New Phone Update

via Judge forces Google to remove friction from third-party app store installations<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/08/google-ordered-to-remove-friction-from-third-party-app-store-installations/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Google has recently started distributing third-party app stores through its Play Store in the US, following a court ruling and its settlement with Epic Games. Now, Google has been ordered by US District Judge James Donato to remove its scary warnings that are shown when users want to install a third-party app store from Google Play. According to the court, Google is engaging in "anticompetitive friction" intended to prevent users from installing third-party app stores. The ...

via Google promises 7 years of spare parts availability for the Pixel 11 lineup<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/08/pixel-11-series-spares-7-years/-184x111/gsmarena_00.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Google officially unveiled the Pixel 11 series at its Made by Google event. Google has now shared details about the availability of spare parts for the new smartphones. At the Pixel 11 series launch event in India, Google reportedly confirmed that it will provide 7 years of spare parts support for the new smartphones. Google says spares will be available in every market where the Pixel 11 series is sold, making it easier for users to replace components such as the battery or display even years after buying the phone. One of the...

One UI 9 Beta 5 is here, but rumors about what's next are living in our heads rent-free <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>One UI 9 Beta 5 is rolling out for enrolled Galaxy S26 testers in a few overseas regions with a 1.1GB download.</li><li>The patch carries a handful of fixes, alongside the August security update.</li><li>However, rumors on social media claim Samsung has started developing One UI 9.5 for the Galaxy S26, despite the main upgrade still in the Beta Program.</li></ul><p>There's <a href="https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel/google-pixel-11-hands-on">a lot happening today</a> (Aug 12), but that's not stopping Samsung's beta program. Enrolled users, beware: Beta 5 is here.</p><p>This morning, the folk...

via Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra move a step closer to launch as they get Bluetooth certified<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/08/samsung-galaxy-tab-s12-series-bluetooth-certified/-184x111/gsmarena_001.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>Last month, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy Tab S12 series would be unveiled in H2 2026. Samsung didn't reveal the launch date of the Galaxy Tab S12 series, but the lineup has moved a step closer to launch as it got certified by Bluetooth SIG. The Galaxy Tab S12 series includes two tablets - the Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. The Bluetooth SIG database lists five models of the Galaxy Tab S12+ and three models of the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, along with their model numb...

Early Access: Meta's Neural Band just got cooler with neural handwriting for Ray-Ban Display <article> <h2 id="what-you-need-to-know">What you need to know</h2><ul><li>Meta announces that its neural handwriting is now rolling out in its EAP (Early Access Program) for the Ray-Ban Display.</li><li>Users are recommended to write with their index finger on a stable surface, and allow the AI to correct any typos or mistakes.</li><li>Meta confirmed this was on the way for the Ray-Ban Display in December.</li></ul><p>Meta's neural band is an important part of its smart glasses experience. It brings convenience, and Meta says it's offering a new feature in Early Access for silent AI interactions.</p><p>If you've got a pair of Meta smart glasses, the company has announced a silent handwriting feat...

via Leaked images show off the Fairphone 6+ in Cobalt Blue<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/08/fairphone-6-plus-in-cobalt-blue/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>A few weeks ago, a new version of the Fairphone 6 surfaced – dubbed the “Fairphone 6+”, the new model was listed with 12GB of RAM and 256GB storage. That is more than the original model, which only has 8 gigs of RAM. This is quite an unexpected move given everything that has been going on in the world of semiconductors. Anyway, the listing was spotted by NieuweMobiel and showed three color options: Cobalt Blue, Horizon Black and Forest Green. Now the Dutch publication also has images that show off the first color: Fairphone 6+ in Cobalt Blue More...

via Report: Samsung is increasing the Galaxy Z Fold8 production target for this year by 1 million units<img src="https://fdn.gsmarena.com/imgroot/news/26/08/samsung-increases-build-target-for-galaxy-z-fold8/-184x111/gsmarena_000.jpg" width="184" height="111" hspace="3" alt="" border="0" align=left style="background:#333333;padding:0px;margin:0px 4px 0px 0px;border-style:solid;border-color:#aaaaaa;border-width:1px" /> <p>The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 has proven to be more successful than even Samsung dared to hope. According to ETNews, the company’s initial production batch already favored the new wide foldable – Samsung had planned to build 2.8 million Z Fold8 units this year, plus 2.0 million Z Fold8 Ultra units and 1.5 million Z Flip8 units. However, now the Korean publication is reporting that Samsung is increasing the Z Fold8 production target by 1 million units for close to 4 million units total in 202...