Apple’s rumored first foldable iPhone is raising eyebrows, not just for its expected sky-high price, but for how expensive it might be to repair.
According to a report from Apple World Today, Apple is getting ready to introduce its debut foldable smartphone (widely called the iPhone Ultra) next month, with a starting price that could top $2,000. The device hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but some people are already looking past the launch price and worrying about long-term ownership costs.
Ricky Panesar, founder of repair company iCorrect, estimates that replacing the inner screen alone could run about $1,155. That’s noticeably higher than the roughly $772 Samsung charges for a similar inner-screen fix on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Panesar thinks Apple’s mix of Samsung Display panels and its own proprietary hinge design is what’s pushing the numbers up, potentially making foldable iPhone repairs some of the most expensive in the industry.
Apple’s fall product event is set for September 9 under the theme “Surprise and shine.” Some reports suggest the foldable might not actually go on sale until October, but most expect Apple to at least show it off during the September event alongside its other new products.
The projected repair cost highlights a bigger issue with foldables in general: the innovative design often comes with complicated (and pricey) displays and hinges. Apple hasn’t shared any official repair pricing or AppleCare details yet. Anyone thinking about buying the iPhone Ultra will probably want to factor in both the premium sticker price and the potential cost of keeping it running down the road.
And speaking of repair costs, it’ll be interesting to see how well the hinge and inner display hold up in the first place. We’ve already seen some less-than-ideal durability issues with earlier foldables, so now it’s Apple’s turn to prove that the wait was worth it.
The right 3D printer can help you produce prototypes, custom products, replacement parts, miniatures, props, and small production runs. The market now includes fast CoreXY printers, large-format machines, dual-nozzle systems, and high-resolution resin printers.
Each printer in this list serves a different type of user. Some models focus on ease of use and low cost. Others support engineering materials, large parts, or detailed resin models. You should consider print volume, material support, multicolor features, maintenance, and available workspace before choosing a machine.
Here is a look at the best 3D printers available for creators and small businesses right now.
The Bambu Lab X2D is the most advanced printer in this group. It uses a dual-nozzle system that lets one nozzle print the model while the second nozzle handles support material. This setup can improve support removal and reduce the cleanup you need to do for complex shapes.
The X2D has a 256 x 256 x 260mm build volume, a 300-degree Celsius nozzle, and a 65-degree actively heated chamber. It supports materials such as PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, nylon, polycarbonate, PVA, and several carbon- and glass-fiber-reinforced filaments.
Bambu Lab also includes a servo-driven extruder, automatic calibration, AI print monitoring, a toolhead camera, and a three-stage filtration system. The printer can detect problems such as spaghetti, nozzle clumping, foreign objects, and purge-chute jams.
The X2D costs $649, while the version with an AMS 2 Pro costs $899. It is a strong choice if you design products, make props, or run a small business that needs reliable support for advanced materials. Its price and more complex dual-nozzle system may be excessive if you are a casual hobbyist.
The Bambu Lab A2L focuses on build volume and flexibility. Its 330 x 320 x 325mm print area is much larger than the X2D’s volume. You can print large helmets, props, organizers, and batches of smaller products without splitting models into multiple sections.
The A2L supports AMS systems for multicolor and multi-material printing. It also supports optional cutting and drawing modules. Those accessories allow you to cut paper, vinyl, leather, and other materials or draw with compatible pens.
The printer costs $469. The A2L Combo costs $569 and includes an AMS lite system. The machine supports PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, and some carbon-fiber materials. It does not offer the same high-temperature material support as the X2D or the Creality K2 Pro.
The A2L fits you well if you need a large print area at a reasonable price. It also suits you if you run a small shop that sells custom decorations, household products, cosplay items, and other consumer-focused goods.
3. Creality K2
The Creality K2 provides a compact CoreXY design with a 260 x 260 x 260mm build volume. It supports print speeds of up to 600mm/s and includes automatic leveling, a direct-drive extruder, filament monitoring, power-loss recovery, and print-failure detection.
The K2 Combo includes one CFS unit for multicolor printing. Creality says you can connect up to four CFS units for a total of 16 colors. The system also supports automatic filament feeding and relay functions.
The printer costs $399, which makes it one of the least expensive options in this comparison. The standard K2 supports PLA, PETG, and some PLA-CF materials. It lacks the active chamber heater found in the K2 Pro, so it is less suitable for demanding ABS, ASA, and other engineering filaments.
The K2 Combo is a practical choice if you want fast printing, an enclosed frame, and multicolor capability without paying a premium price.
4. Creality K2 Pro
The Creality K2 Pro adds several features for business and engineering use. It has a 300 x 300 x 300mm build volume, a 60-degree actively heated chamber, a 300-degree Celsius nozzle, and a hardened-steel extrusion system.
The printer supports materials such as ABS, ASA, PLA-CF, PA-CF, and PPA-CF. It also includes dual AI cameras, automatic leveling, flow calibration, Ethernet, 32GB of storage, and compatibility with up to four CFS units.
The K2 Pro Combo costs $799. It offers more material flexibility and a larger print area than the standard K2. You can use it for prototypes, cosplay parts, functional components, and short production runs.
The K2 Pro makes sense if you need an enclosed printer but do not want to spend more than $1,000. Its larger footprint and higher power requirements may create challenges if you have a smaller workspace.
5. Prusa CORE One+ Gen 2
The Prusa CORE One+ takes a different approach. It focuses on repairability, documentation, long-term support, and consistent print quality. The assembly kit costs $999, while the assembled version costs $1,299.
The printer has a 250 x 220 x 270mm build volume and a 55-degree heated chamber. It supports PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, polycarbonate, nylon, ABS, ASA, and other materials. It also includes automatic first-layer calibration, a direct-drive extruder, a removable PEI spring-steel sheet, and support for Prusa’s MMU3 and INDX multicolor systems.
The kit takes about 12 hours to assemble. That process requires more time than the mostly preassembled machines in this list, but it also gives you a better understanding of the printer’s components.
The CORE One+ suits you if you value serviceability and long-term ownership. It is also a good choice if you prefer an open and well-documented hardware ecosystem.
6. Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K
The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K is the only resin printer in this comparison. It targets you if you need extremely fine detail for miniatures, figurines, jewelry designs, and collectible models.
The printer uses a 10-inch 16K monochrome LCD with a 14 x 19-micron XY resolution. Its build volume measures 211.68 x 118.37 x 220mm. It also includes automatic leveling, tank heating, tilt-release technology, residue detection, an AI camera, and a maximum print speed of 150mm per hour.
The Saturn 4 Ultra 16K costs $499 at the listed sale price. Resin printing produces more detailed results than most filament printers, but it requires additional equipment and safety procedures. You need gloves, cleaning fluid, a curing station, and a well-ventilated workspace.
This printer is an excellent choice if you want detailed models. It is not the best option if you need large functional parts or a low-maintenance workflow.
7. Anycubic Kobra S1 Max
The Anycubic Kobra S1 Max Combo targets large-format printing. Its 350 x 350 x 350mm build volume can handle full-size helmets, large props, footwear, prototypes, and production batches.
The printer features a fully enclosed CoreXY design, a 350-degree Celsius hotend, a 65-degree heated chamber, and a 120-degree heated bed. It supports materials such as ABS, ASA, polycarbonate, nylon, PA6-CF, PET-CF, and other engineering filaments.
The included ACE 2 Pro system supports four-color printing. You can add more ACE 2 Pro units to reach up to 16 colors. The system also provides filament drying, automatic refill, filament identification, and moisture control.
The Kobra S1 Max Combo costs $899. It is a strong option if you need large parts or frequent batch production. You should plan for its large physical footprint and 25.7kg machine weight.
The Flashforge Adventurer 5M Pro offers a simpler experience. It has a 220 x 220 x 220mm build volume, an enclosed CoreXY frame, automatic leveling, a built-in camera, and HEPA and activated-carbon filtration.
The printer reaches speeds of up to 600mm/s and supports PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, PLA-CF, and PETG-CF with the proper nozzle. It arrives about 95% assembled, so you can begin printing after a short setup process.
The Adventurer 5M Pro costs $449 at the listed sale price. It is a good fit if you run a classroom, work from a home office, operate a small studio, or need a dependable general-purpose printer.
The Lenovo-owned company has confirmed it’ll officially unveil a new Swarovski crystal co-branded model at IFA in Berlin in early September. The teaser video shows the back of a Razr-style device, so most people expect it’s based on the Razr 70 (or Razr 2026 in some markets). This follows last year’s special Swarovski Edition of the Razr 60.
The official teasers show a black back cover with a diamond-patterned texture and plenty of crystal embellishments. Leaked renders that surfaced earlier line up with this look, including extra crystals below the external screen and around the hinge. Compared to the flashier Razr 60 Swarovski Edition, this one feels a bit more restrained. The black color keeps it from looking overly flashy while still delivering that signature Swarovski sparkle.
Based on the standard Razr 70, we’re looking at a 6.9″ OLED inner display and a 3.63″ outer screen, plus a battery somewhere in the 4,500–4,800 mAh range. Cameras should match the regular model: dual 50 MP rear sensors and a 32 MP front camera. The base Razr 70 also packs a MediaTek Dimensity 7450X chipset, up to 512 GB of storage, and 30W wired plus 15W wireless charging. This special edition is mainly a cosmetic upgrade.
Motorola hasn’t shared the price or exact release date yet. More details, including availability and any special packaging (like a transparent case that shows off the crystals), are expected at IFA 2026. It’s another step in Motorola’s Brilliant Collection approach of treating its foldables as fashion pieces as much as phones.
For the past few years, my gaming habits have been pretty one-note. I’ve spent most of my time playing PUBG Mobile competitively. It’s a demanding game that requires constant attention, quick reflexes, and a lot of screen tapping. After a while, that level of intensity gets tiring. Recently, I found myself wanting to step back and play something simpler, games that don’t require an internet connection or a competitive mindset.
That shift in interest coincided with the arrival of the Ayaneo Konkr Pocket Advance. Ayaneo is a company you might recognize for making relatively expensive gaming handhelds. Recently, they launched a new sub-brand called Konkr, aimed at the more affordable, Android-based retro handheld market. The Pocket Advance is their newest offering. As the name and shape suggest, it’s heavily inspired by the classic Game Boy Advance.
I’ve spent the last two weeks testing the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model. I also installed the optional tempered glass screen protector and used the official carrying case. After using it daily, I’ve found it to be a very capable device for older games, though it has a few physical quirks you should know about before buying. Here is my full review of the Konkr Pocket Advance.
Design and Build Quality
When you first pick up the Pocket Advance, the most noticeable thing is its weight. With the tempered glass installed, my unit weighs 226 grams. For a device that measures 151.3 x 82.4 x 22mm, it feels quite dense. It’s significantly heavier than the original Game Boy Advance, which weighed around 140 grams.
The build is entirely plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap or hollow. Ayaneo used a semi-matte finish on the shell, which does a good job of resisting fingerprints and smudges. The shape features rounded corners, gently tapered edges, and broad side grips with inward-curving contours.
It sits naturally in the hands when you are sitting up. However, because of that 226-gram weight, I found that playing it while lying flat on my back in bed caused my fingers to fatigue after about twenty minutes. It is definitely a handheld better suited for a seated position.
I have the Coral Orange variant, which combines a bright orange shell with white buttons and trim. It is also available in Navy Blue, Heritage Gray, and the limited-edition Pink & Onyx Ice variants.
The control layout is standard for a retro handheld but has some specific design choices. The D-pad and the ABXY face buttons use membrane switches rather than clicky microswitches. They are very quiet when pressed. The face buttons have a slight tactile bump, but they don’t produce the sharp click you get on some competing devices. Whether you like this comes down to personal preference; I found the quiet buttons useful for playing in the same room as someone else without bothering them.
The start and select buttons, along with two additional menu buttons, are made of soft silicone and are also silent. They are arranged a bit unusually: the left pair sits diagonally under the D-pad, while the right pair is placed more horizontally under the face buttons.
Along the top edge, you have the L1 and R1 shoulder buttons, which are quiet but have a distinct click. Alongside the clicky L2 and R2 buttons, this upper section houses the power button and an additional custom button.
The top layout has a tiered design; on the next step down sit the LC and RC custom shoulder buttons, which share that same clicky feel and are separated by a top fan grille. Moving to the back of the device, it features symmetrical ventilation grilles for the internal fan, some molded grooves for grip, and visible screws.
On the bottom edge, you’ll find a microSD card slot, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a physical volume slider. The volume slider works fine, but its placement is a bit frustrating.
Depending on how you hold the device, it’s easy to accidentally brush your hand against the slider and change the volume during a game. It’s a minor annoyance, but something I noticed frequently.
The screen is a 3.5-inch LCD panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels. The original Game Boy Advance had a screen resolution of 240 x 160. Because the Pocket Advance’s screen is exactly four times that resolution on both the horizontal and vertical axes, it allows for clean 4x integer scaling.
When you play GBA games, the image fills the screen perfectly without any stretching, blurring, or uneven pixels. To complete the look, Ayaneo included black borders on the sides of the display glass to mimic the original hardware’s bezel.
As for the panel itself, it’s a standard LCD. It doesn’t have the deep blacks or high contrast of an OLED screen, but it performs well for the price. It gets bright enough to use outdoors comfortably, and the lowest brightness setting is dim enough for playing in a dark room.
Because the screen is only 3.5 inches, navigating the Android interface can feel a bit cramped. Tapping small icons or typing on the on-screen keyboard takes some getting used to, but it’s manageable once you adjust.
I do need to mention a quality control issue with my specific unit. The bottom right corner of the display panel was slightly lifted above the plastic shell. Ayaneo has acknowledged this defect in the early review batches and stated that the retail units shipping to customers will have this corrected. If you do receive one with a lifted screen, the company says they will address it through their customer support.
Performance and Emulation
Inside the Pocket Advance is a MediaTek Helio G90T processor. It’s an older octa-core chip built on a 12nm process, featuring two Cortex-A75 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores, paired with a Mali-G76 MC4 GPU. My unit has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
In benchmark terms, it scores around 475,000 on AnTuTu, while on Geekbench 7, it hits 612 in single-core, 1,917 in multi-core, and 1,741 for the GPU. In practical terms, this chip is more than capable of handling the majority of retro consoles you would want to play on a device like this.
For 8-bit and 16-bit systems like the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Sega Genesis, performance is consistent and smooth. You can fast-forward through slow RPG text without any stuttering. Moving up to 32-bit and 64-bit systems like the PlayStation 1 and Nintendo 64, the device continues to perform well. I didn’t experience any noticeable slowdowns in standard titles. Sega Dreamcast games also ran without issue.
I spent a lot of time playing PlayStation Portable (PSP) games. The G90T handles PSP emulation quite well; I was able to run most games at 2x or 3x their original resolution with playable fps. However, because the PSP used a 16:9 widescreen format, playing these games on the Pocket Advance’s 3:2 screen means you will have black bars at the top and bottom of the image.
The device can also run some lightweight 2D PS2 games, but the Helio G90T struggles with heavier 3D titles in the PS2 library. If your primary goal is to play PS2 games, this is not the right handheld for you. It is best viewed as a device for everything up to the Dreamcast, PS1, and PSP.
To keep the processor cool, the device has an active cooling fan. If you are playing demanding games or using the Max performance setting, the fan will turn on. You can hear it pushing air out of the top vents, but the noise isn’t overly loud or distracting. It does a good job of keeping the back of the device from getting too warm during long sessions.
Software Experience
The Pocket Advance runs on Android 12. Because it’s an Android device, you have the flexibility to download standard apps, use the Google Play Store, and install whatever standalone emulators or frontends you prefer.
Out of the box, Ayaneo provides its own software layer. The default home screen is AYAHome, a basic launcher that lets you organize apps into folders and change wallpapers. The core of the experience, however, is AYASpace. This is Ayaneo’s proprietary frontend for managing retro games.
It allows you to scan your microSD card for game files, automatically downloads box art and game descriptions, and organizes your library by console. It’s relatively easy to set up and works well for people who don’t want to spend hours configuring third-party apps.
The most useful software feature is the quick settings overlay, accessed by pressing the dedicated K button on the front of the device. This brings up a menu that lets you adjust system settings without leaving your game. You can view real-time stats like CPU usage, GPU usage, and framerate.
You can also switch between different performance profiles (Eco, Balanced, Gaming, and Max) and manually adjust the fan speed. The overlay also includes toggles for screen brightness, volume, controller mapping, screenshots, and Wi-Fi. Having these controls easily accessible makes life much easier.
Battery Life and Audio
The handheld is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery and supports 10W charging via USB-C. It takes about 45 minutes to charge the battery to 80%.
Battery life varies depending on how you use the device. When I played more demanding PS1 or PSP games on the Gaming performance profile, the battery lasted around 6-8 hours. When I switched to the Eco profile to play standard Game Boy Advance games, the battery life extended closer to 10-12 hours. For casual use, playing an hour or two a day, you can easily go a few days between charges.
For audio, the Pocket Advance has two chamber speakers located on the bottom edge. They are surprisingly clear and get loud enough for normal indoor use without distorting. The device also includes a rotor motor for haptic feedback, which works well in games that support rumble features. If you prefer to use wired headphones, the 3.5mm jack on the bottom provides clean audio output.
Final Thoughts
The Ayaneo Konkr Pocket Advance is a fantastic device that brings a genuinely premium feel to the retro handheld space. Between the excellent display, quite powerful chipset, and smooth Android interface, the overall design is incredibly well-executed. While it isn’t an exact replica of the original Game Boy Advance, it doesn’t need to be, it perfectly masters all the nitpicky details you would want in a modern GBA-style handheld.
The pricing is also highly competitive, starting at just $89, making it an easy recommendation. When comparing it to a direct competitor like the $59.99 Anbernic RG34XX, the Pocket Advance easily outclasses it in almost every category when it comes to raw specs and overall polish.
If you are specifically looking for a joystick experience, you might want to look toward the Pocket Air Mini, which starts at $109.99. However, if you want a premium, D-pad-focused handheld that nails the classic horizontal form factor, the Pocket Advance is an outstanding choice.
Poco is teasing a mid-range phone that’s all about battery life, and the official reveal is just a few days away.
Poco India dropped the first official teaser for the Poco X8 Power 5G, confirming it’ll launch in India on September 4 at 12 PM IST. The short video and posts show off a bright yellow back with a square camera module, but the real star is what they’re calling the “biggest battery EVER on a POCO phone”, a massive 10,000 mAh cell.
According to the brand, that should get you up to 3.5 days on a single charge, and they’re also pushing a six-year battery lifespan claim. Leaks suggest it supports up to 100W wired charging over USB-C and can even act as a power bank with reverse charging up to 27W. Those numbers haven’t been confirmed officially yet, but they’ve been consistent across multiple reports.
The teaser and earlier leaks point to a 6.83″ display that hits a claimed 3,500 nits peak HDR brightness, protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. It’s also got IP68 and IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance. Camera-wise, expect a 50 MP main sensor with OIS, an 8 MP ultrawide, and a 32 MP selfie camera.
10,000 mAh battery? Yeah, you read that right.
We didn’t just push the limits, we completely broke them. Introducing the biggest battery EVER on a POCO phone: #10000mAh of uninterrupted power that keeps going for 3.5 DAYS straight.#POCOX8Power, launching 4th September at 12 PM pic.twitter.com/6MmNt86JUj
The X8 Power is said to get four major Android OS upgrades plus six years of security patches. It apparently runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and is widely seen as a rebranded Redmi Note 17 Pro Max with only minor tweaks. A companion model, the regular Poco X8 5G with a 9,000 mAh battery, is also launching on the same day.
Full specs, pricing, and availability (likely through Flipkart) will be revealed at the September 4 event. With the combination of a 10,000mAh battery and Snapdragon 6 Gen 5, Poco is clearly aiming at people who just want a phone that lasts and lasts. Everything else should become clear in a few days.
Citizen has released three new men’s sports watches in the UK under its AW191 series. The new models are available now on the company’s UK website and stick to a basic, functional formula: standard analog designs powered by Citizen’s long-running Eco-Drive solar technology.
Design Details
The release includes three specific models: the AW1914-55L, the AW1911-53E, and the AW1911-53A. All three share the same underlying hardware and a 43mm stainless steel case, which is a fairly standard size for modern sports watches.
The AW1914-55L is the most expensive of the group at £299. It comes with a two-tone stainless steel case and bracelet, along with a navy blue dial and a matching blue bezel. The other two models are priced slightly lower at £279 and offer a more standard silver-tone steel finish. The AW1911-53E features a black dial and black bezel, while the AW1911-53A pairs a white dial with a black bezel. All three watches use a standard stainless steel bracelet secured by a fold-over clasp with push buttons.
The watch features Citizen’s Eco-Drive movement, which eliminates the need for regular battery replacements or manual winding. It converts natural sunlight and indoor light into power, allowing the watch to run continuously without a battery swap as long as it receives regular light exposure.
Otherwise, the specs are exactly what you would expect for a watch at this price point. The dial is covered by mineral crystal. It provides decent impact resistance, though it is more prone to scratching than the sapphire crystal you usually find on more expensive watches. The dial itself is straightforward, featuring a basic three-hand layout for the time and a small date window.
For water resistance, the watches are rated at 100 meters (10 Bar). This means they are fine for surface swimming, showering, and snorkeling, but they are not built for scuba diving.
We’d normally start a roundup like this by talking about which OnePlus phone has the fastest chipset or the biggest battery. This year, though, the more important story is outside the spec sheet. The OnePlus 15 launched in China in October 2025 and went global soon after, followed by the 15R in December and the smaller 15T in March. On paper, that’s business as usual for OnePlus.
However, in July, OnePlus confirmed that it will stop launching new devices in Europe, the United States, and Canada. The announcement caught many people off guard, especially since OnePlus has built a small but loyal following in these markets. Existing users will continue to receive software updates, security patches, and warranty support, but there will be no new OnePlus phones launching there.
So this list serves two purposes: it’s a look at the OnePlus phones that made it to market this year, and a guide to which ones are worth buying while they’re still officially available in your region.
The OnePlus 15 is the easiest recommendation in the lineup. It’s the phone OnePlus built to do pretty much everything well. You get a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, although that ultra-high refresh rate is mainly useful in supported games. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage.
The battery is the biggest highlight here. The OnePlus 15 packs a huge 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery. The US version supports 80W charging, while charging speeds vary by market.
The camera setup is also properly flagship-level this time. There’s a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP periscope telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom. The US model starts at $899.99 for 12GB/256GB.
The OnePlus 15R is where things get more interesting. It’s $200 cheaper than the OnePlus 15 in the US, but it still has a lot of the hardware that makes the flagship attractive. You get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, and a massive 7,400mAh battery.
As for optics, you get a 50MP Sony IMX906 main camera and an 8MP ultrawide, but no telephoto lens. You also don’t get wireless charging.
The 15R starts at $699.99 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the US. The 512GB version costs $799.99. In India, it starts at ₹47,999.
The OnePlus 15T is probably the most interesting phone in the lineup, and also the hardest one to recommend because you can’t officially buy it in most markets.
It launched in China in March with a 6.32-inch 1.5K OLED display and a 165Hz refresh rate. More importantly, it uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip as the larger OnePlus 15. And then there’s the battery. Despite its compact size, the 15T packs a 7,500mAh battery, with support for 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.
The camera setup is also better than you might expect. It has a 50MP main camera and a 50MP telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom. There’s no ultrawide camera, but at least OnePlus didn’t completely sacrifice zoom photography to make the phone smaller.
Pricing starts at 4,299 yuan, around $625, for 12GB/256GB. The top-end 16GB/1TB model costs 5,699 yuan. The catch is availability. The 15T launched in China, and OnePlus never gave it a proper global rollout. With the company’s latest decision to stop launching new products in Europe and North America, its chances of getting an official release in those markets look even worse.
If you don’t need flagship performance, there’s still the Nord 6. It has a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and is built around Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. The phone also gets a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide, along with a large battery.
The Nord 6 is less about having the most impressive spec sheet and more about getting the everyday stuff right. It’s fast enough for normal apps, social media, streaming, and gaming, without asking you to spend flagship money.
OnePlus sells the Nord 6 from Rs 38,999 (~$420) for the 8GB+256GB variant and Rs 41,999 (~$450) for the 12GB+256GB model.
This is the part that’s difficult to ignore when recommending OnePlus phones in 2026. OnePlus has officially said it will no longer launch new products in Europe and North America. At the same time, it says existing customers will continue to receive software updates and after-sales support.
So if you’re in the US, Canada, or Europe, buying a OnePlus 15 or 15R isn’t necessarily a bad idea. You’re not buying a phone that immediately loses support. But you should be aware that the next OnePlus phone may not officially arrive in your market.
That changes the buying decision quite a bit. If you’re the type of person who upgrades every two or three years and wants an easy official purchase, warranty, and local support, OnePlus is a less comfortable recommendation in those regions.
India is different for now. OnePlus has publicly rejected reports that it plans to leave the country, saying its business continues as normal. So you can rely on it, at least for the time being.
Huawei’s starting to tease what’s coming at its big global event in Munich on September 2, and the first two products they’re highlighting are the Watch 6 and the nova 16s Pro.
They announced the Munich gathering last week, but kept the actual products pretty quiet until now. Fresh promo material confirms that both the Huawei Watch 6 and the nova 16s Pro will be unveiled there.
Official posts describe the Watch 6 as lightweight and comfortable, with a refined design, smarter features, better health tracking, and AI expected to analyze a wider range of sports. It’ll share the stage with a few other wearables too, including the flagship WATCH GT 7 Series and the next WATCH D3 (the one that measures blood pressure).
For context, the current Huawei Watch 5 already packs some impressive tech. It’s built around the multi-sensing X-TAP sensor that lets you tap your fingertip for a quick, accurate blood oxygen reading in about 10 seconds, plus a one-tap Health Glance that pulls up to 10 key metrics like heart rate, ECG, HRV, stress and more in under a minute.
You also get phone-free eSIM calling and navigation, over 100 workout modes (including pro-level stuff like golf and freediving), smart gestures for hands-free control, a bright LTPO AMOLED display, solid battery life of up to 4.5 days on the larger model in standard mode (or longer in saver mode), and a premium build with options like aerospace-grade titanium or stainless steel cases in both 42 mm and 46 mm sizes.
Then there’s the nova 16s Pro. This one is all about the cameras. It packs a 200MP main sensor, with an RYYB-style color filter used on both the main and selfie cameras. Huawei claims the setup delivers noticeably more accurate colors. The series is focused on strong portraits and an all-around solid phone experience.
The Munich event looks like it’ll cover a pretty wide range — smartwatches, tablets, phones, and even audio stuff like the FreeBuds Neo series. As we get closer to September 2, expect Huawei to drip out more specs. For now, the teasers are leaning hard on two things: a watch that actually feels good to wear all day, and a phone that takes color seriously.
Timex has released a new collaborative watch with the New York menswear brand Noah. The NOAH x Timex MK1 Anchor is available now on the Timex US website for $248. It is sold as a set that includes the watch and two interchangeable fabric straps.
The watch is built around a 36mm brushed stainless steel case that measures 10mm thick. This is a relatively small case size compared to the larger smartwatches and dive watches that often dominate the market, but it aligns with a recent industry trend favoring smaller, more traditional dimensions.
Instead of sapphire or mineral glass, Timex used a domed acrylic crystal for the display. Acrylic is a plastic polymer that was standard in mid-century watches. It scratches more easily than modern watch glass, but it is shatter-resistant, and minor surface scuffs can usually be buffed out with standard polishing paste. It also distorts the dial slightly at the edges, which is a deliberate design choice to give the watch an older look.
The dial itself is cream-colored with partial Arabic numerals and applied indices. Rather than a standard central second hand, the watch features an anchor-shaped sub-second dial positioned at the bottom of the face. The hands and hour markers are filled with luminescent paint for visibility in the dark.
Internally, the MK1 Anchor runs on a standard quartz analog movement powered by an SR621SW battery. It is a basic, battery-operated mechanism, meaning it lacks the mechanical complexity of an automatic watch, but it will keep accurate time with minimal maintenance.
The package includes two 18mm fabric straps: one with red and navy stripes, and a second solid navy option. Both straps have quick-release spring bars, allowing you to swap them out by pulling a small metal tab rather than using a specialized watch tool. The back of the stainless steel case features a laser-engraved Noah logo.
Belkin has added a new docking station to its lineup in China. The new INC032 is a 12-in-1 USB-C dock to expand your laptop’s connectivity while also handling charging and dual-monitor setups.
The dock can connect to a laptop via a USB-C 3.2 upstream port. It supports up to 100W Power Delivery and data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. There is also a dedicated power input, along with a Kensington lock slot for securing the dock to a desk.
For connectivity, the INC032 offers three USB-C ports and four USB-A ports. It also has two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort, a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack that supports both audio input and output.
Display support is where this dock earns its dual-display label. The dock can run two external monitors at the same time, with both supporting up to 4K resolution at 60Hz. You can connect two displays through HDMI or use one HDMI port and the DisplayPort connection. The dock can also deliver up to 100W of power to a connected laptop.
As for data transfer, the USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 delivers 10Gbps. Belkin claims the dock can transfer a 10GB movie file in around three seconds.
The INC032 joins several other docking stations from Belkin. The company recently launched a 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 dock with 140W charging and support for three 4K displays at 144Hz. It also previously released an 11-in-1 USB-C docking station aimed at users looking for a more affordable option.
The new INC032 sits between those two models, offering dual 4K display support without going all the way up to the higher-end Thunderbolt 5 model.
Xiaomi has an event planned in early September for its new Xiaomi 18 Fold and tablets. The latter is the Xiaomi Pad 9 series, and a fresh leak today spills the beans on the top-of-the-line model, reportedly called Xiaomi Pad 9 Pro Max.
The leak says the tablet will have a 13-inch screen with a soft-light option, and comes in a striking red shade. Xiaomi started the trend-red with the Redmi K100 Pro Max, and now picked up by the Xiaomi 18 Fold, as shown in leaked images. Looks like the upcoming tablet is also a part of this.
The engineering sample reportedly has 8GB of RAM, while retail versions will go up to 16GB paired with either 512GB or 1TB of storage. The battery is over 10000mAh, supports a 120W adapter, and the tablet weighs around 650g.
Digital Chat Station also says the Pad 9 Pro Max will be the cheapest way to get Xiaomi’s next-generation chip. The chip in question is the XRING O3, and the Pad 9 Pro Max will be the first device to use it alongside the 18 Fold.
The foldable is likely to cost north of $1500 when it launches; no surprise the Pad 9 Pro Max will be a more accessible option to test the new chip.
The Xring O3 has a deca-core CPU with 6 ultra-large cores and 4 large cores, with a maximum frequency of 4.35GHz. Its multi-core benchmark score has passed 15,000 points, a 60% increase over the previous chip. The GPU is a 16-core G2-Ultra NX unit with third-generation ray tracing support.
Xiaomi Pad 9 series has three models
In another leak earlier this month, the tipster claimed the Xiaomi Pad 9 series will include three models: the standard Pad 9, the Pad 9 Pro, and the Pad 9 Pro Max. The Pad 9 Pro is expected to have a 12.5-inch LCD screen with 67W charging, while the vanilla model settles with an 11.2-inch screen and 45W charging.
Samsung’s One UI 9 beta program has been up and running since May, but it has remained limited to the Galaxy S26 series. Well, that’s changing soon as the brand is almost prepared to bring the beta program to more devices, including some mid-range phones.
The Galaxy S26 series has already received seven beta updates and might be nearing the end of the the end of beta program. That could mean the One UI 9 beta may start expanding to more Galaxy devices anytime soon.
In the last few days, over a dozen Galaxy devices have been spotted on the test servers with beta builds. Earlier, we reported on internal testing of the new software for dozens of Galaxy devices, but recent test builds specifically target the beta software for the following devices, which could soon join the public beta program.
Samsung could release One UI 9 beta to these devices
Galaxy S series
Galaxy S25
Galaxy S25+
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Galaxy S25 FE
Galaxy S24
Galaxy S24+
Galaxy S24 Ultra
Galaxy S23
Galaxy S23+
Galaxy S23 Ultra
Galaxy Z series
Galaxy Z Fold 7
Galaxy Z Flip 7
Galaxy A series
Galaxy A57
Galaxy A56
Galaxy A55
Galaxy A54
Galaxy A36
Galaxy A35
The beta rollout plans could be affected by a variety of reasons, and so the list above shouldn’t be treated as the final list.
The good news is that the One UI 9 beta expansion won’t take long, as Samsung has already created beta program sections for many devices on its Community forum, including the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Galaxy Z Flip 7. These devices will likely receive the beta update in the coming days.
Oppo is reportedly planning to launch its next flagship series, the Find X10, in global markets by late October. According to industry insider Yogesh Brar (via SmartPrix), the launch will also include India.
The timeline is interesting because Oppo has not even launched the Find X10 series in China yet. If the report is accurate, the company could have a relatively short gap between the Chinese launch and the global release.
Oppo Find X9
In India, Oppo is reportedly targeting a launch before Diwali. The festive season is one of the busiest times of the year for smartphone sales, and Oppo has used this period for launches in the past. Bringing the Find X10 series during the same window would therefore make sense.
For India, Oppo is expected to launch two models: the standard Find X10 and the Find X10 Pro Max. Other markets could also get a third model, the Find X10 Pro.
What to expect from the Find X10 series
The Find X10 Pro Max is expected to be the top model in the series. It could feature a 6.78-inch 1.5K flat display with slim and symmetrical bezels. Under the hood, the phone is rumored to use MediaTek’s 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset.
The camera setup on the Find X10 Pro Max could include a 200MP primary camera using a Samsung sensor based on its HPC hardware.
The Find X10 Pro is also expected to use a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO display. The panel is said to support a wider BT.2020 color gamut and could be powered by the 2nm Dimensity 9600 chipset.
The standard Find X10, meanwhile, is rumored to use a Dimensity 9500 Plus chip. It could also get a 200MP main camera, although with a smaller 1/1.4-inch sensor. A 3x periscope telephoto camera is also expected.
The entire Find X10 line is also expected to have batteries in the 8,000mAh range. Wireless charging is also expected to return from the Find X9 series.
For now, all of these details should be treated as rumors. Oppo has not officially announced the Find X10 series or confirmed its launch plans. The company could also change some of the specifications before the phones are released.
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
Honor is set to launch the Magic 9 series in September, and ahead of the big reveal, the phone has secured a new certification in China. According to tipster Digital Chat Station, two Honor Magic 9 models have appeared in the regulatory listing with support for 100W fast charging.
The Honor Magic9 series is expected to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen6 chipset. The chip is built on TSMC’s N2P 2nm process, and is expected to offer improvements in performance and power efficiency, along with better support for on-device AI tasks. We have covered more details about Qualcomm’s new chipset in our look at the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen6’s specs.
Honor Magic 9 design
As for optics, Honor has partnered with German cinema equipment maker Arri for the series. According to leaked specifications, the main camera will use a 200-megapixel sensor measuring 1/1.28 inches. It is also expected to have a wide F1.57 aperture and 3-degree optical image stabilization (OIS). The telephoto is tipped to be a 200MP sensor with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor and an F2.6 aperture.
With the September 28 launch date approaching, more details about the Honor Magic 9 series should emerge soon. The latest certification listing confirms support for 100W charging, while earlier leaks have already revealed the new 2nm chipset, Arri camera partnership, and 200MP camera hardware.
Xiaomi is working on the Smart Band 11, as the device has surfaced on the floor via the Xiaomi Health Research App. The reveal shows the design of the fitness band and confirms that the company will offer more versions this time.
According to the app listing, the Xiaomi Band 11 series will include four models. There will be a standard version and an NFC model, along with a ceramic edition and a model with an all-metal body. The metal version is the main new addition to the lineup. The Smart Band 10 also had a ceramic model, but it was released as a special edition rather than as part of a four-model lineup.
Both models have a 233mAh battery. That’s the same battery capacity used in the previous generation, so Xiaomi does not appear to be increasing the battery size this time. If the Band 11 lasts longer on a charge, the improvement will likely come from better power efficiency and software rather than a larger battery.
What to expect from the Xiaomi Smart Band 11
Looking at the previous generation gives us an idea of what Xiaomi could improve this time. The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 launched in June last year with a 1.72-inch AMOLED display. It offered up to 1,500 nits of brightness, a 60Hz refresh rate, and support for wet-hand touch protection to reduce accidental inputs.
The Smart Band 10 also received a colorful ceramic edition. Xiaomi marketed it as a “tenth generation collector’s edition,” with prices starting at 269 yuan (~ $40).
The Band 11 series could take that idea further by making different materials part of the main lineup. Buyers will reportedly be able to choose the regular model for a simpler design or go for the ceramic or metal versions for a more premium look.
Xiaomi has not revealed the pricing or launch date for the Band 11 series yet. More details about its design, display, health features, and other specifications should appear in the coming months as the launch gets closer.
Huawei has finally shown off the design of the Mate XT 2, and the tri-fold phone looks nothing like its predecessor. The new phone swaps the Z-shaped fold of the original Mate XT for a U-shaped fold instead.
Looking at the official images, the fold pattern resembles Samsung’s tri-fold, though the order the panels fold in is slightly different. Unlike the Galaxy Z Tri-Fold, which opens from the left panel, the Mate XT2 opens to the right
The main benefit of the U-shaped design is that it protects the foldable’s inner screen. When you fold it all the way shut, the flexible inner screen sits tucked inside the body, so you’re less likely to crack it by accident. Since a replacement screen for the original Mate XT costs 4,999 yuan, this will be a huge relief for buyers who want a tri-fold for that extra screen space.
The Mate XT 2’s outer screen deserves a mention too. Its front camera sits inside a pill-shaped cutout, like Huawei’s regular candybar flagships. As a result, it likely has 3D face recognition, similar to what’s rumored for the Pura 90 Ultra.
Around back, the camera module looks a lot like last year’s, keeping the same octagonal shape.
Huawei Mate XT 2 could use Kirin 9030S processor
On performance, Huawei is expected to use the same Kirin 9030S chip found in the Pura X View. That chip first debuted in the Pura 90 Pro and Pura 90 Pro Max, and it now powers most of Huawei’s flagship lineup.
Under the hood, it packs one super core at 2.69GHz, three large cores at 2.15GHz, and four medium cores at 1.62GHz, paired with a Maleoon 935F GPU running at 933MHz with three compute units.
The Mate XT 2 will also be the first phone to run HarmonyOS 7. Its Ark Engine gets a large model built into the system for the first time, trained on more than 2 billion scene-learning data points. Huawei says that pushes performance up another 15% while keeping annual load growth under 10%.
Xiaomi confirmed today that the Xiaomi 18 Fold will be the world’s first phone to ship with CXMT’s new LPDDR6 memory. The foldable is set to launch in September alongside the new SkyNomad SUV.
Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun announced the news on Weibo while congratulating CXMT on reaching mass production of LPDDR6. He called the achievement “remarkable” and said Xiaomi’s XRING O3 is the first chip to support the new memory standard. The Xiaomi 18 Fold will be the first device to use the technology.
Lei also said he expects more Chinese tech companies to work together on projects like this in the future. The XRING O3 itself only came out on August 24. Xiaomi unveiled it as the first chip in the industry built to work with LPDDR6.
What can you expect
According to IT Home, CXMT detailed the new memory in its 2026 semi-annual report. The company says LPDDR6 is a major upgrade over its previous LPDDR5X memory, with improvements to its architecture and data transfer system.
LPDDR6 can reach transfer speeds of up to 12,800Mbps and is available with up to 16GB of memory per chip. CXMT has already sent samples to key customers for testing and is now working to increase mass production.
Xiaomi 18 Fold
Faster memory helps a phone handle multiple apps more smoothly, open apps faster, and deal with demanding AI features more efficiently. The move is also an important step for CXMT, which has been working to compete with major memory makers such as Samsung and SK Hynix. By supplying the first phone with LPDDR6, CXMT has secured an early lead in the new memory standard.
Xiaomi has not revealed the full specifications of the Xiaomi 18 Fold yet. However, with the foldable confirmed to launch in September, we should learn more about the phone soon.
Xiaomi doesn’t sell one phone a year; it sells dozens, spread across three sub-brands, three or four price tiers, and two forms — conventional and foldable.
As you might be aware, Xiaomi’s Redmi sub-brand covers the budget-to-mid-range crowd, Poco is known for its performance-per-dollar phones, while the Xiaomi-branded line handles everything from a genuinely affordable flagship to a camera system co-built with Leica.
It’s always good to have more choices for consumers, but this also makes it difficult for users to navigate that pool to find the best device for their needs. So instead of ranking every Xiaomi or sub-brand phone you can get on the market today, we’ve listed the best ones by category in this list today. That way, you can go straight to the phone that fits your budget and what you actually need.
The Xiaomi 17 is the most balanced phone in the company’s numbered flagship series. It launched globally at MWC 2026 as a compact device with the best flagship hardware for its size.
The phone has a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 1.18mm bezels, 12-bit color, and up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, built on a 3nm process, with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage.
Powering the setup is a 6,330mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Xiaomi says the battery can retain at least 80% of its capacity after 1,600 charging cycles.
The camera system is also more capable than the phone’s compact size might suggest. There is a 50MP Light Fusion 950 main camera with OIS, a 50MP 60mm floating telephoto with OIS and 2.6x optical zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The front camera is also 50MP. All four cameras are part of the Leica-tuned system.
The Xiaomi 17 starts at €999 for the 12GB/256GB model in Europe, while the 12GB/512GB version costs €1,099.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra has few similarities with the base model, like the chipset, but its headline specs are the cameras. The back has a 50MP 1-inch main camera and a 200MP Leica telephoto camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor.
The biggest camera feature is the telephoto system. Instead of relying on a fixed periscope lens, Xiaomi is using a mechanical optical zoom system that moves between 75mm and 100mm focal lengths. The company says it can provide optical-quality zoom out to the equivalent of 400mm. The phone also has a 50MP ultrawide camera with a 115-degree field of view.
The phone is built around a 6.9-inch HyperRGB OLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,500 nits of brightness. The battery is 6,000mAh and supports 90W wired and 50W wireless charging.
The global version comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. In Europe, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at €1,499.
If you don’t need all the hardware of a full flagship, Xiaomi has the T-series as a cheaper middle ground. The latest generation includes the Xiaomi 17T and Xiaomi 17T Pro, both of which offer Leica cameras and big silicon-carbon batteries for less than the base Xiaomi 17.
The Xiaomi 17T has a 6.59-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12-bit color, and up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness. It runs on MediaTek’s Dimensity 8500-Ultra, a 4nm chip, and comes with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage.
The 17T also has a 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery with 67W wired charging. Its camera setup includes a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto camera with OIS, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The phone supports Leica Live Moment for capturing a short moving clip alongside a photo.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi 17T Pro is bigger at 6.83 inches, with a 1.5K AMOLED display running at 144Hz. It is powered by MediaTek’s 3nm Dimensity 9500 chip with an all-big-core CPU design.
Its camera system is similar to the standard 17T but gets a larger 50MP Light Fusion 950 main sensor. It is joined by the same 50MP 5x Leica periscope telephoto camera with OIS and a 12MP ultrawide camera. The telephoto supports 5x native optical zoom, 10x optical-quality zoom, and up to 120x AI Ultra Zoom.
Xiaomi 17T Pro
The Pro also gets a larger 7,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Xiaomi says the battery can retain at least 80% of its capacity after 1,600 charging cycles. It also has IP68 water and dust resistance, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.
You can get the Xiaomi 17T at €749 for 12GB/256GB, while the 12GB/512GB model costs €799 in Europe. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 17T Pro starts at €899 for 12GB/256GB, rises to €999 for 12GB/512GB, and reaches €1,099 for 12GB/1TB in Europe.
The Redmi Note 17 Pro is the newest entrant in the Redmi Note lineup. Its biggest feature is an 8,340mAh silicon-carbon battery, which Xiaomi rates for up to 28 hours of video playback. The battery supports 67W wired charging and 22.5W wired reverse charging.
The phone has a 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness. It runs on the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4, built on a 4nm process, with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
As for durability, the phone has IP66 and IP68 water and dust resistance and has passed a 3-meter underwater test lasting up to 72 hours. Xiaomi also promises six years of security updates.
For optics, the Redmi Note 17 Pro has a dual camera system on the back, led by a 50MP main camera with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide camera. The front has a 16MP camera. The Redmi Note 17 Pro starts at around $400 globally.
The Redmi 17 5G sits below the Note series but still offers a large display and battery for its price. It has a 6.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 7,500mAh battery. The battery supports 45W turbo charging and up to 22.5W wired reverse charging. Xiaomi says the battery can maintain at least 80% of its original capacity after 1,000 full charging cycles.
The phone is powered by a 4nm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chipset, paired with up to 6GB of physical RAM and 256GB of storage. There is also a 50MP AI dual-camera system, 5G connectivity, NFC, and an IP64 rating on some global versions. The exact configuration and pricing vary by market.
The Redmi 15C is Xiaomi’s entry-level option and focuses on the basics. It has a 6.9-inch HD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 810 nits of brightness.
The phone uses the MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra and is available with different RAM and storage configurations depending on the market. It also supports microSD expansion, giving buyers an easy way to add more storage.
The standout feature is the 6,000mAh battery, which supports 33W fast charging. There is also a 50MP AI dual-camera system and an IP64 rating for dust and water resistance. Xiaomi’s global launch price was around $119, but the actual price varies considerably between markets.
The Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 stands out from other flip phones mainly because of its battery. It packs a 5,165mAh battery, which was unusually large for the flip-phone category when it launched.
It supports 67W wired and 50W wireless charging, giving it an advantage over many compact foldables that still use smaller batteries and slower charging systems.
The phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite and has a 6.86-inch inner display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness. The cover screen is also larger than the previous generation.
For cameras, there is a 50MP main camera using an OmniVision sensor and a 50MP ultrawide camera with autofocus and macro support. The front camera is 32MP and can record 4K video. The Mix Flip 2 starts at 5,999 yuan in China for the 12GB/256GB version.
HMD has a new phone for parents who want to keep their kids connected without handing them a distraction machine. The company just launched the HMD 105 4G School Edition, and it strips away almost everything that makes a phone fun to play with.
You still get calls and texts, but the web browser is gone. So is the Snake game that’s shipped on Nokia and HMD feature phones for years. The recording function is gone too. In their place, HMD is offering a PIN-protected parental control system. Parents can use it to turn off Bluetooth, MMS, and even the radio.
The hardware carries over from the standard HMD 105 4G, so you’re not sacrificing durability or battery life for the school-friendly restrictions. You get a 2.4-inch screen at 240×320 resolution, 64MB of RAM, and 128MB of storage. If that sounds tight, a microSD slot lets you add up to 32GB more.
For connectivity, the phone supports 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.0, though parents can disable it via parental controls. A USB-C port handles charging, while a 3.5mm headphone jack lets students use traditional wired headphones.
HMD 105
The HMD 105 4G School Edition can store up to 2,000 contacts, which should be more than enough for most students. It also has a removable 1,450mAh battery. HMD claims the phone can last up to 15 days on standby, similar to the recent 2025 Nokia 105 2nd Edition.
Samsung was the first to bring hardware-based screen privacy to its phones with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Xiaomi is now working on a similar feature, according to new screenshots that emerged on X showing the feature in action.
Xiaomi is calling the feature “Smart Privacy Display,” and the interface shows it will be more than just an on/off switch.
You can create custom groups and assign specific apps to each, letting you decide exactly which apps trigger privacy mode and which don’t. There’s also an automatic mode that kicks in for sensitive screens without you having to do anything, like password fields, banking apps, and messaging threads.
That's how "Smart privacy display" options will look on supported #Xiaomi device (likely upcoming flagship).
Video recorded on Global ROM. "Page privacy display" and Xiaomi Hyper XiaoAi groups are, at least for now, available only on China ROM. pic.twitter.com/AigocVrasZ
The leak lines up with earlier rumors from June that Xiaomi was developing a Samsung-style privacy display for its next flagship phones. The newly leaked screenshots add weight to the claim, although Xiaomi has not officially confirmed the feature yet.
Xiaomi 18 Pro and Pro Max could get the feature
The Smart Privacy Display is expected to arrive with the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Pro Max. Both phones are rumored to launch in September and could be among the first devices to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset.
The two phones are also expected to retain the rear displays seen on their predecessors. However, rumors suggest Xiaomi could make these secondary screens larger this time.
For now, it is unclear exactly how Xiaomi’s privacy display works at the hardware level. Samsung’s implementation on the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses special display technology to reduce the viewing angle rather than relying on software dimming or a physical privacy filter. You can read more about how Samsung’s privacy display technology works here.
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