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

What is Lyca Mobile: Plans, coverage and what you need to know about this low-cost phone carrier
By Philip Michaels published
Lyca Mobile offers low-cost phone plans — particularly if you're willing to pay for a full year's of service in one go. Here's what you can expect to pay and how it compares to rival carriers.

Best Verizon phone deals for July 2025
By Philip Michaels last updated
These are the best Verizon phone deals available right now for both Android and Apple devices.

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

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

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

iPhone 17 Air rumors — everything we know so far
By Philip Michaels last updated
The slimmest iPhone ever could be arriving in 2025, but you may want to start saving now.

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

My daughter needed a laptop for school — this last-minute Prime Day deal helped me nab a MacBook Air on the cheap
By Philip Michaels published
It's never too late to find a good deal on a back-to-school laptop, as I discovered when I got a discounted MacBook Air for my daughter.

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

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

The OnePlus 13R is my favorite budget phone — and this Prime Day price makes it an even better value
By Philip Michaels published
A Prime Day deal brings the OnePlus 13R's price down to the level of last year's model. And you can get it even lower if you tie the phone to a carrier.

Amazon Prime Day phone deals — some of my favorite phones are on sale
By Philip Michaels last updated
Amazon Prime Day usually means lower prices on some of the top phones. Here are the best deals so far.

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

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

The best cheap cell phone plans 2025
By Philip Michaels last updated
Want to keep your monthly wireless bill under $40? We've found the best cheap cell phone plans from several different carriers that help you save.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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