Building a more empathetic big phone.
Wired has a neat look inside Google's Reliability Labs where Pixel designs are tested. There's a gauntlet of durability challenges and an endearing concept called 'Empathy Models,' which helps give designers a sense of what it's like for people with different sized hands to use the devices. Now do one for trying to cram a phone into the tiny pockets of women's clothing, Google. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Allison Johnson
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Tom's Guide
a minute ago
- Tom's Guide
Google Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 9: All the biggest upgrades
With Google updating its smartphone lineup, it's time for a Google Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 9 comparison to detail all the changes made to year's entry-level flagship. And there are quite a few improvements to go over. The Pixel 10 features upgraded cameras, a bigger battery and a brand new Tensor system-on-chip. That latter change enables a series of new AI-powered capabilities that figure to pad Google's lead in the race to build the best AI phone. What hasn't changed from the Pixel 9 is the basic look of the phone or its screen size. But perhaps the most important thing to stay the same is the starting price — a welcome development in light of all the other changes Google has made. Here's a look at the Google Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 9 differences now that we've had some initial hands-on time with the Pixel 10. See our Pixel 10 Pro vs. Pixel 9 Pro face-off for a look at what's new with Google's Pro models. Google Pixel 10 Google Pixel 9 Starting price $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 Screen size 6.3 inches 6.3 inches Chipset Tensor G5 Tensor G4 RAM 12GB 12GB Storage 128GB, 256GB 128GB, 256GB Rear cameras 48MP (f/1.7) main, 13MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10.8MP (f/3.1) telephoto w/5x optical zoom 50MP main (f/1.68), 48MP ultrawide (f1.7) Front camera 10.5MP (f/2.2) 10.5MP (f/2.0) Battery size 4,970 mAh 4,700 mAh Size 6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (152.8 x 72 x 8.6mm) 6 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches) (152.8 x 72 x 8.5mm) Weight 7.2 ounces (204 grams) 7 ounces (198 grams) Colors Obsidian, Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass Obsidian, Porcelain, Winter Green, Peony The Pixel 9 arrived in stores a year ago after an August 2024 launch event. Flash forward to 2025, and the Pixel 10 also gets an August launch, with the new phone arriving in stores August 28 after the August 20 Made by Google event. The Pixel 9 saw a price hike from the Pixel 8, with the cost of the phone rising to $799. That didn't happen this time around, with the Pixel 10 keeping that $799 starting price. Pixel 10 preorders are already under way as of this writing, and those Pixel 10 deals enable you to pick up the phone at a discount. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Google continues to sell the Pixel 9, but we haven't seen a price drop since the Pixel 10's official announcement. You'll be hard-pressed to find any differences in the look of the Pixel 10 compared to the Pixel 9. Unlike the budget Pixel 9a, the new flagship keeps the distinctive camera bar that's been a hallmark of recent Pixel phones. The Pixel 10 is essentially the same size as the Pixel 9, too, though it is marginally thicker to accommodate built-in magnets that support Qi2 wireless charging. Those Pixel 10 magnets serve another purpose — they also work with accessories like charging stands and cases that use magnets to connect. That means MagSafe accessories, but Google is rolling out its own Pixelsnap accessories, too. Display sizes haven't changed from 6.3 inches, and like the Pixel 9, the Pixel 10's refresh rate can range between 60 and 120Hz. But there is an upgrade to the Pixel 10's panel. The phone now promises a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, which is a slight improvement from the 2,700 nits the Pixel 9 topped out at. In our testing, the Pixel 9 delivered tremendous brightness with a reading of 1,769 nits on our light meter, so the Pixel 10 has a big target to clear. As for the colors of the phone itself, you can get a Pixel 10 showing up in Obsidian, Indigo, Frost, and Lemongrass. That compares to Obsidian, Porcelain, Winter Green and Peony for the Pixel 9. Personally, I'm sad to see the distinctive pink Peony fall out of Google's rotation, but the Indigo shade does look pretty striking. Cameras mark the biggest departure between the Pixel 10 and Pixel 9. The previous flagship featured dual rear cameras — a 50MP main lens and a 48MP ultrawide shooter. Google has actually downgraded the resolution on those sensors for the Pixel 10, as the main camera is now a 48MP shooter and the ultrawide lens comes in at 13MP. But those changes are offset by the addition of a telephoto lens on the Pixel 10. The 10.8MP sensor doesn't have the resolution of the Pixel 10 Pro zoom lens, but it does match the 5x optical zoom. That puts the new Pixel on par with the camera setup on the Galaxy S25, another $799 phone with a telephoto lens (though Samsung's offering limits the zoom to 3x). New camera capabilities powered by AI also debut on the Pixel 10. Camera Coach uses the Gemini assistant to bring real-time guidance on getting different shots. Auto Best Take removes the need to take multiple photos so that AI can pick the best one; instead, AI analyzes the faces in one shot and tweaks them so that everyone looks their best. You'll also be able to edit photos on the Pixel 10 just by telling the assistant what changes to make. The AI features mentioned above are made possible by the new Tensor G5 silicon in the Pixel 10. That chip replaces the Tensor G4 Google used in the Pixel 9. The Tensor G5 is a 3nm chip, compared to the 4nm Tensor G4. Google says that will lead to 60% better TPU performance and 34% faster CPU performance on the Pixel 10. Still, new AI features remain the story with the Tensor silicon, and there's plenty to explore on the Pixel 10. Besides the photo tools powered by AI, the Pixel 10 gains a new Magic Cue feature which surfaces relevant information when you're on the phone or replying to messages. Real-time translation features return, but now AI will try to mimic your voice when speaking in another language. And a new Take a Message feature creates suggestions based on the message left whenever you miss a phone call. The Pixel 9 has already received the Android 16 update, after Google rolled out its software update earlier than usual. The Pixel 10 ships with Android 16 as well, but it will include the new Material 3 Express interface that allows for more personalization. Pixel phones have historically struggled to keep up with their fellow flagships when it comes to battery life. But Google looks to be taking steps to correct that. In addition to whatever power savings are gained by the use of a 3nm system-on-chip, the Pixel 10 should benefit from a larger 4,970 mAh battery. That compares to the 4,700 mAh power pack inside the Pixel 9. The bottom line is, we'd expect the Pixel 10 to improve upon the 13 hour, 18 minute time that the Pixel 9 put up in our battery test. For context, that time's nearly 3 hours better than the average smartphone result, though it's well short of the 15-plus hours you need to be considered among devices with the best phone battery life. As noted above, the Pixel 10 includes magnets to support Qi2 wireless charging. Meanwhile, wired charging improves from the 25W speed on the Pixel 9 to 30W with Google's new phone. We're still in the process of testing the Pixel 10 so that we can complete a full review of the phone. That will also let us know how significant the changes from the Pixel 9 are. But a side-by-side Pixel 10 vs. Pixel 9 comparison confirms that there's a lot of differences with this year's model, as Google looks to take a big jump forward with its entry-level flagship phone. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Android Authority
a minute ago
- Android Authority
Google just made it a whole lot easier to access Password Manager
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Google has launched a new Password Manager app. The app makes it faster and easier to access Password Manager on your phone. The app does not come with a themed icon. For those times when you forget a password, you can always check Google Password Manager, which is built into your Android phone. And if you want to see if any of your passwords have been compromised, it can do that too. While Password Manager can be a pretty helpful tool, there isn't really a quick way to access it. But Google's new app aims to fix that problem. Don't want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. If you open up the Play Store app and search for Google Password Manager, you'll see a listing for a new app. This isn't a new password manager to replace the old one. Rather, this app's specific purpose is to act as a shortcut to Google Password Manager. That means no more having to navigate through Settings to access the tool. All you have to do is download and install this app, and now you have a fast and easy way to get to it. It seems Google quietly launched this new app on the same day as the Pixel 10 launch. So it hasn't been out for long. Surprisingly, the tech giant released this new app without giving it a themed icon. But it could easily be fixed with a later update. Follow
Forbes
29 minutes ago
- Forbes
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review 2025
I spent one month using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 as my main carry, to see how it holds up under real-world conditions around New York City. I used it to take calls and photographs, but I also dove deep into the software to review new Circle To Search features in the latest Samsung UI 8. Read on for my thoughts and verdict in my full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review. The past few generations of the Samsung Z Fold series have felt stagnant, like Samsung was resting on its laurels based on being one of the few foldables on the market. But the market has changed. OnePlus released the OnePlus Open, and Google showcased its knockout, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, last year. Samsung needed to step up and showcase what makes its booklet-style foldables unique—and so the brand went all-in with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Promising the thinnest—and lightest—design to date, it's so different from its predecessor, it makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 look clunky. And as a self-professed phone nerd, I had to put it to the test. Display size: 6.5 inches folded; 8 inches unfolded | Display type: 2520 x 1080 (FHD+) folded; 2184 x 1968 (QXGA+) unfolded; both displays Dynamic AMOLED, up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate | RAM: 12GB in 256 and 512GB models; 16GB in 1TB model | Storage: 256GB, 512TB and 1TB | Battery: 4,400mAh | Front camera: 10MP | Rear camera: 12MP ultrawide, 200MP wide with 3x optical zoom, 10MP 3x optical zoom | Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Best for: Skip if: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Design The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has a new build that's vastly different from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. It gets a true slim-down, reducing its width from 12.1mm folded and 5.6mm unfolded to 8.9mm thick folded and 4.2mm unfolded. That's major: It makes it slimmer than its sibling and my current carry, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. It's also lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Fold 7 weighs 7.6 ounces, while the S25 Ultra weighs 7.7 ounces. To reduce the weight, Samsung removed my personal favorite feature from the Fold series—the S Pen. The new model looks as sleek as it does because it's missing one of the most vital components that made the Fold series unique among booklet-style foldables. It's a glaring omission that I'm not sure I can fully forgive Samsung for. Had Samsung kept this feature, I would have labelled it my pick as the best foldable phone of this year. Unfortunately, it joins the rest of the crowd to be a touch-screen experience only. When asked about it, the brand shared with me, 'While the S Pen remains a valuable part of the Galaxy lineup, our priority with this latest iteration of these products was delivering the lightest and thinnest Galaxy Z series experience yet, as the most important user experience for this generation was to maximize portability.' Using any kind of S Pen to write on it will damage it, as it doesn't offer a digitizer layer—the layer that supports physical writing. During the month I used it as my main carry, another issue cropped up. Specifically, I experienced hand pain and tenosynovitis symptoms in my right ring finger. It's normal for me to have some hand pain due to hypermobility, but I couldn't figure out why that specific digit was painful until I noticed how I gripped my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Because the Fold 7 is such a thin device, I used my ring finger as a stabilizer to hold the Fold 7 when folded in my hand. When I use other devices, my palm acts as a 'rest' to hold and balance, while I use three fingers to support the phone so the weight is spread out. It's not just Samsung, either. As an example, I also use the Google Pixel 9 Pro: It's about the same width, but because the device isn't as long, it can rest on my palm, too. I only have that issue with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Ultimately, I learned its thinness is both a curse and boon. It's lighter, but it comes at the cost of ergonomics. If you suffer from any kind of hand pain, a case may help address this issue. However, if you prefer your phone without one, first of all, I commend you for taking that risk. But at $2,000, I can't stomach the thought of my phone being naked and thus at risk for damage or accidental destruction. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Performance In previous years, Samsung focused on software upgrades with minor hardware tweaks. This year, the new Fold 7 gets turned on its head, with major hardware upgrades, but not so many software upgrades. Yes, the device ships with Samsung's latest One UI 8 experience, which is, per usual, a lovely, snappy experience. The new phone runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. After benchmarking, it lands squarely in between the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The slightly lower numbers tell me that the extra software and display requirements take up more processing power. It's a good trade-off, because ultimately I want a smooth responsive experience with an all-day battery life. There is a minor caveat, though, that applies to mobile gamers specifically. Again, this is a thin device, and I found that it got pretty toasty. It makes sense: With such a slim profile, there's going to be a thin vapor chamber—a component that wicks away heat. During testing, I didn't experience it actually overheating, but you can expect heat to emanate from the back of the phone. One of the features I was most excited about was Circle To Search in Gameplay. In previous years, Circle To Search has felt unlimited because I could search almost anything I circled on the display. (There are a few exceptions—namely, people, which I assume are privacy concerns.) I tested it on Stardew Valley and Terraria to see how it held up—and I was left disappointed. For one, Google's AI overview claimed a rock was a sprinkler and was, 'a crucial tool for automating your farm's irrigation.' In Terraria, the mobile experience claimed that an arrow targeting my enemy, a pink slime, was a banana—but it correctly identified the pink slime and shared what it was. Visual matches, located below the AI overview, were a bust, too, offering a random smattering of completely unrelated content. It's a shame because this was one feature I looked forward to the most. After all, if Samsung could nail Circle To Search on its mobile gaming platforms, I could see them bringing it to their TV line's Click To Search feature. I expect Samsung to improve this feature as it continues to build on it, but for now, skip it. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Cameras While design was one of the largest changes this year, Samsung also enhanced the camera set. The wide lens goes from a 50MP lens to a 200MP lens, still with a 2x optical quality zoom. All I can say is: Finally. I've wanted Samsung to enhance the cameras since the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5—and some could argue that the demand for better cameras goes back as far as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. The cameras performed well during testing. Photos came out crisp with colors looking accurate and just the right degree of saturation. In previous models, Nightography has fallen short, but this one seemed to do the job well when I snapped shots in a dimly lit theater. Another great feature is the 10MP selfie cam, which increases the field of view to 100 degrees. I used it when I recently saw a play with my husband. Colors still looked washed out thanks to the glaring light behind us, but the new 100-degree field of view the camera offers is a nice touch. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Verdict There's no question in my mind that Samsung cemented this as one of the best booklet-style foldables available right now. Especially compared with its previous generation models, Samsung finally delivered on the innovation that I've been hoping for in a foldable phone. This device is sleek, it has a good chipset that benchmarks well and it has the all-day battery life that I need. Still, there are some caveats: Circle To Search isn't quite there yet with mobile gameplay, but if you're using this device as a productivity tool over a gaming device, this doesn't matter. If you want to game, it's still a great device with a big, beautiful display. There's also the question of cost. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs an eye-watering $2,000. That's not chump change, especially considering the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's starting price is $700 cheaper and still includes the S Pen. Still, from a productivity standpoint, this device stands to be a useful tool for maximizing workflows. Those who crave innovation and new technologies in their phone should go for this, but also business people who want to use their foldable as an on-the-go mini tablet may appreciate this device. How I Tested The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 I used the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 as my main phone for over a month. I took calls, snapped photographs of various subjects, sent messages and more. Diving into the software, I tested the new AI features like Circle To Search for gameplay, as an example. Specifically, I played two games, Terraria and Stardew Valley, to see how the device and this new software performed. A lot of my time with this phone was spent extensively testing the new hardware upgrades, specifically the camera, taking pictures across the device's myriad lenses to see how well each performed. I carefully reviewed each photo for clarity, depth and image quality, noting how the algorithms adjusted my footage. I also tested the new 200MP lens against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro to see how its lenses and post-processing algorithms held up against its predecessor. I also cross-checked the Nightography photography the device offers against the aforementioned devices to see how the camera set held up in real world settings. Why Trust Forbes Vetted
