Mobile

Android Authority details Google’s G4 Tensor chip with seemingly minor changes from the previous generation, along with the addition of Samsung’s Exynos 5400 modem that could enable satellite connectivity for Pixel 9 phones.

It looks like the upcoming lineup may start with 128GB of storage as well, with options for up to 1TB on the pricier Pixel 9 Pro, according to Android Headlines.

We already knew that AI chip demand was driving crazy profits for Samsung. That’s good, because its earnings report shows that smartphone revenue and profitability both declined since last quarter, even as new AI features — it claims — helped buoy demand for its latest flagship devices:

The Galaxy S24 series achieved double-digit year-on-year growth in both shipments and revenue over its predecessor for both the second quarter and the first half of the year.

In the second half of 2024, Samsung says overall demand for its smartphones is expected to increase year-on-year, alongside “ecosystem products such as tablets, smartwatches, and smart rings.”

This teardown of the new Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 has a similar feel to Allison’s Z Fold 6 review — things inside are mostly the same as the previous generation. There are bigger batteries and other tweaks, but the similar layouts show how Samsung is iterating on the existing design, so hopefully, you think it’s already good enough.

According to IDC research, the rise of domestic smartphone brands has knocked Apple out of the top five spot. Apple, which now sits in sixth place, saw a 3.1 percent year-on-year decline even as the Chinese market grew by 8.9 percent. At least it’s doing better than Samsung which doesn’t even get a mention, despite dominating sales in the region a decade ago.

T-Mobile is creating a joint venture with the investment firm KKR to acquire Metronet, a service that provides fiber internet to over 2 million homes and businesses in 17 states.

As part of the deal, T-Mobile will invest $4.9 billion for a 50 percent stake in the joint venture and all of Metronet’s residential customers. In April, T-Mobile announced plans to acquire the fiber optic company Lumos as well.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Ring, and Galaxy Buds 3 revealed at Samsung’s Unpacked event went on sale globally today, though some regions / carriers may vary.

The exception is the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which are delayed (until August 28th in the US) due to quality issues with the removable ear tips.

Samsung gave 17,000 of its Galaxy Z Flip 6 phones to athletes and others around the Olympic and Paralympic games, and here’s one more unboxing.

The phone itself isn’t more impressive than anyone else’s, but British rower Imogen Grant chose a tough upgrade path — the phone she’s replacing was another freebie from Samsung that she picked up at the Tokyo Olympics.

The company’s “Z60 Ultra Leading Version” (yes, that’s the name) has optical image stabilization on all its rear cameras, including two 50MP main and wide-angle ones, and the 64MP “Portrait Prime” shooter.

Nubia’s Leading phone has an overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while its running mate model Z60S “Pro” has a Gen 2. As for OIS on the Pro, well, only on the Telephoto.

It lasted 12 hours, affected all 50 states, and cut off voice and 5G data for 125 million devices, according to an FCC investigation. The outage caused by a misconfigured network change blocked more than 92 million phones calls, including more than 25,000 attempts to reach 911 emergency services.

The agency is now referring the matter for potential violation of the FCC’s longstanding rule to do better.

Olympians unboxing folding phones is my new favorite video genre. Watch members of New Zealand’s swimming team unbox their new Galaxy Z Flip 6 phones — in gold, naturally — which were supplied by Olympic sponsor Samsung. Not only is it delightful when they discover the screen is on “both sides,” the guys and I agree that it’s time for a foldable iPhone, too.

HMD has announced the Skyline, a $499 Android phone with an emphasis on repairability and creator-friendly features like a 50-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus. It’s also one of the first phones to support the MagSafe-like Qi2 charging standard — or will be when it ships in August. Bet we’ll see a few more new Qi2 phones around that time, too.

Bailey Hikawa is best known for her handmade smartphone cases, but this unique creation — just two exist — features much older tech.

It’s a bespoke toilet seat embedded with a myriad of iconic 2G and 3G cellphones including the original Motorola Razr, Samsung sliders, and an assortment of BlackBerrys. One person’s e-waste is another person’s treasure.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to AT&T CEO John Stankey with several questions about the cybersecurity attack that resulted in customer data being downloaded from the company’s Snowflake workspace, The Record reports. The senators requested answers by July 29th, and AT&T will respond, according to Reuters.

The senators also sent a letter to Snowflake’s CEO.

While iPhone owners are getting access to new homescreen personalization options today, Nothing wants to help you customize your actual phone. The company published specs for CMF’s Phone 1 so users can make or 3D print their own accessories for its modular back panel. That’s rad, and honestly anything that takes us closer to bringing Moto Mods back is a step in the right direction.