TechCapsules

OnePlus unveiled the design of its upcoming OnePlus 16, confirming that the handset will launch exclusively in China as the brand withdraws from most overseas markets. The teaser campaign features a new landing page and visual cues reminiscent of the OnePlus 15, but introduces three fresh colorways—Dark Forest, Tomorrow Starlight and Mars Masterpiece—each with distinct finishes, including an orange topographic pattern and a blue‑silver variant with illuminated rear accents of uncertain purpose. Oppo’s Chinese online store lists [...]

Over the past week, Southeast Asian hardware makers emphasized endurance and practicality. In Malaysia, Oppo launched the A7 Pro 5G and A7 Pro Max 5G, the latter featuring an ultra‑thin 10,000 mAh battery, 80 W fast charging that reaches full capacity in 91 minutes and a 5‑minute 11 % boost, plus reverse wired charging and a 50‑megapixel front camera. Honor responded with the X9e Pro, equipped with an 11,000 mAh cell, IP68/69/69K protection and a 108‑megapixel primary sensor, targeting travelers and remote [...]

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra were compared in seven evaluation rounds. The iPhone won in design, camera, performance, and battery, while Samsung edged out in display resolution and software/AI features. Both 256 GB models launch at $1,299 in the U.S. The iPhone weighs 249 g with an 8.75 mm thickness; the Galaxy is lighter at 214 g and 7.9 mm thick. Samsung offers a higher‑resolution screen, 200 MP primary sensor, and S Pen, whereas the iPhone delivers a 48 MP camera system, 120 Hz ProMotion display, [...]

Honor announced the X9e Pro, slated for a September 24 launch in Malaysia before expanding across Southeast Asia. The device features an 11,000 mAh silicon‑carbon battery—the largest offered in any mainstream smartphone in 2026—and is priced at roughly $295 in China, undercutting rivals in its capacity class. It carries an IP69K rating, tolerating high‑pressure water, 3‑meter drops, and extreme temperatures from –30 °C to 85 °C. Powered by a mid‑range Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 chipset, the phone sacrifices processing speed to preserve endurance. [...]

The stable rollout of Android 17 QPR1 introduced unexpected changes to Pixel status‑bar icons. The mute/​silent indicator, previously a crossed‑out speaker, now appears as a bell—a design Google had replaced with the speaker icon in Android 14. This regression was absent from the QPR1 beta and only appeared with the OTA this week, while the speaker icon remains in the Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 build. Additionally, the VPN icon has been redesigned as a thicker, solid shape, also debuting [...]

Xiaomi announced that its 18 Pro series will be unveiled at an autumn product launch event on September 23, 19:00 China time. The lineup includes the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, which share a common 2nm GAA‑process flagship chipset—identified by analysts as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6—alongside identical camera and display hardware. Both models feature a Leica‑branded dual‑200 MP camera system, with a main sensor and a periscope telephoto sensor, and a new Super Pixel display employing an M11 [...]

Android Central senior editor Namerah Saud Fatmi reviewed Nimble’s new SHAREPOWER power bank, a 10,000 mAh unit that physically separates into two independent 5,000 mAh modules. Each half features its own USB‑C input and output ports, allowing users to charge one device while handing the other half to a companion. The design includes magnetic connectors that lock the halves together for combined capacity or detach for simultaneous charging of multiple phones. Nimble markets the device as a “share‑first” solution [...]

Gmail introduced a “Copy code” shortcut for two‑factor authentication (2FA) codes on its Android and iOS apps, following recent updates that added Live search and chat. The pill‑shaped button appears beneath the email subject line and displays the numeric code, allowing users to tap it and automatically copy the code to the clipboard. This eliminates the need to open the message, select the code, and manually copy it before pasting it into the authentication field. The feature [...]