Category: Phone battery

The iPhone 14 lineup consists of four different models, but this year there’s a twist.
Apple on Wednesday held a special event from its Apple Park campus in Cupertino, Cali., where the iPhone 14 lineup was unveiled, alongside a trio of new Apple Watch models — Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra —  and new AirPods Pro wireless earbuds. 

The 2022 iPhone offering consists of four new smartphones, including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Notice that the iPhone 14 Mini isn’t an option, as Apple has retired the smallest phone in its lineup and replaced it with a larger screen iPhone 14 Plus. 

Also: iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Is the newest iPhone worth the upgrade?
iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 PlusThe base iPhone 14 models now come in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, forgoing the iPhone 14 Mini’s smaller display. The displays have 1200 nits peak brightness for outdoor viewing.

Inside the iPhone 14 is an A15 Bionic processor — that’s the same that was used in the iPhone 13, with Apple touting the performance of the processor as a benefit to iPhone 14 users, even a year after its initial release.The overall design of the iPhone 14 looks like the iPhone 13, with a notch cutout at the top of the screen for the True Depth Sensor that’s used for Face ID to unlock the phone or approve Apple Pay payments. There are a total of five colors available for the iPhone 14 line: midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and red.

As for camera upgrades, the iPhone 14 has a new 12-megapixel main camera with a larger sensor and 1.5f aperture to collect more light. The ultra-wide camera stays at 12-megapixels. There’s also a new 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera, with auto-focus, for taking selfies or used with FaceTime video calls.
A new feature coming to iPhone 14’s camera is called Photonic Engine. Apple uses its Deep Fusion image processing earlier in the photographic process, capturing more detail, color and lighting in the image that’s captured.
Video on the iPhone now comes with an Action Mode to stabilize video when you’re active, such as when running. 
Apple’s also making a big push for customers to switch over from a plastic SIM card to an eSIM that’s embedded in the phone and can be programmed and changed with the tap of a button or two. In fact, Apple has removed the SIM card tray from the iPhone 14 altogether. eSIM or bust, eh? 

The iPhone 14 also features crash detection just like the new Apple Watch models, which can detect if you’re in a car accident and alert emergency responders. 
The rumored satellite connectivity feature for the iPhone 14 is real. The iPhone 14 will be able to connect to satellites when you’re in an area where there’s no cellular service, so you can contact emergency responders and request help. Emergency SOS via Satellite uses the iPhone 14’santennas to connect directly to a satellite, with the phone directing and telling you exactly where to point the phone to ensure a connection. You’ll be able to send messages using the new feature.

Also: How the Apple iPhone 14 connects to satellites during emergencies
It’s hard to not see Emergency SOS via Satellite being a feature that’s highlighted in Apple commercials as having saved lives a year from now. It will be free for two years, starting with the iPhone 14 in the US and Canada. Emergency SOS via Satellite launches in November.  The iPhone 14 starts at $799, while the iPhone 14 Plus starts at $899. You can preorder either model starting Sept. 9, with the iPhone 14 shipping Sept. 16 and the iPhone 14 Plus shipping Oct. 7.  

iPhone 14 Pro in various colors. iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro MaxThe iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max features a slightly new design, at least when it comes to the notch — or lack there of — on the display. Instead of a notch, there’s now a cutout just below the top of the screen that houses the new TrueDepth camera. Instead of leaving the cutout on its own, Apple uses it as a starting and stopping point for new alerts and notifications that appear to show up from the new cutout, or as Apple calls it – the Dynamic Island. All jokes about the name aside, it really does look useful.
There are four colors for the iPhone 14 Pro models this year. They are space black, silver, gold and deep purple.

The iPhone 14 Pro has a new display, keeping the same sizes of 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch with a peak brightness of 2000 nits. But wait, there’s more — the iPhone 14 Pro will have an always-on display, a first for the iPhone, and something that Android phones have had for years.
It’s a feature that’s been rumored to come to the iPhone for awhile now, and one that makes sense to bring to life alongside the new lock screen widgets
Inside the iPhone 14 Pro line is a new A16 Bionic processor.

It’s a 4nm chip with 16 billion resistors. Apple included a Display Engine in the A16 Bionic that allows the always-on display to exist without draining the iPhone’s battery. At least that’s according to Apple, we’ll have to wait and see what battery life is like in actual use.The camera system on the iPhone 14 Pro has an upgraded 48-megapixel camera with a quad-pixel sensor. With the larger sensor, Apple is able to do some impressive things, such as directly crop the image on the sensor and provide a 2x telephoto picture option.

The ultra-wide camera is 12-megapixels, with improvements across the board, including its macro mode capability. Apple mentioned the dedicated telephoto lens but didn’t go into any details. Now that the iPhone 14 Pro website is up, I can tell you that the telephoto camera is 12-megapixels. 
Apple estimates thebattery life of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will stay strong enough to power through a full day. 

The curtain has been lifted at Cupertino and four new iPhones will soon arrive at an Apple store near you:iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

That’s a whole lot of iPhones if you’re in the market for an upgrade, with new features aplenti to make your investment all the sweeter.
To get you up to speed on the latest handsets and help you make the best buying decision this fall, ZDNET experts sifted through spec sheets, price points, feature lists, and presentations to bring you all the information. Here are key reasons to buy one iPhone 14 model over the other — starting from the top of the line.

1. You want the longest-lasting battery lifeOut of all the iPhones announced during Apple’s fall event, the iPhone 14 Pro Max stands tall for the longest-lasting battery life. Apple says that the larger Pro model should last for up to 29 hours of video playback. If the 14 Pro Max is a step-up from the 13 Pro Max, which had an impressive endurance when tested, there are good times ahead for the new iPhone. 

2. You want the best iPhone camera systemTechnically, both the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max have the best iPhone camera systems to date, so you can’t go wrong with either one. The benefit of the Pro Max’s larger display is that it functions as an expansive viewfinder when shooting photos and videos. The 6.7-inch panel should also be of greater use for video editing on the go.
3. You’re willing to pay the big bucksThe iPhone 14 Pro Max starts at $1,099 for the 128GB variant, with the most expensive 1TB model peaking at $1,599. Those prices aren’t including taxes, cases, and chargers. For the 14 Pro Max, you’ll have to pay up to reap the large-screen benefits. 

You should buy the iPhone 14 Pro if…iPhone 14-red 
1. You want ‘Pro’ features in a more regular sizeThe one and only reason to buy the smaller iPhone 14 Pro over the Pro Max is size preference. The regular iPhone 14 Pro is arguably the safer, less-fatiguing phone to use among the flagship duo. Its 6.1-inch display comfortably fits more in a hand and users switching over from older iPhones should feel at home with the palm-friendly size. Still, the iPhone 14 Pro comes with the same multi-camera system as the Pro Max, as well as all the exciting new safety and Dynamic Island features. 

1. You want a large iPhone for lessFor the first time in a while, Apple is offering a less expensive, big-screen phone, making the iPhone 14 Plus the perfect gateway for folks who want the “Pro Max” form factor. Instead of paying $1,099 for the highest-end iPhone though, the 14 Plus starts at $899. Still, you can expect similar software features like the new iOS 16 lock screen, satellite-based safety tools, and more. 
2. You don’t want to go ‘Pro’ for the best battery lifeApple made it clear during its ‘Far Out’ keynote that the iPhone 14 Plus has the best battery life ever on an iPhone. That’s a big claim, but one that’s not surprising.

ZDNET has tested every iPhone to date and always found the larger ” Plus” and “Pro Max” options to yield the most enduring performance. In the case of the new 14 Plus, Apple says that the phone should last up to 26 hours of video playback, besting the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. 
You should buy the iPhone 14 if…
1. You want the latest iPhone for lessAnd finally, the iPhone 14. It’s the least expensive model in the fall lineup but possibly the most important. Traditionally, the standard, non-Pro iPhone has been Apple’s bread-winner, appealing to the masses through value-driven prices, subtle obstacles , and eye-catching colors (see image above). This year’s iPhone 14 is priced the same as last year’s with a starting price of $799. It’s not cheap, but also not as expensive as the other models. 

2. You have your eyes set on a specific colorThere’s nothing more hypnotic than walking into an Apple store and seeing all the poppy iPhone colors perfectly laid out for you to play with. Between the Pro and non-Pro iPhones this year, the latter is noticeably more adventurous with its color options and should appeal to a wider range of consumers. If you’re dead set on a red, blue, or purple iPhone, then look no further than the regular 14.  

Clearly, there are a lot of new smartphone to shop from, and each one offers a feature or two that the others do not. My ultimate buying advice is this: Visit your local Apple store and give each model a test drive. Run your most frequented apps, take pictures and videos, and get a feel for each phone’s fit and finish. Naturally, your preferences will narrow down the options and allow you to choose the best iPhone for you.

Apple iPhone 14 vs. Garmin inReach Messenger: Which satellite communication tool is right for you?

1. You want more than just emergency communicationGarmin’s inReach platform is more than just a way to get ahold of emergency services via satellite. There are several different devices you can use, ranging from the $399 Mini 2 handheld with a relatively small display to the $1,499 Tread Series with a 10-inch display to help keep you on track and provide a means for communicating with friends and loved ones, using a satellite connection to relay your text messages. And in the event of an emergency, you have one-button access to alert emergency responders.

The inReach Messenger is the most affordable device in the inReach lineup at $299, but it still offers the same core features and capabilities as the rest of the line. For instance, you can use the smartphone app to send messages to friends and loved ones, via a satellite connection. You can also get weather reports directly on Messenger, you can use it so others can view your location, updating at set intervals, to keep track of your latest trek across a hiking trail.

And because Messenger is tracking your location, you can use its trackback routing feature to guide you back on the path you just took in the event you get lost.
2. You don’t mind paying for the serviceIn order to take advantage of some of the inReach features, you’ll need to sign up for an inReach subscription plan. You can pay for it monthly or pay for a full year of service. Plans start at $14.95 per month and go all the way up to $64.95 a month.

The most affordable plan is the $15 Consumer: Safety plan that comes with unlimited SOS alerts, 10 text messages, unlimited check-in messages and sets the tracking interval to a minimum of 10 minutes.
Also: Why my Garmin Enduro 2’s LED flashlight is my favorite feature
It’s not terribly expensive for someone who frequently is an area with no cellular or Wi-Fi connection and wants the peace of mind that they can at least stay in touch with friends or family on top of being able to contact emergency responders.
3. You want peace of mind and don’t have an iPhoneRight now, there aren’t any Android phones that offer a similar feature as the iPhone 14’s emergency satellite texting. Sure, having to remember to charge and bring another device with you is a bit of a pain, but having an inReach Messenger in your bag or glove box provides peace of mind.
No to mention, the entire inReach line is designed for use outdoors with long battery lifeand serves multiple purposes. It’s not simply a device that acts as a gateway for communicating with first responders but offers the ability to do so much more while off the grid.
You should use Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite if…1. You don’t want to worry about buying or carrying another deviceThe iPhone 14 line starts at $799, which isn’t cheap. And the idea of ​​buying a $299 device, for some, is surely going to be a sticking point. Especially when the iPhone 14 now provides arguably the most important feature that the inReach Messenger offers in emergency SOS communication to get help when you need it the most.There’s something to be said about not having to worry about having another device on you at all times, let alone worrying about it being charged. Odds are you’ll have your phone on you, and it’ll be charged.

The inReach Messenger is easy enough to toss in a backpack or your glovebox, but you still have to worry about when the last time was that you charged it — or did you remember to pay your subscription?Find My app to share your location once every 15 minutes with anyone you have added as a friend in the Find My app.
3. You don’t want a monthly subscriptionFor the first two years of owning an iPhone 14, you’ll get access to Apple’s Emergency SOS via Satellite feature at no extra cost. Apple hasn’t said what the fee is going to be, if any, after that two-year period .
I have a suspicion that Apple is giving SOS access away for free while it builds out its satellite features and capabilities to be more like Garmin’s inReach service, providing more features such as text messages with contacts, weather updates and more GPS-specific features.
Once those features are available, Apple will have a monthly fee that includes SOS services. Although, I’d imagine that Apple keeps the SOS stuff free.

2. You only want peace of mindFor some, part of the appeal of exploring the wilderness is going off the grid and disconnecting from everything. What’s the point of going on a long hike in the mountains if you’re just going to be looking for the best Instagram shots or checking your email every 10 minutes?
The inReach Messenger allows you to go off the grid, but it also still allows people to get ahold of you. Or for you to be tempted to “just check in real quick.”
At its core, Emergency SOS via Satellite is designed only for use in an emergency. In fact, you have to dial 911 in an area without Wi-Fi or cellular coverage to even trigger it.
Also: How to GPS-track any phone

That said, if you do want to provide peace of mind to loved ones while you’re hiking, you can use Apple’s 

Apple is very selective about what information it wants you to have access to. Here’s how to get an “access all areas” pass for everything you want to know about youriPhone’s battery.

It’s rather intriguing how we can obsess over little things. I’ve lost count over how many conversations I’ve had with people over things like the signal strength bar or battery life meter on their smartphone. reading full, 100%, or indicating perfection, we start to feel uncomfortable.
Also: iPhone went for a swim? Here’s how Siri can help eject water from its speakers
And if there’s one thing that iPhone users obsess over more than anything, it’s their battery. 

What Apple wants you to see (and why it’s confusing)Apple gives you access to very specific information about your battery. You can see this yourself by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. 
This screen gives you a very basic overview of your iPhone’s battery health, including one figure that people seem to obsess over more than anything — the Maximum Capacity meter.
Apple describes this number as “a measure of battery capacity relative to when it was new,” and goes on to say how “lower capacity may result in fewer hours of usage between charges.”

Also: Battery bad after installing iOS 16.5? Try these 7 tipsSounds like a bland, rather innocuous thing, doesn’t it?
Oh, but people do get fixed on it.
In part, this is down to the mysteriousness around what it actually means, and the way it can sit at 100% for months before starting to decrease — sometimes plunging precipitously fast. 
Below, I have two screenshots I took this month, showing a battery drop of three percentage points:
Battery’s maximum capacity readingIn three weeks, iOS 16 says my battery’s maximum capacity fell three percentage points, from 95 to 92%.Screenshot by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETThen there are the endless blog posts, social media missives, and YouTube videos spreading the urban myth that if you “charge your iPhone the right way,” you can keep this at 100% forever.
Also: iPhone overheating? Here are 8 potential causes and their solutions

You can’t.
The reason you can’t keep this at 100% is down to the laws of physics.  
Why lithium-ion batteries wearEvery time you charge and discharge a lithium-ion battery, it experiences a small amount of wear. According to Apple, “a normal battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operating under normal conditions This means that for every 25 charge and recharge cycles, the Maximum Capacity number should drop a percentage point.  
But iPhones can seemingly be stuck at 100% for months in the beginning, and this is part of the problem with this figure and why it causes confusion. This is because the battery inside your iPhone has a higher actual capacity than Apple claims. Apple underpromises on the capacity because new batteries have a natural variation in capacity, and Apple would prefer that your battery has slightly more capacity — not less — than what’s in the spec sheet.

Also: My iPhone’s battery doesn’t stay at 100% for as long as it used to.
Once the actual capacity wears down to the capacity that Apple states in the spec sheet, that Maximum Capacity number starts to tick down.
But your iPhone collects a lot more information about your battery.
A lot more.

To find this hidden information you have to go to Settings > Privacy & Security, then scroll to the bottom and tap on Analytics & Improvements.
Next, you need to click on Analytics Data. This setting only exists if you have Share iPhone Analytics (or Share iPhone & Watch Analytics) enabled. If it’s not enabled, you’ll need to enable it and wait a day or so for the iPhone to collect the data.
Yes, the information is only logged if you choose to share it with Apple.
Also: iPhone envy? Here are 3 iOS 17 features already available on Android
If Analytics Data is enabled, then tap on it, and you’ll be presented with what looks like a wall of files.

The Analytics Data screenDon’t panic.
You need to scroll until you find a file starting with the name Analytics-. There’s likely to be a bunch of them with dates in the name.
The latest one will be at the bottom of the list. Tap on it to open it and it’ll be full of information.
A ton of it.Also: Which MagSafe battery pack is the best? 
First, if you also own an iPad or Apple Watch as well as an iPhone, you need to know you’re looking at the right file. At the top look for “os_version”:iPhone OS. up the list of files until you find one relating to your iPhone. 

And going through this data on the iPhone itself is a pain (although can be done if you’re patient and do a copy and paste into an app like Notes). What I do is tap the Share button and email the file to myself so I can open it at my leisure on a Mac or PC (you could always AirDrop it yourself).

First off, if you look for last_value_CycleCount, that will tell you how many recharge cycles your battery has been through. Earlier I mentioned that as far as Apple is concerned, your battery should retain 80% of its capacity after 500 recharge cycles, so having access to this figure gives you an idea of ​​how worn your battery is.
This is probably the most important figure that Apple doesn’t tell you.
My iPhone 14 Pro Max is less than a year old and has gone through 216 recharge cycles. 
Also: iPhone Pro vs iPhone 14 Pro Max? Which new iPhone should you buy? 
That’s a lot, and accounts for why the Maximum Capacity figure is 92%. See, the math works out — it’s almost halfway through the 500 recharge cycles, and almost halfway to being 80% worn.

But there’s more we can get from this file.
Another metric is last_value_MaximumFCC, which refers to the maximum capacity of your battery when new as measured in mAH (milliAmp Hour). Apple prints a rated capacity on its batteries, but this is a theoretical number and the actual capacity will vary because of manufacturing tolerances .
The figure that you get from the log file will be the maximum capacity of your battery as measured by the iPhone.

The last_value_MaximumFCC will almost always be a little bigger than the battery’s rated capacity. This accounts for why the Maximum Capacity figure doesn’t start ticking down on day one.
Also: The Apple products you shouldn’t buy this month
Another figure you can get out of the logs is last_value_NominalChargeCapacity, which gives you the current capacity of your iPhone’s battery.
The difference between these two numbers indicates how worn the battery really is.

So, while you can’t do anything to prevent battery wear, you can reduce premature battery wear by keeping the battery within its rated temperature zone, and not overcharging it.

The iOS feature, called Optimized Battery Charging, does a good job of preventing premature battery wear from overcharging.
Also: 5 useful iOS 17 features Apple quietly released at WWDC 2023
But note that I said, “premature battery wear.”
It doesn’t do anything for regular batterywear.

Shopping for a new Galaxy handset? These are the best phones from Samsung, including foldables, ones with styli, and options for the budget-minded.
You can always look to Samsung when shopping for a phone of any price, size, and feature set. For the indecisive, that may not be the best thing, as finding the ideal Galaxy phone is not as simple as walking into a brick-and -mortar and asking for the “Pro” and “non-Pro” models.

Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now (including flipping foldables)
Instead, finding the best Samsung phone for you boils down to your personal needs, use cases, and design preferences. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of options laid out below, and not every one of them will be the right fit for you . 
To make the shopping process easy, we’ve personally tested most, if not all, the latest Galaxy phones that Samsung has to offer, and assembled a catalog of the top options for your choosing, including the more recent Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold series, the value-driven A-series, and our top pick right now, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
The best Samsung phones in 2023Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraBest Samsung phone overall
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Display: 6.8 inches | RAM/Storage Options: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 10x optical, 10MP 3x optical | Battery: 5,000mAh

In the grand calculus of the Samsung multiverse, the Galaxy S23 Ultra reigns supreme. It’s arguably the most no-frills smartphone that you can buy on the market, let alone from Samsung, which puts it at the top spot on our list.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display, a beefy 5,000mAh battery that can last you as long as two days, a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor to keep things running efficiently, and the sacred Samsung S Pen — ideal for jotting down notes, graphics designing, or even signing PDFs.
I tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year and called it “one of the most complete handsets you can buy this year — whether you like and need the excessive amount of features or not.”
Being the latest and greatest also means that the S23 Ultra comes equipped with Samsung’s newest advancements in camera technology, including a 200-megapixel main lens that’s capable of capturing the highest-resolution images we’ve seen on any Galaxy phone.There’s also 8K video recording at 30 frames per second if you’re into that.
All this is to say that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is our pick for the best Samsung phone overall.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5Best samsung foldable phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 7.6 inches | Cover display: 6.2 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB internal options | Cameras: 12MP ultrawide, 50MP wide angle, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP cover screen, 4MP under main display | Battery: 4,400mAh 
The 2020 Galaxy Z Fold 2 set the bar for foldable devices that also serve as mini tablets. The Z Fold 3 improved on that phone with two of the most highly requested features from Fold users (S Pen support and IPX8 water resistance), while the Z Fold 4 improved the rear cameras and form factor of the phone. 

And now, with the Z Fold 5, you’ll get an upgraded processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which should improve the phone’s overall performance, from battery efficiency to camera capture. This year’s model is also notably thinner than the last, and thanks to the no-gap hinge mechanism, ZDNET’s Jason Hiner said in his review that “the Fold 5 feels like the way foldables always should have been.”
The Android 13 software found in the Z Fold 5 gives the phone some serious productivity upgrades, especially in terms of multi-app usage thanks to the improved Taskbar and wider support for gesture navigations that ease the transition from multiple active windows.

Like the Z Fold 4, the Fold 5’s cameras are not quite as good as the S23 Ultra’s suite, but the hardware is clearly superior to any foldable predecessor, and the competition.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 6.7 inches | Cover display: 3.4 inches | RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM with 256GB/512GB internal options | Cameras: Two rear 12MP, 10MP selfie | Battery: 3,700mAh 
While the Z Fold 5 is the best Samsung foldable, it’s the new Z Flip 5 that will likely sell the most and appeal to the masses. Not only is the clamshell handset less expensive than the Z Fold, but it’s more compact and portable and has a more user-friendly learning curve.
Shape-shifting displays aside, the Z Flip 5 is very similar to the standard Samsung Galaxy S-series flagship, with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that’s crisp and bright, up to 512GB of RAM for those high-resolution pictures and videos, and a healthy 3,700mAh cell  powering it all.

I tested the flip phone for weeks and was left impressed by how many refinements Samsung had made when compared to the last-gen Z Flip. Thanks to the new 3.4-inch outer display, the gapless hinge design, and improved durability, I noted in my full review that “unless Samsung unveils some form of XR headset later this year, the Z Flip 5 is without question the company’s most ambitious product of 2023.”
Folks who thrive in social media and content creation especially will love the Z Flip 5’s ability to switch between shooting styles like camcorder mode and flex mode, much like its predecessor, the Z Flip 4. The camera system on this is not on the level of Samsung’s Ultra and Plus phones, but it’s reliable enough for everyday captures.

You can always look to Samsung when shopping for a phone of any price, size, and feature set. For the indecisive, that may not be the best thing, as finding the ideal Galaxy phone is not as simple as walking into a brick-and -mortar and asking for the “Pro” and “non-Pro” models.

Also: Best Android phones you can buy right now (including flipping foldables)
Instead, finding the best Samsung phone for you boils down to your personal needs, use cases, and design preferences. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of options laid out below, and not every one of them will be the right fit for you . 
To make the shopping process easy, we’ve personally tested most, if not all, the latest Galaxy phones that Samsung has to offer, and assembled a catalog of the top options for your choosing, including the more recent Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold series, the value-driven A-series, and our top pick right now, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The best Samsung phones in 2023Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraBest Samsung phone overallSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with the S Pen beside it.June Wan/ZDNETpros & consprosMost complete smartphone experience money can buyReliable quad-camera setup256GB base storage leads the competitionIntegrated S Pen stylus for enhanced functionalityconsPhone can be unwieldy for some, especially with a caseFast charging is still capped at 45WPricier than most Android phonesmore details

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Display: 6.8 inches | RAM/Storage Options: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Rear cameras: 200MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 10x optical, 10MP 3x optical | Battery: 5,000mAh
In the grand calculus of the Samsung multiverse, the Galaxy S23 Ultra reigns supreme. It’s arguably the most no-frills smartphone that you can buy on the market, let alone from Samsung, which puts it at the top spot on our list.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra comes with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display, a beefy 5,000mAh battery that can last you as long as two days, a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor to keep things running efficiently, and the sacred Samsung S Pen — ideal for jotting down notes, graphics designing, or even signing PDFs.
I tested the Galaxy S23 Ultra earlier this year and called it “one of the most complete handsets you can buy this year — whether you like and need the excessive amount of features or not.”
Being the latest and greatest also means that the S23 Ultra comes equipped with Samsung’s newest advancements in camera technology, including a 200-megapixel main lens that’s capable of capturing the highest-resolution images we’ve seen on any Galaxy phone.There’s also 8K video recording at 30 frames per second if you’re into that.All this is to say that the Galaxy S23 Ultra is our pick for the best Samsung phone overall.

Review: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
See price at SamsungSee price at AmazonSee price at Best BuySamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5best samsung foldable phonefold-5-open-with-zdnetJason Hiner/ZDNETpros & consprosAn innovative gapless folding designArmor Aluminum material for a lighter and sleeker phoneHigh IPX8 water resistanceS Pen supportImproved processor and software optimized for foldablesconsStill expensive, but generous trade-in offers awayS Pen purchase and store separatelymore detailsSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Main display: 7.6 inches | Cover display: 6.2 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB internal options | Cameras: 12MP ultrawide, 50MP wide angle, 10MP 3x telephoto, 10MP cover screen, 4MP under main display | Battery: 4,400mAh 

The 2020 Galaxy Z Fold 2 set the bar for foldable devices that also serve as mini tablets. The Z Fold 3 improved on that phone with two of the most highly requested features from Fold users (S Pen support and IPX8 water resistance), while the Z Fold 4 improved the rear cameras and form factor of the phone. 
And now, with the Z Fold 5, you’ll get an upgraded processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which should improve the phone’s overall performance, from battery efficiency to camera capture. This year’s model is also notably thinner than the last, and thanks

People seem obsessed with the health of their iPhone’s battery.

You can see this information yourself by going to Settings > Battery, and there’s more information if you click on Battery Health.
But I’m here to tell you that this number is junk. It’s a feel-good number that doesn’t really tell you anything meaningful about the actual health of your battery.
My iPhone tells me that my battery is still at 98% capacity after months of use.
Battery Health in iOS

But your iPhone knows the truth. The iOS operating system collects a lot of information about your battery and the overall health of your system.
But, as usual, Apple doesn’t make it easy for you to access this information and has chosen to bury this information deep in the bowels of iOS.
To find this information, you have to go to Settings > Privacy, then scroll to the bottom and tap on Analytics & Improvements.

Then you need to click on Analytics Data. This setting only exists if you have Share iPhone Analytics (or Share iPhone & Watch Analytics) enabled. If it’s not enabled, you’ll need to enable it and wait a day or so for the iPhone to collect the data.
Yes, the information is only logged if you choose to share it with Apple.
If Analytics Data is enabled, then tap on it, and you’ll be presented with what looks like a wall of files.

You need to scroll until you find a file starting with the name log-aggregated. There’s likely to be a bunch of them with dates in the name.
see alsoHow to record a phone call on an iPhoneHow to clear the cache on your iPhone (and why you should)How to take a scrolling screenshot on Android and iPhoneHow to add your transit card to Apple WalletThe latest one will be at the bottom of the list. Oh, but if you have an Apple Watch paired with the iPhone, then there will be a similar file for that too. To tell the difference, tap on it to open up the file , scroll to the top and look for it to mention iPhone OS and not Watch OS.

And going through this data on the iPhone itself is a pain (although it can be done if you’re patient and do a copy and paste into an app like Notes).
What I do is I tap the Share button and email the file to myself so I can open it at my leisure on a Mac or PC (you could always AirDrop it to yourself).
The file contains a lot of information, so once you have it open in a text editor, you can start looking for specific information.
Here I’m looking for four specific entries:
<key>com.apple.ioreport.BatteryCycleCount</key>

These will be scattered about the file, for I suggest doing a search for BatteryCycleCount, design_capacity, nominal_charge_capacity, and raw_max_capacity.
Beneath these entries will be a number inside integer tags.

So, what do these numbers mean?
BatteryCycleCount is the number of recharge cycles the battery has gone through.design_capacity is the rated capacity that Apple claims the battery to be, measured in mAh (milliamp hours).nominal_charge_capacity is the battery capacity as it currently stands, measured in mAh (milliamp hours).MaximumFCC was the maximum capacity of the current battery (almost always, this is the first charge capacity),

measured in mAh (milliamp hours).Notice the discrepancy between the battery’s rated capacity (design_capacity) and its actual capacity when new (MaximumFCC).
That’s a difference of almost 200mAh.
Apple prints a rated capacity on its batteries, but this is a theoretical number, and the actual capacity will vary because of manufacturing variations.
But all the batteries that Apple fits into iPhones will have a capacity no smaller than the rated capacity, and in truth, every one I’ve come across has a larger capacity.
That’s why that Battery Health number stays at 100% for so long and doesn’t start to lose tick down from day one.

And it’s why that Battery Health number is meaningless.
There’s no way that after 264 recharge cycles, my battery has only lost 2% of its capacity. 
According to Apple, the battery is rated to hold 80% of its capacity after 500 complete charge cycles.
This means that my iPhone is more than 50% through that 500 charge cycles.But is there anything you do anything to reduce battery wear?

The bottom line is that your battery will wear, but you can take steps to reduce on premature wear.
As part of normal wearing, your battery will lose about one percentage point for every 25 cycles (note that you might not start noticing this immediately because the actual capacity or MaximumFCC of the battery is greater than the rated capacity). and apart from using your iPhone less, there’s not much you can do about it.
So my battery has lost about 10% of its capacity. 
You can’t change the laws of physics.
However, you can reduce premature battery wear by keeping the battery within its rated temperature zone and not overcharging it.

The iOS feature called Optimized Battery Charging does a good job of preventing premature battery wear from overcharging.
But note that all you are doing is reducing on premature battery wear.
It doesn’t do anything for regular battery wear. Your battery will wear out, so enjoy it while it works, and either plan on getting it replaced or replacing your iPhone.
And stop obsessing over that Battery Health number!

The firstBlackBerrycame to be in 1999. Similarly, T-Mobile’s first Sidekick phone was launched in 2002. Microsoft entered the picture in 2003 with Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition (long name, right?). Palm, Nokia, Samsung , and Motorola also tried to put together theirsmartphones.

These phones could make calls and texts, too, but they started to venture into the world of the almighty internet.These were more so made to work with styluses. Steve Jobs saw this early on and believed that phones would eventually replace things like cameras, MP3 players, PDAs, etc. He started believing that phones with a touchscreen and internet access were the future, so the idea behind the iPhone sparked.

It seems the beginnings of the iPhone were a bit rocky, though. Tony Fadell once told Venture Beat the first iPhone concept was actually an iPod with a phone module. the palm of your hand. Jobs assembled a small team of experts to begin working on what would later become the iPhone. They called it “Project Purple,” and the team practically lived at the company’s headquarters. touch-enabled Mac, and they were messing with a multi-touch ping pong table, which Steve wanted to put “in an iPod.” At the same time, they were trying to make video watching more enjoyable on iPods, which is why they wanted to add a larger screen and remove the touch scroll wheel.

After long hours, weekends, and hard work, the first iPhone came to be in 2007.

iPhone — iPhone 3GS: The start of a new era 

There was virtually nothing like the iPhone before it. The first iPhone was announced on January 9, 2007, and was extraordinary.
As Steve Jobs put it then, the iPhone was “an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator.”

It was the first to have such a high screen-to-body ratio, offering a 3.5-inch screen with a capacitive touchscreen. This made it possible to control every aspect of the device using your fingers, and it even provided multi-touch support.
The accelerometer and motion sensor made it easy to have the screen orientation change when the phone was turned sideways. This made the first iPhone a fantastic content consumption device. You could enjoy videos and other content on a wide screen.

The UI was simple, showing a list of icons for each app, and third-party developers could make apps for all iPhone users. The interface was so good that even today’s iPhones largely use the same UI, just with obvious aesthetic and feature improvements over the years.

Steve Jobs was obsessed with keeping the experience clean and simple.He didn’t entirely trust developers yet, so the first iPhone came with no app store.You could only use the apps Apple offered.The Apple App Store was introduced later, in 2008 , with the iPhone 3G. The newer device was otherwise very similar. The other main improvement was the addition of 3G data speeds.
The iPhone 3GS later refined the experience in 2009 by adding more power to the device. The internals were beefed up with a better processor, more RAM, a better 3.15MP camera, and the addition of a white color variant.

Phone 4 — iPhone 4S: Refining the design, the introduction of Siri, and Retina Displays

The 2010 iPhone 4 got the first significant design change. The sides, back, and front were flattened, and the back was made of glass, offering a more modern and streamlined look. Specs were also significantly better. A 1.0GHz Cortex-A8 processor powered the device, and RAM was again doubled to 512MB. The camera sensor got a boost to 5MP, and users could record at 720p! Not only that, but this was the first iPhone to come with a front-facing camera (VGA).
Additionally, this was the first phone with a Retina Display. This quadrupled the pixels in the iPhone 3GS screen, bringing the definition to 640 x 960. Apple claimed your eyes could no longer notice pixels at this 330ppi pixel density. Apple stuck with around the Same pixel density until the iPhone X, long after Android phones had moved on to bigger and higher resolution displays.Siri could work with your calendar, texts, calls, weather, reminders, and a few other apps.The most human thing it could do was probably tell jokes.These days, you can almost have a conversation with digital assistants, still it was a good start.

iPhone 5 — iPhone 5S: Larger screen, Lightning port, and Touch IDThe iPhone 5 series came with some more significant changes in 2012.

The device’s looks were pretty different, as it now came with an aluminum back.he new iPhone series had more than fresh looks going for it, though.
The phone’s shape was taller because the phone now came with a larger 4-inch display that only grew vertically (640 x 1136). This was because Apple loved its devices’ width, which was great for one-handed use. keep the phone as wide as previous versions, but the market for larger-screen phones was all the rage. Everyone wanted a larger screen on an iPhone, and it finally came.
This was also the first phone to get rid of the old 30-pin connector. The more clunky port was easier to damage and was a bit on the large side, at least compared to the standard back then, which was MicroUSB. Of course Apple still stuck to its own proprietary cable, using lightning cables. 
The iPhone 5S was released a year later in 2013 and offered a game-changing feature. It was the first iPhone to come with Touch ID, a fingerprint reader located in the home button.

iPhone 6 series — iPhone 7 series: Plus models, large screens, Apple Pay, IP rating, multiple cameras, goodbye headphone jack

The 2015 iPhone 6S series was more of an incremental upgrade with slight hardware improvements. Similarly, the iPhone 7 series didn’t bring any noticeable changes in 2016, but it was the first iPhone to get an official IP rating. 7 series featured an IP67 rating.

Camera enthusiasts were thrilled to learn the iPhone 7 Plus was the first iPhone to get more than one rear camera. It had two 12MP sensors, one with a wide lens and another with a telephoto lens.
On the other hand, audiophiles remember the iPhone 7 series devices as the first to dump the headphone jack. Dongles have been your only solution for wired listening since then.

iPhone SE — Apple’s first true budget phone

Apple never really made affordable phones. The iPhone 5C was a bit cheaper, but nothing game-changing. Things changed with the first iPhone SE (2016), which came with an impressive $249 MSRP. the older iPhone 5 than more modern iPhones. The screen also shrunk down to just 4 inches. The good news was that specs were still nearly as good as higher-end iPhones. It had the same Apple A9 processor found in the iPhone 6S series, 2GB of RAM, and a 12MP camera. This was the beginning of a new trend, and iPhones were no longer only for the premium market.

iPhone 8 series — Wireless charging enters the gameThe 2017 iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the first iPhones with wireless charging.

Again, Apple was a bit late to the party, as we started seeing Qi wireless charging in smartphones as soon as 2012. The Nokia Lumia 920 was the first widely available smartphone to feature it. The Samsung Galaxy S3 could also take advantage of wireless charging with an added accessory.
Design-wise, the phones returned to the glass backs we saw in previous iPhones. Another significant upgrade was the addition of True Tone technology, a method that utilized sensors to measure ambient light and adjust the screen to its surroundings.
While a bit underwhelming, the iPhone 8 series was the proliferation of the old iPhone. A new era was about to begin, and the changes started the same year.iPhone X, XR, and XS—All-screen front, Face ID, IP68Apple later (in 2018) released the iPhone XR, a more affordable version of the iPhone X. It switched the frame material to aluminum (as opposed to stainless steel), removed the OLED panel and replaced it with an LCD one, and left only a single camera in the back. The device was still plenty powerful, though. The processor was upgraded to an Apple A12 Bionic, it keeps the same 3GB of RAM, and the display is larger at 6.1 inches.

The betteriPhoneXS series came out in 2018. Aside from a larger 6.5-inch display in the Max version, and more RAM, it was the first phone to feature an IP68 rating, which is still the standard for the best ingress protection available on smartphones.

iPhone 11 series — iPhone 13 series: Today’s iPhonesThe iPhone 11 line-up was also the first to offer three devices: 

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The Pro versions were also the first to have a triple-camera system.
The iPhone 12 series was the first to introduce a Mini version, which was a relief for small phone fans. All other high-end phones were enormous. These were also the first iPhones to get 5G data speeds, which was a welcomed improvement.
As for the iPhone 13 series, all phones look almost identical to the iPhone 12 variants. Improvements were only incremental, showing better specs across the board. We expect things to get much more exciting with the upcoming iPhone 14 series.