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Nearby Share on Android has received a major upgrade, giving you the ability to send entire folders to other devices.

This feature was recently discovered by industry insider and tech journalist Mishaal Rahman who shared his findings on X (or Twitter, if you prefer the older, less obtuse name). Rahman states you’re able to transfer folders from one Android phone to another as well as to Chromebooks and Windows PCs via the Files by Google app. He says that all you have to do is long-press any folder within Google Files and then select the Nearby Share icon on-screen. From there, you will see all of the connected devices which can accept the transfer. Pretty simple stuff.

Neat: You can send an entire folder from your Android device to other Android devices, Chromebooks, or Windows PCs from the Files by Google app! Just long-press on any folder in the Files app and then tap the Nearby Share icon in the top right. pic.twitter.com/yk7epVxojhJuly 31, 2023

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There are some limitations to be aware of. Tom’s Guide states in their report, “Nearby Share has a 1,000-file limit”, so folders can’t be too big. Another piece from Android Police reveals the upgrade is exclusive to Google Files as it doesn’t seem to work properly with Samsung’s own file manager. Files will still be shared on Samsung's app, but it won’t retain the folder structure, according to Rahman.

What’s interesting is there’s a good chance you already have this feature if your device has Google Files. Rahman says that Nail Sadykov, another notable industry insider, claims “the earliest he saw someone mention it was back in May” of this year. It’s just that no one knew about it until very recently. Apparently, Google didn’t give anyone the heads-up.

So, if you have Google Files on your phone and haven’t updated it in a while, we recommend downloading the patch to get the boosted Nearby Share.

Closing the gap

Admittedly, it’s a small update, but an important one as it allows Nearby Share to close the gap a bit between it and Apple’s AirDrop. Android users will save a lot of time since they won’t be forced to transfer files one by one. It’s a function iPhone owners have enjoyed for many years now. It’s hard to say exactly when AirDrop first gained the ability to send folders to Macs. The oldest instance we could find was one of our How-to guides from 2015.

However, Nearby Share still has a long way to go before it can be considered a proper rival to AirDrop. For iOS 17, Apple plans on further enhancing its wireless file transfer tool by introducing new features like Contact Posters for friends plus improved security for unsolicited images.

If you’re looking for other management options besides Google Files, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best file transfer software for 2023. 

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Have you been watching Silo on Apple TV Plus? The first season of the new dystopian sci-fi series has already wrapped, and Apple has signed on for season 2, assuming the Hollywood strikes ever come to a close. Of course you know Silo is based on a book, the first of a trilogy of novels called the Silo series by author Hugh Howley. If you’re curious about the novels, or if you want to finish the story in case Apple never gets around to making more shows, here are some things you should know. 

If you don’t need anything more than a thumbs up or down, I’d give the three Silo series novels a hearty thumbs up. I’ve read all of the Silo books and seen every episode of the series. I watched the series first and decided I didn’t want to wait, so I quickly devoured the novels. 

Howley self-published the books on Amazon and they were popular enough to earn an actual book publishing deal, followed by the TV adaptation on Apple TV Plus. The writing is sharp and imaginative, and the story is compelling and historically deep, while remaining tightly focused on the main characters. 

If you’re curious and want to know more about the book series, here are some spoiler-free things to consider before you get started. 

1. Season 1 of the TV show is only half of the first book

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

If you’ve watched all of the first season of Silo and think you’ll get bored reading the first book, think again. While the stories are very similar, with some interesting differences in details, the first season of Silo on Apple TV Plus concludes about halfway through the plot of the first book in the series, Wool. While the show seems to end on a climactic moment, you get a lot more if you read the books. 

There are three books in the Silo series: Wool, Shift, and Dust. The same characters are present in all three books, though the focus shifts dramatically in the middle novel. There are also short stories that you don’t have to read to understand the complete Silo story, but they provide some context about the world Silo inhabits. 

2.  There is character development in the show, and the books move quickly

This guy isn't as important in the books (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

I wouldn’t say that the TV show is much better than the books, but it goes into much more detail and provides background for many of the main characters. This gives some of the show's coolest actors a chance to shine. The character “Sims” played by Common on the show is a minor character in the book, as are many of the more colorful TV show side characters. 

The adaptation works well for television, and the books work well for reading. On TV, the extra background and extended subplots give the actors more nuance. The main character, Juliet, has been in a relationship that shapes her character and the story in major ways. In the TV show, much more time is given to exploring this, and it’s among the best parts of the show.

We get more of this in the show than in the books (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Instead of character backstory, the books focus more on the structure and roles of the different strata of the silo. We don’t get to know one mechanic or one porter, as the inter-level messengers are called, we get to know more about them as groups through the perspective of a few characters.

In the books we understand more about the roles of each part of the Silo population, in the TV show we learn more about who they are individually.

3. The second book changes focus so the TV show will need to shake things up 

We find out what happens to Juliet ... eventually (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Okay, it may be a slight spoiler to say that the second book, Shift, focuses on a different part of the story’s history than the first book. I won’t tell you what we see or learn, but there is a new cast of characters, and in some cases we meet returning characters at different ages than they appear in Wool. 

I think the TV show will combine the stories. I wouldn’t expect Silo’s showrunners to build affection for its capable cast and then toss them aside when we get to that part of the story. Instead, I’d expect Silo will start to blend the second and third books together into the story over the (hopefully) longer run of the series. 

That means, if you’re thinking about reading the books, you should probably read them before the series reaches the end of the first book, or else the show may start spoiling plot points that come later in the novels. 

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Snag discounts on a plethora of convenient smart home devices that can help save you time and effort everyday.

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Apple AirPods are a superpopular iPhone accessory that have spurred a cottage industry of more accessories. Here are some of our top picks.

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Apple might be releasing a new iPad mini this year, according to a new report. The report follows analyst statements earlier in 2023 that the company was planning to update the iPad mini with a spec bump. Apple's small tablet was last updated with the iPad mini 2021, alongside the iPhone 13.

Today's report comes from ShrimpApplePro, a leaker on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. According to the leak, Apple is considering releasing a new iPad mini this year. It would reportedly debut with the Apple Watch Series 9, so likely around the same time as the iPhone 15 launch, or a month later if not. The leaker does not expect Apple to make big changes to the iPad mini this year, instead restricting the updates to a spec bump.

The recent report tallies with what other Apple watchers, including Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo, have said in the past. The substance of what a minor spec refresh could constitute has not been shared. It could be as simple as updating the A15 Bionic chip powering it, giving the 2023 iPad mini more headroom in the future.

It would be about time

It's rough out there for mini product lovers. The few mini products out there that hit a niche are infrequently updated; the others are simply taken out back unceremoniously, as was the case with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 mini phones.

Apple updating the iPad mini this year would at least give the impression that it is committed to at least one line of mini products, training people who want to invest in small tablets to wait for a release cycle that falls every other year.

It's not as if Apple's other tablets don't have a similar cycle. It's simply that with the bulk of the tablets being 10-11 inches, waiting your turn in the tablet release cycle will certainly feel longer than ever.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 could have included an S Pen. No, not the one currently offered on the optional case, but inside the body of Samsung's largest and most productive foldable. This isn't guesswork, Samsung's design team considered it, going so far as to create an aluminum mockup with the integrated S Pen. I saw it, touched it, and even popped the S Pen out.

Samsung however, chose a different path. In fact, the road to the current Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 was full of such design considerations, something I learned when I (along with an invited collection of international journalists) sat down during Samsung UnPacked last week with the company's mobile design team at Samsung Headquarters in Suwan, South Korea.

The full expression of Samsung's foldable line was developed and influenced not just by last year's model or even the most recent Samsung Galaxy S23 line. 

Choose your aspect ratio. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

According to the man who worked on every Samsung smartphone since 2000, Samsung Head of Foldable Smartphone Design Tae-joong Kim (also known as "The Master" by his colleagues), the new foldables are influenced by everything from the company's first dual-screen folding phone to the thin Ultra Edition 5.9 and Armani Phone, both launched in 2007. The latter was the first collaboration with a third-party design company.

For its latest Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5, the team went through countless prototypes and showed us many of them in their mock design studio.

Along with the pen, Samsung considered a wide variety of aspect ratios for the Z Fold 5, including some that made the cover screen look considerably wider and, yes, more like a Google Pixel Fold.

Some foldable mockups that show the potential impact of different cover screen aspect ratios. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Samsung's design team stuck with the relatively narrow form factor because they believe it offers the best "usability and grip and portability."

That Samsung looked into those other ratios makes me wonder if we'll see a change in the not-too-distant future. When Samsung was the only big-name foldable game in town, it could afford to tell consumers what their foldable experience should be like. Now, though, consumers have seen the well-reviewed Pixel Fold and Samsung may have to take a second look at those aspect ratio studies when it comes time to design the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Image 1 of 2

See? There's an S Pen in this mockup. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Image 2 of 2

These foldables, including the S Pen one on the left, look real, but they're just pretty blocks of metal. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Still, the potential inclusion of the S Pen really intrigued me. Based on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, we know Samsung can easily integrate the pen into the body of a not-too-thick smartphone. Plus, as I mentioned to Samsung Head of MX Design Hubert Lee, Samsung should consider including an S Pen in the $1,799.99 / £1,749 price of the Z Fold 5. After all, few people have adopted foldables, and even fewer understand the productivity potential of the Z Fold 5.

What better way to educate consumers than to have early adopters all running around with an S Pen that they pop out of the phone or off the case and use to draw, take notes, or markup a document on the Main unfolded screen? I don't want to speak for Lee, but he didn't dismiss my idea and his assistant appeared to take notes.

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The designers at work in Samsung's mock design studio. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Image 2 of 6

This guy spent a lot of time on the Z Fold 5 camera array. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Samsung spends a lot of time considering colors and materials for everything from the face plates to the hinge covers. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Z Fold 5 color considerations. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Image 5 of 6

Some Z Fold 5 body design work. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

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Some credos from Samsung's walls. Words to live and design by. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Oh, but what a wonder it would be to have a Z Fold 6 that offers an embedded pen.

When I asked why Samsung didn't go ahead with that idea this time, Lee told me, "There's a lot to consider. You can't just stick a pen in there. If you stick in a pen in there are other cost consequences. For now, we decided not to have the pen in the Fold."

Those consequences are probably the weight, thickness, and battery life of the device. All would change with a pen tunneled into the body. The phone might get thicker, it could be a little heavier, and you'd definitely lose some battery capacity. The last bit is especially concerning because the current Z Fold 5 has the same battery capacity and life as the last model. It really can't afford to lose a few hours of performance to an integrated S Pen.

As Samsung EVP and head of R+D office Won-Joon Choi told us later, when developing these products, "every millimeter, every gram matters."

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Gaming accessory brand 8BitDo is going old school with its first-ever mechanical keyboard sporting a design reminiscent of past Nintendo consoles.

Aptly named the Retro Mechanical Keyboard, it comes in two distinct color schemes: one in black, gray, and red matches the NES, while the other is based on the Famicom – the Japanese rendition of the console. On the latter, the red will have a more rustic shade and white is replacing the gray for a brighter look. The Famicom version even has hiragana on most of the keys. So this particular model can potentially double as a Japanese tutor of sorts, helping students learning the language become more familiar with it. 

(Image credit: 8BitDo)

There is more to this device than simply being a pretty keyboard, and it does have some interesting hardware. Starting with the externals, the Retro Keyboard has a tenkeyless layout meaning there’s no number pad on the side. You’ll notice on the bottom are ‘B’ and 'A' buttons. These two are programmable, allowing owners to add whatever macro they want to them like Control-C on ‘B’ and Control-P on ‘A’. This can be done through 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software app. Other cool design flourishes include the Power LED light in the top right corner with the analog knobs on the left adding to the vintage 1980s look. 

Internal hardware

Internally, the Retro Keyboard is fairly impressive as well. Each of the keys sits on top of Kailh Box V2 White switches. According to the manufacturer, the V2 Whites feature “gold-plated springs,” which, according to the company have anti-corrosion properties, are dustproof and offer “faster rebound” for a smoother typing feel. It is important to mention the switches are hot-swappable so if you want to install your preferred hardware, you do have that option.

The Retro Keyboard allows both a wired connection via USB cable alongside wireless connectivity. For wireless, you have two options: Bluetooth Low Energy or 2.4GHz WiFi. A 2.4GHz adapter does come with the purchase. Battery life is set for “200 use hours with 4 hours [of] charging time”. 

Officially, this device is compatible with Windows 10 and above as well as Android 9 and above. However, a company representative told Engadget it will work on Mac, although they didn’t specify an operating system.

Availability

You can pre-order the keyboard right now on either 8BitDo’s website or Amazon for $100 USD. The shipping date is set for September 10. If you do pre-order, you’ll get a pair of programmable Super Buttons. 

The Super Buttons are essentially a gigantic version of the ‘B’ and ‘A’ mentioned earlier. These can serve as an extra set of keys for personal macros or maybe as a controller for 2D-style games. There are, after all, a ton of indie titles that adopt side-scrolling action. Pair the buttons with the directional keys and you’ll basically have a giant NES controller.

We reached out to 8BitDo to ask if there are plans to launch the Retro Keyboard outside the United States and for some clarifications on Mac compatibility. This story will be updated at a later time.

• TechRadar's list of the best gaming keyboard for 2023

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Sony has announced US pricing for its A95L QD-OLED TVs, the company’s flagship OLED TV line for 2023. The new models will be sold in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch screen sizes, and will be available for pre-order starting on August 21.

General pricing and availability for Sony’s 2023 TV lineup had been announced back in early June, but there was no mention of the A95L series in Sony’s announcement. Last year’s A95K models ranked among the best OLED TVs, so we were anxious to hear news of the new A95L, which we had a positive response to when we performed a hands-on A95L evaluation back in March.

Like Samsung’s QD-OLED models for 2022, Sony’s QD-OLED TVs were sold only in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, and they were pricier than Samsung’s offerings. Based on that information, we speculated that the new Sony TVs would be similarly expensive. As it turns out, Sony has actually reduced prices for its QD-OLED TV line, which now includes a 77-inch model.

Here are the US prices for Sony’s A95L TVs:

• 77-inch Class: $4,999.99
• 65-inch Class: $3,499.99
• 55-inch Class: $2,799.99

According to Sony, A95L owners can expect up to two times the peak brightness of last year’s A95K, a feat the new TVs pull off via a combination of a more efficient display panel, Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR, and a physical heat sink.

The A95L TVs are well-suited for gaming, with 4K 120Hz and Dolby Vision gaming support and a  'Perfect for PlayStation 5' designation, which means that an auto genre picture mode and auto HDR tone mapping get triggered when the TV detects input from a connected PS5 gaming console.

Sony’s new QD-OLEDs also have Acoustic Surface Audio+, a feature that uses actuators positioned behind the OLED panel that vibrate the screen to emit sound, and Acoustic Center Sync, which elevates voices so they more directly match on-screen visuals when a Sony soundbar is used. A Sony Bravia Cam is included for video chats on Google Meet.

Analysis: QD-OLED remains expensive, but prices are starting to creep down to earth 

When Sony released its first QD-OLED TVs in 2022, at $2,999 / £2,399 for a 55-inch model and $3,999 / £3,499 / AU$5,995 for a 65-inch one, they were priced far above other flagship OLED TVs, including the LG G2.

Interestingly, Samsung’s own 2022 S95B series QD-OLED TVs were priced at a level that seemed intentionally designed to undercut Sony, with the company selling a 55-inch model for $1,799 / £1,999 and a 65-inch one for $2,799 / £2,999.

Reversing that trend, Samsung’s lineup for 2023 is priced considerably higher than last year’s offerings, with a 55–inch model selling for $2,499 / £2,399 / AU$3,999 and a 65-incher for $3,299 / £3,599 / AU$4,999. The new 77-inch screen size, meanwhile, costs $4,499 / £5,099 / AU$7,999.

Samsung raising prices for its QD-OLED TVs doesn’t come as a complete surprise since its new models deliver significantly higher peak brightness – something we confirmed in our Samsung S95C QD-OLED TV review. What is surprising is to see Sony lower prices for its models to a level that nearly closes the gap with Samsung. 

What’s so great about QD-OLED TV tech that it commands such high prices? QD-OLED differs from standard OLED in that a quantum dot layer is combined with a regular OLED display panel. This addition results in more vibrant colors and, in particular, enhanced brightness, with QD-OLED TVs beating their OLED counterparts when it comes to peak light output. 

Since we haven’t formally tested it yet, we can’t say if Sony’s new QD-OLED matches Samsung’s flagship model when it comes to performance. What we can say is that anyone trying to make a buying decision between the two brands based on price alone will have a tougher decision in 2023, especially as the holiday sales kick in toward the end of the year.

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Some Microsoft Teams users will soon be able to see live transcripts of their calls, even if they are carried out in a foreign language, thanks to a new update.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it will allow users to view a live, translated transcript of their call, with a number of different languages being supported - meaning you shouldn't fall behind following a conversation not in your native tongue.

However, only users subscribed to Microsoft Teams Premium will be able to access the translation feature, at least to begin with.

Microsoft Teams Premium translated transcript

The company shared the news in a brief entry on the official Microsoft 365 roadmap that gave little away.

"Teams Premium users can now view Live Transcript in their preferred languages during the meeting and choose to show the translated transcript with the original transcript as a reference," the entry noted.

Exactly which languages will be available was unclear, but previous Microsoft Teams translation tools have supported a wide range, from German to Swahili and many more.

Users across mobile and desktop will be supported, with Android, iOS, Windows and Mac all set to receive the feature, which is set for a rollout date in September 2023.

Microsoft Teams Premium was initially launched in February 2023 as the company looked to offer an upgraded and more personal experience that included a number of AI-boosted plugins and features. This includes GPT 3.5, the AI language model developed by OpenAI, to automate certain mundane tasks surrounding meetings as part of its “intelligent recap” feature.

The company is currently offering Microsoft Teams Premium for $7 per user per month, a 30% discount off the $10 per user "standard price".

The basic version of Microsoft Teams first added live translated captions in September 2022 as part of a bid to improve usability across the platform. The tool was made possible with Microsoft Cognitive Service Speech Translation Capabilities, part of the company's Azure cloud platform, which it says offers powerful and fast translation services in real-time.

• Check out our rundown of the best online collaboration tools available

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The Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name release date has been fully announced, so we now know when we'll all get to play the upcoming Yakuza spin-off. 

If you didn't know, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is an upcoming 2023 game that follows Kiryu between the events of Yakuza 6, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and then sets up the character for Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth (Yakuza 8). It's set to be a smaller experience when compared to a mainline game, but will introduce new fighting styles, and give players some more context for future games as far as Kiryu is concerned. 

Here's when Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is coming out, as well as a look at gameplay, trailers, and all of the latest news. As more details are revealed, this page will be updated. For now, here's what you need to know about the game.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name - Cut to the chase

• What is it? A spin-off of the Yakuza series set in the same world
• When does it come out? November 9, 2023
• What can I play it on? PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
• Who is making it? Sega

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name release date

(Image credit: SEGA)

The key information right now is that the Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name release date is November 9, 2023. This puts it in a decent window of its own, just after the release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. In terms of platforms, the game is launching on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. This makes it a cross-generational release, so you'll be able to play even if you have yet to upgrade to current-gen consoles.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name trailers

The latest trailer we received for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name was the gameplay reveal. It starts with a brief introduction to where we find Kiryu at the start of the story. A brawl is then shown, giving us our best looks yet at how combat is going to work. Check it out below:

We've included some more Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name trailers throughout this article. If you're looking for more, however, then the official Sega YouTube channel is the place to go. You can find developer commentary videos and trailers for other Yakuza titles.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name gameplay

So far, we've only seen some brief glimpses of in-game action for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. It looks to be adopting the beat-em-up action featured in games like Yakuza 6 and Yakuza 0. This is not the same turn-based gameplay that Yakuza: Like a Dragon put forward back in 2020.

Players will take control of Kiryu once again, who now possess two unique fighting styles. First off there's the Yakuza style. This focuses on classic brawler abilities and action. Then there's Agent, which is new for Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. This is much faster and relies on high-tech gadgetry.

The game will also be a smaller experience compared to the mainline games but expect plenty of side missions and distractions while you play. Specifics on mini-games and quests have yet to be detailed.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name story and setting

(Image credit: SEGA)

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name stars Kiryu, shortly after the events of Yakuza 6. He's gone into hiding to protect his family but is still working for an organization under a codename. The main setting is Yokohama, with an area called the Castle serving as a hub. Shortly after faking his own death, Kiryu is approached by a mysterious figure that drags him back into a criminal underworld, that runs adjacent to the dealings of the Yakuza. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name features a secret agent theme, and Kiryu will have access to spy gadgets and new technology. 

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name aims to fill in the gap between Yakuza 6 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. With Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth on its way as well, Kiryu's story will be left off for future mainline entries to pick up. From the looks of things, there are plenty more adventures with Kiryu on the horizon. 

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name news

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name reportedly digital-only
According to a recent Tweet by developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name looks like it may be download-only. This has yet to be fully confirmed, so we'll update once we hear more.

And next up to bat is…Find out in Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name available for download Nov 9, 2023. #LikeaDragonGaiden pic.twitter.com/HltCAw750HJuly 26, 2023

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That's everything we know about Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name so far. For more on what's coming to Xbox consoles, be sure to check out our new Xbox Series X games list.

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As smartphones become more advanced and more expensive, one change we’ve seen is the bezels becoming ever smaller, and with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max we might see them almost disappear completely.

This is according to Mark Gurman, a journalist and leaker with a great track record, writing in his latest Bloomberg Power On newsletter, in which he claims that these upcoming phones will have a bezel that's just 1.5mm thick. That’s down from roughly 2.2mm on current iPhones, so while we’re only talking about a reduction of around 0.7mm, that still knocks a third off of their total size.

This is apparently thanks to a new display technology, with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screens reportedly being made using low-injection pressure over-molding, also known as LIPO.

It’s a process that Apple has already been using on the last couple of generations of the best Apple Watches, specifically the Apple Watch 7 and Apple Watch 8, in order to allow for a larger display within the same footprint, and according to Gurman this tech will eventually be used for iPads as well.

It’s worth noting that while shrinking the bezels could allow for a slightly larger screen in the same space (as it has done on the Apple Watch), we’re not expecting the screen sizes to change on the iPhone 15 line, so the iPhone 15 Pro will probably be 6.1 inches, just like its predecessor, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be 6.7 inches.

What this might instead mean then is that the phones could be marginally physically smaller, and they would likely also look slightly more high-end, as they'll have almost no perceptible bezel.

This would be just a stepping stone though, with Gurman claiming that Apple's dream is to deliver a truly all-screen iPhone, with no bezels at all, and no cutouts for the front-facing camera and Face ID (instead they'd be hidden under the screen). It's a dream that's likely shared by most other smartphone manufacturers too.

Beyond the bezels

Gurman didn’t stop with talk of bezels, but the other details in his newsletter were largely things we’ve heard before.

For the Pro models, these details include a titanium frame, more rounded edges, a customizable action button in place of a mute switch, major rear camera upgrades, and a powerful new chipset.

In the case of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, Gurman points to a Dynamic Island being added in place of a notch, “major camera improvements” (which based on other leaks will likely include a new 48MP main sensor), and the inclusion of the A16 Bionic chipset currently found in the iPhone 14 Pro models.

All four phones are said to have a USB-C port, and Gurman also touches on pricing, saying to look out for “at least minor price increases” for all four models outside the US, with at least the Pro models probably getting a price increase in the US too.

As ever, we’ll take all these claims with a pinch of salt, but this is all largely in line with what we’ve heard previously, and it comes from a reputable source. We’ll know for sure soon though, as the batch of contenders for a place in our best iPhone round-up are likely to land in September.

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Sonic Superstars looks set to continue where the Genesis games of the 90s left off. It's being conceived as a new style for the side-scrolling part of the series, which will go on to run alongside the mainline 3D games. 

From what we've seen so far, the style of Sonic Superstars is similar to that of the 2.5D sections of games like Sonic Forces and Sonic Generations. And while the game technically has a 3D art style, it definitely harks back to the original Sonic the Hedgehog games. There are even four playable characters to enjoy, as well as the return of a fan-favorite villain.

Here's everything we know about Sonic Superstars so far, including a look at gameplay, playable characters, latest news, and trailers. As new details are revealed, this page will be updated. For now, Sonic Superstars might just be one of the most-anticipated upcoming games on the horizon, especially where platforms are concerned.

Sonic Superstars - Cut to the chase

• What is it? A new side-scrolling Sonic game based on the games of the 1990s
• When does it come out? Late 2023
• What can I play it on? PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
• Who is making it? Sonic Team, Arzest

Sonic Superstars release date and platforms

(Image credit: Team Sonic)

Unfortunately, there is no Sonic Superstars release date to mark in the calendars yet. We do know that it is set to arrive in 'Late 2023' but further details have yet to be revealed. In terms of platforms, Sonic Superstars will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC. We'll be sure to update this page once we hear more, but given the current release window, it should be sooner rather than later.

Sonic Superstars trailers

The latest full Sonic Superstars trailer we have received is the announcement trailer. This sets the scene for what to expect from a brand-new side-scrolling Sonic game. Check it out below:

We've included some more trailers for Sonic Superstars throughout this article. If you're looking for more, including some excellent developer interviews related to Sonic Superstars, head on over to the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel.

Sonic Superstars gameplay

So far, we've seen a fair bit of gameplay for Sonic Superstars, and it looks to be a great evolution from the original Sonic The Hedgehog games. It's a 3D art style that takes place on a 2D plane. You'll visit 12 Zones featuring classic side-scrolling gameplay.

In terms of characters, so far we know about Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Eggman, Fang, Trip, and Amy. Of those, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy are playable, each with a distinctive play style. There are seven Chaos emeralds to collect across the acts, which are directly tied to the game's powers.

Sonic Superstars story and setting

(Image credit: Sega)

Sonic Superstars takes place on North Star Islands, where Eggman has sent Fang the Bounty Hunter to cause trouble. Sonic and friends must stop him from wreaking havoc, by collecting Chaos Emeralds and defeating him and his allies. Eggman has a new ally in the form of Trip, an armored character that has yet to be fully revealed in terms of how they tie into the story. This all looks set to be your standard Sonic story, with Amy, Tails, and Knuckles all tagging along for the ride.

Sonic Superstars latest news

All Chaos Emerald powers revealed in GameInformer interview
In an interview with GameInformer, Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka detailed the powers that you can expect to use in Sonic Superstars. Check out the full interview for more details.

That's everything we know about Sonic Superstars so far. For more on other games coming to Nintendo Switch in the future, check out our new Switch games list.

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Latest Tech News

With the dust beginning to settle from the huge Samsung Unpacked 2023 event, we can turn our attention towards what Samsung might have planned next: and a smart ring seems to be in the company's near future.

As per a report from South Korean outlet The Elec (via SamMobile), mass production on a Samsung Galaxy Ring could begin as early as August, with a decision imminent on the schedule for getting the wearable manufactured and out to consumers.

A full launch is slated for some point during 2024 though, rather than 2023. The nature of the device means that it'll need to clear several regulatory hurdles before it can go on sale and start tracking various vital statistics.

An early 2024 launch would put the Galaxy Ring on a similar schedule to the Samsung Galaxy S24 – and it would therefore make sense to launch both gadgets at the same time, perhaps in January or February if Samsung follows its 2023 routine.

The story so far

Rumors around a Samsung Galaxy Ring have been swirling since at least last year, when a Samsung patent emerged pointing towards some kind of smart ring from the company: one that would measure everything from steps to heart rate.

After the patent came the trademark filing earlier this year, mentioning the Galaxy Ring by name and describing it as a smart device "for measuring health indicators and/or sleep in the form of ring" (forgive the translation from Korean).

Then the speculation went up another notch earlier this month, with news of Galaxy Ring prototypes that have apparently been tested. As we reported at the time, the prototypes were at an advanced stage and were being judged on their stability.

All of these signs point in the same direction and suggest that the Samsung Galaxy Ring is going to be here sooner rather than later. Right now the third-generation Oura is perhaps the most well-known smart ring, and it gives you an idea of what the Galaxy Ring might do.

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