All the camera, AI and performance of Google’s top Android squeezed into a
tighter body
The Pixel 9 Pro is a rare beast: a smaller phone that keeps the same bold
design, specs and camera as Google’s biggest and most expensive model. It makes
it an instant contender for the best small phone going.
At £999 (€1,099/$999/A$1,699), it is cheaper than its larger Pixel 9 Pro XL
sibling but still firmly in the high-end bracket. What sets it apart is the
6.3in screen is significantly tighter than the monster 6.7in-plus sizes you
usually need to get the very best hardware.
Screen: 6.3in 120Hz QHD+ OLED (495ppi)
Processor: Google Tensor G4
RAM: 16GB of RAM
Storage: 128, 256, 512GB or 1TB
Operating system: Android 14
Camera: 50MP + 48MP ultrawide + 48MP 5x telephoto, 42MP selfie
Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 7, UWB, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 and GNSS
Water resistance: IP68 (1.5m for 30 minutes)
Dimensions: 152.8 x 72.0 x 8.5mm
Weight: 199g
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Tag - Android
Taking the plunge and giving your child a handset? Here’s all you need to know –
from the best models to the tariffs and networks (and how to use parental
controls)
As the schools go back, pressure mounts on parents to give their children their
first phone. If you’ve decided the time has come, there are many options to
choose from, whether it’s a smartphone, a basic handset, or an upgrade to
something newer.
From the handset to the mobile service that goes with it, and from key parental
controls to how well the phone fits with the devices you already use, here are
some of the things you should know before taking the plunge – including which
models are the best.
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Players in EU can access game blocked by Apple and Google by installing it from
app store of publisher Epic Games
The video game Fortnite is back on mobile phones, four years after Apple and
Google pulled it from their app stores. Android users worldwide can install the
game, along with two new titles from the publisher, Epic Games, by downloading
the company’s new app store.
However, only iPhone users in the EU can follow suit as Epic becomes the highest
profile company yet to adopt the looser restrictions forced on Apple by the
Digital Markets Act (DMA).
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Lighter weight, better screens, faster chip and fancy AI features are all
welcome, but feel iterative for the price
Samsung’s most advanced, hi-tech folding phone for 2024 is the Galaxy Z Fold 6,
which looks to see off rivals from Google, OnePlus and others with a lighter
frame, bigger and better screens, and the fastest chip available for Android.
The latest phone-tablet hybrid from the category pioneer is designed to be the
ultra-premium device of choice for buyers, but faces stiff competition from
several worthy challengers, most of which undercut the South Korean firm on
price.
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Top camera, chip, seven years of updates and advanced Google AI tools beats the
competition
Google’s latest mid-range A-series Pixel handset steps it up a notch, bringing
almost every feature from its high-end phones down to a more affordable price,
including the latest AI and camera tricks.
The Pixel 8a starts at £499 (€549/$499/A$849). That may be £50 more than last
year’s 7a, but the new model improves just about everything, and undercuts the
Pixel 8 by £200.
Screen: 6.1in 120Hz FHD+ OLED (430ppi)
Processor: Google Tensor G3
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128 or 256GB
Operating system: Android 14
Camera: 64MP + 13MP ultrawide, 13MP selfie
Connectivity: 5G, Sim and eSim, wifi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 and GNSS
Water resistance: IP67 (1m for 30 minutes)
Dimensions: 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9mm
Weight: 188g
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Funky design, fun software, decent performance and long battery life provide a
lot of phone for the money
London-based tech firm Nothing’s latest Android attempts to shake up the budget
phone market with something a little more interesting.
Costing from £319 (€329/A$529) the Phone 2a aims to take the cool design and
intrigue that made its higher-end models stand out and package it up into
something cheaper but still novel, sits alongside the full-fat Phone 2 costing
£579.
Screen: 6.7in 120Hz FHD+ OLED (394ppi)
Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro
RAM: 8 or 12GB
Storage: 128 or 256GB
Operating system: Nothing OS 2.5 (Android 14)
Camera: 50MP main and ultrawide, 32MP selfie
Connectivity: 5G, eSIM, wifi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3 and GNSS
Water resistance: IP54 (splash resistant)
Dimensions: 162 x 76.3 x 8.9mm
Weight: 190g
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A slick screen, top chip and long battery life are let down by lack of advanced
AI and short support life
OnePlus’s latest top phone can’t shake the feeling of being left behind by
rivals.
Even with a sleek appearance, speedy software and longer battery life the
OnePlus 12 is devoid of the much-hyped AI tools packed into handsets from
Samsung, Google and others. It feels more like a phone from 2020 than from the
new era of artificial intelligence.
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Super-premium phone-tablet is the thinnest and lightest ‘folder’ yet – but
compromises on camera
Honor’s Magic V2 is the best designed folding phone-tablet yet. It feels just
like a regular phone when closed but then opens up like a book to reveal a
large, plush screen.
Launched in China last year, the Magic V2 has now made it to Europe but not at a
price that could be considered affordable. At £1,700 (€2,000), it is placed
between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus’s slightly cheaper Open.
Main screen: 7.92in (402ppi) 120Hz OLED flexible display
Cover screen: 6.43in (404ppi) 120Hz OLED
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Operating system: MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13)
Camera: 50MP + 50MP ultrawide + 20MP 2.5x tele; 2x 16MP selfie
Connectivity: 5G, dual sim + esim, USB-C, wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS
Water resistance: none
Dimensions folded: 156.7 x 74 x 10.1mm
Dimensions unfolded: 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.8mm
Weight: 237g
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Titanium superphone has serious speed, battery life and unrivalled camera zoom
but is ultra-priced
Samsung’s latest smartphone packs a plethora of the latest flashy AI tools in an
attempt to improve text, images, video and search – with both hits and misses.
The new Galaxy S24 Ultra comes equipped with a combination of Samsung and
Google’s latest AI layered on top of one of the most capable phones on the
market, filled to the brim with competition-beating specs.
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The most ethical, sustainable and repairable handset gets a big upgrade with
even longer support
The Dutch smartphone company Fairphone has achieved something remarkable – a
handset that could last a decade.
The ethical pioneer, which leads the way in repairable devices, has just
released the Fairphone 5. It is a thinner, lighter and more refined device
compared with its predecessors and one that makes leaps and bounds in terms of
longevity, repairability and quality.
Screen: 6.46in QHD+ OLED (460ppi)
Processor: Qualcomm QCM6490
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB + microSD card slot
Operating system: Fairphone OS based on Android 13
Camera: dual 50MP rear, 50MP selfie camera
Connectivity: 5G, esim + nanosim, wifi6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 and GPS
Water resistance: IP55 (spray/splash)
Dimensions: 161.6 x 75.83 x 9.6mm
Weight: 212g
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