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 s24 ultra reasons to buy and skip](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EKmNoaVZfWrpiM2VyNpj5-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — 7 reasons to buy the phone and 3 reasons to skip it
By Philip Michaels last updated
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra delivers some solid improvements, but there are also reasons that may stop you from making this your next phone. Here are the arguments for and against upgrading.
![samsung galaxy s24 plus in yellow over a counter](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Ts8BkRqBu2fi2vRXfuYBpS-320-80.jpg)
Forget Galaxy S24 Ultra — the Galaxy S24 Plus is the way better value
By Philip Michaels published
The Galaxy S24 Plus update is more significant than you might realize
![Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/neNBCAszSWTrKedGuAS9UV-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 — here's what Apple needs to copy for the iPhone 16
By Philip Michaels published
The Samsung Galaxy S24 models may not seem like a major overhaul. But there are plenty of improvements to raise the bar for what Apple's iPhone 16 lineup needs to deliver.
![OnePlus 12 reasons to buy and skip](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iRtndkDmowwc3DRBLfF7UP-320-80.jpg)
OnePlus 12 — 7 reasons to buy and 4 reasons to skip
By Philip Michaels published
Wondering whether the OnePlus 12 should be your next phone? We can walk you through the strengths and weaknesses of this new flagship.
![Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Violet](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LVRkCioEH6BgK49MQ2rdPC-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra benchmarks — the iPhone 15 Pro has met its match
By Philip Michaels last updated
We've had a chance to run some Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra benchmarks, and in some key speed tests, Samsung's latest finally tops the iPhone 15 Pro. Find out how well the S24 Ultra did.
![Galaxy AI banner at Galaxy Unpacked 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5c3B2yVaj5DXJtr25QmZKN-320-80.jpeg)
Galaxy AI — these are the Galaxy S24's 7 AI features you'll want to try first
By Philip Michaels published
AI is the centerpiece of this year's Samsung flagships, and it's more than just hype. These are 7 Galaxy AI features that you'll want to try once you get your hands on a Galaxy S24.
![Galaxy S24 lineup at Galaxy Unpacked 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Gkayu2WCCTZqQHZgT92dqL-320-80.jpeg)
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: Galaxy S24 lineup, new Galaxy AI features, and a Galaxy Ring surprise
By John Velasco published
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 delivered a new lineup of Galaxy S24 flagship phones, with each model capable of delivering AI-powered features.
![Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra hands-on](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EJCyC76zxUEAFSLZLdZERW-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra price revealed — and it's surprisingly high
By Josh Render last updated
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S24 Ultra and it comes with $1,299 starting price. That's $100 more than the Galaxy S23 Ultra cost.
![Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 official teaser.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U9fqJecAvszZQotepWV7HP-320-80.jpg)
How to watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 online now — Galaxy S24, Galaxy AI and more
By Philip Michaels last updated
Galaxy Unpacked gets underway Wednesday, and we can help you find a live stream if you want to watch the Galaxy S24 product launch online.
![Apple Vision Pro](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LLukxtGB9JU5aXk7RaPeSg-320-80.jpg)
I'm not buying an Apple Vision Pro — but here's how Apple could change my mind
By Philip Michaels published
Our managing editor for mobile is no fan of headsets. If the Apple Vision Pro is going to get him to change his tune, it will require some pretty compelling apps.
![Moto G Play 2024](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aKBLxpm8ZzZpaNMk7PScJM-320-80.jpeg)
Moto G Play (2024) brings a 50MP camera to a sub-$150 budget phone
By Philip Michaels published
The Moto G Play (2024) features an upgraded camera and a lower price compared to last year's model. But you sacrifice some key features.
![galaxy s24 and s24 ultra renders](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iF3mgEfjeKWNLW9YxqZeuF-320-80.jpeg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 launch — the 9 potential upgrades to keep an eye on
By Philip Michaels published
Samsung may not be planning an overhaul of its Galaxy flagships, but some potential changes are in the works. These are the ones to keep an eye on at the Galaxy S24 launch this week.
![Samsung Galaxy S24 in three of its four colors](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5dU9cf9EgxMksbNiuZPPMG-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 is going all in on AI instead of hardware — and it could change how we use phones forever
By Philip Michaels published
New AI features, not hardware, looks like it will be the focus of the Galaxy S24 lineup. Will it be enough to convince people to upgrade their phones?
![Google Pixel 7a vs. iPHone SE](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BdcREzKFP7J3XSmjr7KvRE-320-80.jpg)
No iPhone SE in 2024 could be a huge Apple mistake — here’s why
By Philip Michaels published
The experts don't think a new iPhone is coming this year. But can Apple afford to wait with all the good midrange phones that are out there?
![Samsung Galaxy AI is coming preview next to Siri running on iPhone](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kKJuQLJtWd9ATGZQFWTmZa-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 big AI focus could be bad news for the iPhone — here’s why
By Philip Michaels published
Rumored AI features on Galaxy S24 could put Apple at a disadvantage
![Apple TV app on Apple TV set-top box showing new sidebar](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nPGGuWyuKVB9ZPmmvn6668-320-80.jpeg)
Apple's TV app gives Apple TV a new look — and I hate it
By Philip Michaels published
Apple's TV app has a new look, as Apple wants to make it the go-to place on its streaming device. But the update has really hampered the Apple TV interface.
![Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SpL8JpxUa637qXTghpFiuD-320-80.jpg)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus — biggest rumored upgrades
By Philip Michaels published
Samsung's new phones should be arriving this month. Our Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Plus comparison looks at potential differences between the middle model in Samsung's Galaxy S lineup.
![OnePlus 12R shown in Cool Blue and Iron Grey.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yUKo5Mb22WTDFzru9vWFRJ-320-80.jpg)
OnePlus 12R debuts soon — and there’s one feature I’m dying to find out about
By Philip Michaels published
Early details about the OnePlus 12R sound promising. But it's the camera performance that will determine whether this upcoming phone is a true flagship alternative.
![Letterney Jared keeso as wayne](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/35FQoXCWGzMP2LAsg867An-320-80.jpg)
Letterkenny ends its 12-season run — these are the 9 episodes you should binge
By Philip Michaels published
The final season of Letterkenny is available to stream on Hulu. If you've never seen the show, here's a look at the nine episodes that give you a flavor of what to expect.
![iPhone 15 Pro shown in hand](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Yo5TfuqVZgjr6TPKvB4GYA-320-80.jpg)
New year, new you — these iOS 17 apps can help you with your New Year’s resolutions
By Philip Michaels published
Looking to get a fresh start in the new year? The tools you need could be right on your iPhone, from moving more to getting organized to improving your mental health.
![Phone Arena renders of the four rumored colors for the S24 Ultra](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yrtGxeH5ozgRUWdt2XG8sZ-320-80.png)
Samsung Galaxy S24 launch now set — here’s the 5 biggest rumors you may have missed
By Philip Michaels published
You may have been celebrating the holidays, but the Galaxy S24 rumor machine churned on. With a Galaxy Unpacked event set for January 17, here's a look back at the biggest recent S24 rumors.
![iPhone 16 prototypes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GKp4Bw9uwtWC9erjVLtYh4-320-80.jpg)
iPhone 16 in 2024 — here's everything Apple could announce this year
By Philip Michaels published
The iPhone remains a big part of Apple's business. Here's what to expect in 2024, from iOS 18 to the iPhone 16, with maybe some surprise announcements.