A foldable phone isn’t for the faint of heart. They’re generally heavier, pricier, and have less capable cameras than a standard slab-style phone. And while they’re far less fragile than when they first debuted, foldables are still susceptible to the kind of damage a regular smartphone can shrug off. You really don’t want any dust getting in that hinge. But if you’re an adventurous sort of gadget lover, then a folding phone is a rewarding investment. 

There are basically two kinds of foldables at the moment — the kind that fold like books and the ones that fold clamshell style, like your old flip phone. Here’s how I think of it: a book-style foldable is like a phone plus a tablet, and a flip-style foldable is a phone plus a smartwatch. The book foldables provide an outer screen for all your regular phone needs, and then a tablet-like inner screen when you want, well, more screen. Flip phones come with a smaller secondary display on the outer panel that’s useful for checking information quickly. When you need to do regular phone stuff, you unfold it.

So while they all fit in one category of folding tech, they’re suited to two very different kinds of people — someone who wants even more phone with their phone and someone who wants to be fully immersed a little less. Whichever category you fit into, you’d be wise to get the manufacturer’s extended warranty with your purchase; fixes can be expensive, and you won’t be able to walk into just any phone repair shop to get them. If you don’t opt for the warranty, you’ll want to be sure you can comfortably afford to replace your phone in the event of a sudden sand-related catastrophe. Death can come swiftly to a folding screen.

If I haven’t scared you off by this point, then you’re probably the kind of person who will have a heck of a good time with a foldable. I’ve used every phone under the sun, and folding phones are some of my favorite gadgets. Run four apps at once! Prop it up like a tiny laptop! Hold it like a camcorder when you shoot video! There are tons of possibilities, and the thrill you get when you fold your phone shut never fully wears off.

Best book-style foldable

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (512GB)

Score: 8

Pros	Cons
Ridiculously slim and light for a foldable All-day battery with moderate use Outer screen finally feels normal	It’s $2,000 Durability still a concern Camera bump makes it wobble on a table

Where to Buy:

• $2419.99 $1999.99 at Amazon (with $300 gift card)
• $2119.99 $1999.99 at Samsung (with $350 credit)
• $2119.99 $1999.99 at Best Buy

Screen: 8-inch, 1968p, 120Hz OLED inner screen; 6.5-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED cover screen / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite / Cameras: 200-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS; 10-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (cover screen); 10-megapixel inner selfie camera / Battery: 4,400mAh / Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless / Weather resistance: IP48

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the foldable we’ve been waiting for Samsung to create. Unlike the long and narrow form factor of previous Z Fold devices, the Z Fold 7 boasts a more familiar 21:9 aspect ratio, making it feel much less unwieldy to use. At just 8.9mm thick, it’s nearly as slim as standard slab-style devices and doesn’t feel bulky in your pocket. Open it up, and you get a spacious inner display that’s perfect for multitasking, gaming, or simply enjoying more screen real estate. It will even last a day with moderate use, which is relatively good for a folding phone.

The Z Fold 7, however, isn’t without its shortcomings. Notably, its starting price of $1,999 is a huge reminder that this is a luxury device, not a practical choice for everyone. The outer display also has a lower resolution than the screen found in the more affordable Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the camera bump is quite large, resulting in a slight wobble when the phone is placed on flat surfaces. That said, the camera system is top-notch, highlighted by a 200-megapixel lens that performs well in low-light scenarios.

It was going to take a lot to unseat the Pixel 9 Pro Fold as our favorite book-style foldable, but the Z Fold 7 has done just that. The hardware is stunning, and the reworked proportions make it feel much nicer to use. Still, issues like long-term durability remain a concern, while the $1,999 price tag places it out of reach for most.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review.

Best flip-style foldable

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 offers slight design and performance upgrades compared to the previous generation. The AI-ready Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 now comes with 12GB of RAM and a vapor chamber for cooling. It also has a new 50-megapixel camera sensor that enables 2x optical zoom.

Score: 8

Pros	Cons
All-day battery Useful cover screen Seven years of software updates	Cover screen resolution could be better Hard to run apps on the outer screen Long-term durability still uncertain

Where to Buy:

• $1099.99 $899.99 at Amazon (256GB)
• $1099.99 at Best Buy (256GB)
• $1099.99 at Samsung (512GB)

Screen: 6.7-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED inner screen; 3.4-inch, 720p, OLED cover screen / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 main with OIS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (inner screen) / Battery: 4,000mAh / Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless / Weather resistance: IP48

The last-gen Flip 6 lacks some of the imaginative UI touches you can get on Motorola’s Razer Ultra, and the file folder-shaped outer screen feels more cramped than Motorola’s approach to fill the space — minus camera lenses, of course. But it’s more reliable, is scheduled to get seven years of software updates, and Samsung’s extended warranty offers good coverage for that extra peace of mind. Not the most titillating stuff, but it matters.

As you might guess from the name, the Flip 6 is far from Samsung’s first flip-phone rodeo. It comes with some thoughtful updates, like a true always-on display for the cover screen and a tweaked UI for adding widgets more easily. The cameras are good, though far from the best you can get for $1,100, and the battery goes all day. Its IP48 rating means there’s some protection from small particles, but dust is still a concern. Power users will need to download Good Lock to get the most out of the cover screen, but it’s perfectly capable out of the box for someone less adventurous. A bit boring? Yes, but that’s okay.

All that being said, it’s worth noting that we’re currently testing the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7, which, based on our early impressions, appears to be a worthy upgrade. The Z Flip 7 finally offers a proper edge-to-edge cover screen, giving you more room for widgets, using apps, and typing out replies. The new flip-style foldable is also thinner than the Z Flip 6, packs a larger 4,300mAh battery, and supports DeX, a feature that provides a desktop-like experience when connected to an external monitor. It even allows you to use Gemini on the cover screen.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.

The most fun foldable

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)

Score: 7

Pros	Cons
One of the best-looking phones you can buy Great battery life Outer screen is useful in unexpected ways	AI button is wasted real estate  Long-term durability is still a question mark Camera processing is occasionally weird

Where to Buy:

• $1299 at Amazon
• $1299 at Best Buy
• $1299 at Motorola

Screen: 7-inch 1224p OLED 165Hz inner screen; 4-inch 1080p OLED 165Hz outer screen / Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite / Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 main with OIS; 50-megapixel f/2.0 ultrawide; 50-megapixel f/2.0 selfie / Battery: 4,700mAh / Charging: 68W wired, 30W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP48

The Razr Ultra is the newest and most advanced member of Motorola’s foldable lineup. Compared to the Razr Plus, it boasts a higher-resolution inner screen, Qualcomm’s most powerful mobile processor, double the storage space, and an upgraded selfie camera. The device is also one of the best-looking phones you can buy — the gold-bronze chassis and wooden back panel lend the Ultra a real elegance. When every phone tends to look the same — even in the foldable market — the Razr Ultra stands out in a crowd, which only adds to its charm.

Beyond its appearance, the Ultra is just plain fun to use. The 4-inch outer screen covers almost the entire front of the phone, making it perfect for checking notifications, responding to messages, and taking quick actions such as hailing an Uber. The titanium hinge is also an upgrade over the stainless steel found in the Razr Plus. While the Ultra is enjoyable, it can’t overcome the gripes we’ve had with previous Motorola foldables, like inconsistent camera processing. Meanwhile, Motorola is only promising three OS upgrades and four years of security updates, which is on the shorter side considering the $1,300 retail price.

Read our full Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) review.

The best battery life in a foldable

Oppo Find N5

At less than 9mm thick when shut, the Oppo Find N5 is a foldable phone that’s thinner than any so far.

Score: 8

Pros	Cons
It’s really, really thin Excellent battery life The crease is almost invisible	Foldables are still fragile It’s not launching in the US or Europe

Where to Buy:

• $2499 $2099 at Oppo

Screen: 8.12-inch, 2248p, 120Hz OLED inner screen; 6.62-inch, 1140p, 120Hz OLED outer screen size/ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.9 main with OIS, 50-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 8-megapixel selfie cameras (inner and outer) / Battery: 5,600mAh / Charging: 80W wired, 50W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IPX8/IPX9

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: if you live in the US or Europe, you can’t buy the Oppo Find N5. That rules out, well, a lot of us. But if you live in China, Singapore, or any of the other Asian countries Oppo included in its so-called “global” release, then you’re in luck: you can pick up one of the world’s thinnest book-style folding phones, and the rest of us are all very jealous of you.

The Find N5 isn’t all about thinness, either. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is highly capable, the phone is fully water-resistant, and battery life is excellent. It utilizes silicon-carbon battery technology to accommodate a large (by foldable standards) 5,600mAh battery, which easily holds up after a long day of heavy use. What’s even more impressive is that, like the aforementioned Z Fold 7, the Find N5 is still barely thicker than a standard slab-style phone and only slightly heavier. That matters when you’re using the phone via the cover screen for long periods of time or stashing it in the side pocket of your yoga pants. When a foldable is only about as heavy and bulky as a regular phone, using the inner screen feels like getting away with something fantastic — not a benefit you have to make many other sacrifices for. Oppo delivers this in spades, and I just wish more of us could… find it.

Read our full Oppo Find N5 review.

Other foldables to consider

• The OnePlus Open strikes a great balance in its form factor and offers a clever UI for multitasking that has won plenty of fans since it debuted. But the phone lacks wireless charging and full water resistance — it’s only splash-resistant — and OnePlus’ software support policy isn’t as strong as Google’s and Samsung’s. Read our review.
• The Huawei Mate XT gets an honorable mention for its sheer wow factor alone. The “trifold” phone — as it’s been dubbed — contains three screen segments and two hinges, putting it in a category of its own right now. It’s only available in China and a few other countries that don’t include the US or the UK, and it’s monstrously expensive at €3,499. But it’s cool as heck and may be a sign of things to come from other manufacturers. Read our hands-on impressions.
• The Motorola Razr Plus 2025 is new to the scene, replacing last year’s model. Although the two devices look identical, there are a few notable changes. The biggest difference is that the Razr Plus 2025 now features a titanium hinge, rather than stainless steel, promising better durability and a less noticeable crease when the device is open. Additionally, the Razr Plus 2025 offers IP48 dust and water resistance, whereas last year’s model featured an IPX8 rating. While we haven’t tested the newest model, it appears to be a solid alternative to the Ultra.
• The standard Motorola Razr 2025 is a more affordable entry point into the world of foldables, starting at $699. The Razr 2025 offers improved performance, battery life, and durability — the kind of bumps we expect year after year. It boasts a smaller cover screen compared to the Razr Plus and Ultra, but still offers a spacious 6.9-inch internal display. We haven’t tested the Razr 2025 yet, but its relatively budget-friendly price is a good option for jumping into the foldable market.
• The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is an impressive sophomore effort from Google, offering an ideal form factor that’s a joy to use. When folded, the outer screen matches the dimensions of a regular phone, and the inner screen can get nice and bright outdoors. The whole package is also light enough that it sometimes doesn’t feel like you’re holding a foldable, though it does suffer from a slightly downgraded camera system compared to its slab-style siblings. There’s also no formal dust resistance, so long-term durability remains a concern. Read our review.

What’s coming next

• Google has an event scheduled for August 20th, where we’re expecting to learn more about the upcoming Google Pixel 10 series. The company has already given us a glimpse at the standard Pixel 10 ahead of the launch event, but we’re still waiting for information about a new foldable. Rumors suggest Google is gearing up to release the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which could feature an IP68 rating, addressing a common concern about long-term durability in the foldable space.

Update, July 23rd: Adjusted pricing / availability, replaced our No. 1 pick for the “best book-style foldable” with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and added info about Google’s upcoming Pixel event. Brandon Russell also contributed to this post.

I've been using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for a week, and I've run out of ways to say "It's so nice." It's not essential, or life-changing; it's nice.

It's an understatement, though. Samsung joins the likes of Honor and Oppo in making a folding phone that's almost as thin as a regular phone, and it's a trend with real benefits. Compared to the previous six generations of Samsung folding phones, the Z Fold 7's inner screen feels like a bonus - one that doesn't require the sacrifice of carrying a bigger, bulkier device to get. It is thin. It is luxurious. Also: it is two thousand dollars.

It's so nice. It's two thousand dollars. Somewhere in betwe …

Read the full story at The Verge.

I don't often get asked about the phones I'm testing when I'm out and about, unless it's a folding phone. Then I usually hear some version of the same thing: "Oh, I thought about getting one of those! But then I just got a [insert slab-style phone name here]." My anecdotal data matches the actual sales figures; there are many more people curious about folding phones than there are buyers of folding phones. Samsung would very much like that to not be the case, and, by all indications, it's about to pull out all the stops at at its Unpacked event on July 9th. But is putting the Ultra name on a folding phone enough?

The weak sales are not for …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Some of us take a kind of “I eat to live” rather than an “I live to eat” approach to gadgets. They’re tools that help you get things done, not something you want to invest a lot of time or money in. If that’s you — and there’s no judgment here from a certifiable gadget nerd — then you can probably think of more worthwhile ways to spend $1,000 than on a phone.

Budget phones to the rescue. These devices are roughly $500 or under, though not all of them, and they’re more capable than ever. You won’t get all the bells and whistles, but you will save a little money to spend on, I don’t know, actual bells and whistles. It’s your world.

In this article

What compromises can you expect from a budget phone? Some combination of the following: slower processors, less storage, and worse cameras than flagship phones, almost across the board. Many have lower-resolution screens and water resistance is often less robust than on a pricier phone.

The best cheap iPhone

Screen: 6.1-inch, 1170p OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 with OIS, 12-megapixel selfie / Charging: 20W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

If I was making this recommendation to you face-to-face, you’d hear a heavy sigh. Yes, this is the cheapest new iPhone Apple makes. Yes, it comes with most of the things that make an iPhone an iPhone. But it comes with some significant tradeoffs — some of which make more sense than others — and it’s not exactly cheap. If you’re amenable to last year’s model or a refurbished iPhone 14, one of those might actually be a better option. But for an unfussy person who just wants a new iPhone for the least amount of money, the 16E will do the trick.

There’s a single 48-megapixel rear camera on the back, meaning there’s no ultrawide like on the regular 16. That’s an understandable tradeoff — so is the use of the older “notch” design rather than the Dynamic Island. But it’s harder to understand why Apple left out MagSafe here — that’s the ring of magnets built into the back of virtually every other iPhone since 2020. The 16E still supports wireless charging, but it can’t take advantage of the ecosystem of magnetic chargers and accessories on its own; you’ll need to add a magnetic case. This is a silly omission, and Apple should feel bad about it.

Another heavy sigh: the 16E supports Apple Intelligence, which you won’t get if you opt for an iPhone 15 or 14. Should you care? It’s really hard to say. What exists of Apple Intelligence so far is underwhelming and the most interesting bits won’t arrive anytime soon. If you want to future-proof your purchase as much as possible, the 16E will be ready for Apple’s AI. But don’t buy one expecting a life-changing experience now. It’s just an iPhone after all, for better and worse, and right now it’s the best price you’ll find on a brand-new one.

Read my full iPhone 16E review.

The best Android phone under $500

Screen: 6.3-inch, 1080p OLED, 120Hz / Processor: Tensor G4 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 with OIS, 13-megapixel ultrawide, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,100mAh / Charging: 23W wired, 7.5W wireless / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

Google’s Pixel A-series phones have been my go-to recommendation for a cheap Android phone for years, but there was still room for improvement. With the 9A, Google made some modest tweaks that make it even easier to recommend — and at $499, the price is right.

The phone uses a Tensor G4 chipset that doesn’t run as hot as some of its predecessors, and performance is reliable. The 6.3-inch OLED screen is a little bigger and a bit brighter than last year’s, which makes a difference when you use the phone outside. Durability also got a small boost up to IP68, which means it can survive a drop in deeper water than the IP67-rated Pixel 8A.

The 9A’s camera is fine, though it comes up short against the rest of the Pixel 9 series in low light. Portrait mode could be better, too, and if you care a lot about image quality, then that might be a good reason to consider stepping up to a Pixel 9. But it does the trick for everyday snaps, and for the price, the 9A’s better qualities outweigh its shortcomings by a wide margin.

Read my full Google Pixel 9A review.

The budget phone with a big, beautiful screen

Screen: 6.78-inch, 1264 x 2780 120Hz OLED / Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 with OIS, 50-megapixel 2x telephoto, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 16-megapixel selfie / Battery: 6,000mAh / Charging: 80W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP65

The OnePlus 13R isn’t quite as well-rounded as my pick for the best overall budget Android phone, the Pixel 9A. It’s also a little pricier at $599 — though we’ve seen it at $499 for extended periods of time — but for some people the 13R’s upgrades will make it a better choice. It comes with one of the best big screens in its class, and lots of people love a big screen. The 13R also offers very strong battery performance; unless you’re a power user, you can probably manage two full days on a single charge.

There’s also very fast charging with the included charger, though you won’t find wireless charging at any speed. The 13R also lacks full water resistance; it should hold up fine against spray and rain showers, but it isn’t rated to withstand full immersion. Plenty of people won’t find those omissions bothersome, but they make it harder to recommend to a general audience — especially at a higher price than the Pixel 9A.

Read my full OnePlus 13R review.

The best phone under $400

Screen: 6.6-inch, 1080p resolution, 120Hz OLED / Processor: Exynos 1380 Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 with OIS, 8-megapixel ultrawide, 5-megapixel macro, 13-megapixel selfie / Battery: 5,000mAh / Charging: 25W wired / Weather-resistance rating: IP67

The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G comes with surprisingly strong specs for its $399 price. They’re the kind of features you won’t really spot from the outside, but they’re important, particularly its IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Unlike virtually every other phone at this price, the A35 5G is built to withstand water immersion, so you don’t need to sweat it if your phone lands in a toilet bowl or puddle.

Here’s another unexciting spec: four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. That’s not the very best in the budget category — the Pixel 9A takes that honor with seven years of updates — but it’s much better than the two or three years we typically see in phones well under $500.

The camera is lackluster; it’s fine in bright light but struggles in dim and mixed indoor lighting. It doesn’t have the strongest processing performance you can find under $500, either, and the Samsung-made Exynos processor occasionally stutters when quickly bouncing between tasks. I was horrified — horrified! — when I accidentally texted my husband one of the automatically generated replies because it popped up at the last moment as I was trying to tap on something else. These things don’t happen when everything loads quickly.

But overall, it’s a compelling package — especially with a big, crowd-pleasing OLED display and strong battery performance. If you’re a light user and not fussy about camera quality, the A35 5G offers some upgrades that make a real difference in the long term.

Other budget phones we tested

• The 2024 Motorola Moto G Power has all the makings of a good budget phone, including a lovely vegan leather exterior and wireless charging. But it’s loaded with bloatware of the worst kind, and that alone disqualifies it from our recommendations. Read our impressions.

• The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is another perfectly capable phone that doesn’t quite earn a recommendation here. It’s a little outside the scope of this guide at $649 anyway, but you do get a telephoto lens and a nice, big screen for that price. Still, you’re better off saving a bunch and picking up the Pixel 8A or trying to score a trade-in promo for the newer Galaxy S25. Read our review.

Update, June 13th: Updated prices and availability. Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G is currently out of stock at Amazon and Samsung, while Best Buy has it marked down on clearance.

The wait is over — kind of. Apple’s iPhone 16 series is out, including the kinda affordable 16E, and its much-hyped Apple Intelligence has arrived courtesy of iOS 18.1. But if you’re expecting a new kind of iPhone experience, well, I have some bad news for you. The AI features introduced in iOS 18.1 and more recent updates, including the writing tools and ChatGPT integration, are standard fare at this point. And although Siri has a new coat of paint, it’s basically the same old Siri.

Apple has promised much more, but the Apple Intelligence rollout is going to be a slow burn that lasts well into 2025. Which is all to say that if you don’t have any complaints with how your current phone is working, you definitely shouldn’t rush out and get a new one just for Apple Intelligence.

That’s actually the gist of our phone buying philosophy: hang on to the one you’ve got. If you’re not the type of person to get excited about a new camera button, updated photo processing options, or incremental performance upgrades, then there’s no reason to run out and buy an iPhone 16.

But if you’re questioning whether it’s the year to replace your iPhone 11 or 12 (or you’re concerned about a price increase as a result of the current tariff situation), then I think the answer is an easy yes. There are real gains this year, especially in the basic iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, without even considering AI. And if Apple Intelligence turns out to be something special eventually, well, you’ll be ready for it.

The best iPhone for most people

Screen: 6.1-inch, 2556 x 1179 OLED, 60Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 main with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W wireless MagSafe, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

Apple’s basic iPhone enjoyed a significant hardware boost this time around, playing an overdue game of catch-up to the Pro series. The iPhone 16 includes the Action Button from last year’s Pro models — handy if there’s an app in your life you want to access at the touch of a button — and the new Camera Control. So if buttons are anything to go by, this phone is two better than last year’s model.

There’s more going on under the hood, too. The A18 chipset is in the same generation as the processor on the Pro models, which hasn’t been the case for the past couple of years. That bodes well for the 16 series staying on the same update schedule. And there’s extra RAM in this year’s base model, which can only be a good thing.

The iPhone 16 became a much more interesting camera this time around, too. The Camera Control offers a quick way to launch the camera app and adjust settings like exposure compensation. But there’s also a new set of Photographic Style filters this time around, with options to adjust contrast, brightness, and undertones to dial in your preferred rendering of skin tones. You’ll get better low-light performance by stepping up to the 16 Pro models, and other cool tricks like 4K recording at 120 fps. But even without all that, it’s the most customizable camera Apple has offered yet.

Outside of camera performance, there are two major drawbacks to picking the regular 16 over a Pro model: no zoom lens, and no ProMotion screen. Only the Pro has a dedicated 5x lens, which is handy for creative framing. And the standard 60Hz screen on the iPhone 16 will likely only bother you if you’re used to a smoother 120Hz display, though it’s annoying on principle that Apple keeps this feature to its Pro phones when virtually every other high-end phone has one.

Read my full Apple iPhone 16 review.

Best high-end iPhone

Screen: 6.3-inch, 2622 x 1206 OLED, 120Hz refresh rate / Processor: A18 Pro Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.8 with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 48-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W MagSafe wireless, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

The iPhone 16 Pro gets a small but meaningful upgrade this time around: a bump up to a 5x zoom, which on the 15 series was reserved for the Pro Max. And while the change from a 3x to 5x zoom doesn’t look that impressive on paper, it goes a long way to making the smaller 16 Pro feel like an equal to the 16 Pro Max. For once, you don’t need to get the biggest phone to get the best phone.

The 16 Pro is roughly the same size as the 15 Pro, but it has a bigger screen: 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches. There’s also the new Camera Control, an upgraded 48-megapixel ultrawide on board, and naturally, a new chipset that — naturally — supports Apple Intelligence.

There’s nothing here that makes the 16 Pro an absolute must-upgrade. Still, plenty of people will want the latest device with all the bells and whistles, and the 16 Pro represents an opportunity to get all of those features without having to buy the biggest phone.

Read our full Apple iPhone 16 Pro review.

The iPhone with the best battery life

Screen: 6.7-inch Super Retina OLED / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.6 main with sensor-shift IS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 27W wired, 25W wireless MagSafe, 15W Qi2, 7.5W Qi / Weather-resistance rating: IP68

The thing about a big phone is that it has a big battery. And while that’s easy enough to understand, it still feels surprising how much more performance you can eke out of the iPhone 16 Plus’ battery. It’ll stretch well into a second day of use, and even if you’re conditioned to charge your phone every night, you’ll be amazed how much you have left in the tank at the end of each day. It’s a solid antidote to battery anxiety.

Naturally, the 16 Plus’ big-ness comes with another bonus: a bigger screen. The benefits are obvious here, too. But something that stands out to me when I use the phone is just how light it feels for its size, especially if you’re comparing it to the 16 Pro Max. If you like a big display but don’t need all of the weight of the Max — metaphorically and physically speaking — then the Plus is the way to go.

Read our full Apple iPhone 16 Plus review.

Best inexpensive-ish iPhone

Screen: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR / Processor: A18 Cameras: 48MP Fusion with 1x and 2x optical zoom, 12-megapixel selfie / Battery: Not advertised / Charging: 20-watt wired, 7.5W Qi, no MagSafe/ Weather-resistance rating: IP68

This recommendation comes with a heavy sigh. Yes, the 16E is the cheapest new iPhone Apple sells. Yes, it’s a good phone. It has a capable camera, reliable performance, full water resistance, wireless charging, and will be supported with software updates for years to come. But its $599 price tag starts to feel like too much when you consider what it’s missing.

There’s no MagSafe, which you can kind of add by way of a MagSafe case, but it’s a bummer not to have it built in when it has basically become a standard iPhone feature. There’s no ultrawide camera, no Dynamic Island housing timely information, no camera control (not a huge loss, honestly), and no Ultra Wideband for precise object tracking. It does support Apple Intelligence, but that doesn’t feel like much of a consolation given that it’s very much a work-in-progress.

The 16E will most likely receive more years of software support than a previous-gen model like the iPhone 14 or 15. And sure, Apple Intelligence might turn into something useful someday. The 16E is a good choice if you want the path of least resistance to blue bubbles and FaceTime at your fingertips. But if you’d like MagSafe, a more advanced camera, and some of the other bells and whistles that got lost on the way to the 16E, then it’s not a bad idea to look at one of the older iPhones.

Read my full Apple iPhone 16E review.

What about the iPhone 15?

Apple still sells the iPhone 15 new, cutting the price down to $699 with the introduction of the 16 series. There’s a strong argument for buying a 15 rather than the 16E if you don’t care about Apple Intelligence; the 15 Pro runs Apple Intelligence while the regular 15 doesn’t. Compared to the 16E, the iPhone 15 includes MagSafe, the Dynamic Island, an ultra wideband chip for precise item tracking, and an ultrawide camera.

Update, April 11th: Updated to reflect current pricing / availability, as well as the latest tariffs on US imports.

Were you clamoring for two AI-generated podcast hosts to talk through the key points of your document before you send it to your boss? No? Well, you’re getting it anyway. Google has announced new Gemini features coming to Workspace apps, including NotebookLM-style AI podcasts integrated right into Google Docs. There’s a wide spread of new features in this announcement, from an editor that can make suggestions in your documents to a tool that will help make sense of your spreadsheets, all with Gemini at the center.

Maybe the most uncanny of them all is the podcast feature, which exists in a couple of places already. It grabbed a lot of attention when Google offered it as part of its NotebookLM research tool, and it’s also available in the Gemini app when you upload a file. This update, which is coming to Workspace accounts “in the coming weeks,” will bring audio overviews right into Google Docs, along with the option to have AI read your article out loud. Having your writing read back to you is genuinely useful, but I used Gemini to generate one of these “podcasts” based on an article I wrote and I’m not in a hurry to do it again.

Another feature coming to Docs is a prompt to “Help me refine.” Rather than just doing the writing for you, it will leave comments with suggestions about how you can tighten up an existing draft. I’m familiar with this concept as an editor, and they’re hella useful. If you don’t have access to, you know, a person editor, an AI version might not be a terrible idea. This one will be available “later this quarter.”

Further out, Google has some lofty but vague promises for Sheets. Right now, you can ask Gemini for help with specific questions and tasks in Sheets, like generating visuals. A feature called “Help me analyze” offers a broader scope to help you make sense of your spreadsheet. In theory, it will help you identify trends and “guidance to get you started,” kind of like an on-demand data analyst. It sounds like we’ll have to wait a bit to try this one out — it’s coming “later this year.”

The US smartphone market is weird. Most of us buy our phones through some combination of installment plans, trade-in offers, and carrier deals, so answering the question “How much does this phone cost?” can sometimes require a little galaxy-brain math. President Trump’s 34 percent tariff increase on Chinese goods is set to take effect on April 9th, making things even more complicated. Will Apple, for instance, pass the extra cost of an iPhone right along to buyers? The market seems to think so. It’s likely why Apple’s shares are down almost 10 percent, the worst drop in about five years.

But Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, doesn’t necessarily believe we’ll see an immediate price increase.

“I don’t foresee them… on a short-term basis just raising prices unnecessarily,” Schneemann told The Verge.

He points out that Apple’s margins (historically about 38 percent) give it more wiggle room to absorb the costs of the tariffs, at least in the short term. “But I think if this sticks, then probably with the 17 we could see a price hike,” he said, referring to the iPhone 17 expected in the fall.

If the goal with these tariffs is …

Read the full story at The Verge.