Call me old school, but I much prefer playing retro games from classic consoles like the Genesis, SNES, PlayStation 1, and Neo Geo. That’s the main reason I bought a power bank that doubles as a retro handheld over the holidays, but now I’m back to gaming on my phone thanks to MCON.

The company behind it makes some sweet iPhone accessories, like the Snap Grip Wallet, but the MCON Bluetooth Controller is truly in a league of its own compared to other mobile gamepads. Not only does it sport an ingenious, ultra-compact design, but it also differentiates itself by leveraging MagSafe to keep my phone securely mounted. Best of all, it packs all the buttons, triggers, joysticks, and grips needed to feel remarkably like a standard console controller — and you can snag one for $20 off today.

Compact design, easy to stow away

One of my biggest gripes with many Bluetooth gamepads is that they simply aren't designed with mobile in mind. Most look a lot like standard console controllers with clunky phone clips tacked onto them. The MCON Bluetooth Controller, on the other hand, is built from the ground up for on-the-go gaming.

Portability has always been the main bottleneck for mobile setups, but the MCON solves this by folding down into a sleek, self-contained rectangular slab that effortlessly slips into a pocket or the sleeve of a backpack. Looking at the photo above with my iPhone 17 Pro beside it, it shares a nearly identical footprint, just with a slightly thicker chassis.

What makes the design truly clever is its versatility. Rather than locking you into a single configuration, the magnetic MagSafe holder slides out and fully detaches to double as an adjustable kickstand for tabletop play. This magnetic system eliminates the constraints of rigid clamp widths, pairing just as seamlessly with my iPhone 17 Pro as it does with wider, notebook-style foldables like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

Small details go a long way

Beyond its compact form factor, the MCON Bluetooth Controller packs several subtle design choices that solves many more of the issues I have about mobile controllers. First and foremost, I really dig how the extendable side grips can change the way it feels. When I keep them collapsed, its flat profile channels that nostalgic-feel squared-off NES gamepad, while sliding them out instantly provides the deeper grip support and ergonomic contours of a modern controller.

On the connectivity front, multi-device Bluetooth pairing lets me switch smoothly between my devices without constantly unpairing and re-syncing them. And as much as I appreciate the wireless connection, there are just some games — like Resident Evil Village — that are better suited with a direct connection. I can eliminate any worry about latency by just connecting it via USB-C.

The most versatile mobile gaming controller

Whether you’re playing classic retro titles like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night or diving into modern mobile games like Diablo Immortal, the MCON Bluetooth Controller solves the portability headache without sacrificing the ergonomics of a dedicated console gamepad. I think the photo above really sums how much I've enjoyed using it to play classic titles on my phone.

Between its slick MagSafe mounting, adaptable fold-out grips, and reliable wired mode, I’ve quickly retired my dedicated retro gaming handheld and now keep this with me at all times. If you've been waiting for a mobile controller that doesn't feel like an afterthought, you can save $20 on the MCON Bluetooth Controller right now — making it an even easier recommendation.

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This year's Apple September Event is going to be a little different, in that there are only three new iPhones being released. But those three newbies are all premium devices, and that makes deciding between them a much trickier endeavor. With no standard iPhone 18 on the horizon, it's not just a case of picking between the regular and one of two sizes of Pro.

Prospective iPhone users that know they don't want to wait until iPhone 18's early 2027 launch need to decide whether they should stick with a Pro or go Ultra. But what exactly is different between all these new iPhones? Various leaks and rumors show that it's not quite as simple as spotting that one of them folds and the other two don't.

Here's what we know about iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra, and what the differences between all three upcoming iPhones are.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Rumored Specs

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Price & Availability

Price will be a major sticking point with the next wave of iPhones, due to the fact they're likely to be pretty expensive. iPhones have never been cheap, but the ongoing issues with RAMageddon and skyrocketing memory and storage prices means prices are almost certainly going to be higher than in the past.

Analysts have predicted that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could be as much as $200 more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and if that rings true we could see the starting price rise to $1,399. Even if the price hike isn't that high, I'd be surprised if Apple didn't tack on an extra $100 to both iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In that instance both phones would start at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively.

iPhone Ultra is expected to be considerably more expensive than a non-folding iPhone, with rumors suggesting we could see a starting price somewhere around $2,400 and $2,500. While we don't have other foldable iPhones to compare this to, that would make the iPhone Ultra the most expensive foldable phone on the market — a title currently held by the $2,099 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

As for availability, we don't expect any significant changes for the iPhone 18 Pros. Apple is a creature of habit, and pre-orders for new numbered iPhones typically begin the same week as the launch event. With the event expected to happen on September 9, that would normally put pre-order day down for Friday September 11. Though it's suspected that Apple will want to avoid the anniversary of 9/11 and open pre-orders a day later on September 12. The actual release day will likely be a the end of the following week, on September 18.

Things aren't quite so simple with the iPhone Ultra, due to various reports that Apple is struggling to produce enough units. No two sources seem to be able to agree on when the phone will actually release, with some saying it'll happen at the same time as iPhone 18 Pro, and others claiming it'll be much later in the year.

One recent report also suggested that a global launch is out of the question for the time being, since Apple may stagger the release schedule in different regions — starting with the U.S. The one thing there does seem to be consensus on is the fact that supply is likely to be limited. But with a price tag that high, it isn't likely that people will be rushing out to buy one.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Design & Display

We're not expecting any significant design changes for the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, which means the two phones will probably look pretty similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max at first glance. In other words we should expect to see the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, alongside the raised camera bar Apple refers to as the "forged plateau."

It's unclear if Apple will do anything to fix the durability issues that affected the iPhone 17 Pro series. Since the phones were made of anodized aluminum, rather than stronger metals like steel or titanium, there were many reports of chips and scuffs on the exterior of the phone.

Multiple Tom's Guide employees were affected by "scratchgate," as it was known, to varying degrees as well. We haven't heard rumors about this yet, though, so I wouldn't expect anything more than token changes to the exterior metal.

That said, we have heard rumors that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be thicker and the heaviest iPhone Apple has ever made, clocking in at 240g/8.47oz. It's not clear why, but it's possible that a switch to stronger and heavier materials could account for some of the extra weight — alongside changes like larger batteries.

The iPhone Ultra, on the other hand, is shaping up to be unlike any iPhone we've seen before. Dummy units show a phone that is shorter and wider than a typical iPhone, and that's just the 5.4-inch cover display. The phone will unfold to reveal a 7.8-inch cover foldable display, which is a similar size and shape to the iPad mini 7.

In contrast to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Ultra is expected to be ultra-thin and lightweight, with around 4.5mm of thickness when unfolded. That's thinner than the iPhone Air, which already felt like it was impossibly thin. However reports suggest it may weigh a similar amount as the Pro Max, which makes sense when you remember that this is effectively two phones in one.

Apple has apparently focussed on the durability of the Ultra, with an iPhone Air-style body made from titanium. Also rumored is a liquid metal hinge, a structural glass mid-frame and ultra-thin display glass for extra support on the foldable screen. This will also apparently have the added bonus of eliminating the display crease, though we've yet to see whether it's actually invisible or not.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Performance

The iPhone Ultra may bear the Ultra moniker, but its performance may not be at the same level. Rumor has it that the foldable may come with an A20 chipset, compared to the A20 Pro on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. However, it will still reportedly still be built on TSMC's 2nm process, which is expected to offer a 15% improvement in speed and 20% boost to efficiency.

The A20 Pro is also expected to be built on the 2nm process, though we don't know as much about the kind of improvements this chip will offer. If past experience tells us anything, we should expect even stronger computing and graphical performance compared to the standard A20 chip. However, we won't know by how much until we actually benchmark all three phones and compare.

We should expect all three to come with 12GB of RAM, which is currently the minimum needed to power some of the more intensive Siri AI features that launched with iOS 27 — including the new dictation and expressive voices.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Cameras

We're not expecting any major changes with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max's cameras this year, which means we're likely to see the same trio of 48MP lenses covering the duties of primary, ultrawide and telephoto photography — plus an 18MP Center Stage selfie camera.

However there are still some changes rumored, including the inclusion of variable aperture, and an adjustment to the Camera Control button. Variable aperture would allow iPhone users to adjust the amount of light that enters the camera lens on the fly. It's a feature that we've seen on other cameras, but it would be a first for iPhones — though some rumors suggest that this may be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Various rumors have discussed the possible changes to Camera Control, including tweaking its capacitive capabilities and ditching the current design in favor of a mechanical button. Whether any of those predictions will come true or not isn't clear right now, but it's unlikely that any of those changes will affect the iPhone Ultra as much as they do the iPhone 18 Pro.

The main thing to note about the iPhone Ultra is that it only has two main cameras, which are expected to be 48MP main and ultrawide lenses. The lack of a dedicated telephoto lens is expected to be a point of contention among the die-hard iPhone fans likely to buy this device. Apple does offer limited "optical quality" digital zooming, but that's never going to replace the quality of a standalone zooming lens. Especially not with a 48MP main camera.

We're expecting to see two selfie cameras, both offering 24MP, but it's unclear whether they will utilize a hole-punch design or if they will be hidden under the display. My gut says the former, but renders and dummy units haven't been particularly forthcoming on this point. Don't expect to see Face ID, though, since reports claim Apple is ditching Face ID in favor of a Touch ID fingerprint sensor in the power button.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Battery

Battery size has never been high on Apple's list of priorities, but that hasn't stopped the company offering some of the best phone battery life in recent years. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may take that a little further, by offering even larger batteries than we've seen before: 4,288 mAh and 5,321 mAh respectively.

Admittedly that's a pretty minor increase for the 18 Pro, but it's still a small improvement in overall capacity. Combined with the extra efficiency of the A20 Pro chipset, and inherent optimization between every aspect of iPhone's Apple-made software and hardware we're expecting to see a noticeable boost in battery life.

Those factors will also likely aid the iPhone Ultra, though the larger internal screen will likely eat up more battery life than you'd expect from a non-folding model. That's true of Samsung foldables anyway, with the 5,000 mAh Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra lasting a few hours less than a similar 5,000 mAh battery in the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Reports have suggested we'll see a 4,833 mAh battery, which sits in the middle of the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max's rumored battery packs. Though we'll have to wait and see how that might translate into real-world battery life.

Expect all three phones to come with MagSafe wireless charging, as well as varying degrees of fast wired charging — though since Apple is also pretty secretive about charging speeds we may have to wait before we can figure out just how fast each model is.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Software

Software is one of the few things that iPhone users don't need to worry about, since the general experience is the same regardless of which kind of phone you use. Often there are exclusive features to the Pro models, though that typically only affects the people who would want to buy the non Pro models like iPhone 18 or iPhone Air 2. I don't see Apple restricting the iPhone Ultra from accessing any premium features without a very good reason.

The software on the iPhone Ultra is going to have to be very different, on account of it essentially being an iPhone and iPad rolled into a single device. This isn't likely to affect the kind of features that are on offer, but it does mean iPhone Ultra's software is going to have to ensure apps can adapt to both screens — and transition whatever you're doing when you switch to a different display.

Likewise it would be a missed opportunity if Apple didn't offer some kind of multitasking capabilities that weren't available (or not as useful) on regular iPhones. Sadly we haven't heard anything about that, so it remains a mystery as to how iPhone Ultra will let users have multiple app windows open at once.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone Ultra: Outtlook

The differences between iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are likely to be (mostly) superficial and based around the differing sizes of both phones. However, the fact that variable aperture may be exclusive to the Pro Max means there may be some things further differentiating the two devices.

However the iPhone Ultra is set to be unlike any other device Apple has produced so far, which throws a wrench into the usual decision-making process. The fact we've never seen a foldable iPhone before means it's difficult to get an idea of what to expect — and how the Ultra will differ from other foldables already on sale.

Choosing between them all is not quite a matter of ticking off the right boxes and seeing which phone fits your needs the best. You're signing up for a very different iPhone experience than most people are used to. It's also worth considering that the Ultra has been nerfed in some key areas, but the benefit of having a larger and more productive screen could help make up for it.

Then again, if you can't justify spending over $2,000 on a brand new smartphone, the point might be totally moot.

More from Tom's Guide

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Over the weekend, a series of renders and drawings purported to reveal a redesigned Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra with some surprising subtractions. The images came from two prominent Samsung leaks and appear to show a new horizontal bar design that's more reminiscent of the iPhone 17 Pro or a Google Pixel 11 Pro.

The leaks started with a cryptic message from Samsung leaker Ice Universe, who posted a drawing and said, "I can't say anything."

They followed it up with a full-body drawing of the back of the phone. Those images appear to show a circle that is probably a Qi2 magnet for wireless charging.

From Ice Universe's sketches, it appears the Galaxy S27 Ultra loses a camera, going from the current triple stack to two, with the LED light and lenses in their own little pill. In another post, Universe noted that a new 5x telephoto lens will move into the LED pill and replace the current 3x version.

Yesterday, tipster Sonny Dickson posted renders of the S27 Ultra, claiming that Samsung will offer the Ultra in two sizes. Rumors suggest Samsung is working on two sizes for the Ultra model, one of which will likely be the S27 Pro.

It would make Samsung's offerings more similar to Apple's Pro and Pro Max models.

Ice Universe seemed to confirm that the Pro model is coming today with new renders and a post that claims the speaker on the bottom of the phone will be moved to the right side for the S27, S27 Plus and S27 Pro. The S27 Ultra will supposedly have its speaker on the left side.

Based on every drawing and render we've seen over the weekend, the new iPhone-esque plateau will only be available on the Ultra and Pro models. The base S27 and Plus models would have the stack.

With Samsung's foldables behind us, the rumor mill is starting to spin up in earnest for the company's flagship phone line. More renders will leak in the coming months, but we won't totally trust the leaks until we see some dummy units, which will probably leak in the fall.

As for the phones, Samsung will likely release the S27 lineup in the early part of next year. This year, the S26 series launched in February, and we expect Samsung will keep a similar schedule, give or take a week or two.

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Anticipation is rising for the iPhone Ultra, especially as we near the rumored September 9th event, where we’ll finally get an official look at the upcoming foldable. However, it appears that early testers are sharing what they like about it ahead of the reveal.

Mark Gurman’s latest newsletter is full of praiseworthy tidbits from people who’ve reportedly used the iPhone Ultra. I’m not terribly surprised by this — let’s face it, a new form factor is always intriguing. However, I’m going to be more critical of this device than anything else the company has released, mainly because Apple is late to the game while rival Samsung has been leading and innovating for years.

Here is what these early users are reporting — and my take on their impressions.

Fits in the pocket

It comes as no surprise that early testers love how easily the iPhone Ultra slides into a pocket. Having spent several weeks with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I completely get the appeal — even if Samsung beat Apple to the punch here.

The iPhone Ultra seems to follow the same playbook, favoring a passport-style aspect ratio over the tall, narrow silhouette typical of most notebook foldables. Thanks to a rumored 5.4- or 5.5-inch cover screen, its squatter, wider frame would feel much more natural to carry every day. And don't get me started on how much easier it is to use one-handed.

Feel and durability of the hinge

As much as phone makers obsess over eliminating display creases, it isn't the biggest factor for me. What stood out from these early impressions is the praise for the hinge's feel and build quality.

This is Apple, so I expect its engineering team to settle for nothing less than perfection. Long-term durability is non-negotiable on a foldable, though to be fair, the industry has come a long way since the clunky, fragile hinges of earlier generations.

Excels as a camera viewfinder

Another standout takeaway from early testers is how well the iPhone Ultra functions as a camera viewfinder. A rumored 7.8-inch main screen provides an enormous canvas for composing shots.

There is a tangible benefit to having that extra screen real estate for mobile photography and video, particularly as my close-up vision isn't what it once was. Having a massive, sharp preview makes framing subjects and checking focus far more forgiving. Even though it’s reportedly going to feature a dual-camera setup that pairs a main and ultrawide sensors, I don’t think the lack of a dedicated telephoto is going to be a deal breaker here.

iPad-like layouts

Finally, what I’m most eager to see in action is how apps actually look and behave on the iPhone Ultra. Because it will feature an aspect ratio unlike any previous iPhone, Apple needs to rethink how interfaces scale across both displays.

If Apple adopts an iPad-style layout, the iPhone Ultra could gain an inherent edge thanks to how intuitive iPadOS is at running multiple apps simultaneously. I fully expect these expanded layouts to optimize every inch of the main screen — nothing would be more frustrating than dealing with wasted space and letterboxing.

The one thing Apple can’t afford not to do

That might be everything early testers love about the iPhone Ultra, but there’s one critical factor that will make or break the experience for me: dynamic app continuity. While the report emphasizes iPad-like layouts, Apple must ensure apps transition seamlessly between screens.

I’m talking about how interfaces adapt when moving from the larger inner display to the compact cover screen, as well as shifting between portrait and landscape orientations. Many of the best foldable phones struggle with this, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, often forcing users to relaunch apps just to trigger the correct layout.

With a rumored starting price of at least $2,000, the iPhone Ultra needs flawless execution if Apple truly wants to bring the foldable form factor to the mainstream.

More from Tom's Guide

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How excited should you be for the iPhone Ultra? Very, if the latest report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is anything to go by, with the reporter declaring the foldable to be "the company's most exciting new product in several years." And it seems that opinion is shared by others — though there is one notable catch.

Gurman has spoken to several people that have already used the foldable iPhone. Those early users praised the phone's pocketability, the durability of the hinge and the iPad-style app layout on the larger foldable screen. However, Gurman notes the lack of a telephoto camera lens could end up costing Apple some sales.

After all, this is a phone that is expected to cost more than $2,000 — possibly as high as $2,500 if some reports are to be believed. As Gurman points out, people who spend that kind of money on a phone are also the kind who want top-of-the-range camera capabilities. In fact, the Venn diagram of those two groups of people "is probably pretty close to a circle."

Sadly, Gurman predicts that the foldable iPhone's camera won't be considered "the best camera system Apple can offer" for at least a couple of years. Which is obviously going to be a sore point for a lot of people, considering Apple's reputation for developing some of the best camera phones.

I have no doubt that the iPhone Ultra's main and ultrawide cameras will be able to produce excellent photos, but the lack of a telephoto lens could potentially be an issue. Apple and other phone makers may offer "optical quality" digital zoom, as well as the software to enhance photos after the fact, but those only go so far.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is a good example of this in action. As we noted in our Z Fold 8 vs Z Fold 8 Ultra photo face-off, the zoomed shots on the Z Fold 8 pale in comparison to the Ultra's dedicated zooming lens. Considering how weak the Z Fold 8 Ultra's zoomed performance is compared to the more powerful Galaxy S26 Ultra, that's hardly a ringing endorsement of a telephoto-free smartphone.

It's not all bad news

As disappointing as it is to not have a dedicated telephoto camera, we won't know how much of a limitation this is until after the iPhone Ultra is released — and we've actually used the cameras for ourselves. In the meantime, it seems like a lot of the other buzz behind the upcoming foldable is pretty positive.

That larger display is apparently excellent for productivity, video and gaming, thanks to the convenience of the foldable tablet-like display. The idea that you can have a traditional smartphone device for most daily use, with the versatility of a larger screen is one of the things foldables excel at, and that should be especially true of the iPhone Ultra.

I would agree, and believe that the dual-purpose nature of the phone is likely to be one of its key selling points among those people that can afford the high price tag. And the fact that this is an iPhone is likely to draw in a lot more eyes that equivalent devices from Android-powered rivals.

Gurman also notes that the inclusion of Touch ID, rather than the more common Face ID, is less of an issue than some people might realize — especially since fingerprint sensors are still employed on Macs and iPads.

The iPhone September Event is expected to happen in little over two weeks, which means we don't have long to wait to find out more about the foldable — and the kind of features Apple is offering with it. In the meantime, though, be sure to check out our iPhone Ultra hub for a rundown on all the latest news and rumors.

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For years, the original DJI Mic has been my undisputed daily driver for capturing crisp, reliable audio on the go. I’ve tested plenty of alternatives, but nothing truly managed to dethrone it — until now.

On paper, the new Insta360 Mic Pro nails all the fundamentals I expect from a flagship wireless setup: seamless plug-and-play compatibility across smartphones and dedicated cameras, clean stereo recording, and onboard local backup storage so I never lose a take.

Yet, none of those standard specs are what actually won me over. The real standout is a feature I’ve never seen on a wireless microphone system before. While I initially wrote off the built-in e-ink display on each tiny transmitter as a novelty, it adds a layer of personalization in this age of content creation — where practically everyone is shooting video on the fly.

It’s all about the branding

Most weekends, I spend time working with small businesses and non-profits to create, capture, and produce all sorts of video content. What makes the Insta360 Mic Pro special is how easily it personalizes a video, thanks to the neat e-ink display on both transmitters. It's the same reason why I use the Xtrem Inno case with my iPhone 17 Pro.

With its customizable, full-color e-ink display, I can personalize each transmitter with custom artwork, channel logos, or client branding in a matter of seconds right from my phone. I handed one to a client recently, and they were genuinely amused by the gesture — preferring it to having a generic black slab clipped to their shirt.

Best of all, swapping the image through the Insta360 app is also remarkably simple and intuitive. The app not only helps frame the image properly, but it also lets me adjust contrast and detail levels to get the best possible look. Once transferred, the graphic stays permanently on the screen until I change it — drawing virtually no power to remain visible.

For creators juggling multiple clients or trying to build their own recognizable presence, that quick visual touch instantly makes your production look more polished.

Record confidently

When you're out on fast-paced run-and-gun shoots, my iPhone 17 Pro makes it a breeze to quickly shoot clips — but the on-board mics can’t handle ambient sound levels that can spike without warning. That’s where the Insta360 Mic Pro’s auto gain control proves its worth.

During one of my shoots where I was recording a festival, the Insta360 Mic Pro dynamically adjusted the gain on the fly without the need of me doing it — so it perfectly handled a sequence when I was recording someone speaking when a band started playing in the background. With the DJI Mic, I’d have to turn down the gain level to compensate for the immense background noise disturbance.

Paired with its onboard noise cancellation — which does an impressive job muting distracting background noise without making vocals sound too artificial — it keeps dialogue clear and centered. Sure, there’s software that can do that in edit, but turning it on at the time of the shoot helps to save me time.

Add in local recording, which has already saved a few critical takes from unexpected wireless dropouts, and the entire system gives me the freedom to focus entirely on framing my shots rather than sweating over audio levels.

Highly versatile

One of the biggest strengths of the Insta360 Mic Pro is how effortlessly it bridges the gap between dedicated cameras and mobile rigs. Setup is so simple that when I connected the receiver to my Motorola Razr Fold, the native camera app immediately supported external wireless audio without requiring third-party camera apps or tedious workarounds.

Beyond straightforward connectivity, the tactile controls on the transmitter itself make handling adjustments a breeze. With dedicated onboard buttons, I can trigger local backup recording in a pinch, mute the mic instantly, or cycle through three distinct voice tone presets to best highlight the speaker’s vocal profile. Topping it all off is the compact charging case, which neatly stores everything and ensures the entire kit is always powered and ready the moment I pull it out of my bag.

The standard Insta360 Mic Pro kit (two transmitters, one receiver, and the charging case) retails for $329.99, positioning it competitively alongside other flagship wireless systems. For solo creators, there's also a single transmitter and receiver option available for $199.99.

Best of all, scaling up to multiple mics really lets that e-ink display shine. It’s a unique angle I hadn’t even considered in all my years of testing gear: by integrating an e-ink screen, it truly transforms what used to be generic hardware into a customizable piece of branding that sets your videos apart.

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I'm not a big fan of the Pixel 11 Pro. As I mentioned in my Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL review, these are not bad phones but it feels as though Google hasn't done enough to help justify their existence. One of the few hardware changes the phones do include is the HiLight LED, which lives on the camera bar.

HiLight is part of the camera flash on the back of the Pixel 11 Pro, utilizing a range of colored LED lights. It's essentially a modern day take on the notification light smartphone companies mostly ditched years ago.

Unfortunately, the way HiLight works right now feels like a missed opportunity, but there is potential if Google is willing to put some effort into it.

What HiLight can do

Looking at the back of the Pixel 11 Pro, you'd never know that HiLight was actually there. Though if you are familiar with Pixel phones you may recognize that the flash is totally different, with a smooth solid-colored surface rather than the fresnel-looking lens utilized on the likes of Pixel 10 Pro.

Here's how it works. When you place your phone face down, and whenever the right trigger occurs HiLight will flash one of six colors. Blue is reserved for Google Gemini, but at the moment the HiLight icon can also flash teal, yellow, magenta, purple and white. Unfortunately, the feature is limited in what it can actually do.

The way Google described HiLight, you might have assumed that it would support a bunch of different notification types. I know I did, but that isn't the case. As it stands, HiLight will only flash for two reasons. The light will flash blue whenever you're talking to Google Gemini, but it can also be set up to flash one of the five other colors when your starred contacts are calling you.

At the moment, that is all HiLight can do. Any other kind of notification is completely off limits, and there's no way to set up HiLight to flash up when you get an email, text message or something else entirely.

It's also worth noting that HiLight won't engage if your phone screen is not facing directly down. It doesn't have to be a flat surface, only that your phone screen is pointing towards the ground. In fact, you can test this yourself, because HiLight will actually turn off if you tilt your phone too far in any other direction.

The limitations are disappointing — but it didn't have to be this way

It feels like Google has only done half a job with the way it's rolled out HiLight to the Pixel 11 Pro. The limited functionality means that the one thing that could have become the Pixel 11 Pro's standout feature is nearly pointless for me.

I can't tell you how many times my starred contacts actually bother to call me. Usually they send me a text message, or call me via WhatsApp — which is not compatible with HiLight.

Honestly, it feels like Google hasn't put a lot of effort into making HiLight a feature that people will actually get much benefit from. Everything about it is limited, from the compatibility to the color options.

Google did state that HiLight will be updated with more features at some point in the future, but the only specific detail we've been given is that HiLight will flash when you get messages from favored contacts. We just don't know when that might happen, or what further plans Google has in store for the feature.

App developers have been hard at work trying to crack the system behind HiLight and give users the freedom to utilize the LED however they want. One of them claims to have succeeded, which is crazy considering we're just a few short days out from the phones' official release.

Developers step in

HiLight Studio has garnered attention for its bold claims, promising that users can control the rear-lights colors, and program the lights to activate with an even larger range of apps. I haven't been able to test it for myself, because the setup process is a lot more complicated than simply installing an APK file. This is a system level feature, after all, and it's not one that Google will want you messing with.

In other words, this is for people with patience and technical ability to get everything going. The fact that you need to relaunch the service every time your phone reboots is enough to put me off.

Still, it shows that HiLight is not necessarily limited to the few features Google has graced the Pixel 11 Pro with so far. It's a lot more versatile and potentially a lot more useful than I initially gave it credit for — or it could be.

Bottom line: HiLight could be a lot better than it is

I can see potential in HiLight, and the ability to keep tabs on your notifications without constantly checking your phone screen. In an ideal world you could map different notifications to a veritable rainbow of different colors and use that to determine whether you should actually open up your phone or not.

But in its current state, HiLight is basically a non-starter. It's only compatible with two features, and while I understand why Gemini was chosen I have no idea why Google decided adding support for phone calls was a priority. Actually receiving a phone call is unusual enough that it grabs my attention, I don't need a colorful light to go with it.

HiLight could be something, but it's going to rely on Google actually rolling out a bunch of updates to improve the usefulness of the entire mechanism. But if things stay the way they are, it's just one more phone feature destined for the scrap heap.

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My very first smartphone was an iPhone, the humble iPhone 3GS to be precise, but I quickly moved onto Android phones after my initial 2-year plan was over. It's been 15 years since that happened, and every personal phone I've used in the years since has been some kind of Android device.

I've often wondered what it would take for me to make that switch back to iPhone, and with the impending launch of iPhone 18 Pro it's been on my mind more than ever. I'll never say that I won't return to iPhone and iOS, but after all these years there are still things missing from iOS that I wouldn't want to live without.

Here are all the things Apple needs to bring to iPhone 18 Pro to make me even consider switching from Android phones.

Back button navigation

The biggest obstacle between me ditching Android and sticking to an iPhone for the first time in 15 years is the lack of consistent backwards navigation on iOS. Sure, Apple has the left swipe that brings you back in certain situations, but in my experience it's a gamble as to whether it will actually work.

It certainly doesn't work across the entire platform, at which point you're restricted to whatever UI features are available. More often than not those are in the top left corner of the screen, and getting to them is a lot harder than simply swiping from the left side of your screen. This is especially true if you have a larger phone, like the 6.9-inch Pro max iPhones.

It makes navigating on an iPhone an absolute chore, and it's exactly the kind of thing that puts me off using one on a daily basis.

Better File management

The Files app has been available on iPhone for almost a decade now, but the actual file management system is pretty basic in the grand scheme of things. You can access folders and store files on your iPhone, but you're only getting the absolute bare minimum of access.

Android, on the other hand, gives you full access to the entirety of your phone's system files. This can be a bad thing, if you're prone to messing with things you don't understand, but it gives you the freedom to store and access files however you like. Most importantly, it means your apps can too.

I can't tell you the number of times I've forgotten how VLC works on iOS and iPadOS, and that files need to be stored in a specific place and synced correctly. All while the Android version of the app can hunt down every scrap of media on your phone automatically — regardless of where it's kept.

Desktop mode

Desktop mode has been a rarity on a lot of platforms, and it was practically exclusive to Samsung DeX for a long time. But now it's spread to other Android devices, and it's about time Apple took note of this.

Admittedly, desktop mode is not something I use particularly often, but it is a very useful feature to have in a pinch. Plus, your phone is an exceptionally powerful device more capable than some laptops I've owned — so it makes sense that you should be able to put that performance to good use on a larger screen.

Launchers

There's a lot of variety when it comes to Android software, but if none of the stock options appeal to you then you can jazz things up with one of the best Android launchers.

These apps take over your phone, and offer a totally different experience straight from Google Play. There's no need for changing software or tinkering with settings on your phone, and reversing the process is as easy as uninstalling an app.

Apple has come a long way in allowing better customization of iOS in recent years, but we haven't got to the level where launchers are available. Which is a shame, because there doesn't seem to be any major ideological reason why Apple wouldn't allow it.

Sideloading

I know this isn't going to happen, but a guy can dream.

While Google seems to be testing the waters for limiting sideloading, Android's inherent openness is one of the best things about it. The software you use isn't beholden to the whims of a trillion-dollar company, and you have the ability to sideload whatever apps you like — regardless of whether it was approved to be in Google Play or not.

Apple has not been particularly forthcoming with this sort of freedom. The walled garden is ostensibly there for security purposes, but opening up iOS to unapproved installs potentially means ceding control of the iOS platform. Not only would users be able to avoid Apple's rules on what kind of software and content is permissible on iPhone, it would also help developers bypass the fees and commissions associated with the App Store.

Even in the EU, where Apple has been forced to open up to third-party app stores, there are measures in place to avoid offering too much Android-style freedom. Sideloading hasn't been given the green light, and the app stores in question still have to deal with Apple's red tape.

Sure, sideloading does put your device security at risk. But the same is true for installing any software on machines since the dawn of the personal computer. I don't mind security measures to protect from malware and other malicious software, but we don't need a giant company holding our hands and deciding what is or isn't ok.

The one thing Android still needs

Admittedly, Android is far from a perfect ecosystem, especially when you consider the nonsense Google seemed to be trying to pull with sideloading this year. But there is one thing in particular that Google desperately needs to steal from iPhones for Android: desktop connectivity.

The great thing about Apple products is that if you buy into the entire ecosystem, there are a bunch of extra benefits that you wouldn't otherwise get. The links between iPhones and Macs is the thing I'm most envious of, especially thanks to Apple's Handoff feature and the fact it lets you push content from one device to another almost seamlessly.

Granted, Google did have its own ecosystem with some Android support. But if we're being totally honest we know that ChromeOS was not great. There's a reason Googlebooks are coming, running their own version of Android, and we know that they will have better support for multi-device users. But we don't know a lot of the specifics yet, or how well they'll actually work

I'd also like to see closer links between Android and Windows, too. We have QuickShare and Windows Link, which are fine, but having smarter collaborative features would benefit my work and a bunch of other people who have the same Windows/Android device combination as me.

I don't think it's likely, considering that Google and Microsoft would have to collaborate, and the results of that team-up would not be as effective or efficient as a solo endeavor. But I can certainly dream, because I don't plan on buying a Googlebook (or a MacBook) anytime soon.

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The Honor Robot Phone is no longer just a concept. We went hands-on with the final version of the Honor Robot Phone, and it's officially going on sale in China starting August 20 for RMB 9,999 (around $1,480), putting it roughly in the same price bracket as the iPhone 17 Pro Max in the country.

While I compared the Honor Robot Phone with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, one question has been on my mind ever since I first used the device: Is it actually better than a dedicated pocket gimbal camera?

I tested the Honor Robot Phone alongside the Insta360 Luna Ultra to find out, and the answer surprised me. The dedicated gimbal is still better overall, but Honor has gotten so close that you might not need to carry one anymore.

Honor got surprisingly close to a dedicated gimbal on its first try

The most impressive thing about the Robot Phone is just how similar the shooting experience feels to using an actual pocket gimbal camera. Honor has mounted a 200MP f/1.6 camera on a physical arm that can move around to stabilize footage and follow subjects.

Of course, the form factors are completely different. The Luna Ultra is designed specifically to be held as a camera, so it's naturally more comfortable when you're recording for longer durations.

But the core idea is pretty much the same on both. Even on the Robot Phone, you're getting pretty much the same moving gimbal setup as the Luna Ultra, except it's built into a standard slab smartphone that doesn't feel ridiculously thick.

There are a few small differences, though. In my testing, I found the Luna Ultra slightly faster to get up and running. You can pull it out and start recording almost immediately, whereas getting into the Robot Phone's gimbal camera takes an extra second or two.

Interestingly, both devices also share the same limitation when it comes to vertical video. Neither physically rotates its main sensor when you switch to portrait recording. Instead, both crop into the horizontally oriented sensor, meaning vertical footage tops out at roughly 2.8K rather than native 4K.

Even the software experience is remarkably similar

Speaking of similarities, the software experience on both devices is surprisingly close as well. Both offer subject tracking, letting you lock onto a person and have the gimbal automatically follow them to keep them in the frame.

In my testing, I expected the Luna Ultra to have an advantage here, but it really doesn't. I tried tracking a person in a busy Shenzhen bay area while walking alongside them, and the Honor Robot Phone easily matched the Luna Ultra at keeping the subject in frame.

The difference only really becomes noticeable when the subject moves quickly toward the edge. During normal movement, though, the Robot Phone had no trouble staying locked on, even with other people moving around the scene.

The Robot Phone also offers a Super Steady mode that adds another layer of stabilization on top of the physical gimbal, something the Luna Ultra doesn't offer. That said, I don't think you're missing much without it. Footage from both devices already comes out incredibly stable.

One software advantage the Robot Phone does have is Honor's partnership with ARRI. If you're into filmmaking or more serious content creation, you can use ARRI's cinematic color science while shooting video, which isn't something you get on the Luna Ultra.

On the other hand, newer pocket gimbals like the Luna Ultra and DJI Osmo Pocket 4P have dedicated zoom hardware. Honor doesn't have that on its gimbal-mounted camera, but the 200MP sensor gives it plenty of room to crop in, offering up to around 4x zoom. So you're not completely missing out there either.

I'd still buy the dedicated gimbal, but Honor got incredibly close

On the whole, if I had to spend my money, I'd still probably go with the Luna Ultra. There are a few small things it simply does better. It's quicker to launch, more comfortable to hold for longer shoots, has dedicated zoom hardware, and I found the subject tracking to be ever so slightly better.

Plus, you can actually buy it in the U.S., whereas the Robot Phone remains limited to China for now.

But then again, the Robot Phone isn't just a camera. For the same money, you're getting the gimbal hardware inside a full-fledged flagship phone with a 7,060mAh battery, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, 512GB of storage, and a flagship display.

And I think that's where Honor has really surprised me. I went into this comparison expecting the Luna Ultra to easily come out on top because, well, that's literally what it's built for. It still does, just not by the margin I expected.

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Variable apertures might sound unfamiliar to the average person, but they’re not necessarily new in the smartphone world. Still, Apple could make a compelling case for the technology, with rumors hinting that the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a mechanical variable-aperture camera.

I remember how Samsung tried to popularize the concept with dual-aperture lenses on the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 years ago, before quietly phasing out the hardware in favor of software-driven computational photography. But as mobile sensors have grown larger and computational photography has pushed its physical limits, Apple’s attempt at reviving the feature could yield big rewards.

Apple has already proven it makes some of the best camera phones around, but a physical variable aperture could finally deliver what earlier iterations couldn't. Still, as a videographer, I have my reservations — so I asked professional photographers exactly how a variable-aperture iPhone could be beneficial (or not).

What is a variable aperture and why should you care?

For photographers who use elaborate, dedicated cameras to make a living, picking up a lens means having total control over its aperture ring. Turning that dial expands or contracts the mechanical blades inside the barrel, directly controlling how much light reaches the sensor and how dramatically the background softens.

Smartphone cameras, by contrast, have historically been locked into a single fixed opening, relying almost entirely on computational algorithms and simulated portrait modes to mimic what high-end glass accomplishes naturally.

In layman’s terms, think of the aperture like the iris of a human eye. The size of this opening is measured in f-stops, where a smaller number represents a wider physical opening.

That’s why photographers often recommend shooting “wide open” (dialing down to an f-stop value like f/1.4 or f/1.8) to flood the sensor with light in dim settings, or creating an authentic background blur with portraits. But altering that opening triggers a ripple effect across the entire exposure triangle.

“When we're working, we’re always conscious of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO — us old-timers call it ASA,” explains Ken Braswell, owner of ShoreGrafx. “Photographers know that you control your depth of field with your aperture, and you also can use it to control your shutter speed."

That dynamic balance is precisely what makes variable glass so powerful. By mechanically stopping down to a narrower aperture — represented by higher f-stop numbers like f/8 or f/16 — a shooter restricts incoming light, allowing for slower shutter speeds that can introduce deliberate motion blur to rushing streams or light streaks from passing cars at night.

Just as importantly, a smaller physical opening expands your depth of field, keeping an entire landscape or a group photo razor-sharp from foreground to background without any artificial software artifacts.

Samsung introduced a mechanical dual-aperture system on the Galaxy S9 and S10, allowing the main camera to physically switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. In low-light environments, the lens opened to f/1.5 to let in maximum ambient light, while daytime landscapes benefited from a shift to f/2.4 to sharpen details across the frame.

However, because the switch was limited to just those two fixed stops on relatively small sensors, the optical differences were subtle for casual users. Apple could shift the landscape entirely by taking a more versatile approach with a true multi-stage variable aperture system.

Real-world benefits

While Apple’s Pro lineup has long relied on a fixed f/1.78 aperture across its 48MP main sensor, rumors point to a major shakeup for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Leaks suggest the variable-aperture system will be an iPhone 18 Pro Max exclusive, leaving the standard iPhone 18 Pro with a fixed aperture.

Another potential incentive to choose the Pro Max over the standard Pro is that it might also feature an extended 6x optical telephoto zoom.

In tricky real-world scenarios, hardware control solves problems that software post-processing and digital trickery simply cannot. “Thanks to presets, face-tuning, and things like Google’s Remix feature, consumers have been spoiled by the benefits of AI and other software wizardry,” said Frank Filiatrault, owner and lead photographer at Curbside Captures. “A variable aperture allows you to not only let in more light, but it also allows you to adjust your photography to incorporate things like bokeh and more creative depth of field without the software after the fact.”

By giving shooters true mechanical control, the iPhone 18 Pro Max wouldn't just be calculating depth maps or masking edges post-shot — it would be capturing the scene optically from the start. It speaks directly to the ongoing "AI versus reality" debate across mobile tech, often highlighted by features like Google’s Pro Res Zoom on Pixel phones. Just take a look at some of the photos I've captured above.

Whether isolating a subject in a dimly lit venue or keeping an entire family crisp in a portrait, having actual blades move behind the glass ensures cleaner light gathering and authentic depth of field that no software patch can replicate.

Think different

No matter how advanced mobile camera sensors become, I can attest that professional photographers aren’t trading in their full-frame bodies or cinema rigs for an iPhone 18 Pro Max. For working pros, smartphones serve a fundamentally different purpose: secondary capture, studio prep, and as Braswell pointed out right from the start, “your best camera is the one you have with you.”

“I’m not going to add anything to my arsenal by having my iPhone having an aperture,” explains Ken Braswell. “I might use it in the studio to document lighting and camera, just to record how my studio setup was. But the intent isn’t for super high-quality images; you’re just trying to document what’s going on.”

Frank Filiatrault echoes that exact sentiment, viewing mobile hardware as a reliable supplement rather than an A-cam successor. “Pros will use it just the same — for BTS content, as a travel vlogging device, for social content, etc.,” Filiatrault notes. “Tide lifts all boats, so to speak.”

Because professional photographers won’t be swayed by mechanical blades alone, Apple faces a different challenge: convincing the average Joe that this hardware leap actually matters. Mainstream consumers don't shop for f-stops, shutter speeds, or sensor crop factors. In fact, I’d be surprised if Apple executives even mention the technical term "aperture" during the keynote.

“I don't think the average person is going to be into it so much,” Braswell admits. “They could be starting something new and bring awareness to aperture to average people, and they might start getting more creative.”

To bridge that gap and avoid the marketing pitfalls Samsung faced years ago, Apple will almost certainly package this hardware under intuitive, consumer-friendly branding — much like it did with FaceTime, AirDrop, and True Tone.

“Thanks to software, we’re getting to a point where sometimes ‘good-enough’ really is good enough,” says Filiatrault. “Folks don’t need to spend more money on the flagship device... What it will do is help inspire another generation of visual storytellers and empower them with better tools.”

I have plenty guesses on what Apple could do to highlight a feature such as this on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Perhaps, it could be used for artistic effects, like somehow offering a long exposure mode where it could switch aperture levels to keep subjects crisp and add motion blur to the background.

By translating complex camera hardware into tangible everyday benefits, Apple won't just sell the iPhone 18 Pro Max as an enthusiast tool — it will reshape how casual shooters understand and use light. In the spirit of Apple’s classic “Think Different” spirit, this new camera system could ultimately inspire an entire generation to shoot differently.

More from Tom's Guide

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• 3 big reasons to buy iPhone 18 Pro Max over iPhone 18 Pro this year
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We know that Apple's September event is coming, and we know that Apple will announce a bunch of new devices including the likes of iPhone 18 Pro and the foldable iPhone Ultra. But despite the fact that there are likely to be plenty of new reveals at the event, there are plenty of things we're not expecting Apple to announce.

The latest reports suggest Apple has 14 unreleased devices that are still in production. None of the products are particularly surprising to anyone that pays attention to Apple rumors, but there just isn't space to reveal them all next month. In fact, a bunch of them may not even be revealed this year.

So where are all the things you shouldn't expect Apple to announce at the Apple September event

iPhone 18

Despite the fact we are expecting to see the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the Apple evet, the iPhone 18 is not expected to be on the agenda. Instead the phone is tipped \to launch in early 2027, alongside the iPhone Air 2 and (somewhat bizarrely) the lower-cost iPhone 18e.

It was originally claimed that it was an attempt to "rejuvenate" sales, which suggests Apple may be hoping more people buy the iPhone 18 Pro instead of waiting for the standard model. Whether that will work isn't clear, but regardless of how successful this new plan is it means we shouldn't expect to see more than three iPhones in September.

Camera AirPods

There have been a bunch of rumors about Apple's camera-equipped AirPods Ultra in recent weeks. That includes a demo video that was found hiding in macOS Tahoe 26.7, which suggested that Apple might be preparing to launch these buds soon.

Sadly, that's apparently not the case, with a new report suggesting that supply chain and software challenges are interfering with production.

The AirPods in question are said to feature low-resolution cameras that are designed to feed information to Siri AI. Using that contextual information, Siri can then offer better information based on what's around you. Crucially, these cameras are not designed to be able to take photos or record video.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently posted on X that the AirPods Ultra aren't coming until 2027.

Touchscreen MacBook Pro Ultra

It's been a long time since Apple announced any Mac news alongside new iPhones. Normally, Apple reveals new Mac hardware later in the year, assuming there are any new products that are ready to be announced at all.

It has been almost a year since the launch of the M5 series chips, and rumor has it that the M6 series may not have a particularly long lifespan. So if Apple is planning on releasing M6 Macs, then it's probably going to happen fairly soon — though it's unclear whether the touchscreen MacBook Ultra will be arriving this year.

But don't expect to see them until October at the earliest. Once the dust has settled on the iPhone 18 Pro launch, Apple is likely to go all in on any new Macs that are ready to release.

iPad mini OLED

There's only one iPad that's rumored to be on the way in the near future, and that's the iPad mini's long-awaited OLED refresh. But like Macs, iPads typically get announced separately from iPhones — and usually with a lot less fanfare.

We don't know a whole lot about the upcoming tablet, beyond the fact it's set to have an OLED display panel and is rumored to be arriving at some point in October. Meanwhile, new iPad Air and iPad Pro models are expected to arrive some time in early 2027, which is pretty typical for more premium Apple tablets.

Apple Watch SE

We are expecting to see the Apple Watch series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 at this year's September event. This doesn't mean you should expect to see a new Apple Watch SE. After all, the Apple Watch SE 3 was only released last year, and Apple typically leaves a much larger gap between its lower cost devices.

Don't expect the Apple Watch SE 4 until next year at the earliest, or possibly even 2028.

What will be there?

There won't be a shortage of new reveals at the Apple September event, and the three new iPhones are going to be the stars of the show. We're expecting to see iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max as well as the foldable iPhone Ultra. That'll reportedly be joined by the Apple Watch series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4.

But that's not all we're expecting to see. Word is that Apple will also unveil a brand new Apple TV 4K streaming box, which is long overdue, alongside a new version of the HomePod mini. Plus, if we're lucky, we may even get to see the long-rumored Apple smart home hub — a product that was reportedly delayed due to the issues upgrading Siri to Siri AI.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra trade-offs: The biggest things you’re not getting versus iPhone 18 Pro
• 3 big reasons to buy iPhone 18 Pro Max over iPhone 18 Pro this year
• iPhone Ultra is Apple's biggest product in years, but supply chain issues mean many could miss out at launch

Like a lot of phone nerds I know, I've been waiting years to see what Apple could do with a foldable phone — and that reality may soon be here with the iPhone Ultra. However, it’s going to take more than just novel engineering and a new form factor to pull me away from its top-of-the-line flagship.

I know a lot of people may face this dilemma next month, if rumors turn out to be true about Apple’s iPhone event happening September 9. That’s why I’m exploring this iPhone Ultra vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max debate to tell you their biggest selling points based on the leaks and rumors.

Clearly, the traditional flagship design isn't broken, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max is poised to deliver all the marquee features I rely on day in and day out: unmatched battery endurance, top-notch camera performance, and relentless reliability. For Apple, though, the iPhone Ultra could finally give the Pro Max its toughest challenge to date.

Real productivity could finally arrive

After testing out many of the best foldable phones, like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Motorola Razr Fold, there’s no denying how the iPhone Ultra presents itself as the ultimate productivity workhorse. It’s tipped to pack a massive 7.8-inch main display that inherently is better suited for getting work done than the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch screen.

I’m not just referring to how it has an overwhelming size advantage for watching videos, but how that 7.8-inch display could finally bring real, side-by-side multitasking to an iPhone for the first time. If Apple somehow sneaks multitasking into iOS 27, it could theoretically be accessible to the iPhone 18 Pro Max — but it would be forced to stack them on top of one another when the orientation is in portrait.

Just as crucial, though, is the exterior screen experience of the iPhone Ultra. Unlike the wide, hefty footprint of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Ultra’s outer cover display is significantly narrower and easier to maneuver with one hand. That means quick-fire tasks — like snappy text responses and accepting calendar invites — would feel far more agile, giving the Ultra the edge whether it’s opened up or kept shut.

Catering to vloggers versus robust utility

It’s often said that the best camera is the one you have with you. So if I had to pick between the triple-camera setup of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the rumored dual-camera system of the iPhone Ultra, it’s a no-brainer which one I'd want in my pocket.

That’s because I still value the versatility of a dedicated triple-lens system above almost anything else, and that is where these two diverge. All leaks point to a dual-camera setup on the iPhone Ultra, which trades zoom range for creator-first utility.

Similar to other book-style foldables, the iPhone Ultra gains an edge by leveraging its outer cover screen as a live viewfinder for the rear cameras. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the perfect example of this with its new Creator Suite.

Framing up solo vlogging shots is way easier with a foldable because you get an instant preview, whereas the iPhone 18 Pro Max would have to rely on add-ons like the Insta360 Snap or Dockcase Selfix iPhone case.

Yet for all of the Ultra's vlogging cleverness, the iPhone 18 Pro Max should be the definitive choice for serious creators. Between a true optical zoom telephoto lens that pulls in distant subjects and the rumored addition of a variable aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro Max offers a level of optical flexibility and creative command that a dual-camera foldable simply cannot match.

A shared chip, but a clear endurance winner

Under the hood, this matchup is expected to be a dead heat because the iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro Max are tipped to run on Apple’s next-generation A20 Pro chip. This means raw computing power and graphics rendering should be identical in real-world use. If there’s one thing Apple consistently gets right, it's keeping processing performance uniform across its lineup — and I have no doubt it’ll be the same here.

Battery endurance, however, is a different story. While the Ultra is likely to split its power supply across a dual-battery design to accommodate its folding hinge, the iPhone 18 Pro Max benefits from a unibody design that should pack a massive battery of 5,567 mAh compared with 4,883 for the iPhone Ultra.

Combine that larger capacity with a single 6.9-inch display, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max is almost guaranteed to last longer on our battery drain test and likely make our best phone battery life list.

Why the iPhone 18 Pro Max gets my vote for now

Software is where this battle will ultimately be won or lost for me. The single biggest factor that could sway me toward the iPhone Ultra is how Apple pulls off the holy grail of foldable phones: dynamic layouts with the interface. If iOS 27 indeed solves the persistent problems I’ve run into on Android foldables — namely poor app scaling, awkward aspect ratio letterboxing, and clunky orientation transitions — it would make an incredibly compelling case over the traditional iPhone 18 Pro Max experience.

If that’s not enough to consider, there’s also the financial reality of how much I’m willing to pay for an unproven foldable. While the iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to arrive at a higher premium than its predecessor, a massive price jump could persuade me to look toward the Ultra instead. Rumors hint at a price hike of upward of $350 on the Pro Max, which is excessive to say the least — though a modest $100 to $200 increase would keep my interest.

Still, $2,000 seems to be the current sweet spot for book-style foldables, and the latest leaks suggest the Ultra could land well north of that, approaching $2,500. If the pricing gap between them ends up around $1,000, my pick would easily remain faithful to the iPhone 18 Pro Max for its proven formula and class-leading performance.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra trade-offs: The biggest things you’re not getting versus iPhone 18 Pro
• 3 big reasons to buy iPhone 18 Pro Max over iPhone 18 Pro this year
• Apple may have accidentally teased its own roadmap with 14 unreleased devices revealed — but this long overdue update has me most excited

How easy is it going to be to pick up an iPhone Ultra after its debut at the September Apple Event? Assuming you can pay the high price tag, rumored to be in the region of $2,000 to $2,500, there has been plenty of doomsaying and claims that supply may be extremely limited. Well, it turns out that might depend on where you live.

According to a report from Australian outlet ChannelNews, Apple could stagger the release of the iPhone Ultra by country. It's claimed the foldable will debut in the U.S. market before slowly rolling out to other regions. If that sounds familiar, it's because Apple previously employed a similar release strategy with the Apple Vision Pro.

Why stagger the release?

According to ChannelNews this information comes from one of Apple's Chinese suppliers. Apparently, the regional delays are "primarily down to supply and pricing issues," while also adding that they believe Apple is "also having testing issues with production models that have already been built."

There have been plenty of reports saying similar things over the past several weeks. It's claimed that there ae issues producing enough units that though various counter reports still maintain that the iPhone Ultra will still make an appearance alongside iPhone 18 Pro at the Apple launch event next month.

Right now we don't know which reports are accurate, or what Apple's actual plans are. However, the staggered release may be a "best of both" approach for Apple itself. Limiting the release of the iPhone Ultra to the U.S. market means it can still push ahead with a late 2026 release, without having to worry about those rumored production woes.

What could Apple's plan be?

Apple is not one to reveal its plans ahead of time, so it's not exactly clear how such a staggered release might play out — or how long it'll be for a non-U.S. release to happen.

Carrier sources in Australia have told ChannelNews that a local release could take months, and the phone won't be available with the rest of this fall's iPhone releases. It's also claimed that Apple may not announce the iPhone Ultra price tag, though it's unclear if this relates to local pricing around the world, or how much U.S. buyers will need to pay.

I guess it all depends on Apple and its partners getting to grips with the rumored production issues, and how strong the demand is in the U.S. market. Improving supply and production yields means they have more opportunity to release the iPhone Ultra in different regions without risking running out in the U.S.

Alternatively, if the Ultra ends up in a similar situation as the Vision Pro, Apple can adjust for weak domestic demand by rolling out the iPhone Ultra to other regions. Reports currently indicate that demand could be rather high, which would explain the staggered rollout and focus on Apple's home turf.

Do we need to worry?

If you're living in the U.S., or plan on visiting in the near future, then you should probably be able to pick up an iPhone Ultra at some point. That's assuming you are willing to pay the extreme price tag that Apple is rumored to impose.

Reports suggest that Apple wants to produce around 10 million units. That figure pales in comparison to the number of non-folding devices Apple sells each year, but those other devices also cost more than half of what the iPhone Ultra is expected to cost. Personally, while I know the iPhone Ultra will be popular, I feel as though the price is going to be a major barrier for entry — just as it was with the Apple Vision Pro.

Outside the U.S. is a totally different ball game, though, and it will likely depend on when Apple decides to release the iPhone Ultra in those regions. At this point, we just don't know when that might be.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra trade-offs: The biggest things you’re not getting versus iPhone 18 Pro
• 3 big reasons to buy iPhone 18 Pro Max over iPhone 18 Pro this year
• Apple may have accidentally teased its own roadmap with 14 unreleased devices revealed — but this long overdue update has me most excited

There could be some pretty big iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro differences when the new iPhones debut at the Apple Event in September — and I’m not talking screen size.

Other than display and battery, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max have mostly enjoyed parity over the past several years. But there have been some notable exceptions where the Max got the shiny new upgrades first.

For example, the iPhone 12 Pro Max boasted a 47% larger main camera sensor, sensor-shift optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 2.5x telephoto lens. The regular iPhone 12 Pro made do with a smaller sensor, 2x telephoto and standard OIS.

Fast forward to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and Apple debuted the 5x tetraprism zoom lens while keeping the iPhone 15 Pro at 3x.

Now after two years of total parity across the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro lineups, that gap appears ready to reopen. Assuming the latest leaks prove true around the variable aperture camera and more, the iPhone 18 Pro Max might once again be in a league of its own.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: Similarities

Before we get into the differences, it’s important to quickly summarize the rumored upgrades coming to both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, starting with the design.

Both new iPhone Pros are tipped to feature a smaller Dynamic Island. So it’s not going away, but the area reserved for the front camera and Face ID hardware should be shrinking. And you’ll still have Live Activities popping into this area.

In addition, it looks like Apple is ditching the two-tone look from the iPhone 17 Pro in favor of a more unified aesthetic on the back of the iPhone. And there should be new colors to choose from, including Dark Cherry and Light Blue.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will likely be powered by Apple’s first 2nm chip in the A20 Pro. This should offer increased performance and longer battery life. Plus, Apple’s C2 modem should beef up connectivity while cutting down on power.

iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: Differences

Variable aperture camera

At first it was believed that both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would get a variable aperture camera. This would allow users to manually control the aperture, giving you more control over the depth of field for portrait shots. It could also enable sharper close-up shots and better low-light performance.

However, some leakers now claim that the variable aperture lens will be an iPhone 18 Pro Max exclusive. This includes Ice Universe, who has a pretty solid track record. The reasoning is that Apple needs the larger chassis to pull this off. We’ll have to see if this proves true but this could be a big reason to go Max this year.

Even longer zoom

The iPhone 18 Pro Max could once again leapfrog the regular Pro when it comes to zoom capability. Ice Universe also claims that only the iPhone 18 Pro Max may be getting a 6x optical zoom in addition to a more advanced “five-refraction” prism.

The Pro version might offer 5x-6x zoom, Ice Universe wrote.

Much larger battery

If you want a phone with the most battery life possible, the iPhone 18 Pro Max looks to be the ticket. It’s tipped to get a 5,567 mAh battery, which would be a big jump over the 5,088 mAh battery in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro’s capacity could have a meager 1% increase over its predecessor, packing a 4,288 mAh battery. The iPhone 17 Pro had a 4,252 mAh battery.

In our iPhone 17 battery testing, the iPhone 17 Pro Max lasted an epic 17 hours and 54 minutes of 5G web surfing, compared to 15:32 for the iPhone 17 Pro. I would expect the gap to grow with the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs iPhone 18 Pro: Outlook

The decision between the iPhone Pro and Pro Max has usually come down to how big a screen you want, and that primary difference isn’t going away. The iPhone 18 Pro Max should feature the same 6.9-inch size as last year, compared to 6.3 inches for the Pro.

But it appears that the iPhone 18 Pro Max could offer major camera advantages over the iPhone 18 Pro in addition to a much bigger battery. What we don’t know is how much Apple is going to charge for these phones, but both are tipped for a price hike.

With a rumored increase for the iPhone 18 Pro to $1,299-$1,399 and $1,399-$1,499 for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, I think shoppers will want the most bang for their buck. So if these rumors and leaks pan out, I see a lot more shoppers splurging for the Max.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Googlebooks, since these new high-end devices are expected to compete with the best MacBooks and best Windows laptops. But if you’re tired of waiting for the new hardware to launch, there’s a way to see what’s in store.

And how do you do that? By plugging any of the more recent Pixel phones, like the Pixel 11 Pro, into a monitor and trying Android 17’s beta desktop mode. It’s pretty similar to the Googlebook experiences and leaks we’ve seen so far. So while the experience likely won't be the same, you basically have a Googlebook in your pocket right now.

Android 17 desktop mode with a skin

From everything we know about the devices so far, Googlebooks will be powered by Android. Reading past the AI hype and the fancy features like Magic Pointer, leaked images show the underlying experience looks a lot like the Android 17 desktop.

Of course, there are a few custom layers and touches that we have yet to see in action. Overall, it doesn’t seem too different from anything you can’t already try today.

The basics from Android 17 are there

I plugged my Pixel 9 Pro XL into a monitor in our test lab and chose the “Desktop” option for display mirroring. The similarities between the leaked Googlebook experience were noticeable right away.

On my Pixel in desktop mode, I have the taskbar on the bottom for pinning apps, as well as a button to access the apps. It seems, though, that for Googlebook, Google has removed Android’s multitasking buttons from the right side of the screen, which isn’t too surprising, since the UI is likely optimized for keyboard and mouse.

More interestingly, apps open and surface in a similar windowed experience in both Android 17’s desktop mode and the leaked Googlebook interface. You get an app window with a title bar, and options to resize and arrange. To access apps, you get the same centered-facing app launcher that the Android 17 desktop mode has.

In apps like Gmail, you even get the foldable-friendly two-pane layout. You even have the same. So clearly, Google has been putting thought into this behind the scenes and right under our noses.

But some things are missing

Of course, Google will not just roll out the Android 17 desktop experience to everyone and call it a Googlebook. There are a lot of things missing right now from the Android 17 desktop experience that I look forward to trying on a Googlebook.

Based on leaks, it seems you’ll be able to pin apps to the desktop, customize the OS colors, assign corner shortcuts, and much more. Notifications also seem to work differently, with a dedicated notifications drawer, similar to Samsung’s DeX.

That could help Googlebook feel more like a full-fledged desktop operating system rather than simply Android running on a bigger screen, like Android 17’s desktop mode does today.

I'm excited for Googlebook

Android 17’s desktop mode definitely reveals the foundation of Googlebook, and I'm excited.

Google’s upcoming hardware in September will likely add the polish and desktop-specific features that we’re not seeing in Android 17’s desktop mode today. With features like folders on the desktop, this can turn it into a true Windows and macOS competitor backed by Android. In the meantime, I’ll keep using the Googlebook in my pocket.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Android vs. iPhone debate is different from what it was a decade ago
• Best Android apps — free and paid
• Best Android games

This week Apple released macOS version 26.7, and apparently hidden in the code are references to multiple unreleased Apple devices that all could launch in the coming months.

In total, the apparent accidental leaks reveal at least 14 products, including AirPods with cameras, the expected foldable iPhone Ultra, new OLED models of the MacBook and iPad mini and a next-generation Apple TV. The leak was discovered by Aaron Perris of MacRumors.

For many of these devices, the best we can note from the code is that they exist or will exist at some point. But it does give us an idea of what Apple could be working on and what's next.

Here's the full list for now:

• Apple Home Hub
• HomePod mini 3
• Apple Security Camera
• Home Accessory
• iPhone Air 2
• iPhone 18 Pro
• iPhone 18 Pro Max
• iPhone 18
• iPhone Ultra
• MacBook Pro 14” M6
• iMac M6
• MacBook Pro OLED touchscreen
• iPad mini OLED
• AirPod Ultra (with camera)
• Beats headphones

With Apple's annual iPhone event around the corner, we're expecting a majority of that list to be announced next month. That includes the iPhone 18 Pro models, the iPhone Ultra, and the AirPods Ultra with cameras that were revealed in a leaked video this week.

The leaked code doesn't appear to have release dates, not that it would. With that in mind, of the devices on the list, the base model iPhone 18 and super-thin iPhone Air 2 likely won't debut until next spring with Apple's rumored split launch.

There are two interesting reveals in the OLED devices and the suite of smart home devices.

OLED MacBook and iPad mini

Apple doesn't release MacBooks until later in the fall, typically in mid-October. The most recent leaks have suggested that Apple will add the MacBook to its burgeoning "Ultra" line.

The Apple MacBook Ultra is supposed to debut this year with an OLED touchscreen panel and the M6 chipset. The OLED panel and touchscreen would be among three firsts for Apple laptops, including a new iPhone-esque Dynamic Island. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested that it will also get a redesign, though he declined to elaborate on what Apple is changing.

As for the iPad mini, the OLED redesign has been rumored for a couple of years, but recent rumors have settled on an October debut. The big change is the screen, but it should also feature a faster chip. So far, rumors haven't revealed any other changes.

Apple's Smart Home ambitions

Since Apple revealed Apple Intelligence in 2024, rumors about an AI-boosted suite of smart home devices have been repeatedly leaked, though the delay of Siri 2.0 seemingly kept getting in the way.

It's being built around a new version of the Apple HomePod. Per MacRumors, this code leak potentially revealed two versions of the HomePod: one that mounts on the wall and one with a built-in base that may or may not be a speaker with essentially an iPad on it.

One of the code names, "B525" apparently refers to what may be the HomePod mini 2, as the current version had a B520 codename.

The Apple Security Camera is both a surprise since it hasn't really been revealed previously, but also not that shocking. At WWDC 2026, Apple announced an upgrade to Apple Home Secure Video that adds AI for natural language search, detailed video descriptions and more. Apple is clearly thinking about security cameras.

The other interesting reference is to something labeled Pebble, which may be a smart home OS that we had previously seen codenamed as "Charismatic."

New Apple TV 4K and Siri remote

The one I'm most curious about is the long-rumored next-generation Apple TV 4K set-top streaming box Apparently, the code reveals a new, upgraded Siri remote too.

The code doesn't reveal any changes, but it seems to suggest that an Apple TV update is coming after years of rumors. Some rumors have suggested the new streaming box could have a camera for FaceTime calls.

Otherwise, we're mostly expecting internal upgrades with the rumored N2 chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and at the very least the A17 Pro chip, though I expect something higher at this point.

We'll be tracking all of these potential devices in the coming months, with the iPhone lineup the first to hit in September.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra trade-offs: The biggest things you’re not getting versus iPhone 18 Pro
• I found the 15 best Apple deals in Best Buy's massive 60th Anniversary sale — AirPods, Apple Watches, MacBooks and more
• iPhone Ultra leakers reveal new details around release and 'extremely limited' availability

I'm torn on the Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL.

While these are not exactly bad phones, it's hard not to feel disappointed about what Google has released this year. There are few noticeable upgrades on paper, and the phones themselves have endured a $100 price hike that makes the apparent lack of progress sting even more.

But there's a lot more to a phone than what we can see on a specs sheet, and I was hoping that the Pixel 11 Pro could impress me in ways that I hadn't previously anticipated.

So I've been spending time with the phones to see whether Google's latest premium phones are actually worth picking up. Sadly, like the Pixel 10a, it turns out that this phone is just another lazy update that feels like half a step backward from last year's models.

Read on for our full Google Pixel 11 Pro and Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review.

Google Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The latest Pro-tier Pixel flagships, available in regular and XL sizes set to replace the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL.
• Who is it for? Those people who want the Google-led Android experience, with fast updates and a heavy focus on cameras and AI. Ideally people who haven't upgraded their phones for a few years
• What does it cost? Prices for the Pixel 11 Pro start at $1,099 / £1,079 / AU$1,849 while the Pixel 11 Pro XL starts at $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,099. Both phones offer 256GB of storage and 12GB RAM, though higher storage tiers are available with 16GB of RAM
• What do we like? The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL have the brightest screen we've tested, alongside a scratch-resistant display, excellent AI-centric features and noticeable improvements to the cameras.
• What don't we like? Overall this is a fairly mediocre upgrade, continuing the longstanding Pixel tradition of weak performance, unimpressive battery life, reduced RAM on the cheapest models, and very little to make it an appealing purchase for a lot of people.

Google Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Specs

Google Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL review: The Ups

The moment I got into testing these new Pixel 11 Pros, the small refinements jumped out at me. A lot of it comes down to the software running in the background, but there is one hardware upgrade (especially in the midst of a very bright summer) that I especially appreciated.

Brighter displays

The Pixel 10 Pro XL was the brightest phone we ever tested with peak brightness of 2,555 nits. Recently the phone was beaten by the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's 2,687 nits. Well now it seems the Pixel 11 Pro XL has reclaimed that title, with peak brightness of 2,877 nits — closely followed by the Pixel 11 Pro's 2,860 nits.

That's well in excess of the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 1,281 nits brightness, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 1,806 nits. This ensures that the 11 Pro and Pro XL excel in brighter conditions, which I am currently plagued by in the heat of August. That being said, they do lack the anti-reflective display of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and S26 Ultra.

Both Pro models do come with a special anti-scratch display, which should help prevent mini scratches from appearing when you're looking at the screen under bright light. While I haven't deliberately tried to scratch up the screens, I haven't noticed any of them mysteriously appear, either.

Cameras have improved

At first glance, the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL's cameras don't seem to have changed all that much compared to last year — but that's not the case.

The main camera and selfie cameras are functionally identical, that much is true, but the ultrawide and telephoto lenses have gained new larger sensors. While the Pixel 11 Pro misses the mark in a lot of areas, the camera quality is not one of them.

The main camera lens is capable of going head to head with the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 200MP main camera, despite the obvious gap in resolution. The colors are a little more vivid on the Pixel, but the overall quality is fairly equal - to the point where you can see a lot of similar grain when you zoom in on the printed lettering.

The quality of the ultrawide seems fairly equal to the Pixel 10 Pro at first glance, but look a little closer and you can see that the Pixel 11 Pro's picture is a lot sharper. Whether that will affect casual appreciation of ultrawide-angle photos isn't clear, but it shows that Pixel 11 Pro is putting the larger camera sensor and Tensor G6 to good use.

It's a similar situation with the telephoto lens at 5x magnification. At first glance they don't seem all that different, but close in and you can see that the general quality on the Pixel 11 Pro's photo is clearer and sharper.

That's more noticeable at 10x magnification, with the Pixel 11 Pro XL's 10x "optical quality" camera picking up a lot more of the smaller details than the 10 Pro XL.

The AI-enhanced 120x zoom is where Google's AI capabilities really shine, especially compared to Samsung's 100x zoom capabilities. Despite offering 20% more magnification than Samsung, the 11 Pro managed to create a much-clearer image than Samsung does - with brighter colors and a lot more detail.

But that's not just the AI, the unenhanced version of the photo (above) also looks a heck of a lot better than what Samsung managed to create with AI help.

The quality of the selfie camera is generally fine, but they don't even come close to the detail afforded by the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The iPhone camera manages to pick up a lot more of the smaller details, and doesn't make me look like a vampire that's never seen sunlight before.

It's very much the same situation with Portrait mode. However I prefer Google's bokeh effect, especially with how it singles my head out without offering quite so much blurring around the edges.

Low light quality is also pretty admirable, though the pictures often came out slightly darker than they did with the Pixel 10 Pro. I'd say that the 11 Pro produces a better picture, and the Instant Night Sight feature does make the process of low-light photography a lot easier to pull off.

That said, the process isn't actually instant. The camera still needs two seconds to shoot a photo, rather than the three to six seconds required by Night Sight on the Pixel 10 Pro. Still, it's amazing how much of a difference even a single second can make to the photography process — and that third second feels so much longer.

Cool new software features

There aren't a whole lot of new software features coming to Pixel this year, but the ones that have been released are pretty impressive. The main trio include the Rambler dictation software, Magic Capture in the camera and Live Translate for media — though that's limited to YouTube videos for the time being.

Magic Capture might just be my favorite, since it lets you record video of a situation and uses AI to identify which frames are actually worth keeping.

In other words it's a great way to get photos of moving targets, like children or pets, without having to try and time your shutter with the perfect situation. It's kind of like an alternative to a burst mode, which the Pixel 11 doesn't have, but instead of recording a series of still images, you get a short video clip instead.

Live Translate is also pretty impressive, since it will automatically translate videos you're watching in real time. I have seen features like this on other phones, including the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, but always found them to be a little finicky.

Google's version seems to work in a much simpler way, so long as you've downloaded the appropriate language packs in the system settings. The feature only works with YouTube right now, but once you load up the appropriate foreign-language video, you'll see a pop-up offering to translate the page — similar to how you would in a web browser.

Once the translation mechanism is engaged, it will feed you an English-version of whatever is said on screen while preserving some sense of accent and realism. In other words it's not a robotic AI voice that you'll find in some parts of the internet. I tried it in French and Spanish, and found that it worked pretty well — though the AI did fumble at times due to the speed at which some Spanish people speak.

Rambler is also very interesting because it completely redesigns the voice-to-text feature in the Gboard app. I recently tested Gboard against iOS 27 beta's dictation capabilities and found that they were at a very similar level. Rambler blows them both out of the water.

Not only was it able to figure out all the verbal tics humans add to speech, and ignore them, it's able to differentiate between voice typing and giving it commands.

Better still it could go back and make alterations to existing text, which is not something I've seen freely-available dictation software do before. I may be a big fan of traditional ways of typing (mostly pen and paper), but my early experience with Rambler could make a good attempt at changing that.

256GB on the Pro

I've spent years complaining that 128GB of base storage was no longer enough, and this year is the year Google finally made it happen for everyone. Of course, the Pixel 10 Pro XL got the higher base storage last year, and Pixel Folds have always started with 256GB of space. But this year marks the first time the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro have started with 256GB of storage.

Effectively this means the cheapest Pixel 11 Pro has double the amount of storage as last year's equivalent — which is perfect for storing all those files and photos you need to keep around. Though the downside is that you have to pay $100 more for the privilege this year, and won't get as much RAM.

Google Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL review: The downs

I know that upgrades between generations are always going to be more about the minor refinements. But the Pixel 11 Pros struggle to clear even that hurdle — all while charging $100 more and giving you less RAM at the baseline.

Minimal upgrades

By far the biggest issue with the Pixel 11 Pro and 11 Pro XL is that the hardware has barely changed since last year. The real changes include the addition of the Tensor G6, different sensors for the cameras, replacing the thermometer sensor with HiLight and offering a brighter display on both models.

There is a new modem and the Titan M3 security chip, though these are hardly additions that will have any noticeable impact on ordinary user experience

The Pixel 11 Pro also gets the additional 256GB of base storage and 25W wireless charging, both of which were already available on the Pixel 10 Pro XL last year.

These updates are incremental at best, and considering the jump from Pixel 9 Pro to Pixel 10 Pro also featured minimal hardware changes, I had hoped that Google would offer a little more with the Pixel 11 Pro. But alas that does not seem to have been the case, and that's rather disappointing.

HiLight is probably the most interesting Google has offered, and even that seems like a half-baked addition to the phone. The LED works really well when your phone is left face down, but it also only works for two features right now. Specifically it flashes blue when you're talking to Gemini, and one of five custom colors that will flash when a starred contact calls you. But that's all it can do right now.

Google says it will be able to do more in future, but at the moment HiLight can only flash up for these two features and in these colors. Without better customization options and support for more kinds of notifications, it comes across as a gimmick more than an actually useful feature.

Price hike

The other main issue with this year's batch of Pixels is that the price has gone up. It's been a long time since Pixel phones were seen as the affordable option, but the Pixel 11 series pushes that to the extreme — and it feels worse for the Pixel 11 Pro XL.

Both phones' base models are $100 more than the equivalent Pixel 10 Pro. This means the 11 Pro starts at $1,099 while the 11 Pro Xl is now $1,299. The trade off for the Pixel 11 Pro is that the base model now comes with 256GB of storage, rather than 128GB — which is a good thing.

Sadly Google already made 256GB standard on last year's Pro XL and increased the price by $100 to compensate. This year's Pro XL has no such improvement, which means the price has been increased with no additional benefit to the user.

Reduced base RAM

The other big issue is that the standard 256GB model actually comes with less RAM than the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. That means those of you wanting the same 16GB as last year will have to pay for a 512GB of 1TB storage model. That's obviously going to cost a fair bit more.

The 512GB Pixel 11 Pro is $1,219, while the 1TB is $1,449. For the Pixel 11 Pro XL, you'll have to pay $1,419 for 512GB and $1,649 for 1TB. It's a lot more to ask for, but it's likely down to the fact RAM prices have skyrocketed over the past several months.

Why does this matter? Because RAM is super important for running on-device AI features. Without a healthy pool of memory to work from, your device's AI prowess is going to be increasingly reliant on the cloud. Not only does this have obvious issues with privacy and data security, it also takes slightly longer to process and relies on having an active internet connection.

All of which means that buying the cheapest Pixel 11 Pro model means paying more for a phone that likely has worse AI processing performance.

The return of inconsistent Pixel battery life

Pixel phones are not known for having strong battery life, even if things have been improving over the last few years. Sadly the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL barely make any progress in improving the battery life — which is not surprising considering Google added smaller battery packs this time around.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL lasted 14 hours and 28 minutes in our custom battery test, which involves continuous web browsing over a 5G connection. That's only eight minutes more than the Pixel 10 Pro XL's 14 hours and 10 minutes. In comparison the Galaxy S26 Ultra lasted 16 hours and 10 minutes, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max lasted even longer at 17 hours and 54 minutes.

The Pixel 11 Pro actually does worse than last year's Pixel 10 Pro, with a battery life of 13 hours and 25 minutes compared to the 10 Pro's 13 hours 43 minutes. This is worse than the iPhone 17 Pro's 15 hours 21 minutes, but it is better than the Galaxy S26 Plus's 13 hours 13 minutes. Sadly it also still lags behind the larger flagships — and last year's Pixels.

Performance languishes in the shadow of more powerful phones

Pixels have never been a paragon of performance power, and the Tensor G6 is absolutely no exception to that. The general performance is better than you'd get from the Pixel 10 series, and the Tensor G5, but graphics performance has dropped this year. Likewise the Tensor G6 is still so far behind Samsung and Apple that it's almost as though Google isn't really trying.

Compared to the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL, the 11 Pro series has had a pretty hefty boost in raw performance. Both phones offer an increase in single-core and multi-core performance using the Geekbench 6 benchmarking test. Pixel 11 Pro rose to 2,649 and 7,164 versus 2,335 and 6,375. Meanwhile, the Pixel 11 Pro Xl did a little better with 2,713 and 7,453 against the 10 Pro XL's 2,322 and 6,286.

Graphically both new phones actually did worse, with Pixel 11 Pro scoring 3,113 in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Unlimited benchmark, with an average framerate of 18.65. Pixel 10 Pro score 3,134 and 18.77. The Pixel 11 Pro XL came out with 3,249 and 19.46fps, while the 10 Pro XL recorded a score of 3,462 and average frame rate of 20.73 fps.

All of it pales in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max, though. In fact the Galaxy's graphics benchmark scores are roughly double that of both new Pixels. Worst of all, the Pixels' NPU scored ridiculously poorly on Geekbench's AI benchmark, with four-digit scores that pale in comparison to both Samsung and Apple's 5-digit scores.

Considering the Tensor chips are supposed to be built for AI (alongside photography and security), this is a really embarrassing result for a phone that doesn't have a lot else going for it.

Google Pixel 11 Pro & Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Verdict

The Google Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are not bad phones by any means, but they're also not anything particularly special. The upgrades Google has included do offer some enhancements compared to previous phones, but it also isn't enough to help the Pixel lineup catch up with some of its biggest rivals. Especially when you consider the 11 Pro's weaker battery life and the reduced amount of RAM on the cheapest models.

From a purely Pixel point of view, the 11 Pro and Pro XL both offer better cameras, AI features that could potentially be very useful, and a boost in overall performance. Not to mention brighter displays and increased base storage on the standard Pro model.

But at the same time the Pixel still lags behind its flagship rivals in both performance and battery life, and reduces the amount of RAM available on the cheapest models. That, combined with the $200 price hike and the meager selection of upgrades makes me think that the better purchase might actually be a Pixel 10 Pro — for as long as you can still get one, that is.

Four generations in, Google's foldable phone experiment should be hitting its stride — right? When the original Pixel Fold arrived, it was the company’s opportunity to move outside its usual stable of slab phones into something much more exciting. We’re now at the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which, more than ever, can’t afford to come up short.

Google no longer has the luxury of being graded on a curve. Having tested the best foldable phones over the last six months alone, I know this space is a fiercely contested battleground, with rival devices like the Motorola Razr Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra vying for consumer attention.

While class-leading hardware has never been the line’s biggest strength, Google has taken a different approach by doubling down on its outstanding AI features. In my Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review, you’ll see if it has the hardware, software, and performance to come out on top. But make no mistake: it needs to be firing on all cylinders, because even the smartest software can't stop the Pixel 11 Pro Fold from slipping behind the pace.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Specifications

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Price and release

The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold officially arrives on August 20, but it costs $100 more than last year’s model — pushing the starting price to a steep $1,899 for the base 256GB version.

While no one likes seeing a price hike, it still manages to undercut key rivals like the Motorola Razr Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Considering this is the first time Google's foldable line has seen a price bump, and that it still rings in cheaper than other book-style flagships, the markup isn't an outright dealbreaker.

Just like previous generations, color choices remain minimalist: Obsidian and Olive.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Design

At first glance, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold doesn't look all that different, sticking closely to the design language Google established over the past couple of generations. But where it truly pulls ahead is durability. By retaining its rare IP68 rating, it offers superior dust-tight protection alongside submersion resistance — so yeah, it’s ready for beach outings, unlike the IP48-rated Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Yet despite that durability win, the design still lacks the high-end refinement found on its closest rivals. It remains noticeably thicker in hand than Samsung's ultra-sleek powerhouse, the bezels framing both displays are wider, and the inner screen still exhibits a deeper crease.

Google nails the ruggedness, but on pure ergonomics and fit-and-finish, it still feels a step behind the curve.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Display

Setting a new record, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold features the brightest screen of any foldable phone that has passed through the Tom’s Guide labs — reaching a blinding peak brightness of 2,982 nits on its main 8-inch Super Actua Flex display.

Whether I’m scrolling through reels or working across two apps simultaneously, the main screen doesn’t disappoint, delivering crisp detail, vibrant colors, and outstanding outdoor visibility. Its 6.5-inch outer cover screen is equally impressive.

The only thing that continues to irk me is how underutilized that outer display remains when the phone is propped up in tabletop or tent mode. While rivals have embraced dedicated desk-clock and smart display standby experiences — like what I get on the Motorola Razr Fold — the Pixel 11 Pro Fold fails to offer a proper StandBy mode on its cover screen. The closest it gets is the basic ambient screen that kicks in when placed on a wireless charging dock.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Cameras

On paper, the camera setup on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold looks almost identical to last year's model. You get a triple rear system consisting of a 48MP main camera, 10.5MP ultrawide, and 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. That telephoto lens continues to be a major standout, offering the longest native optical reach on any book-style foldable. Both the cover display and the inner screen house identical 10MP selfie cameras.

Despite the familiar spec sheet, Google has swapped in a new primary sensor that reportedly captures more light for improved low-light and Night Sight performance, while the revamped telephoto setup now extends digital reach up to 30x Super Res Zoom.

Over on the software side, I’m ecstatic about the updates that make the camera app far more robust. For instance, new Camera Looks apply professional-grade film styles for a distinct aesthetic, while handy quick controls give instant access to manual parameters like exposure, focus, and ISO.

Unfortunately, my low-light snapshots contradict Google’s claims. Just browse through the gallery above to see what I mean — quite frankly, the differences between the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Pixel 10 Pro Fold are minimal. Across exposure, fine detail, and clarity, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold simply doesn't offer any dramatic gains.

Despite boasting the longest native optical reach, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold proves that hardware specs alone can’t guarantee the sharpest telephoto results. Even though the Pixel's 30x snapshot manages to edge out the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the Razr Fold’s superior computational photography and AI enhancements deliver class-leading clarity, rendering the roof shingles and foreground brush with noticeably finer definition.

Here’s another example of how the Pixel 11 Pro Fold stacks up against its rivals at 30x zoom. This time, I pointed them at a distant sign to see how effectively each phone cleans up the shot.

Once again, the Razr Fold surprised me by leveraging superior AI upscaling to carve out sharp text edges and rich wood-grain definition. Still, Google's 30x Super Res Zoom easily outperforms the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which falters with aggressive digital noise and muddier textures across the fence.

For pure color accuracy and balanced exposure, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold comfortably captures the most authentic snapshot of the floral arrangement above. It delivers remarkably true-to-life color temperature and natural saturation, allowing the yellow sunflowers and deep pink carnations to pop without blowing out subtle highlight details on the petals.

When it comes to framing quick portraits, I recommend sticking to the cover screen camera, as it produces noticeably better results than the inner shooter. Under tricky indoor restaurant lighting, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's 10MP outer selfie camera captures the most lifelike skin tones, authentic facial texture, and natural contrast of the bunch. While the Razr Fold tends to overexpose and soften fine facial features, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra leans noticeably warm, Google's color tuning and computational processing make for clean, well-balanced shots every time.

Another standout addition to the camera experience is Magic Capture, which takes the stress out of trying to nail the perfect action shot in real time. Instead of forcing you to choose between shooting a video or firing off a burst of photos, Magic Capture continuously records short clips while the phone analyzes every frame behind the scenes.

It automatically detects peak moments — spotting genuine smiles, sharp motion freeze, and open eyes — to extract high-resolution stills straight from the footage. Even when I had someone else record my shameless inspection of the apple section at Trader Joe’s, Magic Capture worked exactly as intended, consistently plucking sharp, print-worthy stills from the video without any extra effort on my part.

Content creators and solo vloggers will adore the new Creator Mode, which transforms the foldable into a self-contained production studio. The standout perk is the built-in teleprompter tool, which scrolls through my script smoothly across the display at customizable speeds and text sizes, keeping my eye line locked directly onto the lens.

Best of all, Google took full advantage of the dual-screen form factor because Creator Mode seamlessly supports the cover screen paired with the flagship rear cameras. It completely eliminates the need for a dedicated camera operator or a secondary monitor, making solo video production faster, sharper, and far more intuitive.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Performance

Benchmark tests reveal that Google’s latest chipset, the Tensor G6, continues to trail behind key rivals powered by Apple’s A19 Pro and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. While I don’t place a lot of emphasis on synthetic benchmarks — since they don’t always translate directly to real-world performance — they remain ideal for comparing objective processing performance.

In Geekbench 6, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold delivers a single-core score of 2,687 and a multicore result of 7,381. While those marks represent a modest bump over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, they're far from the chart-topping numbers posted by competing flagships. Thankfully, real-world operation tells a smoother story: day-to-day use exhibits snappy app launches, fluid split-screen multitasking, and effortless navigation across the UI.

Graphics processing sees a marginal boost as well, with 3DMark’s Wild Life Unlimited benchmark yielding an overall score of 14,623 and an average frame rate of 87.56 fps. I loaded up my go-to test titles, including Age of Origins and Diablo Immortal, and both ran smoothly on the massive 8-inch canvas without any major hiccups or stutter.

While Tensor silicon has historically prioritized on-device AI efficiency and computational smarts over raw benchmark supremacy, I still would have liked to see Google close the gap with its direct competitors at this price point.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Battery and charging

In our custom battery drain test, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold clocks an average time of 12 hours and 31 minutes — a modest 15-minute bump over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. That’s one of the slimmest year-over-year gains I’ve seen in a while, doing little to bolster its overall value proposition. Still, while it doesn't dethrone the longest-lasting foldables on the market, 12.5 hours is more than enough to get me through a full day of typical use.

Similarly, there are no major improvements with charging, as it retains the same 30W wired and 25W wireless ratings. Plugged into a compatible wired adapter, it reachess 29% in 15 minutes and climbs to 56% after 30 minutes.

On the upside, I’m glad to see PixelSnap support return: it doesn't just enable seamless magnetic charging with Qi2 and MagSafe chargers, but also lets me snap on magnetic accessories like my Nomad MagSafe Wallet.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Software and AI

Software is where Google typically pulls away from the pack, and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold delivers some genuinely brilliant AI-powered productivity perks.

One of the most impressive additions is the new Rambler feature in Gboard, which uses Gemini Intelligence to automatically strip out filler words, format messy thoughts into clean sentences, and accept natural voice edits without missing a beat. It has quickly become one of the phone's most underrated features, working so reliably in my daily testing that it has noticeably loosened my reliance on traditional on-screen typing.

I also appreciate the proactive suggestions that surface contextual shortcuts based on on-screen content. For example, when a text message arrives about setting up a dentist appointment, the system automatically offers a quick action to log it directly into Google Calendar.

At the same time, expanded third-party app support for Gemini task automation allows the assistant to handle multi-step actions across more apps than ever. When I asked it to book a dinner reservation at a local restaurant, Gemini researched table availability based on my preferences and prompted me to confirm the final booking. The way it executes complex tasks behind the scenes is not only slick, but a genuine time-saver.

Multitasking also gains a major boost from the new app bubbles system, letting me dock floating mini-windows in the bottom corner of the unfolded display or overlay a third app on top of an active split-screen view.

Yet, despite these clever software highlights, the foldable experience still stumbles over familiar quirks. Google still hasn't fully solved app scaling and layout consistency: certain third-party apps remain awkward when switching between portrait and landscape orientations, occasionally refusing to scale smoothly or leaving letterboxed dead space.

Making matters worse, transitioning from the cover screen to the main 8-inch inner display — and vice versa — can still force apps to refresh their states rather than providing an uninterrupted handoff. It’s a frustrating foundational issue that continues to hold back large-screen Android devices.

On the longevity front, you still get class-leading support with seven full years of major Android OS and security updates. However, when it comes to Google's top-tier AI features, you only get six months of complimentary Google AI Pro access before a monthly subscription kicks in.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: Verdict

Honestly, I want to like the Pixel 11 Pro Fold — but not like this. It simply feels too underwhelming, especially after testing standout rivals like the Motorola Razr Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. While new AI additions like Rambler, expanded Gemini task automation, and Magic Capture are undeniably neat, the hardware fails to deliver the generational leap I expected.

The Tensor G6 continues to trail rival silicon in raw processing muscle, battery endurance sees only a negligible 15-minute bump, and real-world camera performance does little to move the needle.

Compounding these modest hardware gains are persistent large-screen software annoyances that still hold the device back. Moving apps between the cover display and the 8-inch main canvas frequently triggers frustrating state refreshes rather than seamless transitions, while orientation switches still suffer from awkward scaling and wasted dead space.

For a premium foldable commanding a top-tier price tag, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels like an iterative update that struggles to truly impress.

Given that the foldable iPhone is expected to cost anywhere between $2,000 and $2,500, there is some legitimate debate going on right now as to whether it will really be worth the premium. And at least based on the reports and rumors thus far, the so-called iPhone Ultra could have some serious drawbacks compared to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

People shopping for a foldable phone compared to a traditional flagship slab are accustomed to making trade-offs. For example, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series doesn’t have IP68 dust resistance, a telephoto camera or an S Pen like the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The question is whether Apple is making the right trade-offs with the iPhone Ultra. Here’s what will likely be missing on the foldable iPhone — and my “bummer score” on whether it’s a big deal.

No telephoto lens (Bummer score: 8/10)

The iPhone Ultra will reportedly feature dual 48MP rear cameras: a main wide lens and an ultrawide. However, Apple is expected to skip a telephoto lens, which means you won’t get a long optical zoom as you will on the iPhone 18 Pro Max (tipped for 6x optical zoom).

In other words, you’ll have to rely on cropping from the main camera or digital zoom if you want to get closer to your subject. For example, the Galaxy Fold 8 also lacks a telephoto and features a max digital zoom of just 10x. Based on all of the design leaks, this omission would not be a surprise at all but would still be a very big bummer for a $2,000+ phone.

No Face ID (Bummer score: 7/10)

Face ID has been the standard way to unlock your phone since the iPhone X way back in 2017. But it looks like Apple simply won’t have the room to cram a TrueDepth sensor and the other necessary tech to make Face ID happen on the iPhone Ultra.

This is a big bummer because with Face ID you don’t even have to think about unlocking your phone — even in the dark. It just works. You’ll likely unlock the iPhone Ultra with Touch ID instead, and Apple has done a remarkable job perfecting this technology in the iPhone line and now the iPad and Mac. But fingerprints sensors are by their very nature more finicky than face recognition.

No dust resistance (Bummer score: 6/10)

It’s one of the most notable weaknesses of the Galaxy Fold 8, so it’s just as appropriate to mention here. The iPhone Ultra is expected to have a durability rating of IP48 or IPX8.

This would mean that the iPhone Ultra would be able to withstand being submerged in water but not dust or sand. This is another trade-off shared by the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra.

There are foldables that are IP68 rated for water and dust, including the Motorola Razr Fold and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. These are on the thicker side, though, and the iPhone Ultra is expected to be thinner at 4.5 to 4.8 mm when open.

No MagSafe (Bummer Score: 5/10)

It would be a definite step backwards if the foldable iPhone didn’t support MagSafe technology, which debuted on the iPhone 12 series back in 2020

With MagSafe you can easily attach your iPhone to various wireless chargers, as well as turn your phone into an alarm clock with StandBy mode. Whether it’s about achieving a thinner design or leaving room for a larger battery, not having MagSafe on board would stink. But at least you could buy a case with the necessary magnets built in.

iPhone Ultra outlook

When you add up these drawbacks, there are some major reasons to potentially skip the iPhone Ultra and get the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max instead.

For me, not having a telephoto zoom camera is a big deal, and I might wait for an iPhone Ultra 2 to see if Apple can add this feature.

But the iPhone Ultra is still likely to draw a ton of interest (and buyers) because of its ability to give you a 7.8-inch display in a compact design. You’ll essenitally be getting an iPad mini and iPhone in one device. Apple is also rumored to have eliminated the crease (though we’ll see about that).

In short, the iPhone Ultra could be the ultimate phone for multitaskers. But you’ll have to be willing to live with less features and functionality to enjoy this versatility. Let me know in the comments if you think these trade-offs will be worth it — or not.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra leakers reveal new details around release and 'extremely limited' availability
• Apple iPhone 18 event — all the new products expected to launch in September
• iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro pre-order date just tipped — here's when you can get yours

Apple's annual iPhone event is only a few weeks away, and it could easily be the biggest Apple event in years. We're expecting a slew of new devices to be unveiled as John Ternus takes the reins as Apple's new CEO.

And all of that is before we discuss the launch of the long-rumored, much-hyped foldable iPhone Ultra — Apple's first attempt at a foldable phone. It's not clear when the device will actually launch, but at the very least, its reveal is almost certainly right around the corner.

In all, Apple is expected to launch up to eight different devices, from the expected new iPhones and upgraded Apple Watches to several new smart home-focused products.

Here's what we expect to see at Apple's September event, and when it should kick off.

When is the iPhone 18 event?

For the last several years, Apple has held its iPhone launch event during the second week of September, and usually on a Tuesday. This would normally mean that Apple would hold its 2026 event on Tuesday, September 8. However, the preceding Monday is Labor Day, so Apple will likely push the event to Wednesday, September 9.

This has happened in the past, and the reasoning is that Apple doesn't want to ask attendees to travel on a holiday weekend. For example, the iPhone 14 launched on Wednesday, September 7, following Labor Day on Monday 5, and that'll likely be the case this year too.

iPhones usually go up for pre-order the Friday following the Apple event, but this year that's September 11. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that pre-orders will be pushed to Saturday, September 12.

This year's edition will be hosted by incoming CEO John Ternus, and it looks like his tenure will start with a bang.

New iPhones

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

This year, Apple is expected to launch only its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. The entry-level iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Plus reportedly won't debut until next spring alongside the iPhone 18e model.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are both tipped to feature Apple's new 2nm A20 Pro chip, a smaller Dynamic Island and Apple's new C2 modem. And both phones should get larger batteries.

However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max might have some exclusive upgrades, including a variable aperture camera and longer zoom. For more see our iPhone 18 Pro vs Pro Max comparison.

Unforutnately, analysts have predicted that the new iPhone 18 Pros could cost between $200 and $350 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro family.

iPhone Ultra

The biggest announcement of the Apple event is sure to be the debut of the foldable iPhone Ultra.

Leaks have suggested that it will have more of a wider shape, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with a 7.8-inch foldable display and a 5.5-inch cover screen. It could measure between 4.5 and 4.8mm when unfolded, making it one of the thinnest iPhones ever.

It's rumored to sport a 4,883 mAh battery, the A20 Pro chipset, Apple's in-house C2 modem, and a Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the power button. The rear is expected to come with a pair of 48MP cameras, horizontally positioned like the back of the iPhone Air, alongside two separate 24MP selfie cameras — one for each screen.

Apple reportedly delayed releasing a folding iPhone until it could eliminate the crease in the display, but whether it's accomplished this remains to be seen. Even Samsung and Oppo, despite their long lead time, have only had moderate success.

One downside is that the iPhone Ultra could be very expensive, costing anywhere from $2,000 to 2,500. And a recent leak suggests that iPhone Ultra may not be immediately available, with only "extremely limited" availability.

Just keep in mind that the iPhone Ultra could have a number of trade-offs versus the iPhone 18 Pro, including the lack of a telephoto zoom.

AirPods Ultra

These ones are a little surprising as based on a previous Gurman report, we weren't expecting the AirPods Ultra until 2027 at the earliest. However, rumor aggregator AppleTrack just reported this week that the Ultra version of AirPods will launch at the iPhone event.

The big change with these headphones is they will allegedly feature a camera that will feed into Siri to allow it to "see" the world.

It would utilize a version of Visual Intelligence to let you ask Siri questions about your surroundings or get turn-by-turn directions from the more powerful AI Siri releasing this fall.

The AirPods Ultra has also just appeared in a leaked video buried within the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, and it shows how they'll help you identify objects in the real world.

Apple Watch 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4

Unlike the iPhones, we know a bit less about the next Apple Watches. We are expecting two new models in the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The leaks have been sparse, but Apple is reportedly not bringing many upgrades this year. The biggest change might be a new kind of band attachment. This does mean that your old bands might not be compatible with the new watches.

Reportedly, Apple could offer a ceramic case option for the first time in years. It should also sport new health and fitness-related upgrades. We already know that watchOS 27 will bring new AI features, an updated Workout Buddy and more useful data tracking. Plus, it should feature better integration with the upgraded Siri AI which we've already seen in the iOS 27 beta.

Smart Home

Apple's smart home ambitions and the rumors surrounding them need to be taken with a massive grain of salt. Leaks have suggested Apple is planning on introducing a suite of smart home devices starting with a revamped HomePod and an AI-powered Apple TV 4K streaming device.

Those rumors have existed for more than two years and largely feed into the company's promises around the AI-powered Siri.

However, this year with iOS 27, Apple may finally have the chatbot that was promised. If it actually releases and works as pitched, this year could actually be the start of Apple Home.

HomePod Home hub

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, long a reporter of the rumored HomePod updates, believes that a new HomePod mini could launch this September alongside the rumored HomePod Home hub.

Several different iterations of this device have been rumored, including one with a $1,000 robot arm. The most common version involves a wall-mounted touchpad or a HomePod speaker with a touch display about the size of an iPad mini.

This device would have a FaceTime camera for video calls and presence sensors to initiate smart home routines.

HomePod mini 2

A new HomePod mini might also debut, but it might not be as big of an upgrade as the Hub. Most rumors suggest that it will feature a new chip and audio improvements.

To be clear, this one feels even more far-fetched than the Hub; the HomePod mini 2 has been on our rumor radar since at least 2023. The current version debuted in 2020, and like the next device, is long overdue for an update.

Apple TV 4K 2026

Like the HomePod series, Apple hasn't released a new version of the Apple TV 4K since 2022. We're long overdue for an upgrade — even if it's only a more powerful chip for stronger performance.

Previously, it was suggested that a new Apple TV could feature the A17 Pro chip, but it's more likely it'll get the new A20 or, to save some money, last year's A19. The device should also get the rumored N2 chip for better Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Outside of chips, the big upgrade would be Siri AI, which could let you connect the Apple TV as a hub for smart devices. One rumor suggested that Apple might release a set-top box with a camera, which would allow for FaceTime calls and gesture-based controls.

Will you be tuning in to Apple's event next month? Let me know which device you're most hyped for in the comments.

What we don't expect to see

Even with a huge event like this, there are still going to be devices that won't make an appearance. Due to staggered release schedules and supply-chain timing, Apple is spreading its hardware roadmap across multiple release windows over the next year. As a result, the following devices are unlikely to make any sort of appearance at the event.

• iPhone 18: Apple is reportedly holding back the base model until early 2027 to drive early demand toward the Pro models.
• AirPods Ultra: Rumored AirPods with cameras for Siri AI context are reportedly delayed until 2027 due to software and supply-chain bottlenecks.
• New Macs: Upgraded M6 MacBooks and touchscreen models are typically saved for dedicated computing announcements in October or later.
• OLED iPad mini: The next refresh of the compact tablet is slated for an October arrival rather than competing for stage time with the new iPhones.
• Apple Watch SE (4th gen): The entry-level wearable update will sit out this event, with Apple likely to focus on the Series 12 and Ultra 4 instead.

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For those of us who came of age firing off emails on a BlackBerry, the tactile click-clack of physical buttons is the holy grail of mobile productivity. So, when Clicks released the Power Keyboard — a MagSafe-compatible slide-out QWERTY keyboard — I was instantly on board.

I slapped it onto the back of my phone for a week, ready to watch my words-per-minute (WPM) soar. And then…I actually ran a typing speed test to find out that I am significantly faster on a flat pane of glass than I am on a keyboard.

Turns out that strapping a chunky $99 plastic brick to my phone didn’t magically resurrect my 2010 typing skills; it just ruins the modern ergonomics of your phone. But while I do have plenty of problems to talk about on the Power Keyboard, there are some small saving graces here.

This accessory is a bit problematic, from its tiny battery for charging your phone to the hinge feeling all kinds of loose. But for the very particular niche I fall into, I couldn’t help but develop a bit of a soft spot for it.

The typing test reality check

Let me get straight into the typing experience. The keys themselves are objectively well-made, and a good omen for the upcoming Clicks Communicator. They’re ergonomically well shaped with just the right amount of travel and an oh-so satisfying click. Sliding it out to get going took me back to my Palm Pre days!

But when I put the Clicks Power Keyboard head-to-head against my on-screen keyboard, the glass screen won effortlessly.

Why? Well probably the most obvious reason here is time invested in these devices. I may have spent years with Blackberrys and my Pre in the past, but the last decade and a half has been nothing but capacitive touchscreens. But it’s more than that.

Our thumbs have been trained to glide across screens, relying heavily on aggressive autocorrect and predictive text algorithms. Moving back to physical, separated keys requires deliberate, forceful presses. You have to actively hunt for punctuation on that backlit keyboard and travel between letters.

It feels more intentional and satisfying for sure, but the raw numbers don’t lie: my thumb-typing muscle memory has moved on.

An ergonomic nightmare

But trust me when I say you have to suffer for that satisfying feeling. Modern pro smartphones are already pretty chunky, and the Clicks adds another 15.2mm of junk in the trunk.

With that bulk comes the weight distribution. Because the keyboard slides down from the bottom, typing makes your phone severely top-heavy. I constantly felt like it was going to somersault backward out of my hands.

Combine that awkward balancing act with a cheap-feeling plastic back and a slide-out hinge that feels almost distressingly loose, and the overall build quality doesn’t feel like it hits the mark for an accessory that costs over a hundred bucks.

The saving grace

There is one superpower that did save it a little for me, and it’s not the power bank element. A 2,300 mAh battery with slow 5W Qi wireless charging is basically life support for a dying phone, not a true battery pack.

No, it’s actually the fact that this isn’t just about the phone. With Bluetooth 5.4 and multi-point support for up to nine devices, this became quite the phenomenal universal remote to all my devices.

I found myself hot-swapping the bluetooth connection over to my smart TV to bypass the abysmal on-screen keyboard, and then switching over to my PS5 to fire off a quick message in the team chat. It’s real versatility that made this fit real nicely into my multi-device home.

Reclaiming my phone screen space is nice, but using this as a tactile hub for your living room is where the real magic happens.

Not for everyone

So this left me confused. The Clicks Power Keyboard is a fascinating, flawed experiment in nostalgia. It proved to me that while I miss the feeling of physical keys, I certainly don’t miss the speed.

If you’re in my niche of wanting a pocketable Bluetooth keyboard to hot-swap between your TV and console, it is undeniably useful. Also, shout-out to using it with Samsung Dex and my Viture Pro 2 glasses. The touchscreen of my Galaxy Z Fold 8 becomes a nice touchpad complemented by the physical keys.

But as just a daily driver for your phone, you’ve got to be committed to the throwback feels. You have to be willing to sacrifice your typing speed, your premium aesthetics and your ergonomic comfort. Will you?

More from Tom's Guide

• I put Honor's crazy Robot Phone up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max — I'm both impressed and confused
• The tech world hyped up the Galaxy Z Fold 8's 'crease-free' display — here's a reality check after 7 days
• I just tried the thinnest phone grip Popsockets has created — and now there's no reason to not get a grip for your phone

The iPhone 18 Pro launch is likely just a few weeks away, with the Apple September event tipped to take place on Sept. 9. So we have a pretty full picture of what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max when they’re unveiled.

It doesn’t look like there will be many substantial design changes — leave that for the foldable iPhone Ultra — but there are several notable upgrades and tweaks that could compel you to get the new iPhone.

From the design and chip to the battery and more, here are 7 biggest iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max changes you need to know.

Variable aperture camera

This iPhone 18 Pro rumor seems like a lock given how many times it has come up. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are both tipped to feature a variable aperture camera for the first time.

What does this mean? The iPhone 18 Pro camera would have tiny mechanical leaves inside the lens module that would alter the physical size of the opening. In low light the aperture would open wide to let more light hit the sensor but in bright sunlight the aperture would step down to a smaller opening, preventing overexposure.

The benefits for photographers would include a more natural-looking motion blur, sharper details and better depth control.

Smaller Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island on the iPhone comes in for getting live updates in that area of the display, but it can also be an eyesore when not in use. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are tipped to feature a smaller Dynamic Island, thanks to certain Face ID components moving under the display.

In other words, the display cutout for the front camera would be the smallest yet, building towards a true “all-screen” iPhone 20 next year.

New colors, new-ish look

If you liked the super-vibrant Cosmic Orange on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, you might be out of luck. It looks like Apple could be ditching this hue for a new Dark Cherry/Burgundy color. This would be the flagship color for the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

Additionally, we may be getting a light blue color for the iPhone 18 Pro series, along with silver and possibly dark gray.

The back of the iPhone 18 Pro series could have a slightly different look, too. Apple is expected to move away from the two-tone design and opt for a more unified appearance.

A20 Pro chip

Apple A20 Pro chip for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is expected be the company’s first ever to be built on TSMC’s 2nm design process. As a result, Apple should be able to fit up to 15% more transistors on the chip, improving performance but also with a 30% reduction in power consumption.

As 9to5Mac reports, the A20 Pro chip will offer a packaging innovation called Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module. This would also enable the SoC and DRAM to be integrated at the wafer level. The result is that the chip will be closer to the onboard memory and enable better performance and lower power consumption for AI tasks as well as gaming.

Bigger battery for iPhone 18 Pro Max

The iPhone 17 Pro Max already delivered astounding results in the Tom’s Guide battery test, lasting nearly 18 hours of web surfing over 5G. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max is tipped to get an even bigger battery going from 4,823 mAh all the way up to 5,391 mAh for the new iPhone.

Alas, the iPhone 18 Pro’s battery will reportedly be only 1% larger than the iPhone 17 Pro, going from 4,252 mAh to 4,288 mAh. However, the efficiencies gained from the A20 Pro chip and the new C2 modem could still result in significantly longer runtime.

C2 modem

The iPhone 16e featured Apple’s first cellular modem in the C1, followed by the C1X chip in the iPhone Air. According to 9to5Mac, the new C2 modem coming to the iPhone 18 Pro series brings a few advantages.

In addition to improved battery efficiency, the C2 modem should offer improved performance in spotty coverage areas. And we could see 5G via satellite capability added to the iPhone 18 Pro series.

Improved Camera Control

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found the Camera Control button to be a waste of space on iPhones. It’s too easy to activate and too finicky to control. But the updated Camera Control on iPhone 18 Pro will apparently be stripped back to make it less frustrating and more user friendly. MacRumors reports that Apple may remove touch-sensitive components entirely.

Outlook

While most of these iPhone 18 Pro changes are welcome, it doesn’t feel like Apple will be pushing the envelope with the Pro and Pro Max this year. Most of the attention will likely go to the iPhone Ultra/Fold, Apple’s first foldable phone.

However, the foldable iPhone is expected to make some trade-offs, including the lack of telephoto zoom and Face ID. So if you want the most cutting edge “traditional” iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture camera, faster A20 chip and bigger battery may be reasons enough to upgrade.

More from Tom's Guide

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• iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold? Sudden questions emerge over foldable iPhone
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Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone — either called the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, depending on which reports you go by — will likely be unveiled in just a few short weeks at the Apple September event. Over the weekend, a reputable leaker confirmed that September launch window, but warned that actually getting your hands on one around that time won't be easy.

iPhone Ultra supply will be "extremely limited" when Apple unveils the foldable next month, according to Fixed Focus Digital, a noted Apple leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo (h/t 9to5Mac).

Apple is targeting a total production run of around 10 million units, as outlined in a July report from Nikkei Asia, but suppliers may need 3 to 5 months to reach that output goal. That would make the potential best foldable phone contender very hard to come by at launch, which is bad news for early adopters.

iPhone Ultra = iPhone X all over again?

Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said suppliers may ship only 7-8 million units in 2026, suggesting that we may be in for a repeat of what happened with the iPhone X. Back in 2017, bottlenecks with new components like the TrueDepth camera system for Face ID and OLED panel production constraints severely hampered the iPhone X launch. Pre-orders sold out in minutes, pushing shipping dates back by months.

In another post, Fixed Focus Digital said that despite earlier rumors that the iPhone Ultra might only ship in the U.S. initially, their sources claim mass production is moving smoothly with Chinese suppliers. This would point to a broader global launch from day one.

iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold?

For months, Apple’s foldable iPhone was widely expected to be called the iPhone Fold. But that started to change this spring, when the iPhone Ultra name began gaining traction. Several noted analysts and leakers have begun throwing cold water on the iPhone Ultra name this summer, though what exactly it could be called instead remains the subject of debate.

Over the weekend, leaker Instant Digital became the latest to cast doubt on the Ultra moniker. In a post on Weibo, he said he expects Apple to reserve the Ultra namesake for the 20th anniversary model and its successors. He noted Apple’s prior uses of Ultra in product naming, going on to say that he's skeptical the foldable will merit the name.

For what it's worth, Mark Gurman, who has been covering rumors around the foldable iPhone for years for Bloomberg, wrote back on X earlier this month that “Everyone calls it the Ultra internally. We’ll see what happens.”

We'll find out soon enough, with the iPhone Ultra/Fold/whatever it ends up being called likely to be revealed on September 9. We'll be there at the Apple event to bring you all the news and our hands-on impressions when Apple's first foldable goes live.

More from Tom's Guide

• iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro pre-order date just tipped — here's when you can get yours
• iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold? Sudden questions emerge over foldable iPhone
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More than a decade ago, the first PopSockets phone grip launched, and while it wasn’t necessarily a runaway hit at first, it slowly developed a cult following. Over the years, the company expanded its lineup by offering stylish designs to match any personality, but the core formula remained unchanged. Well, until now.

PopSockets has given its signature grip its first major redesign—one that captures the fundamental utility of the original, but in a significantly slimmer package. I’ve been using the PopSockets Low-Pro Grip for over a week now, and while it functions the same way, it comes with a secret that makes it one of the best MagSafe accessories around.

Ultra-thin design

What immediately sets the Low-Pro apart is a redesign that makes it razor-thin compared to a traditional PopSockets grip. Measuring just 2.6 mm thick, it sits nearly flush with the raised camera plateau on the back of my iPhone 17 Pro when attached. That makes it noticeably sleeker than any other grip I’ve tested, roughly matching the thickness of three credit cards stacked together.

As a result, there’s no more annoying wobble whenever I place the phone down on a flat desk — a common frustration with older PopSockets. It adds virtually no noticeable bulk to the phone's profile, sliding smoothly in and out of my pockets without snagging.

While it retains the spirit of the original accordion design, the PopSockets Low-Pro Grip ditches the chunky plastic cone for a flat, flexible web that feels almost paper-thin. The composite material stretches cleanly to accommodate various finger sizes, and out of the box, it feels taut, responsive, and fully capable of supporting my phone's weight. That said, I do wonder about its long-term durability, particularly whether the flexible band will retain its elasticity after months of daily pulling and pocket friction.

Yes, it still has a kickstand function

Because the Low-Pro Grip isn't a single, solid plastic piece, it doesn't prop up the phone in the same way traditional PopSockets do. Instead, it offers kickstand functionality via the extendable metal ring that outlines the accessory. This ring hinges outward to prop the phone up securely in both portrait and landscape orientations, making it effortless to stream video, jump on FaceTime calls, and more.

Personally, I find it much sturdier and more stable than the older plastic design. The solid metal ring rotates smoothly, making it easy to dial in the exact viewing angle I need.

However, its best hidden trick is the integrated magnetic ring built right into the outer frame. That means I can connect it to some of my favorite MagSafe accessories. From my magnetic car mount to a MagSafe tripod — and even snapping my favorite MagSafe wallet directly onto the back — this feature dramatically broadens its everyday utility. The magnetic hold is surprisingly strong, too, because it has enough clamping force to stick my iPhone firmly to the side of my fridge door.

The only downside is that I can't charge my phone wireless with it attached, so I'm still forced to remove it in order to leverage MagSafe wireless charging.

Multiple colors, but lacks personality

If there is one notable drawback, it comes down to personal expression. PopSockets built an empire on swappable, collectible tops featuring everything from pop-culture artwork to glitter finishes and textured enamel. The PopSockets Low-Pro Grip takes a decidedly minimalist approach.

While it launches in several clean colorways, I do miss the interchangeable cap system of standard PopSockets. What you buy is what stays on your phone, with no way to customize or swap the top after the fact.

At $40, it carries a noticeable premium over standard plastic grips, and the fixed design might disappoint anyone who treats the back of their phone as a canvas for self-expression. However, for those who prioritize sleek ergonomics, pocket-friendly dimensions, and zero-wobble utility over flair, the Low-Pro Grip easily proves its worth as one of the smartest everyday carry additions you can stick on your device.

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Buying a new iPhone 17 Pro Max is only part of the equation. The shiny new device can do a lot once it's finally out of the box and in your hands, but it doesn't change the fact that your experience can still be improved with a few add-ons.

There are countless accessories out there that you can buy to enhance the entire iPhone experience — whether you're picking up an iPhone 17, the larger 17 Pro Max or waiting for the foldable iPhone Ultra. The prospect of spending even more money after dropping at least $1,200 on a brand new phone may not sounds appealing, but trust me, you will be much happier than without — and you don't need to spend a fortune on them either.

Here are 5 accessories that helped improve my iPhone 17 Pro Max that all cost less than $50.

Easy-application screen protector

I used to hate applying screen protectors to my phone, because the whole process was so finicky and I'd inevitably get something wrong. I'd always end up with dust or bubbles under the screen, or screw up the alignment so much that I needed a fresh protector.

And these were the days when screens weren't nearly as durable as they are today. But even with the stronger display glass of the modern day smartphone, screens are still vulnerable to scratches and more serious kinds of damage. The good news is that screen protectors have adapted, and the process of applying them is easier than ever and almost completely pain-free.

Most screen protectors now come with some kind of application tool, but my personal favorites employ a pull-tab. Not only does this ensure perfect alignment with your phone, the fact that the sticky underside of the protector is only exposed to the air for a split-second minimizes the risk of foreign particles getting between it and the screen.

Just remember to clean the screen correctly first. Nothing can account for the fact you left smudges and dust all over your screen before applying the protective layer

While you're at it, make sure to pick up a case for your phone. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is notorious for taking taking damage, as I found out first hand not too long ago.

MagSafe PopSocket

The PopSocket is easily my favorite phone accessory, especially since the modern designs are compatible with Apple's MagSafe.

PopSocket grips make it so much easier to keep hold of your phone and access all corners of the screen one-handed — which is essential for a phone as big as the 17 Pro Max. I've always felt that they ensure a much sturdier grip of my phone too. This stops the phone taking as many unnecessary tumbles and potentially makes it harder for thieves to snatch it out of my hands.

A PopSocket also functions as a handy stand in certain situations, while the magnetic connection ensures the mount has a strong grip on your phone — all without compromising your ability to take it off later.

UGREEN 10,000 mAh Magnetic Power Bank

Apple's MagSafe connection has opened the door for a whole new range of iPhone accessories, all of which take advantage of the magnetic ring hidden in the back of every modern iPhone.

It also means that portable battery packs now include wireless charging. The magnets ensure the battery securely snaps onto the back of your iPhone, and ensures the charging session continues regardless of how much your phone might move.

There are a lot of possible options to choose from, but my personal favorite is the Ugreen Magnetic Power Bank, which offers 10,000 mAh of power and 20W charging speeds. It's not quite enough to recharge your iPhone 17 Pro Max twice, but it'll get you pretty close — and quickly. All without any wires getting in your way.

Anker Nano II GaN 65W charger

Apple doesn't sell phones with charging bricks anymore, which means you need to go out and buy one for yourself. But the good news is that there are affordable options that are far better than anything Apple would freely give away, like this compact 67W charger from Anker.

The Anker Nano II compact charger measures just 1.65 x 1.65 x 1.42 inches and weighs 5.28 ounces. Which is pretty darn small, and is aided by the fact the connection pins fold away for easy storage. In fact I'm pretty envious of this particular design, because electric plugs here in the U.K. have to be way bigger than those across the Atlantic.

Despite the small size, the charger packs a lot of power, thanks to the Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor inside. GaN chargers can handle higher voltages and produce less heat — allowing chargers to be smaller and lighter than they used to be.

Plus, not only is the 65W charging limit enough to charge your iPhone 17 Pro Max at the fastest possible speeds, it's also enough to power other devices — including iPads and MacBooks.

Belkin 2-in-1 Qi2 Foldable Stand

If you need a stand that does more than simply prop up your phone, then I can personally recommend Belkin's foldable 2-in-1 Qi2 wireless charging stand. This stand is compatible with MagSafe and offers up to 15W charging speeds for your iPhone. The magnetic connection also means you can secure your phone in any position you like, including the horizontal view that activates StandBy Mode.

This particular Belkin stand only charges at 15W, which is lower than the 25W speeds the iPhone 17 Pro Max can handle. However it also comes with a charging pad for compatible AirPods, which enables you to charge both devices at the same time.

Plus, since this is Qi2, rather than MagSafe, it's compatible with even more devices — including Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 (with a case).

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When it comes to the best foldable phones, I strongly prefer flip-style ones for their compact footprint and effortless one-handed use. On top of that, they’re undeniably far more versatile for vlogging than notebook-style foldables, letting me frame shots on the outer cover screen using the superior rear cameras.

For years, I’ve praised Samsung’s flip-style foldables — but this year’s Galaxy Z Flip 8 has me concerned. It’s not just that it represents the most painfully lazy upgrade in the series’ history, but also that Samsung’s focus seems to have largely shifted elsewhere.

Pairing that with the glowing reception for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and it’s clear Samsung is at a tipping point with its Z Flip line. Here’s why.

Motorola has a way more robust selection

Despite being an early pioneer in the space, Motorola lagged behind Samsung for years with its Razr phones, plagued by awkward hinge designs and lackluster performance. But the narrative has shifted dramatically over the last couple of generations.

Instead of treating clamshell foldables as a one-size-fits-all product, Motorola built out a lineup with broader appeal. That strategy has culminated in today's lineup of three clamshell foldables alongside a book-style model. By offering varied price points, Motorola gives consumers the freedom to choose what fits their budget and needs. In contrast, Samsung has stuck to releasing just a single flip phone each generation.

Cameras are not an afterthought

Just as crucially, the Razr Ultra (2026) finally dismantles the long-standing stereotype that Motorola’s flip cameras are an afterthought. With upgraded high-resolution sensors, refined image processing, and superior low-light performance, it no longer forces users to compromise camera quality for pocketability. Just look at some of the snapshots I captured above to see how far Motorola's has come.

No mention of a Galaxy Z Flip FE this time

Perhaps the most glaring absence at Unpacked was any sign of a Galaxy Z Flip FE follow-up. When the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE launched alongside the Z Flip 7 last year, my colleagues and I were highly critical of the move — one we felt wasn't necessary since it was essentially a rebadged Z Flip 6. It certainly didn't help that it still carried a hefty $899 price tag.

Making matters worse, Samsung didn't just stick to minor hardware upgrades for the Flip 8 — it also tacked on a $100 price bump. In my Galaxy Z Flip 8 review, I noted that "Samsung's baby-step approach feels tough to defend."

While the switch back to a flagship Qualcomm chip delivers notable performance gains, I was shocked by the negligible battery life improvements. Instead of adopting the ultra-thin profile of the Z Fold 8 or delivering substantial hardware innovations, the Z Flip 8 feels more like yet another rehash.

I want a Galaxy S27 Ultra Flip

If the Z Flip line is going to survive, Samsung needs to stop playing it safe and introduce a true Ultra model. We’ve seen the company pour top-tier resources into the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Z Fold 8 Ultra — and the flip form factor deserves that exact same flagship treatment.

The most logical candidate would be something along the lines of a Galaxy S27 Ultra Flip. To truly make a statement, it would require an ultra-thin chassis, uncompromising battery life, and, crucially, a versatile triple-camera system that finally brings a dedicated telephoto lens to a Samsung clamshell.

Packing that level of hardware into a flip phone would inevitably command a steeper price tag. But considering what buyers are already willing to shell out for premium competitors like the Razr Ultra (2026), power users and creators would happily pay for a clamshell that refuses to cut corners.

Samsung has reached a critical tipping point with the Z Flip series. Iterative spec bumps and unjustified price hikes won't cut it anymore — the lineup desperately needs a major overhaul to breathe real excitement back into the category.

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If you've been paying attention to the news, you've probably heard about GrapheneOS. The Android-based mobile OS hit the news a few weeks back over a dispute at the U.S. border, in which a traveller is alleged to have wiped their GrapheneOS-powered phone using a "duress" password — and now faces charges of destroying evidence.

You may have heard about GrapheneOS but never gave it much thought for one reason or another. I know that was the case with me, and while I knew it was based on Android I hadn't ever done much digging into exactly how it differed from the Google-provided Android experience.

But this news got me curious, and I realized that it was about time I got to grips with what Graphene actually has to offer.

What is GrapheneOS?

GrapheneOS is an open source mobile operating system that emphasizes both security and privacy. It's completely free to install, and the project is supported by donations.

The software is built with the Android Open Source Project, and is focused on one of the biggest issues many people have with Google's mobile OS — the fact that it's severely lacking when it comes to protecting user privacy.

GrapheneOS also strips out most Google systems and bloatware, which means you won't set up your phone and find that it's filled with a bunch of apps that you can't remove. The software also features a bunch of dedicated privacy features that you won't find on most Android phones.

GrapheneOS device support: Which phones does it work with?

GrapheneOS is currently only officially compatible with Pixel phones, with the site listing all Google-made phones up to (and including) the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. The Pixel Tablet is also supported.

The software's official support pages confirm that other devices do support GrapheneOS "at a source level," but without official support it means that more work is needed to actually install the software — which makes everything a lot more complicated.

Earlier this year Motorola confirmed it had partnered with GrapheneOS, with the aim to "strengthen smartphone security and collaborate on future devices engineered with GrapheneOS compatibility. " In other words, future Motorola devices will eventually support GrapheneOS as well. But we don't know which devices will offer it, or when they will be released.

How do you actually install it?

I've never really been one for tinkering with software, and it's never really been something that interested me. I did try my hand at rooting one of my Android phones about ten years ago, to see what I might be missing out on, but never made much progress.

The phones I had at the time came from companies that weren't very big on letting people mess with their phones' software, and trying to root them proved to be a task worthy of Sisyphus himself. Obviously, being the quitter that I am, I gave up and never bothered to try that sort of thing ever again.

That's partly why I never gave GrapheneOS a second thought. I wasn't sure what to expect when I finally decided to try and install it on one of my older phones.

GrapheneOS has a full guide on how to install the software on a compatible phone, and at first glance looks a little intimidating. It has its own table of contents, and that's never something you want to see when you don't really know what you're doing. Fortunately, the whole process is actually pretty simple, and based on my experience it's quite difficult to screw up.

I'll admit that I did screw up a couple of times because I wasn't reading the instructions carefully, and the worst thing that happened was that I had to wait for my phone to restart — at which point I ended up exactly where I left off.

All the actual hard work is done by GrapheneOS's Web Installer, which makes the process more or less idiotproof. Best of all, you don't even need to root your phone.

Reverting back is proving to be a little trickier for me, simply because I couldn't get GrapheneOS's web installer to recognize that my phone is available and needs its bootloader unlocked. That's going to require some troubleshooting on my end.

What is GrapheneOS actually like?

The first thing I noticed about GrapheneOS is just how sparse the software selection actually is from a design point of view. This is a version of Android software that is effectively free of all Google influence, and that means the number of pre-installed apps is at its bare minimum.

After years of using smartphones running Android and iOS, this is actually quite refreshing. It's like finding yourself in a quiet, minimally-furnished room after walking off a crowded city street. The lower emphasis on Google products also makes the setup process a lot smoother, since you don't have to link to Google accounts or deal with setting up features like Gemini.

It's a similar story with the built-in App Store. Since there are no Google apps pre-installed, this is the place that lets you install certain Android features like Android Auto, the Thermometer app (if you have a compatible Pixel) and other app stores — including Google Play. There are only 14 apps available, and anything else you need has to be acquired from a different source.

The distinct lack of color when GrapheneOS loads up for the first time is rather jarring, if I'm being totally honest. But that's a non-issue that quickly solves itself once you actually start using the phone.

If you're familiar with stock Android or Google's Pixel Launcher skin, then GrapheneOS isn't going to be that much of a surprise. The developers haven't taken many, if any, liberties with the general feel of the software. This means navigating and accessing the various settings menus is pretty simple, and doesn't require having to relearn where everything is. You can't say that for other smartphone brands.

It's not exactly the same under the hood, though, and there are some extra optional features that are designed for security and privacy reasons. This includes the duress password, PIN scrambling, and a bunch more things I don't have room to list here. There's a lot to come to grips with, and so far I haven't actually made a huge dent.

Sadly, there is one catch I've found so far, and that's the fact my phone always warns me that I'm loading up a different operating system. It doesn't require you to confirm you want this to happen, but it is a little annoying that you don't seem to be able to switch this off.

The Google Play conundrum

You may wonder what the point of having GrapheneOS is if you're just going to install Google Play? The sad thing about Android is that some apps won't work without Google Play Services installed, which means sideloading or using a third-party app store won't work.

Banking apps are the one that caught me off guard, and it meant that I would either have to rely on browser-based banking (which is not ideal) or bite the bullet and install Google Play.

Thankfully, GrapheneOS does have a compromise, and sandboxes Google Play Services so that it doesn't have the same level of privileged access you'll see with a typical Android OS. This effectively means you can still enjoy access to apps that are only compatible with Google Play, but without handing over unfiltered access to the software.

As this thread on Reddit put it, the idea behind Graphene isn't to deGoogle. The software comes with a Chromium-based browser after all, albeit with more security-focused features than the stock Chrome app. You can deGoogle if you like, but that's not something that is forced upon you.

Sideloading is possible, since Graphene is an Android-based operating system, but it's up to you to decide which app-installation option is the right one for you.

Bottom line

The switch over to GrapheneOS wasn't as drastic as I expected it would be. Not only was the installation an absolute cinch, the fact it looks and feels so close to stock Android means that there isn't much of a learning curve when it comes to getting started. All you really need to do is figure out where all the extra privacy and security features are.

The switch rom Google services is certainly very appealing. While I wouldn't go completely cold turkey (I need my banking apps), the fact that Google Play is available in a sandbox means that you don't appear to be missing out on much by ditching the Pixels' particular brand of Android. It's rather like having the most important parts of the Android ecosystem, but without compromising your own personal privacy in the process.

Switching back to the Pixel's Android OS has proved a little difficult, and I'm not entirely sure where the problem lies. So for now, I recommend that anyone hoping to try GrapheneOS for themselves either knows more than I do about installing Android software, or tests it out on an older device first to make sure they like it.

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Honor's new Robot Phone is finally official. After first teasing the device last year and then showing it off at MWC, the company has finally taken the wraps off its ambitious new smartphone at a launch event in China. The Honor Robot Phone goes on sale starting August 20, priced at RMB 9,999 (around $1,480). Sadly, there's no word on a global launch just yet.

The big highlight, of course, is the gimbal-mounted camera on the back. It promises much better stabilization and many of the features you'd expect from a dedicated handheld gimbal camera, while still giving you all the hardware and features of a flagship smartphone.

But does having a dedicated gimbal built into your phone actually make it better at shooting video than the iPhone 17 Pro Max? I put the two against each other to find out.

Honor has a hardware advantage the iPhone simply can't match

Right off the bat, the Honor Robot Phone has one pretty obvious advantage: it has an actual three-axis gimbal built into the back of the phone.

The 200MP f/1.6 camera sits on a motorized gimbal that can physically move around, and using it almost feels like having something like a DJI Osmo Pocket 4 built right into your phone.

The difference in stabilization isn't night and day. The iPhone 17 Pro Max already records incredibly stable video out of the box. Plus, you can also switch to Action mode if you need even more stabilization.

But put footage from the two phones side by side while walking, and you can definitely notice the difference. The Honor Robot Phone handles movement better, with the physical gimbal helping smooth out those little movements as you walk.

But stabilization is only part of the advantage. The bigger difference for me is subject tracking. The Honor Robot Phone lets you lock onto a person while recording, and the gimbal physically moves to keep that subject in the frame. Of course, there's only so far it can rotate before your subject moves completely out of view, but within that range, it keeps track of the subject pretty well in my testing.

And that's something you simply can't do on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. There's no option to lock onto a subject and have the camera follow them as they move.

I can already think of plenty of situations where this would be useful. If you're recording yourself during a gym session, for example, you could leave the Robot Phone in one place, lock the camera onto yourself, and let the gimbal follow you as you move around. The same applies when you're recording yourself outdoors or simply filming someone else without constantly having to reposition the phone.

But the iPhone still wins in a few important areas

The Honor Robot Phone works great in most camera-related scenarios, but there are still a few areas where the iPhone 17 Pro Max came out ahead during my testing, particularly in low light. The Robot Phone introduced noticeably more noise in darker conditions, while the iPhone handled the same conditions much better.

There's also a noticeable difference when shooting vertical video. Yes, the Robot Phone can record vertically, but the 200MP sensor itself remains horizontally oriented. The sensor physically doesn't rotate, which means the phone crops into the landscape image to create a vertical frame.

As a result, you're getting roughly 2.8K resolution rather than true 4K vertical footage. The iPhone 17 Pro Max doesn't have that limitation and can shoot vertical video at up to 4K 120fps.

For someone who shoots a lot of short-form content, that's not a small compromise. And probably the biggest reason I wouldn't say Honor has outright beaten the iPhone for video just yet.

But apart from somehow fitting an entire gimbal camera into a smartphone, what impressed me most about the Robot Phone is that Honor hasn't sacrificed the rest of the flagship experience to make room for it.

You still get a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with 2.7x optical zoom and a 50MP ultrawide alongside the gimbal-mounted main camera. Honor has also somehow squeezed in a massive 7,060mAh battery, despite the phone being smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max in terms of overall dimensions. And you also get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 under the hood, which means the performance shouldn't be an issue either.

I still can't say whether the Honor Robot Phone is a better overall video-recording device than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. That's something that will require a lot more testing. But when it comes to things like stabilization and subject tracking, the Robot Phone can do things the iPhone physically can't.

Overall, at $1,480, the Robot Phone seems like a seriously impressive package. It's just a shame you won't officially be able to buy one in the U.S.

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If there’s one thing I’ve learned in testing phones for over 20 years, it’s that there’s a difference between reviewing a device and living with it. And now that I’ve spent three weeks with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, I can say that my opinion has changed and that I was right about some things — and wrong about some others.

The cameras are good enough!

First, let’s talk about the cameras. I stand by what I initially wrote about it being a bummer that the Fold 8 doesn’t have a telephoto zoom. For $1,900 you deserve one. But I have since tested the Fold 8 vs the 3x optical zoom on the Fold 8 Ultra in a series of tests and I didn’t notice a huge difference until I got to 10x.

My point here is that you can more than get by with the Fold 8’s dual rear shooters. And I especially appreciate the improved low-light performance versus the Fold 7. The Nightography is just better.

If you really care about zoom performance, you’re better off getting the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and its 5x optical zoom, or going with a different foldable altogether with the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which also packs a 5x telephoto.

No Flex View is not a dealbreaker

The ability to use your foldable phone as a mini laptop certainly comes in handy, but the Fold 8 ditches this feature because of the way the hinge is designed. So, for example, you can’t play videos with the content up top and controls down below. Or take a Google Meet call without having to hold the phone.

It’s a bummer, but at least there’s a hands-free alternative for watching videos. You can just use the outer display on the Fold 8 and put it in tent mode. It’s a nifty way for me to catch up on that day’s First Take episode while I’m on lunch break at work or doing the dishes.

TikTok Is dangerously addictive. YouTube Shorts needs a fix

I admit that I scroll on TikTok way too much, but my addiction has gotten worse on the Fold 8. That’s because the front display is perfect for snacking content while I’m waiting for my bus ride home.

Open up to the main 7.6-inch display, and TikTok is even better if you love to read comments. They pop in from the right side in a dual-pane format. Even better, as you scroll through TikTok’s with the comments upon, they’ll automatically refresh for each video.

Too bad YouTube Shorts isn’t similarly optimized. You have to X out of the comments before you scroll to the next video, which is dumb. This also speaks to my issue with apps in general on the Galaxy Fold — too many aren’t optimized for the wider display. It’s something Samsung is going to have to fix, because you know Apple will be working with developers to make sure apps look amazing on the iPhone Fold/Ultra.

The shape is just right (but not in my pocket)

Initially I thought the Galaxy Z Fold 8 might be awkwardly wide when closed, especially when trying to use the phone quickly with one hand to scroll through notifications. But overall I haven’t had any issues, and I find myself responding to Slack messages on the cover display all the time.

When I’m on the go, however, I’ve found that the wide design of the Fold 8 is actually not as comfy in my front pocket as the Fold 8 Ultra. The former’s wider body is a bit more awkward when I’m walking. So I often put the Fold 8 in my back pocket instead.

It’s my new favorite e-reader

I’ve been trying to get back into reading more, starting with Joanna Stern’s “I Am Not a Robot,” which is about her journey of using nothing but AI tools for a year. And the Fold 8 is the perfect e-reader stand-in for two reasons.

One, when you flip around the main display you get a 3:4 aspect ratio that’s very Kindle-like. And, two, the anti-reflective coating makes reading outside a lot easier than I thought. There’s a lot less glare than previous foldables.

Plus, as I get ready for “Avengers: Doomsday,” I asked Gemini which Marvel comics I should be ready to get up to speed on Dr. Doom’s origin and powers. So I subscribed to Marvel Ultimate and I find the Fold 8 is a pretty sweet format for diving in.

How good is the battery life?

Now that I’ve been using the Fold 8 as a daily driver, I’ve discovered that it has pretty good staying power. On most days starting at 7 am with moderate usage — which includes streaming Spotify on the go, checking Slack and email, and watching videos to and from on my commute — I’m down to about 45 to 50% by the time I get home around 7 pm.

That’s pretty solid for one of Samsung’s first silicon carbon batteries.

Bottom line

The best thing I can say about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is that it’s really growing on me. My initial skepticism around why the world needs a wide foldable phone has now all but been erased. And despite how Samsung is marketing this device as an ultimate content consumption phone I think it’s a great device for productivity.

You can still run up to three apps at once like on the Fold 8 Ultra. You just don’t get the same height for fitting more content on screen, though flipping around to 3:4 mode helps for the main display. I think this could very well be the foldable to beat, and the upcoming iPhone Ultra has a high bar to clear.

I've been using Pixel phones for the past five years now, starting with the Pixel 6 Pro. Over the years I have learned to live with the various disappointments that come with Pixel hardware, for the simple fact that Pixel software is the only mainstream mobile OS that I actually like using. But it's getting to the stage where Google's decisions are becoming indefensible.

Google just had its annual "Made by Google" event, and with it came the official launch of the Pixel 11 series of phones — plus a new Pixel 5 watch and a Pixel Tag Bluetooth tracker. I haven't spent a lot of time with the new Pixels yet, but my overall impression based on what Google has revealed is that it's an incredibly lazy upgrade.

It's not as lazy as the Pixel 10a, which was easily one of the worst "upgrades" I've seen a phone company try and hawk throughout my career. But it isn't far off, and it's enough to make you wonder why Google is still bothering to make phones.

The Pixel 11 problem

If you look at the Pixel 11 series and compare it to what's come before, you'll notice that there isn't a whole lot of difference between them all. I'm not just talking about the design, which has only had minor tweaks to the camera bar and, in the case of the Pro models, a new scratch-resistant coating on the display.

The hardware is more or less the same on paper, and the upgrades that we do get feel like the absolute bare minimum of what Google could actually offer. There's the usual incremental stuff, like the Tensor G6, and the brighter Super Actua Displays, alongside small quality of life upgrades like 256GB of base storage and faster 25W wireless charging speeds.

Those last two were also found on the Pixel 10 Pro XL last year, which means that the largest Pixel 11 model really got the short end of the stick when it comes to new stuff.

Pixel 11: Where are the big camera upgrades?

I have very mixed feelings about the camera, because at first glance it seems as though things are identical to the Pixel 10 Pro. That's not entirely true, but considering the Pixel 10 Pro's cameras were the same as the Pixel 9 Pro's, and produced photos that were indistinguishable, the lack of new hardware is still rather disappointing.

The Pros' main lens is the same, though the official specs show that the ultrawide and telephoto lenses both have larger sensors. This means both lenses will capture extra light, which improves low-light performance and captures much cleaner images in a variety of conditions.

The Pixel 11 also promises to have a larger sensor on the main lens, though the rest of the cameras don't seem to have changed.

To make matters worse, the cheapest Pro models, which have 256GB of storage, have actually had a RAM downgrade. Considering RAM is essential for on-device AI, the loss of 4GB is just another proverbial kick in the head.

I don't imagine that the Pixel 11 will be a bad phone, but there's nothing really exciting about these devices. In fact, the upgrades we do have here feel as though Google is phoning it in because they have to release something.

Obviously, things might change once we can test the Pixel 11 and find out whether it's had a magical boost to performance or battery life. But until then it feels as though everything has been put together with cool disinterest, if not active laziness.

It feels like Google is getting lazy

There's far more to a new phone than having a bunch of flashy hardware, and you can't have incredible game-changing upgrades every single year. But it still feels as though the Pixel 11 series lacks the thing that would actually make the phone appealing to people. Because the Pixel 11 Pro's HiLight feature sure as heck doesn't make me want to drop over a grand on a new device.

The Pixel 11 isn't nearly as lazy as the Pixel 10a, which was left with the same Tensor G4 chipset as the Pixel 9a. Back in February, I claimed that there was no good reason to buy a Pixel 10a, at least not while the Pixel 9a was still on sale, and I stand by that assessment.

I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that the Pixel 11 is a pointless upgrade. It's certainly uninspiring and lacking in any exciting qualities. Even the new AI features, which Google has spent a great deal of time and money pushing with each successive Pixel launch, are rather disappointing this year. Not in terms of what they can do, but because there are so few of them this year.

Rambler sounds great, especially since Apple's own AI-powered dictation model is coming as part of iOS 27, and real-time speech-to-speech translation will never not be useful. Gemini Omni is not something I personally care about, but if it improves the quality of Gemini's generative capabilities and makes them easier to use then I can certainly see the importance of it. Similarly, 120x Super Pro-Res Zoom is a nice upgrade to the existing 100x zooming capabilities

But that's all there is, and like the hardware side of things it feels like Google just does not care about what the Pixel 11 series has to offer on the software side. The same is true for Android 17, come to think of it, and off the top of my head I can't recall anything particularly noteworthy in the update. I certainly didn't notice any change when my phone auto-updated during the middle of the night.

Figuring out a way to make people care about your next wave of devices, and the software running on it, is the end goal. But first Google needs to get off its behind and actually put the effort in.

Bottom line

The question I keep asking myself is this: Why should anyone go out and buy one of these phones? And honestly, I'm really struggling to come up with a solid answer. People that are still rocking older Pixels, such as a Pixel 6 or Pixel 7, would probably gain a lot here — especially if battery life is anything like the Pixel 10 series.

Pixel 8 would be borderline, but Pixel 9 and above? These phones haven't actually changed that much over the past two generations to warrant upgrading. Your best argument would be for non-users, since the standard Pixel 9 only offers two cameras, but even then you have to ask whether the money you're spending is worth it.

Last year I admitted that swapping a Pixel 9 Pro for a Pixel 10 Pro was a mistake, and the new phone didn't offer enough to make the switch worthwhile. The Pixel 11 Pro takes that to a whole new level, and I know for a fact that my Pixel 10 Pro is more than good enough to last me until the launch of the Pixel 12 Pro next year — and likely beyond that.

If Pixel phones are supposed to be the idealized version of what an Android phone can be, then Google seems to be doing a pretty shoddy job of it. And it could fix that problem by actually making a phone that elicits a response beyond "huh, ok then."

More from Tom's Guide

• Google bamboozled me into paying for Google Photos a decade ago — and now it’s doing something similar with the Pixel 11 Pro
• I held the Pixel Tag and it does one critical thing that the AirTag doesn’t — here’s what it is
• I tried the Pixel 11 Pro Fold and it's more 'Ultra' than Samsung's foldable (for $200 less)

There are two types of rumors in the run-up to device launches like the new Pixel 11 series. One kind of rumor includes annual claims that some feature will finally make its debut, like the constant claim that Apple will drop the current Face ID for under-display tech.

The other type is more specific to the device and tends to be correct, more often than not. However, sometimes they're wrong.

It was rumored that the new Tensor G6 silicon in the new Pixel 11 series would be made using TSMC's 2nm process, the first smartphone that would feature the more efficient CPU platform. This would have beat Apple to the punch, which typically gets the latest chip upgrades.

But it turns out that isn't true.

In an interview with the Chinese publication CNA, Peng Yu-chun, a VP of Hardware at Google, revealed that the G6 was built using TSMC's 3nm process.

That means that either the iPhone 18 Pro series will likely be the first smartphone to feature a 2nm chip.

What does Tensor G6 offer?

Despite not featuring the 2nm platform, Google claims the G6 has several upgrades.

That includes "25% faster web browsing, 15% quicker app launches" and 50% more TPU compute. It does feature an upgraded Titan M3 security chip, which was previously rumored and should make the phone more secure.

The chip also enables an upgrade Image Signal Processor to support the new Night Sight and a claimed upgraded digital zoom.

A worrying weakness

There was some excitement about a 2nm process because it would have been able to feature more nodes and deliver efficiency and power upgrades.

Pixels have long lagged behind Apple and Samsung's flagship phones. Unfortunately, that may continue. Just before yesterday's Made by Google event, a new Geekbench listing popped up that revealed a weak CPU. That listing showed a multicore score of 5,196 and a single-core score of 2,112. It's 50% slower than the S26 Ultra.

At Tom's Guide, we run our own tests; we'll see if the listing is an outlier or not. But at first blush, things aren't looking good.

More from Tom's Guide

• The Pixel 11 is available to pre-order, but you probably shouldn't right now — here's why
• After 10 years of Pixels, why is Google still making phones?
• I checked out the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL — here’s the one I recommend