
Philip Michaels
Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.
Latest articles by Philip Michaels

Google Pixel 10 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25: Battle of the Android phones takes shape
By Philip Michaels published
Google is holding a hardware event in August where it should show off its new phones. Here's how the upcoming Google Pixel 10 could compare to the Galaxy S25.

iOS 26 guide: All the new features for your iPhone and how to use them
By Philip Michaels published
iOS 26 is now available as a public beta. Use this guide to find your way all the changes Apple is bringing to the iPhone.

iOS 26 public beta is live — 7 new iPhone features you need to try first
By Philip Michaels last updated
Getting started with iOS 26? These are the features that will likely have the biggest impact on your day-to-day iPhone use.

iOS 26 preview — I've been testing Apple’s biggest update in over a decade
By Philip Michaels last updated
Not yet ratedThis is a divisive update

iOS 26 is here — how to download the developer beta
By Philip Michaels last updated
You don't have to wait to try out the new iOS software

iOS 26 public beta LIVE — new iPhone features to try, how to download and latest news
By Philip Michaels last updated
The iOS 26 public beta is out and ready to install on your iPhone — if you're ready. Find out all the details on Apple's latest software release, including new features, interface changes and more.

How to download the iOS 26 public beta — follow these steps
By Philip Michaels published
If you're ready to take the iOS 26 plunge, here's how to download and install the iOS 26 beta.

I've been testing iOS 26 for a month — 5 tips you need to know now that the public beta is here
By Philip Michaels last updated
Follow these tips for a better experience with the iOS 26 beta

Galaxy Z Fold 7 vs Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Here's how Google can beat Samsung
By Philip Michaels published
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be tough to beat. But there are ways the upcoming Pixel 10 Pro Fold could outshine its rival.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 battery life — the results are in
By Philip Michaels published
We've had a chance to test the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Here's how these new Samsung foldables perform in the critical area of battery life.

iOS 26 Safari lets you pick your own tab design — here's how to do it
By Philip Michaels published
Liquid Glass is very much present in the iOS 26 version of Safari, but you can put your own stamp on the layout by picking one of three layouts for the tab design.

I was underwhelmed by the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE — here's why it could be worth buying anyway
By Philip Michaels published
Maybe the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE didn't impress me when it debuted alongside Samsung's premium foldable phones. But there are still plenty of reasons this lower-cost model delivers good value.

The best 5G phones in 2025
By Philip Michaels last updated
The best 5G phones deliver faster downloads, lower latency and a lot more. Here are the 5G-capable phones worth your attention.

AutoMix gets the hype in iOS 26's Music app, but there’s another change that’s even better
By Philip Michaels published
iOS 26 is bringing a couple changes to the Music app on your iPhone. Find out more about AutoMix and Pins, including how to use them.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: 5 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
By Philip Michaels published
Bigger screens and beefed-up AI features make a compelling case to buy the Galaxy Z Flip 7. But there are reasons to skip the new foldable, too.

iOS 26 Photos — here's the biggest upgrades for your iPhone
By Philip Michaels last updated
Customize your collections layout and look up event info from your photos

Best cell phone plans in 2025: The best options for your monthly phone service
By Philip Michaels last updated
Looking for the best cell phone plan for your needs? We’ve rounded up the best choices for family plans, unlimited data and low-cost plans from prepaid carriers.

iPhone 17 release date: All the possibilities for this year's phone launch
By Philip Michaels last updated
What we can learn from past iPhone releases for this year's launch

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: 5 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
By Philip Michaels published
There's a lot to like about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 if you're considering buying the phone — but there are a few things to fret about, too.

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 7 is incredibly thin and light — here's how it stacks up to other slender phones
By Philip Michaels published
Whether open or closed, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 cuts a slender profile. But how does it compare to other phones in terms of thinness and weight?

Galaxy Unpacked 2025 LIVE: All the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7 and Watch 8 news
By Philip Michaels last updated
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event brought us updated versions of the Galaxy Z Fold, Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Watch. Get all the details on everything Samsung revealed.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Does Samsung's stab at a low-cost foldable phone miss the mark?
By Philip Michaels published
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE finally delivers a lower-cost Samsung foldable. But the phone feels too much like a repackaged Galaxy Z Flip 6.

iOS 26 call screening promises to keep spam callers at bay — here's how to set it up
By Philip Michaels published
iOS 26 adds a feature to screen unwanted callers, but to make it work, you've got to know which setting to turn on.

I tested the AI transcription tools for iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy vs Google Pixel — here's the winner
By Philip Michaels published
Need to transcribe a recording or summarize text? We found the phone to use after testing out Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI and Google Gemini on the Pixel.

5 burning questions about Galaxy Unpacked — what I want to know about the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Watch 8 and more
By Philip Michaels published
From foldable phones to new smartwatches, Samsung could show off a lot at its July 9 Unpacked event. Here's the biggest questions we're hoping to answer at Samsung's product launch.
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