Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Several people were able to unlock the bootloader on the Verizon Pixel 2 August 14, 2025 Up until now, people would avoid purchasing a Pixel smartphone throughVerizonif they mean to tinker with the software a bit. That’s because the Verizon models have locked bootloaders, a term that makes the custom development scene frown a bit. However, some VerizonPixel 2owners say they were able to unlock the device’s bootloader, thanks to a workaround that, unlike 2016’sPixel and Pixel XL, does not require the use of an exploit....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 benchmarks suggest Apple-beating graphics June 19, 2025 Qualcomm announced theSnapdragon 8 Gen 1chipset last week, and it’s expected to power a host of Android flagship phones in 2022. The company says you can expect a 20% CPU performance improvement and a 30% boost in GPU performance. Are these figures accurate though? Well,Hot Hardwaregot its hands on a prototype engineering handset fitted with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB of UFS 3....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Some Galaxy S8 displays in Korea suffer from bizarre red discoloration July 19, 2025 While some users complain that the red hue is worse around the top and bottom, Samsung has responded that it’s just a matter of settings. Some carriers in North Americamay have started shipping pre-ordered Galaxy S8 units already, but the company’s home turf is one step ahead....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Sony image sensor and smartphone sales take a hit June 24, 2025 It’s no secret thatSonyhas been struggling to make a breakthrough in the smartphone market in the last year or so, but its slowing handset sales have previously been offset by its other stronger business segments. However, the company’s latest quarterly financial results reveal that even Sony’s historically strong image sensor division is feeling the strain from the competitive smartphone market....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Sphero BB-8 Android app updated with voice command capabilities June 20, 2025 Did you get yourself a niftySphero BB-8 Star Wars droid? The app-controlled spherical robot is about the coolest tech toy we have seen hit the market in a long time. And using your phone to move the android around is only the basic feature; this thing is smarter than one would imagine....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Sprint Kickstart: $25 unlimited data if you switch carriers (Update: Last day!) July 05, 2025 Update, July 16, 2025 (10:43AM EST):Sprint didn’t give exact information on when this Kickstart flash sale will end. The only information (as stated below) is that it will end on August 16, 2025, which is tomorrow. Now, that could be 12:01 A.M. EST on August 30, or it could be 11:59 P....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. T-Mobile unveils new $15 plan, free connectivity for students, first responders August 12, 2025 During T-Mobile’sUncarrier 1.0 livestream event, the company unveiledseveral new programsthat will launch when and if itsSprint mergerfinalizes. One of which is its new T-Mobile Connect prepaid plan. For a measly $15 month, customers get unlimited talk and text as well as 2GB of high-speed data....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. The rumored Moto E5 Plus looks to feature a sleek form and one, not two, cameras July 11, 2025 It seemsMotorola‘salleged changesto its mid-range and high-end offerings for 2018 could trickle down to the low-end.VentureBeatreports that Evan Blass leaked an image of the rumored Moto E5 Plus. Based on the image, the Moto E5 Plus will have a taller, thinner display with minimized bezels along the sides....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. This is the first phone in Xiaomi’s new Play series July 31, 2025 While much of the Western world has shut down for holidays, Chinese OEMs are happily launching new devices. The latest is the Xiaomi Mi Play, the first phone in a brand-new youth-focused series from the Chinese giant. Introduced today in China, the Xiaomi Mi Play frankly looks pretty generic....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. This might be the future of dual-screen apps on Android June 06, 2025 Microsoft surprised the tech world late last year when it revealed two dual-screen foldable devices. We saw a dual-screen Windows-powered foldable in the Surface Neo, but theSurface Duomade more headlines due to its Android trappings. Now, Microsoft hasannounceda preview SDK for the Surface Duo, allowing developers to get an early look at making apps for the device....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. This week in Apple: iPad 7 production, AirPods 3 this year, and Jobs/Cook drama July 28, 2025 Apple news this week had some news about upcoming products which will likely get launched by the end of the year, including the new iPad and the third-generation of Apple’s AirPods. We also saw a MacBook get discontinued as well as an in-development AR/VR headset....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Xiaomi makes push into North American market via Mexico August 10, 2025 Xiaomihas jumped into the North American market with an official product launch in Mexico. The Chinese manufacturer will sell itsRedmi Note 4andRedmi 4Xsmartphones in the country via Best Buy, Coppel and Sam’s Club stores from late May. Customers will also find them online at Amazon, Walmart, Soriana and Elektra....

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission.Learn more. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s second screen is reportedly from the Mi Band 5 July 05, 2025 TheXiaomi Mi 11 Ultrais one of the more impressive phones of the year thus far, at least on paper. There’s no single headlining feature, as the Ultra covers all of the basics well. But that second screen at the rear is definitely the eye-catcher....