Mobile Mayhem: Foldable iPhone Rumors, Pixel AI Phones & More – All the Big Smartphone News (Aug 25–26, 2025)

August 26, 2025
Mobile Mayhem: Foldable iPhone Rumors, Pixel AI Phones & More – All the Big Smartphone News (Aug 25–26, 2025)

Major Product Launches & Announcements

  • Google’s Pixel 10 Series Debuts with AI Focus: Google’s Made by Google event (held just before this news cycle) introduced the Pixel 10 lineup, including the second-gen Pixel 10 Pro Fold foldable phone reuters.com reuters.com. Hardware upgrades were modest, but Google heavily emphasized new AI features – e.g. a “photo coach” in the camera and a proactive assistant that surfaces info (like flight details when calling an airline) without prompts reuters.com. “We’ve got the best models, we’ve got the best AI assistant… it’s not about just the hardware anymore,” said Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh during the presentation reuters.com reuters.com. Prices stayed flat at $799 for the base Pixel 10 and $1,799 for the Fold model, despite tariff fears earlier this year reuters.com reuters.com. Analysts observed that last year’s Pixel brought a bold redesign, whereas “this [year] feels more like a big push from a marketing perspective”, with Google even recruiting celebrities like Jimmy Fallon to hype the launch reuters.com reuters.com.
  • Xiaomi’s Big-Battery Midrange Phone: In China, Xiaomi expanded its Redmi lineup on August 21 with the Redmi Note 15 Pro+, drawing attention for flagship-like specs at a midrange price. It packs a massive 7,000 mAh battery (90W fast charging) and an ultra-bright 6.83-inch display (up to 3,200 nits) – one of the brightest ever in a phone ts2.tech ts2.tech. Unusually for its class, it even boasts IP69K ruggedization and premium design touches. Xiaomi highlighted these upgrades as a leap over last year’s model, signaling Chinese brands’ push to offer high-end features in value phones.

(No major smartphone flagships were officially launched on Aug 25–26, but Google’s and Xiaomi’s recent releases were making waves in the news on those dates.)

Leaks & Rumors: Next-Gen Phones in the Pipeline

  • Apple’s Three-Year iPhone Reinvention Plan: Even without an August Apple event, credible reports fueled excitement about upcoming iPhones. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed that Apple is working on not one but three major new iPhone models over the next few years gizmodo.com gizmodo.com. First up is the long-rumored “iPhone 17 Air” expected next month – a super-thin 2025 model that would be Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever, even slimmer than the bendgate-prone iPhone 6, and meant to replace the current Plus variant gizmodo.com. In 2026, Apple is reportedly planning its first foldable iPhone, a book-style device akin to a Galaxy Fold. Gurman’s sources say the foldable will use Touch ID (in lieu of Face ID), feature four cameras, omit a SIM card slot, and use an advanced “in-cell” display to minimize the crease gizmodo.com macrumors.com. The foldable iPhone (possibly an “iPhone 18 Fold”) is expected in 2026 with a roughly 7.5–8-inch inner screen macrumors.com, and supply-chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes it will achieve a “crease-free” design via a special laser-drilled metal substrate macrumors.com. Looking further ahead, a 2027 iPhone redesign is rumored to introduce an all-curved-glass form factor coinciding with iOS 26’s new “Liquid” interface gizmodo.com. “The smartphone has become… a boring category” and Apple appears poised to shake things up with ultra-thin and foldable designs, one industry analyst remarked ts2.tech ts2.tech.
  • Samsung Galaxy S25 FE – The Fan Edition Returns: Samsung’s budget-friendly “Fan Edition” phone is making a comeback, with multiple leaks in mid/late August detailing the unannounced Galaxy S25 FE. A retail site slip-up in the UK revealed official-looking images and specs, including a 6.4-inch 120 Hz OLED display and a 50 MP main camera androidauthority.com androidauthority.com. Notably, the S25 FE appears set to run on Samsung’s own Exynos 2400 chipset – a surprising move after recent Galaxy flagships relied solely on Qualcomm chips androidauthority.com. Leaked materials show the phone in four colors (Black, Icy Blue, Navy, White) and indicate configurations up to 8GB RAM / 256GB storage, plus a 4,900 mAh battery with 45W fast charging androidauthority.com. With an expected price around €679 (~$780) in Europe androidauthority.com, the S25 FE aims to deliver near-flagship specs at a lower price point. Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed it yet, but multiple reports suggest a launch by early Q4 2025 androidauthority.com androidauthority.com.
  • Other Notable Leaks: Google’s Pixel team managed to keep most secrets until launch, but one tidbit emerged after release: the Pixel 10 phones will be the first to support satellite-based WhatsApp calls, enabling audio/video calls via satellite connectivity in emergencies currently.att.yahoo.com. Meanwhile, OnePlus and other Chinese brands were relatively quiet during this news cycle, with bigger reveals expected later in the year. One legal leak of note: Apple filed a lawsuit accusing a former employee of stealing Apple Watch chip secrets for Oppo, suggesting tensions are high as Chinese OEMs seek any edge (more on that in Industry News below).

Software Updates & OS Developments

  • Samsung Extends One UI & 7-Year Updates to Appliances: On August 25, Samsung announced an unusual software initiative bridging phones and home appliances. Its custom One UI software (familiar from Galaxy phones) will expand to Samsung smart fridges, washers, TVs, etc., creating a unified look and feature set across devices news.samsung.com news.samsung.com. In tandem, Samsung is pledging 7 years of software updates for Wi-Fi-connected appliances – the same lengthy support it offers on Galaxy smartphones news.samsung.com news.samsung.com. From 2024 models onward, smart appliances will get updates through year 7, bringing new UI features (like a “Now Brief” info panel on fridge displays) and security improvements via Samsung’s Knox platform news.samsung.com news.samsung.com. “By bringing One UI to smart appliances, we are transforming the way people interact with technology at home,” said Samsung R&D executive Jeong Seung Moon, emphasizing a familiar cross-device experience news.samsung.com. This move highlights how smartphone software ecosystems are spilling over into IoT and home tech.
  • One UI 8 Glitch on New Galaxy Foldables: Samsung’s latest foldable phones – the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 – shipped with Android 16-based One UI 8.0 software and some nifty new features. However, early adopters (and Samsung’s own testers) encountered a serious bug: the Do Not Disturb (DND) settings keep resetting themselves, potentially causing owners to miss calls, messages, alarms and notifications whenever DND is enabled sammobile.com sammobile.com. For example, a user might customize DND to allow certain contacts and apps, only to find those preferences wiped out the next day – meaning DND ends up silencing everything sammobile.com sammobile.com. Samsung acknowledged the issue in a beta changelog and has reportedly fixed it in the latest One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series, but as of Aug 25 no patch was yet available for the Fold 7/Flip 7 sammobile.com. Tech forums have been filled with complaints about the alert-hiding bug sammobile.com. Users are hoping Samsung rolls out a software update to the foldables soon, as a malfunctioning DND mode can have “serious consequences” if important alerts go unseen sammobile.com.
  • Android to Require Verified Developers (Crackdown on Sideloading Risks): Google announced a major security policy change on Aug 25 affecting the Android ecosystem. Starting in 2026, all Android app developers will need to verify their identity — not just those on the official Play Store, but also anyone distributing apps via other app stores or sideloading techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Google stressed this doesn’t end the openness of Android; users will still be free to install apps from outside Google Play. But anonymous developers will lose the ability to distribute apps on “certified” Android devices. Google cited internal data that malware is 50× more prevalent via sideloaded apps compared to Play Store apps (which have required developer ID verification since 2023) techcrunch.com. An early-access program for devs will start in Oct 2025, with full rollout in stages: by September 2026, the verification rule will take effect in key markets (Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand) and then expand globally in 2027 techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. Developers will have to provide a legal name, address, and contact info, similar to Apple’s recent compliance with EU regulations techcrunch.com. This step – akin to a “know your developer” policy – aims to weed out bad actors who hide behind fake identities to spread malware or fraud. It’s a significant tightening of Android’s security model, balancing the platform’s openness with growing pressure to protect users.
  • Other OS News: Apple’s iOS 19 and Google’s Android 16 are on the verge of public release as the fall approaches. Apple continued seeding iOS 19 beta updates to developers, polishing features like interactive widgets and the revamped Journal app ahead of the iPhone 17 launch. On the Android side, Android 16 has been rolling out to Pixel phones (Google boasted it was Android’s earliest major release in recent years) blog.google blog.google. The August Android 16 update for Pixels brought fixes for a pesky back-button bug and other refinements 9to5google.com store.google.com. Meanwhile, Samsung and other OEMs are working on their Android 16 updates (One UI 8, OxygenOS 16, etc.), with public beta programs underway for flagship models. In short, the mobile OS landscape is gearing up for the next generation – with a strong emphasis on security, polish, and cross-device integration.

Business & Industry News

  • Apple Sues Oppo over Alleged Trade-Secret Theft: A transpacific tech legal battle erupted as Apple filed suit in California against Oppo (one of China’s top smartphone makers) and a former Apple engineer. In the complaint, Apple accuses ex-employee Chen Shi of stealing sensitive Apple Watch technology – specifically proprietary sensor and chip designs – and covertly supplying them to his new employer Oppo (and its U.S.-based R&D arm, InnoPeak) macrumors.com. The lawsuit, filed August 21, claims Shi “conspired to steal Apple’s trade secrets” about the Watch, presumably to help Oppo’s product development macrumors.com. Oppo has publicly denied any wrongdoing. “We have found no evidence establishing any connection between these allegations and the employee’s conduct during his employment at Oppo,” an Oppo spokesperson told MacRumors macrumors.com. Oppo insists it “respects the trade secrets of all companies… and has not misappropriated Apple’s trade secrets”, vowing to cooperate with the legal process macrumors.com. This case underscores rising tensions as Chinese smartphone brands innovate in categories (like wearables) where Apple is dominant. It also highlights U.S. concerns about IP leakage; just months earlier, U.S. lawmakers urged a probe of OnePlus devices on security grounds. The outcome of Apple’s suit could have industry-wide implications for talent moves and IP protection across borders.
  • Trump’s “Made-in-USA” Smartphone Controversy: In political-tech crossover news, the Trump Organization’s foray into mobile phones encountered skepticism. Back in June, former President Donald Trump’s family business licensed the “Trump Mobile” brand to launch a new U.S. carrier service and a $499 Android smartphone called the T1 Phone reuters.com. At launch, the Trumps touted a “sleek, gold smartphone” that would be “designed and built in the United States” reuters.com reuters.com – a bold promise given the lack of large-scale phone manufacturing in the U.S. By late August, however, eagle-eyed analysts noticed that Trump Mobile quietly scrubbed its “Made in USA” claims from the official website. The T1 Phone’s page no longer says “built in America,” instead using vaguer patriotic phrases like “designed with American values in mind” and “American hands are behind every device.” san.com san.com A Trump Mobile spokesperson still insisted, “T1 phones are proudly being made in America. Speculation to the contrary is simply inaccurate,” but offered no clarification for the removed wording san.com. Additionally, the website downgraded some listed specs – originally the T1 was advertised with a 6.78-inch display and 12 GB RAM, but the site now shows a smaller 6.25-inch screen and omits any RAM mention san.com san.com. These shifts came after experts voiced doubt that any new handset could truly be manufactured domestically at scale san.com. The saga has drawn commentary about transparency and trust: if even a presidentially-promoted phone can’t live up to its “made in USA” marketing, it underscores how globalized and complex tech supply chains really are. (For the record, Trump Mobile says its $47.45/month service – a nod to the 45th and 47th president – will piggyback on major carrier networks, and the T1 phones are slated to ship later in the year reuters.com reuters.com.)
  • Regulatory Watch: No major new regulatory actions hit in this two-day window, but ongoing trends bear noting. In the U.S., officials continue scrutinizing Chinese-made phones on security grounds (as seen in calls to investigate OnePlus reuters.com reuters.com). And in India, regulators are reportedly considering rules to mandate smartphone makers offer unplugging of pre-installed apps (an Android bloatware crackdown) – reflecting global momentum on digital competition rules. Meanwhile, the EU’s Digital Markets Act looms, which from March 2026 will force Apple to open iOS to third-party app stores. These brewing changes form the backdrop of many company decisions (like Google’s developer verification plan and Samsung’s lengthy support promises).

Market Trends & Sales Updates

  • Global Smartphone Market Showing Signs of Recovery: The latest industry data indicates the smartphone slump may be easing. According to IDC, worldwide smartphone shipments grew 1.4% year-over-year in Q2 2025 – reaching about 296.5 million units, versus 292 million a year prior idc.com idc.com. This marked the eighth consecutive quarter of annual growth, a sustained rebound last seen in the early 2010s idc.com. “In the face of ongoing political challenges, war, and tariffs, the 1.4% growth … is a critical indicator that the market is poised to return to growth,” said IDC research director Anthony Scarsella, noting that a flurry of new models with innovative designs and AI features helped buoy demand idc.com.
  • Top Vendors – Samsung Up, Apple Up, Transsion Down: Market leader Samsung shipped an estimated 58.0 million smartphones in Q2, up 7.9% from last year, boosting its global share to 19.6% idc.com. IDC attributed Samsung’s strong quarter to robust sales of its new mid-range Galaxy A36/A56 models, which introduced AI features to entice consumers – an approach that “has been effectively used in retail stores to drive sales,” according to IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo idc.com. Apple also saw growth: roughly 48.0 million iPhones shipped, up 5.0% year-on-year (16.2% market share) as the iPhone 15/16 generation performed well idc.com. Notably, Apple’s gains came despite a slight dip in China – which was offset by “strong double-digit growth in emerging markets,” IDC’s Nabila Popal said idc.com. Chinese vendors Xiaomi (~42.4M units, +0.2%) and vivo (~26.3M, +1.8%) were basically flat but held onto the #3 and #4 spots idc.com. Transsion Holdings (maker of Tecno, Infinix etc., strong in Africa/Asia) rounded out the top 5 but saw a 1.9% decline idc.com. Overall, the fact that premium and mid-tier phones drove the growth (while low-end Android demand stayed soft amid economic pressures) suggests consumers are still willing to spend on upgrades, especially when lured by AI enhancements or novel form factors.
  • Foldables and High-End Trends: 2025 has been a breakout year for foldable phones, and late-August news underscored that momentum. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Fold 7 enjoyed a successful retail debut (Samsung said pre-orders were up 25% over last year’s foldables) and garnered positive reviews for their thinner, lighter designs ts2.tech ts2.tech. Globally, foldable shipments are expected to hit roughly 19 million units in 2025 theguardian.com – still a niche (~<2% of the market), but rapidly growing. Analysts note that the flip-style foldables (like Samsung’s Z Flip and the rumored “iPhone Flip”) are capturing consumer imagination by offering a fun, compact form at lower cost than tablet-style folds ts2.tech. “It’s cheaper and has captured the imagination” of users looking for something fresh, one industry watcher said of the flip form-factor’s appeal ts2.tech. Meanwhile, average selling prices (ASPs) have been rising: many buyers are opting for premium models, and features like 5G, large cameras, and now AI co-processors have pushed prices upward. A report from Counterpoint Research showed global smartphone revenues jumped 10% YoY in Q2 – crossing $100 billion for the first time in a second quarter – thanks to a richer model mix even as unit volumes stayed tepid. In short, the high-end is where the action (and profit) is, which is driving strategies like Apple’s planned ultra-high-end releases and Samsung’s continued investment in foldables and AI for its flagships.
  • Analyst Outlook: “Economic uncertainty tends to compress demand at the lower end… As a result, low-end Android is witnessing a crunch,” IDC’s Nabila Popal explained, pointing to inflation and weaker consumer spending in some regions idc.com. But there are bright spots: India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East have seen smartphone uptake recover strongly in 2025, and U.S. 5G phone upgrades remain steady. Canalys data (Q2 2025) also noted Chinese brands increasing production in India to mitigate export risks – the share of U.S. smartphone shipments made in China fell from 61% in 2Q’24 to 25% in 2Q’25 reuters.com, reflecting supply chain diversification. All told, industry experts are cautiously optimistic that the smartphone market has “turned a corner” back to growth. The next big inflection point will be Apple’s iPhone 17 launch in September – which, if successful, could further boost Q3 sales and set the tone for the crucial holiday quarter.

Expert Takeaways

On Google’s strategy: “There has been a lot of hype about AI in phones – and frankly a lot of broken promises too – but [Google’s new AI model] Gemini is the real deal,” Google’s Rick Osterloh claimed on stage, asserting that the Pixel 10’s AI features will meaningfully improve user experience reuters.com. Independent analysts were mixed: “A lot of what they showed would run almost exactly the same on last year’s hardware… their point is it’s not about hardware anymore,” observed Bob O’Donnell of Technalysis Research, who nonetheless noted Google’s lack of market share gains so far reuters.com reuters.com. Another analyst, Carolina Milanesi, saw the flashy Pixel event as Google trying to broaden Pixel’s appeal beyond tech enthusiasts: “Last year there was such a jump in hardware… This [year] feels more like a marketing push,” she told Reuters reuters.com.

On Apple’s foldable plans: “Apple is rarely first to market. It watches a category mature, then it jumps,” noted Ben Wood, CCS Insight’s chief analyst theguardian.com. Many experts believe if Apple launches a foldable iPhone in 2026, it could rapidly double the foldables market. “When Apple does it, that validates the space for a lot of consumers,” IDC’s Bryan Ma said in a recent panel, predicting an Apple foldable would pull in new buyers even at a $2,000 price tag. However, others caution that Apple will need to solve durability and the crease issue to meet its brand’s high standards – “The crease has always remained… I’m skeptical Apple can do what others haven’t, but I’d love to be proven wrong,” wrote Raymond Wong of Gizmodo gizmodo.com.

On the market rebound: “Q2 was packed with new models… featuring innovative designs and powerful AI integration, which drove the 8th straight quarter of growth – a feat we haven’t seen since 2013,” IDC’s Anthony Scarsella noted, highlighting how innovation is fueling consumer upgrades idc.com. Still, not everyone is convinced the recovery will accelerate. “We expect the overall smartphone market to see little to no growth this year. If there is any increase, it might be around 0.1% to 0.2%,” warned Xiaomi President Lu Weibing on his company’s earnings call reuters.com reuters.com, citing macroeconomic uncertainties. The consensus among market watchers is that 2025 will be a transitional year – 5G is ubiquitous, smartphone features are plateauing, and consumers need compelling reasons (like new form factors or tangible AI benefits) to upgrade. As tech journalist Shara Tibken quipped in a recent column: “Smartphones aren’t dead, they’re just waiting for their next spark. This week’s news suggests where that spark might come from.”

Sources: Official company announcements and press releases; Reuters reuters.com reuters.com macrumors.com, Bloomberg via Gizmodo gizmodo.com gizmodo.com and MacRumors macrumors.com macrumors.com; Android Authority androidauthority.com androidauthority.com and SamMobile sammobile.com sammobile.com; TechCrunch techcrunch.com techcrunch.com; Samsung Newsroom news.samsung.com news.samsung.com; Straight Arrow News/Verge san.com san.com; IDC research reports idc.com idc.com; and expert commentary from industry analysts and tech media reuters.com gizmodo.com.

We asked AI which foldable phone he recommend👀 #smartphone

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