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An Honor Foldable Phone Is Set To Go Global Soon

The Chinese company is set to take to the Mobile World Congress stage to unveil its latest flagship phones.

Honor is all set to flex two different flagship phones next month. The Chinese company, a former unit of Huawei, is gearing up to debut the Honor Magic 5 series on Feb. 27 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Based on an image shared with the media, it appears as though a Magic 5 phone will bear a triple camera module on a circle-shaped camera bump. Not much else was revealed, but rumors point to the Magic 5 series consisting of three phones and featuring 100x zoom thanks to a periscope-style telephoto lens.

The Magic Vs, the company’s first foldable bound for an international release, is set to launch alongside the Magic 5 series. But it isn’t exactly new or a surprise. Last year, Honor took the wraps off the Magic Vs for the first time. It takes the form of a book-style foldable phone similar in look and feel to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 4.

In addition to the folding screen, the Honor Magic Vs boasts a Snapdragon 8 Gen Plus 1 processor, a 5,000-mAh battery and 66-watt fast charging. It also has a triple rear camera setup with 3x optical zoom. What stands out compared to its predecessor, the Magic V, is the inclusion of a stylus that Honor calls the Magic Pen. CNET got some hands-on time with Honor’s foldable flagship phone, and has some thoughts about the device’s hardware and display.

In China, the Magic Vs starts for 7,499 yuan, which converts to roughly $1,050, 880 or AU$1,575. Honor is expected to reveal international prices at MWC 2023.

Unlike phones from Huawei, Honor phones carry the full power of Google mobile services, which includes the Google Play Store, the Google Map app and other critical parts of the Android ecosystem. In 2020, Huawei sold Honor to a consortium of buyers in order to ensure its survival amid US sanctions.

Technologies

Samsung Pauses One UI 7 Rollout After Bug Locks Users Out of Phones

One UI 7 was designed to showcase Samsung’s AI ambitions, but a bug now appears to be getting in the way of momentum.

Samsung has paused the global rollout of its AI-driven One UI interface after a bug prevented some customers from unlocking their phones. The pause, flagged earlier by frequent Samsung leaker Ice Universe, appears to have affected Samsung Galaxy S24 models receiving the update in South Korea. People who upgraded to One UI 7 (aka Android 15) reported repeated issues unlocking their phones.

The company has since pulled the update across all Galaxy models and regions, likely as a precautionary measure. Samsung told CNET that the software’s «new timing and availability will be shared shortly.»

«The One UI 7 rollout schedule is being updated to ensure the best possible experience,» Samsung added.

Samsung began rolling out the One UI 7 update to Galaxy phones and tablets on April 7, starting with the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. Other devices were expected to follow soon.

One UI 7 introduces a redesigned interface built around AI, offering people more personalization and control. The software uses artificial intelligence to help edit videos, write messages and suggest places to go for dinner.

The move comes as tech companies race to embed more AI features into mobile devices, turning them into smarter personal assistants that can help complete everyday tasks.

Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at market research firm Creative Insights, noted that most consumers are still only experimenting with AI and not buying devices based on its promise.

«While I am sure Samsung could have done without the bug, I doubt this will have a long-term impact on Galaxy AI uptake or consumers’ interest in Samsung,» she told CNET. «Better pull the update than disjoint customers with an experience that is not great.»

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Best Cheap iPhone 16 Case? These Two $10 Transparent MagSafe Cases Stand Out

If you don’t want to spend a lot on a new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro case, these cases from Caseology and ESR are among the best budget cases I’ve tested.

Thanks to the fluid situation with tariffs and the uncertainty about future iPhone pricing, a lot of folks have been rushing out to buy new iPhone 16 models lately, including my father, who picked up an iPhone 16 Pro Max this past weekend. With that in mind, I recently updated our list of best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases and saw that one of my favorite budget iPhone 16 cases, the Caseology Capella Mag Kickstand, was on sale for $10 or 33% off its list price of $15.

Read more: Best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases of 2025

Caseology makes a few decent budget cases that cost $10, including the Athlex Mag

Nano Pop Mag, Nano Pop Kickstand and Capella Mag. Its Capella Mag Kickstand is one of the cheaper transparent MagSafe cases I’ve seen, with a built-in kickstand that retracts into the case when not in use so you can attach MagSafe accessories. The case is available for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max but isn’t available for the standard iPhone 16. However, the Capella Mag (without an integrated kickstand) is available for the iPhone 16 for $10

Another good budget iPhone 16 case option is ESR’s transparent Classic Hybrid case, which is also on sale for less than $10. I like ESR’s Stash Stand case ($21), which features a built-in retractable camera protection ring that turns into a kickstand. But the more basic Classic Hybrid costs less than half the price. I should note the case has an integrated touch-sensitive cover for the iPhone 16’s camera control button. The Caselogy Capella Mag Kickstand has a cutout in the case that exposes the button. I tend to prefer the touch-sensitive cover.

There’s nothing fancy or terribly unique about these sub-$10 cases, but they’re slim and offer decent protection. True, more premium brands like Otterbox and Speck may hold up better over time (these budget transparent cases now have anti-yellowing UV protection, though I find it isn’t always effective). That said, some people have a hard time spending $40 to $50 on a case — and I don’t blame them. 

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Technologies

Apple Reportedly Planning New Vision Pro Models, Prioritizing Meta Ray-Ban Glasses Rival

The Meta AI-style glasses would serve as a placeholder until Apple can deliver more advanced AR eyewear, a new report suggests.

Apple is developing two new models of its Vision Pro headset, according to a report: one that’s expected to be lighter and more affordable than the original, and another designed to tether with Macs. Despite sluggish demand, the company remains focused on creating versions of the AR/VR headset with broader mainstream appeal, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

The lower-cost Vision Pro will likely have a less powerful chip and scaled-back features, bringing the price down significantly from the original $3,500. It’s also expected to include an ultralow-latency system for streaming a Mac display, according to the report. And in line with previous reports, Apple is also still working on its own smart glasses equipped with cameras and microphones, similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban line.

CEO Tim Cook «cares about nothing else» more than delivering a true pair of AR glasses, calling it a «top priority,» Bloomberg said, citing an anonymous Apple engineer. But until the technology can be perfected in a way that’s comfortable and as wearable as traditional eyewear, Apple sees camera- and mic-enabled glasses as a stepping stone into the space.

This builds on earlier reports that Apple intends to channel some of the Vision Pro’s billion-dollar R&D investment in visual intelligence into future products, including smart glasses expected to launch in 2027.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In recent years, Apple has often focused on refining buzzy, existing technologies, from mixed-reality headsets to AI features. As it stands, Meta is better positioned to dominate the smart glasses category, particularly as it continues to enhance its hardware, software and growing ecosystem of services. But Cook, according to Bloomberg, is «hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can.»

The report said the glasses would use Siri and Visual Intelligence as part of Apple’s broader Apple Intelligence AI platform. In keeping with Apple’s overall product strategy, privacy would remain a central focus.

Still, the company may face challenges in making the device as indispensable as its other products, particularly the iPhone — and at a price that’s accessible enough to drive mass adoption.

A long-term priority

Eric Abbruzzese, research director at market research firm ABI Research, called Apple’s interest in smart glasses a long-term priority.

«AR has simply proven more difficult than VR to go to market with devices that balance cost and capability,» he said. «AR as a supplement to the smartphone, similar to an Apple Watch, is a very compelling product category that is truthfully only just starting to be served appropriately.»

Glasses like Meta’s Ray-Bans show that people are interested in smart eyewear but building ones with screens still presents a major challenge, Abbruzzese said. At the same time, AR and AI are increasingly intertwined, with companies like Apple, Meta and Google designing products that blend the two. Abbruzzese described the «holy grail» product as mass-market smart glasses — an affordable, display-enabled wearable that pairs with a smartphone and uses sensors, voice input and AI agents for natural, hands-free interaction.

«The relationship between AR and AI is a significant, mutually beneficial relationship where each technology benefits from the other,» he said.

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