Opinion post by

Ryan Haines

Are you familiar with the term “goblincore?” I wasn’t, but Spotify decided it was the perfect phrase to introduce me to its Niche Mix feature. I laughed. I showed my colleagues here at Android Authority, and they laughed. Then, I looked up the term goblincore and found that it’s an aesthetic based on parts of nature not traditionally considered beautiful, like snails, moss, and mushrooms. I laughed a little more and wondered why Spotify chose this example to bring me into the world of hyper-specific playlists. Only after all of this laughing and research did I finally listen to the playlist and decide that, honestly, maybe Spotify Niche Mixes are onto something.

Wait, what’s a Spotify Niche Mix?

Credit: Google

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

“AI is taking over the world, but I’m not ready for it,” is a sentiment I shared with you a few weeks ago. My apprehensions about generative AI haven’t changed since then, but as I heard the word “AI” being uttered for the 100th time during this week’s Google I/O, a quick realization dawned on me: I was OK with that. Maybe not as ecstatic as the hundreds of I/O attendees clapping and laughing like a ’90s sitcom track, but still, relatively OK and comfortable with Google’s approach to generative AI.

I’ve since rewatched the conference once more while rewinding specific moments many times over to analyze them. I’ve also given myself a couple of days to re-assess whether my rose-tinted Google glasses were affecting my judgment here. The result is I’m still generally comfortable with Google’s AI approach. Where OpenAI’s GPT4 presentation and Microsoft’s CoPilot launch left me in awe but also intimidated and concerned, Google’s take seems smartly selective and restrained.

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

The one thing that immediately struck me the moment I opened the Pixel 7a box was how phenomenally well-built this phone is. In hand, it is virtually indistinguishable from my more expensive Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, despite the switch from a glass to a plastic back. Sure, the similar white color helps, but everything about the Pixel 7a feels solid and premium — way more than the Pixel 6a or any other A series phone ever did.

Google isn’t joking this time around. At $499, this midrange phone is excellent on paper, and even better in reality. Just start counting all the ways the Pixel 7a is better than the 6a and you’ll notice that the upgrades stack up to easily justify the $50 markup in price (if not more). But could it be the last A series Pixel from Google? Rumors suggest so, but I think otherwise.

You’re not alone if you’re a little unsure what Google’s strategy for its smart home ecosystem is right now. Shortly after killing off support for third-party smart displays, Mountain View launched the Pixel Tablet at Google I/O 2023 — a dockable large screen with built-in Google Home functionality. In other words, a smart display.

The Pixel Tablet is certainly an intriguing product, but is this the future of Nest Hubs or simply another experiment Google will have forgotten about in 12 months’ time? Either way, there’s just one problem; who wants to spend $499/€680 to control their smart lights?

When the Google Pixel Fold price started to leak, I admit I was dubious. This was Google, after all, and its Pixel phones are priced very competitively, so why would the Pixel Fold be any different? I was holding out hope that the rumors were wrong and we’d all be pleasantly surprised by a significantly cheaper retail price. Then the bombshell was dropped at I/O: $1,799. Dollar-to-pound/euro, it’s even more expensive in the UK at £1,749 and Germany at €1,899. Ouch.

So what gives? We’ve been pondering this for a while here at Android Authority and we think there are a few explanations to this pricing strategy. First and foremost, foldable phones are still expensive to make, especially if you’re going to go out of your way to design the hinge and display a little differently, as we noted in our hands-on with the Pixel Fold.

With the new Pixel 7a, Google has taken several steps forward in its Pixel A series photography journey. Several features that were previously exclusive to the higher-end Pixel 7 and 6 lineup have trickled down to the 7a, partly due to better hardware sensors, but also thanks to the Tensor G2 chip and its local processing and AI chops. But how do these on-paper improvements stack up in real life? Is this one of the best camera phones in its price range or does it falter? We’ve put the Pixel 7a up against the older Pixel 6a and the higher-end Pixel 7 in a camera shootout to see.

Google Pixel 7a

• The best sub-$500 camera phone
• Solid performance and plenty of RAM
• Improved 90Hz display

The Pixel 7a delivers more premium features than ever for under $500, such as wireless charging support, a 90Hz refresh rate display, and a 64MP camera.

$499 at Amazon

$499 at T-Mobile

$499 at Google Store

$499 at Best Buy

$519 at AT&T

$549.99 at Verizon

Google Pixel 7a camera specs explained

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

WhatsApp is finally available as a native app on Wear OS smartwatches like the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch 5. The app is still in beta, but those of you who are registered testers will be happy to know that it does nearly everything you’d want from a messaging app on your wrist, including support for voice messages — hallelujah! In an instant, this app has made my Google Pixel Watch infinitely more useful in my everyday life.

How to install WhatsApp on the Pixel Watch and other Wear OS smartwatches

To install WhatsApp on the Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch 5, or other Android smartwatches, you need to be a beta tester. Join the WhatsApp beta program, then wait a little bit until the Play Store app on your phone validates your beta status. After that, you can simply search for “WhatsApp” on the Play Store either on your smartwatch or your phone and tap to install it.

Opinion post by

Aamir Siddiqui

Smartphones were once the hot product every manufacturer jumped on, but now everyone is making pretty great earbuds. Chances are, you have one in your pocket right now. But you may not have realized that you will have to buy a new one again very soon.

If you look at things a little cynically, manufacturers have shifted to another product with a better churn than phones, and they’ve found that in earbuds, much to your disadvantage as a consumer. Whether high-end, mid-range, or budget buds, chances are they will last you for just over a year. If you’re lucky, you’ll get good use out of them for some more months. But beyond the two-year mark, we bet they won’t last.

Opinion post by

Hadlee Simons

Motorola recently announced two new cheap smartphones in the US, namely the $200 Moto G Stylus and the $250 Moto G 5G. Unfortunately, there’s one major omission with these handsets, and that’s the lack of an NFC chip.

This is a miserly decision in light of the fact that Motorola’s rivals in the market tend to offer NFC support. For example, the $200 Galaxy A14 and $200 OnePlus Nord N200 both offer this feature in the US. Even the $160 Galaxy A03s, which undercuts the Moto G Stylus, offers NFC capabilities.

Opinion post by

Dhruv Bhutani

I believe in a future where homes are connected, smarter, and automated enough not to require switches or repetitive voice-based input. However, till we get there, I’ve been documenting my journey in creating an affordable, fully connected home and have invested a lot of money in picking up some of the best Google Home accessories. In fact, I was first in line to get a Google Home speaker when it launched as my smart home’s central hub. But I’m not going to beat around the bush here. I’m done with Google. Here’s why.

Google keeps self-sabotaging its smart home ecosystem

Opinion post by

Ryan Haines

The Google Pixel 7 Pro was my favorite phone of 2022. Any time I wasn’t working on another review, my personal SIM went right back to Google’s premium flagship. It was my go-to camera thanks to the Tensor G2’s processing smarts, and everyday features like Now Playing became indispensable — I never want to ask what song is playing again. However, issues have started to creep up as the months have passed, and they’ve drawn my eye elsewhere. I’ve given up the Pixel 7 Pro in favor of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and here’s why.

Smart but quirky

Opinion post by

C. Scott Brown

Earlier this year, I revisited the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, catching up with the phone six months after its release to see how things have held up. In that re-review, I gave the Z Fold 4 lots of praise. I even argued that, objectively, it is the best foldable phone you can buy today.

However, I must be honest: Once I was done with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, I put it back into storage. Despite being the best example of a foldable phone available, I still don’t want to use it daily. I’ve come to the conclusion that, for now, I have no interest in using foldable phones. Even when I have one for free, I’d rather not use it, to say nothing about actually spending my own money on one.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

You may have run into this when setting up a new smart home product: You’ve installed its companion app, created an account, plugged in the gadget, and you’re all ready to go until you realize it won’t connect to your Wi-Fi. What’s happening? You restart the app, the phone, your router, and try all kinds of other tricks to no avail. The app refuses to see or connect to your network. In some cases, you’re not given the courtesy of an error message; in others, developers are kind enough to point out the issue: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.

The first time this happened to me, I was setting up the $1400 Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra. An eye-watering price didn’t save this robot vacuum from having a cheap Wi-Fi chip, and I was left wondering if it would ever work on my dual-band router or I’d have to return it. (Spoiler: it works, but that requires workarounds that I’ll get to later.)

Opinion post by

Lily Katz

Today, earbuds seem more about gadgetry and software than nailing the basics. Newfangled features place you in the center of your favorite movies, and adjust sound settings based on your location. It’s impressive, sure. But the software magic means nothing if I can’t get my earbuds to fit or stay in place. After over a decade of reviewing earphones, it’s clear that earbuds with wings offer more stability and a better fit than non-winged buds.

Wing tips create a more stable fit than other earbud designs

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

Google’s presence in my life is so overarching today that I sometimes feel I’ve lost sight of what first brought me to its ecosystem. It was 2007; I had a Hotmail account and a Toshiba laptop running Windows XP, I used Firefox as my browser of choice, and I was pretty hooked on Nokia’s smartphones, but I was also considering getting an Apple MacBook. Google was nothing more than a search engine to me then, and the idea of having a second email account sounded preposterous. But a few of my online friends kept pestering me to sign up for a Gmail account, luring me with a whopping 2.8GB of free storage and threaded conversations! As a technophile, I couldn’t but cave to this hip and rebel proposition.

That started a long journey of Google slowly, but surely, spreading its tentacles into my online presence and my real life too. I look at my tech footprint today and see that more than 70% of it is locked in Google’s fortress. My precious memories? Google Photos. My important files? Google Drive. All of my searching and browsing? Google Chrome. My phone? A Google Pixel 7 Pro. My entire work presence? Google Workspace.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Google Pixel 7 Pro are two solid choices for the best camera phone around. Despite the different photography hardware and software solutions, both take very good pictures in most environments.

We’ve already compared these two handsets in broad strokes, but it’s worth a closer look at the latest zoom packages onboard in closer detail. Zoom photography is, after all, one of the bigger differentiators and areas of innovation when comparing smartphones.

Google has been charting its own course with its Pixel smartphone processors in the last couple of years. The Pixel maker ditched Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in favor of semi-custom Tensor SoCs in partnership with Samsung.

We’re expecting the Pixel 8 series to launch in the second half of the year, and it will almost undoubtedly be powered by a Tensor G3 processor. And one early rumor suggests that we could see a significant performance boost over the Tensor G2 inside the Pixel 7 series.

Whether it’s criminals asking ChatGPT to create malware or the Internet generating fake photos of Pope Francis using Midjourney, it’s clear that we’ve entered a new era of artificial intelligence (AI). These tools can mimic human creativity so well that it’s hard to even tell if an AI was involved. But while this historic feat would usually call for celebration, not everyone’s on board this time. It’s quite the opposite, in fact, with many asking: is AI dangerous and should we tread carefully?

Indeed, from potential job losses to the spread of misinformation, the dangers of AI have never felt more tangible and real. What’s more — modern AI systems have become so complex that even their creators cannot predict how they will behave. It’s not just the general public that’s skeptical — Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have become the latest to express their doubts.

Opinion post by

C. Scott Brown

Ten years ago, the 2013 Samsung Galaxy S4 was a technological marvel. Android phones had only been around for a few years at that point, and the Galaxy S4 seemed like it could do so much despite its small size. As consumers, we were enraptured. So much so that the Galaxy S4 remains to this day the best-selling Android phone of all time, with more than 80 million units sold.

However, that was ten years ago — an eternity in the tech world. Things have changed significantly since then. The smartphone gimmicks we saw in the Galaxy S4 — such as Smart Scroll, which allowed you to scroll the contents of your screen by moving your head up or down — would be downright ludicrous to see in a 2023 phone.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

A Mac-running iPad has been a pipedream for Apple enthusiasts like me ever since the first iPad was announced. Why? It’s all about productivity — that often unquantifiable metric that can lead to a dog-headed pursuit of shoehorning software solutions as a bandage. But I digress. When I pitched this article to my editor a few months ago, I was excited at the possibility of running Windows on my M1-powered iPad Air. Finally, my reasonably productive machine would become a lot more productive. As the resident tinkerer, getting Windows virtualized on my iPad thrilled me. Moreover, the few videos floating around forums like Reddit showed me that like-minded enthusiasts had been successful at achieving it. It made it look worth the time and effort.

Running Windows on an iPad is a cautionary tale of trying to sidestep Apple's carefully arranged garden.

Fast forward to today. After more than a dozen attempts at getting Windows running on my M1-powered iPad Air, I finally managed it. It’s taken way longer than it should have taken me to pen down this article. (Sorry, Rita.) But, what follows is a cautionary tale of what happens when you try to step out of Apple’s beautifully manicured walled garden. Follow at your own peril.

Opinion post by

Adam Birney

As I walk into the office rocking a pair of Bose Frames Tempo with music blasting behind my ears, my co-workers snicker, shake their heads, or straight up ask me, “What the heck are you wearing?” If I had walked in wearing wireless earbuds or headphones, no one would have batted an eye. But why do smart glasses provoke such different reactions? Even in public, where people may be too polite to say anything, they tend to attract stares and smirks.

Well, besides the apparent assault on fashion, there are a few reasons why smart glasses have never quite caught on in popularity. Still, I believe smart glasses have the potential to become the go-to gadget in the future. Bear with me as we look at what smart glasses have done wrong in the past and what they could do instead to get it right.

Opinion post by

Robert Triggs

We’re spoilt for choice with great phones; whether you’re after amazing performance, all-day battery life, or a great camera, the current market has you covered. Brand loyalty aside, a phone’s aesthetics and ergonomics are increasingly differentiators between models. One trend that still divides the masses is the case of straight versus curved edges.

It’s only April, and I’ve used a lot of smartphones this year, from the gargantuan Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to the little Apple iPhone 14. But plowing through all these reviews, I’ve stumbled on the holy grail of the perfect screen curve – if there is such a thing?

Samsung’s line of true wireless earbuds makes for an eclectic and impressive-sounding catalog. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 stand proudly as an affordable alternative to the flagship Buds Pro series. They share much of the same DNA, including industry-leading noise canceling and sound quality. They are also great value for money, costing little more than $100 at the time of writing.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that people are tingling with excitement for a next-gen Galaxy Buds 3 upgrade. There’s no official announcement yet, but read on for everything we know and our take on the features we would like to see included in the Galaxy Buds 3.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Hadlee Simons

Google Photos is one of the more underappreciated Google success stories, and it’s not hard to see why. The app is more than just the default gallery app for Pixel phones and some other brands, bringing fantastic editing features and polished cloud backup functionality too.

In saying so, I’m a little disappointed that my Pixel 7 Pro uses Google Photos as the default gallery app. Because let’s face it, this isn’t really a gallery app in the same way that Samsung, Xiaomi, and OPPO phones have a basic gallery app.

A short OPPO Find X6 Pro hands-on is enough to know an excellent hardware package when you see one, perhaps even a contender for one of the best smartphones around. The wonderful display, super-fast charging, pleather finish, and solid triple camera setup show tremendous promise. However, the last-minute swap to a China-only release means the software is not quite up to scratch for global audiences. The whole experience was a bit of a tease.

Particularly so because the Find X6 Pro is one of those handsets that doesn’t come around very often anymore; it’s genuinely different and a little quirky. Aside from the gorgeous design, the triple camera setup, in particular, really caught my eye. With three large 50MP sensors spanning wide, ultrawide, and 3x telephoto, this unique setup left a lasting impression in a very short space of time. As a bit of a photography buff, it’s been the big feature drawing me back to the handset time and again.

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

With Google I/O approaching, rumors of Google’s upcoming midrange Pixel have been intensifying. The latest Pixel 7a leak suggests the phone will launch sooner than expected, in early May, but with a significant price hike to $499.

To put this into perspective, the Pixel 6a, 5a, and even the 4a 5G were all priced at $449 at launch, so $50 less than what the 7a will supposedly cost. Prior to those, the first A series phone, the Pixel 3a, was even $50 cheaper at $399. So what gives? Why are Google’s phones getting more expensive and is a potential 7a price bump an omen for a more expensive Pixel 8 series later in the year?

As someone who has never been a huge mobile gamer, I never thought I’d find myself praising a smartphone for its gaming capabilities. I always preferred using my phone for simple puzzle games like Tetris and Sudoku or card games like Marvel Snap. For graphics-intensive experiences, I would traditionally turn to consoles, and I still think the PS5 or Xbox Series X offers an unbeatable gaming experience on the big screen. However, my perspective changed when I got my hands on the Galaxy S23 Ultra and discovered its gaming potential.

Before I dive into my experience, I should mention the powerhouse that drives this device: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. The one inside the Galaxy S23 series is a beefed-up “for Galaxy” version of the regular chip, boasting faster CPU and GPU clock speeds than its predecessors and topping the Android benchmark charts. As a result, the chipset flies through the latest and greatest mobile games.

Opinion post by

Roger Fingas

It’s almost hard to believe now, but soundbars used to be a novelty. The idea of merging stereo and/or subwoofer components into a single unit seems obvious in retrospect, and many people don’t need anything more if they’re going to upgrade their TV’s audio. A soundbar simplifies setup and wiring, and more advanced models simulate spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos without the cost (or hassle) of satellite speakers.

Smart soundbars are increasingly common, with the natural appeal that they kill two birds with one stone — boosting TV audio while putting a smart speaker in your living room or bedroom. Even models without onboard voice controls still support varying degrees of smart home integration, such as automations, or casting technologies like Google Cast and AirPlay.

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Dhruv Bhutani

Julian Bream’s 1957 rendition of Weiss’ Tombeau Sur la Mort left a lifelong impression on me. As a ten-year-old, it ignited a passion for music and inspired me to pick up the guitar. In my formative years, I grew to enjoy Mahler, followed the Vienna Philharmonic, and dug out every rendition of my favorite movements. Ironically, it also taught me just how vital metadata can be for a great music-listening experience. 

Over the years, my tastes evolved towards a diametrically different genre — metal. For all their differences, the two genres have sufficient overlap in ideologies. Both are focused on technical proficiency, nuance, and emotion. They both also suffer from a problem of curation, more specifically, metadata. It’s hard to blame the average listener for lumping all metal into a single bucket of heavy music when streaming services have treated the genre irreverently. Even today, streaming services can’t tell the difference between the Gothenburg school of black metal, symphonic black metal, and, say, ambient black metal.

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

As I sit here contemplating how to start this retrospective article, I glance down at the Google Pixel Watch on my wrist and realize it’s down to 13% battery. I shrug; time for the daily top-up, I guess. So I take it off and put it on the charger knowing I will likely leave it there way longer than necessary because I’ll just forget to wear it again after 90 or so minutes.

And therein lies my biggest issue with Google’s first smartwatch. It doesn’t matter how much I like the glass dome design and how smooth it is to interact with as long as I can’t actually use it to its full potential. Like my colleague Aamir recently expressed, I end up using this smartwatch in all the dumb ways because I just want to get to the end of the day without a dead battery. And despite my best efforts, I’ve had many, many empty batteries over the last six months.

When the Pixel 7 Pro launched in October of 2022, it seemed like Google had pulled a magic trick and finally got things right with a phone. Great features and a realistic price were topped by rave Pixel 7 Pro reviews, so much so that it won both our Editor’s Choice and Reader’s Choice awards for smartphone of the year.

But have things changed six months later? Does the Pixel 7 Pro still hold a spot as one of the best Android phones you can buy in 2023? I’ve been using the Pixel 7 Pro as my main phone since its release and I’m ready to dig in and share its best and least impressive aspects after all this time.

Opinion post by

Aamir Siddiqui

If there are two constants in my life, they are a phone in my pocket and a watch on my wrist. So when I bought my first real smartwatch in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, I was pretty excited. After years of owning Mi Bands and other “smart” watches, I finally get to use a “real” smartwatch, one with an app store. Oh, the possibilities it will open!

But after using the Galaxy Watch 4 and then the Apple Watch Series 7 for the past two years, I realized I could have just as easily swapped either out in favor of a more basic smartwatch, and not be at any loss. In fact, I’d have saved a lot of money if I hadn’t been so impulsive with my purchases. Because despite owning some of the best smartwatches, I continued to use them all in the usual dumb ways.

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Dhruv Bhutani

I’m your stereotypical power user. Every year, I tend to get myself the best that the Android world offers. Earlier, it used to be a OnePlus phone for its great balance of size, performance, and clean software. Lately, it’s been a Samsung flagship. My use case is productivity and battery-life-oriented, and solid cameras are essential. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that when the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra launched earlier this year, I swapped my SIM card for Samsung’s latest and greatest and called it a day.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the de-facto choice if you want a straight-up Android flagship.

The experience was largely unchanged compared to my Galaxy S22 Ultra. Slightly easier to hold in hand thanks to the flatter edges, a bit faster, and a lot longer lasting. Predictable but nothing particularly exciting. However, lately, I’ve been longing for a more practical option. A smartphone that didn’t feel like a tablet in my hands, that would prioritize ergonomics, and that fit better in my pocket. Sure, there’s the Pixel 7, but the feature compromise over the Pro-variant wasn’t something I was interested in. So when Samsung reached out to me with an opportunity to test drive the regular Samsung Galaxy S23, I jumped on it. I was intrigued to know if smaller flagships had finally gotten around their limitations in battery life and performance.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Hadlee Simons

I love to dig through my cupboard to use old phones now and again, and I recently rediscovered the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (also known as the Redmi K20 Pro). This ~$500 phone arguably set the standard for affordable flagships in some markets back in 2019, but the most notable thing about it was the fact that it packed a pop-up selfie camera. And simply using the Xiaomi phone again made me realize how much I miss this feature on modern smartphones.

Sure, we’ve got phones with under-display selfie cameras today, but as cool as this modern solution is, I still miss the previous concealed camera option. Pop-up sensor tech still feels as futuristic and fun to me as it did when I saw the first phone with it back in 2018. There is something really cool about seeing the selfie camera extend and retract from the phone’s body like a periscope.

Opinion post by

Calvin Wankhede

Samsung’s One UI is chock-full of features, many of which you might not even know existed. And if that wasn’t enough, seemingly every other update brings along a smattering of new features and enhancements. Case in point — Samsung recently rolled out the One UI 5.1 update alongside the release of the Galaxy S23 series. While I tend to ignore minor version bumps when they hit my smartphone, one feature buried deep in the changelog caught my eye: Bixby text call.

Going by the name, you might think the feature is an extension of Bixby in some way — perhaps the AI assistant can now write your texts a la ChatGPT? Fortunately, however, Bixby text call has almost nothing to do with the voice assistant that goes by the same name. Instead, it’s a brand-new feature that mimics Call Screening on Google’s Pixel smartphones. And the best part? It’s available on just about any Samsung phone running One UI 5.1 or higher, regardless of where you live.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

We mostly focus on smartphones here at Android Authority, but there are plenty of other categories we cover as well. Bluetooth audio is one of these categories, with our sister website SoundGuys comprehensively covering all things audio as well.

We’ve collectively spent plenty of time with earbuds and headphones as part of the review process, but what about the Bluetooth audio devices we use as daily drivers? Well, we asked Android Authority team members about the Bluetooth earbuds and headphones they use. A total of 17 members took part in this survey, covering their specific picks, their likes/dislikes, and much more.

Opinion post by

Ryan Haines

I love clamshell foldable phones. The nostalgia of slapping the display closed when I’m done and the convenience of slipping the phone comfortably back into my pocket hasn’t worn off even a little bit. However, the one aspect of devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and OPPO Find N2 Flip that should be most convenient — the cover screen or outer screen — has been criminally underserved since the beginning. It should be a meaningful display rather than a glorified smartwatch, offering more than just a few basic widgets. Thankfully, that’s where third-party app Coverscreen OS comes in, and it keeps me excited for the next generation of clamshells.

Underdeveloped real estate

The clamshell doesn’t survive without its cover screen. Smaller-than-average batteries still dictate that the less you open your phone, the longer it will last, so you check most notifications on that tiny outer display. However, once you decide to respond to that notification, you immediately have to unlock and open your phone. Sure, it’s easier to type on a 6.7-inch display than on a 1.9-inch one, but not every interaction requires typing.

Nearly six months after the release of the Google Pixel Watch, the accessory ecosystem is catching up. While we only had a limited choice of stands, chargers, straps, bands, and cases at first, that’s no longer the case now. Both well-known brands and white-label companies have jumped on board and there’s a lot to pick from. I’ve been digging into the online accessory treasure trove to find some options that work for me and landed on four protective Pixel Watch cases and bands that I enjoy using for different reasons.

It’s worth noting, though, that I keep my Pixel Watch band/case-less about half the days that I’m wearing it. I really enjoy its smooth, curved, and obstruction-free design that slides into pockets and under long sleeves without snagging on anything. But I’m a very clumsy person, so there are situations when I know I need a bumper around the glass dome to avoid scratching or breaking it. This is when I resort to these bands and cases.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

There was a time when plugging directly into headphone jacks was the only way to achieve on-the-go listening. However, the 2001 merger of Bluetooth technology with mobile phones changed audio consumerism forever. In the following years, reliable wireless connections and faster transfer speeds lead to the creation of consumer-friendly Bluetooth headphones. Another decade on, and Bluetooth technology reigns supreme over virtually the entire headphone market.

That’s not all, though. Wireless products now boast a melting pot of Bluetooth codecs to choose from to boost audio quality. SBC is currently the standard and is considered a relatively reliable backstop for all wireless connections. However, there are also proprietary codecs, such as aptX Lossless and OPPO ultra-resolution lossless codec (URLC), capable of transmitting lossless audio — previously the jurisdiction of wired headphones.

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Dhruv Bhutani

It’s been a few years since OnePlus released a smartphone that truly fit the ethos it so boldly pioneered. For a company that coined the term flagship killer, OnePlus’ meandering product strategy and pricing over the last few years has been far removed from the bleeding edge value it has traditionally promised.

So, it’s a shame that OnePlus’ first true flagship killer in a very long time, the OnePlus 11R, is a product that most people will never be able to experience. In my opinion, that needs to change.

ASUS last launched a flagship phone — the Zenfone 9 — in July 2022. It is rumored that the company is now preparing to launch the Zenfone 10. While the new ASUS phone might be a few months away, rumors about it are already circling the techverse. Will the new Zenfone retain its predecessor’s small phone form factor? Will ASUS rework its software update commitment and align it more with what current flagships offer? Will the phone be as affordable as its previous versions? Here’s everything you need to know about the ASUS Zenfone 10.

Will there be an ASUS Zenfone 10?

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

I put the Google Pixel Buds Pro in my ears, pick a YouTube video with spatial audio, leave the phone on the desk in front of me, and roll away on my revolving desk chair. I let go and start spinning. Whichever direction I want, whichever way the sound takes me. I stop, change midway, slow down, speed up, and yet the sound remains suspended in the space around me. It kind of feels like magic.

At one point, I close my eyes because the dissociation between my real environment and what my ears are hearing is too weird. How can I be moving (and so are the Pixel Buds in my ears), but the sound is still palpably in the same place? It feels like there is an entire immobile surround system all around me.

The arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra presents mobile photography enthusiasts with yet another dilemma when picking out the best smartphone camera. In addition to the already impressive spec sheet, we’ve seen some minor improvements with the new 200MP and changes to how the phone handles zoom processing compared to its predecessor, but is that enough to surpass the competition?

To help decide, we’ve grabbed the mighty Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max and Google Pixel 7 Pro — your two top picks from late 2022 — to compare against Samsung’s finest. Let’s see what they all have to offer.

Realme recently launched a Coca-Cola themed smartphone, marking the latest in a long line of collaborations between phone brands and companies outside the tech sphere. There have been loads of these smartphone partnerships over the years, giving us some cool (and occasionally not-so-cool) products. But which collabs resulted in the best phones and/or accessories? We’ve ranked the coolest smartphone-plus-brand partnerships.

(Just to clarify, we’re not looking at camera-related partnerships like Nokia and ZEISS or HUAWEI and Leica, but rather tie-ups between mobile companies and other brands in general.)

An Apple Watch Fitness Plus review has long been on my to-do list. As a wearables reviewer, covering fitness content comes with the territory. In fact, it’s a perk of the job. Typically, my workouts include whatever activities are required to test out a device’s heart rate monitor, GPS accuracy, and a few niche workout modes, (plus a couple of extra yoga sessions to appease my apparently decrepit joints). Review periods often lead to repetitive interval work on a stationary bike and drawn-out neighborhood runs.

On a week without a specific device to test, I gave an entire platform my attention. I cycled, stretched, walked, and more to dig into what Apple has to offer its paying subscribers. I paired the app with my Apple Watch Ultra as well as my Apple Watch Series 8. Find out what I discovered in my honest review of Apple Fitness Plus after seven days of use.

Opinion post by

Calvin Wankhede

If you’re privacy-conscious and shopping for a new smartphone, you don’t have many options these days. Some begrudgingly buy an iPhone every single time for Apple’s excellent privacy commitment and track record, while many of us accept Google’s data collection in exchange for the convenience and AI-assisted features that Android has to offer. But what if you could convert an Android phone into a bastion of privacy? That’s exactly what GrapheneOS, an aftermarket custom ROM I recently stumbled upon, aims to achieve.

GrapheneOS offers a simple pitch — it delivers a private and secure Android experience without compromising the usability of your smartphone. You can download apps from the Play Store, get push notifications via Google’s servers, and even sync your data as usual. All of this while preventing Google from gathering data through your smartphone. But how does all of this work and is GrapheneOS even worth using? I took it for a test drive on a Pixel 6 to find out.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

Over the last five or six years, my adoption of true wireless earbuds has been hindered by two factors: terrible comfort and fickle controls. More ergonomic buds like the Google Pixel Buds Pro and the Nothing Ear 1 solved my first problem, but the second issue remained. Most earbuds were using swipe and tap gestures, which are annoying on several levels, but especially if you have long(er) hair. However, some earbuds have recently started implementing squeeze as a new control method and let me tell you, this is the superior solution.

Move over, touch gestures; squeezing is the superior control

Credit: Roger Fingas / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Roger Fingas

When my family and I moved into a new home last year, I took it as an opportunity to steer us towards a primary smart home platform. Yes, as Android Authority‘s resident smart home guru, I need to have gear to test all the major ecosystems — it’s just that life is easier if there’s one you can count on for everyday tasks like turning the lights on.

Until recently, I’d been leaning towards Amazon Alexa as my platform of choice. It’s still the best-supported one out there in terms of smart speakers, accessories, and music services. And top of that, it doesn’t play favorites between Android or iOS. Even Google Home naturally favors Android, though it is perfectly usable with iOS.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

I don’t switch phones often, but when I do, I dread every single part of the process. Although Google has smoothed out some of the steps thanks to a more robust Android backup system and a new Fast Pair phone setup, a lot of tedious bits and pieces remain. It’s painful to re-pair wearables and Bluetooth accessories, adjust smart home gadgets to follow the new phone for geolocation automations, and sign into and re-customize apps to my liking. It can take a day and do all of that manually; what I can’t do, though, is transfer or sync my blocked numbers on my Android phone to a new phone.

And this little issue has been annoying me for a couple of years now. It baffles me that it hasn’t been fixed yet.

Credit: Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra represents what is arguably peak smartphone right now. Between the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, QHD+ 120Hz screen, and deep S Pen integration, there’s a lot to like here.

Samsung has also upgraded the main camera hardware, going from the S22 Ultra’s 108MP shooter to a 200MP primary sensor. Otherwise, you still have a pair of 10MP zoom cameras (3x and 10x) and a 12MP ultrawide lens, making it one of the best camera phones on the market on paper.

One way or another, we’ve all been there: taking stock of our eating habits to determine what needs to change. Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, cut sugar, or just track what exactly is going into your body, MyFitnessPal is a calorie-tracking app that hopes to lighten the load. After three weeks of using the app, I can honestly say it does. Find out more in this MyFitnessPal review.

What is MyFitnessPal?

The Pixel 6 series was a landmark release for Google in many ways, introducing ultra-competitive pricing, upgraded cameras, and a semi-custom Tensor system on a chip (SoC) for the first time. Google’s Pixel 7 series picked up where the Pixel 6 left off, offering the same pricing and similar cameras, but the Tensor G2 chipset. We’ve already covered the Tensor G2 in our deep dive, taking a look at specs and features. But how does the processor fare in actual Pixel 7 phones? We can now share our test findings, so let’s take a look at how the chip fares in benchmarks against the first generation Tensor chip and the best rival silicon.

How does Google’s new chip stack up on paper?

At first glance, it looks like the Tensor G2 isn’t a huge upgrade over the original Tensor processor. The CPU still looks similar to the Pixel 6 chipset, with two Cortex-X1 heavy cores and four little Cortex-A55 cores. Google does provide a tiny 50MHz clock speed boost for the X1 cores. However, the two medium Cortex-A76 cores seen in the original SoC have been replaced by two Cortex-A78 cores.  By comparison, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 family, Samsung Exynos 2200, and MediaTek Dimensity 9000 series all offer much newer CPU components. It stands to reason that the Tensor G2 won’t surpass those SoCs when it comes to CPU benchmarks. But what about the GPU?

Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

The past few months in the tech world have been a whirlwind. One minute we’re amazed but not so impressed by Dall-E’s low-quality AI-generated images, the next we’re somehow chatting with Bing, our favorite new search engine. I can barely keep up. Every day there’s a new Twitter thread showing a groundbreaking AI tool, a new way to use ChatGPT or Midjourney, or a new capability built on top of ChatGPT’s API. And somehow we’re at ChatGPT 4 already? But through it all, one idea keeps coming back to me: Most of the time, I don’t need the AI when I’m staring at a screen; instead, I’d much rather have this ChatGPT-like conversational skill as a voice assistant in my Nest smart speakers.

And the reason for this is twofold. One, Google Assistant has always been slow to understand and answer any slightly complex question and it seems to be getting dumber by the minute. Two, a conversational AI makes more sense in a voice interface than on a screen. Let me elaborate.

Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2 last week, and it’s clear that this is a major step up on paper for the mid-tier Snapdragon 7 series.

The new chipset brings an impressive CPU system reminiscent of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 series, consisting of a single Cortex-X2 core at 2.91GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores at 2.49GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8GHz. This marks the first time a Cortex-X CPU core appears in a Snapdragon 7 series chipset. There’s also an upgraded Adreno GPU, with Qualcomm boasting a two-fold performance boost over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.

Opinion post by

Ryan Haines

Often imitated, never outdone is an easy way to describe the iPhone’s position among smartphones. It’s clear to see its influence over the best Android devices at all price tiers, bringing features like the notch, flat side rails, and the corner-mounted square camera bump to the forefront as OEMs try to out-iPhone the iPhone. I’d argue that no brand has succeeded, at least until now. Samsung has finally found a way to eat Apple’s lunch by not just drawing from its flagship features but improving upon them. The Samsung Galaxy S23 has become the best iPhone, whether you like it or not.

Apple iPhone 14

• All-day battery life
• Capable cameras
• Great software support

$799 at Best Buy

Samsung Galaxy S23

• Compact size
• Brighter screen
• Larger battery

$799.99 at Samsung

Good hardware? Or great hardware?

Apple has never had a problem with hardware. One oddly placed Magic Mouse charging port aside, everything out of the Cupertino company is polished down to the last detail. When you pick up an iPhone, you know you’re getting a good mix of glass and aluminum that’s carefully curated inside and out. However, we’re now in an age where good simply isn’t good enough. Year-to-year updates mean that a device needs to offer some form of actual improvement to move the needle.

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Hadlee Simons

Microsoft’s Bing search engine used to be a punchline in the tech industry, thought of as nothing more than a ho-hum alternative to Google Search. That changed in February, when Microsoft revealed Bing Chat.

Bing Chat is an AI chatbot powered by the GPT-4 model, which is the same tech that powers the popular ChatGPT AI chatbot. The feature allows you to pose all sorts of web queries using natural language, drilling down even deeper than current voice assistants. Needless to say, Microsoft has an impressive weapon in its tech arsenal. And this Bing Chat could be the killer app for the company’s upcoming Surface Duo 3.

It feels like the Meta Quest 2 has been around for ages. In fact, the headset has been out for long enough that it even went through a mid-cycle rebrand, going from the Oculus Quest 2 to the Meta Quest 2. But in actuality, it has only been available for three years — launched back in late 2020. Yet that span of time is still long enough that the hardware has started growing long in the tooth, which can’t be helped in such a fast-paced industry like VR.

One of Meta’s biggest VR rivals — Sony — released its latest entry into the space — the PSVR 2 — in February 2023. With the arrival of this Quest 2 competitor, our eyes have turned back toward Meta to see how the company responds.

With so many of us tightening our budgets, expensive earbuds may seem frivolous. After all, cheap earbuds have improved over the past few years. Many earbuds that cost $50 or less boast pretty good sound quality and even offer features like water resistance and wireless charging. With all that cheap earbuds have to offer, is it even worth it to pay more for Sony, Samsung, or Apple’s flagships?

With concrete examples, we’ll break down the differences between cheap and expensive true wireless earbuds. In the end, you may find the price is just right between those two extremes.

Opinion post by

Robert Triggs

Hmmm, I can’t remember the Samsung handset I selected for the picture above. Is it the latest Galaxy S23 flagship? Or perhaps the new mid-range Galaxy A54 or even the budget-friendly Galaxy A34?

Unlike last year’s models, it’s virtually impossible to tell precisely which Galaxy model we’re looking at, even with a studious glance. While perhaps not the most groundbreaking change to the Galaxy A series ever, it is an important win not only for customers at the affordable end of the market but for Samsung’s brand awareness too.

Everything old is new again! Disney CEO Bob Iger turned heads with recent comments about the company loosening its stance on streaming, leaving more room for its shows on both traditional TV channels like ABC and Hulu and Disney Plus along with licensing movies for longer theatrical runs. With the future of streaming services constantly in flux, it’s worth asking whether traditional cable might offer something of value. In a cable vs streaming showdown, is streaming still the obvious winner?

So, is cutting the cord really the answer? Can you save money with old-school TV? Is there a happy medium? Below, we break down what’s at stake, where to find savings, and how to navigate your options to find what’s right for you.

2021’s Pixel 6 launch seemed to promise a significant boost to the charging speeds of Google’s phones, boasting a 30W charger requirement compared to the sluggish 18W from previous years. Some sleuthing revealed that the company wasn’t entirely honest in its representation, with the Pixel 6 capped at 21W and the 6 Pro handing in 23W of peak power. Fine, but hardly the competitive power levels that the marketing materials initially promised.

Back to the present day, the charging messaging for the Pixel 7 series is unchanged. Google recommends picking up its 30W charger for the new phones, which you must buy separately as the brand no longer includes a charger in the box. However, its fine print notes that real charging power requirements remain at 21W and 23W for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, respectively. Once again, the 30W plug requirement is seemingly overkill, and lower power alternatives will achieve the same results. It’s all a bit confusing if you want to pick the correct charger.

Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority

From the palm-sized Galaxy S23 to the king-of-the-hill Galaxy S23 Ultra, 2023 is the year of refinement for Samsung. Be it subtle improvements to the hardware design, a cohesive design language, or just an overall smoothening of software touchpoints, the three phones are taking a three-pronged stab at immediate competitors like the iPhone 14-series and also Chinese value flagships like those by OnePlus. Clearly, there’s a lot to dive into here.

We’ve been using the devices for the last few weeks to understand what makes the phones tick, and we came up with eleven Samsung Galaxy S23 tips and tricks that will elevate your user experience.

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

In retrospect, I should have learned my lesson the first time. For the past year, I have been adding some smart home devices to my apartment and seeing their performance drop with each passing minute. I blamed the devices — especially my Google Nest speakers — instead of the router because I was on a fiber connection and getting 500-600Mbps speeds on my computers and phones, so how could it possibly be the router’s fault? Well, it was the router’s fault. But let’s back up.

Lesson one: A great router can save the worst connection

When you’re new to smart homes, knowing where to start can be tough. There are a lot of options out there — particularly when it comes to Amazon Alexa, which is the best-supported consumer platform out there, with hundreds of accessories and a large number of compatible smart speakers. In this guide, we’ll take you through key decisions in getting an Alexa home up and running.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

Credit: Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Opinion post by

Rita El Khoury

Small modern smartphones are a rare breed these days. Brands are scrambling to fit the largest possible panel in the largest brick shape that could still be held by a human hand. That’s why we often do a double-take when we see any new smartphone with a display smaller than six inches. But there’s one evident solution that could veer the ship again towards smaller form factors: rollable phones.

Rollables are the break small phones needed

Samsung and Google take very different approaches to smartphone photography. While Samsung has had a penchant for experimenting with hardware and software camera features, throwing in everything and the kitchen sink, Google’s approach has been a lot more deliberate, heavily leaning into computational photography to extract the best out of admittedly dated hardware.

This different strategy leads to some interesting results. Samsung remains one of the pack leaders for smartphone photography, simply because it isn’t afraid to push the limits on its top-tier flagships like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. All of that added hardware gets garnished with dollops of software features, which keeps consumers and reviewers alike entertained for one more release cycle. There’s definitely a lot of utility on offer, no doubt, but it’s no secret either that One UI offers more features than most people can remember, let alone regularly use in the two to four years of them owning a phone.

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

We’re accustomed to all manner of crazy beauty effects these days, from blemish removal and skin smoothing to nose and lip size adjustments. There are even AI-driven beauty filters on some apps that allow you to completely transform the way you look.

We’ve recently seen a major advancement in camera tech that opens the door for more granular beautification related to teeth, hair, and more. But we’ve just stumbled across a new beauty filter option that really cracks us up.

Opinion post by

C. Scott Brown

I recently retrofitted my rented house with a few smart home products from SwitchBot. It’s been revolutionary using SwitchBot’s various tools, including its mechanized button-pushing SwitchBot Bot, infrared blasts from the Hub Mini, temperature control through the Meter Plus, and saving floor space with the LED Strip Light. However, at the time, I could not test out the newest product in the company’s smart home portfolio: the SwitchBot Blind Tilt.

This new device snaps onto your pre-existing “dumb” blinds and makes them smart by allowing you to control the tilt of the panels remotely, which is ideal if you can’t install or don’t want the expense of smart blinds. SwitchBot was kind enough to send me a set of Blind Tilts to try out.

Credit: David Imel / Android Authority

Android has been around for over 15 years at this point, so we’ve seen loads of versions over the years. From the early days of Cupcake and Donut to the latest Android 13 and Android 14, each version has brought a lot to the table.

However, it’s fair to say that some upgrades stand head and shoulders above others. So which ones were the most exciting stock Android versions? That’s what we’re finding out, as we list and rank them!

Bluetooth provides us with a huge range of features, from connecting peripherals to streaming music to wireless earbuds. The standard is poised to become even more useful thanks to Auracast audio broadcasting capabilities.

While not strictly brand new (the technology was announced in 2022), we spent some ears-on time with Aurcast at MWC 2023. Based on our experience, broadcast capabilities are set to reshape how we think about Bluetooth audio.

I recently had the chance to review the Roborock Dyad Pro, my first smart vacuum that isn’t a robot. That concept might be unfamiliar to some people, so prompted by others at Android Authority, I’m sharing my experiences with both cleaning options — weighing their pros and cons for people who’ve tried one or neither.

Let’s clear things up immediately: a robot vacuum is capable of fully autonomous cleaning, or at least operating without being directly guided by your hands. Control is handled through a mobile app, or if you’ve got one, a smart speaker or display. Some robots come with docks that automatically empty debris into a bin, or even change out dirty water if the robot has mopping functions.

When it comes to spending top dollar, there’s premium and then there’s Sony Xperia 1 IV premium. Priced at a sky-high $1,600, Sony’s 2022 flagship was always a tough sell. It certainly didn’t help that the hardware package, while mostly solid, contained a few issues too.

Six months after its US release and now in the midst of 2023’s flagship season, can the handset still hold its own against the best smartphones? Well, for starters, a discount (if we can call it that) down to $1,199 makes the latest Xperia much more palatable, but what else? Let’s take a closer look in this Sony Xperia 1 IV review revisit.

If you walked into a store and asked for the best Android phone, you’d likely be pointed to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung’s big and unapologetic flagship ticks all the right boxes for people who don’t mind spending the big bucks. In the land of the Apple and Samsung duopoly, perhaps the only other Android phone that can add a garnish of competition is the Google Pixel 8 Pro. If you’re on the cusp of making a phone purchase, should you wait for the Pixel 8 Pro, or should you go ahead and buy the Galaxy S23 Ultra? We try and solve your conundrum in this article.

Editor’s note: Google has yet to announce the Pixel 8 series, and any information about it is based on rumors or speculation. As renders and images are not available for the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 7 Pro is used as a reference. Keep that in mind as we move forward with this article.

As the world of video streaming continues to grow, the rise of free streaming services has become one of the most significant trends to watch. Netflix was once the gold standard of streaming, eventually drawing competition from more recent, big-ticket entries in the space like HBO Max and Disney Plus. But all of those come at a cost, and with folks watching their monthly spending, it’s worth asking whether you can satisfy your streaming needs without paying for it.

The elephant in the room here, of course, is that people have been quite vocally looking for Netflix alternatives as the legacy streamer cracks down on account sharing. This on top of subscription fee hikes that have made the service quite pricey.

At MWC 2023, Xiaomi has introduced one of the most exciting new Android phones of late, the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Beyond phones, the company has been showing off products in many different categories, including robots, electric scooters, and a new pair of AR glasses.

We got to see the Xiaomi Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition first hand, although the product is some ways off from commercialization. Xiaomi wasn’t ready to let members of the media try the glasses on, but it did give Android Authority a demonstration of working units.

The Unihertz Luna, a Nothing Phone 1 clone inspired smartphone, has been making the news rounds for a few weeks now. But we’ve all been wondering: What do those geometric lights do? Are they just pretty decorations or do they serve a purpose?

Well, I got my hands on the Unihertz Luna at MWC 2023 and went digging in for more information. The first thing you’ll notice is that this is using a lower-quality LED strip with visible individual diodes, unlike the Nothing Phone 1. The lights can get very, very bright, and the light bleed is obvious around them. In comparison, the Nothing Phone 1’s light strips are sleek and glow in a very uniform way.

Thousands of companies and many more visitors have once again descended upon Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2023. We’re here to separate the noise from the signal with the very best announcements made at the show. This is Android Authority’s Best of MWC 2023 awards.

Lenovo rollable laptop concept

Motion blur is the curse of even the best smartphone cameras, but not for long. At MWC 2023, sensor designer Prophesee partnered with Qualcomm to bring its “event-based” Metavision technology to Snapdragon platforms and, therefore, future smartphones. Farewell, blurry pet photos, unusable sports action shots, and smudged low-light snaps.

Prophesee’s journey began with custom image sensor hardware designed specially to track motion within a scene, and that’s the key to what makes Metavision so promising. The technology doesn’t capture images like a traditional image sensor, instead calculating the direction and amount of motion to produce a map of moving pixels. This is accomplished by tracking when a pixel changes rather than capturing a full image frame-by-frame like a traditional camera.

Truly wireless power has been a long time coming, but it’s finally here at MWC 2023. The ARCHOS Cota Wireless Power Security Camera, powered by wireless technology from Ossia, doesn’t require wires, not even for power, to help keep your home secure. Ossia claims it’s the first commercially available wirelessly-powered product, and we saw a demo of it in action.

These wireless indoor security cameras can be placed anywhere within 30 feet (9m) of a base transmitter that supplies power over the air. The technology isn’t super powerful in terms of wattage; it only supplies about 2W of power at a range of two meters and mere milliwatts at up to 10 meters. However, its application flexibility, such as placing security cameras in otherwise impossible-to-wire places, makes the technology so useful.

Thrusted into the spotlight by Apple, satellite connectivity on smartphones has been one of the bigger tech trends of the last year. Multiple companies from various parts of the supply chain have announced solutions for satellite-based communication on phones. Just at MWC, we’ve seen announcements from chip heavyweights Qualcomm and MediaTek, which bodes well for the development of this technology. And several phone brands have already announced plans to support this feature on future models.

But what if you want satellite communication right now, without buying a new phone? Bullitt Group (the company behind the Cat brand of rugged phones) has just what you need.