These are the Best Pixel 3 Cases in 2021: Ringke, Olixar, Spigen, & more!

American tech giant Google may offer several newer models in its popular lineup of Pixel smartphones, but the 2018 Pixel 3 remains a great Android handset for many people across the world. It sports a range of excellent features, including a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2160 pixels, a Snapdragon 845 processor, a 12.2-megapixel camera, a 2915 mAh battery, wireless charging, a stunning design, and so much more.

If you’re still using the Google Pixel 3 or are thinking about buying one at a discounted price, you should definitely keep the phone in a case to protect it against scratches, bumps, drops, and other types of damage. Luckily, you’ll find lots of amazing cases for the Pixel 3 on the market. However, while it’s great to see so much choice available, this can make choosing the right option for you much harder. So to help you pick one, we’ve rounded up the best Pixel 3 cases in 2021.

Ringke Fusion

Keep things simple

The Ringke Fusion is a slim and lightweight transparent case that provides military-grade protection for the Google Pixel 3. It sports a robust polycarbonate and rubber design, precise cutouts for different ports and features, a lanyard hole, and wireless charging support.

Buy from Amazon

Teelevo Wallet Case

Card storage and kickstand

This wallet case, from Teelevo, offers a premium-looking finish, a dual layer design and formfactor, two credit card slots, a kickstand for propping your phone up, and precise cutouts for different ports and features on the Google Pixel 3.

Buy from Amazon

Olixar Leather-Style Wallet Stand Case

A great folio-style case

Olixar also offers a lightweight and slim leather-style folio wallet case for the Google Pixel 3. Its features include two credit card slots, a built-in stand function, precise cutouts, and wireless charging support. You can get it in either black or tan.

Buy from Amazon

Spigen Tough Armor

Ultimate protection

Looking for a Google Pixel 3 case that provides maximum protection? Then you should check out the Spigen Tough Armor, which features a two-layer impact-resistant design, military-grade protection, a kickstand, and raised edges for protecting the display and camera.

Buy from Amazon

Topnow Roses Cluster Case

Compact and stylish

For anyone who wants a compact and stylish Google Pixel 3 case, look no further than this option from Topnow. It has a lightweight and slim design with a stunning floral pattern, precise cutouts, responsive buttons, and protection against all sorts of damage.

Buy from Amazon

Google Pixel 3 Fabric Case

A stunning fabric design

Google also offers an official case for the Pixel 3. Comprising a knit fabric exterior and a soft microfiber interior, it looks and feels great. What’s more, the case supports wireless charging and comes in a range of different colors.

Buy from Amazon

As you can see, there’s a wide variety of cases available for the Google Pixel 3. But ultimately, which should you choose? If you’re happy to spend more money on a high-quality case, we’d recommend the Google Pixel 3 Fabric Cover.

But there are cheaper options out there, and many of them come from reputable brands such as Olixar. For example, the Olixar Farley Executive Wallet Case and the Olixar Leather-Style Wallet Stand Case both cost under $10 on MobileFun.

Should you want the best possible protection for your Google Pixel 3, it’s worth checking out the Spigen Tough Armor because it offers two layers of impact resistance. Plus, you can buy it on Amazon at a reasonable price. Meanwhile, the Topnow Roses Cluster Case is perfect for any fashionistas who own a Google Pixel 3.

Are you a Google Pixel 3 user, and have you found a great case for it? Let us know in the comments section below – we’d love to hear your recommendations. If you own a Google Pixel 4a, we’ve also recommended the best Pixel 4a cases.

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Android 12 DP2 hints at a future Pixel device with an under-display fingerprint scanner

Google is responsible for both maintaining Android and making new Pixel phones, so it’s sometimes hard to tell when a new Android feature also means a new Pixel feature. Just because Android adds support for new hardware doesn’t always mean that a future Pixel phone will actually ship with that hardware, though that doesn’t mean this never happens. The return of wireless charging on Pixel phones and the existence of a Google-made wireless charging dock, for instance, first leaked through Android code. Now, we’ve spotted evidence in Android 12 that suggests a future Pixel device may finally add an under-display fingerprint scanner.

Earlier today, Google published the second Developer Preview of Android 12. Within the code, developer kdrag0n spotted several new classes in the SystemUIGoogle app. One of these classes is called “UdfpsControllerGoogle”, where “Udfps” refers to “under-display fingerprint scanner.”

Now, the SystemUIGoogle app from the first Android 12 Developer Preview also added several classes related to under-display fingerprint readers, but we thought nothing of it at the time because there wasn’t any evidence suggesting the code wasn’t just for generic Udfps support in AOSP, the open-source version of Android. Many custom ROM developers will tell you that AOSP’s lack of under-display fingerprint scanner support has caused a lot of headaches, so it was about time for Google to add proper support. However, these new Udfps classes are part of the com.google.android.systemui path rather than com.android.systemui, suggesting that these classes are being developed for Pixel phones rather than AOSP. This isn’t definitive evidence that a future Pixel phone will have an under-display fingerprint scanner, but based on our experience learning about new Pixel features this way, we feel confident enough to now raise this as a possibility.

While Google would be late to adopt an under-display fingerprint scanner in a Pixel phone, the timing makes sense. Optical under-display fingerprint scanners have been around for years, but the quality of these modules has increased a lot since they were first introduced. They still aren’t as secure as physical capacitive fingerprint scanners or hardware-based facial authentication, but they allow for a sleeker design when compared to the former and cost a lot less when compared to the latter. The biggest question that we have is: If Google is putting an under-display fingerprint scanner in a future Pixel phone, will it be an optical or ultrasonic sensor?

Lastly, Google is also set to introduce a new “swipe for notifications” gesture in Android 12, which is a replacement for the old “swipe fingerprint for notifications” gesture on Pixel phones that have a fingerprint scanner. Since under-display fingerprint scanners can’t be used for fingerprint swipe gestures, the new “swipe for notifications” gesture will provide a nice complement to the new fingerprint hardware.

Thanks to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

Featured image: the optical under-display fingerprint scanner of the OnePlus 7T Pro.

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Motorola adds a DeX-like desktop mode to the Edge+

Back in December, Motorola teased a DeX-like desktop mode for select devices updated to Android 11. With the Motorola Edge+ recently receiving the update on Verizon, the new mode is finally here.

Motorola is calling the feature “Ready For,” and will allow you to hook up the Edge+ to a display for a desktop-like experience.

“Get a complete desktop experience with your phone — even add a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse,” a landing page reads on Motorola’s website. “Compose and send emails faster. Edit photos and video easier. Enjoy a bigger view of everything you do.”

Motorola’s Ready For feature requires users to connect the Edge+ to a display over video-enabled USB-C or USB-C-to-HDMI. You can use a TV or monitor, so long as it has an HDMI port or USB-C video-in port. Once you’re connected, the UI will look a lot like a traditional desktop layout, including a taskbar with app icons.

• Mobile Desktop: View multiple windows at once or take a closer look at videos, artwork, and documents. Plus, connect a Bluetooth® keyboard and mouse for a complete desktop experience.
• Video Chat: Enjoy higher quality video calls with the option to pick between the 108MP main lens or 16MP ultra-wide lens, which lets you capture more people in one frame.
• Gaming: Play your favorite mobile games on the big screen with an advantage thanks to edge+ and Verizon 5G. Bonus, pair a Bluetooth® controller for an intuitive and hands on gaming.
• TV: See all your favorite apps and entertainment at a glance in an easy-to-read dashboard. Now when you’re on the go, you don’t have to worry about missing your must-watch shows.

Image: Motorola

This isn’t Motorola’s first foray into offering desktop mode experiences. As we mentioned before, the company introduced a similar feature all the way back in 2011 with the Atrix 4G. The method back then was a little different, requiring users to dock the device in a laptop shell. But hardware and software have evolved a lot in the past 10 years, allowing features like Ready For (and Samsung DeX) to exist.

Motorola Edge+ Forums

Along with the launch of the new feature, Motorola is offering a Ready For dock, which can hold your device in portrait or landscape orientation. The dock features a flexible hinge and integrated fan and will launch on April 19. Motorola will reveal a price closer to the accessory’s launch.

Ready For is a nice perk to have if you own the Motorola Edge+, which should be receiving the update to Android 11 starting today.

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OnePlus confirms its smartwatch won’t run Google’s Wear OS

There’s been some uncertainty over whether the upcoming OnePlus Watch would run Wear OS or something entirely different. With the wearable set to drop on March 23, OnePlus has set the record straight by saying the device won’t launch with Google’s software.

Answering a question from the community, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said the company wanted to address some of the “pain points” for smartwatch users, and therefore opted not to use Wear OS. This follows Lau’s comments about OnePlus working closely with Google to improve Wear OS. It would seem the platform hasn’t improved enough for the OnePlus Watch.

“We chose to go with a smart wear operating system developed based on RTOS because we believe it provides you a smooth and reliable experience while offering a great battery life, covering some of the biggest concerns we’ve been hearing from people looking to buy a smartwatch,” Lau said.

Expertly crafted and meticulously designed, the #OnePlusWatch is the perfect companion to elevate your digital life. Rack up steps, monitor your heart-rate, and much more, with our debut timepiece.

— OnePlus 2 (@oneplus) March 17, 2021

Lau went on to explain that OnePlus decided to make a smartwatch to “create a burdenless experience” for consumers that elevates a user’s digital life. Lau teased that the OnePlus Watch would feature a design where no detail is too small, and seamless connectivity between other OnePlus devices, including smartphones and audio peripherals. Lau also promised a “best-in-class” experience at an affordable price.

Lau’s comments follow an earlier leak that revealed key details about the OnePlus Watch. The device is expected to feature an IP68 rating, heart rate monitoring, auto workout detection, and Warp Charge, with the latter feature apparently providing users with a week of charge in 20 minutes. Users will also be able to use the OnePlus watch to control the OnePlus TV, and receive notifications for things like calls and messages.

One thing that remains a mystery is what the OnePlus Watch will look like. A report from last year claimed it would feature a circular design, and a recent Tweet from OnePlus appears to confirm that.

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Samsung Galaxy A70 starts receiving One UI 3.1 update based on Android 11

After delivering the latest One UI 3.1 updates to the Galaxy M31 and Galaxy A42 5G last week, Samsung is expanding the software rollout to one more device. The Galaxy A70 is the latest in the line to receive the One UI 3.1 update based on Android 11.

As reported by several Samsung Galaxy A70 owners on Reddit, Samsung has started rolling out the One UI 3.1 update based on Android 11 to its popular 2019 mid-ranger. Much like the Galaxy A71 4G and Galaxy A42 5G, the Galaxy A70 is skipping the One UI 3.0 release altogether and being bumped straight up to One UI 3.1. The update carries software version A705FNXXU5DUC6 and is 1902MB in size. Along with a jump to Android 11, the new software package also includes the latest March 2021 security patches. At this time, the One UI 3.1 update is only rolling out in Ukraine, but we expect Samsung to expand the rollout to more markets in the coming weeks.

As for what to expect from the new software update, the Galaxy A70 users can look forward to all the latest goodies introduced in Android 11, including Conversation Notifications, Chat Bubbles, one-time permission for location and microphone, and so on. On the One UI side of things, you get the new Eye comfort shield, improved Always-on display and lock screen widgets, and new camera tricks, just to name a few. Be sure to check out our full review of the One UI 3.1 to find out what’s new in the latest software.

The Galaxy A70 was launched in 2019 and came running One UI 1.0 based on Android 9 Pie. It was later updated to Android 10 with One UI 2.5. The Android 11 update will likely be the last major Android update for the smartphone. However, it should continue to receive new security patches until 2023 as part of Samsung’s new commitment to offer up to 4 years of security updates on Galaxy devices.

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ASUS ZenFone 8 “Mini” may pack a 5.9″ 120Hz OLED screen and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888

Earlier this month, ASUS launched its first flagship phone of the year: the ROG Phone 5. It launched earlier than expected yet still added many improvements over last year’s ROG Phone. The ROG Phone 5 isn’t the only flagship phone from ASUS that’s launching in 2021, though. We’re expecting the successor to last year’s ZenFone 7 to make an appearance this year, and new details we’ve spotted from an analysis of kernel source code and firmware shed some light on what to expect from the ASUS ZenFone 8 series.

For a bit of context, we’re expecting multiple phones to launch as part of the ASUS ZenFone 8 series. While last year’s ZenFone 7 added a “Pro” model to the lineup, the successor is rumored to add a “Mini” version that will feature premium specs in a more compact form factor. There’s also the mysterious “ASUS ZenFone 8 Flip” which appeared in a Google support document a few days ago, but we don’t know if the rumored “Mini” and “Flip” are actually one and the same. Still, we can expect there will be at least two phones in the ZenFone 8 series, with the kernel source code and firmware files hinting at a possible third model.

Thanks to a tip from XDA Recognized Developer Freak07, we looked at the kernel source code of the ASUS ROG Phone 5 and discovered references to potentially three new flagship ASUS phones. The three phones are code-named “SAKE”, “PICASSO”, and “VODKA”. For reference, the ZenFone 7 series was code-named “TEQUILA” while the ROG Phone 3 and ROG Phone 5 were code-named “OBIWAN” and “ANAKIN” respectively. We also spotted a reference to “SAKE_PLUS” and “VODKA_PLUS” in a single file in the kernel source code, but we don’t know if these are actually distinct models since no other references appear anywhere else.

While we don’t know which of these three phones belong to the ASUS ZenFone 8 series, we did spot explicit references to the ASUS ZenFone 8 and ASUS ZenFone 8 Flip in the latest version of the ASUS PixelMaster Camera app. However, all three of these phones should be based on Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, at least according to the kernel source code.

At the very least, we expect that “SAKE” will be the rumored ZenFone 8 “Mini” since it is defined with a 5.92″ OLED display and is referred to as a “small phone” in ASUS’s software. The configuration file for the panel also mentions that it’ll support a 120Hz refresh rate and full HD+ (2400×1080) resolution. As for cameras, we spotted only two image sensors for it: a 64MP Sony IMX686 and a new Sony IMX663.

On the other hand, “PICASSO” seems to have the same panel as the ZenFone 7 series: a 6.67″ Samsung-made OLED panel at full HD+ resolution. PICASSO also has very similar camera hardware to the ZenFone 7 series, with the exception of an additional 24MP image sensor that’s strangely defined as the “front” sensor in the kernel. Although, given the oddity of the ZenFone’s flip camera setup, that might not mean it actually has a traditional front-facing camera. Lastly, we don’t really know anything about the rumored “VODKA” device. It’s the most elusive of the three, with very few references to it both in the kernel source code and in the latest firmware.

Here’s a summary of the information we learned about the three phones:

Specification	ASUS “SAKE”	ASUS “PICASSO”	ASUS “VODKA”
Model Name	ASUS_ZS590KS/ASUS_I006D	ASUS_ZS672KS/ASUS_I004D	ASUS_ZS675KW/ASUS_I007D
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Display	5.92″ OLED panel (Samsung AMS592YP01) Full HD+ resolution (2400×1080) 120Hz refresh rate	6.67″ OLED panel (Samsung AMS667UU07) Full HD+ resolution (2400×1080) Unknown refresh rate	Unknown
Cameras	Sony IMX686 (64MP image sensor) Sony IMX663 (new image sensor?)	Sony IMX686 (64MP image sensor) Sony IMX363 (12.2MP image sensor) Omnivision OV24B1Q (24MP image sensor) Omnivision OV08A (8MP image sensor for “telephoto”)	Unknown
Miscellaneous	Cirrus CS35L45 amplifier	Pixelworks i6 visual processor	Unknown

Thanks to PNF Software for providing us a license to use JEB Decompiler, a professional-grade reverse engineering tool for Android applications.

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OPPO F15 starts receiving the stable ColorOS 11 update in India

OPPO launched the latest version of its custom Android skin — called ColorOS 11 — in September 2020. ColorOS 11 is based on Android 11 and a straight jump in terms of naming from the previous version, which was called ColorOS 7. Despite its launch in the same month as Android 11, the stable ColorOS 11 update has only reached select OPPO devices including the OPPO Reno 10x Zoom and Reno 2F and OPPO Reno 5G. Meanwhile, the update for many other devices including the Reno 4 4G and Reno 4 Pro 4G, Reno 2 and Reno 2Z, and OPPO F15 have been in the beta phase for a few months. Out of these, the OPPO F15 is now graduating out of the beta cycle and has started receiving its stable ColorOS 11 update, starting in India.

OPPO released the ColorOS 11 beta for its 2019 mid-ranger — OPPO F15 — in late January — just as the company had promised earlier that month in its ColorOS update schedule. The smartphone gets its stable Android 11 update in India as informed by the ColorOS community post and confirmed by Twitter user @Vireshyadrami. The update weighs in at 0.92GB as per the screenshot shared by the user.

Image by Twitter user @Vireshyadrami

To download the update, OPPO F15 users can head over to Settings>Software Updates and check for the update. If you don’t see the ColorOS 11 update readily, tap on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page, tap on “Official Version Application,” and then on “I agree” to apply for the stable update. Then go back to the previous screen and check for the update again.

The OPPO F15 was launched in India in early 2020 as the successor to the OPPO F11. It comes with a MediaTek Helio P70 chipset, up to 8GB of RAM, 48MP quad cameras with a design that resembles the Realme X2. In addition, the OPPO F15 features an AMOLED display, a 4000mAh battery, and 20W fast charging. The phone launched with Android 9 Pie out of the box, which makes this one its second platform update.

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