Amazon is reportedly planning to re-enter the smartphone market more than 10 years after its last attempt. According to a Reutersreport, the mysterious phone is internally codenamed "Transformer" and is being developed by the company’s devices and services unit.
There isn’t a whole lot to go on right now, but it probably won’t surprise many to learn that the phone will likely lean heavily on AI. According to Reuters’ sources, Alexa functionality would be a core part of the experience, but Amazon wouldn’t necessarily build a custom OS around its voice assistant. The phone would make buying products on Amazon and using services like Prime Music and Prime Video "easier than ever," and may bypass traditional app stores.
Reuters reports that the Transformer project is being led by the recently established ZeroOne, an Amazon devices unit headed up by ex-Microsoft executive and Xbox co-founder J Allard, who was also one of the creators of Zune. Allard joined Amazon last year to lead a "a special projects team dedicated to inventing breakthrough consumer product categories."
The development team has reportedly considered launching both a traditional smartphone and a so-called "dumbphone," which would presumably strip away anything that needlessly distracted you from the Amazon empire. Reuters’ anonymous sources suggest the latter could help combat screen addiction by offering fewer features.
ZeroOne is apparently inspired by the ultra-minimalist Light Phone, suggesting that Amazon might be reluctant to take on the flagship devices of Apple and Samsung. The report adds that the Transformer phone could even be positioned as a secondary handset.
This, of course, would not be Amazon’s first crack at the smartphone business. The company launched the Fire Phone in 2014, an ambitious and interesting device that ultimately failed to tempt people away from the more established smartphone ecosystems. It’s widely remembered as perhaps the company’s biggest hardware misstep.
With analysts forecasting an unprecedented decline in the smartphone market in 2026, now seems like a risky time for Amazon to try again, and Reuters was unable to determine exactly how much the company has committed to the Transformer project. Sources also wouldn’t rule out it being scrapped altogether if the company’s priorities suddenly shifted.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/amazon-is-reportedly-working-on-a-new-phone-built-around-alexa-142244500.html?src=rss
There was once a time in which many people couldn't wait to toss their smartphone aside every two years (and sometimes even more frequently) in order to get the latest model as soon as it hit shelves. But that world has faded for the most part now as shoppers demand devices that last for years so they can hold on to them for longer. And when the time finally comes to upgrade, many are being more conscientious about what happens to their old gadgets.
You may want to trade in your smartphone or sell it when you're ready to upgrade; either option can keep your device out of a landfill in addition to scoring you some extra cash. There are also options to recycle part or all of your phone if it's too old to make a trade-in worthwhile. Whatever path you choose, there are important steps to take to prepare a phone you're about to get rid of. These instructions apply to any model you might have, including both iPhones and Android phones. Here's what you need to know.
Back up your data
Let's start with a very important reminder to do regular backups for all of your gear, not just your phone. It's a task you should keep up with routinely even when you aren't about to recycle or trade-in a device.
Most hardware manufacturers have an automatic cloud backup system, but you'll like your new phone a lot less if it doesn't have your full, up-to-date library of contacts, photos and other information. This is the time to manually back everything up with all of your latest data.
Also, before you get any further into the process, make sure that you know the critical details for your phone and the main accounts associated with it. Halfway through is the worst time to lose access to your device because you can't remember your username or password.
Unpair wireless accessories
Most people connect their phone to many other gadgets via Bluetooth. There are obvious ones, like smartwatches and wireless headphones, but you might also have your phone paired with something like a car stereo or a portable speaker. All of them should be unpaired from the phone you're about to trade in.
If you use your phone in two-factor authentication for sensitive accounts, you'll want to make sure that you disconnect the device from those services, too.
Log out of apps and services
Next, you'll sign out of the device's cloud-based service. For iPhone owners, that's iCloud, and on Android, it's the Google suite. This will avoid any confusion with your new device. You'll also want to turn off Find My on iPhones or Find My Device on Android phones. iPhone users should also deregister iMessage on their old iPhone, particularly if they’re moving to a non-Apple smartphone. These steps might seem unnecessary when you'll end up wiping your device entirely, but you don't want to risk having your personal information accidentally made available to whoever might get your phone next.
Also, if you are under a plan that protects your phone, such as Apple Care or Preferred Care, you can usually cancel that coverage early. You'll get a refund on any unexpired coverage, and given how expensive gadgets can be now, it's worth getting that money back if you can.
Swap to the new device
At this point, your to-do list will vary. If you're planning to trade up to a newer model from the same manufacturer and you already have your new phone, then you'll want to transfer your data before moving on to wiping your old phone. Either in the store or on your own, in most cases you can wirelessly migrate your data from the old device to the new one.
If you're changing lanes between the Apple and Google universes, you can also do most data swapping yourself. There's a Google Play app called Move to iOS and one in the App Store called Android Switch that can walk you through the process. Just be sure that your device meets the requirements to use those programs.
However, if you aren't immediately setting up a new device, then you can skip this and move on to the next phase.
Factory reset your old device
Once you double-check that you have everything backed up (seriously, don't take chances on this), then it's time to perform a factory reset. This will remove all of your data and apps, and bring the phone back to its original state. It’s ideal to do this reset as the final step of trading in, selling or recycling a device.
Whatever phone model you have, the reset option will be in the Settings app. It will commonly be nested under a tab like General or About, or you can search “reset” within Settings to find exactly where it is on your device.
Remove any accessories
This might seem obvious, but right before handing off your phone, make sure that you remove any accessories. Cases, grips and screen protectors should stay with you, not with the phone when it goes to its new home.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-prepare-your-phone-for-trade-in-120000724.html?src=rss
By introducing the iPhone 17e just a year after the iPhone 16e, Apple is closing some gaps. Before, the company would only roll out a new entry-level iPhone every few years, with the iPhone 5c (2013), iPhone XR (2018) and iPhone SE (2016, 2020, 2022) all having two to four years between their releases. But Apple is getting into an annual groove now, and having renamed the device to integrate better with the rest of the iPhone lineup, Apple is making a clear statement: It cares about the midrange now.
With the current state of global economics, Apple’s focus on lower cost devices like the iPhone 17e and newly launched MacBook Neo is timely. Most people probably don’t make full use of the high-powered machines in their pockets and on their laps, and might be reconsidering whether they need to spend as much money on the Pros and the Airs of Apple’s product lineup. At $599, the iPhone 17e is about half the price of an iPhone 17 Pro or the iPhone Air. It’s $200 cheaper than the base iPhone 17, too.
Since I reviewed the iPhone 16e last year, I’ve been using it as a work phone, mostly for Slack, email and light editing in Docs. The way I see it, most people considering the iPhone 17e are likely in a similar situation — either thinking of getting a supplementary device or looking for a good enough phone for a child or other dependent. For this review, I’ve tried to cover most of those scenarios whether it be a person that would spend most of their phone time on social media and games like a teenager or someone that’s largely using it for administrative work purposes. I mostly want to answer this question: If you’re getting your first iPhone or buying one for someone else, should you get the iPhone 17e or the iPhone 17?
iPhone 17e vs iPhone 16e, for testing’s sake
It’s very clear from Apple’s website that it doesn’t want you comparing the iPhone 17e to the iPhone 16e. The company doesn't allow you to do so in the comparison tool on the iPhone 17e product page, limiting you to the iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and the iPhone SE (second and third generations). Sure, I understand that no one is really thinking about getting an iPhone 17e after just buying the 16e last year. But for the purposes of this review, it makes sense for me to shout out what’s new from the previous generation. The most significant additions this year are the A19 chip, double the storage, improved Portrait photography and MagSafe with faster wireless charging. Oh, and a new pink color option, adding an ever so subtle splash of color to the previously monochromatic lineup.
The A19 chip is supposed to make AI processes faster, thanks to the neural accelerators in its GPU. In my testing so far, the difference has been negligible at best. Initially I was seeing the iPhone 17e perform slower than the 16e, but after a software update, the iPhone 17e caught up. In Apple Intelligence-powered tools like Cleanup, the iPhone 17e was a split second faster at identifying unwanted objects in photos and erasing them than the 16e. If you’ve just received your iPhone 17e and run into issues where image generation or cleanup is slow or stalling, give it a day or so for the software to stabilize.
Oddly, in some side-by-side Image Playground testing, the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e were neck and neck. Sometimes, the iPhone 16e was faster. Occasionally, the iPhone 17e was ahead. I’ll continue to keep an eye on how both phones do here, as it could still be due to some early software issues, but for now the improvements from the A19’s GPU seem to be hit or miss.
The pink iPhone 17e and the white iPhone 16e held up in one palm in front of a red brick wall.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
Improved portraits on the iPhone 17e
Of all the improvements to the iPhone 17e, to me, one of the most important is in portraits. In my review of the iPhone 16e, I said that the majority of my grievances with the single camera setup was the fact that Apple ended up using an older version of Portrait mode.
That version was much more limited and didn’t allow for applying a background blur to pictures of non-human subjects. This time, Apple borrowed the algorithms it developed for the iPhone Air for the iPhone 17e’s rear and front cameras. This not only delivers a general improvement to portraits, with better segmentation and a more natural-looking bokeh effect, but also allows for depth information to be captured when applicable. For instance, when a person, cat or dog is detected, the iPhone 17e will automatically capture depth information so you can apply a blur after the picture is taken, even if you didn’t use Portrait mode initially.
Importantly, these “next-gen portraits” also allow you to edit the level of blur and change up the focal point of the picture after you’ve taken the shot. In some photos of my neighbor’s grumpy shih-poo, I was shocked that my colleagues actually preferred the samples I shared from the iPhone 16e over the ones from the iPhone 17e. But their critique was fair: the newer phone blurred out Oreo’s tail, keeping only his face in focus. I was able to address this by going into the editing tools and dragging the slider for aperture to bring more of the dog into focus. I also played around and tapped on Oreo’s tail to make it clear, and the iPhone 17e blurred up his face instead.
Two photo samples side by side, featuring a dog on a blue leash staring up into the camera.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
When using Portrait mode to photograph people, the iPhone 17e did indeed deliver more pleasant bokeh than its predecessor. In pictures of my friend Brenda Stolyar, with the “depth” or aperture set to f/4.5 across both devices, there was more softness in the brick wall behind her on the new phone. I was slightly confused since it seemed like the older iPhone actually delivered a sharper picture, until I realized it was actually just softer bokeh.
For those coming from older phones like the iPhone 11, 12 or SE, the addition of next-gen portraits should feel like a major step up. Even when compared to the iPhone 16e, the fact that I was now able to apply the effect on photos of food and other inanimate objects with no faces made me happier. It makes the camera more versatile, and feels like a noteworthy update that makes your photos feel more modern.
But that is definitely because I like pictures with the artificial depth of field effect. If you don’t care for bokeh and really only want a phone’s cameras to be good enough to snap pictures of menus or receipts, for instance, the 17e’s improvements here won’t mean much.
MagSafe and wireless charging
The rear of the iPhone 17e catches the light in front of a stone wall.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
What might matter more, then, is this generation’s wireless charging speeds. While the iPhone 16e could only support up to 7.5W, the iPhone 17e goes up to 15W (with adapters of 20W or higher) and also works with MagSafe accessories. I can’t imagine anyone considering a new iPhone 17e already has magnetic cases or stands, but if you decide to invest in those accessories, you’ll find them convenient and satisfying.
I placed both models on my wireless charging stand — the 17e snapped on and started charging, while the 16e clattered helplessly off the stand. I placed it on the charging pad at the base instead and noted how much power each of them gained in 15 minutes. The improvement is clear: the iPhone 17e went up by 16 percent (30 percent to 46 percent), while the 16e only gained 3 percent (69 percent to just 72 percent).
Beyond the numbers, what this means is that when you’re in a pinch and trying to quickly top up your phone on, say, a wireless charger you found at a cafe, you won’t need to sit around as long with the iPhone 17e. For those of you that simply leave your phone on a stand overnight, this is less likely to meaningfully impact you.
There are a few other updates that I haven’t really tested in this review, like the improved durability with Ceramic Shield 2 on the iPhone 17e’s screen. The new display also has a treatment that is supposed to reduce glare, and considering the week of wonderfully gloomy weather we’ve had here in New York, this isn’t something I’ve truly had a chance to evaluate. Also, while I do appreciate the doubled storage, which is sure to please the media hoarders among us, I will say I’ve already been served warnings about my iCloud storage running out. It still feels like something else Apple might need to address, but for newcomers to the iOS world, the higher base storage is absolutely a positive.
Elsewhere, there are virtually no differences between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e. They have the same size displays with the same resolution, brightness, refresh rate, contrast ratio and color gamuts. Both are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, and have similar battery lives (up to 26 hours of video playback, according to Apple). They also have the exact same dimensions of 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches, although the iPhone 17e does weigh a whole 2 grams (0.8 ounces) more than the 16e, which is almost definitely attributable to the addition of MagSafe. Unless you have weighing scales for hands, though, this difference is negligible.
An iPhone 17e held up in front of a tree trunk.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
Should you get the iPhone 17e or the iPhone 17?
Where you might find more meaningful distinctions is when comparing the iPhone 17e to the iPhone 17. For $200 more, you’ll get longer battery life and slightly better performance thanks to one more GPU core. The iPhone 17 also has a larger, sharper and brighter display that’s 6.3-inches, with higher refresh rates and a full-screen design incorporating the Dynamic Island. It also supports the Always On Display and has an 18MP front camera with the Center Stage feature that allows for easy switching between landscape and vertical orientations in your selfies without having to rotate your phone.
In fact, the camera upgrades alone on the iPhone 17 might be worth the money. On top of getting the additional ultrawide camera, you’ll also gain the dedicated camera control button on the right edge, the latest generation of Photographic Styles, support for macro photography, Cinematic mode and Dual Capture in videos as well as spatial and macro recording capabilities. It also comes with sensor-shift optical image stabilization, which is more advanced than the OIS on the iPhone 17e. Rounding out that long list of differences is higher recharge speeds (with compatible chargers) and Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for more precise Find My support. The iPhone 17 also offers dual-frequency GPS and works with the latest standards in connectivity, like Thread, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 (whereas the iPhone 17e only gets to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3).
Sure, the iPhone 17 is slightly taller and heavier, but considering all the bonuses and the extra camera, that feels like a tradeoff that is more than fair. It’s a lot more advanced for $200, and feels like a better starter phone than the iPhone 17e. But if your budget is tight and camera performance isn’t a priority, you’ll get a great experience from Apple’s latest.
The iPhone 17e held up in mid-air in front of some red foliage.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
Wrap-up
In 2026, it feels like Apple has done the impossible. It’s managed to serve up multiple iPhones at various price points with enough meaningful differentiations to justify each tier. Meanwhile, each iPhone 17 in the full lineup is a capable and satisfying device for its price. Upgrading to the iPhone 17e from the iPhone 11, 12 or SE will certainly feel significant, although getting almost any current-gen phone will feel modern compared to those.
In fact, if you’re platform agnostic and wouldn’t mind an Android device, there are options out there with significantly superior screens and cameras. The Pixel 10a, for instance, offers a larger display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a dual-camera system all for $100 less. With Apple seeming to be setting its sights on the midrange market, it should seriously consider stepping up in those two areas in the next e-series iPhone.
But of course, the name “iPhone” carries its own premium, and the iPhone 17e is a solid entry-level handset for those who need a basic, no-frills path into the Apple ecosystem.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/iphone-17e-review-the-economical-choice-130000647.html?src=rss
Back in January, Nothing shared that it wouldn't be releasing its flagship Nothing Phone 4 in 2026, and instead focusing on follow-ups to its midrange Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro. After some expected teasing, those sequels have arrived: the Phone 4a Pro and Phone 4a. And like Nothing's previous devices, they seem like meaningful departures from what the company has tried in the past.
The Nothing 4a Pro represents the biggest change. Gone is the translucent back meant to offer a pseudo-glimpse into the internals of the phone, and in its place is a metal unibody design in black, silver or pink, and Nothing's Glyph Matrix interface, now even larger and brighter than it was on the Phone 3. Nothing describes the Phone 4a Pro as its slimmest phone ever, and on some level its reminiscent of the iPhone 17 Pro, but the changes in design and materials also support improvements to durability (the phone is rated for IP65 water resistance) and cooling.
Nothing
In terms of components, the Phone 4a Pro includes a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 5000 nits, and a 5,080mAh battery Nothing says should offer up to 17 hours of use. Like the Phone 3a Pro, the phone also includes four cameras, in this case a 50-megapixel wide lens, a 32-megapixel selfie camera, an ultra-wide and 50-megapixel periscope telephoto lens that's capable of 140x zoom, twice as much as the Phone 4a. While the phone doesn't include Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, Nothing opted to use the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, which isn't as powerful, but should be capable of running Nothing's growing list of AI-powered features.
The Nothing Phone 4a was more heavily teased leading up to today's announcement, but still includes plenty of nice upgrades over the Phone 3a. The midrange smartphone evolves Nothing's trademark translucent design with new colors (white, pink, black and blue), IP64 dust and water resistance and an updated "Glyph Bar" that's brighter and now runs in a straight line next to the 4a's cameras. The Phone 4a has four cameras, a 50-megapixel wide that takes in 64 percent more light, a 32-megapixel selfie camera, an ultra-wide and a new 50-megapixel tetraprism periscope telephoto lens that's capable of a 3.5x optical zoom, 7x lossless zoom and up to a 70x ultra zoom.
Nothing
Like its more premium sibling, the Phone 4a includes an AMOLED display, though in a smaller 6.78-inch size, with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. The display is covered with Gorilla Glass 7i, which is supposed to be twice as scratch-resistant as the previous generation, and even better for placing the phone face down. Internally, the Pro's Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip and 5,080mAh battery also make the jump to the cheaper phone.
Nothing says both phones will ship with Nothing OS 4.1, which includes Essential Search for looking up information across apps, personalized results based on your saved "Memories" in Essential Space and Nothing Playground, an app for using AI to create custom widgets. Nothing OS 4.1 is based on Android 16, and Nothing says Phone 4a and Phone 4a Pro owners are guaranteed three years of Android updates and six years of security patches.
Global pre-orders for the Phone 4a begin today, and the phone is available in three different configurations depending on your region and the amount of RAM and storage you want. The Phone 4a starts at €349 for 8GB and 12GB and can cost as much as €429 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
While the Phone 4a Pro will be available globally, the fancier of Nothing’s two new phones is the only one coming to the US. The Phone 4a Pro will be available to pre-order starting March 13, and will either cost $499 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or $599 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/nothings-phone-4a-pro-picks-up-flagship-features-and-an-even-brighter-display-for-499-111500926.html?src=rss
Tecno just unveiled a rather intriguing modular smartphone concept design at MWC 2026. The standout feature here is likely the size. Most modular smartphone concepts start bulky and only get bulkier once attaching accessories. Tecno's base smartphone is just 4.9mm thin, which is significantly thinner than a pencil and the iPhone Air.
Of course, the size increases with each attached module. However, snapping on the power bank module makes the thickness comparable to a standard modern smartphone. Another key feature here is how these various modular components stick together. Tecno has developed new interconnection technology that uses both magnets and pin connectors. This should make it easy to both attach and remove components.
The company says this phone has been designed to grow with the user through hardware expansion. To that end, Tecno has developed 10 modules. There are various camera lenses and something that looks like a dedicated gaming controller.
Tecno
While the magnets are for attaching, the pin connectors assist with power delivery. Data transmission between the phone and the modules is handled wirelessly, with the ability to switch between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mmWave depending on where the user is located.
There are two colorways for both the phone and the ecosystem of accessories. There's a silver-aluminum edition and a nifty-looking grey version. This doesn't matter to actual consumers because, well, it's just a concept design. It does look like the company's magnetic attachment technology could make it to some actual products down the line.
The industry hasn't quite embraced modular smartphones just yet, even though there have been some nifty concept designs. Google's Project Ara prototype goes back more than a decade, and the same can be said of other concept designs that never saw the light of day.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/tecno-just-unveiled-a-ridiculously-thin-modular-smartphone-concept-design-194741776.html?src=rss
Starting later this year, Apple will start manufacturing Mac minis meant for sale in the US within the country. The company took The Wall Street Journalon a tour of its Houston facility, where Foxconn is also building servers for Apple Intelligence, and was shown an empty warehouse. Apple says it will turn the space into a 220,000 square feet plant where it will produce the compact desktop computers. The decision to produce Mac minis for local sales within the US is part of the company’s efforts to make good on its pledge last year that it will spend $500 billion in the US over the next four years.
If you’ll recall, Apple announced it was going to ramp up its investments and hiring in the US after Tim Cook met with President Trump. The president said at the the time that the company was growing its US investments because it wanted to avoid tariffs. Prior to that pledge, during the Biden administration in 2021, Apple vowed to invest $430 billion domestically over the following five years.
As the Journal notes, Apple previously made Mac Pros in a facility in Texas, but production in the plant has dwindled in recent years. Sabih Khan, Apple’s COO, told the Journal that the company feels more confident in projecting the Mac mini’s long term demand. At the same time, the model makes up a tiny portion of Apple’s sales, making it one of the company’s best options if it wants bring more production into the US. It will be incredibly difficult, after all, to move the production of a more in-demand product, say the iPhone, stateside. The companies making and assembling iPhones in China already have factories fitted for and people with skills honed for the production of Apple’s best-selling device.
Khan said the Houston facility will be able to meet local demand as production ramps up, insinuating that it might start small. Apple will also continue manufacturing Mac minis in Asia for everyone else in the world.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-will-start-making-mac-minis-in-the-us-101000341.html?src=rss
After kicking off CES 2026 with its "First Look" event, Samsung is ready to announce the first of what should be several new Galaxy smartphones this year. The company is officially hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25 at 1PM ET, where it'll introduce the Galaxy S26 series and updates to Galaxy AI.
Leaks that have trickled out ahead of the event suggest that the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra will feature a new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, and could come with more RAM and storage. Only the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to include major hardware changes, though, with an updated camera system, and possibly proper support for Qi2 charging. Alongside new smartphones, Samsung is also expected to introduce the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro, which will reportedly feature a new design, support for head gestures and an Ultra Wideband chip so they're easier to find using Google Find Hub.
As in previous years, Samsung has an optional deal for anyone who wants to lock in a discount before the company's new smartphones and accessories are announced. If you reserve Samsung's new devices now, you can receive a $30 credit and be entered to win a $5,000 Samsung.com gift card. When you do pre-order, the company also claims that it'll offer up to an additional $900 in savings if you trade-in a device or $150 off even without a trade-in if you pre-order through Samsung.com.
Engadget will have coverage of everything Samsung announces at Galaxy Unpacked right here, but if you want to watch along, you can catch the company's livestream of the event on Samsung's YouTube channel, the Samsung Newsroom page or at Samsung.com.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsungs-galaxy-s26-unpacked-event-is-on-february-25-230000375.html?src=rss
It might be near impossible to be a kid these days without a smartphone, but AT&T wants to offer parents a decent compromise. The wireless carrier launched its AmiGO Jr. Phone, which combines Samsung hardware and AT&T's app, to offer kids a smartphone that has parental controls baked right in.
The AmiGO Jr. Phone is just a Samsung Galaxy A16, which still remains a solid budget smartphone pick with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 6.7-inch display and reliable battery life. However, AT&T tweaked the Samsung hardware into its kid-friendly smartphone by including features like live location tracking, safe zones and screentime restrictions that can be controlled via the AmiGO app. It's not the first time we've seen a smartphone with parental controls, since competitors like Bark and Pinwheel have been on the market for a couple of years now, but it's the first time a major mobile carrier is offering its own standalone product.
As for the AmiGO Jr. Phone, it's now available on AT&T's website for $3 a month, but you'll have to commit to a 36-month contract that provides bill credits. You still have to pay for your monthly service charges as an AT&T customer, but it'll be cheaper than buying a Galaxy A16 outright for $200. For even more security, AT&T also launched its AmiGO Jr. Watch 2 to expand its ecosystem that already includes a tablet designed for kids.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/atts-budget-friendly-phone-for-kids-was-designed-with-parental-controls-in-mind-202200139.html?src=rss
Apple is keeping the entry level for iPhones at $599, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest Power On report, Gurman said that the iPhone 17e is "due imminently" and will keep the same price as its predecessor.
Considering we’re about a year away from the iPhone 16e’s announcement, we’re due for a successor to Apple’s more affordable smartphone. According to Gurman, Apple upgraded the new budget-friendly iPhone with MagSafe charging and the A19 chip that's seen in the iPhone 17 base model. The iPhone 17e will also get Apple's latest in-house cellular and wireless chips, Gurman reported.
In our review of the iPhone 16e, we weren't particularly sold because of its limited camera capabilities, particularly when compared to the iPhone 17's release a few months later. However, for the same $599 price, Apple's iPhone 17e is getting a few notable upgrades and will compete with Google's Pixel 10a. More specifically, Gurman expects Apple to target the emerging economies and enterprise demographics with the iPhone 17e. While Apple faces a lot more competition in overseas markets, iPhone sales have been experiencing a resurgence in China. Apple is even forecasting strong sales for iPhones across Asia, especially in China and India.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-iphone-17e-will-reportedly-bring-some-key-upgrades-without-raising-the-price-174154577.html?src=rss
We found the iPhone Air to have a pretty decent battery life for such a thin-and-light phone, somewhere in the region of 27 hours if you’re continuously streaming video. But it's still a phone, arguably your most used device on a daily basis, so you may need to top it up during the day if you're using it constantly. That’s where Apple’s iPhone Air MagSafe battery pack comes in, and it’s currently on sale for $79.
This accessory only works with the iPhone Air, but much like the phone it attaches to, it’s extremely slim at 7.5mmm, so crucially doesn’t add so much bulk when attached that it defeats the point of having a thin phone in the first place. The MagSafe Battery isn’t enormous at 3,149mAh (enough to add an extra 65 percent of charge to the Air), but it can wirelessly charge the AirPods Pro 3 as well, making it an even more useful travel companion. You can also charge your iPhone while charging the battery pack.
At its regular price of $99, the MagSafe battery pack is an admittedly pricey add-on to what is already an expensive phone, but for $20 off it’s well worth considering what Engadget’s Sam Rutherford called an "essential accessory" for some users in his iPhone Air review.
Many Apple loyalists will always insist on having first-party accessories for their iPhone, but there are plenty of third-party MagSafe chargers out there too, a lot of them considerably cheaper than Apple’s lineup. Be sure to check out our guide for those.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-iphone-air-magsafe-battery-pack-is-cheaper-than-ever-144516417.html?src=rss
