Sales dropped 64% year-on-year in Q2, according to research from Counterpoint, as manufacturers raised prices or simply stopped shipping cheaper models. Samsung and Motorola have been the only brands to benefit, as smaller companies became unable to undercut them on price. That helped both grow their market share in prepaid phones.
We live blogged almost 90 minutes of a show that was, honestly, better than expected. Our video team cut it down to eight.
We’re ready for some bad jokes during Google’s celebrity-packed live show.
The Made By Google keynote, hosted by Trevor Noah, kicks off at 6PM ET. Stay tuned to this website starting at 5:30PM for our live blog. Victoria Song will be there live, with Jay Peters, Jake Kastrenakes, and myself following remotely. Let’s see what happens.
Samsung’s online-exclusive “Pistachio” version of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 looks great, and has apparently been selling well. But I’m a much bigger fan of Google’s Pixel 11 finish by the same name. It looks a lot closer to the color of a good pistachio gelato, unlike whatever minty nonsense Samsung is up to.
Google’s new Camera Looks feature will do less computational photography — and that’s a great thing.
More helpful features, less AI slop.
After an hour of testing the Robot Phone, I’m surprised but impressed.
Windows Central shared photos showing what appears to be a prototype of a rumored, unreleased Windows phone “that was expected to ship in 2014 under the Surface moniker.” It even has a design similar to a Surface laptop and reportedly included a Qualcomm chip and a 720p display.
8
Verge Score
It doesn’t quite feel ‘Ultra,’ but it’s a comprehensive improvement on last year’s phone.
Co-founder Akis Evangelidis told Times Now Tech that the company may double the number of phones it launches next year while “expanding its product portfolio across multiple categories,” including audio. He also says Nothing’s “looking at different ways” to launch a new CMF Phone next year, after this year’s was cancelled.
It’s still too early to discuss individual products, but I can say we’ve launched three smartphones (Nothing Phone 4a, Phone 4a Pro and Phone 4b) this year, and we’re looking to launch twice that number next year. We’ll share more details closer to launch, but the idea is to have a wider range of smartphones.
Woot has the unlocked 256GB Google Pixel Fold discounted to $459.99, coming close to its lowest price ever. While the 2023 model can’t hang with the latest in terms of performance or durability, it’s a way to try out a foldable without spending $1,000 or more. Plus, it will get software updates until June 2028. Read our review.
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A report from ET News suggests that Samsung is planning to ditch the 10-megapixel 3x telephoto lens on its next-gen flagship, leaving it with a 50MP 5x telephoto lens and third camera. Samsung is reportedly making the change to cut costs amid surging chip prices.
Android Authority points to a report from Smartprix that says Nothing’s “repositioning itself as an AI-first company,” with a slate of upcoming devices that includes AI-enabled earbuds and a smart speaker from its CMF brand. Nothing’s also reportedly planning to launch a new smartwatch and second-generation Nothing headphones.
World Cup cameo aside, we haven’t heard much since MWC, but Honor is gearing up to release the gimbal-equipped phone in China soon. It’s teasing the camera’s capabilities, including a 200-megapixel, f/1.6, 1/1.2.8-inch-type gimbal camera, and a separate 200-megapixel, f/2.6, 1/1.4-inch-type periscope. The gimbal itself will support automatic subject tracking and six different shooting modes.
[Weibo]
Vertical video has been taking over for years, and David Pierce says the conquest may now be complete. It didn’t have to be this way.
gregorsmith:
I’m old enough to remember when Google Camera app put a rotate device icon on screen if you tried to shoot vertically
Every day we stray further from gods light
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But $1,900 is a hell of a lot for a phone with no telephoto camera.
One small step for phones, one giant leap for foldables.
Reports of a new wider foldable phone suggest Samsung is ready to take a risk.
Two separate videos captured Spain’s Eric Garcia testing the gimbal-equipped phone in the aftermath of his team’s victory over Argentina. Preorders for the Robot Phone just opened in China, though it isn’t expected to launch in either Spain or the US, where the final was held.
Hisense has started teasing an e-paper smartphone with a detachable LCD, instead of the other way around. I guess that’s one way to drop your Instagram Reels consumption.
My Trump phone review is here. And with that, it’s time to wrap up the weekly coverage. I’m not entirely done with the T1 yet — I’m still trying to find out how many buyers have one, and how and where it’s made — but I’ll give the execs at Trump Mobile a break for a bit.
3
Verge Score
The T1 is a marketing stunt, not a serious phone.
