Week 27 in review: It's raining phones as Galaxy Note10 gets a launch date

The second half of the year started with a bang, with plenty of manufacturers announcing new devices. Xiaomi introduced its Mi CC series, vivo had something for Generation Z in India and gamers on a tighter budget in China. The biggest announcement, however, was about the Samsung Galaxy Note10 - it will arrive on August 7.

While some companies are doing launches and others are preparing for them, Sony and Apple are keeping it silent, so the rumors have to speak in their voice. The upcoming 2019 iPhones have leaked in CAD renders, while an alleged new Xperia flagship is on its way, likely with its three cameras on one side.

Samsung appeared in the news cycle for two more reasons - the Galaxy A80 with an unusual camera mechanism is finally on sale and the mobile division CEO DJ Koh talked how he pushed the Galaxy Fold before the device was actually ready. Reports are the redesign is now complete and the new and improved Fold should be coming to us soon.

Phones might be the essence of our day, but we were giddy for one more reason - our official GSMArena app is finally out of its Beta stage and the Stable version can be found on Google Play. We listened and added the most desired features, but you can still report any issues and bugs you find.

We would’ve loved to say Huawei can finally breathe a sigh of relief after being taken as a hostage in the negotiations between the United States and China, but in the current political landscape in the US every decision can be reverted in a whim.

We are still on the edge of our seats whether the Chinese manufacturer will be allowed to continue working with US companies and if this is going to cause a ripple effect through the whole smartphone business.