Earlier this week, Google introduced its latest Pixel-branded budget smartphone and teased a pair of upcoming phones it plans to launch later in 2020. But there may be more: An internal document obtained by 9to5Google suggests the tech giant may have already kicked off development on phones for 2021 — and one of them could have a foldable design.
9to5Google claims Google is trialing its Android software on a total of four, new mysterious phone models. The document explicitly lists an unannounced Pixel 5a, likely the successor to Google’s existing mid-range phone, the Pixel 4a. There are also three more Android phones mentioned under codenames: Raven, Oriole, and Passport.
While there’s not much information on the first two, Passport is labeled in the document as a “foldable.” Folding screens have emerged as the next, big technology in the smartphone world, and it makes sense the company behind Android itself doesn’t want to miss out on the trend. Google added support for “foldables” on Android last year enabling developers to optimize their apps for multi-display phones.
Further, in a CNET report last year, Mario Queiroz, the former lead of Google’s Pixel division, confirmed that Google is prototyping phones with foldable displays. But he added that the company won’t bring it to the market until there’s “a clear use case.” Foldable technology has advanced a lot in the past year with several manufacturers such as Samsung actively investing in it. “Right now, you don’t need to have a foldable. It’s kind of a ‘nice-to-have’,” said Queiroz.
What’s more, the document also mentions the expected timelines of these under-development Google phones. While the Pixel 5a is slated to arrive sometime in Q2 of 2021, the rest of the three models could launch in Q4, suggesting they will go public as the Pixel 6 series — falling in line with Google’s usual timeline for its budget and flagship phone announcements.
That’s not all. The report seemingly confirms that Google will roll out the upcoming Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 in October later this year. It’s worth noting Google’s France website yesterday inadvertently leaked that these phones will be unveiled on October 8th.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.