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So here’s the thing: I want to ditch my iPhone and move to Android so badly, yet every time I verge on making the move, Apple pulls me back in. 

Last year, I used a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra for a week and really enjoyed it. But it was for an experiment and I was just waiting for the iPhone 15 Pro Max to launch. In September, titanium iPhones appeared, and just like that I was back to using iOS within my ever-growing Apple walled garden.

This year was different, however, and it’s the closest I’ve ever come to saying goodbye to the iPhone for good, well, at least for 12 months. After seeing the reveal of Google’s new flagship smartphones in August, I was instantly intrigued by the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. You see, up until very recently my idea of a folding phone was large gaps, peeling screen protectors, and a bulky footprint, but that all changed when I held a 9 Pro Fold at the store.

(Image credit: Google)

In our Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, US Mobiles Editor, Philip Berne wrote, “When I showed the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to iPhone-toting friends and family they were all amazed, without fail. It’s the first foldable that looks… normal, they all said. How normal? It isn’t just that the front is the exact same size and shape as the Pixel 9. Being thin helps a lot – the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is so thin that it’s less bulky than my iPhone 15 Pro Max if I keep the iPhone in a case.”

I may as well be one of his friends or a family member because that’s exactly how I felt after just a few minutes with the 9 Pro Fold. For the first time in a long time, it felt like I was holding innovation in the consumer tech space and I felt like a kid again. Obviously, my idea of foldables was skewed and there are lots like Google’s offering, but when most of the tech you use outside of work is “Designed by Apple in California” you lose a sense of what something genuinely refreshing to use feels like. Now that’s not a diss at Apple, my Mac, my iPad, and my iPhone all work exactly how I want my technology to work, but when you’ve used incremental updates of the same products for nearly 15 years, at some point you want to see if the grass is greener on the other side.

So I did it. I pre-ordered a Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. I was finally going to sell my iPhone and try Android 15 for a year. But then things changed.

Groundhog Day

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was officially released on September 4 but my preorder with EE, one of the biggest networks in the UK. never arrived. I waited patiently, excited to test out Google Gemini built into Android and get my first taste of a folding smartphone with a beautiful 8-inch display. For whatever reason my preorder kept getting pushed back, September 5, September 6, September 7, September 8… And then it happened: Apple’s iPhone 16 event on September 9.

At the event, Apple showcased the iPhone 16 Pro Max alongside the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup. The hardware is an incremental improvement over my 15 Pro Max, but in our early hands-on iPhone 16 Pro Max review, Editor At Large, Lance Ulanoff, wrote, “The question is, can the small or even invisible changes add up to something big? Based on my brief hands-on time with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I'd say the answer is yes.”

For me, it’s not about the hardware, I own 2023’s best iPhone and it’s still a beast almost 12 months later. Instead, it was Apple’s ability at the event to make me feel like I couldn’t skip the first year of Apple Intelligence. Yes, I’ll have access to Apple’s AI on my iPad Pro M2 and my MacBook Pro M3 Pro, but the iPhone is at the core of the Apple ecosystem and it’s arguably the smartphone experience that will define Apple Intelligence’s success.

(Image credit: Apple)

AI is pivotal to the success of iOS 18 and the new iPhones deemed, “the first iPhones built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence”, by Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook. With incremental updates coming over the next year, we’ll get to test out individual Apple Intelligence features as they cook in the oven and see just how much of an impact they can make on our day-to-day lives. I’m hoping at least one of Apple’s AI tools is as useful as Universal Clipboard, quite possibly my favorite Apple feature which allows me to copy and paste between all my products.

iPhone 16 Pro Max preorders are now live and yet again, I’ve got a new Apple smartphone to collect on launch day. I came so close to taking a leap of faith into Android, but stock delays, the fear of the unknown, and Apple’s ability to make you feel FOMO hooked me back in. I’m excited for a year of Apple Intelligence and I can’t wait until Siri has on-screen awareness to become the personal assistant in my pocket I’ve always wanted it to be. In around 11 months this cycle repeats itself, only next time Apple Intelligence will be less of an unknown and Google Gemini might be the way forward.

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An upcoming Apple software update will allow some AirPods to double as over-the-counter hearing aids. Only 1 in 6 American adults with hearing loss wears hearing aids.

(Image credit: Juliana Yamada)

Want the right balance of comfort and pressure relief? Here are the best pillow-top mattress options to get, tested by CNET's sleep experts.

The combat and stylistic user interface are familiar, but the epic story full of fantasy politics may not be what players expect.

As Vaux’s Swifts migrate south, they roost together in a chimney, drawing crowds

(Image credit: Celeste Noche)

Iran launched a satellite into space with a rocket built by the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported.

(Image credit: Iranian Space Agency)

Circle to Search, which lets you run a visual search from anything on screen, launched on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, and has since made its way to other Galaxy and Pixel devices. Now, it looks as though the feature is about to roll out to other Android handsets besides those made by Google and Samsung.

As noted by Android Authority, Chinese smartphone maker Tecno has told multiple members of the tech press that Circle to Search will be appearing on the foldable Tecno Phantom V Fold 2 next month.

It's not quite an official announcement from Google, but it's almost as good. If you're using a handset made by OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Motorola, or any other Android phone maker, you might not have too long to wait to get Circle to Search.

Back in May, Google said it wanted Circle to Search to be live on at least 200 million phones by the end of the year, and opening the feature out to devices from more manufacturers will be a big help in reaching that goal.

What Circle to Search can do

Google is reportedly planning to expand Circle to Search to more Android phones next month, ending the feature's exclusivity for Pixel and Samsung phones.Multiple reviewers of the TECNO Phantom V Fold 2, including @bencsin and Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich, were told by… pic.twitter.com/jssMYP1j1CSeptember 13, 2024

Circle to Search is essentially a slick new front-end for Google Lens, which runs web searches based on images. Anything that pops up on your phone's display – from lampshades to plants to people – can be used as the basis of a visual search, so you can get more information (or some shopping options) for whatever you're looking at.

Despite the name, you don't have to circle something: you can also scribble over it, or just tap on it (in which case the tool will try and identify what it is you're looking for). It's activated with a long press on the home button or bottom navigation bar.

A recent Circle to Search update added the ability to search for music playing either around you, or on your phone – which suggests Google is committed to improving the tool over time, as well as rolling it out to move devices.

We know that more Samsung phones are getting Circle to Search, and it's safe to say it'll be included on the best Android phones going forward as well. It's also on the new Google Pixel 9 series, including the standard model – see our full Pixel 9 review for features.

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Reply AI recently hosted its Mastercard-sponsored AI Film Festival, and the finalists were picked at the prestigious 81st Venice Film Festival on September 3. The films were all created by using various AI technologies, and center around the theme, “synthetic voices, human hearts”. To find the finalists, an international panel of judges viewed over 1,000 short films submitted from 59 countries.

The winner was To Dear Me, a short film in an animated style by Gisele Tong, described as a “poignant exploration of self-discovery and healing”. You can view the film below, but be aware that it contains scenes of domestic violence. Call this number if you've been experiencing domestic violence: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) in the US, 0808 2000 247 (UK), or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) (AU).

Second place went to One Way by Egor Kharlamov and third place was Jinx by Mansha Totla, which is a documentary on World War 2 entirely created in AI. Criteria for the awards were that the film had to be generated or enhanced by AI, and the entrants used a huge range of different AI tools to create their films. You can view the finalists and runners-up on the Reply AI website.

There can be no doubt now that Artificial Intelligence is going to radically change movie making in the future, so we asked Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply AI, if he saw AI as a threat to traditional movie making.

“AI is a tool. AI is not an entity”, says Filippo. “It is like when humanity invented the camera [as a rival medium to] painting, and people were convinced at that time, if you remember, that the camera was stealing people's souls? It reminds me of exactly the same thing”.

But isn’t he worried that AI will take people’s jobs in the movie industry? “No, no. It will really disrupt organizations, not people", says Filippo. "What is changing is not only the possible creative output – so, maybe a new kind of creativity will emerge – but also the quantity. So, in the 17th century, we were manually copying books. Now we can’t count the number of books that we are able to produce, and it probably will be the same with videos. That will enable much more in terms of quantity, but also quality in the future. This means that it will probably require even more people to produce videos, because there is a bit of democratization, but it will disrupt organizations.”

The short film One Way by Egor Kharlamov. (Image credit: One Way by Egor Kharlamov ) Maybe Game of Thrones didn't have to end that way

Filippo sees AI as augmenting film making, rather than replacing it, “We will mix the real reality together with AI, sometimes just for visual efforts, sometimes, like in the short movies that you find in our competition, maybe to create things about the story of your grandmother, of the past of your grandmother, that was not possible to create without big investments today."

But AI isn’t just about mimicking the way we make films now, it’s also about thinking about movie-making in new and different ways. “With AI you can also generate a movie on the fly, which means that maybe Game of Thrones will not end like it has”, says Filippo. On the fly movie making opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Just imagine an AI that can scan your face to judge what reaction you’re having to a movie, so it changes the plot accordingly. Or perhaps if you don’t like an ending to a series, you can change it in some other way.

Rather than seeing AI as a threat to movies and television, it could be the thing that shakes up an industry that has needed an overhaul for a while now. Nobody likes having to wait at least a year between series of their favorite show. Having AI generate the next season whenever you’re ready could be a blessing, And I’m pretty sure my reaction to the Game of Thrones ending would have been pretty easy for even a non-human to read!

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Universities worldwide are competing to lead the development of 6G technology, focusing on advances in terahertz communications and innovative silicon chips which promise data transmission rates far beyond current capabilities, potentially transforming how we communicate in the future.

A team from the University of Adelaide has made significant strides, introducing a new polarization multiplexer that operates at terahertz frequencies. This technology could dramatically increase data transmission by efficiently using the available spectrum.

"Our proposed polarization multiplexer will allow multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously over the same frequency band, effectively doubling the data capacity," explained Professor Withawat Withayachumnankul. "This large relative bandwidth is a record for any integrated multiplexers found in any frequency range. If it were to be scaled to the center frequency of the optical communications bands, such a bandwidth could cover all the optical communications bands."

Wide-ranging applications

By doubling communication capacity under the same bandwidth and reducing data loss, the multiplexer could accelerate advancements in fields such as high-definition video streaming, augmented reality, and 6G mobile networks. Co-author Professor Masayuki Fujita highlighted the potential impact, saying, "This innovation is poised to catalyze a surge of interest and research activity in the field."

Meanwhile, the University of Notre Dame has developed a silicon topological beamformer chip, which was recently featured in Nature. "Our chip takes a terahertz signal from a single source and splits it into 54 smaller signals," lead researcher Ranjan Singh wrote in an article for The Conversation.

“Terahertz frequencies are crucial for 6G, which telecommunications companies plan to roll out around 2030. The radio frequency spectrum used by current wireless networks is becoming increasingly congested. Terahertz waves offer a solution by using the relatively unoccupied portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between microwaves and infrared. These higher frequencies can carry massive amounts of data, making them ideal for the data-intensive applications of the future.”

Designed with artificial intelligence, the chip features a honeycomb structure that channels terahertz waves with precision, delivering focused beams for ultrafast data transmission at speeds of up to 72 gigabits per second. You can see an illustration of this experimental chip at the top of the page.

These terahertz technologies have wide-ranging applications, from enabling instant downloads of 4K ultra-high-definition movies to supporting real-time holographic communication and remote surgeries. The potential for these breakthroughs could revolutionize telecommunications, imaging, radar, and the internet of things in the coming decade.

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• 6G: A glimpse into the future beyond 5G
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Want a stand-up paddleboard? How about a kayak? Get both with the Bote Lowrider Aero, the brand’s latest hybrid paddleboard.

• View at Narwal
• View at Amazon US

Narwal Freo X Plus two-minute review

The Narwal Freo X Plus is a budget-friendly robot vacuum and mop that does many things well, but a few things fairly badly. If you're just looking at the pros and cons list, the score of this review might not make sense as there are plenty more positives than negatives – but those few negatives can make for a frustrating experience. 

If you're willing to put in the time to understand this model, it could potentially be one of the best robot vacuums for you, especially if you're on a budget. After all, most of the best vacuums that include mopping ability are not going to be this cheap, unless you get something manual like the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce. When it comes to robot vacuums specifically, the price tag for great performance, feature set, and overall functionality goes way up.

The vacuuming performance of the Narwal Freo X Plus is very solid. However, like most budget models that just pull a single stationary pad across the floor, its mopping capability is just passable. Still, you'll generally end up with clean floors. 

However, the Narwal Freo X Plus seems to have a mind of its own. Unless you just set it to clean your whole space in the most thorough way possible, you'll end up with incomplete cleaning cycles. Or it might decide to head off on a different, unassigned job.

At least it has a tiny base station, so that the Narwal Freo X Plus is easier to place than most robot vacuums. Another added benefit is that it's possible to pair and use through a voice assistant like Alexa. All in all, the Narwal Freo X Plus is a somewhat capable robot vacuum that comes with some frustrating aspects, such as its erratic cleaning behavior. But they may be worth dealing with if you're on a budget, or just want to be able to do a basic, whole-home clean.

Everything you'll find in the box (Image credit: Future) Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: price & availability

• List price: $399.99 / AU$899 (about £310)
• Launch date: March 2024
• Available: US and Australia

The Narwal Freo X Plus is available in the US and Australia, with a list form of $399.99 / AU$899. That puts it in TechRadar's budget price bracket, which is particularly significant when you consider it offers mopping as well as vacuuming functionality. Of course, whether it's a good value buy or not will depend on whether you're okay dealing with its navigational quirks. It will still deliver fairly clean floors, but can be a pain to deal with.

This is not necessarily unique to the Narwal Freo X Plus, as the recently reviewed Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus came with its own quirky frustrations, not to mention weaker suction power than the Narwal, and it comes with a higher $649.99 / £499 / AU$999 price tag. It is, however, available in the UK unlike the Narwal, and comes with better mopping ability.

One of the strange things about the Narwal Freo X Plus is the fact that the company's flagship, Narwal Freo X Ultra, offers much better cleaning performance along with a range of other bells and whistles. Granted, that one is far more expensive (the Ultra costs $1,399.99 / AU$2,299 – about £1,110), but it's strange to see issues with the software given that it's coming from the same company.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Freo X Plus specs Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: design

• Compact base station
• Two side brushes and an anti-tangling brush roll
• Single, stationary mop pad

When taking a look at the Narwal Freo X Plus' design, the first thing that jumps out is in regards to its teeny, tiny base station. Since its only function is to charge the robot vacuum and give it a place to rest, it doesn't need to do a lot. Still, it's cute in its own way, not to mention makes it easier to find a good place in your space for the robot vacuum. Bigger models with self-emptying dustbins and water reservoirs, such as the flagship Narwal mentioned earlier, need a lot more space (although, of course, there are benefits of having these capabilities built-in).

Because it doesn't have self-empty capabilities, the dock is compact (Image credit: Future)

As far as the robot vacuum itself, it has the typical rounded shape. There are two side brushes instead of one, giving it a leg up on the vacuuming front compared to models that only have one side brush. The main brush roll is of the anti-tangling kind so you won't find it wrapped with hair, something that's not always considered on budget robot vacuums.

The underside of the Freo X Plus, with side brushes unclipped (Image credit: Future)

The mop pad is of the single, flat variety that sits along the bottom back half of the unit. While it does apply some downward pressure, it doesn't do much in the way of scrubbing. I'll talk a little more about how this affects its performance below, but just know that this is normal for budget models and that more expensive ones seem to completely abandon this approach in favor of dual spinning mop pads.

Regarding the manual controls, there are just two buttons – a power button and a home button, each with a secondary function (start/pause/resume cleaning and child lock, respectively).

Remove the magnetic cover to reveal water reservoir and dust cup (Image credit: Future)

The Narwal Freo X Plus is a fairly sleek looking robot vacuum in its all-white aesthetic. That's partially because it covers its small water reservoir and dustbin with a glossy white top that stays in place due to some cleverly placed magnets. Both the reservoir and dustbin are easily removable and easy to fill up or empty, respectively.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: performance

• Very good vacuuming
• Mopping is just okay
• Erratic behavior in how it cleans

There are a couple different factors to consider with a robot vacuum's performance, but the core one is vacuuming. Luckily, the Narwal Freo X Plus does a very good job here. Thanks to having two side brushes, it's able to get debris on either side of it. Since it has an anti-tangle brushroll, it's able to tackle aside from charge cords (the kryptonite of all robot vacuums).

The dustbin is easy to empty (Image credit: Future)

I ran this robot vacuum in a house with two French Bulldogs as well as four adult humans, two of whom have long hair, and it did a great job keeping the floor clean, picking up everything from smaller dust-like particles to debris the size of a leaf. It also picked up hair without issue and without any tangling. I even tested it with a pile of sugar and cereal and it took one pass to suck it all up. 

The Freo X sucked up both fine debris and chunkier spillages with ease (Image credit: Future)

I used it on tile, hardwood floors, and a small but thick bath mat. In terms of just vacuuming, this robot vacuum has the goods regardless of the surface. The Narwal Freo X Plus has 7800 Pa of suction power, which isn't the highest on the market, but based on my tests is still enough to deal with most household cleaning requirements. 

Mopping performance is a little weaker (Image credit: Future)

Its mopping capability is a little less stellar. I would actually describe it as okay. Since it has the one pad, it's only applying downward pressure. So, somewhat dried pieces of mud in the foyer that a robot vacuum with spinning mop pads would pick up are unaffected. More frustratingly, unless I used the highest mopping humidity setting, it didn't always wet the entire area it mopped, leaving slightly streaky results. If you are going to use this robot vacuum for mopping, my recommendation is to use the highest settings and be prepared to regularly refill the water reservoir.

As far as getting to the edges, it does well with vacuuming, thanks to those two side brushes, but doesn't really get all that close when mopping.

It gets nice and close to the edges of rooms when vacuuming (Image credit: Future)

The object avoidance, on the other hand, is pretty good. It won't necessarily give a wide berth to any randomly placed object but it will brush up against it. When I placed the bath mat down, the Narwal Freo X Plus vacuumed right up to it on all sides before deciding it could tackle it. Only then did it vacuum it.

It took a little time, but the Freo X eventually realized it could vacuum my bathmat (Image credit: Future)

Where the Narwal Freo X Plus falls short is in how it decides to clean. When I use the Freo Advice setting in the app, it will take the strangest path. Maybe it's only picking up certain debris on its sensor, but it will clean up maybe 20% of the area that it should. Also concerning, when I run to only clean a particular room, it will decide to move onto another room after finishing its initial job and start vacuuming there instead of returning to the base station. It's frustrating enough that I would rather have it clean the entire space instead of attempting to do any kind of spot cleaning.

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: app

• Easy-to-use app
• Mapping has some shortcomings
• Works well with third-party voice support

The Narwal Freo app is pretty straightforward to use, from setup to choosing the kind of cleaning you want to accomplish (vacuum only, vacuum and mop, and vacuum then mop). It's also a fairly attractive looking app. I didn't ever feel lost navigating to various settings, whether it's adjusting the specific cleaning settings such as suction power or mopping humidity or opening up the schedule to plan a cleaning.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

The map is pretty easy to use, and you can even see a 3D representation of your mapped space. Of course, it suffers from the same editing shortfalls of a lot of robot vacuum apps, where you're limited on how you partition your space. If you have an open or semi-open floor plan like the space that I often test in, you'll only be able to partition once as you can't section a partitioned space in half.

Erratic route-planning in action (left) and issues with open-plan spaces (right) (Image credit: Future)

On the bright side, setting it up with third-party control – I tested it with Amazon Alexa – was fairly easy to do. The only quirk is knowing the very specific phrases that it can understand. “Alexa, run the robot vacuum” doesn't work, while “Alexa, ask my robot to start cleaning” does.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: battery

• Very long battery life
• Will return to base when getting low

Possibly because the Narwal Freo X Plus is a bit lighter on features than more expensive units or possibly because it doesn't have spinning mop pads, its battery life of up to 254 minutes is quite a bit longer than what I usually see with robot vacuums. For reference, most units these days have up to 210 minutes of use.

While that's more than enough battery life for even fairly large spaces, the robot vacuum will return to its base when necessary for an extra charge before continuing on with its task if it's running out of juice.

• Battery score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Narwal Freo X Plus robot vacuum? Buy it if... Don't buy it if... Narwal Freo X Plus robovac review: also consider

Narwal Freo X Ultra
If you want the full-fat version of what Narwal has to offer, the Freo X Ultra is a much more robust cleaning experience with spinning mop pads that self-clean, a self-emptying base station with clean and dirty water reservoirs, and a whole host of features. It's also much, much more expensive.

Read our full Narwal Freo X Ultra review

How I tested the Narwal Freo X Plus

To test the Narwal Freo X Plus, I used it for a couple weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors and a bath mat (to simulate carpeting) in my house. I also tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to scheduling. I took note of how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles, not to mention running how the handheld vacuum performed.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

If you follow the sterilization rules, you can safely make a nasal rinse from home. The same can't be said for all DIY solutions.

Unai Emrey's Villans host the struggling Toffees.

I tell my friends that the new iPhone 16 is coming and they all say the same thing, “What’s so new about it?” I heard an editor question whether the new phone was even worth being called the iPhone 15s, a reference to the iPhone 6s days when Apple would update internal parts bi-annually without changing the look of the iPhone. My only response is: can’t you see the new button? What more do you want?!

You think it’s just a button? Sure, the camera hasn’t changed much. It can’t take infrared photos or x-ray through walls. It doesn’t record holograms that you can have R2-D2 playback when you find Ben Kenobi. In fact, Apple’s camera software options are pretty simple compared to Samsung and Google, and the new button doesn’t catch up to the competition's pro controls. 

Was that Action Button there before? It feels new (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

I still take umbrage with saying ‘just a button.’ A button is a big deal! How many buttons does a phone have? Three? Four? My iPhone 15 Pro Max has four: volume up, volume down, Siri (wait, where’s the Power button?), and Action Button. One of those was a brand new button when I bought that phone, I’m sure, but my iPhone 13 Pro Max also has four buttons, so maybe I’m wrong.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the most feature-packed phone I own, and it only has five buttons – and two of those are on the S Pen! Actually, I count the S Pen ejector click as a button, but it doesn’t do anything, it’s just for fun. Why doesn’t Apple give us any buttons that don’t do anything!? The iPhone 16 Camera Control button looks fun, but it actually does stuff.

What the Camera Control button does and doesn't do

The camera button will open the camera … I think? Right now, my Action Button opens my iPhone 15 Pro Max camera, but I will soon use my iPhone 16 Pro (desert titanium, of course) Camera Control for that. I hope. 

I'm pretty sure the Camera button doesn’t just open the camera, but also opens AI – that is Apple Intelligence. Holding the Camera Control button takes a photo that is immediately fed to Apple’s AI to grok. 

There’s a big chance I will forget how to open the Camera and accidentally feed Apple’s AI … over and over again. I mostly use my iPhone buttons to take accidental screenshots, so this will be an improvement. At least there will be intelligence involved. 

Anyway, with the Camera Control button, I finally get the two-stage shutter button that I’ve been hoping for. I can press the button halfway to focus the camera, then squeeze the rest of the way to take the shot.

This Fujifilm X100VI has a two-stage button, just like the iPhone 16! (Image credit: Future)

I get so many mystified stares when I explain a two-stage camera button, I’m guessing that half of you have no idea what I’m talking about. This is the way standard cameras work, and have worked since autofocus was invented, but I think most people had no idea a camera could do this. Most people just jam the camera button all the way to take a photo.

The two-stage button makes photos better. It is easier to focus a camera and hold the camera steady when you take the shot. That means photos are much more clear.

I honestly think this will be the biggest improvement to iPhone photography since Apple added a second camera lens. This is the biggest hardware improvement I wanted for smartphones, aside from bringing back the 3.5mm headphone jack.

More than just an iPhone 16 button, it's the start of something

...all Android phone makers will add a two-stage camera button within two years...

The new button is more than just a button. The Camera Control is touch-sensitive. You can swipe on it. Okay, that’s cool. I can see how that would be useful to change settings, and maybe even fun! I can also imagine switching between camera lenses with accidental swipes. That would be a disaster.

If Apple had given us only a two-stage focus, for that alone I would have been thankful. But Apple did not stop at an autofocus swipe button. Apple goes even further with  AI. Tying the Camera Control button directly to Apple Intelligence puts AI front-and-center in a way that Google and Samsung have avoided. 

You can find plenty of cool AI tools on the best Samsung phones. You can talk to Google Gemini by holding a button on your Pixel 9 phone. Neither of those make it so easy for AI to see what you see, at the press of a button. We’re not even sure what this will be useful for, we just know you can show the AI things and then you can,  umm…

Back to the button. A button is a big deal! We need more buttons. This isn’t the first new button I’ve seen recently (hi Action Button!) and it won’t be the last. Good. I’m getting tired of touch screens.

This Nokia Windows Phone had a two-stage camera button (Image credit: Nokia)

First, I expect all Android phone makers will add a two-stage camera button within two years. It will take a few months for existing buyers to get jealous and demand a button on their next Android, and then It takes around 18 months to design a new phone. Therefore, two years – I’d put money on it.

Second, a camera button is just the start. There may be more buttons on the way. AI buttons. Buttons we haven’t thought about yet. There will be more buttons on the way. The zombie specter of phone buttons has been awakened, and it is hungry for new ideas.

Finally, touchscreens are terrible, at least on their own. A touchscreen is a mistaken tap waiting to happen. It’s a million wrong buttons that I can press while trying to press the one right button. It’s an Escape Room without an Esc. key. We need more buttons to help us control our phones.

Touchscreens are good for people with certain skills – a level of dexterity, or fine motor control. It was always wrong to make touch the only paradigm to control our smartphones (and don’t get me started on cars). I want more buttons, and if you can’t see why the new button is a big deal, then you’re probably still trying to unlock your phone screen with your fingers.

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• As a photographer, the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button has captured my attention – here’s why

Plus: Meta’s AI scrapes the UK, Google digitizes your passport, Chrome syncs your tabs everywhere, and (have you heard?) Apple announces some new iPhones.

Giselle with the English National ballet in London on Jan. 13, 2017.'/>

DePrince, born in Sierra Leone, lost both her parents during the country’s civil war. She became the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and later joined the Boston Ballet.

(Image credit: Ian Gavan)

The Backforce V Plus is the latest in the line of gaming chairs that can also function as an office chair.

Like so many of the best office chair models we've reviewed, it is designed with both gamers and professionals in mind, blending the two worlds seamlessly. The mix of customizable features, comfort, lumbar support, personalization options, and eco-friendly materials make up a fantastic option for consumers.

Backforce V Plus: Price and Availability

The Backforce V Plus is available for around €499 (roughly $535), with shipping options primarily in Europe. Custom patches and other upgrades can add to the cost. The chair’s price places it in the higher mid-range, competing with some top-tier gaming chairs, but with the unique appeal of eco-friendly materials. It's currently available from the official website by clicking here.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Backforce V Plus: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Backforce V Plus Chair arrives in a dense yet relatively compact box. The chair took a while to build, even for someone who spends quite a bit of time building chairs. The tools and diagrams aren't user-friendly, so allocate some extra time to read the instructions carefully. It took me about 1-2 hours to fully assemble, and having an additional set of hands to help lift and fit parts together is highly recommended.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Once assembled, the chair looks impressive—sleek, stylish, and clearly designed with durability in mind, but the effort required to get it there could be off-putting for some.

Backforce V Plus: Design and Build Quality Specs

Weight Capacity: 130 kg
Height Range: 1.51 m to 1.92 m
Materials: Recycled PET fabric, plastic base
Armrests: 4D adjustable
Warranty: 10 years
Price: €499

The Backforce V Plus chair is known for its robust build, made possible by recycled PET fabric. It also offers customization options, such as velcro patches on the backrest's shoulder area, adding a fun gamer element and allowing users to personalize their chairs. 

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

However, its heavy and bulky design may not be suitable for those with limited space, as it's challenging to maneuver, especially in smaller areas. The chair's eco-friendly materials, including Oeko-Tex 100-certified fabric, make it stand out from competitors, but some users may find the texture slightly rough for long sessions. Despite having a plastic base, as opposed to the aluminum bases of its competitors, the chair remains sturdy and well-built.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Backforce V Plus: In Use

After assembly, the V Plus provides comfortable and ergonomic support. The adjustable lumbar support and synchro-tilt mechanism offer personalized back support, making long gaming or work sessions easier on the body. The armrests are flexible but lack resistance, making them prone to unexpected shifting. We had to be careful not to lean on them aggressively during testing. Despite its sturdy build, the chair's weight makes moving difficult, and the lack of softer fabric limits all-day comfort. While we appreciate using recycled materials, the rough texture might only suit some. Some members of my team don't mind it, while others find the rough material uncomfortable.

Regarding other features, the seat depth and tilt adjustments are intuitive, allowing customization based on body type and preference. One of my team members, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall, has adjusted the backrest, seat depth, armrests, and seat height to fit perfectly.

Initially, the chair felt firm and supportive, perhaps too much so. However, over time, it has softened up.

Backforce V Plus: Final Verdict

The Backforce V Plus is a well-built, comfortable, and eco-friendly gaming chair with strong ergonomic features and customizable options. However, it has its flaws: some buyers may be put off by the challenging assembly process and high price. For those who value durability, sustainability, and personalization, it's a worthy investment.

If you're looking for a home office chair suitable for gaming, this chair is a good option for your home workspace. Additionally, this chair could be an excellent fit if you want the gamer look. However, if you're not into gaming and don't like the gamer aesthetic, there may be a better chair for you.

For more workspace essentials, we've assembled the best standing desk and the best office desk options out there.

Nothing Phone 2a Plus: Two-minute review

Nothing has already confirmed that its next flagship smartphone – the Nothing Phone 3 – won't be making its debut until 2025, but that doesn't mean fans of the brand aren't without new phones to get excited about in the meantime.

In March, we were introduced to the Nothing Phone 2a: a device with all the sensibilities of the current top-tier Nothing Phone 2, but with more modest hardware and a price tag to match. It did well – very well in fact, becoming the brand's best-selling smartphone to date, and proving that a market exists for the company's distinct design aesthetics and forward-looking user experience in a more affordable package.

It's this success (and the long wait for another flagship phone from the company) that likely led to the creation of the Nothing Phone 2a Plus: a new variant of the 2a, announced only four months after the original's arrival.

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

The 2a Plus is much the same phone as its namesake, but rather than being a larger-screened version of the 2a, the 'Plus' in this instance actually refers to the slight uplift in performance, camera hardware, and battery tech boasted by this refreshed model over the standard iteration; although it does also come with a price increase to match.

On sale from September 10 for $50 / £50 / AU$40 more than the equivalent storage capacity Phone 2a, the 2a Plus remains mostly unchanged; with the same transparent polycarbonate-backed design (this time with extra metallic detailing), the same strong 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, the same rear cameras, same battery capacity, and same software promise.

The higher asking price buys you, among other things, a beefier Dimensity 7350 Pro chip, which delivers on the promised benchmarks of 10% better CPU performance and 30% greater graphical performance, compared to the more modest MediaTek chip powering the standard Phone 2a. You also get 50W charging, compared to 45W on the 2a that's – as you might expect – fractionally quicker (a full charge takes just under, compared to just over, an hour), and a new higher-resolution 50MP front camera (compared to a 32MP snapper on the 2a), which serves up more detail; not to mention the Plus boasts a richer shooting experience, thanks to a new AI-supported 'Vivid' mode.

All in all, the question is not whether Phone 2a users have been short-changed and if there's any point in upgrading (there isn't). Instead, the Nothing Phone 2a Plus edges the needle closer to the performance of the company's current flagship (especially graphically) for a lot less, whereas we saw the standard model as more of an improvement on the original Nothing Phone 1, as you'll read in our original Nothing Phone 2a review.

You still pay a premium for that Nothing aesthetic and unique Glyph lighting, though, meaning similarly-priced rivals offer more in areas like software support, faster charging, or a superior viewing experience, but at the expense of the sense of style that Nothing has cultivated with its products.

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Priced at $399 / £399 / AU$639
• On sale from September 10, 2024
• US availability via Nothing Beta Program

The Nothing Phone 2a Plus comes in a sole 12GB RAM / 256GB storage variant, which means, in most markets, it comes in at a single price (you can get it with 8GB or 12GB of RAM in India). In Nothing's homeland of the UK, the phone costs £399 (direct from Nothing), £50 more than the original asking price of an equivalent 256GB standard Phone 2a.

Even in the short months since the standard 2a debuted, however, the company has already officially cut its price in key markets. A 256GB 2a costs £329 at the time of writing, meaning you actually pay £70 more for the Plus today.

The assumption is that the Phone 2a will remain on sale until Nothing runs out of stock, at which point the 2a Plus will be the company's sole mid-ranger (the newer phone should also come with a price reduction of its own by that point).

In the US, as with the Phone 2a, the 2a Plus is currently only available through the company's Beta Program. Despite being competitively priced in the market, there are caveats to purchasing this phone in the region; namely a significantly shorter 14-day return period and – as the devices being sold are international models – incomplete support for US carrier bands (i.e. spotty cellular connectivity with major US networks).

If, like the Phone 2, Nothing decides to launch the 2a Plus Stateside officially, the model sold will feature more complete US carrier support, but the company hasn't announced any such plans at the time of writing.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Specs Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Design

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Iconic Nothing aesthetic
• IP54-certified polycarbonate body
• Repels scuffs well but back attracts smudges

While the Phone 2a marked a slight departure from the company's previous smartphones, with its main dual camera placed transversely along the center line of the phone's back, rather than being offset in the corner, it otherwise carried across all the hallmarks of the Nothing's now-established design language.

The Phone 2a Plus echoes the standard model's dimensions, weight, and aesthetic identically; there's a transparent polycarbonate back, under which you'll find tracks of faux circuitry, a cluster of diffused LEDs around the camera, which make up the phone's Glyph Interface, and a matte plastic frame, with a power button set into the right side and large volume up and down keys along the left edge.

It's in the color department where Nothing has set the 2a and 2a Plus apart visually. While the standard phone arrived in black or Milk (white) – both variants also sported a red accent – the 2a Plus can be bought in either Black or Grey, with that circuitry no longer color-matching the bodywork, and instead sporting a more eye-catching reflective silver finish.

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It's a simple and effective way to distinguish the Plus from the standard 2a, and it feels a little more premium, too. However, I do miss the cleaner look of both launch finishes of the standard 2a (especially Milk).

In the hand, the proportions and weight of the 2a Plus make it a surprisingly comfortable phone to use one-handed. For its size, it feels beautifully put together, especially for a device that is, externally, mostly polycarbonate. Scuffs and scrapes are repelled surprisingly well; I just wish it didn't hold onto smudges so readily.

Nothing goes into some detail on the stress testing the 2a line is subjected to, for peace of mind, but the build is also independently certified against dust and water ingress with an IP54 rating; not quite as advanced as high-end devices, but perfectly at home for use in wet weather and the like.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Display

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 6.7-inch 120Hz Full HD+ OLED
• Protected by Gorilla Glass 5
• Sluggish in-display optical fingerprint sensor

Sticking with aesthetics, Nothing's love for flexible OLED panels grants the Phone 2a Plus balanced bezels around its flat 6.7-inch Full HD+ (1084 x 2412) screen; framing things neatly with a 91.65% screen-to-body ratio (for comparison, the pricier Galaxy A55 sports a 86.9% ratio).

The display is protected by both a factory-fitted screen protector and Gorilla Glass 5 (i.e. not Corning's latest and greatest, but respectable in terms of both impact and scratch protection), and after several weeks of use, my device only picked up one or two superficial abrasions.

That upgraded front-facing camera sits neatly at the center of the panel's top edge, while an optical under-display fingerprint sensor hangs down near the bottom bezel. Practically, I think the sensor placement is a little too low, and, surprisingly, the response time of this particular fingerprint reader is well behind what I've come to expect from the technology. We're talking milliseconds here, but I hope Nothing works to improve read speed via subsequent updates, as it lags behind the quality of the rest of the experience served up by the 2a Plus.

The Phone 2a (left), Phone 2a Plus (center) and Phone 2 (right) (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

As for the panel itself, it's the same screen found on the standard 2a, with nice colors, contrast, and a respectable 1,100-nit average maximum brightness (with a 1,300-nit peak). Other reviewers have reported fractionally better brightness scores from the panel on the 2a Plus, compared to the 2a, but anecdotally I never saw a noticeable difference while testing them side by side; both are visible in bright conditions, even if there is plenty of room for improvement.

While the use of OLED tech ensures nice vibrant colors and deep blacks, the 2a Plus doesn't pack LTPO tech, meaning the 120Hz refresh can step down to 30Hz, but no lower, and in fairly sizable increments, too. In practice, the OS tends to err on the side of fluidity, even if that means higher power consumption (you do have the ability to cap it at 60Hz manually, if you prefer).

Nothing doesn't grant a huge amount of control over customizing the viewing experience, beyond including always-on display (AoD) support and Night Light (which warms display color temperature when it's dark or late). You have Alive or Standard color profiles to choose between, with a warm-to-cool slider, too, but again, while appreciated, this is a comparatively bare-bones take on display personalization, compared to what you'd find on equivalent Xiaomi.

• Display score: 3.5 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Software

Nothing OS' stylized weather app (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 3 years of OS & 4 years security updates
• Launches with Nothing OS 2.6 atop Android 14
• Nothing AI news widget is novel but has provenance issues

Nothing OS fast found a home among fans, thanks to its distinct, minimalist aesthetic, monochrome icon and widget theming, and as the means of interaction with the defining functional design feature of the brand's phones: the Glyph Interface.

Since the original Nothing Phone, the company has continued to build out this experience with new functionality, without straying from the path; ensuring a consistent experience across all its devices at all price points (from the top-tier Phone 2, down to the recently released affordable CMF Phone 1).

Like the standard Phone 2a, the 2a Plus arrives on Android 14 but sports the latest (at the time of writing) Nothing OS 2.6. The experience is as great as every other Nothing Phone, with the look and feel being one of its major draws. It's really nice to use, slick, and responsive on the 2a Plus thanks to that high refresh rate display. The ability to have supersized folders and app icons is a nice, unique bit of personalization and the native widgets are oozing with the dot matrix charm that embodies Nothing OS' visual style.

The new News widget, introduced in Nothing OS 2.6 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

One of the most interesting additions in Nothing OS 2.6 is a new news widget. Add it to your home screen and select as many topics as you like from a shortlist of seven during the initial setup screen (these include business, entertainment, sports, technology, and more).

Once set up, tap the widget each day to hear an impressively convincing AI-generated version of Nothing's CFO Tim Holbrow read out various stories, covering your chosen topics. It's a novel and convenient way to digest current affairs, and a meaningful implementation of free AI functionality that few other mid-rangers come close to offering. There are, however, some obvious drawbacks.

For one, you have no idea about the provenance of the stories being read out. Even during setup, the widget never cites its sources, and there's no way to dive deeper or access the source material on a story Tim just read to you. There's the obvious risk of AI hallucination to consider with a tool like this, too, not to mention the ethical quandary of fair attribution to the journalists whose work this widget has scraped for content.

While I like the method of delivery, here's hoping subsequent updates iron out at least some of the pitfalls with this otherwise capable news widget.

The 2a Plus' Glyph Interface lit up in darkness (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Despite its lower standing in Nothing's smartphone portfolio, the 2a Plus doesn't lose out on the brand's signature Glyph Interface – the diffused LED segments around the phone's rear camera.

There are far fewer than on the Phone 2, but the trio that are present still fulfill all the same functions: as visual indicators for incoming calls and notifications when the phone is face down, to represent timers and ETAs on supported apps, and as a softer fill light when shooting video. You can also create your own Glyph patterns by downloading Nothing's Glyph Composer app, which is a fun bonus.

While not everyone will appreciate a phone that flashes (you can disable it if you don't like the Glyphs at all), it's another novel and aesthetic-defining characteristic of Nothing's phones and I appreciate its presence; although I wish more third-party developers put it to use, as it doesn't feel like it's being utilized to its full potential.

The Glyph Interfaces on the Nothing Phone 2a (left), Phone 2a Plus (center) and Phone 2 (right) (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

When it comes to software updates, Nothing is great at constantly pushing fixes and features to its devices; it's far more prolific than bigger brands like Motorola or Sony, and they should take note, as it constantly feels like your phone is improving. Nothing's also great at granting its users early access to Android betas, ahead of each OS' full release, which right now means you can technically already get your hands on Android 15, if you're willing to hazard its unfinished state.

The flip side is that software promises have become increasingly competitive in the market, with Apple and, more recently, the likes of OnePlus, Samsung and Google pushing for five, six or even seven years of support on its latest devices.

In the case of the Phone 2a Plus, the promise of three years of OS updates and four years of security updates seems acceptable for the phone's mid-range standing, but looks like a much weaker proposition on the more expensive Phone 2. If Nothing has the resources, being able to up those numbers would keep it competitive.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Camera

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Same dual 50MP rear sensors as Phone 2a
• Upgraded 50MP front camera
• New Vivid Mode with real time analysis

The Phone 2a's distinct rear dual 50MP sensors (a Samsung GN9 for the main sensor and a Samsung JN1 for the ultra-wide) remain unchanged from the standard Phone 2a, as does the Imagiq 765 ISP (image signal processor) handling things behind the scenes; despite the change in silicon between the two phones.

The more prominent difference is the upgraded front camera, which sees the 2a's 32MP snapper traded for another 50MP JN1 (yes, the same sensor used by the ultra-wide). The result is higher-resolution selfies with a different capture profile and the ability to shoot 4K video on the phone's front, too.

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Side by side, selfies taken on the 2a Plus display greater detail and dynamic range in well-lit scenes. However, the fact that shots are captured at 50MP natively, and not pixel-binned, means blurring and detail loss in low light conditions is prevalent.

Portrait shooting across the front and back sensors can be hit and miss, too, with edge detection from the Portrait Optimizer within Nothing's TrueLens Engine (i.e. its camera software) tripping up from time to time. Otherwise, results are good.

Another camera addition that remains unique to the Phone 2a Plus is Vivid Mode; not even the Phone 2 running the same version of Nothing OS has this feature, at the time of writing. Not only does Vivid Mode change the color science employed to achieve more saturated shots, but it also uses AI to analyze what's in-frame and serves up real-time insight into what it's actually doing.

Within Vivid Mode, the 'result' section grants real-time AI-generated insight into how the camera is processing whatever's in frame. (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

It's another novel use of AI, but one that shows Nothing is thinking about new ways to enhance the mobile photography experience and also give the user more insight into how to compose shots and what to consider. Vivid Mode lends itself well to further improving low-light shots, too.

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Performance

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 3nm MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chipset
• 8GB / 12GB RAM w/ RAM Booster up to 20GB
• Sole 256GB storage variant (non-expandable)

One of the three tentpole upgrades – and perhaps the most significant – that the 2a Plus lords over the standard 2a is a new chipset. MediaTek has once again supplied Nothing with an exclusive variant of its mobile silicon variant, which promises a 10% CPU uptick and up to a 30% graphical performance boost, compared to the Dimensity 7200 Pro that powers the vanilla Phone 2a.

In practice, my benchmark results suggest more modest improvements (about 3.5% better in CPU, 6% in AI, and 12% in GPU performance). That said, this doesn't detract from the fact that this Dimensity 7350 Pro-powered phone is more capable outright; scoring closely to the original Phone 1, as well as more recent rivals, like Samsung's Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A54, along with the Tensor G2-powered Google's Pixel 7 line.

By default, high-fidelity 3D titles like Zenless Zone Zero default to 'low' graphical settings at 30fps and deliver perfectly consistent performance at that level. If you want to dial things up to 'high' at 60fps, though, the 7350 Pro seems happy to be pushed in short bursts; you'll just start to notice heat build-up (there is a vapor chamber to help internal cooling) and the occasional dropped frame after about 20 to 30-minutes of play time, as I did.

Nothing is keeping things simple with a single 256GB (non-expandable) storage option in all markets, with most of the world getting 12GB of RAM. You can also use the RAM Booster tech in Nothing OS to allocate some of that storage as additional memory to give you up to an additional 8GB of virtual RAM), if desired, allowing more apps to remain in suspension in the background.

Beyond the engine of the phone, the performance of its asymmetrical stereo speaker setup also surprised and impressed, with a much fuller and clearer sound than you'd expect for a mid-ranger such as the Plus, not to mention some usable bass, too.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Battery

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• 5,000mAh battery
• Fastest-charging Nothing Phone yet, at 50W
• 7 hours of screen-on time per charge

The 2a Plus is tied for the largest battery capacity on a Nothing Phone, at 5,000mAh, but it trumps the rest of the range – including the Phone 2 and 2a – when it comes to fast charging; with an elevated top speed of 50W.

While we're not approaching OnePlus or Xiaomi numbers here, 50W is decently fast against key competitors; so fast, in fact, that Nothing's own-brand charger 45W can't refill the Phone 2a Plus at full speed. For that, the $39 / £39 CMF Power 65W GaN charger is the next-best thing; especially as Nothing doesn't include a power adapter in-box, just its iconic transparent-ended USB-C cable.

In testing, the Phone 2a Plus reached 40% charge in 15 minutes, over 70% in 30, and a full charge took just under an hour (55 minutes). As you might expect, with only a 5W uptick compared to the standard Phone 2a, the gains in fast-charging are limited; the base 2a hit 30% charge in 15 minutes, just over 60% in 30, and recharged completely in just over an hour, under the same conditions as the Plus.

Screen-on time for the 2a Plus is respectable at 7 hours per charge, which should see most users through a day and a half of use without worry (the Phone 2a offered on average 6 hours and 45 minutes of screen-on time). For added peace of mind, Nothing also states that even after 1,000 charge cycles, the 2a Plus' battery will retain 90% of its original capacity, which is well above the kinds of figures rivals promise; perhaps even an industry-leading claim.

•  Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Nothing Phone 2a Plus? Buy it if...

You want a great-value Nothing experience
The Phone 2a Plus distills the full-fat Nothing experience down in all the right ways; from design to user experience.

You want a phone that turns heads
Nothing's hardware and software are already eye-catching in a market of black rectangles, but the shiny silver circuitry and Glyph Interface mean the Phone 2a Plus makes a real statement.

Don't buy it if...

You want a meaningful upgrade over the Phone 2a
It's hard to reconcile why the Phone 2a Plus exists alongside the Phone 2a, when the upgrades, while appreciated, don't move the needle all that much.

You want a top performing mid-ranger
The Phone 2a Plus puts more points into style than many of its direct competitors but, as a result, lags behind on performance; even with a beefier chipset than the standard Phone 2a.

Nothing Phone 2a Plus review: Also consider

The specific blend of style and features that make up the Nothing Phone 2a Plus might not be for you after all. If that's the case, what about one of these alternatives?

Samsung Galaxy A35
A more boring design than the Phone 2a Plus conceals comparable performance, better dust and water resistance, an extra camera, and longer software support, all for a little less money.

Xiaomi Poco F6
Faster charging and better water resistance are nice, but the Poco F6 really outshines the 2a Plus on performance. Its near-flagship Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip serves up way more power and even ray tracing support for the same price.

How I tested the Nothing Phone 2a Plus

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

• Review test period: one month
• Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used: Geekbench 6, Geekbench AI, GFXBench, native Android stats, Samsung 65W trio charger

On receiving the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, I also picked up the Phone 2 and Phone 2a, to make constant comparisons between the three devices. I lived and worked with the Phone 2a Plus for a month, using it as my main phone for everything from social media use to photography and gaming.

I kept track of battery usage each day and ran several benchmark apps to help compare performance against rival devices I did and didn't have to hand.

As a reviewer with 13 years of experience, and having reviewed previous Nothing phones, I felt confident assessing and scoring the Nothing Phone 2a Plus, both relative to other mid-rangers, and in the context of the wider smartphone market.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2024

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