Apple's latest iPhone 17 finally brings real change to the standard model. After time with it, this is not another small step. The Independent calls it "one of the biggest upgrades for the regular iPhone in years," and that tracks across the board. With ProMotion on the base model, dual 48MP cameras, and Apple's new A19 chip, it feels like the most compelling entry-level flagship Apple has made in a while. Bottom line: the iPhone most people should buy Let's keep it simple. The iPho...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When early reviews started dropping, one thing became crystal clear: Apple's latest flagship duo is the most ambitious design transformation from Cupertino in years. Launching on Friday, September 19, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max push past the usual yearly polish. Not a tune-up, a rethink of what a Pro iPhone can be. The most immediately striking change? Apple's decision to abandon titanium for aluminum construction, enabling that head-turning cosmic orange color that breaks from Apple's tra...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The flagship smartphone battle is heating up again, and if you’re torn between Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro and Google’s Pixel 10 Pro, you’re not alone. Apple has done a thing with this release, stepping past the routine cycle to give the Pro line a new sense of direction. Meanwhile, Google launched the Pixel 10 Series with new features powered by the Google Tensor G5 processor. Both phones push forward, but they chase flagship greatness in different ways. Here is the split. Apple is ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Your smartphone's next battery upgrade is already happening in electric cars, and it is about to make dead phone anxiety a thing of the past. You have been plugging in every night. Meanwhile, researchers have been perfecting silicon-based battery technology that could change how long your device lasts and how fast it charges. The connection between electric vehicle batteries and smartphone power might sound unlikely at first, yet there is a live technology transfer happening right now. Silico...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you’ve ever wondered whether your smartphone could be more ruthless about getting you out of bed, wonder no more. The mobile app landscape now includes alarms that refuse to snooze until you prove you are awake. Alarmy, nicknamed "Sleep If You Can," is one of the boldest versions, asking you to finish tasks before silence returns. Here is the kicker, research shows that wake-up tasks are tied to completing target behaviors and trimming the time it takes to feel truly awake. Tas...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The flagship smartphone battle is heating up again, and this time it’s personal. With Apple rolling out the iPhone 17 and Google preparing the Pixel 10, we are looking at what could be the most compelling entry-level flagship showdown in years. Both phones are expected to launch at the same $800 price point. Less premium posturing, more real value for people who want flagship features without the Pro tax. What makes this round intriguing? For the first time, the iPhone 17 will offer 120Hz r...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Two titans step into 2025 with swagger, long memories, and sharper elbows. Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max chases higher performance and smarter cameras, while Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra arrived earlier this year packing the Snapdragon 8 Elite and an S Pen for serious note takers. The iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199, the Galaxy S25 Ultra at $1,299.99. So what are you really choosing? Apple, with an ecosystem-first playbook that leans on seamless handoffs and computational photography. Or Samsung...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The mobile industry is shifting in a way that could change how we think about phone service forever. We used to walk into carrier stores or dial customer support to set up plans. Now apps can activate mobile service on the spot, no carrier visit required. Carrier billing and e-wallets will be worth $60 billion globally in 2025, and superapps are multifunctional platforms that integrate messaging, payments, e-commerce and more. Put those together and you get a new ecosystem where your next pho...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When Bethlehem High School in Upstate New York banned students' cellphones and started offering analog entertainment, it sparked a culture change you could notice even with your eyes closed. "Our cafeteria is loud again," social studies teacher David Rounds observed. Then it got interesting. Students did not just accept these bans, they adapted in ways few predicted. Young people are turning to legacy technology such as MP3 players and cassette players to fill the digital void. A si...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Apple and Samsung have entered an absolutely fascinating phase of their ongoing rivalry, where traditional performance expectations are being turned upside down. For years, iPhone users could confidently claim single-core superiority, while Samsung fought back with more RAM and feature-packed specs. Now the latest benchmark results are telling a different story that is reshaping the entire smartphone performance landscape. Wild, right? Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra just scored 10,223 in multi-co...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When your smartphone screen feels more like looking at printed paper than a glowing display, you know something revolutionary is happening. The TCL NXTPAPER 60 Ultra represents the first smartphone equipped with the latest version of NXTPAPER technology, and early reviews suggest it just might be a favorite smartphone display of all time. With NXTPAPER 4.0 featuring a redesigned substrate and nano-matrix lithography application to enhance brightness and color accuracy, this is not just anothe...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Apple's about to make its biggest battery leap in iPhone history, and the numbers are genuinely impressive. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will see an iPhone break the 5000mAH barrier for the first time, topping out at 5088 mAH, which puts it squarely in flagship Android territory. And here is the kicker: the 5088 number is in the ballpark of high-end Android phones, but iPhones generally run much more efficiently as well. Big cell, bigger payoff. If reports hold, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's larger batter...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Here's what really matters after nearly a year with the iPhone 16: it's aged remarkably well. While tech reviewers were busy debating specs at launch, real users found something more important, this phone just keeps delivering, day after day, month after month. The iPhone 16 is not just holding up. It is proving that Apple built something genuinely lasting this time around. People adapt. Long term users take short breaks during intense tasks, avoid direct sun when possible, or accept that pea...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
If you've been holding off on upgrading your iPhone, the iPhone 17 Pro lineup might just change your mind. It could be Apple's biggest performance leap in years. About time, right? The buzz around Apple's upcoming flagship is not just marketing hype, multiple industry analysts are reporting that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will pack 12GB of RAM. That is a 50% increase in memory, the largest single-generation RAM jump in iPhone history. What is driving it? Apple's growing commitment to Apple...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The iPhone 17 pricing debate has reached a fever pitch, and frankly, it's unlike anything I've seen in my years covering...| Gadget Hacks
When you think about YouTube's biggest star jumping into mobile services, it might sound like another celebrity cash grab. But MrBeast reportedly plans to launch a phone company next year, and this isn't your typical influencer side hustle. With Beast Industries valued at over $5 billion and Feastables generating millions monthly, Jimmy Donaldson is betting big on diversification into tech. The mobile industry is already experiencing an unprecedented celebrity invasion, but MrBeast's entry co...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir Vivo has been quietly building something special in smartphone photography, and their latest move might just shake up the entire industry. The X200 series represents more than just another camera upgrade—it's a bold statement that mobile photography can rival traditional cameras. With their partnership with Zeiss deepening and hardware that's genuinely groundbreaking, Vivo is positioning itself to challenge the big three in ways we haven't seen before. Here's w...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
YouTube's biggest star is making another bold business move. MrBeast reportedly plans to launch a phone company, joining a growing trend of celebrity cell service brands that are reshaping the mobile industry. This isn't just another celebrity endorsement deal—it's part of a calculated expansion that could redefine how we think about mobile technology and fan engagement. What makes this particularly intriguing is Jimmy Donaldson's proven ability to transform unconventional business ideas in...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You've probably heard the buzz about satellite messengers lately—especially with Apple adding emergency SOS features to iPhones. But here's the thing: satellite messaging has become our go-to means of staying connected in areas without cell service, and these devices now pack in way more functionality than just emergency calls. We're talking location sharing, GPS navigation, weather reporting, and more. The real question isn't whether this tech is cool (it definitely is), but whether you ac...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The foldable phone market has become an engineering battleground where millimeters determine winners, and Honor just scored a decisive victory. The company's latest Magic V5 foldable has officially claimed the title of world's thinnest foldable at just 8.8mm when folded, but there's a fascinating physics compromise that reveals the current limitations of smartphone engineering. The phone measures just 4.1mm thick when unfolded and weighs only 217g, making it impr...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The Honor Magic V5 has officially arrived, and it's making some bold claims. Honor is calling this the world's thinnest foldable phone at just 8.8mm when folded—a remarkable feat of engineering that pushes the boundaries of what we thought possible in the foldable space. But here's the thing about superlatives in tech: they're only as good as the real-world experience they deliver. What makes this launch particularly intriguing is the timing. Honor couldn't jus...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Instagram's DM overhaul is finally here, and it's about time. For creators drowning in hundreds of daily message requests, the platform's new inbox management tools represent a significant shift in how we handle digital communication at scale. Instagram announced these updates after hearing from creators worldwide about the overwhelming nature of managing their inboxes. The new features let creators filter message requests by follower count, verified accounts, brands, ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When you fire up your Kindle and see that familiar screen, there's one feature that transforms the entire reading experience from good to absolutely game-changing: Libby integration. Libby connects you with your library's digital collection, turning your e-reader into a gateway to thousands of free books. What makes this combination so powerful? Libby enables sending borrowed books directly to Kobo or Kindle devices, creating a seamless bridge between your local library and your personal read...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Qualcomm's chip naming has been confusing enough over the years, but if the latest rumors prove true, we're about to enter uncharted territory of semiconductor branding chaos. Last year, the company surprised everyone by launching the Snapdragon 8 Elite instead of the expected Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, marking a significant departure from their established naming pattern. Now here's where things get truly bewildering – fresh leaks suggest we might see both a Snapdragon 8 G...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles TikTok just dropped what might be its biggest messaging update yet, and honestly, it's about time. The platform recently announced that everyone can now DM each other with voice memos and pictures—a massive shift from the friend-only restrictions we've lived with for years. This opens entirely new revenue streams for creators and transforms TikTok from entertainment platform to comprehensive communication hub. Here's what makes this so significant: Previously, only p...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
When your phone suddenly displays "SOS" instead of your carrier's name, it's more than just an inconvenience—it's a complete communication breakdown. Verizon customers across the United States experienced exactly this scenario when a software issue triggered a massive outage, leaving more than 23,000 customers without cellular service on what should have been an ordinary day. The outage affected calls, texts, and mobile data, sparking frustration on social media platforms and trac...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The mobile gaming landscape just shifted dramatically, and it's all thanks to AYN's latest announcement. AYN officially confirmed that the Odin 3 is the first gaming handheld powered by Qualcomm's cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. What started as a simple teaser image on Instagram has evolved into something much bigger—and this specific processor choice signals a major shift in what's possible for portable gaming performance. Early rumors from September 2024 suggested the Odin 3 mi...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles The world of foldable smartphones just got its most ambitious entry yet, and Huawei's making sure everyone knows about it. After months of exclusive availability in China, the world's first tri-fold smartphone is finally expanding globally. We're talking about a device that literally transforms from a standard phone into a massive tablet with not one, but two hinges working in perfect harmony. The Mate XT Ultimate Design isn't just another incremental upgrade in the fo...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir When you think about the explosive rise of Threads, it's pretty remarkable what Meta managed to pull off. The platform racked up 100 million users in its first week and now sits at 175 million monthly active users as of mid-2024. But here's what's really interesting—they're not stopping there. Meta is quietly testing something that could completely reshape text-based social media: long-form text capabilities. Now, you might be wondering why this matters when Th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Smartphone manufacturers are making a fascinating pivot. After years of racing to pack as many cameras as possible into their devices—chasing ever-higher megapixel counts and adding lens after lens—the industry is now embracing a more sophisticated approach. What you're witnessing is the emergence of quality-first camera design, and this shift represents more than just a trend. It's a fundamental reimagining of what mobile photography can achieve. What's driving th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Honor has just reclaimed the crown for the world's thinnest foldable smartphone with the Magic V5, and frankly, it's about time someone shook up the foldable market with meaningful innovation rather than incremental tweaks. At just 8.8 millimeters thick when folded, this device isn't just setting records—it's demonstrating what happens when engineering ambition meets practical user needs. Honor officially launched the Magic V5 in China and is bringing it to Europe in late August, marking th...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The iPhone isn't just outpacing the competition—it's practically carrying the entire smartphone industry on its back. While other major brands struggle with flat or declining sales, Apple's latest iPhone models are driving unexpected growth in a market that many analysts had written off as saturated. Let's break down what's really happening behind these surprising numbers and what it means for the future of mobile technology. Apple's iPhone shipments increased 12% annually during Q3 2024, d...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The budget smartphone market just got a lot more interesting. TCL dropped something at CES 2025 that's making me rethink what we actually need from our pocket devices. The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G isn't just another affordable Android phone—it's TCL's first smartphone to feature NXTPAPER 4.0, marking a legitimate attempt to merge your smartphone and e-reader into one device that won't murder your eyes in the process. What you need to know: • Price that actually ...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir Switching to a Verizon-powered prepaid plan used to mean kissing goodbye to reliable international coverage. But a wave of recent upgrades is changing that equation in ways that could save you hundreds on your next overseas adventure. Here's what's driving the change: Visible doubled its international roaming data to 2GB per day in Canada and Mexico, while Total Wireless now includes roaming in over 15 countries on its unlimited plans. Meanwhile, TracFone added h...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles You're running Apple's China operations, and your latest quarterly report shows foreign-branded phone sales plummeting 31.3% in June...| Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The camera wars just took an unexpected turn. While flagship phones pushed past 200MP, foldables remained stuck with compromise cameras—until now. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 already packs the same 200MP Isocell HP2 sensor found in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and reports suggest Samsung is planning to integrate flagship-grade camera systems across its entire foldable lineup. But here's the kicker: Samsung isn't alone in this race. What you need to know: Game-changing h...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Corey Noles Sony's mobile division finds itself in an increasingly precarious position, with Sony holding just 1% of the global smartphone...| Gadget Hacks
Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir The wireless charging world just shifted into high gear, and if you've been waiting for Android phones to catch up with...| Gadget Hacks
The next time you can't find your college friend at a crowded concert, you probably won't text them. Instead, you'll open Find My, spot their little avatar moving near the merch table, and walk straight over. Welcome to 2024, where this behavior isn't just convenient—it's completely normal. This shift from "text me when you get there" to "I'll just watch your dot move" represents something bigger than a tech upgrade. 88% of Gen Z uses location-sharing apps regularly, and their motivations r...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Your phone's security just got a lot more complicated. While device manufacturers have been racing to encrypt everything from your photos to your deleted messages, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been quietly building an arsenal of tools to dig deeper into seized devices. But here's the thing: the agency isn't just looking for what's on the surface anymore—they're hunting for data you didn't even know existed. The scope of CBP's digital dragnet is staggering. In fiscal year 2019, CBP...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Picture this: You walk into a phone store looking for the latest Sony Xperia, only to find empty shelves where they used to be. That's increasingly becoming reality across major markets, and it's raising a question that would've seemed impossible just a few years ago — are we witnessing the twilight of Sony's smartphone ambitions? The signs are everywhere. Sony officially announced it will no longer sell Xperia smartphones through its European subsidiary, with the dedicated European website...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Having tracked telecom policy changes for over five years, I've seen how regulatory shifts can reshape entire markets—but Verizon's latest move hits...| Gadget Hacks
You've probably heard this song before: "world's thinnest foldable phone!" But the Honor Magic V5 might actually deserve the hype. At just 8.8mm thick when...| Gadget Hacks
The swiping just got a lot more serious. Tinder is expanding its identity verification tech to the US, bringing along facial recognition that's supposedly safer, smarter, and more foolproof than ever. But as always with biometric data, there's more happening under the hood than a simple selfie check. FTC data shows romance scams cost victims $1.3 billion in 2022, with the median loss hitting $4,400 per person. Dating apps are clearly under pressure to do something about fake profiles and catf...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
You lose cell service in the middle of the day, and twenty minutes later, your bank account is empty. Welcome to SIM swapping—the nightmare scenario that's...| Gadget Hacks
Flagship earbuds like Apple's AirPods Pro, Sony's WF‑1000XM5, Jabra's Elite 10, and Soundcore's Liberty 4 Pro sound fantastic, but they come with equally premium price tags. Luckily, there are plenty of stellar alternatives that won't gut your wallet. Spend less than $100, and you can still land punchy audio, rock‑solid active noise canceling (ANC), and marathon battery life without feeling like you settled. Below, we start with our overall winner and count down to number five,...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
A crucial part of the system that keeps your iPhone, iPad, Android device, and computer secure just lost US government funding — and the ripple effects could soon reach your gadget's next update. A quiet but major shake-up in cybersecurityThe US government has abruptly cut off funding to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program, the global system standardizing how software and hardware vulnerabilities are cataloged and tracked. If you've ever looked at Apple's or Google's list...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
The Unicode Consortium is already hard at work on the next batch of emoji, but don't get too excited just yet. It may be a while before you see these new characters, which include an apple core, orca, and hairy creature, on your devices. Unicode 17.0, with its Emoji 17.0 update, isn't expected to be finalized until September 2025, but nine new emoji candidates have already been drafted. Those are: Apple Core: A compostable icon for food waste or garbage. Ballet Dancer: A new gender-neutral ch...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Christmas is just one week before Jan. 1. That means a lot of New Year's resolutions filled with promises to better ourselves with increased productivity, focus, and work ethics — but getting started can be challenging. Give the people in your life a leg up this holiday season with these smartphone gifts to keep them on-task in 2020. Know how much you want to spend? Click one of the links below to jump ahead: Stocking Stuffers for Less Than $25Great Gifts for Friends Between $25 & $100S...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
There's never been a better time for streaming videos on your phone. With so many options available (including a potential mobile-only Netflix tier) and so many new smartphones having large screens, there's a good chance you know someone who mainly use their phone for videos. And if you looking for a gift for them, there are some great options. While smartphones continue to get larger and more powerful, they haven't surpassed the experience of a larger screen like a television. But for someon...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
With smartphone cameras and software getting better and better every year, more and more users are getting passionate about photography. So when you're shopping for a gift to get someone, if they have a smartphone, chances are they'll more than appreciate some tools and accessories for taking better photos with their pocket friend — and we've got some gear ideas they'll love. Stock camera apps, as well as Instagram and Snapchat, are just gateways into more professional mobile tools to compo...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
In a time where we're more connected than ever, privacy and security have never been more important. Maybe you're not concerned, but I'm sure there's someone in your life who is, and shopping for them can be daunting. However, with these gifts, you can provide them the tools they need to enhance their protection. Each gift below will either keep your information and whereabouts private or keep the recipient (and his or her family) safe. Some gifts even do both. We avoided the more extreme mea...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
With MP3 players all but dead, phones are now the dominant portable music devices. While smartphones have gotten better at this task over the years, they do have some glaring limitations when it comes to music. On the bright side, we can use these limitations to help find the perfect gifts for the audiophiles in our lives. Know how much you want to spend? Jump to your section here: Stocking stuffers for less than $25Great gifts for friends between $25 and $99Splurges for $100 and upStocking S...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
Smartphone gaming continues to improve with ever sharper displays and raw processing power to deliver console-quality graphics right in the palm of your hands. Nonetheless, you still stand to improve the gaming experience on any phone by adding the right accessories to the mix. Know what you're after? Head to one of the sections below to find an awesome gift that matches your budget: Stocking stuffers that won't break the bank ($25 and under)Awesome gifts between $25 and $99Go all out for tha...| Smartphones - Gadget Hacks
