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02.03.2026 19:22 Paramount Skydance plans to combine Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single streaming service following the completion of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. CEO David Ellison confirmed the plan on an investor call Monday, saying the combined platform would serve over 200 million subscribers and position the company to compete with the biggest players in the streaming space. “We think the combined offering, and given the amount of content and what we can do from the tech side, really will put us in a position to be able to compete with the most scaled players in DTC,” Ellison said. It’s not yet clear whether the app’s two libraries will be fully integrated, or whether one will exist as a standalone service within the other. Ellison signaled that the HBO brand will “operate with independence” during the call. Also unclear is what the newly combined app would cost subscribers. The last year has seen nearly across-the-board increases in the cost of streaming services, including HBO Max. The planned merger would unite Paramount’s CBS, MTV, Comedy Central and BET with Warner’s CNN, HBO, TNT and Food Network, along with franchises including Game of Thrones, Mission: Impossible, the DC Universe and SpongeBob SquarePants under one roof. The combined entity is expected to carry roughly $79 billion in net debt, according to Reuters, and could be considered the largest leveraged buyout in history. The deal is expected to close in the back half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/paramount-and-hbo-max-could-be-merging-into-a-single-streaming-service-163439653.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Apple’s most affordable iPhone just got an upgrade, but how does the new iPhone 17e compare to the iPhone 16e? Well, thankfully the price remains the same at $599, which is good news in our current economic climate. An immediate difference you might notice is that one of them now comes in a third color: pink. That’s at least one win for me because I am all for putting more color into tech.There are a few differences under the hood as well, namely that the iPhone 17e is arriving with the A19 chip and double the storage. We’ve already seen what’s possible with an A19 chip in the standard iPhone 17 — it’s not a super exciting upgrade, but it is a boost nonetheless. Pre-orders start at 9:15AM ET on March 4, and while we work on a full review, let’s take a deeper dive into what has changed on this year’s model and what that might mean in the real world.iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Design and displayOf course, the biggest difference in the design for the iPhone 17e is the shiny new pink color. I’ve long complained about how many major tech companies stick to the safety of black, white or gray colorways. Thankfully, the iPhone 17e’s pink hue is a departure from that approach. It’s also an understated shade that’s elegant, compared to the typically brighter and louder tones reserved for cheap phones.Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e measure 5.78 x 2.82 x 0.31 inches. However, the iPhone 17e did get a bit heavier at 5.96 ounces compared to the iPhone 16e’s 5.88 ounces. It’s very unlikely you’ll notice the 0.08 ounce difference, though. In terms of durability, the iPhone 17e is outfitted with Ceramic Shield 2, which is a glass face that Apple said is three times more scratch-resistant than the iPhone 16e’s original Ceramic Shield. Ideally, it’ll survive falls to the ground and spare you a scratched up display from casual wear and tear.There doesn’t seem to be any change in the display — whether that be in its brightness or color rendering capability — but that isn’t too shocking. Both the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel with a 1,200-nit peak brightness. That’s bright enough to combat the ambient glare from the sun, so you should be able to read it outside relatively easily. They’re also specced out with a 2,532 x 1,170 resolution at 460 ppi — meaning text and lines will be clean and sharp.iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: CamerasI didn’t expect a huge bump in camera technology, especially if Apple intended to keep the price the same. We’ve got upgrades in other categories for sure, but it would’ve been nice to see an extra camera on the back. Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e is kitted out with Apple’s 48-megapixel Fusion 2-in-1 camera with a 12MP 2x Telephoto setting. You also get digital zoom up to 10x. Take a look at our iPhone 16e review to see exactly what that looks like in practice, but to sum up our experience: it’s solid.There’s a great level of detail and vibrancy, but like I said, it’s limited. Without a potential ultrawide camera, you cannot capture as much of your surroundings because you’re not getting that 0.5x zoom option. One major upgrade, however, is that the iPhone 17e is now capable of recognizing dogs and cats in Portrait mode. It also saves depth information so you can turn regularly captured photos into portraits after the fact. This might be a noteworthy upgrade, considering the iPhone 16e struggled in Portrait mode, incapable of capturing non-human faces and objects.There’s also the 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front, which we didn’t have many complaints about, and don’t expect to disappoint on the iPhone 17e.iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Processor, battery life and chargingApart from the color, the biggest differences between the iPhone 17e and iPhone 16e is their starting storage and overall performance. The new iPhone is packed with an A19 chip, while the latter comes with an A18 chip.Yes, you’re getting a performance bump with the A19 chip, but casual users are unlikely to feel the difference. If you’re a power user trying to get the most out of an affordable iPhone and want to get crunchy about it, there’s roughly a 5 percent difference in CPU speed and over 10 percent in GPU performance .Despite that bump, the battery life hasn’t changed. With both devices, Apple says you’re getting up to 26 hours of video playback and up to 21 hours streamed. The company doesn’t typically share specifics on battery sizes, but GSMArena is reporting that both models come with a 4,005mAh battery. What has changed, however, is being able to receive double the wattage from wireless charging. The iPhone 17e can now take up to 15W for Qi2 fast wireless charging — compared to 7.5W from the Qi support on the iPhone 16e.iOS 26 and Apple IntelligenceAt a glance, there does not seem to be any difference in what the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e offer in terms of iOS and Apple Intelligence capability. However, it’s relevant to note that you will likely get better performance out of the iPhone 17e with regards to AI features because of its superior A19 chip.In case you wanted to do the numbers comparison yourself, we’ve compiled a nifty table here so you can eyeball them with ease. But for a sense of how the iPhone 17e holds up in the real world and whether it’s worth the money, stay tuned for our full review.iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 16e: Specs at a glanceSpeciPhone 17eiPhone 16ePrice$599$599ProcessorA19 chipA18 chipDisplaySuper Retina XDR, 6.1‑inch, 2,532 x 1,170, OLED display at 460 ppiSuper Retina XDR, 6.1‑inch, 2,532 x 1,170, OLED display at 460 ppiRAM8GB8GBStorage256GB, 512GB128GB, 256GB, 512GBWireless chargingUp to 15WUp to 7.5WRear camera2-in-1 camera — 48MP Fusion main, 12MP 2x Telephoto, digital zoom up to 10x2-in-1 camera — 48MP Fusion main, 12MP 2x Telephoto, digital zoom up to 10xFront camera12MP selfie cam12MP selfie camSIMDual SIM Dual SIM ConnectivityWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, NFCWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.3, NFCOSLaunched with iOS 26Launched with iOS 18This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/iphone-17e-vs-iphone-16e-whats-new-on-apples-latest-599-handset-162009364.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Apple has promised a “big week” for the company, which includes an in-person event for press and creators on March 4. But it didn’t exactly wait until Wednesday to get things started. The news started on Monday with the announcements of the iPhone 17e and M4-powered iPad Air.We’ll be updating this roundup throughout the week as we learn exactly what Apple has in store for everyone . For now, though, here’s our recap of everything Apple announced on Monday:iPhone 17eAppleApple has spruced up this year’s entry-level iPhone with some pretty solid upgrades, though it's keeping the starting price at $599. The iPhone 17e has double the base storage of the iPhone 16e at 256GB. It also has MagSafe support with Qi2 wireless charging speeds of up to 15W, double that of the iPhone 16e.Design-wise, Apple hasn't exactly rocked the boat. The iPhone 17e looks pretty much identical to its predecessor. It appears that Apple is sticking with the same 48MP Fusion camera system as it used in the iPhone 16e too.That said, the 6.1-inch Super Retina display has Ceramic Shield 2. According to Apple, this provides “3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.” The company slotted its C1X cellular modem into the iPhone 17e as well. It says this is up to two times faster than the C1 that was in the iPhone 16e. The device has the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17, so it supports Apple Intelligence AI tools, and it runs iOS 26.In addition, the iPhone 17e has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, as well as the promise of "all-day battery life." It also supports satellite-powered features including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My.Pre-orders for the iPhone 17e open on March 4 and it will be available in black, white and soft pink. The device will hit shelves in more than 70 countries and regions on March 11.iPad Air M4AppleThe latest iPad Air boasts Apple’s M4 chip. That means the mid-range iPad is effectively remaining a year behind the iPad Pro. The M4 is almost two years old at this point, while the top-end model has the newer M5 chip. Still, if you only use an iPad for casual tasks like watching shows, web browsing, email and so on, the M4 will be more than powerful enough. It will be more adept at handling resource-intensive tasks like video editing than previous iPad Air models too.Apple has also bumped up the RAM from 8GB from the last-gen model to 12GB. Given the sharp increase in RAM prices in recent months, it’s slightly surprising that Apple is sticking to the same prices for the iPad Air. The 11-inch M4 iPad Air starts at $599 while the 13-inch version starts at $799, each with 128GB of storage. There's a $50 discount for those buying it for educational use.Apple claims the M4 delivers up to 2.3 times faster performance compared with the M1 iPad Air and "over 4x faster 3D pro rendering with ray tracing performance." Of course, the new iPad Air runs iPadOS 26.Apple gave the iPad Air other internal upgrades by including its N1 and C1X connectivity chips. As such, this is the first iPad Air with Wi-Fi 7 support. As you might expect, 5G cellular connectivity is available as well.The design of the M4 iPad Air doesn't seem to have changed, as it appears to have the same LCD display Apple used in the last two iterations of the tablet. The company has stuck with the same rear-facing camera and dual-speaker setup as well.As with the iPhone 17e, pre-orders for the M4 iPad Air open on March 4. The tablet will hit retailers in 35 countries and regions on March 11. It will be available in blue, purple, starlight and space gray.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/everything-apple-announced-today-iphone-17e-and-m4-ipad-air-155617174.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Anthropic has made switching to its Claude AI chatbot easier than ever. The company announced a new memory import tool that can extract all of a competing AI chatbot's memories and context of you into a text prompt that can be fed into Claude. With Anthropic's prompt, you can then copy and paste the output into Claude's memories, and the AI chatbot will pick up where you left off with another AI chatbot, whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. Anthropic said it'll take about 24 hours for Claude to assimilate the new context, but you'll be able to see the change by clicking on the "See what Claude learned about you" button. Claude users can even tweak what the AI chatbot remembers in the "Manage memory" section in the app's settings. Anthropic pointed out that Claude is meant to focus on "work-related topics to enhance its effectiveness as a collaborator," adding that it might not remember personal details that are unrelated to work. Anthropic's timing doesn't seem to be just a coincidence. Claude recently jumped to the number one spot in the App Store's free apps charts, dethroning ChatGPT in the process. The rise in popularity likely stems from its recent dispute with the Department of Defense, where Anthropic refused to budge on AI guardrails related to mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. On the other hand, OpenAI will be taking Anthropic's vacated role with the Department of Defense, leading to a trend of users boycotting ChatGPT and canceling their subscriptions.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropics-claude-can-now-absorb-your-past-conversations-with-other-ai-chatbots-153201656.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Apple has scheduled a product launch event, dubbed an "Apple Experience", for March 4 at 9AM ET. The company is reportedly holding this event in NYC, London and Shanghai. Everyone loves shiny new products, so what can we expect to see at Apple's first launch event of 2026? We don't know anything for certain, but we have plenty of educated guesses that have been sourced from industry reports and speculation from analysts. Editor's Note : Apple has officially announced the iPhone 17e and iPad Air . It's expected to continue to unveil new hardware in the following days, per the rest of this article. Budget-friendly MacBook There have been rumors swirling that Apple is preparing to launch a cheaper alternative to the MacBook Air. Bloomberg reported on this all the way back in November. Industry rumors indicate that Apple will be stuffing this laptop with an iPhone processor, the A18 Pro, to keep the price down. Worth pointing out the three colors from the invite are light green, blue and yellow -- which just so happen to be the colors Apple has tested the low-cost MacBook with, as I wrote yesterday. Coincidence? We shall see. https://t.co/1FFVkfw9JZ pic.twitter.com/ssKDDzdJsw— Mark Gurman February 16, 2026 It's also been suggested that this laptop will only include 8GB of RAM, which kind of flies against the company's recent stance to outfit all Macs with at least 16GB of RAM. However, that would certainly help with the cost. You might have heard about a little thing called AI that chomp chomps on all RAM it can find. TechRadar has reported that this could be Apple's biggest laptop launch in years, with potential initial shipments hitting 8 million units. The price is likely to be somewhere in the $699 to $799 range, which is pretty nifty. However, I'd still go for an Air at $999. They are absolute workhorses. MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max chips It's likely that Apple will release more powerful MacBook Pro models this year and the timing seems to match up. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested a March launch and the event is on March 4. The company has already released a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip, but both the M5 Pro and Max are likely on the horizon. We could be getting new laptops outfitted with these chips in various display sizes. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget There have also been reports that both of the higher-end M5 chips are getting a redesign to help improve heat dissipation and reduce defective chip rates. Additionally, the new chiplet design would allow the M5 Pro and Max to raise the total number of CPU and GPU cores. The Max is expected to have more cores than the Pro. This idea is helped along by the fact that MacBook Pro M4 Max orders are currently delayed. This is typically the case with an outgoing model as stock dries up to make room for new releases. Also, the Pro and Max variants typically get announced in the Fall, so we are due. New iPads Rumors have been circulating that we are about to get new iPads, including an update to the base model and the Air. The standard model, which would be the 12th-gen release, is expected to upgrade the A16 chip to an A18. This should also allow for the integration of Apple Intelligence tools, if that's your bag. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget As for that iPad Air, rumors suggest an upgrade to the M4 chip from the M3. An extremely light tablet with an M4 would be fairly notable in my estimation, as only the newest iPad Pro has that chip. iPhone 17e It was almost exactly a year ago that Apple announced the iPhone 16e, so you know what that means. It's time for a refresh. Recent reports have suggested that an announcement regarding the iPhone 17e is imminent, so this launch event seems like as good a place as any to reveal the latest "budget-friendly" smartphone. As for specs, Mark Gurman has suggested that it'll be getting an upgrade to the A19 chip, which is nice. Also, it could be getting MagSafe support. That sounds like an iterative upgrade, but the price is expected to remain steady at $599. Other Possibilities The following stuff is less likely, though certainly possible. There have been rumors that Apple is currently preparing a revamped Studio Display and Mac Studio desktop. The reports suggest a release sometime in the first half of the year, and March is right in the middle of that timeframe. It's also possible that the company will reveal an upgrade to the MacBook Air with the M5 chip. Reports indicate that this is unlikely to happen during this event, but it is worth noting that the M4 Air came out in March of last year. In other words, it's a toss up. The inclusion of Shanghai essentially rules out Siri, as expected, given the delays. https://t.co/mgNLR4qCYy— Mark Gurman February 16, 2026 What's not a toss up? You shouldn't expect anything regarding the long-anticipated Siri refresh. This looks to be a hardware event, so any software updates will likely have to wait until WWDC this summer. In any event, Engadget will be on hand to report on all of Apple's new products. Update, March 2 2026, 9:45AM ET: This story has been updated to add an Editor's Note with the latest news from Apple this week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/what-to-expect-at-apples-product-launch-event-on-march-4-173612816.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Samsung's newest feature turns your phone into your house keys. The company has created the Digital Home Key, a feature inside of the Samsung Wallet that should let you unlock any compatible smart door with your phone. The Samsung Wallet already offered digital car keys. "As we continue to evolve Samsung Wallet, delivering trusted mobile experiences remains at the core of our innovation," Woncheol Chai, EVP and head of Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement. "Through close collaboration with our partners and in alignment with the Aliro standard, Digital Home Key brings the same level of security and ease Samsung Galaxy users expect from Samsung Wallet to their homes." Created by the Connectivity Standards Alliance , Samsung calls Aliro an "industry-standardized communication protocol." The Digital Home Key will also get support from smart lock brands like Nuki and Schlage. It's also designed to meet EAL6+ security certification. According to Samsung, you'll also need biometrics or a PIN to use the Digital Home Key. You should be able to remotely manage or remove the tool through Samsung Find if you lose your phone. Samsung is rolling out the Digital Home Key in select regions starting this month. It plans to expand its range as compatible smart lock brands become available in more locations. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-samsung-wallet-can-now-hold-your-house-keys-142944132.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Apple has just announced the addition of the iPhone 17e to its smartphone lineup. This model is kitted with the same A19 chip that powers the base iPhone 17, and it will support the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools. As the rumors suggested, the iPhone 17e will indeed be priced at $599, same as last year’s iPhone 16e. The base model will come with 256GB of storage, and also be available in a new pink color. The iPhone 16e was missing a few elements that are now being added to the 17e, most notably MagSafe charging at Qi2 speeds. This means it can charge wirelessly at 15W compared to the 7.5W on last year’s model. Apple also gave the iPhone 17e its C1X cellular modem, which it said is “up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e.” This year’s entry-level iPhone also has Ceramic Shield 2 on its 6.1-inch Super Retina display, which Apple says offers “3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.” Most of the other specs appear similar to the iPhone 16e, including the 48-megapixel Fusion camera that uses one single hardware sensor to provide two dedicated camera pipelines. It’s not yet clear whether there are specific changes here, but to use Apple’s words in its press release, “ also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one.”The iPhone 17e is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, and will also support Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite. From the outside, the device looks very similar to its predecessor, with the same shape, notch and buttons as before. We’ll of course have to wait for a review unit and more information to know for sure, but Apple continues to state that the iPhone 17e delivers “all-day battery life,” though adding this time it’s aided by the C1X modem “and the advanced power management of iOS 26.”Apple unveiled most of its iPhone 17 roster back in September, but its budget models usually are introduced a few months later. We're also still waiting on the official news of what’s colloquially being calling the iPhone Fold, which is rumored to arrive in the back half of this year.The iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order on March 4, and will start arriving in stores on March 11. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-introduces-the-599-iphone-17e-with-magsafe-and-twice-the-storage-140612085.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 19:22 Apple is kicking off multiple days of product announcements this morning with a new iPad Air. Unsurprisingly, it’s more or less like the iPad Air Apple announced one year ago, except it now has an M4 chip instead of last year’s M3.Apple is also including its in-house networking chips, the N1 and C1X, which will cover Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread and cellular connectivity. This means the iPad Air supports the Wi-Fi 7 standard for the first time. The Air also now has 12GB of RAM standard, up from 8GB in the prior model. The rest of the iPad Air appears unchanged at this point. It has the same display that the 2023 and 2024 models sported — either an 11- or 13-inch LCD that tops out at 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Storage options start at 128GB and go up to 1TB, same as last year. The dual stereo speaker configuration and both front- and rear-facing cameras are unchanged, as well. For those keeping track, it’s been less than two years since Apple redesigned the iPad Air, adding a 13-inch model that had an M2 chip. I remain surprised the company is committed to releasing chip updates for the Air so frequently — even the M2 model is more than powerful enough for the target audience. But, getting a faster chip for the same money is hard to complain about.Naturally, the iPad Air M4 is running iPadOS 26, which was released last fall. It was, without a doubt, the biggest iPadOS update we’ve seen, bringing a far more robust multitasking system than the iPad has ever had before. It’s most noticeable and useful on the larger 13-inch screen, but having greater freedom with window management and more robust background tasks is a huge step forward — even if the Liquid Glass visual redesign is a bit divisive. Pre-orders for the new iPad Air M4 open on Wednesday, March 4, and the tablet will be fully available on March 11. As before, pricing starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for a 13-inch display.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-updates-the-ipad-air-with-an-m4-chip-141117569.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 14:00 On its own, at 4.9mm thin, Tecno's modular phone concept barely feels like a smartphone. It has a screen, a basic camera module, four low-profile pogo-pin connectors and that's about it. From there, you can seemingly build your conceptual phone however you want. At its booth at MWC 2026, Tecno had two families of modular components in two different colorways, which is surprising at this concept stage. The chunky telephoto lens and housing must weigh over three times as much as the base phone, adding up to 20x zoom capabilities, even if it was a little glitchy during my hands-on. The barrel also offers manual focus, which is always a nice touch. The lens itself is huge, though, making even Vivo's latest 400mm telephoto lens peripheral look reasonable by comparison. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget There are more subtle camera modules, including ultrawide options and a more streamlined periscope telephoto. There's even an action cam that can attach through Wi-Fi and be used on its own. Depending on the module, transmission is also done through Bluetooth and even mmWave. One module has an antenna that folds out, turning the phone into a walkie-talkie messenger… thing that can communicate without cell service or Wi-Fi. There were also lanyard connectors, grip clips, and several that I may have forgotten. Sadly, the game controller mod wasn't on the stand, though I'm not sure how you'd use it blindly on the back. It's a lot of fun to swap out and even stack the modules, most of which were functionally working. There are plenty of questions left to answer, and I'm concerned about how rigid the magnetic connection would be when pulling this kind of phone out of your pocket repeatedly. Also, who's going to carry around an attaché case filled with all these things? Who doesn't love an aerial?Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Naturally, due to its thickness, the phone has a tiny battery cell , but you can add 3,000mAh battery packs to the back. And another. And even another, topping out at around 10,000mAh, beating the capacity of most mainstream smartphones. It was only then that I realized it lacked any traditional USB-C charging port. Instead, a charging module can be attached to either of the two pairs of connectors. Tecno often has thrilling concepts and one-off devices at trade shows, so we can't vouch that this will eventually make its way to consumers. Modular phones are a tricky sell, as they can often lose the efficiencies that come from unified components. Google ended its Project Ara modular concept over 10 years ago, while Motorola's Moto Mods just weren't very good and even I struggle to remember LG's G5 modules. Adding to that, the company also rarely sells its phones in Western Europe and the US. Judging by the moves being made by other Chinese phone manufacturers in the last year, that could change.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/at-mwc-tecnos-super-thin-modular-concept-phone-doesnt-even-have-a-wired-charging-port-123129135.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 14:00 Vivo barely has a presence outside of China but that seems to be changing with the company's next flagship phone. At Mobile World Conference 2026, the company unveiled the X300 Ultra smartphone that comes with a 200MP telephoto sensor, along with multiple accessories designed for pro photographers and content creators, including a SmallRig video cage and 400mm Zeiss telephoto extender lens. Vivo didn't go into detail about the phone's specs, but you can likely expect a high-end processor, screen, battery and other internal components when it's fully unveiled later on. Vivo did say that like the X300 Pro, the X300 Ultra will have an impressive 200MP telephoto sensor, and is likely to offer features like 4K 120fps Dolby Vision HDR recording. Vivo's Daniel Goetz said it couldn't yet reveal the specs for its primary camera sensor — which will likely be deeply involved with the new device's push into video. Mat Smith for Engadget Another thing Vivo revealed is that you'll be able to get the Vivo X300 Ultra with a 400mm equivalent lens accessory called the Vivo Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra. That will allow about an 8x zoom compared to the native field-of-view, plus much more when combined with the high-quality digital zoom. It will also offer "gimbal-grade" optical image stabilization and motion-tracking focus technology, Vivo says. The device's camera mount is part of an ecosystem that remains consistent with the X200 Pro, so the camera automatically reads the connected lens. This means the first-gen telephoto extender will also work with Vivo's newest flagship. The large 1/1.4-inch telephoto sensor and high megapixel count allow shooting up to 30x zoom while retaining high levels of detail, according to Vivo. Along with the lens, Vivo is introducing a "pro-grade camera cage" designed by the well-known accessory company SmallRig. It's expandable and offers multiple cold shoe mounts and quick-release ports so you can easily add things like handles, lights and microphones. It also comes with dedicated physical buttons for tactile shutter and zoom adjustment, plus a multi-level piezo cooling fan to keep the phone running cool. You also get an "External Lens Expansion Frame" to accommodate the X300 Ultra Telephoto Extender. Other SmallRig collaborations include Bluetooth connected gri controllers, which you can see above, mounted on the X300 Pro. During a brief teaser presentation, we learned a few more details. The telephoto camera will include three degrees of optical image stabilization, and you'll be able to shoot video in Log with your favorite LUT active in the X300 Ultra's preview view. The video you record, however, will still be an unedited Log file. Color grading will also be available inside the device. For videographers, it will also natively support ACES , making it easier to fit into professional workflows in DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro without requiring specific color conversion. Mat Smith for Engadget Vivo showed off the phone at MWC 2026 in Barcelona to a fair amount of enthusiasm. The company emphasized that the X300 Ultra will be the first device in the series to reach international markets, including all European regions in which it already does business. It didn't specify the price. The X300 Pro costs about €1,400 in Europe. Availability in the US is still TBC. The move, Vivo said, "signals Vivo's more proactive and confident approach to expanding its presence in the global premium smartphone segment." Given the likely price, though, it's debatable if pro creators will want to buy this instead of, say, a pretty nice mirrorless camera and lens. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/vivos-x300-ultra-goes-global-and-gets-a-huge-400mm-zeiss-telephoto-lens-105058478.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 14:00 Another major antitrust lawsuit has launched in the UK. This time its against Sony, which could be on the hook for almost £2 billion for overcharging PlayStation users. A class action case for about 12.2 million users argues that Sony "occupies a dominant position in relation to the digital distribution of PlayStation games and in-game content and that it has been unfairly charging its UK customers too much for digital games and in-game content purchased through the PlayStation Store." It argues that Sony "has a near monopoly" on add-on content and digital games through the PlayStation store, allowing it to set the prices and take a 30 percent commission. The class action encompasses anyone in the UK who owned a PlayStation console and purchased digital games or made in-game purchases through the PlayStation store between August 19, 2016 and February 12, 2026. It's being run as an opt-out lawsuit, so anyone meeting the criteria can qualify without taking any action. If the lawsuit is successful then each person could receive about £162 . Sony has argued that allowing downloads from third-party stores could bring security and privacy risks, according to the Financial Times. It further states that the digital sales commission makes up profits lost for selling their consoles with minimal profit. This lawsuit follows the success of a similar class action decided in October. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal found that Apple had been abusing its dominant market position and overcharging App Store users. In December, Apple filed an appeal against the £1.5 billion fine. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sony-faces-a-27-billion-antitrust-lawsuit-in-the-uk-114113889.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 14:00 Motorola has unveiled the Edge 70 Fusion, its latest mid-range model with an impressive display and OIS-enabled camera with a Sony sensor. Though other specs are modest, the cameras, display and Pantone-inspired, fabric-like colors make it a good choice for fashion-forward and budget conscious buyers in Europe and other territories. The Edge 70 Fusion is a more modestly specced version of last year's Edge 70 that's thicker at 7.2mm compared to 5.9mm but has a better screen. Motorola says it has the world's first "quad-curved" display that folds into the sides for smoother lines and a more elegant look. The AMOLED screen is also huge at 6.78 inches and has a 144Hz refresh rate with Pantone-validated color accuracy, while hitting a peak 5,200 nit brightness, easily enough for sunny outdoor use. Motorola The 50MP main camera is also impressive, using Sony's Lytia 710 sensor with optical image stabilization and an f/1.8 aperture. That's accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide macro camera and a 32MP from selfie camera with 4K recording. The Edge 70 fusion is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with Cortex-A720 and A520 cores, along with an Adreno 810 GPU, promising about a 15 percent bump in performance over the last model. It supports 68W wired fast charging and carries a 5,200mAh battery. It will be relatively tough as well, with IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings and MIL-STD-810H durability. It's a solid value with prices starting at $430 in Europe when it goes on sale later this month in colors like Patone Orient Blue, Pantone Country Air and Pantone Sporting Green. There's no indication that it will be available in the US, though. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorolas-edge-70-fusion-phone-has-a-huge-curved-144hz-display-093035809.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 14:00 TCL has been making smartphones and tablets at an impressive clip for years. While most companies have focused on foldable display tech — and TCL has dabbled — the focus has been on its NXTPAPER screens. Aimed at being friendlier on the eyes, and pitched as a device somewhere between e-ink slates and traditional tablets, NXTPAPER has gradually been upgraded and refined, reaching an apex at CES 2026 earlier this year with the Kindle Scribe-alike, the Note A1 NXTPAPER and its latest smartphone, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro. At MWC, just a couple of months later, it's preparing for a major leap forward on future phones and tablets. It's been announced that it's developing AMOLED NXTPAPER displays, aiming to combine the eye comfort benefits of TCL's current displays with flagship visual performance. This involved fundamentally redesigning and re-engineering the display architecture. Still, it should address the biggest problems with current LCD-based NXTPAPER, such as mediocre brightness, poor outdoor performance, and dull colors. This NXTPAPER AMOLED screen, well, it looks like AMOLED: Image by Mat Smith for Engadget On the showfloor at CES, the company had several demo devices showcasing the new screen technology's brightness. While still photos don't really do it justice, it's impressive, and the anti-glare effect seems premium compared to third-party anti-glare protective films. TCL says its incoming AMOLED display — it hasn't announced a device yet — will reach 3,200 nits of brightness. For reference, TCL's 70 Pro topped out at a mere 900 nits. TCL says it will also feature 120Hz refresh rates, 100 percent color gamut coverage, and blue light reduction that can go as low as 2.9 percent, which is 15 percent less than existing NXTPAPER displays. The company plans to launch an AMOLED NXTPAPER smartphone before the end of the year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/tcl-is-upgrading-its-easy-on-the-eyes-glare-free-nxtpaper-display-tech-with-amoled-085736065.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 09:13 Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite chips are reserved for the best Android phones and laptops, and now the company has introduced the first in the Elite series for wearables. The Snapdragon Wear Elite processor is designed for smartwatches and AI devices like pendants and promises up to a fivefold increase in single-thread CPU performance, Qualcomm announced. The new processor is built on a 3nm process to improve speed and efficiency over previous models, while boosting the number of cores to five . With those changes, the company is promising up to five times faster single-threaded performance, with GPU speeds boosted up to seven times. Qualcomm The Snapdragon Wear Elite is also equipped with a new NPU that allows low-power AI use cases like keyword recognition along with noise cancellation. It's also the first Snapdragon wearable processor with a dedicated Hexagon NPU supporting AI models with two billion parameters. That will allow new "personal AI experiences," the company said, like context-aware recommendations, natural voice interactions, life logging and AI agents that can orchestrate tasks on your behalf. Wear OS devices with the chip should see up to 30 percent improved battery life and charging speeds of up to 50 percent in ten minutes. It also allows for more types of connectivity, including 5G reduced capability, micro-power Wi-Fi, NB-NTN for satellites, Bluetooth 6.0, GNSS and UWB. However, manufacturers will be able to source versions of the chip without some of those wireless features. Whether the Snapdragon Wear Elite will give Wear OS watch manufacturers a better chance to chip into the 50-plus percent market share of Apple's Watch remains to be seen. The first devices using the chip will start to ship in the "next few months," Qualcomm said. "Leading global partners are supporting the platform including Google, Motorola and Samsung."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/qualcomms-snapdragon-wear-elite-chip-is-made-for-smartwatches-and-ai-devices-080744412.html?src=rss

02.03.2026 09:13 After briefly announcing its new foldable at CES, Motorola is now ready to debut its first book-style foldable in full at MWC 2026. There are several features we already knew, including support for Motorola’s new Pen Ultra stylus and no fewer than five cameras. However, many specs were still unknown. There are some pleasant surprises. Motorola decided to make both screens brighter than any of its rivals by quite a margin. The main 8.1-inch foldable display of the Razr Fold has a peak brightness of 6200 nits, while the external screen almost matches it with 6000 nits. For comparison, both screens on the Pixel 10 Fold Pro have a peak brightness of 3000 nits and other foldables’ internal screens typically have substantially lower brightness levels. Inside Motorola's demo room, filled with windows and Barcelona sun, I had no trouble reading either screen. The main display is a 2K LTPO display that can reach a peak refresh rate of 120Hz, while the external display has a 2,520 x 1,080 resolution and peaks at 165Hz. Both screens also support Dolby Vision. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget With those high-brightness levels, Motorola has opted for a silicon-carbon 6,000mAh battery, another leading specification among foldables at the time of writing. It’ll be interesting to see how battery life fares, powering those big, bright screens. The Razr Fold also supports fast charging at up to 80W with the company’s own TurboPower charger and up to 50W wireless charging. With a silicon-carbon battery that offers higher energy density, Motorola’s biggest foldable yet remains surprisingly svelte, despite its huge battery. The Razr Fold is 4.6mm thin when open and 9.9mm when closed. Yes, Samsung’s latest Z Fold is thinner , but it has a substantially smaller 4,400mAh battery. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The Razr Fold’s hardware continues with many of the design touches found on recent Razr phones. I spent most of my time with the Blackened Blue iteration of the Razr Fold, with a woven piqué design that felt both easy to hold and didn’t seem to hold onto fingerprints. There will also be a Lily White color that doesn’t have the piqué design, but a more satin finish. The Razr Fold has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor, the de facto flagship Android processor at this point. The foldable also has its own liquid-cooling system to maintain consistent performance during tougher tasks and gaming sessions. The Razr Fold’s cameras will have to do more than what we’re used to seeing on the flip-style Razr smartphones, which have underwhelmed in the past. Fortunately, it looks like it could be a very capable smartphone camera. The main 50-megapixel sensor has a f/1.6 lens and 3.5 degrees of optical image stabilization. It’ll also work alongside a multi-spectral 3-in-1 light sensor to improve color accuracy. The Razr Fold’s ultrawide camera has a 50MP sensor, a 122-degree field of view, and support for macro photography. The 50MP periscope telephoto camera can reach up to 3x optical zoom and 100x SuperZoom, through image cropping and AI-boosted image processing. And finally, there are two selfie cameras: a 32MP internal camera that can record up to 4K video and a 20MP external selfie cam, both with a f/2.4 lens. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Motorola is already claiming this is the best camera on a foldable smartphone, with the highest DXOMARK score among foldables. If you haven’t heard of DXOMARK before, it’s a benchmarking website and lab in France that offers professional image quality testing for smartphones, camera lenses and cameras. It also offers a consultancy service to help manufacturers improve their devices’ camera performance. It’s too early to tell whether this is objectively a better cameraphone than Samsung’s Z Fold 7, but I was particularly impressed by the Razr Fold’s telephoto camera results. Similarly, I’m intrigued by Motorola’s decision to support its newest stylus, the Moto Pen Ultra. It warrants further testing when the foldable lands for review. Motorola hasn’t announced pricing and availability for the Razr Fold. It’ll be coming to North America “in the coming months.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorola-razr-fold-hands-on-mwc-2026-050027092.html?src=rss