Android

Amazon has dropped the Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M2) to just $885 in a fresh deal, down from its $1,049 recommended retail price. That saves you $164, a 16% discount off the RRP, and brings this model back to its all-time low price. See the deal at Amazon

TL;DR The Galaxy Z Fold 8 places both speakers on one side, reducing stereo separation when the phone is unfolded in landscape orientation. Apple puts the iPhone Duo’s speakers on opposite halves diagonally, creating a more balanced layout for videos, games, and music. Apple’s first foldable also beats Samsung’s eighth-generation model in several other areas, despite costing only slightly more. Samsung has spent seven years refining book-style foldables, so its $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 8 should represent the category at its most mature. At that price, buyers should not have to excuse obvious compromises as quirks of the form factor. Yet Apple has entered the foldable race with the iPhone Duo and, on its first attempt, addressed several limitations Samsung still expects Fold buyers to accept and live with. One clear example is speaker placement. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has two speakers, but Samsung placed both in the half housing the cover display. That arrangement works as expected when watching something on the outer screen in landscape orientation, with a speaker firing from either side.

TL;DR A Galaxy Z Fold 8 user has tinkered around with their device to replicate the iPhone Duo’s transition animation. This is reportedly a proof of concept for now, but the person notes that the underlying hardware exists on the Z Fold 8. Turning this feature into a third-party app isn’t possible yet, with only Samsung supposedly able to implement something like this system-wide. Following an endless cycle of leaks, Apple finally unveiled its first-ever foldable yesterday, dubbed the iPhone Duo. Initial impressions suggest the Cupertino-based company may have the edge over the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in some areas. The Samsung foldable also lacks the smooth folding/unfolding transition animation we saw on Apple’s latest offering. One Galaxy Z Fold 8 owner appears to have taken this as a challenge. Reddit user moomanjohnny shared a video showing what appears to be iPhone Duo-like animations while switching back and forth between the cover screen and the inner display of Samsung’s recent foldable. While this is reportedly a proof of concept for the time being, the fact that it can be achieved without external tinkering suggests the underlying hardware is present.

TL;DR Strong early sales of HUAWEI’s non-foldable Pura X View in China have prompted Android competitors to reconsider their previously shelved wide-screen non-foldable phone designs. While manufacturers previously favored tall 20:9 aspect ratios, seemingly strong consumer demand for horizontal display space appears to be reversing product roadmaps. Wide glass-slab phones provide the expanded screen real estate of wide-screen foldables for gaming and multitasking at a lower price and with lower technical complexity. HUAWEI’s gamble on the once-unconventional “wide” form factor appears to be paying off, and rivals are scrambling to catch up. The company recently launched the wide, non-foldable HUAWEI Pura X View, and it has seen surprisingly strong initial sales. In fact, the reception is so good that multiple Android competitors are now re-evaluating their own hardware roadmaps to incorporate a wide non-foldable phone. According to leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the Pura X View with its “wide slab” phone design has posted impressive early sales numbers in China. This immediate commercial traction has seemingly prompted several smartphone manufacturers to dust off and reconsider similar concept designs they had previously shelved.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR After CPU and GPU, Qualcomm is teasing NPU upgrades on the upcoming Snapdragon Elite chips. The Hexagon NPU is claimed to bring specialized upgrades to respond to queries much faster. Qualcomm is stressing heavily on on-device agentic AI workflows, saying the NPU will be able to run Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) models with up to 30B parameters. Qualcomm is set to reveal the next generation of flagship chips, including two Elite variants of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 (likely naming), on September 22 at the next Snapdragon Summit. While the names remain a mystery, Qualcomm has been dropping hints about the upcoming platforms one by one. After revealing that the upcoming chips would feature the first smartphone CPU to breach the 5GHz mark, and then sharing details about the upgraded GPU that would offer improved frame upscaling tech, Qualcomm is sharing cues about the upgrades coming to the neural processing unit, or NPU. Today, Qualcomm is sharing details about the next generation of the Hexagon NPU, built to enable on-device multimodal AI applications, especially agents. Two key highlights of the upcoming NPU, according to Qualcomm, are the new “Element Accelerator” and “much larger shared memory.”

TL;DR Apple’s large-scale study found the Watch Series 12 more accurate than the Pixel Watch 4 overall for heart-rate tracking. The Pixel Watch 4 matched Apple during cycling and narrowly beat it at rest under two accuracy measures. The newer Pixel Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 9 missed the test because Apple selected competitors available by June. The Pixel Watch has spent generations closing the health and fitness gap with established wearables, even becoming a strong Apple Watch alternative for Android users. Apple has now fired back with a heart-rate accuracy study that puts its Series 12 ahead of the Pixel Watch 4 — although Google’s current Pixel Watch 5 never got to compete. Apple says the Watch Series 12 recorded significantly lower overall heart rate error than every tested rival across workouts and everyday activities. Despite losing the overall contest, the Pixel Watch 4 was among Apple’s closest smartwatch challengers in several measurements. The two watches were statistically inseparable during outdoor cycling under the study’s main Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) calculations.

This week, the Galaxy Watch 4 series was removed from Samsung’s future update schedule, effectively ending support for the device line. It’s particularly sad for me, given that I still wear my Galaxy Watch 4 daily and love its chipped body to bits. I use it to track my sleep and activity, but more recently, I’ve grown to appreciate a feature that everyone seems to forget exists: the body composition monitor.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority From virtual movie screens anywhere to real-time information without reaching for your phone, smart glasses have come a long way. The best models now pack sharp built-in displays, hands-free AI assistants, and hardware light enough to wear all day, features that felt like science fiction only a couple of product cycles ago. The one thing still holding a lot of these companies back, though, is staying power. Plenty of smart glasses makers build around a single standout product, and when consumer interest shifts, there’s no easy alternative. RayNeo is taking a different route, and the numbers back it up. The company is #1 in global AR glasses shipments for the first half of 2026, and its RayNeo Air 4 Series led global AR glasses sales volume outright and was the best seller during Amazon Prime Day 2026. That kind of shipment dominance comes from three distinct lines that cover the smart glasses spectrum: a top-tier display line built for cinematic viewing and travel, camera-free ambient AI eyewear you wear all day, and a full standalone AR computer for developers and creators. Here’s what you need to know.

Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Trump Mobile has quietly increased the price of its T1 smartphone from $499 to $749 without an official explanation. The hardware remains unchanged, retaining mid-range specs and internal components shared with the HTC U24 Pro. Driven by industry-wide memory chip costs, the $250 increase puts the phone in direct competition with major flagship brands. Trump Mobile has quietly raised the price of its golden-colored T1 smartphone, bumping the handset up to $749. That marks a steep $250 increase over the $499 promotional sticker price buyers saw when the T1 Phone originally went on sale. As we noted in our Trump Mobile T1 hands-on, the T1 Phone was already a tough sell on its merits alone, and this hefty jump does nothing to sweeten the proposition. According to an update to Trump Mobile’s T1 Phone store listing, first spotted by The Verge, the price change was rolled out with zero fanfare or official explanation.

TL;DR A future Google Photos update could let you maintain a consistent-looking home feed. The app may do this with a new Feature photos toggle to disable enlarged photos or videos on the home page. This update to the image grid doesn’t appear to affect the Comfortable layout and only applies to the Day and Month options. Your Google Photos library has seen a handful of changes recently, while more are on the horizon. We can now report on a potential future addition that aims to keep your home feed clean, but only for some layouts. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority The Tensor G6 chip in Google’s Pixel 11 series is off to a not-so-great start. First, the chip’s benchmarks are notably behind the competition, which is pretty much par for the course. Then, during launch week, gamers saw graphical glitches in popular titles like Genshin Impact — prompting fears of a redux of last year’s driver issues that plagued the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chip for months. However, are things really that bad? To put it to the test, I played my usual assortment of popular Android games, recording frame rate, temperatures, and power draw data. For the test, I booted up Call of Duty Mobile’s Battle Royale mode, the fast-paced Asphalt Legends racing game, and the ever-demanding Genshin Impact. I turned the settings up as high as my Pixel 11 Pro XL would let me: medium settings with a 90fps limit in COD, high settings with a 60fps limit in Asphalt Legends, and high/max settings with a similar 60fps cap in Genshin Impact.

TL;DR Galaxy A07 4G and 5G owners report lag and touchscreen freezing problems after the recent One UI 8.5 update. The 5G model has received follow-up stability updates, but the latest 4G release included only security improvements. Another quarterly update could arrive in October, although Samsung has not acknowledged the problems or promised a fix. The Galaxy A07 4G is the best-selling budget Android phone this year, and its software support is one of its biggest selling points. It launched with Android 15 and is eligible for six major Android OS upgrades. The Galaxy A07 5G variant arrived with Android 16 out of the box, and both models have since moved to One UI 8.5. Unfortunately, that generous update promise is now colliding with the other side of long-term support: software that appears to have made everyday use worse for some owners. Reports across Reddit, Facebook, and Samsung’s community forums describe persistent lag and touchscreen problems after installing One UI 8.5. Complaints include general stuttering and touch input that suddenly freezes or takes unusually long to register.

TL;DR Google is working on improving the markup tools in Google Photos. It could add a slider to adjust the brush size for the Pen and Highlighter tools. It’s also working on new color options, fonts, and alignment settings for the Text tool. Google is working on making the markup tools in Google Photos more useful and versatile. We already know that the company is developing a “Redact” tool that will sit beside the Pen, Highlighter, and Text tools. Now, we’re seeing evidence that Google is also making the existing markup tools more powerful and customizable. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

Credit: Paul Jones / Android Authority Samsung has a long history of serving power users with cutting-edge hardware and deep customization. The company also ships plenty of its own apps and services that add extra value to the experience. Some of those additions feel like bloat, but many are genuinely solid tools. Many of the best ones are already baked into One UI, like Samsung Reminder. Others are niche apps that can make a real difference even if they aren’t aimed at everyday users. However, they’re also so hidden and unknown you may not even realize they exist.

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google Messages is adding a new business chat feature to share updates about the app. The chat appears to be in testing and hasn’t rolled out widely yet. Currently, it is limited to preset quick replies and does not support custom replies. It’s not easy to stay on top of every new update, especially when it comes to new features in specific apps. Google doesn’t want you to feel left out, so it’s bringing a feature to its Messages app to tell you about all the different ways you can use it. Earlier this year, we learned that Google Messages could add a business chat feature to let users know about the latest app updates. It wasn’t ready back then and only worked like a chatbot, but with limited knowledge of the real updates. However, it now seems to be working and reaching certain users’ devices.

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority When the HUAWEI MatePad Pro Max () arrived at my doorstep, I had no idea what I was in for. I just knew a HUAWEI tablet was on the way. I’ve tested a fair few HUAWEI tablets in my time, but I was absolutely wowed by this one as soon as I opened the box. Why? We’ll talk more about it later, but it all made sense when I looked into the model and saw that it was HUAWEI’s top-tier tablet at its best configuration, offering “PC-level productivity”. It’s not cheap, so we’re here to see if it is worth its €1,099 starting price, which can go up to €1,299 if you get the model I am testing. Of course, I have put it through the paces, used, and abused it. Shall we get right into the nitty-gritty?

I’ve been using Google Calendar to manage my life for years. It reminds me of upcoming meetings, appointments, and other scheduled events for the day so that I don’t miss them. The app is free to use, and because it belongs to the Google ecosystem, it blends seamlessly into my workflow. However, the way certain things work in Google Calendar out of the box annoys me. So, a while back, I decided to dig into its settings and fix my biggest Google Calendar annoyances. Here’s what they are, and how I fixed them.

Unless Google has any surprise announcements hidden up its sleeves, the company should be done with new product launches for the rest of the year. And what a year Google had. Although 2026 may not have been the most exciting year for Google/Pixel hardware, it was still a darn good one. The Pixel 10a is far and away the best Android phone you can buy for $500. The Pixel 11 Pro easily stands out as my favorite Android flagship of the year, and the Pixel Tag just looks so adorable.

TL;DR A new AI voice mode is rolling out in SwiftKey beta, and it works similarly to Gboard’s Rambler mode. It can transcribe your ramblings into properly formatted text, complete with punctuation. It also works completely offline, unlike Rambler mode. If you’ve been itching to try out the new Rambler mode in Gboard but don’t have the latest Pixel 11, you might want to check out SwiftKey. It’s one of the best Gboard alternatives, and it now has an upgraded voice typing feature that’s very similar to Gboard’s Rambler mode. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.

TL;DR The new AppleCare One Family plan covers all eligible devices for up to six members in a family group for $49.99 per month. It includes accidental damage, battery replacement, and theft and loss protection. Google doesn’t have anything comparable, and it really needs to adopt this idea for Pixel Care Plus. Alongside the foldable iPhone Duo and the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple announced a new protection plan for Apple devices that has me wishing Google would do something similar. Apple announced a new AppleCare One Family plan at its iPhone launch event. It expands AppleCare coverage to all eligible devices owned by members of an Apple Family Sharing group of up to six people for $49.99 per month.

TL;DR The iPhone Duo comes with several camera features specifically designed for a foldable form factor. “Kid Cue” plays animations on the outer screen to grab kids’ attention and is similar to the Pixel’s “Made You Look” feature. The iPhone Duo also features “Smart Take” for easier group photos, previews on the outer screen, and more. Apple has finally done what we’ve been hearing about for months. Alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, the company launched its first foldable iPhone — the iPhone Duo. It has a wide-folding form factor and features an IP68 rating. Plus, Apple has given it some useful new camera tricks. Taking group photos could be easier with the iPhone Duo thanks to “Smart Take.” This feature lets users take group photos without setting a camera timer. The group can strike a pose, and the iPhone camera automatically snaps a picture. It also works for individual photos and could make taking selfies easier.

TL;DR Apple’s Readiness feature turns activity, sleep, and vitals into a daily 0–10 score. Unlike Google’s (Fitbit) morning score, Apple’s guidance adjusts as your body and activity change. Readiness appears exclusive to the Series 12 and Ultra 4, possibly due to new sensors. Fitness trackers have happily told us how much we moved, how poorly we slept, and how fast our hearts beat, then largely left us to connect the dots. But Whoop and Oura changed that by turning a pile of biometric data into one digestible answer: Should you push hard today or take it easy? At its big iPhone launch event, Apple finally brought that idea to the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 with a new feature called Readiness. Readiness combines recent activity and vitals, including sleep duration, blood oxygen, HRV, respiratory rate, and resting heart rate, into a score from zero to ten. Apple then translates that number into one of four refreshingly direct recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It. The idea is to help you decide whether today calls for a demanding workout, a lighter session, or perhaps no heroics at all.

TL;DR Apple’s new iPhone Duo brings iOS tweaks to enhance one-handed usage. UI elements such as the status bar, dock, and app navigation buttons are moved to the right to allow easy access. The Dynamic Island is now vertical instead of horizontal to utilize the space better. Foldables are suddenly watercooler talk. That’s because after almost a decade of trailing, Apple is finally catching on to the foldable race with the first-ever folding iPhone — the iPhone Duo. Naturally, people in camp Android are already staking claim to certain features that Android foldables have long offered, such as camera preview, including an option to keep your kids looking at the camera, and Flex Mode for splitting the screen into two halves with different utilities. And not to forget multitasking support, finally coming to the iPhone (but only for the Duo). But there’s one thing Apple seems to be doing in nearly the entire class of Android foldables, and that is tweaking the iOS UI to make essential elements easier to access. Beyond the clever transition from one screen to another, Apple is moving UI elements such as lock screen controls, the home screen dock, and app navigation buttons closer to the right edge, rather than scattering them across the top and bottom of the screen. Apple says these design choices make the Duo easier to hold and use with one hand.

Amazon has dropped the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE to $109.99, down from the $149.99 retail price. That saves you $40, a 27% discount off the RRP, and it is the lowest price since Prime Day. See the deal at Amazon

Credit: Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority TL;DR Apple has given more details about iPhone Handoff ahead of the iOS 27 launch. The feature lets supported users switch between two iPhones while keeping the same phone number. It launches with T-Mobile in the US and Telekom Germany, with wider carrier support expected later. If you regularly carry two phones, Apple just removed one of the biggest annoyances that comes with it. iOS 27 officially introduces iPhone Handoff, letting you switch between two iPhones while keeping the same phone number. Apple confirmed the feature today as part of its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo announcements. The company says iPhone Handoff will allow users with supported carriers to “easily switch back and forth between two iPhone models with the same phone number.” iOS 27 rolls out next week on September 14.