Verizon is rolling out an even more affordable 5G plan for customers looking for unlimited data without all the extra frills in its Mix & Match plans.
For as little as $30 per month for each line (when signing up for four lines with Auto Pay), the new Welcome Unlimited plan includes all the basics that most users need — including unlimited data, talking, and texting. The plan is separate from Verizon’s Mix & Match Unlimited plans and lacks the features of those more expensive options, such as mobile hotspot data and streaming service bundles.
Verizon is also offering a $240 e-gift for each line activated on a new customer’s own 4G LTE or 5G phone, so you’ll be able to save even more money by bringing your own devices. The offer is good for up to 12 lines per person, although you’ll have to be active on the plan for more than 45 days before receiving the e-gift card and keep your service active for 12 months.
“Welcome Unlimited opens the door for more people to switch to the network more Americans rely on, at a highly-competitive price,” said Manon Brouillette, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, in a press release announcing the new plan. “Today, we are making it easy for customers to leave their wireless provider and join Verizon at an entry-level price point when they bring their own device.”
Welcome Unlimited is also included in Verizon’s discount plans for those who serve the country and local communities, meaning active-duty military personnel, veterans, first responders, teachers, and nurses can get an additional $20 monthly discount for four lines, bringing the cost down to $25 per line.
Like Verizon’s 5G Start plan, the new Welcome Unlimited plans will give you 5G data, but you won’t get access to the carrier’s 5G Ultra Wideband network; that’s reserved for those on the premium 5G Do More, Play More, and Get More plans, which are priced at $15 to $20 more depending on how many lines you sign up. Instead, you’ll be on Verizon’s slower low-band 5G Nationwide network. Further, as with the 5G Start plan, traffic on Verizon’s other plans will get priority; the carrier notes that “in times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic.”
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.
Apple's next cheaper iPhone could get a brand-new processor while keeping its most stubborn display compromise. Digital Chat Station tips the iPhone 18e for a 2027 release with a 2nm A20 chip and a 6.12-inch OLED screen still limited to 60Hz.
The rumored camera setup includes a single 48MP rear camera and a possible 24MP selfie camera. There's new hardware to consider, but buyers hoping Apple would extend that upgrade generosity to smoother scrolling could be disappointed.