DJI Osmo Pocket 4. Previously, the device has managed to keep out of the hands of users, sitting behind glass at other events.

However, the brand brought the device to the Cannes Film Festival and gave it out so some creators. There's not lots to gleam from it, but combined with a confirmed Q3 2026 launch window, it certainly suggests that the handset is very close to being in a usable state.

With the launch window seeming to coincide with that of the iPhone Ultra, the tail end of 2026 could be a big one for new phone designs. Apple will be hoping to show its own, reserved innovation by entering that new space, while Honor seeks to challenge the very concept of what a phone can be.

That device is also said to enjoy the fruits of Honor's partnership with ARRI, offering stabilised gimbal tracking shots and core elements of the brand's Image Science. All signs point towards this being a pretty serious videography device, then.

It looks set to be one of the most interesting phone launches in a long time.

Huawei is reportedly working on a new battery that could mean smartphones offer beyond 10,000mAh for longer than all day life.

Crucially, these batteries are expected to not massively increase the size of phones, only to extend lifetimes. This is thanks to the battery type.

While big name brands like Apple and Samsung have stuck to lithium-ion batteries, Huawei is apparently working on newer tech. This makes sense as Chinese brands have already begun looking into silicon-carbon cells, which can offer the same life as lithium, only in a smaller space.

So while there are currently smartphones with 10,000mAh batteries already out there, you generally have to lug around a pretty big phone. These sizes are usually found in tough phone brands like Oukitel and Ulefone.

The move to this new tech could mean those larger batteries become accessible in more lifestyle friendly devices, that still slide into your pocket with ease.

At this stage the news comes from a Weibo post where the individual claims the new battery material is in testing and it could lead to 10,000mAh+ batteries. So we're still taking this with a pinch of salt. That said, China has form for testing new battery tech so it makes sense this would be in the pipeline.

Other rumours suggest that brands including Huawei, Honor and Xiaomi are working on a double-layer coating battery tech. This could be used to increase battery life while also keeping the size to a minimum.

This double-layer battery tech is currently being tested and refined for electric vehicles. There it can mean better range, faster charging and longer life as well as improved safety. So better all round then.

If this technology can be brought to smartphones, we can expect all round better performance. Although, initially at least, you can expect this to appear in mid-range phones as manufacturers generally like to test out the new tech before unleashing it on the flagship smartphones.

All that should mean we won't see this in an iPhone anytime soon then.

A new Android feature could be the best in years when it comes to helping you fight doom-scrolling. While this shows just how bad doom-scrolling has become – that Google itself is adding features to protect you – it also shows there is hope in the fight to hold onto our attention spans.

The new feature, called Pause Point, does as its name suggests. This will require a 10-second pause from you each time you open an app which you have already labelled as potentially distracting.

The idea here is that those 10-seconds will be enough time to give you pause to consider if you really want to go into that digital world. It adds a buffer between a habitual notification or icon press to open the app, and the reality of actually wanting to get into all that.

In short, Pause Point has been created to help give you back your choice in the moment to make healthier decisions.

This update comes from Google and could even apply to its own algorithm based apps of enticement, like YouTube. While this was a decision to help users, it also comes after Google has been under pressure from all the news and even new laws around restricting or banning minors from using social media.

The impact of these apps are starting to be taken seriously as damaging and so, at last, the company's behind them are having to offset that damage – at the least – with options like this.

Pause Point pauses the app launch, and the dopamine rush that follows, allowing you the space to actually think rather than being at the mercy of the chemical rush these apps can create.

That pause time isn't just dead space though. The Pause Point feature can also be set to suggest other more healthy app choices like a favourite fitness app, audiobook app or the like.

You can also choose to scroll through your favourite photos, perhaps to inspire activities to do other than doom-scrolling, an outdoor walk for example or meeting friends.

Pause Point requires a phone restart to turn it off – helping add a further layer of effort to keep you from taking the easiest path of least resistance to that dopamine hit.

Google I/O is the Mountain View company's annual developer event which has wide-ranging impact on the digital world we inhabit. Google not only powers billions of devices with Android, but Search, Gemini and a whole lot more fall under the Google I/O umbrella.

The past few years have all had a distinct theme – artificial intelligence. While Google used to talk about DeepMind and LLMs in a sort of abstract sense five years ago, we're now living that reality.

We've already been exposed to some of Google's plans for the near future. The recent Android Show revealed changes coming to Android 17 with Gemini Intelligence, Googlebook was introduced, the evolution of Android in the car was previewed, and a whole lot more.

We learnt a lot, but that leaves us with questions that the Google I/O keynote is expected to answer.

Here then are three big announcements I'm expecting at Google I/O next week:

Gemini, Gemini, Gemini

Of all the AI systems we're faced with, Gemini seems to be the most progressive. It's not just about image and video creation, or witty chatbot retorts, it's about device-wide integration.

Google has an advantage that many others don't, in that it can place Gemini right in the centre of its computing platforms.

Gemini will take centre stage at Google I/O as we move towards an increasingly agentic experience. That means it can carry out tasks on your behalf, with deeper integration expected into a full range of third-party services. I'm expecting a big step beyond the simple stuff it can already do, like add things to your calendar.

We've already seen Omni leak, which appears to be an evolution of Veo video creation, and I'd expect Omni to get a full introduction. I'm also expecting Gemini to become properly multi-modal from a single prompt.

We might also get a mention of plans for Gemini powering Apple Intelligence.

Aluminium OS

Google has long had plans to unify Android and Chrome OS. Small steps have been taken in that direction over the past years, but there's been an expectation that something new was coming.

Indeed, Sameer Samat, Google's president of Android, and Rick Osterloh, SVP of devices and services have both talked about bringing the two platforms together on numerous occasions over the past year, and the first fruits of that appear to be in Googlebook.

But Googlebook was announced with an unnamed operating system, which is where I'm expecting Google I/O to give us more. It's been dubbed Aluminium OS for some time, but that's not (yet) an official name.

The evolution of Aluminium OS (or whatever it's called) means more seamless interaction between mobile and laptop, a shared intelligence through Gemini and should mean that developments for Android can benefit PCs too. Chrome will continue, but Googlebook will likely accelerate the experience.

Android XR

Google's wearable platform is younger than others and while we've seen Galaxy XR make the debut of Android XR, we're yet to see Google's efforts in smart glasses in a commercial device.

There have been rumours that Samsung will announce Galaxy Glasses in July and we know that Samsung is a key development partner on Android XR, so I'm expecting to hear a lot more and hopefully see some real products.

While Samsung might be allowed to keep its product for its own launch, there's a chance that Gentle Monster and Warby Parker's involvements will have more prominence, while Xreal's Project Aura could also get some time on stage.

Android XR glasses are coming in 2026 and Google I/O is the perfect time to fill in the gaps and show us what we're going to be getting.

How to watch Google I/O

Google will be streaming all the action from Google I/O, with the action starting on 19 May at 10am PT, which is 6pm BST.

There will also be extensive coverage here on T3.com, with a live blog of the action, where we'll get under the skin of the announcements and what it all actually means.

Samsung has announced the One UI 9 beta program for Galaxy S26 users, built on Android 17, giving owners the first chance to experience the latest from Google and Samsung itself.

Of course, before you jump in, it's important to understand that this is still part of the beta program, so this isn't finished software and if your S26 is your main phone then you might not want to upgrade.

Android 17 is still in development: we're expecting to hear a lot more about new features for the platform at Google I/O next week – some of which will be Pixel exclusive – but Samsung will also be making tweaks of its own for Galaxy phone owners.

Android 17 is expected to make its debut on Pixel some time in June or July 2026, with Samsung debuting One UI 9 and Android 17 on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 – expected to launch on 22 July.

Samsung explains that the software includes a couple of new features, including new tools in Samsung Notes, an updated Quick Panel for greater layout controls with independent brightness, sound and media adjustments.

There are also some tweaks to DeX and Game Booster, new accessibility settings and options for physical keyboard and mouse. Basically, a lot of background stuff that Samsung doesn't mind sharing with you now.

What else is coming with One UI 9?

There will be other tweaks and improvements from the Android 17 side, while many of Samsung's core new features won't be delivered until the new phones are launched.

That's because the top features will be getting a lot more fanfare on stage at the launch of the new devices and Samsung doesn't want to spoil the surprise early. That's likely to include access to Gemini Intelligence, the new AI system from Google.

For those wanting to sample the new software, you can join the One UI 9 beta program through the Samsung Members app on your phone.

Here there's the option to opt in, pushing the beta update to your device. It's a limited roll-out at the moment with Germany, India, Korea, Poland, UK and the US getting access this week.

While many Samsung owners might not be ready to jump onto the beta to try One UI 9 and Android 17 right now, the fact that this is happening tells us a couple of things.

First, it indicates that Android 17 is progressing well and that we're getting close to final release from Google. And second, it tells us that Samsung's work is well underway and it's likely that the Galaxy S26 will move to new software fairly soon after it's introduced at Galaxy Unpacked.

In the past we've seen some really long delays from Samsung – hopefully, the move to Android 17 will be much faster.