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Features

Why "seven years of updates" quietly changed how to buy a phone

When a mid-range phone is supported into the 2030s, the case for buying a flagship gets weaker every year. How we got here Google started it, Samsung matched it, and Apple has effectively done it for years: seven years of OS and security updates is now the flagship standard, and it is trickling down to mid-range phones. What it does to the maths A ~$500 Pixel 11-class phone patched into the 2030s is a better long-term buy than an $1,100 flagship you replace every three years out of habit. The upgrade treadmill only works if you keep stepping on it. If you are willing to keep a phone for five or six years, the sensible money is on a well-supported mid-ranger, not the top of the range. The verdict: Long software support turned the mid-range into the value sweet spot. Buy for longevity and the flagship premium gets hard to justify. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Buying guides

The best phone you can buy in 2026

Four excellent phones, four clear reasons to pick each. Best overall and best for video, iPhone 17 Pro The most predictable, best-supported, widest-ecosystem choice, and still the reference for phone video. The aluminium redesign fixed the thermals and the battery; the 100mm telephoto fixed the everyday camera. Best camera versatility, Galaxy S26 Ultra The longest zoom on any phone, the brightest and most readable outdoor screen, an S Pen in the box, and seven years of Android updates. Best point-and-shoot and value flagship, Pixel 11 Pro The camera that just works, the cleanest Android, seven years of support. Drop to the Pixel 11 to save $200 and lose very little. Best battery and charging for the money, OnePlus 13 A 6000 mAh battery, 100W wired charging and a returning alert slider for $899. The camera is the only real compromise. The verdict: There is no single best phone, there is the best phone for how you use one. Match the list above to your priorities. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Buying guides

The best foldable phone in 2026

The durability and weight problems are largely solved. Now it is about hardware versus software. Best book-style foldable, Galaxy Z Fold8 Wider, lighter and easier to carry than any Fold before it, with the best large-screen multitasking. The camera cut to a dual 50MP system is the only real knock. Best foldable software, Pixel 11 Pro Fold Cleaner software, better update commitments, and the Pixel camera pipeline. IP68. The pick if you live in Google’s apps. Best clamshell, Galaxy Z Flip8 If you want a compact flip rather than a mini-tablet, the Flip8’s big cover screen and improved 4300 mAh battery make it the one to get. The verdict: All three are IP-rated and genuinely liveable now. Fold8 for hardware, Pixel Fold for software, Flip8 for pocketability. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Buying guides

The best flagship camera phone in 2026

Different phones win for different kinds of photography. Here is who wins what. For outright zoom, Xiaomi 15 Ultra or Vivo X200 Pro Both carry 200MP periscopes that out-reach everything else. The Vivo is easier to buy in Europe; the Xiaomi has the bigger main sensor. For video, iPhone 17 Pro Log, ProRes, Dolby Vision, the best stabilisation. The industry reference, still. For zero-effort stills, Pixel 11 Pro You point, it is right. The most consistent camera on any phone. For the best all-rounder you can buy on any carrier, Galaxy S26 Ultra Not the best at any one thing, but excellent at all of them, and sold everywhere with seven years of updates. The verdict: Zoom: Xiaomi/Vivo. Video: iPhone. Simplicity: Pixel. Everywhere-available all-rounder: S26 Ultra. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Reviews

Pixel 11 review: the best $899 phone, with one asterisk

A near-flagship experience for less, but the price crept up to meet it. Our score: 8.5 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Display 6.3-inch OLED, 120Hz Chip Tensor G6, 12GB RAM Cameras 50MP main + 5x telephoto + ultrawide Battery Around 4885 mAh, 30W Support Seven years of updates Price From $899 It keeps the parts that matter The base Pixel 11 keeps a real 5x telephoto, most "cheaper flagships" drop the zoom lens first, along with the Tensor G6, 12GB of RAM, seven years of software and Google’s photography pipeline. For most people this is the Pixel to look at before the Pro. The price crept up At $899, it is $100 more than the Pixel 10 launched at. It is still good value against an $1,100 iPhone, but Google has quietly moved the "affordable flagship" upmarket, and the gap to the Pro is now smaller in both price and feel. The good and the bad What works Keeps a genuine 5x telephoto Tensor G6 and 12GB RAM 4885 mAh battery, seven years of updates What doesn’t $899 is a $100 hike over the Pixel 10 Still 30W charging No LTPO, 120Hz, not 1–120Hz Who it’s for Buy it if you want almost the whole Pixel 11 Pro experience for $200 less. Skip it if you want the Pro’s brighter LTPO screen, telephoto autofocus tricks or 42MP selfie camera. Alternatives worth a look Pixel 11 Pro, brighter screen, better selfie, LTPO, for $200 more. Samsung Galaxy S26, a strong Android alternative at a similar price. The verdict: Still the value pick in Android flagships, just not quite the bargain the Pixel 10 was. Sources Google blog GSMArena specifications

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Comparisons

Pixel 11 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro: point-and-shoot versus do-everything

Pixel if you just want great photos with zero effort; iPhone if you shoot video or want the widest accessory ecosystem. The camera split The Pixel 11 Pro takes the most consistent stills of any phone, you never think about it, the photo is good. The iPhone 17 Pro is the better camera: far more manual control, dramatically better video, and a more flexible telephoto. Different tools for different users. Beyond the camera Both now have competitive chips and all-day batteries. The iPhone charges a little faster and has the deeper accessory ecosystem. The Pixel has cleaner software and matches Apple on update length. It comes down to platform. The verdict: Pixel for effortless photos and clean Android; iPhone for video, control and the ecosystem. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Reviews

Pixel 11 Pro review: the Tensor G6 finally changes the calculus

Google’s first genuinely competitive flagship chip, wrapped around the best point-and-shoot camera on any phone. Our score: 9 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Display 6.3-inch LTPO OLED, up to 3600 nits Chip Tensor G6 Cameras 50MP main + 48MP 5x periscope + 48MP ultrawide, 42MP selfie Battery Around 4850 mAh, 30W wired Support Seven years of OS and security updates Weight Around 204 g The chip complaint is over For years the knock on Pixels was Tensor, hot, slow under load, thirsty. The Tensor G6, built on a newer process, fixes the worst of it. Sustained performance is up, thermals are controlled, and the 4850 mAh battery now clears a full day with margin to spare. It is still not the fastest phone chip, but it is finally not a liability. The camera is the reason to buy it The 50MP main and the 48MP 5x periscope produce the most consistent photos of any phone. You point, you shoot, it is right, no fiddling, no picking a mode, no chasing white balance. Add the brightest display Google has ever shipped and seven years of updates, and the value case is strong. The one real disappointment 30W wired charging on an $1,099 flagship in 2026, when a mid-range Xiaomi does 120W, is genuinely hard to defend. Wireless is Qi2. If fast charging matters to you, this will annoy you. The good and the bad What works Tensor G6 runs cool and lasts a full day 3600-nit display is the brightest Google has made The most consistent camera on any phone Seven years of updates What doesn’t 30W charging is slow for the class and price 12GB RAM on the base model Design has barely moved since the Pixel 9 Who it’s for Buy it if you want the best zero-effort camera and the cleanest Android, and you can live with average charging. Skip it if fast charging or bleeding-edge performance is a priority. Alternatives worth a look Pixel 11, the same camera and chip for $200 less, minus a few Pro trimmings. iPhone 17 Pro, the better camera if you want control and video; the Pixel is the better point-and-shoot. Galaxy S26 Ultra, longer zoom and a brighter-outdoors screen. The verdict: The Pixel that removes the asterisk. The camera was always great; now the phone around it is too. Sources Google blog GSMArena specifications

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Comparisons

Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold8: two philosophies of folding

Samsung for the wider, lighter hardware and the app ecosystem; Google for the software and the camera consistency. The hardware Both are book-style foldables with roughly 8-inch inner displays, flagship chips and IP68 (Samsung is IP48). Samsung’s Z Fold8 is the lighter, wider, more refined object, and its large-screen multitasking, proper windowing, taskbar, DeX, is still ahead. The software and camera Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold counters with cleaner software, longer and more reliable update commitments, and the Pixel camera pipeline that makes every shot look right without thought. Samsung’s cameras have more raw hardware; Google’s produce more consistent results. How to choose If you live in Google’s apps and value the camera and updates, buy the Pixel. If you want the best foldable hardware and Samsung’s productivity features, buy the Fold8. The verdict: Two genuinely good foldables pulling in different directions. Pick the one whose priorities match yours, neither is a mistake. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Buying guides

Pixel 10 Pro Fold in 2026: the battery upgrade the line needed

A year-old foldable that is still worth buying thanks to IP68 and a genuinely all-day battery. Why it still holds up The Pixel 10 Pro Fold was the first foldable rated IP68, and it pushed the inner battery to around 5000 mAh, enough that "foldable battery anxiety" mostly went away. The Pixel camera and clean software do the rest. Versus the Pixel 11 Pro Fold You give up the Tensor G6 and this year’s screen and camera tuning. If you do not need the newest chip, this is the cheaper way into a Google foldable. Who it’s for Buy it if you want a durable Google foldable with all-day battery and you can find one discounted. Skip it if you want the newest silicon and camera pipeline. Alternatives worth a look Pixel 11 Pro Fold, newer chip, brighter screen, higher price. The verdict: The discount pick for anyone who wants a Pixel foldable and does not need the 2026 model. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Opinion

Is a foldable phone finally worth it in 2026?

For book-style foldables, yes, the two problems that killed the pitch are largely fixed. Flips are still a lifestyle choice. The dealbreakers are gone Fragility and weight used to end every foldable conversation. Not any more. The Z Fold8 is IP48-rated and around 201 grams; the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is IP68. They fold flat, the creases are faint, and the software finally uses the big screen properly. What is left to weigh You still pay a premium, and the cameras trail the best slab flagships. Flip phones remain more about style and pocketability than capability. But if you have wanted a phone that becomes a tablet, this is the first year the answer is a comfortable yes. The verdict: Book-style foldables have crossed the line from compromise to legitimate choice. Flips are still for people who want one specifically. Sources GSMArena specifications

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Reviews

Google Pixel Watch 4 review: the domed screen and the repairable design

A brighter display, a battery that lasts, and finally a design you can actually get repaired. Our score: 8.5 / 10 Two long-standing complaints, fixed Battery life on the Pixel Watch 4 is now genuinely all-day-plus, even with the always-on display. And the previously glued-shut design is repairable, which matters for a device you wear every day for years. The rest of the package The domed Actua 360 display is the brightest Google has shipped, Fitbit tracking is mature and Wear OS 6 is smooth. For a Pixel phone owner, it is the natural pick. The good and the bad What works All-day-plus battery at last Repairable design Bright domed display Strong Fitbit health tracking What doesn’t Best with a Pixel or Android phone Fewer wrist-size options than Apple Premium price Who it’s for Buy it if you own an Android phone (ideally a Pixel) and want a polished round smartwatch. Skip it if you have an iPhone, or you want multi-week battery. Alternatives worth a look Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, the other main Wear OS option. Apple Watch Series 11, if you switch to an iPhone. The verdict: The Pixel Watch finally fixes the things people complained about. For Android users, it is an easy recommendation. Sources Google blog

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Culture

Whatever happened to the Pixelbook? A look back at Google's laptop experiment

Google quietly confirmed in 2023 that there would be no new Pixelbook, disbanding the team and cancelling a device that was reportedly close to done. The Pixelbook Go, launched in 2019, turned out to be the last first-party laptop the company would make. It was always a strange product: a $649-to-$1,399 Chromebook competing against $300 ones, sold on build quality and a genuinely lovely keyboard rather than anything ChromeOS could do that rivals could not. The Go's auto-update support ended in June 2026, which makes it a fitting bookend. Google's hardware ambitions now live entirely in the Pixel phone and the Nest line, and ChromeOS is something other companies build.

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Reviews

Pixel 9 Pro review: Gemini is the whole pitch

The Pixel 9 Pro is the first phone built around a large language model rather than a camera trick. 16GB of RAM exists so Gemini Nano can stay resident, and features like Pixel Screenshots, Call Notes and the rewritten Recorder summaries are the reason to buy it over a Pixel 8 Pro. The hardware finally matches the ambition. The flat 6.3-inch LTPO panel is the brightest Google has made at 3000 nits peak, the design borrows the flat rails everyone else already moved to, and the triple camera is unchanged in the best way. Tensor G4 is still not a performance chip and still runs warm, and seven years of updates is the quiet feature that makes the price defensible.

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Buying guides

The best phone you can buy in 2026

Three phones, three clear use cases. Buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max if you record video, want the longest software support paired with the widest app and accessory ecosystem, or simply already own AirPods and a Mac. It is the most predictable, most resold, least surprising choice, and that is a feature. Buy the Galaxy S24 Ultra if you want the most versatile camera hardware, the biggest bright display, an S Pen, and Samsung's seven-year update commitment on Android. Buy the Pixel 9 Pro if you want the cleanest Android, the best point-and-shoot photography, and the most useful on-device AI features shipping today, in a body that is finally comfortable to hold. You cannot go wrong; you can only pick the ecosystem you want to live in.

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