Apple: iPhone 17 Rumors Heat Up & iOS Updates
Apple’s annual iPhone launch is just weeks away (reportedly September 9), and leaks are in full swing macrumors.com. Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Max schematics surfaced, revealing two versions of a new metal-encased battery – an L-shaped one for models with a SIM tray and a rectangular one for eSIM-only models macrumors.com. This hints Apple may continue offering both eSIM and physical SIM options internationally, even as it removed the SIM tray from U.S. iPhones last year. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly prepping new “TechWoven” premium cases for the iPhone 17 lineup to replace last year’s much-criticized FineWoven material macrumors.com. Leaked packaging suggests these cases could support a “Crossbody Strap” accessory for on-the-go use macrumors.com.
On the software front, Apple pushed out iOS 18.6.2 with security fixes after discovering a malicious image exploit in the wild macrumors.com. And as the iOS 19 (iOS “26”) launch nears, the latest beta brings tweaks like an adaptive power mode notification and the inclusion of Apple Watch blood-oxygen features on iPhone macrumors.com. Apple’s broader ecosystem is expanding too – Bloomberg reports Apple is developing an all-new home-focused OS (code-named “Charismatic”) for a future smart home hub/robot device macrumors.com. All told, Apple’s September event is shaping up to debut not just the iPhone 17 family and Apple Watch updates, but also new accessories and software across the board.
“The smartphone business itself was an extremely important business for us… we will continue to grow this business,” Apple’s CFO Luca Maestri quipped regarding iPhone amid these preparations – underscoring that even with new product categories on the horizon, the iPhone remains Apple’s crown jewel androidauthority.com. (Apple has not officially confirmed any iPhone 17 details, so stay tuned for the big reveal next month.)
Google: Pixel 10 Launches & Bold Moves (or Lack Thereof)
Google dominated mid-week headlines with its Pixel 10 series launch on August 20. The company unveiled four models – Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold – continuing its multi-form-factor strategy from last year techadvisor.com. The devices sport Google’s new Tensor G5 chip and iterative upgrades (e.g. the base Pixel 10 gains a telephoto lens, and the Fold adopts a 50 MP main camera) techadvisor.com. Perhaps the most radical change is what Google removed: no physical SIM slots on the core Pixel 10 models (at least in the U.S.) techradar.com. Like Apple’s eSIM-only iPhones, Google’s flagships now rely exclusively on eSIM for network connectivity. Google confirmed users will be able to transfer eSIM profiles between Android and iPhone seamlessly – hinting at new cross-platform eSIM support arriving in iOS 17/iOS 26 techradar.com techradar.com. “Going eSIM-only makes it faster and easier to connect to a network… a huge win for convenience,” observes Sarah McGarr, CEO of mobile carrier Sim Local, noting that travelers can swap plans in minutes without fiddling with tiny cards techradar.com. Still, Google is limiting the eSIM-only rollout to the U.S. for now techradar.com, likely to gauge consumer reception.
Google is also breaking ground in connectivity. In a surprise satellite communications partnership, Google announced that Pixel 10 devices will be the first phones to support WhatsApp voice and video calls via satellite 9to5google.com 9to5google.com. Starting August 28 (the Pixels’ retail launch date), Pixel 10 users “off the grid” will be able to place WhatsApp calls using emergency satellite links when no cellular signal is available. The service will initially work with select carriers (likely through T-Mobile’s forthcoming T-Satellite service) and may incur extra fees 9to5google.com. It’s an expansion of last year’s basic satellite SMS features into data – meaning being truly unreachable might become a thing of the past for Pixel owners.
In terms of product strategy, Google is focusing its efforts. In interviews this week, Google hardware boss Rick Osterloh revealed a list of devices Google isn’t building right now theverge.com. Despite rivals dabbling in new form factors, Google “intends to sit out [the flip-phone] race” for now and has paused development of a tablet reboot until it “figures out a meaningful future for the category,” executives told Bloomberg theverge.com. Osterloh even said it’s still “TBD” if Google will ever sell its own AR glasses again theverge.com. (Google has shown off prototype AR glasses in the past, but unlike Meta, it seems content to let partners explore that space for now theverge.com.) Interestingly, Google hinted that if it revisits glasses, they might work in tandem with a “smaller phone that could unfold for entertainment”, but for now Google is doubling down on Pixel phones and wearables instead of experimental gadgets theverge.com. As one senior Googler put it, Google tries new phone designs “every two to three years” – so having introduced folds last year, we may not see another form factor shake-up until 2026 theverge.com.
Samsung: Refined Foldables & Steady Momentum
Samsung’s second big launch of the year – the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 – hit markets earlier in August, and early reviews are positive. Now in their seventh generation, Samsung’s foldables have achieved a level of polish approaching perfection for their categories wired.com. Both the book-style Fold7 and clamshell Flip7 are thinner, lighter, and more durable than before, with refined hinges and larger displays that make them feel “easier to recommend than ever” wired.com. The Flip7 finally gets a bigger 4.1-inch cover screen (addressing a long-time complaint), while the Fold7’s internal screen is wider and the chassis slimmed down, coming “even closer to a normal smartphone when opened up” wired.com. Samsung also introduced its new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset in the Fold7 for extra horsepower (the smaller Flip7 uses a still-capable Exynos 2500) wired.com. In short, Samsung’s iterative approach – incremental upgrades each year – has culminated in foldables that feel refined rather than experimental.
That said, the devices aren’t without quirks. Reviewers note the Flip7 can run a bit hot under load and still has limited battery life (a common flip-phone tradeoff) wired.com wired.com. And Samsung’s software restrictions on the cover screen mean you’ll need workarounds to run full apps on that outer display wired.com. But these niggles aside, Samsung continues to set the bar for foldables. With nearly 20% global market share last quarter – shipping ~58 million phones in Q2 alone livemint.com livemint.com – Samsung’s strategy of steady refinement is clearly resonating. Its smartphone shipments grew almost 8% year-over-year, outperforming Apple’s modest growth livemint.com. As foldable competition heats up (more on that below), Samsung’s head start and continuous improvements have it holding onto the lion’s share of this niche for now.
In other Samsung news, a quirky story made the rounds: the MAGA-branded “Trump Mobile” T1 smartphone, which initially appeared to be a rebadged iPhone clone, is now being marketed with renders that uncannily copy the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s design (in a Spigen case to boot) theverge.com. Samsung’s response? Silence – though the tech community has had a field day with the absurdity. While not a serious industry development, it’s a reminder that in the smartphone world, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
Xiaomi: Soaring Revenues, Cautious Outlook
Chinese upstart Xiaomi had a banner quarter and announced some eye-popping numbers. The company’s Q2 2025 revenue jumped 30.5% year-on-year to ¥116 billion (~$16.2 billion) reuters.com reuters.com, handily beating analyst estimates. This surge was fueled by smartphone shipment growth in markets like Southeast Asia, where Xiaomi has now become the #1 brand reuters.com. In fact, Xiaomi is now the 3rd-largest smartphone maker globally with a 14.7% market share, and it even climbed to #2 in Europe last quarter reuters.com. However, President Lu Weibing struck a cautious tone on the earnings call. “We expect the overall smartphone market to see little to no growth this year… around 0.1% to 0.2%,” Lu warned, noting this is “different from the growth we had anticipated at the beginning of the year.” reuters.com As a result, Xiaomi trimmed its 2025 handset shipment target from 180 million to 175 million units reuters.com – still an ambitious goal, but a sign that even aggressive players see a cooling global market.
Xiaomi’s strength comes partly from its diversification. Beyond phones, the company’s bet on electric vehicles is beginning to pay off: Xiaomi’s EV division grew revenue and is on track to turn its first quarterly profit later this year reuters.com reuters.com. Xiaomi also revealed it’s developing a next-gen mobile chip in-house (code-named “XRINGO1”), underscoring its semiconductor ambitions reuters.com. But smartphones remain the core driver. Xiaomi shipped 42.4 million phones in Q2 (up 0.6% YoY) reuters.com – modest volume growth, but crucially achieved despite a globally sluggish market. Notably, average selling prices fell 2% reuters.com, implying Xiaomi is competing on value. Indeed, in many regions Xiaomi undercuts Samsung and Apple while offering high specs – a formula that is winning it share in price-sensitive markets.
One challenge Xiaomi and others face is the global market’s softness at the low end. Industry data show budget Android shipments slumping as inflation and economic worries hit consumers livemint.com livemint.com. Xiaomi’s own outlook echoes that – hence its focus on premium diversification (like EVs and flagship phones) to weather the storm. Still, with sales booming in India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe, Xiaomi’s 30% revenue leap is a rarity in today’s industry and signals that the company’s aggressive expansion is bearing fruit.
Chinese Brands & Foldable Frenzy: Huawei, Honor, Oppo/OnePlus
Huawei made waves by pushing smartphone innovation to new extremes. The company quietly launched the Huawei Mate XT, the world’s first tri-folding smartphone. A tech journalist who went hands-on in Shenzhen described unfolding the Mate XT as almost surreal – the device starts as a chunky 6.4-inch phone, but opens and then opens again into a 10.2-inch tablet thanks to its unique dual-hinge design indianexpress.com indianexpress.com. The Mate XT uses three display panels that fold in zig-zag fashion, held together magnetically when closed indianexpress.com. Despite the complex mechanism, the build felt “remarkably sturdy” in initial tests indianexpress.com. Huawei’s tri-fold is exceedingly premium – priced around $4,000 in China – yet enthusiasts snapped up the limited supply, showing there’s demand for this ultra-cutting-edge format indianexpress.com. Globally, Huawei touts the Mate XT as a technical showcase (though U.S. sanctions continue to limit its international reach). It’s a bold statement that Huawei, despite all odds, is still in the game and pushing design boundaries. Observers call it “a show of defiance amid US curbs”, as Huawei leverages engineering prowess to remain relevant in the smartphone race indianexpress.com.
Honor, Huawei’s spun-off brand, is also doubling down on foldables – but with a more mass-market twist. Honor confirmed a global launch event on August 28 in London for its Magic V5 foldable androidheadlines.com. The Magic V5 (a book-style foldable which launched in China last month) is billed as the world’s thinnest foldable to date – just 4.1 mm thick when unfolded (and 8.8 mm folded) androidheadlines.com androidheadlines.com. For context, that’s slimmer than some standard smartphones, an impressive feat for a device with a bending screen. Honor’s teaser also highlights the Magic V5 as one of the lightest foldables at ~217 grams androidheadlines.com. Leaked specs point to a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a beefy 5,820 mAh battery in a design that doesn’t compromise on cameras or display size phandroid.com freejobalert.com. By bringing the V5 to international markets, Honor clearly aims to challenge Samsung’s Fold on a global stage. If the price undercuts Samsung, the Magic V5 could attract those looking for cutting-edge foldables without Samsung’s premium pricing. We’ll know full details on August 28, but this move signals rising competition in the foldable arena.
Over at the Oppo/OnePlus camp, strategy around foldables is evolving. Oppo (which shares ownership with OnePlus) has a super-slim Find N5 foldable launching in China (and some global markets) this month – a device so thin it’s drawing “world’s thinnest” claims of its own. Tech insiders expected OnePlus to rebrand that Oppo Find N5 as a “OnePlus Open 2” for the West, but those plans have changed. OnePlus announced it won’t release a new foldable in 2025, scrapping the anticipated sequel to last year’s OnePlus Open theverge.com. In a candid forum post, OnePlus product manager Gu “Vale” explained that Oppo will “take the lead in the foldable segment” for now, while OnePlus “pauses on foldable for this generation” theverge.com theverge.com. He stressed this is “a recalibration, not a retreat” – OnePlus fans can expect foldables in the future, but not this year theverge.com. Industry analysts read this as OnePlus focusing its resources (the Open was a niche device) and perhaps avoiding an internal clash with Oppo’s own foldable launch. It means U.S. customers won’t see a OnePlus-branded foldable in 2025; the ultra-thin Find N5 will stay under the Oppo name and, like many Oppo phones, won’t officially hit U.S. shelves theverge.com. It’s a bit of a letdown for OnePlus aficionados, especially since the original OnePlus Open was well-received (even breaking OnePlus’ one-day sales records for North America) theverge.com. Still, OnePlus seems to be playing the long game, possibly waiting to introduce a more differentiated foldable down the line rather than a rebadge. In the meantime, Oppo’s Find N5 will carry the banner internationally, showcasing a folding design that’s almost as thin as a regular phone – an enticing peek at where foldable tech is headed.
Other Notable Brands: Sony Stays Committed, Nothing Gets Weird
Sony has been relatively quiet in the smartphone war, but it made news by emphatically reaffirming its commitment to the Xperia line. After a rocky summer in which Sony had to recall its Xperia 1 V flagship in Japan due to a shutdown bug, rumors swirled that Sony might exit the phone business. Quashing the speculation, Sony’s CFO Lin Tao stated that smartphones are an “extremely important business” for Sony and a core part of its long-term strategy androidauthority.com androidauthority.com. On an earnings call, Lin Tao apologized for the Xperia 1 V’s defects but stressed that Sony is not giving up on Xperia. “The telecom technology is one we’ve been nurturing for a long time… we will continue to grow this business,” she affirmed androidauthority.com. In other words, Sony sees its phone tech as strategically valuable – not just for phones, but for synergies with its imaging, gaming, and sensor businesses. So despite Xperia’s tiny market share and limited global availability, Sony is doubling down. In fact, insiders note that Sony’s next flagship is on track (and yes, likely with the beloved headphone jack and microSD slot intact). For the Xperia faithful, this comes as welcome news that their niche Android option isn’t disappearing. Sony’s challenge ahead will be addressing quality control and expanding distribution if it truly wants to “grow” Xperia beyond its loyal niche androidauthority.com androidauthority.com.
Meanwhile, London-based startup Nothing is carving out its own niche with head-turning design. In July, Nothing launched the Phone (3), its third-gen device and first true U.S. flagship, and the product is living up to the brand’s iconoclastic reputation. The Phone 3 sticks to Nothing’s signature transparent chassis aesthetic, but adds some twists that tech reviewers are calling “oddballs” in the smartphone world techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. For one, the rear camera module breaks from the standard grid layouts – Nothing arranged the triple cameras in an asymmetric, zig-zag pattern that “might make you mad” if you have OCD about alignment techcrunch.com. It’s a quirky design play intended to stand out from cookie-cutter slabs. Additionally, Nothing has revamped its gimmicky but loved Glyph interface. Gone are the simple LED light strips from Phone (1) and (2); Phone (3) features a mini LED dot-matrix display on the back, dubbed the “Glyph Matrix,” which can display pixel-art notifications and even mini-apps/games techcrunch.com. Think of it as a tiny secondary screen displaying retro 16-bit style animations for your notifications – certainly unlike anything on an iPhone or Galaxy. The company is even opening an API for developers to create micro-interactions (like “spin the bottle” or “rock-paper-scissors” games) using the Glyph Matrix techcrunch.com techcrunch.com.
Spec-wise, Nothing Phone 3 steps up into true flagship territory (Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip, 50 MP cameras with periscope zoom, 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED) techcrunch.com. Priced at $799, it’s also Nothing’s priciest phone yet, going directly against base models from Apple and Samsung techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. To complement the Phone 3, Nothing also unveiled Ear (2) earbuds last month and, notably, its first over-ear headphones called Head(1) in partnership with audiophile brand KEF wired.com. The Nothing Head(1) ($299) continue the transparent design ethos – literally showing off their drivers and circuitry – and signal Nothing’s ambition beyond phones wired.com. Tech critics have lauded Nothing for bringing fresh design to a mature market, though some wonder if the novelty is skin-deep. Still, with 5 years of OS updates promised and expanding U.S. availability, Nothing is positioning itself as a serious (if unconventional) challenger in the premium segment techcrunch.com techcrunch.com. At the very least, Carl Pei’s fledgling company has given us something different to talk about in smartphones – and in a sea of black rectangles, that’s… well, nothing short of impressive.
Industry & Market Trends: Exports Shift, Markets Stabilize
Big-picture data from this week suggests the smartphone market may be finally crawling out of its slump. According to IDC, global smartphone shipments in Q2 2025 inched up ~1% year-over-year to 295.2 million units livemint.com. That marks the industry’s 8th straight quarter of growth, a streak of sustained (if slow) recovery not seen since the early 2010s livemint.com. Growth is uneven, however. Developed markets are largely saturated – the U.S. market, for instance, grew just 1% last quarter amid economic pressures reuters.com. But emerging markets and “premiumization” are driving the gains. Notably, Samsung and Apple’s shipments rose (Samsung +7.9%, Apple +1.5% globally livemint.com), as they solidified their positions at the high end, while some budget-focused brands struggled. Average selling prices are up, and new launches with innovative designs or AI features have enticed consumers to upgrade despite inflation livemint.com.
One of the most fascinating shifts is in the global supply chain, especially the US-China-India smartphone triangle. New trade data show that India has overtaken China as the #1 phone exporter to the United States reuters.com. In Q2 2025, a whopping 44% of smartphones imported to the U.S. were made in India, up from just 13% a year prior tbsnews.net. Correspondingly, the share made in China plunged from 61% to 25% reuters.com. “India became the leading manufacturing hub for smartphones sold in the US for the very first time in Q2 2025, largely driven by Apple’s accelerated supply chain shift to India amid [trade uncertainties],” notes Sanyam Chaurasia, an analyst at Canalys reuters.com. Indeed, Apple has aggressively ramped up iPhone production in India to diversify away from China, especially with ongoing tariffs and geopolitical tensions reuters.com reuters.com. This has been a windfall for India’s tech manufacturing sector – by one account, Indian smartphone exports surged 30% YoY in the first half of 2025 to 40 million units counterpointresearch.com. It’s not just Apple: Samsung and others have also expanded Indian production for both local sales and export. The U.S. government’s stance has also played a role; ironically, even as former President Trump publicly pressured Apple to produce in the U.S., his tariffs on Chinese goods made Apple more apt to assemble iPhones in India reuters.com reuters.com. The result is a reshaped global supply chain: India is now a major smartphone export hub, Vietnam and others are picking up slack, and China’s dominance in phone manufacturing is waning for the first time in over a decade.
On the policy front, these shifts come amid ongoing debates on tech protectionism. Governments are keenly aware of the strategic importance of smartphone production. In India, for example, officials are celebrating these export gains as a victory for the “Make in India” initiative, even as they consider further incentives for semiconductor and component plants. In the U.S., regulators are balancing national security concerns about Chinese-made devices with the practical reliance on Asian manufacturing – hence investments in allies like India and Vietnam. Security and privacy concerns also bubbled up this week: the TSA issued a warning to travelers about public phone charging (“juice jacking”) risks androidcentral.com, and there’s chatter about new EU right-to-repair rules that could force easier battery replacements by 2027 (something smartphone makers will need to address in designs soon). These weren’t headline items but reflect the evolving landscape in which smartphones operate – one where hardware, geopolitics, and consumer rights increasingly intersect.
Finally, it’s worth noting market movements among smaller players. While the top five brands control the bulk of sales, companies like Transsion (itel, Tecno, Infinix) are holding strong in Africa and South Asia, and even they are feeling pressure – Transsion’s shipments dipped ~1.7% in Q2 amid the competition livemint.com. Meanwhile, vivo quietly had a decent quarter, up ~4.8% YoY with about 27 million units, thanks largely to its strength in China’s offline market livemint.com. It shows there is still room for growth if brands can find the right regional formula. And AI integration has become a buzzword for marketing new phones – from Nothing’s on-device AI features to Google’s Assistant upgrades – as companies seek any edge to entice upgrades livemint.com. The bottom line: after a rough couple of years, the smartphone sector is stabilizing and even growing slightly, with innovation (foldables, satellite comms, AI) and macro shifts (production moving to India, 5G maturation) setting the stage for the next era. The news from August 23–24, 2025, captures this crossroads moment – where flashy new devices share the spotlight with supply chain chess moves and a slowly rebounding market.
Sources: The roundup above is based on reports from MacRumors, The Verge, Android Authority, Reuters, Wired, TechCrunch, and other reputable outlets, with key details and quotes sourced from those publications macrumors.com theverge.com 9to5google.com techradar.com reuters.com reuters.com, among others. Each link in the text points to the original report for further reading on that topic. This has been your comprehensive mobile news digest – check back next week as the tech world hurtles toward Apple’s iPhone event and the busy fall launch season! 📱🚀
