
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

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.

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.

Apple Intelligence's best feature gains new powers in iOS 26 — what's new with Visual Intelligence
By Philip Michaels published
Visual Intelligence adds the ability to search screenshots in iOS 26. Here's how it works.

I tested AI writing tools on iPhone vs Galaxy vs Pixel — here's the winner
By Philip Michaels published
From suggesting tone changes to auto-formatting notes, modern phones can do a lot with text using AI. But which AI-powered writing tool, out of the iPhone, Pixel and Galaxy S' versions, is the best?

Best cell phone plans for seniors in 2025
By Philip Michaels last updated
Here's how the best cell phone plans for seniors compare, ranging from the cheapest to best unlimited options.

The iPhone 17 Air can blow Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge out of the water — here's how
By Philip Michaels published
The Galaxy S25 Edge is setting a high bar for other ultra-thin phones to clear. But one area has emerged where the iPhone 17 Air can truly impress.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 — we just got bad news about the design right before Unpacked
By Philip Michaels published
Samsung has been touting the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 as an Ultra edition of its foldable phone. But one rumor has a key durability rating falling short of what the Galaxy S25 Ultra offers.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 vs. Flip 6: Biggest rumored upgrades
By Philip Michaels last updated
With the Galaxy Z Flip 7 about to launch, we look at how the new phone could differ from the Galaxy Z Flip 6 that came out last year.

iPhone 17 colors: Here's what's rumored for this fall's new iPhones
By Philip Michaels published
What new colors will debut on the iPhone 17? We look at the rumors for every new model, along with how colors have changed on recent iPhone releases

iOS 26 brings big changes to your iPhone lock screen — what to expect
By Philip Michaels published
As part of the Liquid Glass interface changes in iOS 26, you can customize your iPhone with Spatial Scenes for wallpaper. But that's not the only lock screen change.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE tipped for Unpacked — and it could be the cheap foldable we've all been waiting for
By Philip Michaels published
Will we finally get a cheaper foldable from Samsung?

iOS 26 has 5 upgrades I can't wait to use — but they only work with these iPhones
By Philip Michaels last updated
Not every iOS addition will work on every iPhone — even some of the more exciting iOS 26 improvements. Here are the key upgrades I'm looking to try that are restricted to select devices.
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