Instagram wants to lure TikTok refugees with new Reels features

Earlier today the US Supreme Court upheld the law that will ban TikTok in the US unless it sells by January 19. With the deadline fast approaching and no deal in sight, the app has promised to fully shut down on Sunday in the US even though the law doesn't actually compel it to (it only requires Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores). TikTok's competitors are obviously very happy about that app's possible demise in the US, and so today Instagram announced two new features for Reels, its TikTok clone. You can now discover the reels your friends are liking or adding...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/instagram_wants_to_lure_tiktok_refugees_with_new_reels_features-news-66155.php

Realme GT 7 possibly certified with very similar specs to the GT 7 Pro

A Realme smartphone bearing the model number RMX5090 has been certified in China by 3C, and this could be the non-Pro GT 7 according to some rumors. The GT 7 Pro launched in November and now it looks like its lesser sibling could be ready to join it soon. The certification reveals that the GT 7 has support for 120W wired charging as well as support for 5G. Neither of those things is surprising given the GT line's positioning in Realme's portfolio as the flagship series, but it's good to have confirmation nevertheless. A previous TENAA certification revealed that the GT 7 will...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/realme_gt_7_possibly_certified_with_very_similar_specs_to_the_gt_7_pro-news-66154.php

US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban

The US Supreme Court has upheld the law which bans TikTok in the US unless it's sold by January 19. To be clear, the ban only requires Apple and Google to remove the app from their app stores, it doesn't outright ban the app's use in the States. That said, TikTok has already announced that it will completely shut down in the US if the ban is upheld, in a possible act of grandstanding meant to at least put a hold on the ban. Now, incoming US President Donald Trump could do that, but the problem is the ban goes into effect 24 hours before he is inaugurated, so for those 24 hours at...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/us_supreme_court_upholds_tiktok_ban-news-66153.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 family stars in leaked promo video detailing AI and camera features

Another day, another Samsung Galaxy S25 family promo leak. This time it's a video, which in just over a minute and a half manages to go through quite a lot of stuff. It also shows us the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra - or parts of them - at the end. Before you ask, no that's not the Galaxy S25 Slim because all indications so far have been that, design-wise, it's just a thinner S25+. And if that's the case, then it should have the S25+'s rounded corners, whereas the phone that's portrayed in the video showing us a bit of its front clearly has less rounded corners - just like...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_family_stars_in_leaked_promo_video_detailing_ai_and_camera_features-news-66151.php

Canalys: vivo and Huawei beat Apple for lead of China's smartphone market in 2024

Canalys reports that 2024 was a year of recovery for the smartphone market in China. A total of 285 million units were shipped, up 4% compared to the year before. The Top 5 is mostly local brands with only Apple in third breaking the pattern. vivo became the new market leader with 49.3 million units shipped, while a rebounding Huawei also moved past Apple with a year-on-year growth of 37% (for a total of 46.0 million units shipped). Apple, which was the #1 company in 2023, is now down to third place followed by Oppo and Honor. People’s Republic of China...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/canalys_vivo_and_huawei_beat_apple_for_lead_of_chinas_smartphone_market_in_2024-news-66132.php

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro, Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ chipsets leak

Earlier today the fact that Samsung is working on the Galaxy XCover7 Pro rugged smartphone leaked, and now the same source is back with some more information about three upcoming Samsung tablets and the chipsets they will use. Let's start with the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro. Like the Galaxy XCover7 Pro smartphone, this will complement the non-Pro version launched in January of last year. And like the XCover7 Pro, the Tab Active5 Pro is said to employ Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset. The tablet will be offered in Wi-Fi-only and 5G variants. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Now let's...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_active5_pro_tab_s10_fe_and_tab_s10_fe_chipsets_leak-news-66133.php

Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro in the works with surprising chipset

Samsung launched the rugged Galaxy XCover7 almost exactly one year ago, and according to a new report today the company hasn't forgotten about this rather niche line. In fact, it's working on the Galaxy XCover7 Pro. And unlike the XCover7, which uses MediaTek's Dimensity 6100+ SoC, the Pro will go with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 instead. Samsung Galaxy XCover7 This has allegedly been revealed through "code from reliable sources", whatever that means. Like the XCover7, the Pro should be MIL-STD-810H certified for ruggedness, on top of an IP rating for dust and water...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_xcover7_pro_in_the_works_with_surprising_chipset-news-66131.php

Apple in talks with Barclays, Synchrony, and JPMorgan Chase for Apple Card takeover

Ever since its introduction in 2019, the Apple Card has been powered by Goldman Sachs, but that might change soon. Yesterday Goldman Sachs' CEO said his company's deal with Apple could end early, and today a new report claims two other institutions are ready to step in: the Barclays bank and the financial services company Synchrony. As you might expect for something like this, Apple, Barclays and Synchrony have declined to comment. The report cites "two sources familiar with the matter". Apparently, negotiations between Apple and Barclays have been ongoing for "several months". That...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_in_talks_with_barclays_synchrony_and_jpmorgan_chase_for_apple_card_takeover-news-66130.php

This is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim and here's how thin it actually is

Samsung's Galaxy S25 family is growing this year, as alongside the usual vanilla, Plus, and Ultra models we're also getting the Galaxy S25 Slim. This has now been portrayed in the first leaked renders. The Galaxy S25 Slim allegedly measures 159 x 76 x 6.4 mm. That makes it just about the size of the Galaxy S24+ (and, we assume, the S25+ as well), except, obviously, it's much thinner. For what it's worth the Galaxy S24+ is 7.7 mm thick. The Galaxy S25 Slim is apparently 8.3 mm thick at the camera bump, which is just 0.1 mm more than what the Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be at...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/this_is_the_samsung_galaxy_s25_slim_and_heres_how_thin_it_actually_is-news-66116.php

Global Samsung Galaxy S25+ runs Geekbench with Snapdragon 8 Elite on board

Samsung has long been rumored to equip the entire Galaxy S25 family with Qualcomm's latest and greatest chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. But the Korean company has tested the Galaxy S25+ with an Exynos chipset in the past - not once, but twice in fact. So it looks like the decision to be all-in with the Snapdragon 8 Elite wasn't taken from the get-go. Presumably, the company wanted to use its own SoC but decided against it when yield issues kept popping up. The good news is that today the global Galaxy S25+, identified by the model number SM-S936B, has taken to Geekbench again, and this...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/global_samsung_galaxy_s25_runs_geekbench_with_snapdragon_8_elite_on_board-news-66113.php

iPhone 17 Air and Galaxy S25 Slim rumored battery capacities will make you laugh

You know how the saying goes - everything is a tradeoff. So when you want to make the slimmest phone possible, something's got to give. Or, in the case of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air, multiple somethings. The rumored single rear camera is one compromise made in the name of slimness, and today another one has been revealed: battery capacity. But the iPhone isn't alone in this, the Galaxy S25 Slim may pack more cameras but it won't be a battery life king either, that's for sure. According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, both of these devices will have batteries between 3,000 mAh and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_17_air_and_galaxy_s25_slim_rumored_battery_capacities_will_make_you_laugh-news-66114.php

Samsung's AI Sketch to Image gets even better on the Galaxy S25

Samsung is announcing the Galaxy S25 family on January 22, and ahead of that the company has started a full-on teaser campaign, which made its debut yesterday involving Bixby (yes, really). Today's chapter is all about Sketch to Image, the AI feature that launched last year. With the Galaxy S25 series (and presumably the One UI 7 update for older flagship models), this will get even better. Sketch to Image will be integrated into Drawing Assist and will be able to use more than one input. So you can still sketch, either with the S Pen or your finger, but you can also describe the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_s_ai_sketch_to_image_gets_even_better_on_the_galaxy_s25-news-66098.php

WhatsApp now lets you double tap a message to react

WhatsApp is celebrating the new year by launching a few new features which have been made official today. First off, we have camera effects - the same 30 backgrounds, filters and effects that launched for video calls last year can now transform your images too. Next up, you can turn a selfie into a sticker. This is pretty self-explanatory. You just tap Create sticker and you'll get the camera option to take a selfie on the spot and create your sticker. This is rolling out to Android now and will be available on iOS "soon". You can also share sticker packs now, directly through...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_now_lets_you_double_tap_a_message_to_react-news-66097.php

Samsung Galaxy S25+: what to expect

The Samsung Galaxy S+ was never the favorite child of the S-series – not Samsung’s and not the buyers’ either. A report from Counterpoint Research last year indicated that the Galaxy S24 Ultra made up 52% of total sales, the small S24 was at 27% while the Galaxy S24+ only accounted for 21% of sales. And that was with solid upgrades compared to the S23+: a new LTPO display with QHD+ resolution, 12GB of RAM and a slightly larger battery. Okay, not stunning upgrades, but it’s more than the S24 got. Samsung Galaxy S25+ (speculative renders) And what of this year’s model? Here...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_what_to_expect-news-66092.php

Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra runs Geekbench, reveals its chipset

Asus is officially announcing the Zenfone 12 Ultra on February 6, which is more than a month earlier in the year compared to its predecessor. Asus' non-gaming flagship smartphone for 2025 has run Geekbench today, ahead of the launch. Specifically, a prototype identifying as "ASUSAI2501H". This has been confirmed to be the Zenfone 12 Ultra's model number through a previous IMEI database listing. As you can see from the screenshot above, the Zenfone 12 Ultra managed a single-core score of 3,036 and a multi-core score of 9,656. Both of those scores are generally in line with what you...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/asus_zenfone_12_ultra_runs_geekbench_reveals_its_chipset-news-66096.php

Samsung's tri-fold smartphone to be even more limited than previously suggested

Last week we heard that Samsung was working on its own tri-fold smartphone to rival Huawei's Mate XT. Samsung was then said to be unleashing this device in the second half of this year, with less than 300,000 units available due to the very complicated manufacturing processes required. Today a new report from Korea takes that number down even lower. Apparently, there will only be around 200,000 units made. Parts for the device will be produced starting in the second quarter (April to June). Allegedly, Samsung has now shared its plans with "major component manufacturers". The Samsung...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_trifold_smartphone_to_be_even_more_limited_than_previously_revealed-news-66073.php

Poco F7 Pro and Poco F7 Ultra get certified, vanilla model missing in action

Poco's X series has recently been refreshed for 2025, and next up is the flagship F series. Today, the Poco F7 Pro and Poco F7 Ultra have both been certified for sale in Indonesia. This process has revealed their model numbers. The Pro is 24117RK2CG while the Ultra is 24122RKC7G - and yes, there will be an Ultra this year. The Poco F7 Pro is rumored to be a rebranded Redmi K80. Thus, it should have a 6.67-inch 1440x3200 120 Hz OLED screen with 3,200-nit peak brightness, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, 12/16GB of RAM, 256GB/512GB/1TB of storage, a dual rear camera system (50 MP main with...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/poco_f7_pro_and_poco_f7_ultra_get_certified_vanilla_model_missing_in_action-news-66076.php

Samsung Galaxy Ring now comes in two new sizes

Samsung announced new size 14 and 15 US ring sizes for its Galaxy Ring today. In addition, Galaxy Ring will debut in 15 new markets from February, including Cyprus, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Taiwan, Vietnam and Zambia. This will bring the total number of markets where Samsung offers its Galaxy Ring to 53. Samsung also announced new Galaxy Ring features coming to the Samsung Health app. These include the Sleep environment report, Sleep time guidance and Mindfulness tracker. Samsung will ship its new...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_ring_now_comes_in_two_new_sizes-news-66075.php

New Snapdragon 8s Elite detailed, seen powering the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro

A few days ago, we came across a report that iQOO is working on four Z10 phones: Z10, Z10x, Z10 Turbo and Z10 Turbo Pro. That last one, the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro, is interesting because it will allegedly use the Snapdragon 8s Elite, a new entry into the more affordable 8s series of chips by Qualcomm. And this may be it – the vivo V2453A ran Geekbench 6.1.0 with an unknown new chip. It has one core at 3.21GHz, three cores at 3.01GHz, two at 2.80GHz and two more at 2.02GHz. Even more interesting is the GPU, Adreno 825, according to the benchmark. This lines up perfectly with Digital Chat...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_snapdragon_8s_elite_detailed_seen_powering_the_iqoo_z10_turbo_pro-news-66074.php

Top 10 trending phones of week 2

We are just 12 days into 2025, but our trending chart is already overrun by the phones of this year. On top we once again have the hotly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which will be introduced in less than two weeks. It's joined on the podium by the Poco X7 Pro and the newly launched global version of the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. [#InlinePriceWidget, 13582, 1#] OnePlus 13, another phone to just go global, sits in fourth, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra is highest ranked phone from 2024 in fifth. Galaxy A55, another 2024 favorite, took sixth this week, followed by the Redmi Turbo...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/top_10_trending_phones_of_week_2-news-66064.php

Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 review

Huawei went over a year without introducing an update to its flagship earphones, but the Freebuds Pro 4 arrived in 2024's closing weeks. The announcement first took place in China, followed by an international launch just a fortnight later. They were overshadowed by the Mate X6's global reveal (review here) and the nova 13 series debut, but we believe they deserve attention so we took a pair for a test. So here's what we found out. Table of Contents: Design User Interface Sound Charging Battery life Verdict Design and build quality The buds and case of...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_freebuds_pro_4_review-news-66009.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 leaks, Poco X7 series launched, OnePlus 13 series official, Week 2 in review

We are in the second week of 2025, and it's already getting busy. We saw the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 series' global debut was, the OnePlus 13 and 13R announcement and the Xiaomi Poco X7 series' debut. Yet, they were partially overshadowed by the numerous Samsung Galaxy S25-related leaks and even the official Samsung Unpacked announcement made it in the top 10 articles this week. We got to see the Galaxy S25 series in leaked renders, some key S25 Ultra specs were confirmed and by far the most popular article this week was the massive Galaxy S25 specs leak. In addition to the good S25...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_leaks_poco_x7_series_launched_oneplus_13_series_official_week_in_review_2-news-66063.php

OnePlus 13R vs. OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 series just dropped, and you may be wondering whether the OnePlus 13R is a fine choice or the OnePlus 13 might be worth the higher price tag. After all, the difference isn't trivial. We are talking about a few hundred bucks of a difference in the US and Europe. Table of Contents: Design Display Battery Life Charging Speaker Test Performance Cameras Verdict For starters, you can compare the complete specs sheets or directly continue with our editor's assessment in the text below. Size comparison OnePlus 13R ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_13r_vs_oneplus_13_review_battery_camera_price_compared-news-66027.php

Weekly poll results: here are your favorite flagships from 2024

Last week we asked you to vote for your favorite flagship of 2024. The results are in and it looks like Samsung had a stellar year. Let’s start with the first poll, the one for the classic bar smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra dominated this category and received a third of the votes – it was far and away the most popular device on the list. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra and vivo X200 Pro were nearly dead even with 9% and 8.9% of the votes, respectively. The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max deserve honorable mentions with 8% and 7.8% of the vote, respectively. Close to the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_here_are_your_favorite_flagships_from_2024-news-66028.php

WhatsApp might let you create personalized AI chatbots within the app

We recently heard that WhatsApp was testing a new interface for its Android app, where the Communities tab was replaced with the "AIs" tab, possibly to provide all AI-powered features in one place. Now, we have learned that WhatsApp is working on a feature that will let users create personalized AI chatbots. This revelation comes from the folks at WABetaInfo, who spotted this feature in version 2.25.1.26 of WhatsApp beta for Android. They also shared a screenshot, included below, which suggests the AI chatbot would be called AI Character. WhatsApp working on personalized AI chatbot...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/whatsapp_personalized_ai_chatbot_android_beta-news-66062.php

Deals: OnePlus 13 launches while 13R goes on pre-order, Red Magic 10 Pro also available

The OnePlus 13 went global earlier this week and at the same time, the more affordable 13R was announced. The flagship model is a bit more expensive this time around, but the 16/512GB option is available with a $100 discount, bringing its price down to that of the OnePlus 12 last year. There is a cheaper 12/256GB model too, but without a discount. We took the OnePlus 13 for a photo tour of Sri Lanka and have a detailed review, which you can check out – video review too. The company has committed to 4 OS updates and six years of security patches. ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deals_oneplus_13_launches_while_13r_goes_on_preorder_red_magic_10_pro_also_available-news-66046.php

iPhone 17 Air's shocking thinness revealed

The iPhone 17 Air is coming this year to supplant the iPhone 16 Plus because the Plus model has been the worst-selling iPhone since its introduction. Whether this will do any better remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: Apple wants to shock the world with its thinness. According to a new report from famed purveyor of Apple-related rumors Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air, at its thinnest point, will be just 5.5mm thick. That is incredible. This is the iPhone 16 Plus that the iPhone 17 Air will be replacing It wouldn't be the first time Apple pulls something like this off. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_17_airs_shocking_thinness_revealed-news-66058.php