- Samsung Galaxy M17 5G (India) set to launch Oct 10 [1] – a 6.7″ Super AMOLED midrange phone with Gorilla Glass Victus, IP54 rating and a 50MP triple camera with OIS. It adds AI features (Circle to Search, Gemini Live) previously unseen in the M-series [2], and is expected to cost around ₹15–17K (≈$180–$200) [3].
- vivo V60 Lite unveiled for an Oct 19 launch [4] – an ultra-slim (7.59 mm) 6.77″ 120Hz AMOLED phone available in Pop Pink, Titanium Blue and Elegant Black [5], aimed at fashion-conscious users. Likewise, realme announced an official partnership with Ricoh Imaging [6]: its upcoming GT 8 Pro (launching Oct 14) will carry Ricoh GR’s street-photography legacy, with a 200MP triple-telephoto camera and five built-in “film” color modes [7].
- Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (US) just hit the market: Spectrum Mobile added the foldable to its lineup on Oct 9 [8]. Available in “Moonstone” with Google’s Tensor G5 chip, it’s offered at $1,299 (=$500 off) through Nov 29 [9]. Every purchase also comes with 12 months of “Google AI Pro” (cloud storage + premium AI features) [10], making it an attractive early-bird deal.
- Leaks & Rumors: Patent filings suggest Samsung’s next foldable, the Galaxy Z TriFold, will fold into a novel “G-shape” (two hinges, three sections) [11]. Each section will house its own battery – likely totaling >5000 mAh (vs. 4400 mAh on the Z Fold7) [12]. Samsung is expected to preview the TriFold at the APEC Summit (Oct 31–Nov 1) [13]. Separately, leaked dummy units hinted at new Galaxy S26 Ultra colors (Silver, “Cosmic Orange,” PinkGold) [14], but insiders say the orange and pink renders were just AI-generated fakes [15] – official colorways are still unconfirmed (only Black is certain so far). Rumors also swirl around Google’s next Tensor chip: the Pixel 11 (Tensor G6) may ditch Samsung’s modem for MediaTek’s new M90 modem [16]. The M90 supports blazingly-fast 12 Gbps data and AI-driven power savings [17], potentially fixing past Pixel issues with heat and battery drain. Finally, Samsung’s own imaging roadmap has a twist: its new ISOCELL HP5 200MP sensor will first appear in partner brands (Oppo/realme) and likely not in a Samsung flagship [18].
- Software & OS Updates: Google rolled out the October 2025 Android security update on Oct 8 for Pixel 7–10 (Android 16 QPR1). It patches bugs (camera, display flicker, widget issues) [19], but again skips Pixel 6 devices this month [20]. Samsung carriers have begun seeding One UI 8 (Android 16) to older models (e.g. Galaxy S22) as their final Android 16 update. In China, vivo teased OriginOS 6 (Android 16) with a completely revamped “glassy” UI [21]. A preview program starts soon, with a global rollout (including the iQOO 15) slated for Oct 15 [22]. Huawei, meanwhile, continues developing HarmonyOS 6: execs say it will center on an AI “agents” framework (50+ built-in virtual assistants from Chinese apps) [23]. No release date is set, but HarmonyOS 6 is envisioned as an AI-first upgrade on Huawei phones.
- Carrier & 5G News: U.S. operators are aggressively upgrading networks. AT&T announced (Oct 9) that its 5G Standalone (SA) core is now live nationwide [24], enabling lower latency and advanced features. AT&T also said its 5G RedCap IoT network now covers 200+ million points [25], and it’s shifting its 5G core into Microsoft Azure’s cloud [26]. Verizon likewise reports near-total nationwide 5G SA deployment [27], and has launched 5G SA-powered services (network slicing for first-responders, enhanced video calls). Globally, Huawei’s CMO Eric Zhao notes ~50 live 5G-Advanced networks (in 300+ cities) around the world [28]. Operators are packaging 5G-A with AI features to drive revenue (e.g. China Mobile’s AI phones, Deutsche Telekom’s AI apps) [29]. In India, experts say Jio and Airtel – after pouring ₹lakhs into 5G – plan to hike tariffs ~15% by end-2025 to improve ARPU [30] (5G now covers ~42% of subscribers [31]).
- Industry Trends & Analysis: Market analysts see only modest growth in 2025. IDC data show global smartphone shipments up just ~1.0% in Q2 2025 (≈295 million units) [32] – the first year-on-year rise in years. IDC’s Nabila Popal notes weaker low-end demand and a China slowdown dragged overall growth [33]. Samsung bucked the trend by pushing AI features into midrange Galaxy A-series phones, driving strong sales [34]. Gartner projects ~4.6% growth to ~1.3 billion devices in 2025, with premium (AI-capable) phones growing ~6% [35]. In short, experts say “AI smartphones” will keep demand ticking upward even as cyclical inventory correction ends.
Sources: Verified tech news and press releases from Oct 9–10, 2025 [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43], including Samsung, Google/Spectrum, vivo, realme, and analyst reports [44] [45]. Each fact above links to its original report.
References
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