Android Advisor 90

The excellent Pixel 5 is Google’s current flagship phone, but time stands still for no device, so we take a look forward at what to expect when its successors – the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro – arrive. In this article, we’ll explore the expected release date, price and the new specs suggested to appear on Google’s next flagship phones. RELEASE DATE Google officially announced the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in a press release published in August – see fave.co/3grDv53. While it didn’t make mention of a specific release date, it repeatedly promised an autumn arrival, in line with past Pixel releases. PRICE Pricing is a bit less reliable when looking at past releases. Back in 2018, the Pixel 3 cost £739, but when the Pixel 4 came along, its price was £669.…

Well, it looks like the brightly coloured cat is out of the metaphorical bag. The feline in question is none other than two Pixel 6 phones. Google pulled off its new trick and let the air out of the rapidly leaking balloon by announcing its Pixel 6 and 6 Pro months ahead of their actual debuts. And these new models are pretty different from Pixels past, too. As had been widely expected, they’re the first Google-made phones to feature a Google-made processor – a distinction we’ve been talking about for quite a while and one that could go a long way in separating the phones from the rest of the Android pack. We’ve already taken a look at the new phones design and specs (page 6). Here, I want to focus on…

Samsung has a fever and more foldable phones are the only prescription. And thus today the biggest name in Android phones announced the third generation of its foldable Galaxy smartphones: the Galaxy Z Fold3, a flagship model that opens like a book, and the smaller Z Flip3, a less expensive model that opens vertically and harkens back to the flip phones of the early 2000s. Both phones include new features to improve durability, which may help mitigate public perception that foldable phones just can’t withstand the rigours of, well... repeated, incessant folding. And you’re going to want a sturdier phone, given Samsung’s price tags: £1,599/£1,699 for the Galaxy Z Fold3 and £949 for the Galaxy Z Flip3. GALAXY Z FOLD3 5G: FEATURES The Z Fold3 comes with S Pen support, and with its…

Price: £1,199 from fave.co/2WgLI5j When Sony unveiled its Xperia Mark III line-up earlier this year, the company showcased what looked like an unmistakably familiar face. While the new flagship Xperia 1 III may resemble its predecessor, however, it promises a handful of notable upgrades and additions that stand out from the status quo. Sony has occupied a relatively tiny corner of the smartphone market in recent years, further tailoring its Xperia smartphones to brand loyalists who value the company’s technical expertise and distinct style of hardware and software above all else. The Xperia 1 line serves as the pinnacle of its smartphone portfolio; each new revision offers a tighter and more refined experience than the last, leaning heavily on the company’s expertise and technologies within other product categories; like its Alpha cameras, Bravia…

Price: £599 from fave.co/3kjYgki The Asus ZenFone 8 was released alongside the ZenFone 8 Flip (see Android Advisor 88) and went on sale globally just a few months ago. This handset boasts flagship features, but is a fraction of the price of phones from leading manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple – and it’s smaller too. But does the lower cost mean that there’s some big compromises? I’ve spent some time with the ZenFone 8 to see if this is a phone worth investing in. DESIGN As Goldilocks would say, this phone is not too big, nor too small – it’s just right. It can be used one-handed easily and will slip inside most pockets comfortably, but the screen is still large enough to enjoy videos on and you can play games without feeling…

Price: £399 from fave.co/387fxaI The OnePlus Nord 2 has a lot to live up to. Last year’s debut Nord was my favourite mid-range phone of 2020, a near-flawless blend of design and performance that genuinely made it difficult to justify spending more – even on OnePlus’s own flagships. With a more competitive midrange market this year – driven by mounting pressure from Xiaomi and Realme – OnePlus would have to pull out all the stops to impress as much this time around. The Nord 2 doesn’t quite pull it off, which is only to say: the Nord 2 is good, and maybe even great, but not quite the all-singing, all-dancing spectacular it felt like the first time round. DESIGN While the first OnePlus Nord took some inspiration from the flagship that preceded it, the Nord…