These are the best iPhones to buy in 2022: Apple has an iPhone for every budget!

The iPhone is the most mainstream and ubiquitous smartphone — perhaps consumer product — on earth, and if you’re on the market for a new model, it could be overwhelming with all the options. It may be easy to default to buying the newest one, but for some people, it may make more sense to buy an older or different model. With Apple’s best-in-industry software updates, you can buy an older phone and still get the latest Apple experience.

We at XDA have tested every iPhone, so here’s our trusty guide to hopefully help you make a more informed decision. If you’re looking for more options, we have recommendations on the best Android phones, and a combined recommendation list for the best phones.

Navigate this article:

• Best iPhone for most people: iPhone 13
• Best flagship iPhone: iPhone 14 Pro Max
• Best iPhone for power users who don’t like big screens: iPhone 14 Pro
• Best affordable iPhone for most people: iPhone 12
• Best small iPhone: iPhone 13 Mini
• Best budget iPhone: iPhone SE 3 (2022)

Best iPhone for most people: iPhone 13

You may be wondering why we kept the iPhone 13 on this list when the iPhone 14 exists. Well, it’s because this category isn’t necessarily about the absolute most powerful or newest phone that money can buy, but rather the best option for the average consumer after taking into account all the features and price. It’s about recommending the most practical and value-oriented option, without being majorly outdated or having any deal-breaking flaws. Also, if we’re being honest, the iPhone 14 really doesn’t bring many useful upgrades over the iPhone 13, particularly since they run on the same chip.

The iPhone 13, which is still on sale officially at the Apple Store, can be had now at a discount on retailers such as Best Buy or Amazon, and it’s usually about $100 cheaper than the iPhone 14. The iPhone 13’s Apple A15 Bionic is still extremely powerful today — and more powerful than any chip in Android phones — and the 12MP main and ultra-wide camera remain very capable. With the help of Apple’s computational photography, the iPhone 13 cameras excel in day and night, and can shoot some of the best videos on smartphones. You also get the impressive Cinematic Mode that creates a semi-convincing artificial bokeh in video.

Crafted out of an aluminum body with “Ceramic Shield,” the iPhone 13 is relatively comfortable to hold compared to the heavier Pro iPhones or the huge Pro Max iPhones. We here at XDA have a fondness for the white model in particular.

The iPhone 14 is slightly better — it has a larger main image sensor, and a slightly superior GPU — but honestly, the improvements do not justify a whole new generation, nor the price difference. Apple seems to have saved the real upgrades for the Pro iPhones this year. If you’re an average consumer who just wants an iPhone that is powerful, snap good enough photos, and gets all social media and work tasks done, the iPhone 13 is still the best overall option factoring in price and value proposition.

Apple iPhone 13

The iPhone 13 may be a year old but it's still mighty capable and the best iPhone for most people whose smartphone usage do not need all the bells and whistles of a Pro phone.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

Best flagship iPhone: iPhone 14 Pro Max

If you want the absolute latest and biggest from Apple, then the iPhone 14 Pro Max is your de-facto choice. But unlike the iPhone 13 Pro Max which only brought marginal improvements over the 12 Pro Max, this year’s 14 Pro Max brings some major upgrades. The first thing you’ll notice is that the notch is gone, replaced by a cutout named the Dynamic Island. It’s named so because this isn’t just a static hardware component. Apple built UI elements into and around the cutout so that depending on the action, the Dynamic Island will morph into different shapes and sizes.

Play music from Spotify, for example, and the island will display the album cover art and a little music bar that thumps along with the beat. Start a timer, and you can see the clock tick away the seconds inside the now long island. As app support grows, there will be more ways to interact and play with it.

Elsewhere, the iPhone 14 Pro Max also sees an improved 48-megapixel main camera, which uses pixel binning technology to produce brighter, more detailed images. The ultra-wide camera sees an increase in image sensor size too for superior low light capabilities. There’s also a new machine learning algorithm called “Photonic Engine” that helps improve low-light photos.

The iPhone 14 Pro Max also brings back the excellent 3x telephoto zoom that can do a maximum zoom up to 15x. While long zooms (10x and up), the iPhone 14 Pro Max still falls short of what the top Android phones can do, we think the iPhone 14 Pro Max may have the best 3x zoom lens on the market right now. We also think 3x is a more ideal short zoom length than 2x or 4x (the latter used in the Pixel 6 Pro).

And because the iPhone 14 Pro Max is huge, Apple managed to throw in a sizable battery too, and the result is the best battery life in a flagship phone we’ve tested all year. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, even with ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate, can last a full 12-hour day out and come home with like 40-50% battery. This is the first iPhone to not give some of us at XDA battery anxiety in years.

Another benefit of getting the largest iPhone is you also get the most screen. The 6.7-inch display here is stunning to look at, with superb viewing angles and maximum brightness. Pair that with awesome stereo speakers and this is a phone you can binge NetFlix on without issues. Some of us here at XDA, unfortunately, also find this model a bit hard to use with one hand. But if you have large hands or don’t mind two-handing a phone regularly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest and the baddest.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest and baddest iPhone, giving you a new Dynamic Island, improved cameras, and epic battery life.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

Best iPhone for power users who don’t like big screens: iPhone 14 Pro

Remember two years ago when the iPhone 12 Pro was missing some features in the 12 Pro Max? Apple has now given full parity to the Pro iPhones, as the iPhone 14 Pro is exactly the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max other than its physical size (including battery). This means that if you want the absolute best that Apple has to offer, you don’t have to get the gigantic phone.

The iPhone 14 Pro runs on Apple’s newest all-powerful A16 Bionic SoC, with a new 48MP main camera and a larger image sensor the ultra-wide camera, plus you also get Dynamic Island, which we just wrote about a paragraph above.

The new 48MP camera shoots pixel-binned 12MP photos and produces excellent dynamic range day or night. A new Photonic Engine helps the phone further excel in low light conditions. Old favorites like “Cinematic mode,” which is like portrait mode for video, returns.

The iPhone 14 Pro’s video performance also got a boost thanks to a new “Action Mode” which produces much superior stabilization. Another strong point for the iPhone 14 Pro is selfies. Apple’s TrueDepth camera can really get an idea of your face and apply realistic portrait lighting and convincing digital bokeh. The iPhone 14 Pro does a good job with keeping skin tones realistic too, unlike some Android brands which can make our skin look plasticky.

Construction is premium, of course, with a stainless steel frame and Ceramic Shield glass on the front and back. While we find the sharp edges of the phone slightly less comfortable to hold, it is a stunner of a device to look at. Another strong point of the iPhone 14 Pro is its battery life. Despite the 120Hz screen, this is a phone that can last you an entire day out on a single charge.

There wasn’t much that differentiated the iPhone 12 Pro from the 12. But now, the iPhone 13 Pro is noticeably better than the iPhone 13. So if you want a powerhouse iPhone without the gigantic size, then this is the one to get.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

The iPhone 14 Pro brings a new screen design, new cameras, and the most powerful chip in mobile in a package that's the right size for most people.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

Best affordable iPhone for most people: iPhone 12

If saving a bit of money is your goal — but you also don’t want the really outdated iPhone SE — then the iPhone 12 is a good choice. Even at two years old, the iPhone 12 still holds up very well today, with its Apple A14 Bionic still at least on par with most Android flagship silicon.

While the two-year-old iPhone 12 camera system loses out on some fun features introduced in the iPhone 13 and 14 series such as “cinematic mode” or “action mode,” you still have a capable dual-camera system that captures great wide and ultra-wide images provided you have enough lighting. Shoot in low light situations, both of these lenses will have to revert to night mode a bit more than most 2022 flagship phones, but it’s not a dealbreaker at all for most people.

Video performance with the iPhone 12 is still very good today. Expect excellent stabilization and seamless switching between lenses mid-filming. Android brands have caught up to Apple in many regards, but in video performance, the iPhone is still king.

And because Apple gives the iPhones great software support, you can still run the latest version of iOS even if you buy this older iPhone. Elsewhere, you still have the premium iPhone design language with ceramic shield and aluminum railings, plus a gorgeous OLED panel. Although the screen’s notch and 60Hz refresh rate feel a bit behind now in 2022.

Some readers may scoff at the $599 price of the iPhone 12 as “affordable,” but do keep in mind Apple products are generally pricier than alternatives, and $599 for a two-year-old iPhone that is still flagship-quality is a good value price in this space.

Apple iPhone 12

If you want an iPhone that still feels flagship-ish at a good price, look no further than the two year old iPhone 12.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

Best small iPhone: iPhone 13 Mini

The iPhone 13 Mini is not just small, but downright petite. Most people should be able to palm the entire device and reach all four corners of the screen with their thumb easily. Don’t be fooled by its dainty build, however. The iPhone 13 Mini still packs the same punch as the iPhone 13, so you’re still getting a 5nm powerful SoC, very good main and ultra-wide cameras, as well as aluminum railings and Ceramic Shield protection for the display glass panel.

The camera system is identical to the iPhone 13, so this means you have a very capable dual-camera setup. Switch seamlessly between wide and ultra-wide cameras mid-filming, or point and shoot anywhere — even against harsh backlight — and get a properly exposed shot.

The battery here is a bit weak — this phone likely won’t last you an entire 13-hour day out of you have a busy Saturday, but on a typical workday in which you’re stationary at a desk, the iPhone 12 Mini’s endurance is fine.

On the software front, you can expect to be able to download and run the latest version of iOS within an hour of setting up the phone, and once set up, the iPhone 12 Mini’s software will behave as well as any new Android or iPhone. This is a phone that doesn’t skip a beat no matter what you throw at it.

If you want your phone this small, you should really consider snapping this up now because Apple has apparently scrapped the Mini line.

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

The iPhone 13 Mini is perhaps the last in Apple's mini phone experiment, so you might want to buy this now while you can. Don't be fooled by the tiny size -- this thing still packs a punch in 2022.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

Best budget iPhone: iPhone SE 3 (2022)

If you want the absolute cheapest iPhone possible (that’s not used or several years old), the iPhone SE 3 (2022) is the only sub-$430 iPhone around. It may lack the flashier all-screen design of the other iPhones listed here, but it comes in a petite size, and in this age of constant mask-wearing, having Touch ID instead of Face ID may actually be appealing to consumers. In fact, there are people who would actually very strongly prefer the familiar Touch ID and home button setup, and for them, the iPhone SE 3 (2022) is the only real option left.

With this model, you’re still getting the Apple A15 Bionic, 5G support, IP67 water and dust resistance (rare for a sub-$500 phone), and a good single camera with OIS. As usual, video recording is a strong point with this device. And this is one of the cheapest iPhones that you can officially buy right now that will receive the longest software support.

The smaller size has its appeal too, as before Apple introduced the iPhone 12 and 13 Mini, this was the phone people who really dislike big phones went for. At 144g, it’s a really easy carry in your hand or pocket.

The 4.7-inch, 750 x 1334 screen isn’t going to compete with other iPhones on this list, but it’s still a good LCD panel for its price, with Apple’s fine-tuning producing excellent colors and acceptable maximum brightness. You also get stereo speakers. The battery life is on the less generous side, so look out for newer options if you want something that lasts confidently through the day. With this phone, it’s best to have humble expectations.

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022)

The iPhone SE (2022) is the absolute cheapest iPhone right now that you can buy brand new.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

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No matter which iPhone you choose, you’ll be well served

Even though we here at XDA have a soft spot for Android and all the customization the platform brings, we can concede that when it comes to providing software updates in a timely and long-term manner, Apple does a much better job with the iPhone. While we’re partial to the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 13, any of the devices on this list will serve you well.

The post These are the best iPhones to buy in 2022: Apple has an iPhone for every budget! appeared first on XDA.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 receives new multitasking features with One UI 4.1.1 update

Samsung debuted One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L with its latest flagship foldable — the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The update introduced a host of new features and optimizations for large-screen devices, including a Taskbar, multitasking gestures, first-party app optimizations, and more. Soon after the launch event, Samsung rolled out One UI 4.1.1 based on Android 12L to its flagship Galaxy Tab S8 series.

The company then released it for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 earlier this month and confirmed that the update would also make it to the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip, and the original Galaxy Z Fold in the coming weeks. As promised, Samsung is now rolling out One UI 4.1.1 to the Galaxy Z Fold 2, bringing new multitasking features to the aging foldable.

The One UI 4.1.1 update for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 (firmware version F916BXXU2HVHA) has started rolling out to users in Germany. It’s currently available for the global model (model no. SM-F916B), but it should reach other regional variants over the next few days.

As per the changelog highlighted on Samsung’s website, the update includes the new Taskbar, multitasking gestures, and first-party app optimizations for large-screen devices. In addition, it packs the new OCR feature that Samsung debuted with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, advanced search support for the My Files app, custom call backgrounds for contacts, and the Android security patches for September 2022.

If you haven’t received One UI 4.1.1 on your Galaxy Z Fold 2, you can check for it manually by heading over to the Software update section in the device settings. To learn more about the changes included in the release, follow the source link below to the complete changelog.

Have you received One UI 4.1.1 on your Galaxy Z Fold 2? What’s your favorite new feature? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Source: Samsung

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 receives new multitasking features with One UI 4.1.1 update appeared first on XDA.

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How to enable and use ‘Flex mode’ on the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s massive folding screen

Samsung’s new foldables are most notable for their ability to fold down the middle like a pocket-sized notebook. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is obviously the one that’s better suited to function as anything close to a notebook. It lets you relive the netbooks and miniature laptop nostalgia from the early days. Samsung has also put more effort to make the Galaxy Z Fold 4 feel like a conventional notebook by adding some new features to its Flex mode. But what exactly is this Flex mode and how can you enable and use it to take full advantage of the folding screen?

Navigate this article:

• What is Flex mode?
• How to enable Flex mode?
• How to enable Flex mode on unsupported apps?
• Using Flex mode on unsupported applications

What is Flex mode?

Flex mode is a feature that’s built into the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4. It kicks in every time you use the phone’s main screen folded halfway. It essentially capitalizes on Samsung foldable’s sturdy hinge and uses one half of the device to serve as the main screen while the other can be used as a trackpad, keyboard, and just to show some important information related to the content that’s being consumed on the top half. It comes in handy when you put down the phone on a flat surface to use it hands-free.

Flex mode, in case you are wondering, only works with select applications right now. So only a handful of applications can truly take full advantage of Flex mode. Supported applications like Camera, Gallery, and Calculator will automatically distribute relevant information and on-screen elements on both halves of the display. YouTube, for instance, is also a supported application and you can see how the top portion of the display is used to show the video itself while the bottom half is used to display other relevant content like the comments on the video, recommended videos, and more.

Samsung’s Calculator, on the other hand, also shows more functions on the bottom half of the screen while allowing you to check our inputs and show results on the top half.  You can also use Flex mode while capturing photos on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and it’ll give you the camera controls along with a preview of your last image at the bottom while keeping the viewfinder on the top. Other supported applications have similar layouts to display relevant information.

How to enable Flex mode?

This particular feature is enabled by default on the Galaxy Z Fold 4, so all you have to do in order to use it is just fold the Z Fold 4’s screen halfway. Also, make sure you have disabled the orientation lock otherwise it won’t work. You can check this by locating a lock icon in the notification/quick settings menu and ensuring it’s disabled. Flex mode is exclusive to Samsung foldables, which means not all applications are optimized by default to take advantage of it. Samsung has a list of applications that support Flex mode by default. Here, take a look:

• Calendar
• Calculator
• Camera
• Clock
• Gallery
• Internet
• YouTube
• Zoom
• Phone
• Samsung Free
• Samsung Health
• Samsung TV Plus
• Google Duo

How to enable Flex mode on unsupported applications?

More applications are being updated to take advantage of Flex mode and Samsung says the compatibility will increase over time. You can, however, enable the Flex mode for just about any app on your phone by following a few simple steps that are mentioned below:

• Open the Settings page and look for an option named Advanced features.
• Inside that, locate the Labs option and select it to see a bunch of experimental features.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose the Flex mode panel.
• On this page, you can select the switch next to the app you want to use with Flex mode to enable it.

Once done, you should now be able to fold the phone halfway and enable the Flex mode on just about any application. You’ll see the content move to the top half of the screen while a control pad will appear at the bottom.

Using Flex mode on unsupported applications

In the case of applications that don’t officially support the Flex mode, you’ll see a control pad at the bottom part of the display. This control pad, as you can see, has five buttons that you can interact with by tapping on them. Here’s what the buttons do:

• Notifications: Tapping on this button will pull down the notification shade which you can send back by swiping up.
• Screenshot: The next button allows you to grab a screenshot, which I think is very useful because it can be weird pressing the power and volume down buttons when the phone is set up on a flat surface like this in front of you.
• Brightness & Volume: The next two buttons will bring the brightness and volume sliders, respectively.
• Touchpad: Lastly, you have a touchpad button, which enables a PC-style touchpad and a cursor that moves around the top half of the display. The touchpad controls are fairly straightforward — use two fingers to scroll, pinch to zoom, tap, or double-tap on items on the screen to take necessary actions.

The control pad and the touchpad on Galaxy Z Fold 4

Flex mode will pull up the same interface for all the unsupported apps. I find it useful in the case of apps like Google Chrome in which you can use the cursor for various things. But it doesn’t do much for apps like Twitch, for instance. I just find it weird staring at an empty bottom half when that space could be used for showing the live chat. The lack of these features is understandable in case of unsupported apps but that’s not even my main concern.

I personally found the touchpad to be a little finicky. I don’t like how the touchpad surface itself is quite small instead of letting you use the entire bottom half as a touchpad by momentarily hiding the control pad. I often find myself scrolling or trying to move the cursor outside the touchpad, only to realise that I am doing it wrong.

The overall experience of using the Flex mode isn’t convincing to me when it comes to unsupported apps. But that also has more to do with the fact that the OneUI software running on Android 12L isn’t exactly cursor-friendly. There’s also no way to adjust the sensitivity of the cursor itself, which I personally think would have made things a bit easier and useful.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 has fewer compromises, is more durable and overall a much better smartphone than its predecessors.

Buy from Samsung

Well, that;’s everything you can do with the Flex mode on the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. It may not be the most useful feature to help up make the most out of your Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it works well for the most part. Is the Flex mode something that you’d be interested in trying out? Let us know by dropping a line in the comments below.

The post How to enable and use ‘Flex mode’ on the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s massive folding screen appeared first on XDA.

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How to stream HDR video on Windows 11

Windows 11 comes with many great new features, but one that’s been a part of Windows for a while is support for high dynamic range (HDR) video. This kind of video quality is more immersive than standard range videos. Your screen will get much brighter and the content you’re watching will come alive when HDR video is playing.

However to enjoy HDR on Windows, you’ll need a display that supports it first, and will have to tweak a few settings. Just like in Windows 10, this ability to use HDR video lives in the settings app. You can turn it on or off as you see fit, granted you’re using an app or watching a video that supports it. We’ll dive deeper into how to stream HDR videos in this guide.

What you’ll need

An HDR-compatible display – You can’t stream HDR video on Windows 11 without a compatible display. Newer premium laptops should support HDR. An example is the XPS 13 2-in-1. You can check a laptop’s product listing to see if HDR is supported. As for external displays, they also must support HDR content. If you don’t have an HDR-capable monitor, we suggest checking out the one we included below. The Gigabyte M27Q is a great option as it’s really affordable.

Access to the Windows 11 settings app-  You’ll need to go into the Windows 11 settings app to adjust HDR settings. Make sure you have access to the app first. Most accounts (admin, or non-admin) should be able to get to this settings page without issue.

An app or video that supports HDR content- HDR only works on Windows 11 with supported content like video games or movies and streaming apps. Playing streaming HDR video is only supported in certain apps.  You’ll also need to ensure that the content you’re watching is in full screen.

GIGABYTE M27Q 27

The GIGABYTE M27Q 27 is an affordable monitor that supports HDR content

Buy at Amazon

Step 1: Prepare to stream HDR video

To get started, you’ll have to prepare for turning on streaming HDR video through the Windows 11 settings app. You can check to see if your system is optimized for HDR video. Go to the Windows 11 settings app with Windows Key + I and then choose System and Display then follow these steps.

1. Choose the Display option and then select HDR or Use HDR. Your screen will go blank and come back on.
2. You’ll want to click on this section and look for two things, either Supported or Not Supported next to the Play streaming HDR video.

If you see not supported, then you might need to change some settings to play streaming HDR video. Keep the tips we said above. You need a compatible display, and a supported app, the video has to be full screen. Depending on your power settings, you might also have to tweak some settings to play HDR video on battery. Here’s how to do that.

1. From the Display options page, look for HDR or Use HDR.
2. Select the Battery options section and click the down arrow.
3. Pick Allow streaming HDR video on battery or Allow HDR games, videos, and apps on battery.

If all else fails, then you have to make sure that the battery saver mode is turned off. You can do this by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray and toggling the battery saver icon. HDR does not work with battery saver on. All that said, you can now jump into the next steps.

Step 2: Turn on HDR video

With all those prerequisites met and settings tweaked, you can now turn on HDR video. Here’s how. You might have already noticed the setting option previously, but we’ll bring it back to your attention again.

1. Hit Windows Key + I to get to the Windows 11 settings app.
2. Choose the Display option.
3. At the top, select the display you want to apply HDR to
4. Select HDR or use HDR. Your screen will go blank and come back on.
5. On the HDR screen, turn on Play streaming HDR video
6. Start streaming your HDR video, making sure it’s full-screen.

Conclusion

As you can tell, streaming HDR videos in Windows 11 is easy. You just need to visit the right setting page. While you’re at it, you can customize your HDR experience, too. From the same settings as we mentioned above, you can change the brightness as you see fit! We hope our guide was helpful!

 

The post How to stream HDR video on Windows 11 appeared first on XDA.

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This app lets you list the Camera2 and CameraX extensions supported by your phone

Android users have numerous options when it comes to devices, with a diverse combination of specifications, features, and of course, budgets. Not only the regular customers are spoiled by choice, but this also confuses veteran users when it comes to features that cannot be easily measured and compared. Take, for instance, the camera performance. Thanks to improved hardware and computational photography, the Android side has earned a reputation for having some of the best smartphone cameras on the market. That said, the current state of Android’s camera processing is far from an open standard, and the situation becomes even more complex across different OEMs.

In case you had to compare two different OEMs on how well they expose the stock camera features to third-party camera apps across their portfolio, the answer may not be easily found. Now, Zachary Wander, aka XDA Recognized Developer Zacharee1 has taken it upon himself to remedy this situation by building a database of camera data from different Android devices focusing on their overall capabilities. Meet CameraX Info, a lightweight app to enumerate the supported Camera2 and CameraX extensions as well as other camera related features.

For the uninitiated, the CameraX library from Google aims to streamline the camera app development process on Android. Under the hood, it wraps Camera2, an API that allows apps to probe the camera features on a device, provided the OEM exposes those camera features to the API. In order to reduce the camera feature fragmentation, device manufacturers can opt to ship CameraX-compliant extension libraries with their phones that allow third-party developers to seamlessly leverage native camera features.

What if you’re not a developer, but still like to know whether the bokeh effect of the stock camera app of your phone works on third-party camera apps as well? This is where CameraX Info comes in handy. No need to fiddle with any code, as the app will list all the supported CameraX/Camera2 extensions and other capabilities (e.g. ARCore) exposed by the primary and selfie cameras. What’s more interesting is that the app also offers an online database, where users can anonymously upload, browse, and download camera support data for different devices and Android versions in JSON format.

Below you can find the list of features offered by CameraX Info:

• View Camera2 extension support.
• View CameraX extension support.
• View detected logical and physical cameras and their basic specs.
• Upload your camera data anonymously.
• View camera data anonymously.
• View ARCore support.

If you are interested in exploring the camera features of your Android phone, give CameraX Info a shot. The app itself is open source, and the source code is available on the developer’s GitHub profile.

CameraX Info (Free, Google Play) →

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Featured image: The rear cameras of the OnePlus 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

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Huawei Nova 10 Pro review: A unique hardware combination that’s as cool as it is pricey

The Huawei Nova series is an interesting series from the Chinese company aimed primarily at younger people, coming in at a more affordable price tag. It typically packs some flagship-level features but downgrades on some others, and the Huawei Nova 10 Pro sticks to that philosophy with some added bling.

For what it’s worth, this is the same old Huawei situation as it has been with every other device before it. You don’t get the Play Store, you get AppGallery, and any of the same difficulties you may have had with AppGallery in the past continue to apply here. That’s not to say there aren’t improvements — in fact, AppGallery is starting to become usable for me as a pretty decent alternative. However, for most people, it’s still not at the level that’s worth switching to yet. It works pretty well for most things, but it’s not perfect and I still find myself struggling with certain tasks quite frequently.

I like the Nova 10 Pro as a smartphone, but as usual, the software situation can be difficult to overcome at times, especially with the price.

Huawei Nova 10 Pro

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro is a stylish upper mid-range smartphone from Huawei that packs some pretty cool photography tech inside.

Features:

Pros: Cons:

See at Huawei

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Huawei Nova 10 Pro: Specifications

	Huawei Nova 10 Pro
CPU	Snapdragon 778G 4G
Dimensions and weight	164.2mm x 74.5mm x 7.9 mm 191g
Display	6.78 inches OLED 1200×2652 1.07 Billion colors, HDR10 120Hz
Camera	50MP f/1.8 PDAF 8MP ultra-wide, f/2.2, 112-degrees 2MP depth sensor 60MP front-facing camera 100-degrees 8MP 2x telephoto front-facing
Memory	8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB
Battery	4,500mAh
Network	LTE, 4G only
Sensors	Optical in-display fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor (analog), Proximity sensor, Light sensor
Ports	USB-C 2.0
OS	Android 12 with EMUI 12
Colors	Black, Silver, Green, Violet
Price	Starts at €699

About this review: I received the Nova 10 Pro for review from Huawei on my recent trip to IFA in Berlin. While the company sponsored my travel to attend the event alongside other media persons, it did not have any input into the contents of this review.

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Design

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro’s design is pretty, though it’s a bit over-the-top. The front of the phone is pretty nice, with a large 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED display. There’s a pill-shaped cut-out for the camera on the top left, and it contains two front-facing cameras. However, it’s not for face unlock — one of them is a 60MP front-facing camera for selfies that supports up to a 100-degree field of view, and the other is a 2x telephoto.

On the back, though, is where things get really bling. The camera module is surrounded by a gold ring, and the primary sensor in the center of the camera island is also surrounded by gold. The back of the phone has a slightly-textured metal of some kind, with the company’s nova logo emblazoned at the bottom… also in gold. It looks good for the most part, but I think that the camera module is a little bit tacky.

It’s a “youthful” design I guess, which is obviously what Huawei has been going for here. It feels premium in the hand, and I don’t have a whole lot of criticisms aside from how over-the-top it all is. If it weren’t for the crazy gold rings, I think this would be one of my favorite designs in a budget phone released this year. The included case does cover the gold quite a bit, so you can just use that if you’d like.

There are dual speakers at the top and bottom, pretty decent haptics, and the display is curved. There’s also an optical under-display fingerprint sensor at the bottom. All of these add to the premium feel of the phone, especially as curved displays (practicality aside) are typically only reserved for flagship smartphones. We’ve seen more and more mid-range options arrive with one, but the Huwaei Nova 10 Pro’s entire job is to come across as flagship-like as possible.

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Huawei Nova 10 Pro: Camera

To be fair to Huawei, the company hasn’t really lost its touch when it comes to cameras. The Nova 10 Pro has a pretty good camera system in tow. Some of the most powerful camera hardware here goes to the front-facing camera system though, packing a 60MP ultra-wide. It’s a pretty high-quality sensor that looks good, and I think that it makes sense for the target market this device is aimed at.

Another feature that’s pretty cool as well is the front-facing camera’s 2x telephoto. Have you ever seen a video on a social media platform where it shows the user zooming into something behind them? That’s exactly what it’s for. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but it makes total sense to include it in a phone aimed at younger people. The quality isn’t bad either, and the wideness of the ultra-wide is great for fitting lots of people into a single photo. The selfies below are compressed, but you can find the uncompressed versions in the Flickr album.

Finally, the cameras on the back are pretty good as well. I noticed in particular that they did well in low light, and I got some pretty impressive shots when out on a night-time walk. Oddly, I ran into some weirdness when taking photos during the day of the sky, but I imagine that these can be ironed out over time. You can view uncompressed photos in the Flickr album that’s embedded below.

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Huawei Nova 10 Pro: EMUI

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro comes pre-loaded with EMUI 12 based on Android 12. There are no Google Play Services as you already know, so you’ll need to make use of Huawei’s own AppGallery for getting applications. As time goes on, it does improve for sure. There are regional-specific applications that you can find on the store, and more and more apps are being added every day. Some Irish and German banks still aren’t accessible on it, but it’s certainly a better situation than it used to be.

Sadly, though, for most people, it’s still hard to recommend a Huawei phone, despite all the effort and progress on it. It’s getting there, and I finally understand where the company is coming from in its HMS endeavors, but it’s not far enough that simply anyone can use a Huawei phone. There are budget options out there that will do a lot of what Huawei can do, but with Google Play Services in tow that makes it as easy as ever to switch and get all of your favorite apps. I do find that Curve Pay helps bridge some gaps though, as it was a big reason why I couldn’t make the switch previously.

The problem is, switching to a Huawei phone is switching to an entirely new ecosystem. In the same way, a user may switch from Android to iPhone, for the purposes of argument, a user could switch from “Android” (as we know it) to Huawei’s EMUI. It’s all Android, but the jump to EMUI is a lot larger of a leap and requires getting acquainted with an all-new ecosystem with its own quirks. When you switch to iPhone, you won’t have access to all of your apps either, but there are plenty of alternatives on the App Store.

However, that would work if it weren’t the case that not every essential app is on AppGallery. If my banking apps were on AppGallery, if I could consistently use my phone to pay in stores, and if I could easily get my emails on my phone, then I’d be interested. However, none of that is the case, and installing another app for email like Blue Mail (which Huawei recommends) isn’t a perfect replacement for Gmail, either. I’ve also found that sometimes, AppGallery search/Petal Search is awful, and I need to go to my browser to search for an app there instead. A prime example of this that I ran into was 3DMark.

I understand now what Huawei is going for, and it’s the creation of an entirely different ecosystem. It’s not Android (well, it is, but it’s not the same ecosystem), and it’s obviously not Apple, either. Huawei wants to be a third player. It’s getting there, but until the kinks are ironed out, it’s hard to justify a switch to most people thus far. I think a third player in the space is good competition though, and as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Maybe it’s not good yet, but who knows what the future may hold for AppGallery.

One thing I will say though is this: why on earth is there a splash screen advertisement when I open AppGallery?

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Huawei Nova 10 Pro: Performance

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro packs a 4G version of the Snapdragon 778G, and it’s a pretty great performer. In normal usage, you won’t notice any problems whatsoever, and it’ll handle pretty much everything you can throw at it. The only lag I’ve faced when using this device has been in the camera viewfinder when taking photos and switching apps, but it’s rare and momentary.

As is the case with this chipset, though, it packs a pretty underpowered GPU. You won’t be gaming on this phone, as the Adreno 642L trails behind much of the competition and won’t survive through a lot of gaming. When I tested this chipset in the Honor 70, it struggled to even achieve stable framerates in Genshin Impact on its lowest settings. If you want a phone for gaming, then this phone should be avoided, unless you’re a casual gamer. You’ll be able to play games like PUBG, Call of Duty, or Temple Run, but you’ll have to dial back on the graphics settings a bit.

Nevertheless, you’ll not have any problems using your phone in normal use cases. Browsing the internet, texting friends, taking photos, it’ll all work pretty much without a hitch. This is a great chipset for people who just use their phones normally without anything super intensive.

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Charging and battery life

Another headline feature of the Huawei Nova 10 Pro is its charging speed. Packing a 100W charger in the box, it’ll take 20 minutes to charge this phone from 0% to 100%. For the target market, a fast charging speed like this makes sense as it’s aimed at people who are on the go and who may need to charge their phones in short bursts at a time.

On top of that, Huawei’s own EMUI software is pretty good with battery life, and the chipset is too. This phone’s battery was decent in the couple of days that I used it as a daily driver, capable of getting me through a day. It was far from my normal use case though that I would have on other phones, as I couldn’t use all of my apps. As a result, your mileage will definitely vary.

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Should you buy the Huawei Nova 10 Pro?

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro suffers from the same problems as every Huawei device before it over the past two years, and that is that it’s hard to recommend to just about everyone. I reviewed the Huawei P50 Pro earlier this year and absolutely loved it, and I’m really getting a sense of what the company is doing when it comes to AppGallery. Despite all of that, currently, it’s extremely difficult for me to switch over full-time. It doesn’t have everything that I need, and even though it’s getting there, it’s not there now.

In other words, until it gets there, it’s hard to recommend it. The cameras are excellent, but between the pricing of this device (€699 is quite expensive for what’s on offer here) and the difficulty some may have as an average consumer, I don’t really know how to recommend this phone. If Revolut was your main bank and you didn’t care about getting email notifications always on time, then maybe this phone would be an easier sell. Currently, though, it isn’t. As much as I’d love it to be.

Huawei Nova 10 Pro

The Huawei Nova 10 Pro is a stylish upper mid-range smartphone from Huawei that packs some pretty cool photography tech inside.

See at Huawei

For what it’s worth, this phone is a good omen that Huawei is really listening to and that things are moving along. AppGallery is improving day by day, and with localized approaches to each application service (there are Irish versions of apps on AppGallery, which is pretty impressive to me), it’s beginning to reach a point where I think I can recommend it. That day isn’t here yet, but a viable competitor in the space is, at the very least, always good for consumers. This is also a unique-enough phone in the features that it has cobbled together that I think Huawei is starting to figure out that to thrive, it needs to find a niche that works. This may well be the start.

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Is the Apple Watch Series 8 waterproof? Does it have an IP rating?

As a device that will be strapped to your wrist all the time, the Apple Watch Series 8 is probably going to come in contact with water and sweat. Thankfully, the smartwatch comes with a water resistance rating. Here’s what you need to know.

With a WR50 rating, the new Apple Watch Series 8 is water resistant up to a depth of 50 meters. That means you have nothing to worry about sweat exposure, water splashes, or rain damaging your smartwatch. In addition, Apple also advertises the Wath Series 8 as swim-proof. However, there are some caveats that you need to be aware of. Apple says that you can only use the smartwatch for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. The company doesn’t recommend wearing the watch while participating in high-speed water sports such as scuba diving, water skiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water. If you want better water protection, check out the Apple Watch Ultra, which offers a water resistance rating of 100 meters and can be used for recreational scuba diving and high-speed water sports.

You should also note that the Apple Watch Series 8 is only water resistant to fresh water. In other words, avoid exposing it to soapy water, shampoos, strong chemicals, and other strong corrosive liquids. In addition to the water resistance, the Apple Watch Series 8 is also rated IP6X dust resistant.

Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch Series 8 comes with a new temperature sensor, two motion sensors, Crash Detection, and water and dust resistance.

Buy from Best Buy

Buy from AT&T

The Apple Watch Series 8 brings many notable upgrades to the table. It debuts a new temperature sensor that provides new insights into women’s health and two new motion sensors for the Crash Detection feature. In addition, the new model also offers faster charging, a new Low Power Mode for improved battery life, and international roaming support (cellular models). If you’re looking to buy one, be sure to check out the best Apple Watch Series 8 deals to save some cash.

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