smartphones

OnePlus 15 finally gets FCC clearance after government shutdown delay—preorders live

FCC, OnePlus, oneplus 15, smartphones, Tech / Paul Patrick / December 4, 2025

In the Ars review of the OnePlus 15, we were floored by the phone’s incredible battery life and super-fast charging. The device’s other performance characteristics are similarly speedy, as is the OnePlus way. However, the phone is also less interesting visually compared to its predecessor, and the camera is a step down compared to the OnePlus 13, which launched not even a year ago.

OnePlus 15 side — There is somehow a 7,300 mAh battery in there. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

If you’re convinced, you can get in line now. Just don’t expect the phone to show up immediately. OnePlus estimates that the first units will arrive just days before the end of 2025. On the plus side, anyone who preorders now will get a free gift. You can currently choose between the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, an AIRVOOC 50 W wireless charger (fully supported on the OnePlus 15), or one of several phone cases.

While OnePlus does make great phone cases, the earbuds are the highest value option at $180 MSRP. That’s not bad for a preorder bonus! However, OnePlus notes the freebies are only available while supplies last. You can wait for the phone to appear at other retailers, and it will eventually go on sale, but you won’t get the free earbuds.

OnePlus 15 finally gets FCC clearance after government shutdown delay—preorders live Read More »

Google announces second Android 16 release of 2025 is heading to Pixels

AI, android, android 16, Google, Google Pixel, smartphones, Tech / Mike M. / December 2, 2025

Material 3 Expressive came to Pixels earlier this year but not as part of the first Android 16 upgrade—Google’s relationship with Android versions is complicated these days. Regardless, Material 3 will get a bit more cohesive on Pixels following this update. Google will now apply Material theming to all icons on your device automatically, replacing legacy colored icons with theme-friendly versions. Similarly, dark mode will be supported across more apps, even if the devs haven’t added support. Google is also adding a few more icon shape options if you want to jazz up your home screen.

By way of functional changes, Google has added a more intuitive way of managing parental controls—you can just use the managed device directly. Parents will be able to set a PIN code for accessing features like screen time, app usage, and so on without grabbing a different device. If you want more options or control, the new on-device settings will also help you configure Google Family Link.

Android for all

No Pixel? No problem. Google has also bundled up a collection of app and system updates that will begin rolling out today for all supported Android devices.

Chrome for Android is getting an update with tab pinning, mirroring a feature that has been in the desktop version since time immemorial. The Google Messages app is also taking care of some low-hanging fruit. When you’re invited to a group chat by a new number, the app will display group information and a one-tap option to leave and report the chat as spam.

Google’s official dialer app comes on Pixels, but it’s also in the Play Store for anyone to download. If you and your contacts use Google Dialer, you’ll soon be able to place calls with a “reason.” You can flag a call as “Urgent” to indicate to the recipient that they shouldn’t send you to voicemail. The urgent label will also remain in the call history if they miss the call.

Google announces second Android 16 release of 2025 is heading to Pixels Read More »

Samsung reveals Galaxy Z TriFold with 10-inch foldable screen, astronomical price

Foldables, samsung, smartphones, Tech / Paul Patrick / December 2, 2025

Samsung has a new foldable smartphone, and it’s not just another Z Flip or Z Fold. The Galaxy Z TriFold has three articulating sections that house a massive 10-inch tablet-style screen, along with a traditional smartphone screen on the outside. The lavish new smartphone is launching this month in South Korea with a hefty price tag, and it will eventually make its way to the US in early 2026.

Samsung says it refined its Armor FlexHinge design for the TriFold. The device’s two hinges are slightly different sizes because the phone’s three panels have distinct shapes. The center panel is the thickest at 4.2 mm, and the other two are fractions of a millimeter thinner. The phone has apparently been designed to account for the varying sizes and weights, allowing the frame to fold up tight in a pocketable form factor.

Huawei’s impressive Mate XT tri-fold phones have been making the rounds online, but they’re not available in Western markets. Samsung’s new foldable looks similar at a glance, but the way the three panels fit together is different. The Mate XT folds in a Z-shaped configuration, using part of the main screen as the cover display. On Samsung’s phone, the left and right segments fold inward behind the separate cover screen. Samsung claims it has tested the design extensively to verify that the hinges will hold up to daily use for years.

Precision Engineering in Every Fold | Galaxy Z TriFold

While this does push the definition of “pocketable” for some people, the Galaxy Z TriFold is a tablet that technically fits in your pocket. When folded, it measures 12.9 mm thick, which is much more unwieldy than the Galaxy Z Fold 7‘s 8.9 mm profile. However, the TriFold is only a little thicker than Samsung’s older tablet-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The 1080p cover screen measures 6.5 inches, which is also quite similar to the Z Fold 7. It is very, very heavy for a phone, though, tipping the scales at 309 g.

Samsung reveals Galaxy Z TriFold with 10-inch foldable screen, astronomical price Read More »

Commercial spyware “Landfall” ran rampant on Samsung phones for almost a year

android, malware, samsung, Security, smartphones, spyware, Tech / Tim Belzer / November 7, 2025

Before the April 2025 patch, Samsung phones had a vulnerability in their image processing library. This is a zero-click attack because the user doesn’t need to launch anything. When the system processes the malicious image for display, it extracts shared object library files from the ZIP to run the Landfall spyware. The payload also modifies the device’s SELinux policy to give Landfall expanded permissions and access to data.

Landfall flowchart — How Landfall exploits Samsung phones. Credit: Unit 42

The infected files appear to have been delivered to targets via messaging apps like WhatsApp. Unit 42 notes that Landfall’s code references several specific Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Flip 4, and Galaxy Z Fold 4. Once active, Landfall reaches out to a remote server with basic device information. The operators can then extract a wealth of data, like user and hardware IDs, installed apps, contacts, any files stored on the device, and browsing history. It can also activate the camera and microphone to spy on the user.

Removing the spyware is no easy feat, either. Because of its ability to manipulate SELinux policies, it can burrow deeply into the system software. It also includes several tools that help evade detection. Based on the VirusTotal submissions, Unit 42 believes Landfall was active in 2024 and early 2025 in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Morocco. The vulnerability may have been present in Samsung’s software from Android 13 through Android 15, the company suggests.

Unit 42 says that several naming schemes and server responses share similarities with industrial spyware developed by big cyber-intelligence firms like NSO Group and Variston. However, they cannot directly tie Landfall to any particular group. While this attack was highly targeted, the details are now in the open, and other threat actors could now employ similar methods to access unpatched devices. Anyone with a supported Samsung phone should make certain they are on the April 2025 patch or later.

Commercial spyware “Landfall” ran rampant on Samsung phones for almost a year Read More »

Leaker reveals which Pixels are vulnerable to Cellebrite phone hacking

Cellebrite, Google, Security, smartphones, Tech / Kris Guyer / October 30, 2025

Cellebrite leak — This blurry screenshot appears to list which Pixel phones Cellebrite devices can hack. Credit: rogueFed

At least according to Cellebrite, GrapheneOS is more secure than what Google offers out of the box. The company is telling law enforcement in these briefings that its technology can extract data from Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9 phones in unlocked, AFU, and BFU states on stock software. However, it cannot brute-force passcodes to enable full control of a device. The leaker also notes law enforcement is still unable to copy an eSIM from Pixel devices. Notably, the Pixel 10 series is moving away from physical SIM cards.

For those same phones running GrapheneOS, police can expect to have a much harder time. The Cellebrite table says that Pixels with GrapheneOS are only accessible when running software from before late 2022—both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 were launched after that. Phones in both BFU and AFU states are safe from Cellebrite on updated builds, and as of late 2024, even a fully unlocked GrapheneOS device is immune from having its data copied. An unlocked phone can be inspected in plenty of other ways, but data extraction in this case is limited to what the user can access.

The original leaker claims to have dialed into two calls so far without detection. However, rogueFed also called out the meeting organizer by name (the second screenshot, which we are not reposting). Odds are that Cellebrite will be screening meeting attendees more carefully now.

We’ve reached out to Google to inquire about why a custom ROM created by volunteers is more resistant to industrial phone hacking than the official Pixel OS. We’ll update this article if Google has anything to say.

Leaker reveals which Pixels are vulnerable to Cellebrite phone hacking Read More »

Google reportedly searching for 15 Pixel “Superfans” to test unreleased phones

Google, Google Pixel, smartphones, Tech / Mike M. / October 20, 2025

The Pixel Superfans program has offered freebies and special events in the past, but access to unreleased phones would be the biggest benefit yet. The document explains that those chosen for the program will have to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement and agree to keep the phones in a protective case that disguises its physical appearance at all times.

Pixel 10 series shadows — Left to right: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Pixels are among the most-leaked phones every year. In the past, devices have been photographed straight off the manufacturing line or “fallen off a truck” and ended up for sale months before release. However, it’s unlikely the 15 Superfan testers will lead to more leaks. Like most brands, Google’s pre-release sample phones have physical identifiers to help trace their origin if they end up in a leak or auction listing. The NDA will probably be sufficiently scary to keep the testers in line, as they won’t want to lose their Superfan privileges. Google has also started sharing details on its phones earlier—its Superfan testers may even be involved in these previews.

You can sign up to be a Superfan at any time, but it can take a few weeks to get access after applying. Google has not confirmed when its selection process will begin, but it would have to be soon if Google intends to gather feedback for the Pixel 11. Google’s next phone has probably been in the works for over a year, and it will have to lock down the features at least several months ahead of the expected August 2026 release window. The Pixel 10a is expected to launch even sooner, in spring 2026.

Google reportedly searching for 15 Pixel “Superfans” to test unreleased phones Read More »

OnePlus unveils OxygenOS 16 update with deep Gemini integration

AI, Artificial Intelligence, Gemini, Google, OnePlus, smartphones, Tech / Kris Guyer / October 16, 2025

The updated Android software expands what you can add to Mind Space and uses Gemini. For starters, you can add scrolling screenshots and voice memos up to 60 seconds in length. This provides more data for the AI to generate content. For example, if you take screenshots of hotel listings and airline flights, you can tell Gemini to use your Mind Space content to create a trip itinerary. This will be fully integrated with the phone and won’t require a separate subscription to Google’s AI tools.

Mind Space isn’t a totally new idea—it’s quite similar to AI features like Nothing’s Essential Space and Google’s Pixel Screenshots and Journal. The idea is that if you give an AI model enough data on your thoughts and plans, it can provide useful insights. That’s still hypothetical based on what we’ve seen from other smartphone OEMs, but that’s not stopping OnePlus from fully embracing AI in Android 16.

In addition to beefing up Mind Space, OxygenOS 16 will also add system-wide AI writing tools, which is another common AI add-on. Like the systems from Apple, Google, and Samsung, you will be able to use the OnePlus writing tools to adjust text, proofread, and generate summaries.

OnePlus will make OxygenOS 16 available starting October 17 as an open beta. You’ll need a OnePlus device from the past three years to run the software, both in the beta phase and when it’s finally released. As for that, OnePlus hasn’t offered a specific date. The initial OxygenOS 16 release will be with the OnePlus 15 devices, with releases for other supported phones and tablets coming later.

OnePlus unveils OxygenOS 16 update with deep Gemini integration Read More »

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review: The ultimate Google phone

android, Features, Foldables, Google, Reviews, smartphones, Tech / Rejus Almole / October 8, 2025

Google delivers another phone that is slightly better than its predecessor—is that enough?

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a sleek piece of hardware. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

When the first foldable phones came along, they seemed like a cool evolution of the traditional smartphone form factor and, if they got smaller and cheaper, like something people might actually want. After more than five years of foldable phones, we can probably give up on the latter. Google’s new Pixel 10 Pro Fold retains the $1,800 price tag of last year’s model, and while it’s improved in several key ways, spending almost two grand on any phone remains hard to justify.

For those whose phones are a primary computing device or who simply love gadgets, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is still appealing. It offers the same refined Android experience as the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup, with much more screen real estate on which to enjoy it. Google also improved the hinge for better durability, shaved off some bezel, and boosted both charging speed and battery capacity. However, the form factor hasn’t taken the same quantum leap as Samsung’s latest foldable.

An iterative (but good) design

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn’t reinvent the wheel—it looks and feels almost exactly like last year’s foldable, with a few minor tweaks centered around a new “gearless” hinge. Dropping the internal gears allegedly helps make the mechanism twice as durable. Google claims the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s hinge will last for more than 10 years of folding and unfolding.

Specs at a glance: Google Pixel 10 series
	Pixel 10 ($799)	Pixel 10 Pro ($999)	Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199)	Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799)
SoC	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5
Memory	12GB	16GB	16GB	16GB
Storage	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB	256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Display	6.3-inch 1080×2424 OLED, 60-120 Hz, 3,000 nits	6.3-inch 1280×2856 LTPO OLED, 1-120 Hz, 3,300 nits	6.8-inch 1344×2992 LTPO OLED, 1-120 Hz, 3,300 nits	External: 6.4-inch 1080×2364 OLED, 60-120 Hz, 3,000 nits; Internal: 8-inch 2076×2152 LTPO OLED, 1-120 Hz, 3,000 nits
Cameras	48 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 13 MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 1/3.1-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	48 MP wide, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, f/2.2, 1/3.4-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2 (outer and inner)
Software	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16
Battery	4,970 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	4,870 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,200 mAh, up to 45 W wired charging, 25 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,015 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6e, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2
Measurements	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 204 g	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 207 g	162.8 height×76.6 width×8.5 depth (mm), 232 g	Folded: 154.9 height×76.2 width×10.1 depth (mm); Unfolded: 154.9 height×149.8 width×5.1 depth (mm); 258 g
Colors	Indigo Frost Lemongrass Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade

While the new phone is technically a fraction of a millimeter thicker, it’s narrowed by a similar amount. You likely won’t notice this, nor will the 1g in additional mass register. You may, however, spot the slimmer bezels and hinge. And that means cases for the 2024 foldable are just a fraction of a millimeter from fitting on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It does fit better in your hand, though.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold side — The Pixel is on the thick side for 2025, but this was record-setting thinness last year.

Thanks to the gearless hinge, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold the first foldable with full IP68 certification for water and dust resistance. The hinge feels extremely smooth and sturdy, but it’s a bit stiffer than we’ve seen on most foldables. This might change over time, but it’s a little harder to open and close out of the box. Samsung’s Z Fold 7 is thinner and easier to fold, but the hinge doesn’t open to a full 180 degrees like the Pixel does.

The new foldable also retains the camera module design of last year’s phone—it’s off-center on the back panel, a break from Google’s camera bar on other Pixels. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold, therefore, doesn’t lie flat on tables and will rock back and forth like most other phones. However, it does have the Qi2 magnets like in the cheaper phones. There are various Maglock kickstands and mounting rings that will attach to the back of the phone if you want to prop it up on a surface.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Z Fold 7 — The Pixel 10 Pro Fold (left) and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right) both have 8-inch displays, but the Pixel is curvier. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The power and volume buttons are on the right edge in the same location as last year. The buttons are stable and tactile when pressed, and there’s a fingerprint sensor in the power button. It’s as fast and accurate as any capacitive sensor on a phone today. The aluminum frame and the buttons have the same matte finish, which differs from the glossy look of the other Pro Pixels. The more grippy matte texture is preferable for a phone you need to fold and unfold throughout the day.

Thanks to the modestly slimmer bezels, Google equipped the phone with a 6.4-inch external screen, slightly larger than the 6.3-inch panel on last year’s Fold. The 120 Hz OLED has a respectable 1080p resolution, and the brightness peaks around 3,000 nits, making it readable in bright outdoor light.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Pixel 9 Pro Fold — The Pixel 10 Pro Fold (left) has a more compact hinge and slimmer bezels compared to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (right).

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold has a big 8-inch flexible OLED inside, clocking in at 2076×2152 pixels and 120Hz. It gets similarly bright, but the plastic layer is more reflective than the Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the cover screen. While the foldable screen is legible, it’s not as pleasant to use outside as high-brightness glass screens.

Like all foldable screens, it’s possible to damage the internal OLED if you’re not careful. On the other hand, the flexible OLED is well-protected when the phone is closed—there’s no gap between the halves, and the magnets hold them together securely. There’s a crease visible in the middle of the screen, but it’s slightly improved from last year’s phone. You can see it well from some angles, but you get used to it.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold keyboard glamor — The Jade colorway looks great. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

While the flat Pixel 10 phones have dropped the physical SIM card slot, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold still has one. It has moved to the top this year, but it seems like only a matter of time before Google removes the slot in foldables, too. For the time being, you can move a physical SIM card to the Fold, transfer to eSIM, or use a combination of physical and electronic SIMs.

Google’s take on big Androids

Google’s version of Android is pretty refined these days. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold uses the same AI-heavy build of Android 16 as the flat Pixels. That means you can expect old favorites like Pixel Screenshots, Call Screen, and Magic Compose, along with new arrivals like Magic Cue and Pixel Journal. One thing you won’t see right now is the largely useless Daily Brief, which was pulled after its launch on the Pixel 10 so it could be improved.

Google’s expanded use of Material 3 Expressive theming is also a delight. The Pixel OS has a consistent, clean look you don’t often see on Android phones. Google bundles almost every app it makes on this phone, but you won’t see any sponsored apps, junk games, or other third-party software cluttering up the experience. In short, if you like the vibe of the Pixel OS on other Pixel 10 phones, you’ll like it on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. We’ve noted a few minor UI glitches in the launch software, but there are no show-stopping bugs.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold split-screen — Multitasking on foldables is a snap. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The software on this phone goes beyond the standard Pixel features to take advantage of the folding screen. There’s a floating taskbar that can make swapping apps and multitasking easier, and you can pin it on the screen for even more efficiency. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold also supports saving app pairs to launch both at once in split-screen.

Google’s multi-window system on the Fold isn’t as robust as what you get with Samsung, though. For example, split-screen apps open in portrait mode on the Pixel, and if you want them in landscape, you have to physically rotate the phone. On Samsung foldables, you can move app windows around and change the orientation however you like—there’s even support for floating app windows and up to three windowed apps. Google reserves floating windows for tablets, none of which it has released since the Pixel Tablet in 2023. It would be nice to see a bit more multitasking power to make the most of the Fold’s big internal display.

As with all of Google’s Pixels, the new foldable gets seven years of update support, all the way through 2032. You’ll probably need at least one battery swap to make it that long, but you might be more inclined to hold onto an $1,800 phone for seven years. Samsung also offers seven years of support, but its updates are slower and don’t usually include new features after the first year. Google rolls out new updates promptly every month, and updated features are delivered in regular Pixel Drops.

Almost the best cameras

Google may have fixed some of the drawbacks of foldables, but you’ll get better photos with flat Pixels. That said, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is no slouch—it has a camera setup very similar to the base model Pixel 10 (and last year’s foldable), which is still quite good in the grand scheme of mobile photography.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold cameras — The cameras are unchanged from last year. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold sports a 48 MP primary sensor, a 10.5 MP ultrawide, and a 10.8 MP 5x telephoto. There are 10 MP selfie cameras peeking through the front and internal displays as well.

Like the other Pixels, this phone is great for quick snapshots. Google’s image processing does an admirable job of sharpening details and has extraordinary dynamic range. The phone also manages to keep exposure times short to help capture movement. You don’t have to agonize over exactly how to frame a shot or wait for the right moment to hit the shutter. The Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL do all of this slightly better, but provided you don’t zoom too much, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold photos are similarly excellent.

Medium indoor light. Ryan Whitwam

The primary sensor does better than most in dim conditions, but this is where you’ll notice limitations compared to the flat Pro phones. The Fold’s smaller image sensor can’t collect as much light, resulting in longer exposures. You’ll notice this most in Night Sight shots.

The telephoto sensor is only 10.8 MP compared to 48 MP on the other Pro Pixels. So images won’t be as sharp if you zoom in, but the normal framing looks fine and gets you much closer to your subject. The phone does support up to 20x zoom, but going much beyond 5x begins to reveal the camera’s weakness, and even Google’s image processing can’t hide that. The ultrawide camera is good enough for landscapes and wide group shots, but don’t bother zooming in. It also has autofocus for macro shots.

The selfie cameras are acceptable, but you don’t have to use them. As a foldable, this phone allows you to use the main cameras to snap selfies with the external display as a viewfinder. The results are much better, but the phone is a bit awkward to hold in that orientation. Google also added a few more camera features that complement the form factor, including a split-screen camera roll similar to Samsung’s app and a new version of the Made You Look cover screen widgets.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold can leverage generative AI in several imaging features, so it has the same C2PA labeling as the other Pixels. We’ve seen this “AI edited” tag appear most often on images from the flat Pixels that are zoomed beyond 20x, so you likely won’t end up with any of those on the Fold. However, features like Add Me and Best Take will get the AI labeling.

The Tensor tension

This probably won’t come as a surprise, but the Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 Pro Fold performs identically to the Tensor in other Pixel 10 phones. It is marginally faster across the board than the Tensor G4, but this isn’t the huge leap people hoped for with Google’s first TSMC chip. While it’s fast enough to keep the phone chugging, benchmarks are not its forte.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold in hand — Pixel 10 Pro Fold hinge has been redesigned. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Across all our usual benchmarks, the Tensor G5 shows small gains over last year’s Google chip, but it’s running far behind the latest from Qualcomm. We expect that gap to widen even further when Qualcomm updates its flagship Snapdragon line in a few months.

The Tensor G5 does remain a bit cooler under load than the Snapdragon 8 Elite, losing only about 20 percent to thermal throttling. So real-world gaming performance on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is closer to Qualcomm-based devices than the benchmark numbers would lead you to believe. Some game engines behave strangely on the Tensor’s PowerVR GPU, though. If mobile gaming is a big part of your usage, a Samsung or OnePlus flagship might be more your speed.

Day-to-day performance with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is solid. Google’s new foldable is quick to register taps and open apps, even though the Tensor G5 chip doesn’t offer the most raw speed. Even on Snapdragon-based phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the UI occasionally hiccups or an animation gets jerky. That’s a rarer occurrence on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

One of the biggest spec bumps is the battery—it’s 365 mAh larger, at 5,015 mAh. This finally puts Google’s foldables in the same range as flat phones. Granted, you will use more power when the main display is unfurled, and you should not expect a substantial increase in battery life generally. The power-hungry Tensor and increased background AI processing appear to soak up most of the added capacity. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold should last all day, but there won’t be much leeway.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold does bring a nice charging upgrade, boosting wired speeds from 21 W to 30 W with a USB-PD charger that supports PPS (as most now do). That’s enough for a 50 percent charge in about half an hour. Wireless charging is now twice as fast, thanks to the addition of Qi2 support. Any Qi2-certified charger can hit those speeds, including the Google Pixelsnap charger. But the Fold is limited to 15 W, whereas the Pixel 10 Pro XL gets 25 W over Qi2. It’s nice to see an upgrade here, but all of Google’s phones should charge faster than they do.

Big phone, big questions

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is better than last year’s Google foldable, and that means there’s a lot to like. The new hinge and slimmer bezels make the third-gen foldable a bit easier to hold, and the displays are fantastic. The camera setup, while a step down from the other Pro Pixels, is still one of the best you can get on a phone. The addition of Qi2 charging is much appreciated, too. And while Google has overloaded the Pixels with AI features, more of them are useful compared to those on the likes of Samsung, Motorola, or OnePlus.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Pixel 10 Pro — Left: Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Right: Pixel 10 Pro. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

That’s all great, but these are relatively minor improvements for an $1,800 phone, and the competition is making great strides. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn’t as fast or slim as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Samsung’s multitasking system is much more powerful. The Z Fold 7 retails for $200 more, but that distinction hardly matters as you close in on two grand for a smartphone. If you’re willing to pay $1,800, going to $2,000 isn’t much of a leap.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold back in hand — It’s the size of a normal phone when closed. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the ultimate Google phone with some useful AI features, but the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a better piece of hardware. Ultimately, the choice depends on what’s more important to you, but Google will have to move beyond iterative upgrades if it wants foldables to look like a worthwhile upgrade.

The good

Redesigned hinge and slimmer bezels
Huge, gorgeous foldable OLED screen
Colorful, attractive Material 3 UI
IP68 certification
Includes Qi2 with magnetic attachment
Seven years of update support
Most AI features run on-device for better privacy

The bad

Cameras are a step down from other Pro Pixels
Tons of AI features you probably won’t use
Could use more robust multitasking
Tensor G5 still not benchmark king
High $1,800 price

Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he’s written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review: The ultimate Google phone Read More »

Google Pixel 10 series review: Don’t call it an Android

Features, Google, pixel 10, Reviews, smartphones, Tech / Kris Guyer / August 29, 2025

Google’s new Pixel phones are better, but only a little.

Left to right: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

After 10 generations of Pixels, Google’s phones have never been more like the iPhone, and we mean that both as a compliment and a gentle criticism. For people who miss the days of low-cost, tinkering-friendly Nexus phones, Google’s vision is moving ever further away from that, but the attention to detail and overall polish of the Pixel experience continue with the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL. These are objectively good phones with possibly the best cameras on the market, and they’re also a little more powerful, but the aesthetics are seemingly locked down.

Google made a big design change last year with the Pixel 9 series, and it’s not reinventing the wheel in 2025. The Pixel 10 series keeps the same formula, making limited refinements, not all of which will be well-received. Google pulled out all the stops and added a ton of new AI features you may not care about, and it killed the SIM card slot. Just because Apple does something doesn’t mean Google has to, but here we are. If you’re still clinging to your physical SIM card or just like your Pixel 9, there’s no reason to rush out to upgrade.

A great but not so daring design

If you liked the Pixel 9’s design, you’ll like the Pixel 10, because it’s a very slightly better version of the same hardware. All three phones are made from aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (no titanium option here). The base model has a matte finish on the metal frame with a glossy rear panel, and it’s the opposite on the Pro phones. This makes the more expensive phones a little less secure in the hand—those polished edges are slippery. The buttons on the Pixel 9 often felt a bit loose, but the buttons on all our Pixel 10 units are tight and clicky.

Pixel 10 back all — Left to right: Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Specs at a glance: Google Pixel 10 series
	Pixel 10 ($799)	Pixel 10 Pro ($999)	Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199)	Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799)
SoC	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5
Memory	12GB	16GB	16GB	16GB
Storage	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB	256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Display	6.3-inch 1080×2424 OLED, 60-120Hz, 3,000 nits	6.3-inch 1280×2856 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,300 nits	6.8-inch 1344×2992 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,300 nits	External: 6.4-inch 1080×2364 OLED, 60-120Hz, 2000 nits; Internal: 8-inch 2076×2152 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,000 nits
Cameras	48 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 13 MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 1/3.1-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	48 MP wide, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, f/2.2, 1/3.4-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2 (outer and inner)
Software	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16
Battery	4,970 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	4,870 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,200 mAh, up to 45 W wired charging, 25 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,015 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6e, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 3.2
Measurements	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 204g	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 207g	162.8 height×76.6 width×8.5 depth (mm), 232g	Folded: 154.9 height×76.2 width×10.1 depth (mm); Unfolded: 154.9 height×149.8 width×5.1 depth (mm); 258g
Colors	Indigo Frost Lemongrass Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade

The rounded corners and smooth transitions between metal and glass make the phones comfortable to hold, even for the mammoth 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL. This phone is pretty hefty at 232 g, though—that’s even heavier than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7. I’m pleased that Google kept the smaller premium phone in 2025, offering most of the capabilities and camera specs of the XL in a more cozy form factor. It’s not as heavy, and the screen is a great size for folks with average or smaller hands.

On the back, you’ll still see the monolithic camera bar near the top. I like this design aesthetically, but it’s also functional. When you set a Pixel 10 down on a table or desk, it remains stable and easy to use, with no annoying wobble. While this element looks unchanged at a glance, it actually takes up a little more surface area on the back of the phone. Yes, that means none of your Pixel 9 cases will fit on the 10.

The Pixel 10’s body has fewer interruptions compared to the previous model, too. Google has done away with the unsightly mmWave window on the top of the phone, and the bottom now has two symmetrical grilles for the mic and speaker. What you won’t see is a SIM card slot (at least in the US). Like Apple, Google has gone all-in with eSIM, so if you’ve been clinging to that tiny scrap of plastic, you’ll have to give it up to use a Pixel 10.

Pixel 10 Pro XL side — The Pixel 10 Pro XL has polished sides that make it a bit slippery. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The good news is that eSIMs are less frustrating than they used to be. All recent Android devices have the ability to transfer most eSIMs directly without dealing with the carrier. We’ve moved a T-Mobile eSIM between Pixels and Samsung devices a few times without issue, but you will need Wi-Fi connectivity, which is an annoying caveat.

Display sizes haven’t changed this year, but they all look impeccable. The base model and smaller Pro phone sport 6.3-inch OLEDs, and the Pro XL’s is at 6.8 inches. The Pixel 10 has the lowest resolution at 1080p, and the refresh rate only goes from 60–120 Hz. The 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL get higher-resolution screens with LTPO technology that allows them to go as low as 1Hz to save power. The Pro phones also get slightly brighter but all have peak brightness of 3,000 nits or higher, which is plenty to make them readable outdoors.

Pixel 10 MagSafe — The addition of Qi2 makes numerous MagSafe accessories compatible with the new Pixels. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The biggest design change this year isn’t visible on the outside. The Pixel 10 phones are among the first Android devices with full support for the Qi2 charging standard. Note, this isn’t just “Qi2 Ready” like the Galaxy S25. Google’s phones have the Apple-style magnets inside, allowing you to use many of the chargers, mounts, wallets, and other Apple-specific accessories that have appeared over the past few years. Google also has its own “Pixelsnap” accessories, like chargers and rings. And yes, the official Pixel 10 cases are compatible with magnetic attachments. Adding something Apple has had for years isn’t exactly innovative, but Qi2 is genuinely useful, and you won’t get it from other Android phones.

Expressive software

Google announced its Material 3 Expressive overhaul earlier this year, but it wasn’t included in the initial release of Android 16. The Pixel 10 line will ship with this update, marking the biggest change to Google’s Android skin in years. The Pixel line has now moved quite far from the “stock Android” aesthetic that used to be the company’s hallmark. The Pixel build of Android is now just as customized as Samsung’s One UI or OnePlus’ OxygenOS, if not more so.

Pixel 10 Material 3 — Material 3 Expressive adds more customizable quick settings. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The good news is that Material 3 looks very nice. It’s more colorful and playful but not overbearing. Some of the app concepts shown off during the announcement were a bit much, but the production app redesigns Google has rolled out since then aren’t as heavy-handed. The Material colors are used more liberally throughout the UI, and certain UI elements will be larger and more friendly. I’ll take Material 3 Expressive over Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign any day.

I’ve been using a pre-production version of the new software, but even for early Pixel software, there have been more minor UI hitches than expected. Several times, I’ve seen status bar icons disappear, app display issues, and image edits becoming garbled. There are no showstopping bugs, but the new software could do with a little cleaning up.

The OS changes are more than skin-deep—Google has loaded the Pixel 10 series with a ton of new AI gimmicks aimed at changing the experience (and justifying the company’s enormous AI spending). With the more powerful Tensor G5 to run larger Gemini Nano on-device models, Google has woven AI into even more parts of the OS. Google’s efforts aren’t as disruptive or invasive as what we’ve seen from other Android phone makers, but that doesn’t mean the additions are useful.

It would be fair to say Magic Cue is Google’s flagship AI addition this year. The pitch sounds compelling—use local AI to crunch your personal data into contextual suggestions in Maps, Messages, phone calls, and more. For example, it can prompt you to insert content into a text message based on other messages or emails.

Despite having a mountain of personal data in Gmail, Keep, and other Google apps, I’ve seen precious few hints of Magic Cue. It once suggested a search in Google Maps, and on another occasion, it prompted an address in Messages. If you don’t use Google’s default apps, you might not see Magic Cue at all. More than ever before, getting the most out of the Pixel means using Google’s first-party apps, just like that other major smartphone platform.

Pixel 10 AI — Google is searching for more ways to leverage generative AI. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Google says it can take about a day after you set up the Pixel 10 before Magic Cue will be done ingesting your personal data—it takes that long because it’s all happening on your device instead of in the cloud. I appreciate Google’s commitment to privacy in mobile AI because it does have access to a huge amount of user data. But it seems like all that data should be doing more. And I hope that, in time, it does. An AI assistant that anticipates your needs is something that could actually be useful, but I’m not yet convinced that Magic Cue is it.

It’s a similar story with Daily Hub, an ever-evolving digest of your day similar to Samsung’s Now Brief. You will find Daily Hub at the top of the Google Discover feed. It’s supposed to keep you abreast of calendar appointments, important emails, and so on. This should be useful, but I rarely found it worth opening. It offered little more than YouTube and AI search suggestions.

Meanwhile, Pixel Journal works as advertised—it’s just not something most people will want to use. This one is similar to Nothing’s Essential Space, a secure place to dump all your thoughts and ideas throughout the day. This allows Gemini Nano to generate insights and emoji-based mood tracking. Cool? Maybe this will inspire some people to record more of their thoughts and ideas, but it’s not a game-changing AI feature.

If there’s a standout AI feature on the Pixel 10, it’s Voice Translate. It uses Gemini Nano to run real-time translation between English and a small collection of other languages, like Spanish, French, German, and Hindi. The translated voice sounds like the speaker (mostly), and the delay is tolerable. Beyond this, though, many of Google’s new Pixel AI features feel like an outgrowth of the company’s mandate to stuff AI into everything possible. Pixel Screenshots might still be the most useful application of generative AI on the Pixels.

As with all recent Pixel phones, Google guarantees seven years of OS and security updates. That matches Samsung and far outpaces OEMs like OnePlus and Motorola. And unlike Samsung, Google phone updates arrive without delay. You’ll get new versions of Android first, and the company’s Pixel Drops add new features every few months.

Modest performance upgrade

The Pixel 10 brings Google’s long-awaited Tensor G5 upgrade. This is the first custom Google mobile processor manufactured by TSMC rather than Samsung, using the latest 3 nm process node. The core setup is a bit different, with a 3.78 GHz Cortex X4 at the helm. It’s backed by five high-power Cortex-A725s at 3.05 GHz and two low-power Cortex-A520 cores at 2.25 GHz. Google also says the NPU has gotten much more powerful, allowing it to run the Gemini models for its raft of new AI features.

Pixel 10 family cameras — The Pixel 10 series keeps a familiar design. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

If you were hoping to see Google catch up to Qualcomm with the G5, you’ll be disappointed. In general, Google doesn’t seem concerned about benchmark numbers. And in fairness, the Pixels perform very well in daily use. These phones feel fast, and the animations are perfectly smooth. While phones like the Galaxy S25 are faster on paper, we’ve seen less lag and fewer slowdowns on Google’s phones.

That said, the Tensor G5 does perform better in our testing compared to the G4. The CPU speed is up about 30 percent, right in line with Google’s claims. The GPU is faster by 20–30 percent in high-performance scenarios, which is a healthy increase for one year. However, it’s running way behind the Snapdragon 8 Elite we see in other flagship Android phones.

You might notice the slower Pixel GPU if you’re playing Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile at a high level, but it will be more than fast enough for most of the mobile games people play. That performance gap will narrow during prolonged gaming, too. Qualcomm’s flagship chip gets very toasty in phones like the Galaxy S25, slowing down by almost half. The Pixel 10, on the other hand, loses less than 20 percent of its speed to thermal throttling.

Say what you will about generative AI—Google’s obsession with adding more on-device intelligence spurred it to boost the amount of RAM in this year’s Pro phones. You now get 16GB in the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. The base model continues to muddle along with 12GB. This could make the Pro phones more future-proof as additional features are added in Pixel Drop updates. However, we have yet to notice the Pro phones holding onto apps in memory longer than the base model.

The Pixel 10 series gets small battery capacity increases across the board, but it’s probably not enough that you’ll notice. The XL, for instance, has gone from 5,060 mAh to 5,200 mAh. It feels like the increases really just offset the increased background AI processing, because the longevity is unchanged from last year. You’ll have no trouble making it through a day with any of the Pixel phones, even if you clock a lot of screen time.

With lighter usage, you can almost make it through two days. You’ll probably want to plug in every night, though. Google has an upgraded always-on display mode on the Pixel 10 phones that shows your background in full color but greatly dimmed. We found this was not worth the battery life hit, but it’s there if you want to enable it.

Charging speed has gotten slightly better this time around, but like the processor, it’s not going to top the charts. The Pixel 10 and 10 Pro can hit a maximum of 30 W with a USB-C PPS-enabled charger, getting a 50 percent charge in about 30 minutes. The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s wired charging can reach around 45 W for a 70 percent charge in half an hour. This would be sluggish compared to the competition in most Asian markets, but it’s average to moderately fast stateside. Google doesn’t have much reason to do better here, but we wish it would try.

Pixel 10 Pro XL vs. Pixel 9 Pro XL — The Pixel 10 Pro XL (left) looks almost identical to the Pixel 9 Pro XL (right). Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Wireless charging is also a bit faster, but the nature of charging is quite different with support for Qi2. You can get 15 W of wireless power with a Qi2 charger on the smaller phones, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL can hit 25 W with a Qi2.2 adapter. There are plenty of Qi2 magnetic chargers out there that can handle 15 W, but 25 W support is currently much more rare.

Post-truth cameras

Google has made some changes to its camera setup this year, including the addition of a third camera to the base Pixel 10. However, that also comes with a downgrade for the other two cameras. The Pixel 10 sports a 48 MP primary, a 13 MP ultra wide, and a 10.8 MP 5x telephoto—this setup is most similar to Google’s foldable phone. The 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL have a slightly better 50 MP primary, a 48 MP ultrawide, and a 48 MP 5x telephoto. The Pixel 10 is also limited to 20x upscaled zoom, but the Pro phones can go all the way to 100x.

Pixel 10 camera closeup — The Pixel 10 gets a third camera, but the setup isn’t as good as on the Pro phones. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The latest Pixel phones continue Google’s tradition of excellent mobile photography, which should come as no surprise. And there’s an even greater focus on AI, which should also come as no surprise. But don’t be too quick to judge—Google’s use of AI technologies, even before the era of generative systems, has made its cameras among the best you can get.

The Pixel 10 series continues to be great for quick snapshots. You can pop open the camera and just start taking photos in almost any lighting to get solid results. Google’s HDR image processing brings out details in light and dark areas, produces accurate skin tones, and sharpens details without creating an “oil painting” effect when you zoom in. The phones are even pretty good at capturing motion, leaning toward quicker exposures while still achieving accurate colors and good brightness.

Pro phone samples:

Outdoor light. Ryan Whitwam

The Pixel 10 camera changes are a mixed bag. The addition of a telephoto lens for Google’s cheapest model is appreciated, allowing you to get closer to your subject and take greater advantage of Google’s digital zoom processing if 5x isn’t enough. The downgrade of the other sensors is noticeable if you’re pixel peeping, but it’s not a massive difference. Compared to the Pro phones, the base model doesn’t have quite as much dynamic range, and photos in challenging light will trend a bit dimmer. You’ll notice the difference most in Night Sight shots.

The camera experience has a healthy dose of Gemini Nano AI this year. The Pro models’ Pro Res Zoom runs a custom diffusion model to enhance images. This can make a big difference, but it can also be inaccurate, like any other generative system. Google opted to expand its use of C2PA labeling to mark such images as being AI-edited. So you might take a photo expecting to document reality, but the camera app will automatically label it as an AI image. This could have ramifications if you’re trying to document something important. The AI labeling will also appear on photos created using features like Add Me, which continues to be very useful for group shots.

Non-Pro samples:

Bright outdoor light. Ryan Whitwam

Google has also used AI to power its new Camera Coach feature. When activated in the camera viewfinder, it analyzes your current framing and makes suggestions. However, these usually amount to “subject goes in center, zoom in, take picture.” Frankly, you don’t need AI for this if you have ever given any thought to how to frame a photo—it’s pretty commonsense stuff.

The most Google-y a phone can get

Google is definitely taking its smartphone efforts more seriously these days, but the experience is also more laser-focused on Google’s products and services. The Pixel 10 is an Android phone, but you’d never know it from Google’s marketing. It barely talks about Android as a platform—the word only appears once on the product pages, and it’s in the FAQs at the bottom. Google prefers to wax philosophical about the Pixel experience, which has been refined over the course of 10 generations. For all intents and purposes, this is Google’s iPhone. For $799, the base-model Pixel is a good way to enjoy the best of Google in your pocket, but the $999 Pixel 10 Pro is our favorite of the bunch.

Pixel 10 flat — The Pixel 10 series retains the Pixel 9 shape. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The design, while almost identical to last year’s, is refined and elegant, and the camera is hard to beat, even with more elaborate hardware from companies like Samsung. Google’s Material 3 Expressive UI overhaul is also shaping up to be a much-needed breath of fresh air, and Google’s approach to the software means you won’t have to remove a dozen sponsored apps and game demos after unboxing the phone. We appreciate Google’s long update commitment, too, but you’ll need at least one battery swap to have any hope of using this phone for the full support period. Google will also lower battery capacity dynamically as the cell ages, which may be frustrating, but at least there won’t be any sudden nasty surprises down the road.

These phones are more than fast enough with the new Tensor G5 chip, and if mobile AI is ever going to have a positive impact, you’ll see it first on a Pixel. While almost all Android phone buyers will be happy with the Pixel 10, there are a few caveats. If high-end mobile gaming is a big part of your smartphone usage, it might make sense to get a Samsung or OnePlus phone, with their faster Qualcomm chips. There’s also the forced migration to eSIM. If you have to swap SIMs frequently, you may want to wait a bit longer to migrate to eSIM.

Pixel 10 edge — The Pixel design is still slick. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Buying a Pixel 10 is also something of a commitment to Google as the integrated web of products and services it is today. The new Pixel phones are coming at a time when Google’s status as an eternal tech behemoth is in doubt. Before long, the company could find itself split into pieces as a result of pending antitrust actions, so this kind of unified Google vision for a smartphone experience might not exist in the future. The software running on the Pixel 10 seven years hence may be very different—there could be a lot more AI or a lot less Google.

But today, the Pixel 10 is basically the perfect Google phone.

The good

Great design carried over from Pixel 9
Fantastic cameras, new optical zoom for base model
Material 3 redesign is a win
Long update support
Includes Qi2 with magnetic attachment
Runs AI on-device for better privacy

The bad

Tensor G5 doesn’t catch up to Qualcomm
Too many perfunctory AI features
Pixel 10’s primary and ultrawide sensors are a slight downgrade from Pixel 9
eSIM-only in the US

Google Pixel 10 series review: Don’t call it an Android Read More »

Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year

android, Apps, Google, play store, smartphones, Tech / Mike M. / August 26, 2025

An early look at the streamlined Android Developer Console for sideloaded apps. Credit: Google

Google says that only apps with verified identities will be installable on certified Android devices, which is virtually every Android-based device—if it has Google services on it, it’s a certified device. If you have a non-Google build of Android on your phone, none of this applies. However, that’s a vanishingly small fraction of the Android ecosystem outside of China.

Google plans to begin testing this system with early access in October of this year. In March 2026, all developers will have access to the new console to get verified. In September 2026, Google plans to launch this feature in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. The next step is still hazy, but Google is targeting 2027 to expand the verification requirements globally.

A seismic shift

This plan comes at a major crossroads for Android. The ongoing Google Play antitrust case brought by Epic Games may finally force changes to Google Play in the coming months. Google lost its appeal of the verdict several weeks ago, and while it plans to appeal the case to the US Supreme Court, the company will have to begin altering its app distribution scheme, barring further legal maneuvering.

Among other things, the court has ordered that Google must distribute third-party app stores and allow Play Store content to be rehosted in other storefronts. Giving people more ways to get apps could increase choice, which is what Epic and other developers wanted. However, third-party sources won’t have the deep system integration of the Play Store, which means users will be sideloading these apps without Google’s layers of security.

It’s hard to say how much of a genuine security problem this is. On one hand, it makes sense Google would be concerned—most of the major malware threats to Android devices spread via third-party app repositories. However, enforcing an installation whitelist across almost all Android devices is heavy handed. This requires everyone making Android apps to satisfy Google’s requirements before virtually anyone will be able to install their apps, which could help Google retain control as the app market opens up. While the requirements may be minimal right now, there’s no guarantee they will stay that way.

The documentation currently available doesn’t explain what will happen if you try to install a non-verified app, nor how phones will check for verification status. Presumably, Google will distribute this whitelist in Play Services as the implementation date approaches. We’ve reached out for details on that front and will report if we hear anything.

Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year Read More »

Google unveils Pixel 10 series with improved Tensor G5 chip and a boatload of AI

Google, pixel 10, smartphones, Tech / Kris Guyer / August 20, 2025

The Pixel 10 series arrives with a power upgrade but no SIM card slot.

Google has shifted its product timeline in 2025. Android 16 dropped in May, an earlier release aimed at better lining up with smartphone launches. Google’s annual hardware refresh is also happening a bit ahead of the traditional October window. The company has unveiled its thoroughly leaked 2025 Pixel phones and watches, and you can preorder most of them today.

The new Pixel 10 phones don’t look much different from last year, but there’s an assortment of notable internal changes, and you might not like all of them. They have a new, more powerful Tensor chip (good), a lot more AI features (debatable), and no SIM card slot (bad). But at least the new Pixel Watch 4 won’t become e-waste if you break it.

Same on the outside, new on the inside

If you liked Google’s big Pixel redesign last year, there’s good news: Nothing has changed in 2025. The Pixel 10 series looks the same, right down to the almost identical physical dimensions. Aside from the new colors, the only substantial design change is the larger camera window on the Pixel 10 to accommodate the addition of a third sensor.

From left to right: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Credit: Google

You won’t find a titanium frame or ceramic coatings present in Samsung and Apple lineups. The Pixel 10 phones have a 100 percent recycled aluminum frame, featuring a matte finish on the Pixel 10 and glossy finishes on the Pro phones. All models have Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels on the front and back, and they’re IP68 rated for water- and dust-resistance.

The design remains consistent across all three flat phones. The base model and 10 Pro have 6.3-inch OLED screens, but the Pro gets a higher-resolution LTPO panel, which supports lower refresh rates to save power. The 10 Pro XL is LTPO, too, but jumps to 6.8 inches. These phones will be among the first Android phones with full support for the Qi 2 wireless charging standard, which is branded as “Pixelsnap” for the Pixel 10. They’ll work with Qi 2 magnetic accessories, as well as Google’s Pixelsnap chargers. They can charge the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro at 15W, but only the 10 Pro XL supports 25W.

Specs at a glance: Google Pixel 10 series
	Pixel 10 ($799)	Pixel 10 Pro ($999)	Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199)	Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799)
SoC	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5	Google Tensor G5
Memory	12GB	16GB	16GB	16GB
Storage	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB	256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Display	6.3-inch 1080×2424 OLED, 60-120Hz, 3,000 nits	6.3-inch 1280×2856 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,300 nits	6.3-inch 1344×2992 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,300 nits	External: 6.8-inch 1080×2364 OLED, 60-120Hz, 2000 nits; Internal: 8-inch 2076×2152 LTPO OLED, 1-120Hz, 3,000 nits
Cameras	48 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 13 MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 1/3.1-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	50 MP wide with Macro Focus, F/1.68, 1/1.3-inch sensor; 48 MP ultrawide, f/1.7, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 48 MP 5x telephoto, f/2.8, 1/2.55-inch sensor; 42 MP selfie, f/2.2	48 MP wide, F/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP ultrawide with Macro Focus, f/2.2, 1/3.4-inch sensor; 10.8 MP 5x telephoto, f/3.1, 1/3.2-inch sensor; 10.5 MP selfie, f/2.2 (outer and inner)
Software	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16	Android 16
Battery	4,970mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	4,870 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,200 mAh, up to 45 W wired charging, 25 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)	5,015 mAh, up to 30 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging (Pixelsnap)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6e, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, USB-C 2.0	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 2.0	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 2.0	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 6.0, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, UWB, USB-C 2.0
Measurements	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 204g	152.8 height×72.0 width×8.6 depth (mm), 207g	162.8 height×76.6 width×8.5 depth (mm), 232g	Folded: 154.9 height×76.2 width×10.1 depth (mm); Unfolded: 154.9 height×149.8 width×5.1 depth (mm); 258g
Colors	Indigo Frost Lemongrass Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade Porcelain Obsidian	Moonstone Jade

You may notice some minor changes to the bottom edge of the phones, which now feature large grilles for the speaker and microphone—and no SIM card slot. Is it on the side? The top? Nope and nope. There is no physical SIM slot on Google’s new phones in the US, adopting the eSIM-only approach Apple “pioneered” on the iPhone 14. It has become standard practice that as soon as Apple removes something from its phones, like the headphone jack or the top bit of screen, everyone else will follow suit in a year or two.

Google has refused to offer a clear rationale for this change, saying only that the new SIM-less design is its “cleanest yet.” So RIP to the physical SIM card. While eSIM can be convenient in some cases, it’s not as reliable as moving a physical piece of plastic between phones and may force you to interact with your carrier’s support agents more often. Google has a SIM transfer tool built into Android these days, so most of those headaches are over.

The Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL all have the pronounced camera bar running the full width of the back, giving the phones perfect stability when placed on a table. The base model Pixel 9 had the same wide and ultrawide sensors as the Pro phones, but the Pixel 10 steps down to a lesser 48 MP primary and 13 MP ultrawide. You get the new 10.8 MP 5x telephoto this year. However, that won’t be as capable as the 48 MP telephoto camera on the Pro phones.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold also keeps the same design as last year’s phone, featuring an offset camera bump. However, when you drill down, you’ll find a few hardware changes. Google says the hinge has been redesigned to be “gearless,” allowing for the display to get a bit closer to that edge. The result is a small 0.1-inch boost in external display size (6.4 inches). The inner screen is still 8 inches, making it the largest screen on a foldable. Google also claims the hinge is more durable and notes this is the first foldable with IP68 water and dust resistance.

Strangely, this phone still has a physical SIM card slot, even in the US. It has moved from the bottom to the top edge, which Google says helped to optimize the internal components. As a result, the third-gen Google foldable will see a significant battery life boost to 5,000 mAh versus 4,650 mAh in the 9 Pro Fold.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold gets a camera array most similar to the base model Pixel 10, with a 48 MP primary, a 10.5 MP ultrawide, and a 10.8 MP 5x telephoto. The camera sensors are also relegated to an off-center block in the corner of the back panel, so you lose the tabletop stability from the flat models.

A Tensor from TSMC

Google released its first custom Arm chip in the Pixel 6 and has made iterative improvements in each subsequent generation. The Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 line is the biggest upgrade yet, according to Google. As rumored, this chip is manufactured by TSMC instead of Samsung, using the latest 3 nm process node. It’s an 8-core chip with support for UFS 4 storage and LPDDR5x memory. Google has shied away from detailing the specific CPU cores. All we know right now is that there are eight cores, one of which is a “prime” core, five are mid-level, and two are efficiency cores. Similarly, the GPU performance is unclear. This is one place that Google’s Tensor chips have noticeably trailed the competition, and the company only says its internal testing shows games running “very well” on the Tensor G5.

Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 will reportedly deliver a 34 percent boost in CPU performance, which is significant. However, even giving Google the benefit of the doubt, a 34 percent improvement would still leave the Tensor G5 trailing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite in raw speed. Google is much more interested in the new TPU, which is 60 percent faster for AI workloads than last year’s. Tensor will also power new AI-enhanced image processing, which means some photos straight out of the camera will have C2PA labeling indicating they are AI-edited. That’s an interesting change that will require hands-on testing to understand the implications.

The more powerful TPU runs the largest version of Gemini Nano yet, clocking in at 4 billion parameters. This model, designed in partnership with the team at DeepMind, is twice as efficient and 2.6 times faster than Gemini Nano models running on the Tensor G4. The context window (a measure of how much data you can put into the model) now sits at 32,000 tokens, almost three times more than last year.

Every new smartphone is loaded with AI features these days, but they can often feel cobbled together. Google is laser-focused on using the Tensor chip for on-device AI experiences, which it says number more than 20 on the Pixel 10 series. For instance, the new Magic Cue feature will surface contextual information in phone calls and messages when you need it, and the Journal is a place where you can use AI to explore your thoughts and personal notes. Tensor G5 also enables real-time Voice Translation on calls, which transforms the speaker’s own voice instead of inserting a robot voice. All these features run entirely on the phone without sending any data to the cloud.

Finally, a repairable Pixel Watch

Since Google finally released its own in-house smartwatch, there has been one glaring issue: zero repairability. The Pixel Watch line has been comfortable enough to wear all day and night, but that just makes it easier to damage. So much as a scratch, and you’re out of luck, with no parts or service available.

Google says the fourth-generation watch addresses this shortcoming. The Pixel Watch 4 comes in the same 41 mm and 45 mm sizes as last year’s watch, but the design has been tweaked to make it repairable at last. The company says the watch’s internals are laid out in a way that makes it easier to disassemble, and there’s a new charging system that won’t interfere with repairs. However, that means another new watch charging standard, Google’s third in four generations.

The new charger is a small dock that attaches to the side, holding the watch up so it’s visible on your desk. It can show upcoming alarms, battery percentage, or the time (duh, it’s a watch). It’s about 25 percent faster to charge compared to last year’s model, too. The smaller watch has a 325 mAh battery, and the larger one is 455 mAh. In both cases, these are marginally larger than the Pixel Watch 3. Google says the 41 mm will run 30 hours on a charge, and the 45 mm manages 40 hours.

The OLED panel under the glass now conforms to the Pixel Watch 4’s curvy aesthetic. Rather than being a flat panel under curved glass, the OLED now follows the domed shape. Google says the “Actua 360” display features 3,000 nits of brightness, a 50 percent improvement over last year’s wearable. The bezel around the screen is also 16 percent slimmer than last year. It runs a Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, which is apparently 25 percent faster and uses half the power of the Gen 1 chip used in the Watch 3.

Naturally, Google has also integrated Gemini into its new watch. It has “raise-to-talk” functionality, so you can just lift your wrist to begin talking to the AI (if you want that). The Pixel Watch 4 also boasts an improved speaker and haptics, which come into play when interacting with Gemini.

Pricing and availability

If you have a Pixel 9, there isn’t much reason to run out and buy a Pixel 10. That said, you can preorder Google’s new flat phones today. Pricing remains the same as last year, starting at $799 for the Pixel 10. The Pixel 10 Pro keeps the same size, adding a better camera setup and screen for $999. The largest Pixel 10 Pro XL retails for $1,199. The phones will ship on August 28.

If foldables are more your speed, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold won’t arrive until October 9, but it won’t see a price hike, either. The $1,799 price tag is still quite steep, even if Samsung’s new foldable is $200 more.

The Pixel Watch 4 is also available for preorder today, with availability on August 28 as well. The 41 mm will stay at $349, and the 45 mm is $399. If you want the LTE versions, you’ll add $100 to those prices.

Google unveils Pixel 10 series with improved Tensor G5 chip and a boatload of AI Read More »

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Quantum leap

Features, Foldables, Reviews, samsung, smartphones, Tech / Tim Belzer / July 31, 2025

A pretty phone for a pretty penny

Samsung’s new flagship foldable is a huge improvement over last year’s model.

Samsung’s new foldable is thinner and lighter than ever before. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The first foldable phones hit the market six years ago, and they were rife with compromises and shortcomings. Many of those problems have persisted, but little by little, foldables have gotten better. With the release of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung has made the biggest leap yet. This device solves some of the most glaring problems with Samsung’s foldables, featuring a new, slimmer design and a big camera upgrade.

Samsung’s seventh-generation foldable has finally crossed that hazy boundary between novelty and practicality, putting a tablet-sized screen in your pocket without as many compromises. There are still some drawbacks, of course, but for the first time, this feels like a foldable phone you’d want to carry around.

Whether or not you can justify the $1,999 price tag is another matter entirely.

Most improved foldable

Earlier foldable phones were pocket-busting bricks, but companies like Google, Huawei, and OnePlus have made headway streamlining the form factor—the Pixel 9 Pro Fold briefly held the title of thinnest foldable when it launched last year. Samsung, however, stuck with the same basic silhouette for versions one through six, shaving off a millimeter here and there with each new generation. Now, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has successfully leapfrogged the competition with an almost unbelievably thin profile.

Specs at a glance: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – $1,999
SoC	Snapdragon 8 Elite
Memory	12GB, 16GB
Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Display	Cover: 6.5-inch 1080×2520 120 Hz OLED Internal: 8-inch 1968×2184 120 Hz flexible OLED
Cameras	200MP primary, f/1.7, OIS; 10 MP telephoto, f/2.4, OIS; 12 MP ultrawide, f/2.2; 10 MP selfie cameras (internal and external), f/2.2
Software	Android 16, 7 years of OS updates
Battery	4,400 mAh, 25 W wired charging, 15 W wireless charging
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G, USB-C 3.2
Measurements	Folded: 158.4×72.8×8.9 mm Unfolded: 158.4×143.2×4.2 mm 215 g

Clocking in at just 215 g and 8.9 mm thick when folded, the Z Fold 7 looks and feels like a regular smartphone when closed. It’s lighter than Samsung’s flagship flat phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and is only a fraction of a millimeter thicker. The profile is now limited by the height of the standard USB-C port. You can use the Z Fold 7 in its closed state without feeling hindered by an overly narrow display or hand-stretching thickness.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 back — The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks like any other smartphone at a glance. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

It seems unreal at times, like this piece of hardware should be a tech demo or a dummy phone concept rather than Samsung’s newest mass-produced device. The only eyebrow-raising element of the folded profile is the camera module, which sticks out like a sore thumb.

To enable the thinner design, Samsung engineered a new hinge with a waterdrop fold. The gentler bend in the screen reduces the appearance of the middle crease and allows the two halves to close tightly with no gap. The opening and closing action retains the same precise feel as previous Samsung foldables. The frame is made from Samsung’s custom Armor Aluminum alloy, which promises greater durability than most other phones. It’s not titanium like the S25 Ultra or iPhone Pro models, but that saves a bit of weight.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 side — The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is almost impossibly thin, as long as you ignore the protruding camera module. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

There is one caveat to the design—the Z Fold 7 doesn’t open totally flat. It’s not as noticeable as Google’s first-gen Pixel Fold, but the phone stops a few degrees shy of perfection. It’s about on par with the OnePlus Open in that respect. You might notice this when first handling the Z Fold 7, but it’s easy to ignore, and it doesn’t affect the appearance of the internal flexible OLED.

The 6.5-inch cover display is no longer something you’d only use in a pinch when it’s impractical to open the phone. It has a standard 21:9 aspect ratio and tiny symmetrical bezels. Even reaching across from the hinge side is no problem (Google’s foldable still has extra chunk around the hinge). The OLED panel has the customary 120 Hz refresh rate and high brightness we’ve come to expect from Samsung. It doesn’t have the anti-reflective coating of the S25 Ultra, but it’s bright enough that you can use it outdoors without issue.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 open angle — The Z Fold 7 doesn’t quite open a full 180 degrees. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Naturally, the main event is inside: an 8-inch 120 Hz OLED panel at 1968×2184, which is slightly wider than last year’s phone. It’s essentially twice the size of the cover display, just like in Google’s last foldable. As mentioned above, the crease is almost imperceptible now. The screen feels solid under your fingers, but it still has a plastic cover that is vulnerable to damage—it’s even softer than fingernails. It’s very bright, but the plastic layer is more reflective than glass, which can make using it in harsh sunlight a bit of a pain.

Unfortunately, Samsung’s pursuit of thinness led it to drop support for the S Pen stylus. That was always a tough sell, as there was no place to store a stylus in the phone, and even Samsung’s bulky Z Fold cases struggled to accommodate the S Pen in a convenient way. Still, it’s sad to lose this unique feature.

The Z Fold 7 (right) cover display is finally free of compromise. Z Fold 6 on the left. Ryan Whitwam

Unlike some of the competition, Samsung has not added a dedicated AI button to this phone—although there’s plenty of AI here. You get the typical volume rocker on the right, with a power button below it. The power button also has a built-in fingerprint scanner, which is fast and accurate enough that we can’t complain. The buttons feel sturdy and give good feedback when pressed.

Android 16 under a pile of One UI and AI

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and its smaller flippy sibling are the first phones to launch with Google’s latest version of Android, a milestone enabled by the realignment of the Android release schedule that began this year. The device also gets Samsung’s customary seven years of update support, a tie with Google for the best in the industry. However, updates arrive slower than they do on Google phones. If you’re already familiar with One UI, you’ll feel right at home on the Z Fold 7. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but there are a few enhancements.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 home screen — It’s like having a tablet in your pocket. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Android 16 doesn’t include a ton of new features out of the box, and some of the upcoming changes won’t affect One UI. For example, Google’s vibrant Material 3 Expressive theme won’t displace the standard One UI design language when it rolls out later this summer, and Samsung already has its own app windowing implementation separate from Google’s planned release. The Z Fold 7 has a full version of Android’s new progress notifications at launch, something Google doesn’t even fully support in the initial release. Few apps have support, so the only way you’ll see those more prominent notifications is when playing media. These notifications also tie in to the Now Bar, which is at the core of Samsung’s Galaxy AI.

The Now Bar debuted on the S25 series earlier this year and uses on-device AI to process your data and present contextual information that is supposed to help you throughout the day. Samsung has expanded the apps and services that support the Now Bar and its constantly updating Now Brief, but we haven’t noticed much difference.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Now Brief — Samsung’s AI-powered Now Brief still isn’t very useful, but it talks to you now. Umm, thanks? Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Nine times out of 10, the Now Bar doesn’t provide any useful notifications, and the Brief is quite repetitive. It often includes just weather, calendar appointments, and a couple of clickbait-y news stories and YouTube videos—this is the case even with all the possible data sources enabled. On a few occasions, the Now Bar correctly cited an appointment and suggested a route, but its timing was off by about 30 minutes. Google Now did this better a decade ago. Samsung has also added an AI-fueled audio version of the Now Brief, but we found this pretty tedious and unnecessary when there’s so little information in the report to begin with.

So the Now Bar is still a Now Bummer, but Galaxy AI also includes a cornucopia of other common AI features. It can rewrite text for you, summarize notes or webpages, do live translation, make generative edits to photos, remove background noise from videos, and more. These features work as well as they do on any other modern smartphone. Whether you get any benefit from them depends on how you use the phone.

However, we appreciate that Samsung included a toggle under the Galaxy AI settings to process data only on your device, eliminating the privacy concerns of using AI in the cloud. This reduces the number of operational AI features, but that may be a desirable feature all on its own.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 multitasking — You can’t beat Samsung’s multitasking system. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Samsung tends to overload its phones with apps and features. Those are here, too, making the Z Fold 7 a bit frustrating at times. Some of the latest One UI interface tweaks, like separating the quick settings and notifications, fall flat. Luckily, One UI is also quite customizable. For example, you can have your cover screen and foldable home screens mirrored like Pixels, or you can have a distinct layout for each mode. With some tweaking and removing pre-loaded apps, you can get the experience you want.

Samsung’s multitasking system also offers a lot of freedom. It’s quick to open apps in split-screen mode, move them around, and change the layout. You can run up to three apps side by side, and you can easily save and access those app groups later. Samsung also offers a robust floating window option, which goes beyond what Google has planned for Android generally—it has chosen to limit floating windows to tablets and projected desktop mode. Samsung’s powerful windowing system really helps unlock the productivity potential of a foldable.

The fastest foldable

Samsung makes its own mobile processors, but when speed matters, the company doesn’t mess around with Exynos. The Z Fold 7 has the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as the Galaxy S25 series, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in the model most people will buy. In our testing, this is among the most powerful smartphones on the market today, but it doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, presumably due to its thermal design.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 in hand — The Z Fold 7 is much easier to hold than past foldables. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

In Geekbench, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 lands between the Motorola Razr Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra, both of which have Snapdragon 8 Elite chips. It far outpaces Google’s latest Pixel phones as well. The single-core CPU speed doesn’t quite match what you get from Apple’s latest custom iPhone processor, but the multicore numbers are consistently higher.

If mobile gaming is your bag, the Z Fold 7 will be a delight. Like other devices running on this platform, it puts up big scores. However, Samsung’s new foldable runs slightly behind some other 8 Elite phones. These are just benchmark numbers, though. In practice, the Z Fold 7 will handle any mobile game you throw at it.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 geekbench — The Fold 7 doesn’t quite catch the Z 25 Ultra. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

Samsung’s thermal throttling is often a concern, with some of its past phones with high-end Snapdragon chips shedding more than half their initial speed upon heating up. The Z Fold 7 doesn’t throttle quite that aggressively, but it’s not great, either. In our testing, an extended gaming session can see the phone slow down by about 40 percent. That said, even after heating up, the Z Fold 7 remains about 10 percent faster in games than the unthrottled Pixel 9 Pro. Qualcomm’s GPUs are just that speedy.

The CPU performance is affected by a much smaller margin under thermal stress, dropping only about 10–15 percent. That’s important because you’re more likely to utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s power with Samsung’s robust multitasking system. Even when running three apps in frames with additional floating apps, we’ve noticed nary a stutter. And while 12GB of RAM is a bit shy of the 16GB you get in some gaming-oriented phones, it’s been enough to keep a day’s worth of apps in memory.

You also get about a day’s worth of usage from a charge. While foldables could generally use longer battery life, it’s impressive that Samsung made this year’s Z Fold so much thinner while maintaining the same 4,400 mAh battery capacity as last year’s phone. However, it’s possible to drain the device by early evening—it depends on how much you use the larger inner screen versus the cover display. A bit of battery anxiety is normal, but most days, we haven’t needed to plug it in before bedtime. A slightly bigger battery would be nice, but not at the expense of the thin profile.

The lack of faster charging is a bit more annoying. If you do need to recharge the Galaxy Z Fold 7 early, it will fill at a pokey maximum of 25 W. That’s not much faster than wireless charging, which can hit 15 W with a compatible charger. Samsung’s phones don’t typically have super-fast charging, with the S25 Ultra topping out at 45 W. However, Samsung hasn’t increased charging speeds for its foldables since the Z Fold 2. It’s long past time for an upgrade here.

Long-awaited camera upgrade

Camera hardware has been one of the lingering issues with foldables, which don’t have as much internal space to fit larger image sensors compared to flat phones. In the past, this has meant taking a big step down in image quality if you want your phone to fold in half. While Samsung has not fully replicated the capabilities of its flagship flat phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 takes a big step in the right direction with its protruding camera module.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 camera macro — The Z Fold 7’s camera has gotten a big upgrade. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The camera setup is led by a 200 MP primary sensor with optical stabilization identical to the main shooter on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It’s joined by a 12 MP ultrawide and 10 MP 3x telephoto, both a step down from the S25 Ultra. There is no equivalent to the 5x periscope telephoto lens on Samsung’s flat flagship. While it might be nice to have better secondary sensors, the 200 MP will get the most use, and it does offer better results than last year’s Z Fold.

Many of the photos we’ve taken on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are virtually indistinguishable from those taken with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is mostly a good thing. The 200 MP primary sensor has a full-resolution mode, but you shouldn’t use it. With the default pixel binning, the Z Fold 7 produces brighter and more evenly exposed 12 MP images.

Samsung cameras emphasize vibrant colors and a wide dynamic range, so they lean toward longer exposures. Shooting with a Pixel and Galaxy phone side by side, Google’s cameras consistently use higher shutter speeds, making capturing motion easier. The Z Fold 7 is no slouch here, though. It will handle moving subjects in bright light better than any phone that isn’t a Pixel. Night mode produces bright images, but it takes longer to expose compared to Google’s offerings. Again, that means anything moving will end up looking blurry.

Between 1x and 3x, the phone uses digital zoom on the main sensor. When you go beyond that, it moves to the 3x telephoto (provided there is enough light). At the base 3x zoom, these photos are nice enough, with the usual amped-up colors and solid detail we’d expect from Samsung. However, the 10 MP resolution isn’t great if you push past 3x. Samsung’s image processing can’t sharpen photos to the same borderline magical degree as Google’s, and the Z Fold 7 can sometimes over-sharpen images in a way we don’t love. This is an area where the cheaper S25 Ultra still beats the new foldable, with higher-resolution backup cameras and multiple optical zoom levels.

At 12 MP, the ultrawide sensor is good enough for landscapes and group shots. It lacks optical stabilization (typical for ultrawide lenses), but it keeps autofocus. That allows you to take macro shots, and this mode activates automatically as you approach a subject. The images look surprisingly good with Samsung’s occasionally heavy-handed image processing, but don’t try to crop them down further.

The Z Fold 7 includes two in-display selfie cameras at 10 MP—one at the top of the cover display and the other for the inner foldable screen. Samsung has dispensed with its quirky under-display camera, which had a smattering of low-fi pixels covering it when not in use. The inner selfie is now just a regular hole punch, which is fine. You should really only use the front-facing cameras for video calls. If you want to take a selfie, foldables offer the option to use the more capable rear-facing cameras with the cover screen as a viewfinder.

A matter of coin

For the first time, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like a viable alternative to a flat phone, at least in terms of hardware. The new design is as thin and light as many flat phones, and the cover display is large enough to do anything you’d do on non-foldable devices. Plus, you have a tablet-sized display on the inside with serious multitasking chops. We lament the loss of S Pen support, but it was probably necessary to address the chunkiness of past foldables.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 typing — The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the next best thing to having a physical keyboard. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The camera upgrade was also a necessary advancement. You can’t ask people to pay a premium price for a foldable smartphone and offer a midrange camera setup. The 200 MP primary shooter is a solid upgrade over the cameras Samsung used in previous foldables, but the ultrawide and telephoto could still use some attention.

The price is one thing that hasn’t gotten better—in fact, it’s moving in the wrong direction. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is even more expensive than last year’s model at a cool $2,000. As slick and capable as this phone is, the exorbitant price ensures tablet-style foldables remain a niche category. If that’s what it costs to make a foldable you’ll want to carry, flat phones won’t be usurped any time soon.

If you don’t mind spending two grand on a phone or can get a good deal with a trade-in or a carrier upgrade, you won’t regret the purchase. This is the most power that can fit in your pocket. It’s available directly from Samsung (in an exclusive Mint color), Amazon, Best Buy, and your preferred carrier.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 hinge macro — The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a new, super-thin hinge design. Credit: Ryan Whitwam

The good

Incredibly slim profile and low weight
Upgraded 200 MP camera
Excellent OLED screens
Powerful multitasking capabilities
Toggle for local-only AI
Launches on Android 16 with seven years of update support

The bad

Ridiculously high price
Battery life and charging speed continue to be mediocre
One UI 8 has some redundant apps and clunky interface decisions
Now Brief still doesn’t do very much

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Quantum leap Read More »