• OPPO has teased a new smartphone in India, but hasn't confirmed its name or series.
• The phone could be part of the OPPO F35 series, which was previously tipped to launch in India with the F35 Pro.
• The OPPO F35 Pro is tipped to feature a 10,000mAh battery and could be priced between Rs 40,000 and Rs 45,000.

[/highlights]

OPPO has teased an upcoming smartphone in India, although the company has not revealed its name or confirmed which series it belongs to. The teaser shows the side profile of a phone with a curved frame and orange-gold finish, along with a "Coming Soon" message. The timing is notable because the OPPO F35 series, previously tipped to launch in India by August-end, hasn't yet been announced and the phone could be one of those models.

OPPO phone teased

The teaser gives only a limited look at the upcoming device. It shows a rounded phone frame with what appears to be a metallic orange-gold finish, along with two physical buttons on the side. The screen is largely hidden in the dark teaser image, while the OPPO logo and "Coming Soon" text are visible.

OPPO hasn't mentioned the F35 series in the teaser, so there is no official confirmation that this is an F35-series phone. However, the teaser arrives at a time when the company is expected to launch the F35 lineup in India. With the previously reported August-end window having passed, the new teaser suggests the launch could instead take place in September.

OPPO F35 series: what we know

Our earlier report also identified the F35 Pro as one of the expected models, giving us a possible idea of what OPPO could be preparing. The OPPO F35 Pro is tipped to cost between Rs 40,000 and Rs 45,000 and could be a rebranded version of the OPPO A7 Pro Max with some changes for India. Its headline specification is expected to be a 10,000mAh battery, which would be considerably larger than the 7,000mAh battery on the current OPPO F33 Pro.

Other reported specifications include a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPS OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chipset and UFS 3.1 storage. It could have a 50MP primary rear camera and a 50MP Samsung JN5 autofocus front camera with a 100-degree field of view. IP66, IP68 and IP69K ratings are also tipped.

The OPPO F33 and F33 Pro launched at Rs 31,999 and Rs 37,999, respectively, so the reported F35 Pro pricing would move the series into a more expensive segment. It would face competition from phones such as the Vivo S2 and Motorola Edge 70 Pro.

The POCO X8 Power, Realme P4 Power and Narzo Power already offer similarly large batteries at lower prices, making the F35 Pro's other specifications and final price important. For buyers considering a phone in the Rs 40,000 range, it would be worth waiting for OPPO to confirm whether the teased device is indeed part of the F35 series and whether the 10,000mAh battery makes it to the Indian model. In our internal testing, the P4 Power with its 10,001mAh battery delivered over two days of use, so it'll be interesting to see how OPPO optimises its own counterpart.

• The Galaxy A57 now starts at Rs 62,999.
• Both phones are receiving a price hike for the second time now.
• Samsung launched the Galaxy A57 and A37 in March this year. 

[/highlights]

Samsung has increased the prices of its Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 smartphones in India yet again. Both phones were launched in India earlier this year in March as part of Samsung's popular A-series lineup. Last month, Samsung hiked the prices of both models by up to Rs 5,000. Just two weeks later, we're seeing another price hike for the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37.

Samsung Galaxy A57, Galaxy A37 price hike

According to a new Samsung price revision document dated September 2026, the new prices are effective from September 6th and apply to select variants of both smartphones. The latest revision sees prices increase by up to Rs 5,770 on the Galaxy A37 (review). The Galaxy A57 (review) now starts at Rs 62,999, while the Galaxy A37 starts at Rs 46,999.

The latest price hike pushes both phones to a more premium segment, especially the Galaxy A57, which has now crossed the Rs 60,000 mark. It joins phones like the OnePlus 15R and the Vivo X200T. 

In terms of specs, the Galaxy A57 and Galaxy A37 share several core features. Both phones come with a 6.7-inch FHD+ display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, up to 1,900 nits peak brightness, and Gorilla Glass Victus+. Both smartphones also pack a 5,000mAh battery and support 45W fast charging. 

The Galaxy A57 and A37 run One UI 8.5 based on Android 16 out of the box. Samsung is also promising six years of software updates and OS upgrades, which remains one of the stronger reasons to consider these phones over similarly priced rivals.

The selfie camera is also identical at 12MP, while both phones feature a 50MP primary camera and a 5MP macro camera. The key camera difference is the ultra-wide sensor: the A57 gets a 12MP ultra-wide camera, compared with an 8MP sensor on the A37. While this might seem like a versatile camera setup, both phones still lack a telephoto lens, which could be a disadvantage when it comes to zoom shots or portraits. 

Galaxy A57 is powered by Samsung's newer Exynos 1680 chipset, while the Galaxy A37 uses the Exynos 1480. While these should still be capable of handling everyday tasks, gaming, and multitasking, buyers looking for the best performance at these prices may find faster chipsets more appealing.

Despite the price hike, Samsung's biggest advantages are instead its long-term software support, polished One UI experience, display quality, and established ecosystem. So if these are your priorities, you can still buy the Galaxy A57 and A37. However, those who prefer faster performance or a larger battery may want to consider alternatives. 

• The POCO C95 Pro 4G will be powered by the MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra chipset.
• The smartphone could arrive in three colourways.
• There's no information on POCO C95 Pro 4G's India launch as of now.

[/highlights]

The POCO C95 Pro 4G recently surfaced on Singapore's IMDA certification platform. While the listing revealed its model number and several key features, 91mobiles exclusively brings you the key specifications, colour options, and design renders of the global variant of the POCO C95 Pro 4G, courtesy of tipster Sudhanshu. As for the smartphone's India launch, it's unclear whether POCO plans to bring it here.

POCO C95 Pro 4G colours, design renders

The POCO C95 Pro 4G could arrive in three colourways: dark blue, black, and a green shade similar to that of the POCO M8x, which debuted in India a few weeks ago. Upon taking a closer look at the renders, it appears that the green colour variant will sport a vegan leather back panel, while the black and blue shades could settle for matte-finish rears.

[gallery link="file" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" columns="2" ids="714088,714089"]

Just like the POCO M8x, the C95 Pro 4G is expected to feature a rectangular camera island in the top-left corner with an LED flash, secondary camera lenses, a microphone, and "AI CAMERA" text. Up front, the phone gets a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera and a considerably thick display chin.

POCO C95 Pro 4G key specifications detailed

Moving on to the specifications, per Sudhanshu, the POCO C95 Pro 4G will flaunt a massive 6.9-inch HD LCD display with a 1600 x 720 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Lately, Xiaomi and its sub-brands like Redmi and POCO have been equipped with large displays, with the Redmi Note 17, Redmi 17 5G, POCO M8x, and now the POCO C95 Pro 4G all featuring 6.9-inch panels.

Under the hood, the MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra processor could be responsible for powering games and daily tasks on the POCO C95 Pro 4G. This is the same processor we saw running on 2024's Redmi 13 4G. This is a 12nm-based chipset with up to 2GHz clock speeds and a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU. The chipset will be paired with either 6GB RAM + 128GB storage or 8GB RAM + 256GB storage.

Amidst rising component prices, many brands are adopting 4G-only processors for their budget offerings, a common way to cut costs, and POCO seems to be simply following that strategy.

On to the optics, the POCO smartphone will feature a 50MP primary camera and an 8MP selfie camera on the front. While the details of the camera features are not known, one can expect it to include the basic camera functions found on budget POCO smartphones, such as Film Camera, Night mode, Auto night mode, Portrait mode, Time-lapse, and Dual camera recording.

Much like recent POCO and Redmi releases, the POCO C95 Pro will run on Android 16-based HyperOS 3, while a 7,500mAh battery will be on board with up to 45W fast charging support. With such a large cell, POCO may also offer reverse wired charging, allowing users to charge other devices, such as TWS and phones.

Lastly, since the phone won't have an AMOLED display, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner will be present for biometric unlocking and payment authentication.

Given the specifications, the POCO C95 Pro 4G could be a compelling option for users prioritising battery life and screen size over 5G connectivity and raw performance. While the mobile data speeds may not be as fast as 5G, the internet browsing experience should suffice for most users on 4G data and WiFi. It could be an ideal upgrade for users coming from feature phones or anyone seeking a secondary smartphone to catch up on calls and notifications.

• OnePlus N6 Lite will be the third phone in the series.
• It's also said to be OnePlus's most affordable phone yet.
• The handset hasn't been officially confirmed yet.

[/highlights]

OnePlus could soon expand its budget smartphone lineup in India with a new and even more affordable model. The company is reportedly preparing to launch the OnePlus N6 Lite in the country, with the smartphone expected to debut by the end of September. If the report is accurate, the N6 Lite would become the third smartphone in OnePlus' budget lineup, following the OnePlus N6 and OnePlus N6x.

OnePlus N6 Lite India launch

According to a leak by tipster Abhishek on X, the OnePlus N6 Lite is s expected to launch by the end of this month. No specific date has been mentioned yet. But considering the launch is tipped for the end of this month, we could start seeing teasers very soon. Since it would be the third smartphone in the brand's budget-focused N-series, OnePlus appears to be continuing its push into the budget segment.

The OnePlus N6x currently occupies the entry point into OnePlus' budget lineup, starting at Rs 20,999 after the recent price hike. Introducing the N6 Lite below that price would give buyers an option for an even more affordable OnePlus smartphone. While an even cheaper OnePlus phone sounds appealing, the real test will be whether it can deliver a compelling user experience without compromising too much on the brand's perceived quality.

What OnePlus plans to offer in terms of hardware remains to be seen. For context, the OnePlus N6x comes with a 6.8-inch HD+ LCD 120Hz display, the MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Apex SoC, and a 7,000mAh battery. It has a single 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. 

We don't know anything about the OnePlus N6 Lite's specs yet, but we expect to get more details soon. If your budget is strictly below Rs 20,000 and you are considering a OnePlus phone, it may be worth waiting for the N6 Lite before making a purchase. However, buyers should wait for the official specifications and pricing before deciding.

• Realme has teased a Harry Potter-themed product on Flipkart, with a September 8th launch date teased by a Realme executive.
• A leaked render suggests the device could be a Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition with a Hogwarts crest, brown textured back and gold detailing.
• The regular Realme 16 Pro features a 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED display, Dimensity 7300 Max chipset, 7,000mAh battery and 200MP main camera.

[/highlights]

Realme appears to be preparing a Harry Potter-themed smartphone, with a teaser on Flipkart and an unofficial render pointing to a customised version of the Realme 16 Pro. The company hasn't confirmed the phone's name or specifications but Realme Vice President Chase Xu has posted a teaser on X of himself in a Hogwarts robe with the caption "See you on 8 September".

Something's calling… 👀 I'm following. Are you?

See you on 8 September. pic.twitter.com/9YJfZqqrd6

— Chase (@ChaseXu_) September 7, 2026

Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition India launch

Realme's Flipkart teaser shows three vintage-style brown suitcases on a luggage trolley, accompanied by the words "Let The Magic Begin" and "Coming Soon". While the company does not identify the product, the imagery strongly points towards a Harry Potter collaboration with Platform 9 3/4 seemingly represented.

Moreover, a render shared by tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore, which has since been taken down (via), gives a better idea of what Realme could be preparing. The phone shown has a dark brown rear panel with a leather-like, diamond-patterned finish, gold-coloured edges and a large square camera module. A metallic Hogwarts crest sits prominently on the back, complete with the four house symbols and the "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus" motto. Harry Potter branding appears below it, while the front retains a punch-hole display.

The reported configuration is 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, although that combination is already available on the regular Realme 16 Pro in India. Realme has seemingly confirmed the Harry Potter edition will be sold in India via the teaser but we don't know its price range yet.

Specifications and price

In terms of specifications, it may not differ from the standard Realme 16 Pro. The device comes with a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 1272 x 2772 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. It's powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max and has a 7,000mAh battery with 80W charging. The camera setup includes a 200MP main camera with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 50MP front camera. The 12GB + 256GB version was launched at Rs 36,999, while current pricing has moved higher, with the series now starting at around Rs 44,999 and the top-end variant reaching Rs 49,999, depending on the model and offers.

That makes the standard Realme 16 Pro the more sensible choice for buyers who care primarily about hardware and value. The Harry Potter edition, if priced at a premium, would make more sense for fans who specifically want the themed design and limited-edition appeal. This strategy is not new in the smartphone market. Xiaomi has previously released Harry Potter-themed Redmi phones, including the Redmi Note 12 Turbo Harry Potter Edition in 2023 and the Redmi Turbo 3 Harry Potter Edition in 2024. Collaborations where smartphone makers use entertainment franchises to give otherwise familiar hardware a stronger visual identity are common, as we've seen Iron Man and different Marvel editions in the past too.

• Motorola Edge 70 Neo is arriving in the coming months.
• It's expected to launch as a compact phone.
• The handset could feature a triple-camera setup. 

[/highlights]

Motorola has officially confirmed that the Edge 70 Neo will launch in India in the coming months. The confirmation comes shortly after reports suggested that Motorola had started Android 17 beta testing for the upcoming smartphone, and a separate leak had revealed its design and colour options. The Edge 70 Neo will join Motorola's growing lineup and is expected to launch as a compact phone as well.

Motorola Edge 70 Neo India launch

The Edge 70 Neo's existence was confirmed in Motorola's press release announcing its IFA 2026 lineup. While the company unveiled products including the Motorola Edge 70 Plus, Watch Ultra, and Snap Wireless Charger at the event, the press release also quietly mentioned the upcoming Edge 70 Neo coming to India in the coming months. Motorola, however, has not revealed any specifications or a specific launch date for the smartphone yet.

Motorola Edge 70 Neo specifications (expected)

The Motorola Edge 70 Neo is expected to feature a compact 6.3-inch 1.5K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The relatively smaller screen could make the phone an interesting option for buyers who want a mid-range smartphone that's more compact to hold and use. Under the hood, the Edge 70 Neo is expected to be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7450 chipset. The processor should make the phone suitable for everyday use, multitasking, and gaming.

[caption id="attachment_711175" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Motorola Edge 70 Neo leaked render[/caption]

The camera setup is expected to be one of its key highlights. The phone could feature a 50MP Sony LYTIA 710 primary camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, accompanied by a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a 10MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. On the front, it could be equipped with a 50MP selfie camera. The upgrade here would be the ultra-wide camera from 13MP on the Edge 60 Neo to 50MP. 

The smartphone is also expected to pack a 5,000mAh or larger battery, with support for 68W wired charging and 15W wireless charging. The inclusion of wireless charging does add a premium feature to the mid-range segment. The Edge 70 Neo is also tipped to carry IP68 and IP69 ratings.

Motorola's Edge Neo series has traditionally focused on offering a more compact design and premium features in the mid-range segment. If you're looking for a compact Android phone with a strong camera setup, the Edge 70 Neo could be worth waiting for. The expected specs suggest a well-rounded mid-range phone with strong camera hardware and reliable performance, which could make it a good upgrade for those moving from an older mid-range phone. But we should still wait for official details before moving ahead with any buying decision. 

Q1. Amkette is one of the rare brands that not only survived the death of physical storage but thrived. What is the core DNA of Amkette that allows it to pivot so successfully when entire product categories go obsolete?

People often call our journey one of reinvention. I'd call it continuity of purpose.

For almost four decades, we've believed technology only creates value when it improves everyday life. As needs change, our job is to spot which emerging technologies are actually ready to serve them.

That thinking has taken us from storage to digital entertainment, gaming, productivity and now connected devices. We've never seen ourselves as a storage company or a gaming company - we're in the business of helping consumers adopt technology with confidence.

The other constant is that we try to evolve before circumstances force us to. We respect what got us here, but we don't get emotionally attached to a category. Every new technology gets the same question: how does this genuinely help our customer? Everything else follows from that.

Q2. You've previously mentioned that a vast majority of your active product portfolio didn't exist just three years ago. How do you keep your R&D and product development cycles nimble enough to match this kind of speed?

Innovation starts with observation, not engineering. Our teams spend a lot of time watching how people actually use technology - what frustrates them, where a new technology could genuinely help - before we build anything.

The first question is never "can we build this?" It's "will this meaningfully improve the experience?" If yes, we engineer it to our standards for reliability, usability and design.

Adopting every new technology isn't the goal; recognising which ones are actually ready to make a difference is. Speed matters, but speed without discipline doesn't create products people keep using. We try to move fast without cutting corners on quality.

Q3. Over the decades of transitioning from digital storage to digital entertainment and peripherals, what was a product or pivot that didn't go as planned, and what did that teach you about the Indian consumer?

EVO TV stands out. After Flash TV created a new category - letting people enjoy digital content on their TVs, we spent nearly two years building EVO TV, with a patented interface designed specifically for Indian users. It won the NDTV Gadget Guru Award for Consumer Electronics Product of the Year in 2013.

We were convinced we'd built something remarkable, and invested heavily in manufacturing and marketing. Commercially, it didn't work.

In hindsight, we had the right product but the wrong timing. Broadband penetration was low, internet quality was inconsistent, and the ecosystem simply wasn't ready - even though EVO TV could turn almost any TV into a smart TV.

It was a costly lesson, but an important one: innovation alone isn't enough, the ecosystem around it has to be ready too. It's a lesson that still shapes how we evaluate every major opportunity today.

Q4. What was the "aha!" moment that led Amkette to aggressively enter the gaming peripherals market with the EvoFox line?

There wasn't a single moment - it evolved. Early success with a few gaming controllers told us Indian gamers wanted products that combined performance, quality and value.

Things accelerated once my son Varun Bapna, who now leads Product Development and Technology at Amkette, got deeply involved. As an avid gamer himself, he brought an instinctive read on the gaming community that complemented our decades of engineering experience.

The result was EvoFox - a brand built around experience, not just specifications, that gamers could trust and aspire to own. The same philosophy runs through EvoFox, our XS productivity series and Mozen power: harness meaningful technology, engineer it well, and make it accessible to a much larger audience.

Q5. Indian gamers are incredibly value-conscious but also demand premium features (like hot-swappable switches in the Ronin series or Tri-mode connectivity). How does Amkette balance premium engineering with aggressive pricing?

Indian consumers expect both premium performance and real value - we see that as an engineering challenge, not a limitation.

For every feature, the question isn't "can we add it?" but "will it meaningfully improve the experience?" The hard part isn't adding features, it's choosing the right ones - the ones customers actually value, versus ones that just add cost and complexity.

Strong relationships across our design, engineering and manufacturing ecosystem let us optimise intelligently rather than simply cut costs. The goal has never been cheaper products - it's premium technology at a much larger scale.

Customer experience is everyone's job here. A bad customer experience genuinely bothers all of us, not just support, and that shows up in hundreds of decisions customers never see but feel every time they use our products.

Q6. As the gaming and esports community in India explodes, how is Amkette working directly with gamers to design the next generation of EvoFox products?

The gaming community is one of the most informed, demanding customer groups in tech - that's an advantage, not a challenge. We stay in continuous dialogue through reviews, online communities, our service teams and direct feedback, and some of our best product improvements have come straight from those conversations.

Varun brings the gamer's voice into our product discussions every day, so we judge products by the experience they deliver, not just the spec sheet. Our ambition isn't to launch more products - it's to build what Indian gamers want today and will expect tomorrow.

Q7. You are competing against global giants like Logitech and Razer. What is the unique advantage an Indian brand has when designing for the local market that global brands often miss?

We have real respect for Logitech, Razer and other global brands - they've contributed enormously to this industry. Our advantage is proximity: we don't have to imagine how Indians work, play or use technology, we live it.

Indian consumers are informed and aspirational - they want the latest technology, but expect it to deliver real value. Designing for India isn't about making things cheaper; it's understanding that balance of performance, reliability, design and affordability. Being close to the market also means faster feedback loops from consumers, retailers and reviewers.

We don't compete on price. We compete on relevance.

Q8. You've previously spoken about logistical challenges and policy inconsistencies in the Indian market. How has your approach to distribution, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, evolved to become a competitive moat against foreign brands?

Building a great product is only half the job - customers need to discover it, try it, buy it and get supported wherever they live. Early on, we started thinking about distribution the way an FMCG company would; we've often called ourselves a "Fast Moving Computer Goods" company. That pushed us to build a nationwide distribution and after-sales network well before it was common in our industry.

Consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are just as discerning as those in metros - many still want to see and try a product before buying, and dependable local support matters enormously. That's why we stay omnichannel: e-commerce and offline retail complement each other. Distribution isn't just logistics for us, it's part of the customer experience, and it's been one of Amkette's enduring strengths.

Q9. When global competitors have massive R&D budgets, how do you prioritise where to innovate, whether it's ergonomics, wireless technology, or battery life, to ensure Amkette products stand out on the shelf?

We don't have the R&D budgets of the world's largest tech companies, and we've never measured innovation by lab size or patent count. We innovate where customers actually feel the difference.

For any new technology, the question is "will this make the product meaningfully better?" not "how fast can we add it?" So our priorities shift by product - ergonomics in one, wireless performance or battery life in another - depending on where customers will notice the most improvement.

A lot of what matters is invisible: better components, thoughtful design, long-term reliability. Our strength is recognising which technologies are ready to create real value, then engineering them into products people enjoy using.

Q10. We've gone from storage to mobility, and now to gaming and smart convergence. Looking ahead to the next 5 to 10 years, what is the next major technological shift Amkette is preparing for?

Across four decades of shifts - from personal computing to entertainment, mobility, gaming, and connected devices one thing hasn't changed: what people value. Products that make life simpler, more productive, more enjoyable.

The next decade will be shaped by AI, intelligent peripherals and connected ecosystems - devices that are more personalised, more context-aware, better at anticipating what users need. For us, that's not about adding AI because it's fashionable; it's the same filter we've always used: does this genuinely improve everyday life?

The lines between productivity, gaming, content creation and smart living are also blurring, which opens up products that fit naturally into people's digital lives rather than serving one purpose. Whatever the next wave looks like, our approach stays the same: understand people first, technology second.

Q11. With the push for domestic manufacturing, how much of Amkette's future roadmap involves localising the manufacturing of complex electronics like mechanical keyboards and gamepads?

I'm far more optimistic about electronics manufacturing in India now than I was five years ago - demand has grown, and the ecosystem is maturing fast. Manufacturing isn't new to us either; we were among the first companies to manufacture floppy diskettes in India, so we understand both the opportunity and the difficulty of building here.

We already have solid manufacturing infrastructure, so we can expand localisation wherever it genuinely improves quality, responsiveness or competitiveness - in phases, not all at once. As the component ecosystem matures and volumes grow, more complex products will naturally become viable to build locally.

Our ambition isn't just to manufacture more in India - it's to build products from India that can compete with the best in the world.

Closing Reflection

Four decades in, one thing hasn't changed: our purpose. Technologies come and go, categories come and go, but the belief stays the same - technology should improve everyday life, not just impress people.

That belief took us from storage to entertainment, gaming, productivity and now connected devices. It's taught us when to move, when to wait, and how to turn new technology into products people genuinely enjoy. The next wave will bring things we can't fully predict today - our job will be the same as it's always been: understand people, engineer thoughtfully, and make technology feel simple and within reach.

Here's how the two phones compare in terms of battery life, performance or the overall multimedia experience.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: price, variants

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: design and durability

Both phones take a similar approach to durability, with polycarbonate frames and backs and IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings. The POCO X8 Power is slightly thicker at 8.65mm and weighs 229g, while the OnePlus Nord CE6 measures 8.5mm and weighs 215g. The OnePlus is therefore a little easier to carry, although the POCO's 20 percent larger battery makes its extra weight understandable.

The two phones also offer extra protection against drops and rough use. The POCO uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and comes with SGS and TÜV certifications, while the Nord CE6 uses Crystal Guard glass and also carries MIL-STD-810H certification. Both phones support wet-touch input as well, although POCO calls its implementation Wet Touch 2.0.

The OnePlus has a small advantage if you care about comfort, simply because it is lighter, but the POCO isn't much heavier or denser and gives you much better durability both front and back. Its combination of a huge battery and extensive protection makes the extra weight easier to overlook.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: display

Both phones come with large 1.5K AMOLED displays, so there isn't much to separate them when it comes to everyday use. The POCO X8 Power has a slightly larger 6.83-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the OnePlus Nord CE6 uses a 6.78-inch panel that goes up to 144Hz. Both displays should look sharp and colourful with full DCI-P3 coverage.

The POCO has a few advantages if you care about watching HDR content. It comes with a 12-bit panel (which in essence is actually a 10-bit panel) and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10, while the OnePlus uses a 10-bit panel and also supports HDR10. The Nord CE6 claims a slightly higher 3,600-nit peak brightness, but the POCO reaches 3,500 nits, so there shouldn't be a major difference here in practice.

Both phones also offer up to 3,200Hz instantaneous touch sampling for gaming. The OnePlus offers 3,840Hz PWM dimming, while the POCO uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection. The POCO phone here has a slight edge for media consumption because of its larger screen and Dolby Vision support, while the Nord CE6's 144Hz refresh rate could appeal more to gamers.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: battery

This is where the POCO X8 Power is clearly superior to its competitor. It packs a massive 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, compared with the 8,000mAh battery on the OnePlus Nord CE6. Both phones support fast charging, but the POCO goes up to 100W HyperCharge, while the Nord CE6 supports 80W SUPERVOOC. Both also support 27W reverse charging, so you can use either phone to top up another device when needed.

The POCO X8 Power also supports bypass charging, which sends power directly to the motherboard during gaming instead of constantly charging the battery. OnePlus offers the same feature on the Nord CE6, while both phones claim a six-year battery lifespan.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: Performance

The OnePlus Nord CE6 has the clear advantage when it comes to performance. It uses the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, while the POCO X8 Power runs on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5. Both chips use a 4nm process, but the Nord CE6 gets faster CPU cores and a more capable chipset overall, so it should handle demanding apps and games better.

Both phones offer 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, which should help with multitasking. Storage is, however, faster on the POCO's 256GB variant, which uses UFS 4.1, while the Nord CE6 uses UFS 3.1. Although the OnePlus uses a more advanced chipset, which tips the scales in its favour in terms of performance.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: camera

The OnePlus Nord CE6 also uses a 50MP main camera, along with a 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots. It does not have an ultra-wide or telephoto camera, while its 32MP autofocus selfie camera supports EIS. OnePlus also highlights 4K video recording from both the front and rear cameras. Here are some camera samples from the Nord CE6:

[smartslider3 slider=2118]

Camera performance, however, is difficult to judge from specifications alone, so it would be unfair to pick a clear winner based purely on the hardware. We'll have a better idea of how the POCO X8 Power actually performs once we've spent more time with it, so I'd recommend waiting for our dedicated review before making a decision based on the cameras.

POCO X8 Power vs OnePlus Nord CE6: software

The POCO X8 Power runs Android 16 with Xiaomi HyperOS 3, while the OnePlus Nord CE6 comes with Android 16 and OxygenOS 16. Both focus on smooth performance and keeping apps running in the background, with OnePlus using its RAM-Vitalisation feature on the Nord CE6.

However, POCO has a clear advantage when it comes to long-term software support. The X8 Power gets four years of major Android updates and six years of security updates, while the Nord CE6 gets two major Android upgrades and four years of security updates. That means the POCO should remain supported for considerably longer, which is worth considering if you plan to keep the phone for several years.

Final thoughts

The OnePlus Nord CE6 (review) is clearly ahead when it comes to performance. Its Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset gives it a decent advantage over the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 on the POCO X8 Power, so users who care most about gaming and raw performance should lean towards the OnePlus. However, the Nord CE6 starts at Rs 37,999 for the base variant, which is about Rs 2,000 higher than its rival.

The POCO X8 Power offers a lot more for the starting price of Rs 35,999. It has a much larger 10,000mAh battery, faster 100W charging, a display that is just as good or arguably better for media consumption, an ultra-wide camera and longer software support. It also costs less, which makes the performance advantage of the OnePlus feel less important when you look at the overall package.

The POCO X8 Power is the better choice for users looking for a more balanced phone. It gives up some performance but makes up for it with better battery life, charging, display features, camera flexibility and software support. If performance is your top priority and you're willing to pay more for it, the OnePlus Nord CE6 is the better option.

AI control: open platform, your choice of assistant

The most significant strategic announcement in Sonos 27 is its approach to AI. Rather than locking users into a single assistant, Sonos is supposedly opening its platform to any AI the listener prefers. Sonos 27voice is the company's own assistant built specifically for music and mood curation. Sonos 27mcp is the more interesting addition. It allows users to connect any external AI assistant or agent to the system, including OpenAI's ChatGPT.

In practice, this should mean, ideally, a user can ask ChatGPT to play music across rooms in their home without leaving an ongoing conversation in the ChatGPT interface.

Looking further ahead, Sonos also previewed Custom Agents. It's a feature that supposedly will let users build their own agents with custom models, personas, and voices, running through the Sonos system. It is an ambitious extension of the open platform philosophy. One that sets Sonos apart from smart home audio competitors that continue to operate within closed ecosystems.

Sonos Fabric: sound that moves with you

Sonos Fabric is the system-level capability that enables Sonos products to sense each other and adapt their roles accordingly. Two new features built on Fabric are rolling out this fall.

Headphone Linking connects Sonos Ace Ultra directly to the Sonos system. It allows listeners to push and pull audio between nearby speakers and their headphones. It supposedly makes the sound follow the listener rather than staying tied to a room. This launches as an Early Access feature.

Sonos Positioning Technology uses high-frequency sound to detect where a speaker is physically located and changes its role within the system based on that position. The practical application is that compatible portable speakers automatically become rear surrounds when moved into position behind a listening seat, without any manual configuration.

New hardware: Beam Ultra and Sonos Ace Ultra

Beam Ultra is a mid-size soundbar delivering true 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos, bringing full spatial audio to a more compact form factor than Sonos' larger soundbar offerings. Sonos Ace Ultra builds on the existing Ace headphone with hardware specifically designed for deeper system integration, including the Headphone Linking feature. Both products have been announced globally, but India availability dates are yet to be confirmed.

Sonos Play

The most immediately relevant announcement for Indian buyers is Sonos Play, arriving on September 8. The speaker is designed to function both as a permanent home speaker and a portable device. It connects over Wi-Fi for grouping across rooms, pairs for stereo, and supports Automatic Trueplay tuning that adapts sound to any environment. Battery life is rated at 24 hours, the build is IP67 waterproof, and a built-in power bank can charge a connected phone. A Charging Base anchors it at home when not on the move.

A notable first is the ability to group multiple Sonos Play or Move 2 speakers directly from a Bluetooth connection when away from home, extending the multi-room experience beyond the home network for the first time. The speaker is designed for longevity, with a replaceable battery and optimised power management.

Sonos 27 represents a deliberate shift in how the company positions itself. Rather than a collection of premium connected speakers, Sonos is building toward a home audio operating system, one where intelligence, adaptability, and openness are the defining characteristics rather than hardware quality alone. The open AI approach is the clearest expression of that direction, and it is a meaningful differentiator in a category where Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have historically required users to pick a side.

The Sonos Positioning Technology and portable surrounds feature are also worth noting as genuinely novel capabilities. The idea that a speaker can sense its own location and reconfigure its role in a system without user input is a hardware-software integration that most competitors are not yet attempting at this level.

For Indian buyers, Sonos Play on September 8 is the actionable launch. Pricing for India has not been confirmed at the time of writing.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: specs at a glance

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: price in India

Both Redmi 17 and Redmi Note 17 are offered in two storage configurations: 6GB RAM with 128GB storage and 8GB RAM with 128GB storage. With the Redmi Note 17 priced Rs 4,000 higher than the Redmi 17, does it offer any advantages? Find out below.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: display, design

The Redmi 17 5G and Redmi Note 17 5G both adopt a large, practical design focused on maximising screen size and battery capacity, but they differ noticeably in terms of appearance and weight. The Redmi 17 weighs 232g, making it heavier than the Note 17, which comes in at 225g.

Both use plastic frames and backs protected by Gorilla Glass 7i on the front, yet the Note 17 should be more manageable in the hand thanks to its reduced thickness. The Redmi 17's rectangular camera module protrudes more, while the Note 17's squarish camera island seems to be more flush with the body. Both phones also differ in colour options, where the Redmi 17 comes in Eternal Orange with a vegan leather back, Endless Blue, and Absolute Black, whereas the Note 17 arrives in Arctic Blue, Starlight Purple, and Dark Night.

On to the displays, this is where the Note 17 clearly has an edge as it offers a 6.9–inch FHD+ AMOLED display, while the Redmi 17 settles for an HD+ only LCD display. The high-resolution AMOLED panel on the Note 17 should offer punchier colours, deeper blacks, higher brightness and sharper details over the Redmi 17's LCD display. For smooth scrolling, both handsets get 120Hz refresh rates.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: chipset

Traditionally, the Redmi Note smartphone in a given year is equipped with a noticeably better chipset than the subsequent Redmi phone in the number series. However, this time around, Redmi has switched things up a bit by offering a newer and slightly more advanced processor on the Redmi 17 5G.

The phone carries the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5, a 4nm-based chip with up to 2.4GHz clock speeds and the Adreno 629 GPU, while the Redmi Note 17 runs on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 processor, also built on a 4nm process but clocked at 2.3GHz with the Adreno 613 GPU. While there shouldn't be a noticeable performance difference between the two smartphones in real-world use, the Redmi 17 could certainly have an edge in benchmark scores over the Note 17 due to its faster clock speeds and newer GPU.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: battery

The Redmi Note 17 5G has a slightly larger 8,000mAh battery, while the Redmi 17 5G packs a 7,900mAh cell. Charging is identical on both phones: 45W wired fast charging (charger included in the box) and 22.5W wired reverse charging. In terms of real-world endurance, the Redmi Note 17's extra 100mAh could give it a modest advantage, but since the Redmi 17's HD+ display has fewer pixels to push, both smartphones may end up offering the same level of endurance.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: cameras

The 50MP primary cameras on the Redmi 17 5G and Redmi Note 17 5G are virtually identical in hardware, as both offer an f/1.8 aperture, PDAF, and multiple modes, including Film Camera, Night mode, Auto night mode, Portrait mode, Time-lapse, and Dual camera recording. Furthermore, video recording is capped at 1080p at 30 fps on these smartphones.

Up front, the Redmi 17 has an 8MP front camera, while the Redmi Note 17 features a 16MP unit for video calls and selfies. Given the hardware on paper, the Note 17 should have an advantage in producing more reliable selfie results since the photography and videography capabilities using the primary lens appear to be the same.

Redmi 17 vs Redmi Note 17: software

Both phones launch with the same software, Android 16 out of the box, running Xiaomi's HyperOS 3. The overall user interface, animations, customisation options (themes, icons, widgets, lock screen styles), and AI features should essentially be identical. You'll find the familiar HyperOS experience on both, including the usual set of pre-installed apps.

Regarding software updates, both the Redmi 17 and Redmi Note 17 are promised four major OS upgrades and six years of security patch updates. With higher-priced phones above Rs 30,000 limited to three OS updates, it's good to see Redmi priorising software longevity, making both phones ideal for those planning to keep them for long term. Since these handsets launched within the same timeframe, they should reach their end of life (EOL) at roughly the same time, meaning you won't gain any advantage in update longevity by choosing one over the other.

Summing up

The Redmi 17, while more affordable, features a newer, more advanced processor, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5, offering more headroom for performance-oriented tasks in the long term. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 chipset found on the Redmi Note 17 should be equally capable for day-to-day tasks, but may not offer the same level of raw performance as the Redmi 17.

On the other hand, if you're into watching OTT content and YouTube content, spending the extra Rs 4,000 on the Note 17 should be worth it, thanks to the AMOLED panel on board. On the contrary, if the display quality is of little concern to you, settling for the Redmi 17 at Rs 23,999 should also do the job. Other key parameters, such as battery life, cameras, and software, are nearly identical across both handsets, resulting in the same experience regardless of your choice.

• Lenovo has launched new ThinkBook laptops with a focus on local AI and portability.
• The ThinkCentre X Ultra brings powerful local AI performance to a compact desktop.
• New ThinkVision monitors add smarter features for hybrid work and collaboration.

[/highlights]

Lenovo has expanded its commercial lineup at IFA 2026 with new ThinkBook laptops and ThinkCentre desktops targeting businesses that are starting to use AI more in their everyday work. The ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 and ThinkBook 14x Gen 2 take slightly different approaches, with the former focusing on on-device AI performance and the latter putting more emphasis on a lightweight, portable design.

Lenovo has also introduced new ThinkCentre desktops, including the ThinkCentre X Ultra, a compact machine designed for more demanding local AI workloads. Alongside it are the more mainstream ThinkCentre M75s Gen 6 and tiny M75q Gen 6, which bring local AI capabilities to everyday business PCs while taking up less space.

New ThinkBook laptops

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 is aimed at professionals who want a portable laptop but still need plenty of local AI power. It runs on Snapdragon X2 Plus processors with up to 80 TOPS of AI performance and comes with a 14-inch WUXGA display with 400 nits brightness and optional touch support. It starts at 1.3kg and is 17.7mm thick, while Lenovo claims up to 26 hours of local video playback.

The laptop also supports Copilot+ PC features and Lenovo Qira, including tools such as Pay Attention and Catch Me Up that can help with meetings and catching up on missed conversations.

The 80 TOPS claim is a key highlight here, as it gives the laptop plenty of local AI compute without needing a larger, heavier machine. For people who spend their time moving between the office, home and meetings, that combination of portability and on-device AI makes quite a bit of sense.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14x Gen 2

The ThinkBook 14x Gen 2 takes a slightly different approach, with a much slimmer and lighter design. It is just 12.9mm thick and weighs 990g, making it easier to carry around, while Intel Core 7 Series 3 processors provide the performance for everyday work.

It also gets OLED display options, optional LCD touch support and four colour choices: Luna Grey, Celestial White, Mystic Violet and Veil Blue. At 990g, the 14x is clearly for professionals who carry their laptop around all day. The colourful finishes are also a nice change from the usual grey business laptops, although the actual appeal here is simply getting a full-sized Windows machine that is this light.

Latest ThinkCentre workstations

Lenovo ThinkCentre X Ultra

The Lenovo ThinkCentre X Ultra is the more powerful option here, built for businesses that want to handle demanding AI workloads locally. It uses up to AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 processors with up to 128GB of unified memory, all packed into a compact 1.6-litre chassis. Lenovo also allows up to four X Ultra systems to work together, giving businesses more computing power for larger AI models, longer context windows and multi-agent workloads.

The ability to connect four of these machines is arguably the main draw here. Instead of buying one large workstation every time AI workloads grow, businesses could potentially add more systems as their needs increase. That makes the compact size a lot more useful than it might seem at first.

The desktop works with AMD Ryzen AI Developer Center, which gives users access to preconfigured AI tools, models and workflows on both Windows and Linux. Lenovo has also added ThinkShield security, AMD PRO technologies and AMD DASH manageability, while its cooling system keeps the compact machine running quietly during heavier workloads.

Lenovo ThinkCentre M75s Gen 6 and M75q Gen 6

For more everyday business use, Lenovo has also refreshed its ThinkCentre lineup with the M75s Gen 6 and M75q Gen 6. The M75s is a small-form-factor desktop with up to AMD Ryzen AI PRO 400 Series processors and 50 TOPS of local AI performance, while the much smaller M75q can sit behind a monitor or even inside a desk drawer.

Despite their compact designs, both desktops support flexible setups, with the M75q supporting up to 64GB of memory and four displays. The M75q is probably the more intriguing option for modern offices, where desk space is often constrained. Being able to hide the PC behind a monitor while driving up to four displays makes it a practical fit for cramped workspaces without giving up a multi-screen setup.

Lenovo ThinkVision monitors

Lenovo has also expanded its ThinkVision lineup with new monitors designed to make hybrid work and collaboration easier. The ThinkVision P34WD-4v is a 34-inch curved WQHD monitor with Thunderbolt 4 docking, a built-in 5MP camera and AI-powered features such as automatic framing, speaker adjustment and Windows Hello sign-in.

The P27UL-40 takes a more display-focused approach with a 27-inch UHD InkJet Printing OLED panel, 99 percent DCI-P3 coverage and DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, while also adding eye-comfort features and remote management tools for IT teams.

Lenovo has also brought the ThinkVision T32UD-4v and T34WD-4v, which offer larger 4K and ultrawide displays, USB-C docking with up to 100W power delivery, Microsoft Teams certification and AI-powered comfort and privacy features.

• Lenovo has unveiled the new IdeaPad Vibe series with Snapdragon X processors. 
• The Yoga Pro 9n and Yoga 9n 2-in-1 bring NVIDIA RTX Spark to Lenovo's consumer lineup. 
• Lenovo has also introduced new Yoga tablets and the IdeaCentre AIO i.

[/highlights]

Lenovo has expanded its consumer portfolio at IFA 2026 with new laptops across its Yoga and IdeaPad Vibe series. The Yoga range focuses on premium performance, local AI and creative workloads, with the new Yoga Pro 9n and Yoga 9n 2-in-1 bringing NVIDIA RTX Spark to Lenovo's consumer lineup. The IdeaPad Vibe series is Lenovo's answer to the new Macbook Neo, with fun colourways and a Snapdragon X series processor for longer battery life. Let's look at it in detail below.

Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe

The Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe is arguably the most interesting part of the company's new consumer lineup, particularly as Lenovo is targetting a younger audience with a focus on portability, battery life and personalisation.

Available in 14-inch and 15-inch versions, the laptops come in seven colour options developed with the Pantone Institute, including Dreamy Violet, Spicy Gold, Zen Green and Chill Blue. The idea is that a laptop can be a personal accessory as much as a productivity device, with optional customisable keycaps adding another way to personalise the machine.

The IdeaPad Vibe is powered by Snapdragon X processors and comes with Copilot+ PC features, with select models offering up to 24GB of memory. Lenovo is promising all-day battery life in a lightweight metal chassis starting at 1.3kg, while on-device AI features can handle tasks such as real-time translation, video conferencing effects, content creation and privacy enhancements.

OLED models offer up to 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage, while IPS versions can offer a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 100 percent sRGB coverage. Lenovo also offers up to AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series processors on select models, with up to 32GB of upgradeable memory and 1TB SSD expansion.

The IdeaPad Vibe's combination of colourful designs, lightweight hardware and long battery life seems to be Lenovo's answer to the MacBook Neo, particularly for students and younger users who want something distinct. The Snapdragon X variants should also benefit from the platform's focus on power efficiency, while Lenovo is giving buyers more hardware choices than a typical thin-and-light laptop. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe will be available starting October 2026, with an expected starting price of 799€ (roughly Rs 88,000).

New Lenovo YOGA series 

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n (15-inch)

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n is the flagship offering of the new Yoga lineup, targeting creators and developers who need a lot of local computing power in a relatively portable machine. It is powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark with up to 128GB of 9400 MT/s unified memory, allowing users to run AI models locally alongside demanding workloads such as software development, high-resolution video editing and 3D rendering. Lenovo says the RTX platform can also coordinate multiple AI agents to automate more complex creative tasks rather than simply accelerating individual AI features.

The Yoga Pro 9n also brings RTX gaming to the same machine, making it a more versatile option for users who want one laptop for both work and entertainment. Lenovo's X Power thermal system is designed to maintain performance during demanding workloads, while the PureSight Pro OLED display focuses on colour accuracy and detail.

Other features include a 9.2MP IR camera, a haptic Force Pad with pen support and creator-focused connectivity. Lenovo positions it as the performance-focused Yoga for users who want local AI, RTX gaming and high-end creative workloads in one device.

Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1 (16-inch)

The Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1 takes a different approach and combines NVIDIA RTX Spark with up to 64GB of 9400 MT/s unified memory in a convertible design. The 16-inch laptop can switch between Laptop, Tablet, Tent, Stand and Canvas modes, while its PureSight Pro OLED display supports a 120Hz variable refresh rate. It also supports local AI and creative workloads, including applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro and ComfyUI.

Its main highlight is the dual-surface pen experience. Users can write or draw on either the OLED display or the haptic Force Pad using the Yoga Pen Gen 2, which supports tilt sensitivity, palm rejection and customisable controls. The laptop also gets a six-speaker Dolby Atmos system with a rotating soundbar, along with creator-focused connectivity and imaging features.

New Yoga tablets

Lenovo has also introduced the Yoga Tab Plus Gen 2 and Yoga Tab Gen 2, with both tablets focusing on pen-based creation, AI features and entertainment. The Yoga Tab Plus Gen 2 gets a 13-inch 4K PureSight Pro display and Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, while the smaller 11-inch Yoga Tab Gen 2 uses the MediaTek Dimensity 9500s and weighs 480g.

Both support Lenovo's AI tools, including Qira, AI Vision, AI Note and Live Transcript, along with the Tab Pen Pro 2 and features such as gesture controls, tilt detection and palm rejection. They also run Android 17 and will receive seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates through 2033.

Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO i

Lenovo has also refreshed its IdeaCentre AIO i for everyday home use, with 23.8-inch and 27-inch Full HD display options supporting up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 350 nits brightness. It uses Intel Core Series 3 processors with up to 40 platform TOPS of AI performance, supports up to 32GB of LPDDR5x memory and dual SSDs, and comes in several colour options, including Dreamy Violet, Radiant Coral and Zen Green.

Lenovo has also redesigned the AIO without the traditional bulky computing section behind the display, giving it a cleaner look, while features such as an adjustable stand, optional 5MP IR camera, Harman audio, six USB ports and optional wireless charging make it more suitable for everyday family use.

• NVIDIA has announced new tools for running AI agents locally, including its Personal AI Router.
• RTX Spark PCs from partners such as Lenovo and Acer are coming in October.

[/highlights]

NVIDIA has announced new tools and hardware for running AI agents locally at IFA 2026, with a focus on making local AI easier to set up and use on PCs with NVIDIA hardware. The company says its new RTX Spark Windows PCs will give AI enthusiasts, developers and creators another way to run AI agents locally. Let's look at what's been announced in more detail below.

NVIDIA Spark updates at IFA

For those unfamiliar with AI agents, the idea is essentially to move beyond a chatbot that only answers questions. A local AI agent can use tools and perform tasks on your behalf, which could be useful for things such as research, coding, content creation or repetitive work.

This approach is also helpful for small businesses that want to automate parts of their workflows while keeping their data on local hardware instead of sending everything to the cloud. NVIDIA's Personal AI Router takes ideas forward by distributing AI workloads across compatible PCs on the same local network.

For example, a more powerful desktop could handle a demanding AI task while you use your laptop for other things, giving you access to more local computing power without buying a dedicated AI machine.

There is one fairly big assumption here, though. NVIDIA's approach seems to assume that users have other capable PCs sitting around and available whenever an AI task needs them. That might work well in a home office or enthusiast setup, but consumer PCs are often treated more like personal gadgets than always-on machines.

Most people are very unlikely to leave a desktop or laptop running all day simply so another device can use its spare computing power, especially when we account for power conservation. PAIR is therefore an alternate option rather than something most users will necessarily use all the time. For enthusiasts who already have multiple capable PCs at home, however, it could provide a way to get more out of their existing hardware without buying a completely separate AI setup.

Since August, the company has also added support for several larger open models that can run on its local hardware, including Nemotron 3.5 Lightning, Qwen models, Meta's Muse Glimmer and DeepSeek v4 Flash. NVIDIA has also highlighted local video generation through models such as LTX 2.5 and MiniMax-H3, while optimisations for llama.cpp and vLLM can deliver up to 1.9x faster local inference.

RTX Spark beyond AI

NVIDIA RTX Spark is also being set up as more than just an AI development platform. The compact Windows PCs, which are coming from partners including Lenovo and Acer in October, are also getting support from major game developers. EA, Embark Studios and Ubisoft are among the publishers and developers bringing their games to RTX Spark, giving the platform another use beyond running AI models.

When it was first revealed, RTX Spark also looked like the latest alternative to the Apple Mac ecosystem for Windows users. NVIDIA was pitching it as a way to combine the power efficiency and compact designs associated with Arm-based PCs and Apple silicon with the gaming and creator capabilities of its RTX platform. That means users can get access to demanding workloads and features such as ray tracing and DLSS, which remain a major advantage over Apple's Macs.

The addition of gaming support makes that idea a lot more feasible. Rather than serving mainly as a compact PC for developers and AI enthusiasts, RTX Spark could eventually handle gaming, content creation and local AI on a single machine. That gives it a much broader appeal, particularly for users who want a small Windows PC without giving up the gaming capabilities and software ecosystem that come with NVIDIA hardware.

• OnePlus Ace 7 could debut alongside the Ace 7T.
• It's tipped to feature an active cooling fan.
• The Ace 7 hasn't been officially confirmed yet. 

[/highlights]

OnePlus could be preparing another performance-focused flagship for its Ace lineup. This could be the OnePlus Ace 7, which is expected to offer hardware such as a 185Hz refresh rate, a 200MP camera, and more. If accurate, it would be the first phone from the Ace 7 series, succeeding the current Ace 6 lineup. OnePlus offers dedicated performance and gaming hardware as part of its Ace series. 

OnePlus Ace 7 specifications

A new leak from tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed specifications of a OnePlus engineering prototype powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with the device expected to launch as the OnePlus Ace 7. According to the leak, the phone will feature a 6.78-inch flat OLED display with a 1.5K resolution and an unusually high 185Hz refresh rate, which means smoother graphics for gaming. The prototype is also said to include an active cooling fan, pointing towards a gaming-focused design rather than a conventional flagship.

The Ace 7 could be offered with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Camera hardware is also expected to be substantial, with a 200MP primary sensor and a 50MP secondary camera on the rear, while selfies could be handled by a 16MP front camera. OnePlus has yet to reveal the battery specifications. However, the Ace 6 featured a 7,800mAh battery, so an 8,000mAh-plus capacity is possible for its successor, although this remains speculation.

The Ace 7 is expected to run Android 17 with ColorOS 17 and could sit alongside the upcoming Ace 7T. OnePlus is reportedly developing the latter with the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 6, while the Ace 7 is expected to use last year's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

If these specifications materialise, the Ace 7 could appeal strongly to mobile gamers and performance enthusiasts, particularly with its high-refresh-rate screen and active cooling. If you're on an Ace 5, the jump to 185Hz and Elite Gen 5 would be substantial, but Ace 6 users might find the upgrade less critical unless active cooling is a must-have. However, buyers should wait for official confirmation of the battery, charging speeds, pricing, and global availability before considering it over the company's mainstream flagship.

• Google Pixel 12 Pro Fold is tipped to use a dual-UTG OLED display.
• The same display technology is reportedly being considered for Apple's first foldable iPhone Ultra.
• OPPO and Vivo are also working with Samsung Display on dual-UTG panels.

[/highlights]

Google's latest foldable, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, has barely arrived, but its successor is already shaping up to fix one of the Fold's most visible shortcomings. The Pixel 12 Pro Fold is reportedly being developed with a dual-UTG display that could make the inner crease far less noticeable, following the same display construction reportedly planned for Apple's first foldable iPhone, which launches next week.

The change would also bring Google closer to rivals such as OPPO and Samsung, which have been putting more emphasis on reducing the crease in their premium foldables.

Pixel 12 Pro Fold could be crease-less

According to a report from The Elec, Google, OPPO and Vivo are working with Samsung Display on next-generation foldable panels using a dual ultra-thin glass, or UTG, structure. Apple's first foldable iPhone is reportedly set to use the same basic construction when it arrives next week. The design places one UTG layer above the OLED panel and another underneath it. The lower layer provides additional support and helps distribute the stress created when the screen folds. The goal is to reduce deformation around the hinge and make the crease less visible.

That is particularly relevant for Google. The newly launched Pixel 11 Pro Fold already has a larger bend radius and thicker glass layer intended to improve crease performance, but early reviews suggest the improvement still leaves it behind some rivals. Google's official specifications confirm that its inner 8-inch display uses UTG and runs at up to 120Hz.

Samsung is taking a different structural route with its latest foldables. Its Flex Titanium technology uses a titanium-alloy film and flexible titanium plate beneath the OLED panel to support the display while reducing crease visibility. The development reflects a wider industry push to make foldable screens look more like conventional displays, with different manufacturers experimenting with their own solutions.

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has already moved forward with a thinner, lighter design, improved durability and a less prominent crease, but the display remains an area where competitors have made bigger strides. If the Pixel 12 Pro Fold adopts dual UTG as reported, Google would be following a technology that Apple is expected to use in its first foldable rather than trying to maintain its own separate display solution. That could make the crease much less of a talking point for the next Pixel Fold.

The report puts OPPO and Vivo's dual-UTG foldables in the first half of 2027, while Google's next foldable is expected in the second half, likely around August. The current model brings substantial improvements in durability and design, and Google has already improved its crease compared with earlier generations. But if a near-invisible crease is high on your foldable wishlist, the Pixel 12 Pro Fold could be worth watching before committing to Google's latest model.

• Dell has launched the new Dell 14S, a lightweight 1.15kg laptop with up to a 2.8K 120Hz display and a claimed 21-hour battery life.
• The Alienware 32 4K OLED features a 32-inch 4K OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate.
• Alienware has also introduced a 25-inch 560Hz QD-OLED monitor for competitive gamers.

[/highlights]

Dell has expanded its lineup at IFA 2026 with a laptop and OLED gaming monitors. The lineup includes the Dell 14S, a thin and lightweight everyday laptop designed for students and young users, alongside two new Alienware OLED monitors targeting both immersive gaming and competitive esports. Here's a closer look at what was revealed at IFA 2026, including their key specifications, features, pricing and availability.

Dell 14S

The Dell 14S is a thin and lightweight Windows laptop aimed at students, young adults and users who want a simple everyday machine. It weighs 1.15kg and is 13.5mm thick, with an aluminium chassis and four colour options: Linen, Dusty Rose, Washed Denim and Velvet Green.

The overall design also feels like Dell has taken note of the MacBook Neo and its focus on portability, colour and younger users. The 14S is clearly built around the idea of being easy to carry around and personal enough to appeal to students, rather than simply packing in the most powerful hardware possible. The colourful finishes in particular make this feel like a response to the growing interest in more lifestyle-focused laptops.

The laptop comes with Intel Core 5 and Core 7 Series 3 processors and two display options. The higher-end model gets a 2.8K 120Hz panel, while the other uses a 2K 60Hz display. Dell claims up to 21 hours of Netflix streaming, which makes battery life another major focus. It also gets an FHD webcam, dual far-field microphones, stereo speakers and Wi-Fi 6E. The Dell 14S will be available in North America this autumn, although Dell has not announced its price yet.

Alienware OLED gaming monitors

Alienware has expanded its OLED monitor lineup with two displays aimed at very different types of gamers. The Alienware 32 4K OLED (AW3226Q) focuses on high-resolution gaming and immersive visuals, while the Alienware 25 560Hz QD-OLED (AW2527HX) targets competitive FPS and esports players who prioritise speed and motion clarity.

Alienware 32 4K OLED

The Alienware 32 4K OLED features a flat 32-inch 4K RGB Stripe Tandem OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms grey-to-grey response time. The panel reaches up to 1,000 nits peak HDR brightness, covers 99 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space and comes factory-calibrated to Delta E<2. It also supports VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 and Dolby Vision for HDR content.

Alienware has designed the monitor for both PC and console gaming, with HDMI 2.1 FRL support allowing it to run 4K at the full 165Hz refresh rate. It also supports NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync. The monitor gets USB-C connectivity with 15W charging and a three-year warranty that includes OLED burn-in coverage.

Alienware 25 560Hz QD-OLED

The Alienware 25 560Hz QD-OLED is built specifically for competitive gaming. It uses a 24.5-inch QD-OLED panel with a 560Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms grey-to-grey response time, making it Alienware's fastest monitor yet. DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.5 provides the bandwidth needed to run at the full refresh rate without DSC, while the display also supports VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 and reaches up to 1,500 nits peak brightness.

Alienware developed the monitor with input from Team Liquid's professional esports players, with several design features aimed at competitive setups. These include a telescopic stand, height and rotation markers, a compact base, a dedicated esports button for quickly switching between 4:3 and 3:2 aspect ratios, and a rear headset hanger. Alienware also uses a graphite heat-spreading layer and an AI-based system to reduce the risk of OLED burn-in. The monitor is scheduled to launch in early 2027.

Should you consider these new products?

Dell's new IFA lineup covers a fairly wide range of users, so the right choice depends heavily on what you need. The Dell 14S seems to be a promising everyday laptop for students and young users, particularly if its lightweight design and claimed 21-hour battery life check out in real-world use. However, Dell has not revealed its price yet, so its value will depend on where it sits against similarly portable laptops from brands such as Lenovo, HP and ASUS.

The Alienware monitors are a lot more specialised. The Alienware 32 4K OLED makes more sense for gamers who want a high-end display that combines 4K resolution, OLED picture quality and a 165Hz refresh rate, while the Alienware 25 560Hz QD-OLED is clearly for competitive players who can actually take advantage of an extremely high refresh rate. Both are impressive machines, but their premium positioning means they are likely to make the most sense for enthusiasts rather than everyday users.

• iQOO 16 is tipped to feature a 6.85-inch 2K+ OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate.
• The phone could use Samsung Display's newer M16 material and LEAD technology.
• iQOO 16 is expected to add more advanced mobile ray tracing through its Q4 chip.

[/highlights]

The iQOO 15 already had one of the most gaming-focused displays on a mainstream flagship, but iQOO apparently isn't ready to slow down. The upcoming iQOO 16 is tipped to pair a newer Samsung OLED material with next-generation LEAD technology, while pushing the refresh rate from 144Hz to 165Hz. It could also introduce more advanced ray tracing features for mobile gamers.

According to tipster Digital Chat Station (via), the iQOO 16 will be the first Android smartphone to use Samsung Display's M16 emissive material alongside a new-generation LEAD display technology. The phone is expected to launch in China by the end of September or early October.

iQOO 16 display tipped

The iQOO 15 uses a 6.85-inch 2K Samsung M14 LEAD OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, making the display one of its headline features. iQOO claims the polariser-free technology delivers higher light transmission, lower power consumption and a longer panel lifespan. The iQOO 16 is tipped to keep the same 6.85-inch size and 2K-class resolution, but move to Samsung's newer M16 material and raise the refresh rate to 165Hz. The latest LEAD implementation reportedly uses a nano-lithography filter structure instead of a conventional polarising layer. The claimed gains include 40 percent higher light transmission, 44 percent lower power consumption and a 50 percent increase in panel lifespan.

Notably, the same M16 and LEAD display technology is reportedly being considered for Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra. That phone would use the technology in a very different form factor, but the fact that both devices could adopt the same display direction highlights how advanced Samsung's latest OLED technology may be.

The display is only half of iQOO's plan. The company's new Q4 chip is reportedly designed to add virtual point light sources and HDR to mobile games, enabling more advanced real-time lighting effects. It could also generate game screenshots at up to 8K resolution, with supported games expected to offer additional visual controls. The iQOO 15 already uses a dedicated Q3 chip for real-time ray tracing, 2K game super resolution and frame interpolation up to 144 FPS. The 16 therefore appears to be extending the same gaming strategy rather than simply adding a faster processor. Earlier leaks point to a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, an 8,500mAh battery, 100W wired charging and a redesigned camera module with a much more futuristic look than the iQOO 15.

The iQOO 16 will launch in the coming weeks. For existing iQOO 15 owners, the upgrade may not be essential unless the faster display and new gaming features matter. But for buyers shopping specifically for a gaming flagship, waiting for the iQOO 16 makes sense. The bigger question for Indian buyers is whether they will get the phone at all, as its local launch remains unconfirmed.

• OPPO A7 Pro might launch with a single rear camera.
• The smartphone features a stylish design with a patterned finish.
• The A7 Pro is set to debut in China on September 11th.

[/highlights]

OPPO launched its first 10,000mAh phone, the OPPO A7 Pro Max, in China last month. It has now announced the launch of another battery-focused phone, the OPPO A7 Pro. The smartphone will make its debut in China on September 11th. The phone will also go on sale in the country on the same day. While OPPO has yet to reveal the complete specifications, its battery is already shaping up to be one of the phone's biggest highlights.

OPPO A7 Pro specifications

The OPPO A7 Pro will pack an 8,000mAh battery, putting it firmly in the large-battery segment and making it an interesting option for users who prioritise endurance. It would likely compete with phones from brands like POCO and Realme, known to offer large battery phones in the budget segment. The phone will also feature an OLED display and ship with ColorOS 16, although OPPO has not yet disclosed details such as the screen size, resolution, or refresh rate. According to its TENAA listing, though, the A7 Pro is expected to feature a 6.57-inch FHD OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

For durability, the smartphone will carry an IP69K rating, suggesting that OPPO is targeting buyers who want stronger protection against dust and water.

OPPO's teaser also offers a first look at the design. The A7 Pro appears to feature a single rear camera inside a horizontal, pill-shaped camera module, with an LED flash sitting alongside it. The rear panel gets a distinctive wave-like pattern, while the front has a centrally positioned hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera. The setup could include a 50MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera.

The smartphone could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 chipset with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. This chipset should be good enough for everyday tasks but not for power users. The 8,000mAh battery could also be paired with 80W wired charging support. 

The A7 Pro could appeal to buyers who want long battery life, a slightly compact OLED screen, and a durable build. However, the single rear camera suggests that photography may not be its primary selling point. The chipset might also be underwhelming if we're talking about raw performance. The OPPO A7 Pro seems more targeted at the budget segment, with battery as its highlight.

If you're currently using a phone with less than 5,000mAh and battery life is critical, this could be a significant upgrade, but consider its camera limitations. We should still wait for reviews and comparisons before making a buying decision. More specifications should be revealed ahead of the September 11th launch.

• Xiaomi 18 Fold is set to debut on September 7th.
• The foldable will be powered by Xiaomi's Xring O3, a 3nm deca-core chipset.
• It was showcased first at IFA 2026 in Berlin. 

[/highlights]

Xiaomi is preparing to unveil its next-generation foldable, the Xiaomi 18 Fold, in China on September 7th. The company also showcased the upcoming device at IFA 2026, where we got a closer look at its new form factor and some of the hardware upgrades Xiaomi is bringing to its foldable lineup. This design is also similar to the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold8 and the upcoming iPhone Ultra. Ahead of the official launch, Xiaomi has revealed key details of the 18 Fold. 

Xiaomi 18 Fold specifications

One of the biggest changes is the 7.58-inch inner display, which adopts a 2:1 aspect ratio designed to resemble standard paper. The 2:1 aspect ratio is a notable departure from the taller, narrower screens found on standard foldables, potentially offering a more traditional tablet-like experience. The outer cover screen measures 5.38 inches, while the inner panel reaches up to 4,000 nits of brightness and features an AR film for reduced reflections and improved clarity.

The display also uses double-layer UTG ultra-thin glass, while its touch layer incorporates a flexible organic material designed to improve impact resistance. With this form factor, the Xiaomi 18 Fold gives the compact feeling when folded and the large tablet-like experience when unfolded.

Xiaomi is using its new-generation Dragon Bone Hinge, featuring a three-level linkage structure for full-fit protection. The foldable gets a 7-series aluminium alloy frame with Xiaomi Dragon Crystal Glass 3.0 on both the front and rear.

The Xiaomi 18 Fold is also confirmed to feature a 200MP primary camera and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens. The horizontal camera strip also houses a third sensor, an LED flash, and Leica branding. Under the hood, the foldable will be powered by Xiaomi's Xring O3, a 3nm deca-core chipset, paired with up to 16GB of RAM. It will also be among the first smartphones to use CXMT's new LPDDR6 memory. The device is expected to run HyperOS 4 based on Android 17.

Despite its slim foldable form factor, Xiaomi has fitted a 6,000mAh Jinshajiang battery, with 67W wired and 50W wireless charging. 

It's clear that Xiaomi is launching a powerful foldable with this new form factor, which seems to be the latest trend for upcoming foldables. Its custom chip promises impressive raw performance, while the battery is among the largest on a foldable. All this could make the Xiaomi 18 Fold worth buying if you're interested in this form factor and still want flagship hardware.

If you own an older Xiaomi foldable, the 18 Fold's new hinge and battery might be a compelling upgrade, but you might still want to wait for reviews to see if the software experience matches up.

• Infinix Hot 70 Pro comes in four colourways, each deploying unique finishes.
• The Active Matrix Cube (AMC) is a small LED display on the back panel of the Infinix Hot 70 Pro.
• The smartphone will be available for purchase on Flipkart and Infinix's website.

[/highlights]

In an attempt to cater to the sub-Rs 30,000 segment, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro launches as the brand's first Hot-series smartphone with a customisable back panel display. Featuring multiple colour shades, each incorporating unique rear finishes and aesthetics, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro targets young audiences and content creators seeking a stylish yet durable smartphone for everyday use.

Infinix Hot 70 Pro price, availability, sale

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro features two storage variants, and its pricing is as follows:

The four colour options for the Hot 70 Pro include Thermo Orange, which changes the back panel's colour based on temperature; Mirage Green adapts to nighttime conditions; Silk Glow Purple changes patterns when tilted; and Dive Blue features a matte finish. Every colour variant incorporates a small display on the rear called the Active Matrix Cube (AMC).

The Hot 70 Pro goes on sale starting September 7th on Flipkart with an instant Rs 2,000 off for Axis, HDFC, ICICI and SBI Bank credit and debit cardholders. On the other hand, the device is up for pre-order on Infinix's website starting today.

Infinix Hot 70 Pro specifications overview

The Infinix Hot 70 Pro gets a 6.76-inch FullHD+ LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 2344 and a 144Hz refresh rate. For brightness, the phone reaches 910 nits in HBM, while the typical brightness remains at 760 nits. Despite having an LCD panel, the Hot 70 Pro comes with an Always On Display (AOD) that lights up when you pick up the phone, revealing the time, date, and notifications without turning on the display.

Powering the Infinix Hot 70 Pro is the MediaTek Dimensity 7100, the same chipset that runs on the Infinix Note Edge. From our daily experience with the Note Edge, the processor should suffice for most casual to medium workflows and even deliver fluent performance in most popular titles, such as Clash Royale and BGMI, in medium-level graphical settings.

[caption id="attachment_713839" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Infinix Hot 70 Pro in Thermo Orange and Silk Glow Purple[/caption]

In terms of optics, the Hot 70 Pro houses the 50MP 1/1.95-inch Sony IMX882 primary camera, which is significantly superior to phones with 50MP 1/2.88-inch or 1/2.76-inch sensors in the same price segment, such as the POCO M8 Power. A larger sensor allows more light to enter, resulting in clearer, sharper images, especially in low light. Up front, there's an 8MP selfie camera. The phone can shoot video at up to 2K at 30 fps using both the front and rear cameras.

Running on Android 16-based XOS 16 software, the Hot 70 deploys tons of customisation features on the home screen and lockscreen, while Infinix AI incorporates features like AI Call Assistant, AI Writing, AI Recording Summary, AI Subtitles, and more to aid users in their daily workflows and productivity.

Powering the device is a decently sized 6,000mAh battery with 45W charging support. Compared to the competition, this is an area where the Hot 70 Pro appears to fall short, since both the POCO M8 Power and Moto G77 Power feature 8,000mAh and 7,000mAh batteries, respectively. Nonetheless, the device should be able to comfortably offer a day's worth of use.

[caption id="attachment_713840" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Infinix Hot 70 Pro in Mirage Green[/caption]

On to the additional features: the Active Matrix Cube display on the rear of the Hot 70 Pro can receive alerts, calls, and notifications, and users can also customise it to display their own creations. This is an implementation similar to the Infinix Note 60 Pro, but in a smaller form. Apart from that, the IP68 rating ensures the phone stays protected from light water splashes and dust, while a dedicated microSD card slot allows users to expand the storage.

How does the Infinix Hot 70 Pro fare against the competition?

Starting at Rs 24,999, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro directly rivals the POCO M8 Power and the Moto G77 Power. While the POCO smartphone features a more vibrant AMOLED panel and a larger 8,000mAh battery, it settles for a smaller 50MP 1/2.76-inch primary camera sensor. Meaning that, theoretically, the Hot 70 Pro with a larger sensor should capture sharper images.

On the other hand, the Moto G77 Power's LCD display is limited to HD+, giving the Hot 70 Pro an edge in terms of display sharpness and clarity. On the other hand, the Moto G77 Power gains a larger 7,000mAh battery. Overall, the Infinix Hot 70 Pro appears to be a balanced offering under Rs 25,000 and can be worth considering for its variety of colour options, fun elements like the Active Matrix Cube, and capable camera hardware.

• OPPO Find X10 Pro Max is reportedly launching in India as the Find X10 Pro, with model number CPH2913.
• The actual OPPO Find X10 Pro may remain China-exclusive.
• The standard Find X10 is already BIS-certified and is tipped to offer a 200MP main camera and a 200MP periscope camera.

[/highlights]

OPPO appears to be reshuffling its upcoming flagship Find X10 lineup for the Indian market. While the standard Find X10 was already known to have received BIS certification, a new listing now points to the Find X10 Pro Max also heading to India. The catch is that it will reportedly be sold as the Find X10 Pro, while the actual Find X10 Pro is expected to remain exclusive to China. Confused? Read on.

The new details come from tipster Debayan Roy, who claims the OPPO Find X10 Pro, model number CPH2913, has received BIS certification in India. This is the same model number previously associated with the Find X10 Pro Max in other certifications.

OPPO Find X10 Pro India launch expected

Earlier reports suggested the regular Find X10 Pro would not launch outside China. OPPO instead appeared to be preparing the Find X10 and Find X10 Pro Max for global markets. The latest leak suggests India will follow that strategy, but with a different name. In other words, Indian buyers may get the hardware expected from the Pro Max under the Find X10 Pro branding. This is the same phone that has been said to be the world's first triple 200MP camera phone. OPPO hasn't confirmed the lineup or naming.

The OPPO Find X10 Pro in India is tipped to feature a 2K flat LTPO OLED display and MediaTek's 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro, paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. It could also pack an 8,000mAh-plus battery with 50W wireless charging, along with IP68 and IP69 protection.

The camera setup is where the phone could really stand out. The leaked specifications include a 200MP main camera with OIS, a 200MP ultrawide camera and a 200MP OIS periscope telephoto camera with autofocus. The cameras are also expected to use Hasselblad tuning and OPPO's LUMO imaging engine. That would give the phone a camera advantage on paper against rivals such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro Max, although real-world image quality will depend on OPPO's processing and how these sensors perform.

The standard Find X10 is expected to be less extreme. It could use a 6.59-inch 1.5K 120Hz flat OLED display, a Dimensity 9600s or 9600e chip, an 8,000mAh battery, 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. Its leaked camera setup also includes a 200MP main and 200MP periscope sensor.

With the China launch expected this month and global and Indian availability reportedly following by late October, buyers considering a premium Android phone may want to wait. The standard Find X10 could offer a more sensible balance, while the India-bound Pro branding could bring much of the Pro Max hardware to buyers who want OPPO's most ambitious camera setup.

• The POCO X8 Power packs a massive 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, 100W charging and a 1.5K 120Hz AMOLED display.
• The POCO X8 starts at an effective Rs 26,999, while the X8 Power is available at an effective Rs 32,999 with launch offers.
• Both phones feature capable Snapdragon processors and large AMOLED displays, making them good options for multimedia and gaming.

[/highlights]

POCO has expanded its X series in India with the launch of the POCO X8 Power and POCO X8. Both phones target the mid-range segment, but the X8 Power puts a much stronger focus on battery life and durability, while the standard X8 is expected to offer a more balanced package. 

Here's everything you need to know about the new POCO X8 series, including their specifications, features, pricing and availability.

POCO X8 and X8 Power: Price and availability

The POCO X8 starts at Rs 29,999, while the POCO X8 Power is priced at Rs 35,999. As part of the launch offer, buyers can get a Rs 2,000 coupon discount and a Rs 1,000 bank offer or exchange bonus, bringing the effective prices down to Rs 26,999 and Rs 32,999, respectively.

Both phones will go on sale from September 11, 2026, at 12 noon, exclusively through Flipkart. POCO is also offering 12-month no-cost EMI, starting at Rs 2,250 per month for the X8 and Rs 2,750 per month for the X8 Power.

POCO X8 Power, X8 5G: specifications, features

The POCO X8 Power focuses heavily on battery life, with a 10,000mAh silicon-carbon battery that is among the largest capacities we've seen on a smartphone. It supports 100W HyperCharge for faster top-ups and can also charge other devices at up to 27W through wired reverse charging. The phone weighs 229g and measures 8.65mm thick, so the large battery does come with some extra bulk.

The X8 Power features a 6.83-inch flat 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support. It reaches up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness and supports up to 3,200Hz instantaneous touch sampling in Game Turbo mode. POCO also adds Wet Touch 2.0 and TUV Triple Eye Protection, while Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the display.

Under the hood, the phone uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 Mobile Platform, paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of storage. The base 128GB variant uses UFS 2.2 storage, while higher variants get faster UFS 4.1 storage. The phone also gets a 32MP front camera, stereo speakers and an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Durability is another major focus, with IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings, along with what POCO calls Titan quality and double five-star quality certifications from SGS and TÜV. The X8 Power runs Xiaomi HyperOS 3 based on Android 16, with POCO promising 4 OS upgrades and 6 years of security patches. 

POCO X8

The POCO X8 shares much of its hardware with the X8 Power, including the 1.5K AMOLED display, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, stereo speakers and IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K ratings. The main difference is the battery and charging setup. It packs a still-large 9,000mAh silicon-carbon battery with 67W HyperCharge and 22.5W wired reverse charging, making it slightly lighter at 226g and thinner at 8.6mm than the X8 Power.

Under the hood, the X8 uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor, paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The 256GB variant gets faster UFS 3.1 storage, while the 128GB version uses UFS 2.2. The phone also gets a 50MP primary rear camera with OIS and a 2MP depth sensor, along with a 16MP front camera.

POCO has included its Surge G1 battery management chip to help manage the large battery, while the phone retains the X8 Power's focus on durability with Titan quality branding and double five-star SGS and TÜV certifications. It runs Xiaomi HyperOS 3 and offers the same software support as its sibling.

Should you buy the POCO X8 series?

Both the POCO X8 and X8 Power are capable phones, especially for users who want a multimedia-focused device with a large AMOLED display and long battery life. Their 1.5K AMOLED panels should make them great for watching movies and other content, while the large silicon-carbon batteries can easily appeal to users who do not want to charge their phones frequently. The Snapdragon 6 series processors are also capable enough for everyday use and gaming, making both phones fairly versatile at their current prices.

The POCO X8 Power's closest competitor is the OnePlus Nord CE6 (review), which also packs a massive 8,000mAh battery. The OnePlus has a more powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor, but it also costs roughly Rs 3,000 more, making the X8 Power a more affordable option for users who prioritise battery life and value.

Meanwhile, the POCO X8 5G is one of the few phones under Rs 30,000 to combine a capable mid-range Snapdragon processor, a high-quality AMOLED display and a large battery. At its effective launch price of Rs 26,999, it is one of the best all-rounders in its segment right now.

A showcase of intent, not just a product launch

I asked what Xiaomi hopes to get out of such a large presence at IFA. Sarma didn't frame it as a typical product showcase. "The biggest change is a showcase of intent, and this is pretty much that," he said. "We are probably in a unique position to be the only brand that has such a wide portfolio of products, whether it's smartphone, TV, tablet, or now car and home. No other brand in the world still has that potential or ability, and I don't think that's going to change for the next ten years or more."

He pointed to Xiaomi's expansion of large appliances into Southeast Asia last year as a template, one that's now extending toward India and Europe, alongside the EV business heading to Europe in 2027. With roughly 2,000 to 3,000 products across 130 categories already in Xiaomi's portfolio, Sarma described the long-term goal as making sure every device works seamlessly with every other one, citing China as an example of what that looks like today, where leaving the office can trigger continuity of music and entertainment through to the car, followed by lights, curtains, and the air conditioner adjusting automatically once you're home.

[box-highlights] "We are probably in a unique position to be the only brand that has such a wide portfolio of products, whether it's smartphone, TV, tablet, or now car and home." [/box-highlights]

HyperOS is the actual foundation, not the smartphone

A recurring point through the conversation was that HyperOS, not the phone, is meant to be the hub. Sarma explained that HyperOS was designed from the outset as a Human x Car x Home operating system, meaning any device, not just a smartphone, can act as the control point. "Other brands usually need a smartphone to interact with anything else. Here, the hub can be anything," he said, adding that the system stays fully functional even if a user doesn't own every category, whether that's no car, no smart home devices, or neither.

Batra added that the car specifically closes the loop on this, turning the ecosystem into something that's present 24/7 rather than only when you're actively using a device.

What this means for India

On India specifically, Sarma was clear that large appliances are the immediate priority, with broader category expansion positioned as a longer-term goal rather than something with a fixed date. He said there's no difference in intent between regions, though some products may not make sense everywhere.

The more concrete India update came around Mijia. Previously, Xiaomi's India smart home lineup was a mix of products from companies Xiaomi had invested in, sold under the Xiaomi brand name. That's changing. "Because we are growing so fast, we are basically moving everything under Mijia, so that it has a separate focus and is operated in a separate way," Batra explained, pointing out that phones, TVs, and tablets operate very differently from home appliances as a business. This means products like air purifiers and vacuum cleaners will be sold under Mijia going forward, which we have already started seeing with the launch of the Mijia Smart Air Purifier 6 and 4 models.

Xiaomi 18 Fold with XRING O3 looks impressive, but not India-bound yet

On the Xiaomi 18 Fold, Batra was candid that it's less about India right now and more a showcase of everything Xiaomi is capable of, from the XRING O3 chip's benchmark performance to the phone's form factor and the manufacturing complexity behind it. Both confirmed there are no current plans to bring this particular foldable to India, but future iterations could make their way to the country.

Sarma pointed to Xiaomi's EV strategy as the closest parallel: with over 700,000 EVs delivered in China alone, Xiaomi has yet to take that business global, partly because meeting domestic demand in China has been the limiting factor rather than a lack of ambition. The same logic is being applied to the XRING chip and the foldable, both are being tested and refined in China first before any global rollout gets seriously discussed. "We're still testing the waters, still using China as a market to see what it is," Sarma said, adding that going global also brings its own supply and demand considerations that Xiaomi needs to be ready for.

My conversation with Sarma and Batra made one thing fairly clear: Xiaomi's IFA showcase was clearly a showcase of intent and the company's ambitions for Europe, especially with the launch of Mijia there and the imminent launch of its EVs in 2027. Mijia's entry in India this year shows that Xiaomi is also signalling an equal intent to expand its footprint in the country. Meanwhile, the foldable, the XRING chip, and the EV business remain firmly in "China first, prove it, then maybe expand" territory. For now, Indian buyers get the ecosystem vision in spirit and large appliances under a newly unified Mijia brand, while the more ambitious parts of Xiaomi's Human x Car x Home pitch remain a few years out at best.

Disclosure: The writer is attending Xiaomi's debut IFA 2026 showcase in Berlin on Xiaomi India's invitation.

• OriginOS 7 appears to be all about refreshed design and under-the-hood improvements.
• One can expect the global debut of OriginOS 7 after its China launch.
• The skin will feature Liquid Glass-like aesthetics.

[/highlights]

While Xiaomi may have already pulled the curtain back on HyperOS 4 a few weeks ago, Vivo is all set to announce its upcoming Android 17-based skin in the third week of September, just a day earlier than ColorOS 17. Said to come pre-installed on the Vivo X500 series, OriginOS 7 appears to emphasise revamped visuals, smooth interactivity, and animations, as seen in the teasers so far.

OriginOS 7 to launch on September 16th in China

Vivo is hosting its yearly vivo Dev Conference (VDC) on September 16th, during which it'll announce OriginOS 7 and BlueOS 4, a dedicated platform for smart wearables, smart home products, and IoT devices. Ahead of the official unveil, the company has detailed several key changes and features coming to OriginOS 7, including a liquid, glass-like interface, Stage Manager-like multitasking capabilities, and faster app loading, responsiveness, and graphics rendering.

OriginOS 7 key features and improvements

Liquid Glass aesthetics: OriginOS 7 is said to go all out on Liquid Glass-like design, featuring three transparent texture types to choose from: Real, Natural, and Soft. Depending on the texture type, the entire interface will adapt and display elements with glass and light effects. These include lockscreen clock and widgets, bottom navigation bars, buttons, and more.

Atomic Workbench: OriginOS 7 offers extensive multitasking options beyond the traditional split screen and floating windows. Just like macOS' Stage Manager, Atomic Workbench allows users to open up to five apps in a side panel and switch between them instantly and interruptibly. This feature was previously limited to Vivo's large screen-based devices, such as foldables. It's good to see the company bringing it to candybar phones to enhance productivity and streamline workflows.

Upgraded Blue River Engine: The Blue River engine, Vivo's proprietary core system architecture designed to rebuild how OriginOS handles computation, display rendering, and system-level coordination, has been further improved to deliver a smoother and snappier phone usage experience.

Under-the-hood improvements: OriginOS 7 brings 14 percent uplift in rendering efficiency, smaller storage space taken up by the system, 19 percent improvement in page-switching response speed, and up to 12 percent improvement in application startup speed.

While OriginOS 6 was a major step up from Funtouch OS 15 for global Vivo and iQOO users, teasers suggest that OriginOS 7 will focus on refining what's already out there by introducing new elements throughout the interface, even if it may seem inspired. Once the skin debuts in China, it shouldn't be long before Vivo announces the global debut of OriginOS 7.

Furthermore, once the beta update starts rolling out, Vivo and iQOO's flagship devices, such as the Vivo X300 series and iQOO 15, are expected to receive it first, giving users an early preview.

• iPhone 18 Pro could start at around USD 1,099 (around Rs 1.03 lakh), with the Pro Max potentially reaching USD 1,299 (around Rs 1.23 lakh).
• Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra could start at USD 1,999 -  USD 2,099 (around Rs 1.88 lakh to Rs 1.98 lakh)).
• The phones are expected to launch on September 9th.

[/highlights]

Apple is less than a week away from unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro and its first foldable iPhone, probably called the iPhone Ultra, on September 9th, and the biggest question may be how much it will cost to own either one. New leaks suggest buyers of the iPhone 18 Pro may have less to worry about than some earlier rumours indicated, while Apple's foldable could make the iPhone 18 Pro look almost affordable.

iPhone Ultra price leaked in Egypt

The foldable iPhone Ultra has been rumoured to cost anywhere from USD 2,000 (around Rs 1.89 lakh) to USD 2,500 (around Rs 2.36 lakh) in the US, but recent leaks point towards the lower end of that range. Vodafone Egypt briefly listed (via) the iPhone Ultra at 155,750 Egyptian pounds (around Rs 2.89 lakh). To provide some context, the iPhone 17 Pro is currently listed for 88,799 Egyptian pounds (around Rs 1.65 lakh). That makes the foldable around 75 percent more expensive. A separate Australian leak claims a starting price of AUD 3,699 (around Rs 2,52 lakh), versus AUD 1,999 for the iPhone 17 Pro (around Rs 1.36 lakh), suggesting an even larger gap of around 85 percent.

If those comparisons carry over to the US, a USD 1,999 (around Rs 1.88 lakh) starting price looks plausible. TrendForce has a slightly higher estimate of USD 2,099 (around Rs 1.98 lakh). That would put Apple's foldable above the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which starts at USD 1,899.99 (Rs 1,79,999 in India), and the Pixel 11 Pro Fold at USD 1,899 (Rs 1,86,999 in India). Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at USD 2,099.99 (Rs 1,99,999 in India) and reportedly offers stronger cameras, displays and battery life. Buyers should note that India prices are generally higher than directly converted US prices.

Apple will have the iOS advantage that none of those phones can match. That could make the premium easier to swallow for existing iPhone users, but buyers who simply want the best foldable hardware may get more for their money elsewhere.

iPhone 18 Pro price hike

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max could be a less painful proposition. A leak from Egypt puts them at 98,000 and 105,000 Egyptian pounds (around Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 1.95 lakh), respectively, around 10 percent and 11 percent above last year's models. If Apple applies a similar increase in the US, the iPhone 18 Pro could start at around USD 1,099 (around Rs 1.03 lakh) and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at USD 1,299 (around Rs 1.23 lakh). That would mean a USD 100 increase for each model, which has been tipped in the past.
TrendForce expects a bigger increase of USD 149 to USD 200 (around Rs 14,000 to Rs 19,000), but even that would leave the phones below the more aggressive predictions.

A USD 1,299 iPhone 18 Pro Max would also put it level with the Galaxy S26 Ultra's starting price. For buyers choosing between the two, the final camera, display and performance differences will likely matter more than a relatively small price gap. With the launch less than a week away, waiting for Apple's official prices makes more sense than paying attention to the wildest rumours. The Pro models may get a manageable increase, but anyone hoping to buy Apple's first foldable should prepare for a very different kind of iPhone bill.