This was a big week in tech—leaks, launches, and some serious shake-ups. We’ve got the latest on Nothing Phone (3a), iPhone SE 4’s launch, OPPO Find N5, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, and Samsung’s tri-fold. Plus, Apple’s M5 chip enters mass production, Google’s Pixel 9a pricing leaks, and One UI 7’s latest beta update disappoints. Let’s dive in.
Launches This Week
The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra has been launched with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and improved gimbal stabilization, resembling an ROG Phone 10 non-gaming version.
The G-Shock GMC B2100, a solar-powered smartwatch, has been launched in India at ₹59,995 and is available in Casio and G-Shock stores nationwide.
Apple has launched its event planning app called Apple Invite.
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE has been launched with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, priced at about $890 in Thailand.
Upcoming Launches
The Samsung Galaxy A36 and A56 could debut in March 2025, with the A36 expected to feature the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 or Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, and the A56 likely to have the Exynos 1580 chipset.
The iPhone SE 4 appeared on Spigen’s website, revealing a notch, single camera, action button, and a design similar to the iPhone 14 from the front. It is expected to launch in the coming weeks.
Nothing is rumored to expand into wireless headphones, adding to its growing audio lineup, which includes Ear, Ear (a), CMF Buds Pro, CMF Neckband, Ear Stick, and Ear Open.
The Motorola RAZR Ultra 2025 has surfaced on Geekbench, showing a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a significant upgrade over the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 in the 2024 model.
The iQOO NEO 10R will launch on March 11.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra is expected to launch by the end of this month, with teasers already emerging.
The realme P3 series is confirmed to launch on February 18, featuring a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, a 120 Hz 1.5K display, a 6,000 mAh battery with 80W charging, and advanced cooling.
The vivo V50 series is set to launch on February 17 with a design similar to the V40 but featuring a quad-curved screen and a larger 6,000 mAh battery.
The OPPO Find N5 is confirmed to launch on February 20, and its design has also been showcased.
The Xiaomi MIX Flip 2 is rumored to launch between April and June, featuring a 5,100 mAh battery.
Updates
Samsung Galaxy S25 series is now shipping and available for sale.
Apple Care+ has become a subscription-only model, discontinuing prepaid plans.
iPhone sales dominate the Canalys best-selling smartphone list for 2024, with the iPhone 15 leading, followed by the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Galaxy S24 Ultra secured the 9th spot.
iQOO has extended software support for the iQOO 12 by one year, now offering four years of OS updates and five years of security updates, reaching Android 18.
The OnePlus Nord 3 and Nord 4 have received the OxygenOS 15 update.
One UI 7’s Home Up module has introduced customizable animations and freeform icon placement, marking one of its most significant updates.
One UI 7 has been delayed again, with Galaxy S24 users getting Beta 4, no stable release yet, and the S23 series not receiving any beta updates.
WhatsApp is making it easier to create communities with a single-tap feature. It’s also adding support for paying electricity and other bills in India alongside the already existing UPI.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus’ teardown confirms a 15% larger vapor chamber for better cooling.
Leaks and Rumors
The OnePlus 13 mini is expected to feature a dual-camera setup with a main camera and a 2X telephoto lens.
The actual European pricing for the Google Pixel 9a has leaked, showing €549 or £499 for the 128GB model and €649 or £599 for the 256GB model.
The Samsung Galaxy F06 design and launch price have been confirmed in a new teaser, with the price expected to start from around ₹9,999.
The Galaxy A36 has been spotted on the FCC, confirming 25W charging, and its launch is expected soon.
The Galaxy S26 could return to using Exynos chipsets.
The OPPO Find X8 Ultra could feature a button instead of an Alert Slider.
The Google Messages app may introduce support for WhatsApp video calls.
Import tariffs could lead to price increases for the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S series in 2025.
Samsung’s tri-fold device will be called the Samsung G-Fold, featuring a 10-inch screen.
The realme GT 7 has appeared on Geekbench, revealing a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 16 GB RAM, and 120W fast charging.
The Nothing Phone 3a is said to include an action button located below the power button, allowing users to customize functions. It’s also confirmed to have a 2X zoom camera, based on a TikTok video showing a 0.6x ultra-wide, 1x main, and 2x telephoto lens.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra could introduce an under-display camera, a controversial feature from the Galaxy Z Fold lineup, and may also feature a 200 MP periscope camera with an Exynos chipset.
The realme P3 has appeared on Geekbench, running a mysterious chipset that might be an underclocked Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 or a Snapdragon 6 Gen 4.
The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 are rumored to have larger displays. The Z Fold7 will likely continue using a Snapdragon chipset, while the Z Flip7 may switch to an Exynos processor.
The Xiaomi 15 Ultra’s camera specifications have been confirmed, featuring a 50MP 1-inch type LYT900 main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide Samsung JN5, a 50MP 3X telephoto IMX858, and a 200MP 4.3X periscope HP9 sensor.
Mass production of Apple’s M5 chip has begun, even though the Apple M4 Air has yet to launch.
The Vivo X200 Ultra’s camera specs have been leaked, revealing a 50MP main sensor (1/1.28-inch type), a 50MP ultrawide (1/1.28-inch type), and a 200MP periscope telephoto (1/1.4-inch type). The main camera is expected to be a 35mm lens.
Announcements This Week
Amazon Alexa is set to receive a generative AI upgrade later this month.
Samsung is working on AI-powered 6G technology to improve network quality, with potential applications in XR holograms and fixed wireless access.
OpenAI’s deep research model can conduct multi-step research on critical topics but is available only for paid users.
ARM has decided to stop pursuing Qualcomm over its chip design license for the Oryon CPUs.
Hyundai has increased discounts on MY2024 stocks of the Grand i10 Nios, Aura, Exter, and i20 models.
Samsung has showcased game-changing wearable technology that uses ring movements captured by a camera to interact with digital surfaces.
And that’s a wrap!
