Week 32 in review: Pixel 8 phones leak, iPhone 15 USB-C ports appear, OnePlus is launching a phone with 150W
In the brief period of a Samsung Unpacked event in mid-summer and the iPhone unveiling in early September, we have a flurry of leaks and teasers, picturing the landscape of smartphone launches in the next few months.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro variants leaked in renders, revealing Google is going to stick with the stripe camera island with all the shooters placed horizontally. Another launch we eagerly expect, the one of the iPhone 15 series, is going to be groundbreaking for Apple users, as the Cupertino company is finally ditching the Lighting port for a USB-C, not without the nudge from multiple regulators that pushed for the change.
OnePlus is readying the Ace 2 Pro in China which might arrive as 11T on the international scene, while Xiaomi will reveal the Mix Fold 3, another foldable that is unlikely to escape the domestic market.
In the past seven days, we also saw HMD Global release two more feature phones.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to feature a 50MP 3x telephoto camera
It's said to use the same 200MP sensor from the S23 Ultra, though.
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro versions leak
We're getting closer to the rumored October announcement, so more details are coming out.
iPhone 15 series' USB-C connectors leak
The non-Pro iPhone 15 models may be limited to USB 2.0 speeds.
iPhone 15 Pro duo to have 256GB base storage, go up to 2TB
But keep in mind that this could be paired with a price hike.
Saudi Arabia mandates all electronic devices to use USB-C charging ports from 2025
January 1, 2025, is the date for mobile phones and other small electronic devices.
First sighting of Samsung Galaxy S24+ with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 running Geekbench 6
The Gen 3 chip changes how the four CPU clusters are divided. The prime core doesn't run at 3.7GHz as some rumors suggested.
The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will fully charge its 5,000mAh battery in just 17 minutes at 150W
The phone supports SuperVOOC S charging and is the first from OnePlus to also support UFCS, which was co-developed by Oppo, vivo, Xiaomi and Huawei.
Google releases August update for Pixels and it's not Android 14
The final release of Android 14 might still come later this month, or in September.
Nokia 150 (2023) with IP52 rating and Nokia 130 Music with a large speaker announced
The 150 has a polycarbonate body and a basic camera. Both phones have microSD slots, MP3 and FM radio support, plus 3.5mm headphone jacks.
Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 announcement scheduled for August 14
Mix 3 will bring four Leica-tuned cameras and a new hinge mechanism.
Apple's iPhone 15 event now tipped to happen on September 12
A day earlier than the previously rumored September 13.
iPhone 15 Pro's 3 nm Bionic A17 chipset to feature with 6 GB RAM
The A17 Bionic will have 6 CPU and 6 GPU cores.
Galaxy Z Flip5 trounces Razr 40 Ultra in fold test, surpasses Samsung's official claims
Samsung says that the Z Flip5 has been tested to 200,000 folds, but the phone phone doubled that in a multi-day test against its Motorola-made competitor.
Lei Jun shares official Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 images
Based on the labels on the Leica quad camera on the back, the phone will have a 115mm periscope.
Xiaomi Pad 6 Max 14 and Band 8 Pro also launching on August 14
They will join the Mix Fold 3 at Xiaomi's big launch event on Monday.
OnePlus Ace 2 Pro confirmed to come with 24GB RAM
It's launching on August 16 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC.
WhatsApp now supports screen sharing in video calls
Watch out Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Meet, and FaceTime!
vivo V29e images show a flat display and no Aura Glow light, should launch in India later this month
The V29 Lite and V29 already launched in Europe, but they have curved displays. There will be differences in the chipsets and batteries too.
Instagram gets new optimized UI on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series
The update is reportedly coming to older Z Fold series phones too but not on foldables from other brands for now.
Facebook Messenger will drop SMS support after September 28
Users are advised to switch over to their phone's default messages app.
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