Following in the footsteps of Xiaomi and Vivo, Nubia has revealed a set of camera accessories for its upcoming Z80 Ultra. It includes two detachable lenses — a telephoto and a portrait — plus a multi-part case that recreates the whole aesthetic (and a few controls) from a proper camera. The Z80 Ultra launches in China on October 22nd.
Apple’s thinnest iPhone is finally launching in China next week, with preorders this Friday. The eSIM-only phone’s launch was delayed a month ago over regulatory issues to do with the electronic SIM cards, which aren’t widely available in the country.
Side note: this is how I found out Tim Cook has a Weibo account?
A Texas jury determined that Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, laptops, and other devices contain tech that infringes on Collision Communication’s patents related to 4G, 5G, and Wi-Fi, according to Reuters. Samsung claimed that the patents were invalid.
Vivo is teasing OriginOS 6, its latest take on Android, and I can’t help but notice that it’s looking very... wet. And glassy. Funny that. It arrives along with the X300 phones next week, and for the first time it’s rolling out globally, killing off Vivo’s cursed international offering, Funtouch OS.
The company shared this teaser video to Weibo ahead of the Find X9’s October 16th launch. Tellingly, it looks incredibly similar to the OnePlus 15, with only small differences in the camera island — not least the inclusion of a Hasselblad logo.
The new Pixel foldable is thicker than rivals, but don’t hold that against it.
Ten years ago, Google ’solved’ our photo backup problems with free unlimited space and some compression... until it didn’t anymore.
T-Mobile’s Google One benefit brought it back in 2022, but as 9to5Google notes, as of September 30th, that offer is gone and seems unlikely to return. We have some ideas if you need alternatives.
Backbone’s controllers are some of the best around for mobile gaming. Now, they’re in some fresh, new colors exclusively at Target. The $169.99 Pro is pretty in pink, while the $99.99 One comes clad in purple. Both work with USB-C phones, but only the Pro has a battery and Bluetooth support.
Android Headlines and OnLeaks shared renders of the S26 Ultra created from leaks and... this sure is a Galaxy Ultra. The only real change is a camera island for the main three lenses. It should launch in January alongside the S26 Pro and S26 Edge — no base model this time.
Two of the best Pixel features are hitting more countries. Google phone owners in Australia, Canada, and Ireland now get Call Screen, with a Hindi beta coming to India soon. They’re all getting Scam Detection too, as are UK users, who got Call Screen last year.
Even the storied director and noted luddite couldn’t escape the tyranny of parking apps. On the latest episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Herzog confesses that he finally bought a smartphone after finding himself trapped in a parking lot that would only accept payment via app. “But it’s always switched off,” he adds. Listen to the whole episode for Herzog’s take on infotainment systems, turn-by-turn navigation, and truth in the age of AI.
The company could lay off the Apple comparisons a bit though.
Remember the Humane AI pin? And that serious-as-a-heart-attack TED talk about the future of computing? Well, Qualcomm featured Chaudhri in its Snapdragon Summit keynote today, where he’s talking less about lasers you wear on your shirt and more about the amazing battery life on the OmniBook 5 series. How it started, how it’s going, etc. etc.
Vivo has confirmed that the 2.35x detachable lens it introduced with this year’s X200 Ultra is returning in the X300 and X300 Pro, which launch in October. I tested the original, which looks silly but took some exceptional shots — but how will the X300 Ultra outdo it next year?
8
Verge Score
This year’s iPhone is more useful, has more storage, and starts at the same price. What’s not to like?
But most people should buy the regular iPhone 17.
