Google Identity Check will help protect your accounts in case of device theft

Last year, Google introduced several theft protection features for Android, including Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock. Identity Check is the latest security feature that aims to prevent thieves from accessing your digital accounts in case of theft. The feature will require biometric authentication for certain device settings when you are not in a trusted location. If your device is outside one of these locations, you will need to authenticate using your biometrics. This will prevent thieves from changing your device PIN, biometrics, turning off Find My Device,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/google_identity_check_will_help_protect_your_accounts_in_case_of_device_theft-news-66252.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 series coverage wrap-up

Samsung delivered the hotly-anticipated Galaxy S25 phones this week, along with a couple of surprises – it resurrected the “Edge” branding and it is going back into VR (well, it’s XR now). We will start with the trio of phones, the Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra. Below we’ve linked all relevant info for them: specs, comparisons, prices, our hands-on review and even a camera shootout between the S25 Ultra and last year’s Ultra. Below that is a list of other relevant links – we’ve put the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge at the top. Long story short, there are no curved screen edges here,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_series_coverage_wrapup-news-66247.php

Xiaomi 15 Ultra leaks in hands-on image

Xiaomi's upcoming 15 Ultra is getting a global release just like its predecessor, an exec recently confirmed. The phone will be made official next month at the earliest, and ahead of that today it's time to see it in a live hands-on image for the first time. A tipster on X has shared the image you can see below, purportedly depicting the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's back in all its glory. The camera island is huge like it was in the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, but the sensors, LED flash array, and Leica branding all occupy new spots. The frame also seems to have been redesigned as to not flow into the...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_15_ultra_leaks_in_handson_image-news-66248.php

ByteDance board member believes there’s a possibility to retain TikTok ownership without divesting

ByteDance currently has until April 5, 2025 to divest its stake in TikTok to a US-based company as per US President Donald Trump’s executive order from earlier this week. While the app is still available to use freely in the US, it’s been removed from the App Store and Google Play. There are plenty of suitors ready to buy TikTok but one ByteDance board member believes there’s still a chance for a solution that does not involve selling the social media app. Bill Ford, who serves as chairman and CEO of General Atlantic equity firm and is also a member of ByteDance's board of directors,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/bytedance_board_member_believes_theres_a_possibility_to_retain_tiktok_ownership_without_divesting-news-66233.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 series has support for seamless updates

The rumors were true - Samsung's flagship smartphone line finally supports seamless updates, with the release of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Korean company has been a holdout for many, many years, and finally implemented the functionality in the Galaxy A55 last year. We assume that was meant to test the waters, and apparently everything has been fine with the A55, so now the feature finally made its way to the S line. What "seamless updates" means is that your device will be unavailable to use for less time when it's updating. That's because the update is...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_series_has_support_for_seamless_updates-news-66232.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Galaxy S24 Ultra camera shootout, part 2

Yesterday, we showed you a Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. S24 Ultra camera shootout – now it’s time for part two. Yesterday, we could only shoot photos at the event venue, but today we went wandering around San Jose with both Ultras in hand, so we have more photos to share. Many of the changes (if not most) will be coming from the new Snapdragon 8 Elite ISP – Samsung kept most of the camera hardware the same, all but the ultra-wide module. Starting with the main 200MP camera set to its default 12MP mode, the difference in image processing is more noticeable than it was indoors. The older Galaxy...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_ultra_vs_galaxy_s24_ultra_camera_shootout_part_2-news-66234.php

Samsung reveals the Galaxy S25 Edge's launch month

Samsung's big "one more thing" moment at yesterday's Unpacked launch event was the Galaxy S25 Edge, previously known as the Galaxy S25 Slim, a smartphone that wasn't announced on stage, only teased - and then showcased to the eager techie crowds. The Galaxy S25 Edge is officially coming "around April", according to a new report quoting an unnamed Samsung representative speaking at the event. That's reasonably in line with past rumors saying it would land in May at the latest. The phone's obvious main selling point will be its thinness, which has been rumored to be 6.4mm but hasn't...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_reveals_the_galaxy_s25_edges_launch_month-news-66236.php

Samsung US launches Galaxy S25 series pre-orders, here are the perks and discounts

What do you think of the new Samsung Galaxy S25 series? If you don’t have an answer for that yet, you can check out our S25 series hands-on review. Samsung is now taking pre-orders in the US and early adopters get perks, of course. Pre-orders start today – here is what you can get if you have decided to pre-order an S25. First is the traditional free storage upgrade. Note that while the Galaxy S25 now has 12GB of RAM, its base storage remains 128GB. This means that pre-ordered units will be the next tier – 256GB. Plus and Ultra pre-orders will get you a phone with 512GB storage...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_us_launches_galaxy_s25_series_preorders_here_are_the_perks_and_discounts-news-66206.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is here: slimmer, lighter, and with new 50MP ultrawide camera

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has arrived and it's everything we thought we'd get. It makes a great first impressions with its smarter design. Samsung rounded off the sharp corners to make the big phone more comfortable to hold. This has shaved off some fat and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is both thinner (8.2mm vs 8.6mm) and lighter (218g vs 233g) than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The phone still incorporates titanium in its frame (and all its colorway names) and lays exclusive claim to the new Corning Gorilla Armor 2, which is more durable than the previous-generation ceramic glass and still...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/redesigned_samsung_galaxy_s25_ultra_is_slimmer_lighter_has_new_50mp_ultrawide-news-66200.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G review

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_14_pro_4g-review-2787.php

Samsung's Good Lock gets a redesign

Good Lock, the app you can use to customize Samsung smartphones even more than the Settings menu usually allows, is getting a new coat of paint just in time for the official launch of One UI 7 alongside the Galaxy S25 family tomorrow. Good Lock's redesign is in line with One UI 7's redesign, unsurprisingly, and it arrives with version 3.0.10.1 of the app. Good Lock now has a list view, and a larger bottom tab area with three icons. There's also a new search tool, and a built-in chatbot which will guide you through using the app. You also get some neat wallpapers and two new widgets...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsungs_good_lock_gets_a_redesign_-news-66192.php

Xiaomi 15 Ultra will get a global launch, exec confirms

Xiaomi's 14 Ultra was unveiled in China last February, only a few short days before making its global debut at MWC in Barcelona. If you've been wondering whether its successor, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, will also be officially available globally, the answer is yes and it comes straight from Lu Weibing, Xiaomi Group Partner and President. He unveiled the news in a video Q&A with Chinese fans of the brand. Lu also revealed that the 15 Ultra will be made official after the Chinese New Year, which in 2025 falls on January 29. Note that until February 4 there is a public holiday in China, so no...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_15_ultra_will_get_a_global_launch_exec_confirms-news-66187.php

Alleged iPhone 17 series back panel leaks again

Last month, we saw leaked images of the alleged iPhone 17 Pro with a camera visor instead of the traditional square cutout on the back. That rumor was later refuted, but we now get another image that suggests the 17 series will, in fact, go with the visor design. The latest image was shared by tipster Majin Bu, who holds a solid track record with Apple products. The image showcases two back panels for the iPhone 17 series. We don’t get confirmation on which devices we’re looking at, but we can make up a single camera cutout, possibly indicating one of the more affordable models. The...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/alleged_iphone_17_series_back_panel_leaks_again-news-66190.php

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (Global) review

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_note_14_pro_plus-review-2788.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim to only be sold in these countries

Last week a rumor claimed that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim would "almost certainly not be offered through US carriers". And today a new rumor brings us the purported list of countries and regions where the S25 Slim will be available. It's not a short list, as it has 39 places on it, but it's very short compared to where Samsung will sell the other three members of the Galaxy S25 family. So, if you've been eyeing the slimmer S25, here's where you'll be able to buy it: Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, France, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_slim_to_only_be_sold_in_these_countries-news-66171.php

New iPad Air with M3 chip seemingly incoming

Last year Apple updated its iPad Air and for the first time we got two models - 11" and 13". Both of them use Apple's M2 chipset, but the range is apparently due for an upgrade soon. Legendary leaker Evan Blass has shared an image that seems to indicate that Apple is currently working on two new iPad Airs (with the same 11" and 13" screen sizes), and these will be powered by the M3 chipset. That's still not Apple's current top of the line chipset series, which is the M4 that's featured in the latest iPad Pros, but it's a step up from the M2 for sure. 2024 iPad Air 11'' and iPad...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/new_ipad_air_with_m3_chip_seemingly_incoming-news-66173.php

Samsung Galaxy S25 family's price hike to be limited

Samsung's Galaxy S25 series has long been rumored to arrive with a price hike - in Europe, in Korea, and in India. Today a new report from Samsung's home of Korea details things a bit further. It's good news and bad news. The bad news is that a price hike is indeed coming, at least in Korea. The good news is that it will apparently only apply to the models with 512GB of storage. The 256GB versions will have the same launch price as their predecessors. The actual level of the price hike is even better news as it's rumored to be KRW 15,400, which at the current exchange rates...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s25_familys_price_hike_to_be_limited-news-66169.php

Instagram announces Edits, its CapCut rival

TikTok wasn’t the only high-profile app banned in the US recently, as fellow ByteDance video editing app CapCut also went dark. Meta wasted no time capitalizing on the situation and announced its own free video editor for creators called Edits. The app is currently on pre-order in the US App Store and is expected to go live next month. Instagram head Adam Mosseri also confirmed that an Android version is “coming soon”. Edits app interface Edits allows users to capture and edit footage for vertical-style videos, which can then be posted on any platform. If you choose to...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/instagram_announces_edits_its_take_on_capcut-news-66164.php

TikTok is live again in the US after 13 hours in the dark

TikTok users in the United States can celebrate as their beloved app is back online. 170 million Americans were greeted on Sunday with the news of the app's ban, and upon opening it, they encountered a pop-up indicating that the law prohibiting TikTok has been put into effect. After 13 hours, the app reported that it was working on restoring services and expressed gratitude to President Trump for offering "the necessary clarity and assurance" that the company will not face penalties if it continued its operations. Notifications from TikTok app during ban and after ban President...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/tiktok_is_live_again_in_the_us_after_13_hours_in_the_dark-news-66163.php

Oppo Find N5 super thin body showcased once again

Oppo is releasing the Find N5 in February, and a product manager at the company shared more photos of the foldable, this time demonstrating its thin profile next to an iPhone 16 Pro Max. The unfolded device is as thick as two CNY1 coins stacked on top of each other, meaning it is about 3.7 mm. This means it will be just the second smartphone in the world, foldable or not, to go lower than the 4 mm threshold (the first was the Mate XT Ultimate tri-fold). Oppo Find N5 The phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the device with model number PKH110 was...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_n5_thin_body_gets_showcased_once_again-news-66162.php

Top 10 trending phones of week 3

With two days until the first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year our trending chart is experiencing the proverbial calm before the storm. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's specs page, containing all the rumors we have yet, is still the most popular on our website and the Poco X7 Pro retained its second place. [#InlinePriceWidget, 13582, 1#] The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ slipped to fifth, allowing the Galaxy A55 to add one more podium spot to its legacy. Galaxy S24 Ultra rose to fourth, undoubtedly boosted by the many comparisons you guys are doing to its successor. Newly announced Realme...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/top_10_trending_phones_of_week_3-news-66161.php

Deals: Redmi Note 14 series goes on sale, OnePlus 13 512GB gets a discount

The OnePlus 13 was originally unveiled a while back, but it is a new arrival in Europe. The phone exudes “flagship” with a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a 6.82” 1440p+ LTPO display, three 50MP Hasselblad cameras, an IP68/IP69 rating and a 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging support. Check out our written review and our video review for a closer look. Note that we’ve only linked the 16/512GB variant as that currently has a €150 discount (dropping its price to match the 12/256GB variant). OnePlus 13 ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deals_redmi_note_14_series_goes_on_sale_oneplus_13_512gb_gets_a_discount-news-66149.php

Weekly poll: which Honor Magic7 model is the right one for you?

While not new, the Honor Magic7 Pro and Magic7 Lite arrived in Europe earlier this week – on Wednesday, the Lite went on sale while the Pro went on pre-order. Then, a day later, the Magic7 RSR Porsche Design joined them. First, the Pro and RSR models are mostly the same – the latter stands out with a bespoke design, a larger 5,850mAh battery (the global Pro has a 5,270mAh battery) and a different telephoto camera. Honor Magic7 Pro The Honor Magic7 Pro has a gently curved 6.8” display, a 10-bit LTPO panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate, plus Dolby Vision and HDR support and...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_which_honor_magic7_model_is_the_right_one_for_you-news-66109.php

Weekly poll results: the vanilla Redmi Note 14 emerges as the unlikely victor

Well, here’s a surprise – last week’s poll revealed which is the best-liked model in the Redmi Note 14 series and it isn’t the Pro+ with its fancy curved display and 200MP camera. No, that one came in second. The most preferred of the series is actually the vanilla Redmi Note 14 5G. Yes, specifically the 5G model – while a few like the Redmi Note 14 4G, both it and the Redmi Note 14 Pro 4G proved to be a lot less popular than their 5G siblings. Maybe this is a sign for Xiaomi to simplify the product line and only offer 5G phones going forward. Looking at the series as a whole,...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/weekly_poll_results_the_vanilla_redmi_note_14_emerges_as_the_unlikely_victor-news-66126.php

Deals: the Google Pixel 9 trio is $150 off

Last week, we looked at the launch of the OnePlus 13 and 13R. Next week, Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S25 series. This week, we will look at what Google has to offer. The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a rare small-ish Android with high-end cameras – a 1/1.31” 50MP main, 48MP 113mm periscope and 48MP 123° ultra-wide. Its 6.3” display is an LTPO panel with 1280p+ resolution and a 42MP ultra-wide (17mm) selfie camera. The battery is fairly large at 4,700mAh, but charging is slow – 27W wired and 21W wireless. Google Pixel 9 Pro ...

Source: https://www.gsmarena.com/deals_the_google_pixel_9_trio_is_150_off-news-66144.php