Latest news with #phones
The Verge
6 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
Sundar Pichai thinks that phones will still matter for at least a few years.
Posted Jul 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM UTC Sundar Pichai thinks that phones will still matter for at least a few years. Even though AI-focused hardware products like glasses are 'an exciting new emerging category,' phones will still be in the 'center' of the consumer experience for 'the next two to three years, at least,' Pichai said during the Alphabet Q2 2025 earnings call today. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Jay Peters Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jay Peters Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Google Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Phone Arena
22-07-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Is Nokia really looking for a new partner after parting ways with HMD?
Perhaps one of the most iconic phone makers of all-time, Nokia, has stopped making phones for several years now. Although we've had Nokia-branded phones launched on the market even after Nokia decided to sell its mobile business, those were made by another company, HMD Global. However, Nokia and HMD Global will be parting ways next year, so the question remains whether or not we'll still see new Nokia phones released on the market after the collaboration between the two companies ends. To make things even worst for Nokia, HMD Global recently announced plans to scale back its operations in the United States. This means that Nokia phones weren't as successful as HMD hoped, so the Finnish company is now looking to cut its losses and remove itself from a very challenging market. - HMD Global, July 2025 Even though the collaboration between Nokia and HMD Global won't end until March 2026, the former is already looking for a new partner willing to continue releasing Nokia-branded phones. A Nokia Community Manager posted on the Nokia sub-reddit a reply to a user who asked whether or not the company will offer licensing deals for mobile phones after the collaboration with HMD ends next year. - Nokia Community Manager, July 2025 The comment has since been deleted from the thread, but not before the folks at Mobilissimo were able to screenshot it. While it's pretty clear that Nokia doesn't have another partner lined up to take over the mobile business from HMD Global, it remains to be seen how fast it will be able to find one. Nokia 8 Sirocco | Image credit: PhoneArena It's hard to believe that Nokia makes a lot of money from licensing its mobile brand. The Finnish company gains more revenue from its patent and network divisions, and this is happening for quite some time. It's also hard to believe that Nokia phones will become popular again, especially in an oversaturated market. Nothing, Oppo, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi have become much more popular than Nokia, so the company that decides to make Nokia-branded phones will have a tough time returning the iconic brand to its former glory.
Phone Arena
22-07-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon moves to change phone unlock rules — and Dish says not so fast
Verizon currently unlocks phones after 60 days, and this is a requirement. After this period, it's easy to switch to another carrier or use your phone's eSIM to add a secondary service from another provider. But Verizon is looking into potentially extending this unlock period, and it has petitioned the FCC to waive the requirement. Back in May, the carrier submitted its petition requesting the FCC to waive the 60-day unlocking requirements and let Verizon set its own policies similar to other carriers. Initially, the request was opened for comments, and a wide range of responses were sent. T-Mobile and AT&T didn't comment, but Dish was the one national carrier that officially submitted a comment to the FCC. The parent behind Boost Mobile reportedly said it wasn't against replacing the current Verizon policy, but according to the carrier, there should be one national unlock policy with no exceptions. On the other hand, seven state attorneys generals reportedly said that Verizon should have the power to control how long your phone, which you bought from the carrier, should be kept locked. Image Credit - PhoneArena Strangely enough, Dish currently has a one-year locking policy on most of its prepaid devices. So, theoretically, this 'nationwide policy' could impact it as well. And Verizon is yet to specify what unlocking policy it may set (it could technically be shorter than 60 days, but I somewhat doubt that). Verizon has that 60-day policy enforced because of an agreement with the FCC when Verizon acquired the 700MHz spectrum in 2007. The deal was also reaffirmed when Verizon acquired Tracfone in 2021. Probably Verizon currently sees the 60-day unlock policy as unfair in the current market. It's been struggling to keep customers recently, while other big players are starting to steal its thunder. Because of the customers it's losing, Verizon may want to lock its phones for longer than 60 days. How long, nobody knows just yet, but probably as long as it can get away with. This would create a real impact not only for Verizon customers, but on the unlocked device market as well. Prices for unlocked phones may go up, while the secondary device market may get flooded with locked phones, as Chris Price highlights in this Reddit post. The FCC is going to vote on the issue on July 24. I personally think that having a clear and fair unlocking policy is important for giving customers flexibility and freedom with the devices they've paid for. While I understand Verizon 's concerns about customer retention and potential fraud, extending the lock period could make things harder for people who travel, switch carriers, or just want more control over their phones. Hopefully, whatever decision the FCC makes strikes a good balance between protecting carriers and keeping things consumer-friendly. Switch to a 2-month Total 5G or 5G+ plan with Total Wireless and score this foldable deal. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Android Authority
18-07-2025
- Android Authority
5 reasons I won't spend more than $500 on my next phone
Joe Maring / Android Authority The phones we all like to talk about the most are incredibly expensive. The base Galaxy S25 starts at $800, while the Ultra launched at $1,300. The Pixel 9 goes for $800 as well, and you'll need at least $1,100 for the XL model. That's a lot of money. And don't even get me started on foldables. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold goes for $1,800, while the latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs even more at $2,000. I love technology, especially phones, but I'm not paying that much for my next device. Considering the specs and features I need, I don't need to spend more than $500, and I think that goes for most other people — here's why. How much do you spend when buying a new phone? 0 votes No more than $300 NaN % Around $500 NaN % As much as $800 NaN % Up to a $1,000 NaN % Over a $1,000 NaN % More than enough power Ryan Haines / Android Authority You don't need to spend a grand on a phone to get a lag-free experience. Most mid-range phones these days have more than enough power for the majority of users. The phone at the top of my list right now is the Pixel 9a. It comes in at $500 and packs the Tensor G4 under the hood, which is the same SoC you find in the rest of the Pixel 9 series — including the $1,800 Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Paired with 8GB of RAM, this phone will handle everything I need it to and more. It's a similar situation with some of the other phones in this price range. These include the Galaxy S24 FE, OnePlus 13R, Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and even some that currently aren't available in the US like the Xiaomi 14T and the Galaxy A56. Some of these launched at a little more than my budget but are frequently on sale and can be had for around $500 when shopping around. The cameras are still great Ryan Haines / Android Authority I'm not a huge photography enthusiast, but I still appreciate a camera that can capture great photos. The $500 Pixel 9a gets the job done in this area, offering two sensors on the back that perform great both in daylight and when there's limited light available. The setup comes with loads of Google AI features, including Magic Editor, which can get rid of unwanted people and objects from my shots. The Pixel 9a offers an intuitive camera interface and pack plenty of clever shooting modes. My colleague Ryan tested out the cameras of the Pixel 9a and was impressed. He said they process images brilliantly, offer a simple, intuitive camera interface, and pack plenty of clever shooting modes. I've played with the Pixel 9a myself, as well as lots of other mid-rangers under $500 from Samsung and various Chinese brands, and I was always impressed with the image quality when compared to the price tag. Sure, I might miss out on a few features I'd get with more premium phones and will perhaps have to make do with two instead of three rear cameras, but that's something I can live with if it means saving a lot of money. The software update promise is unchanged Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority The thing I care most about when buying a new phone is software support. The great news is that many $500 phones offer the same software pledge as phones costing as much as $2,000. The Pixel 9a, for example, is promised seven years of OS and security updates, the same as the rest of the Pixel 9 series. The story is similar with the Galaxy S24 FE, while the Galaxy A56 drops down to six years, which is still good enough since I'll upgrade my phone within that timeframe anyway. The only potential drawback with Samsung phones is that it can sometimes take a while for updates to arrive. When Samsung starts shipping out the latest version of Android, premium phones get them first before they make it to those around the $500 mark. The Pixel 9a is the better option in this case since it gets the latest version of Android on day one, alongside the rest of the supported Pixel phones. Plenty of premium features Ryan Haines / Android Authority Just because I won't spend more than $500 on a phone doesn't mean I won't get any of the premium features available on flagship phones. Some mid-rangers come with an IP rating and wireless charging. Sure, the build quality might be a little less premium, as phones in this price range usually have plastic backs instead of glass ones. However, a lot of them come with an IP rating that will protect the device against water and dust. This includes the Pixel 9a, which also supports wireless charging. Then there's the 120Hz display for a smoother viewing experience. Samsung's S24 FE also packs all these features, while the A56 drops wireless charging, which is something I can live with. Cheaper phones like the Nothing Phone 3a Pro make additional sacrifices, like dropping the water resistance from IP68 to IP64, meaning they can only handle splashes of water. Battery life is sometimes better Robert Triggs / Android Authority You'd think that a cheaper phone would have a worse battery life than an expensive one, but you'd be wrong. It's on par in most cases, and even better in some. Let's take my favorite budget phone, the Pixel 9a, as an example again. It sports a 6.3-inch display and a 5,100mAh battery. For reference, the more expensive Pixel 9 comes with the same display size and a smaller 4,700mAh battery. Then there's the premium Pixel 9 Pro XL, which has a larger screen at 6.8 inches yet still sports a smaller battery at 5,060mAh. And considering that this phone has more power under the hood, which takes its toll on the battery, the Pixel 9a comes out on top as the better option for battery life. Great battery life is a pillar of a great smartphone, and you don't need to spend over a grand for a phone to experience it. As you were probably able to tell, I'm eyeing the Pixel 9a as my next phone. It has everything I need for $500, and it really feels like I wouldn't be making that much of a sacrifice compared to getting a flagship that costs at least twice as much. Of course, your mileage may vary since we all have different wants and needs. Besides the Pixel 9a, I'd also be happy with the S24 FE if I could get it on sale for around $500. Samsung is currently selling it for $525, so it's technically just a tad over my price range. Then there's the A56, which is a fantastic phone as well, but it's not yet available in the US. I'm from the other side of the Atlantic, though, so I can easily pick one up. I think the average user will also be happy with phones from brands like Nothing, OnePlus, and Xiaomi that don't cost an arm and a leg. But for me, I'll stick to either Pixel or Galaxy due to the software experience and the update promise, along with the rest of the features I value. What about you? Which phone under $500 would you consider buying? Let me know in the comments.
News24
12-07-2025
- News24
Life beYondr cellphones: Eastern Cape schools create phone-free zones
St Andrew's College in the Eastern Cape is one of two schools that have asked pupils to lock their phones in Yondr pouches during school hours. Supplied/Source
