Latest news with #Honor
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Honor, Samsung And Google Will Disrupt Smartphones For Ever
Honor Magic V3 Three key foldable smartphones are set to be launched over the next few weeks. In their own way, each will have an impact on defining the foldables market as we enter the second half of 2025. Each will also seek to establish their brand with evolution and revolution. The Honor Magic V5 Following last week's preview ahead of its launch, the Honor Magic V5 is going all in on technological Innovation and design. Promoted as one of the thinnest foldable smartphones when it goes on sale, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman confirmed that the fourth mainline foldable from the company would come with a main body just 8.8mm thin. That compares to 9.2mm for last year's Honor Magic V4, 12.1mm for the Galaxy Z Fold6, and 10.5mm for Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Whether the 2025 versions of these foldables match or exceed Honor's claim remains to be seen, but from the currently available information, that doesn't seem to be the case. The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Google's Pixel family of smartphones arguably represent the reference design of Mountain View's Android vision. Yet, the last few years have seen the Pixel push into its own space with exclusive applications and experiences available only through Pixel. The reference design has given way to a testbed of software. Pixel 9 Pro Fold That places the Pixel 10 Pro Fold at the forefront of artificial intelligence. Google's push to bring Gemini to the fore in the digital battleground against tools from Open AI, Anthropic and Perpexity. While Google's take on generative artificial intelligence spans the full Pixel range and not just the foldables, the ability to tailor the user environment with AI-powered information and updates will be a key part of the overall feel of the Pixel Fold. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will fulfil its role as a reference design in one respect. Last year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold worked hard to match the dimensions and utility of the candy bar Pixel 9 Pro. By offering a 'regular' phone on the outside, the idea of using the Pixel Fold as a regular smartphone when closed (as opposed to cramped cover screens and awkwardly shaped displays) influenced the market towards a seamless experience. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 The final foldable in the big three is Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold7. The South Korean company has done more than most to commercialize the market for foldable devices, especially outside the Chinese market. IDC reported a market share of 51.2 percent following the release of 2024's Galaxy Z Fold 6, and will be expecting a similar dominance once more when it launches the Z Fold7. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Samsung can also command the press like no other manufacturer in the Android space. By turning over its summer Galaxy Unpacked to focus entirely on foldables, to the exclusion of different models, Samsung announces both the Galaxy Z Fold7 (and the smaller Z Flip7) all the limelight. It's a clear message to consumers—these phones are worthy of flagship status with no compromise or crutch. They are, effectively, ready for prime time. Foldables Coming Of Age Arguably, foldables started out as a flex. They felt like phones that had been manufactured not to sell, but to show off. Much like luxury sportscar racing, where winning on Sunday meant increased sales of the regular cars on Monday, the gee-whizz of the foldable helped sell the more staid and standard smartphones after they turned heads. That approach is still there, but as foldables grow in stature (and R&D departments work to get the price down), they are being more consumer-focused. Over the next few weeks, we'll hear more about The Designer, The Dreamer, and The Popular. Which is the one for you? Now read the latest smartphone headlines in Forbes' weekly Android news digest...
IOL News
8 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Samsung is poised to unveil latest folding smartphones on July 9
A Samsung Electronics Co. Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone displayed at a Samsung store in Seoul on Oct. 4. Image: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg Samsung Electronics announced plans to hold its latest launch event on July 9, when the company is expected to introduce new foldable smartphones and other Galaxy devices. The Unpacked summer showcase will kick off in Brooklyn, New York, at 10 am local time, Samsung said, promising to deliver 'the next evolution' of Galaxy phones and artificial intelligence features. The new products should include the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 handsets, solidifying Samsung's position in the folding category. The Flip device is expected to feature a larger outer display, similar to the Razr Ultra from Lenovo Group's Motorola division. Folding devices have become a hotly competitive area for smartphone makers in recent years, even if most consumers have yet to embrace them. The devices are pricier than standard handsets and remain niche items, but manufacturers are betting that more refined designs can entice shoppers. Apple - Samsung's biggest smartphone rival - doesn't sell a folding model, though it's preparing to introduce one as soon as next year, Bloomberg News has reported. The Fold 7 will resemble a tablet when it's unfolded, like past models, and should feature a thinner design and slimmer bezels, according to a teaser that Samsung posted this month. The upgrade signals that the company is looking to keep pace with Chinese phone brands like Huawei Technologies, Honor and Oppo. Honor told Bloomberg in a recent interview that its upcoming Magic V5 foldable will measure just 8.8 millimeters thick when closed. Alphabet Inc.'s Google is Samsung's main competitor for this type of folding phone in the US and is similarly expected to unveil its Pixel 10 Pro Fold later this summer. Samsung is also expected to announce its latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 8, during the July Unpacked event. And the South Korean consumer electronics giant is likely to highlight its Galaxy AI suite of software features. Samsung is nearing a wide-ranging deal with Perplexity AI Inc. to preload that company's app and assistant on upcoming devices, Bloomberg reported last month. BLOOMBERG
Forbes
19 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Android Circuit: Honor Confirms Record-Breaking Magic, Fairphone 6's Twin Launches, Galaxy Z Fold7 Pricing
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines across the Android world, including Samsung confirms Galaxy Unpacked launch event, Z Fold7 and Z Flip prices, Galaxy's pre-release offer, Pixel 10 specs, Google makes trade-ins more attractive, Fairphone 6 launch, Honor confirms record-breaking Magic V5, and Chrome changes down below. Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes. Samsung Confirms Next Galaxy Unpacked Event Samsung has confirmed the launch of its next handsets, widely expected to be the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7. It's an early launch in the summer season, which will allow Samsung to set the 2025 story around foldables: "On July 9, Samsung Electronics will host Unpacked in Brooklyn, New York – a borough with an extraordinary spirit and a distinctive history. Brooklyn is where visionary thinking and bold ideas shape the future, so it's only fitting that Samsung unveils the latest and greatest additions to the Galaxy portfolio in a place known for its culture, creativity, and collaboration. The event will be streamed live on Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung's YouTube channel beginning at 10 a.m. ET, 3 p.m. BST, and 4 p.m. CET." (Samsung Newsroom) Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 Prices Leak Samsung is being cagey around the pricing of the two new foldables, but reports from retailers with advance notice suggest that consumers are going to appreciate a move to stay stable on the Fold, and cut the price for the Flip "The latest report says that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 should cost the same as the Z Fold 6 at launch, i.e., €1,999 for 256GB, €2,119 for 512GB, and €2,359 for 1TB. Even better, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will supposedly launch for a lower price than the Z Flip 6. The report states that the 256GB Galaxy Z Flip 7 in Europe will undercut its predecessor by €100 and hit the shelves for €1,099 instead of €1,199. Meanwhile, the 512GB Galaxy Z Flip 7 variant should cost €1,219 instead of €1,319." (WinFuture via Sammobile) Samsung's Pre-Release Galaxy Offer There's more value to be found for Samsung's existing customers who are looking to upgrade to the new phones. Reserve your spot for one of the new phones now, and if you go on to complete the purchase, you'll get credit for the Samsung store: "Under the slogan Ultra Unfolds, Samsung is promising $50 of Samsung Credit for anyone who fills out a reservation form with their name and email address. If you then go on to buy one of the devices that's launched, you'll get a $50 credit to the Samsung store following your preorder and purchase." (Forbes). Pixel 10 Specs Gogole's Pixel 10 family will follow Samsung's foldables, likely near the end of August. Details on all four handsets are coming out, especially the Pixel 10. New specs suggest a brighter screen and a larger battery, albeit with a slightly weaker camera that resembles the Pixel 9a rather than the Pixel 9. The most significant change remains inside with the new Tensor Mobile chipset… although the specs backing it up are staying steady: "Internally, these specs won't surprise you, but we're looking at the Tensor G5, which will be manufactured on TSMC's 3nm process. It will also be paired with 12GB of RAM – the same amount of RAM as the $1,299 Galaxy S25 Ultra – and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Unfortunately, Google is not upping the storage on the base model this year, nor offering a higher storage tier." (Android Headlines). Google's Pixel Trade-In Prices Rise Google even has a promotion to engage the trade-in market, with its online store offering discounts supported by traded-in handsets that will provide up to £1045 off the list price. That's one of the best Google deals for many years: "I have covered almost every Google deal in the last two years and I haven't seen the company raise its trade-in prices by this much before. Perhaps it heard the grumbles about how poorly it has historically valued your old phone, or it saw Samsung's similarly high price trade-in deal. Whatever the reason, this is good news for customers." (Forbes). Fairphone 6 Launch Fairphone has launched its latest repairable phone in the Fairphone 6. Notable for its modularity and ease of repair, the company is bringing that to the fore with the sixth mainline model. It comes with three different accessories that can replace the back plate (a finger loop, lanyard clips, or a card holder), and at launch it ships with either Google's flavour of Android, or the privacy-focused e/OS/. Yet the underlying philosophy of the company remains: "Fairphone 6 is as easy to repair as ever, with the company supplying spare parts and video tutorials on how to replace all of the key components. Fairphone 6 is E-waste neutral, assembled in factories with fair labor conditions and boasts an excellent repairability rating from the EU's new energy efficiency label. Fairphone is also offering a five-year warranty and eight years of software support." (GSM Arena). Honor Magic V5 Previewed Honor has not only confirmed its new foldable to launch in July, but has also announced that its quest to create the thinnest foldable possible has resulted in a phone that is as close as possible to a regular candybar phone when closed: "The new model will come in at 8.8 mm when closed, Honor tells Power On. That means it will very likely be the world's thinnest foldable phone when it debuts. The V2 came in at 9.9 mm, while the current V3 measures 9.2 mm. It is believed that the latest Honor phone will be thinner than Samsung Electronics Co.'s upcoming Z Fold 7, which will also be introduced in July. Apple, for its part, is poised to launch a foldable at the end of 2026." (Power On). And Finally... A literal and finally this week, as Google finally allows Android users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen: "Depending on the size of your hand and your device, one address bar position may feel more comfortable than the other. We designed this update to give you the flexibility to choose your preferred location — so you can browse with more ease. If you'd like to move your address bar, long-press on it and select the "Move address bar to bottom" option. Or just navigate to the Settings menu and select 'address bar' to choose your preferred spot." (Google Keyword Blog). Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week's Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you'd like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Galaxy Z Fold 7 competitor confirms camera boost right before the big launch
There is a new foldable coming from Honor and it is landing just days before Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7. This one is shaping up to be a serious contender and now we are getting a clearer look at what kind of camera system it is bringing to the table. Honor is teasing the upcoming Honor Magic V5, which will reclaim the title of world's thinnest foldable phone – a title, previously held by the Magic V3 and currently by the Oppo Find N5. But let's not focus on thinness this time around (even though, let's be real, thin is in and everyone's fighting hard for those last few millimeters). What is more exciting is that Honor has confirmed the Magic V5 will feature a 64 MP periscope telephoto camera, clearing up earlier rumors that wavered between a 50 MP or 64 MP sensor. This camera will include OIS and even support telephoto macro photography, which could make it one of the more versatile shooters among foldables. That means you can look forward to clearer and more stable zoomed-in photos. Plus, with telephoto macro support, you'll be able to take detailed close-up pictures that show all the little things – perfect for capturing fine details up close. Honor confirmed a 64 MP telephoto camera. | Image credit – Honor As for the rest of the camera setup, it is expected to include a 50 MP main camera and a 50 MP ultra-wide – so a solid triple combo. To compare, its biggest current rival, the vivo X Fold 5, which just launched in China, comes with a 50 MP main, 50 MP telephoto and 50 MP ultra-wide setup. Meanwhile, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7, launching July 9, is expected to offer a different flavor with a 200 MP main, 10 MP telephoto and 12 MP ultra-wide. Which one will deliver the best results? That is still up in the air, but once we get our hands on these phones, we'll be able to tell for sure. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera: All you need to know Camera talk aside, the Honor Magic V5 is launching July 2 and it is expected to pack a huge 6,100mAh battery – just 100mAh more than the vivo X Fold 5, but way ahead of the 4,400mAh reportedly coming with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 . So yeah, Honor definitely has the upper hand here in the battery department. Galaxy Z Fold 7 Battery and Charging: What to expect And, like I mentioned earlier, the Magic V5 will also be the thinnest of them all, coming in at 8.8mm when folded. Sure, the difference is barely a millimeter or two compared to the others, but it still shows how far the tech has come – a sign of how competition keeps pushing the bar higher. Under the hood, the Magic V5 is expected to run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, the same chip expected in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and a step up from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powering vivo's foldable. So overall, they are all playing in the same high-end space when it comes to performance, features and even design (at least on paper), which makes choosing between them that much harder. But let's be honest – in the US, the decision might already be made for you. As good as the Honor Magic V5 and vivo X Fold 5 might be in some areas, Samsung is still the only one making its foldables available stateside. So unless that changes, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will probably be the one most people end up with. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
GSM Arena
a day ago
- Entertainment
- GSM Arena
Official teaser by Honor puts an end to conflicting reports about the Magic V5's telephoto camera Comments
Honor Magic V5 stars in unboxing video, here's what's in the box and how much it weighs
