After years of rumors, [the Google Pixel Fold is finally happening](https://bgr.com/tech/it-sure-looks-like-googles-pixel-fold-is-finally-coming/). Google is testing the device out in the wild, and we have rumors detailing the company's release plans for its first-gen foldable. These are clear hints that the handset is coming soon, as Pixel leaks are seldom wrong. The newest leak concerns the US Google Pixel Fold price, following a similar European rumor.

I hope this Google Pixel Fold price rumor is real

_Nightography_ is one of the selling points of the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the entire S23 series. In recent years, all smartphone makers have been on a crusade to improve low-light photography, Samsung included. And Samsung has been using photos of the moon that were seemingly shot with devices like the Galaxy S23 Ultra to prove its point.

It turns out, however, that Samsung might have been lying to us all along. The photos of the moon look too good to be true because they are supposedly not real. Samsung might use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to detect the moon in shots and then place an overlay on top of the image you shoot. The result is supposedly a gorgeous moon photo that's simply not real.

A Redditor created a simple experiment that anyone can repeat to show that the moon pics they shoot with their Galaxy S flagship aren't real.

Samsung's "Space Zoom" Moon photos rely heavily on AI, simple test reveals

Samsung accused of faking Galaxy S23 Ultra’s amazing moon photos



We’ve been talking about [Google’s purported Pixel Fold foldable](https://bgr.com/tech/google-pixel-fold-specs-leak-including-battery-capacity/) for a couple of years, following the various ups and downs of the project as they leaked online. But it sure looks like 2023 will be the year when Google launches its first foldable handset. We don’t have any official announcement from the company, nor do we expect one until mid-October.

What’s different from other years is the type of Pixel Fold leaks we’re getting. The phone has started popping up in real life, which might be a confirmation that Google is happy with its first foldable enough to begin testing it in the wild.

It sure looks like the Google Pixel Fold is finally about to launch

British smartphone maker Nothing has an unusual way of launching new products, reminiscent of the early days of OnePlus. That’s not a surprise considering that Nothing CEO Carl Pei was one of the co-founders of OnePlus.

We saw Nothing’s various marketing tricks last year when unveiling products like the Nothing Ear and the Nothing Phone (1). And it looks like Nothing isn’t planning to stop surprising fans. The company’s newest stunt dropped in Barcelona, Spain, where Nothing unexpectedly appeared at Qualcomm’s booth on Tuesday afternoon to tease the upcoming new Nothing Phone (2).

Nothing Phone 2 will be powered by a top-end Qualcomm chipset

Nothing Phone (2) just got its first official teaser

Sony is finally going to give us a glimpse at what's in store for its television lineup in 2023.

Today, the company took to Twitter to announce that it will unveil its Bravia XR television lineup for the year on March 1, 2023. Specifically, the announcement will come on March 1, 2023, at 7:00 AM PST. Sony says that it will share a link to a live stream on that day, so the announcement is likely to be streamed on YouTube and other platforms.

Sony will unveil its 2023 Bravia TV lineup in March after skipping its usual CES reveal

After rumors regarding new colors for Beats Fit Pro, Beats has now revealed its latest wireless earbuds in Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink options. They join the already-existent versions available since the end of 2021.

The rumors started with [leaker Jioriku](https://twitter.com/jioriku/status/1622251469046177792) revealing the now-announced new Beats Fit Pro colors: tidal blue, volt yellow, and coral pink. Then, Friday, [_Bloomberg_‘s Mark Gurman](https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/1626297333733552128) said three new colors of Beats headphones "should hit the stores starting next week," which did happen.

If you have never tried them, Beats Fit Pro feels like the AirPods Pro for people that can’t use AirPods Pro due to its format. The [earbuds](https://www.beatsbydre.com/earbuds/beats-fit-pro?sku=MK2J3) resemble the Beats Studio Buds wireless earphones, but unlike it, the Fit Pro gets wingtips at the top that let you lock the earphones into place inside the ear and ensure that they won’t fall out during regular use.

Like other Beats earphones in Apple’s lineup, the Fit Pro has removable tips to ensure a perfect fit. And they support active noise cancellation (ANC) like the Beats Studio Pro and the Powerbeats Pro. Also, like the [AirPods 3](https://bgr.com/reviews/apple-airpods-3-review/), these wireless earbuds feature the same H1 headphone chip. And they feature IPX4 water and sweat resistance.

Other features you’ve come to expect from AirPods and Beats headphones and earphones include Spatial Audio and Siri support (on iPhone and iPad).

Finally, these wireless earbuds’ battery life is in line with expectations. The buds offer 6 hours of listening time with ANC turned on. You get an extra hour of playback if you turn ANC off. The case delivers an additional 18 hours of life with ANC on. Fast Fuel charging gives you 1 hour of playback for five minutes of charging.

Beats Fit Pro costs $199.99, though there’s currently a [Beats Fit Pro deal](https://bgr.com/deals/beats-fit-pro-are-on-sale-for-150-or-get-beats-studio-buds-for-100/) that can save you money.

Beats Fit Pro adds three more colors to the roster

Beats Fit Pro now available in Tidal Blue, Volt Yellow, and Coral Pink

The [Galaxy S23 Ultra](https://bgr.com/tech/samsung-announces-galaxy-s23-series-with-799-99-starting-price-and-200mp-camera/) is the best Samsung phone you can buy right now. Starting at $1,200, it's also the most expensive non-folding phone that Samsung sells. And the Galaxy S23 Ultra has received praising reviews so far, with [camera performance](https://bgr.com/tech/galaxy-s23-ultra-camera-beats-iphone-14-pro-max-in-video-comparison/) and battery life among the phone's highlights. The Galaxy S23 Ultra started shipping to buyers last week, and some buyers have discovered a troubling screen defect.

Parts of the display might appear as squashed near one of the corners. It's not a great look for a $1,200 phone. But Samsung calls it normal, as the screen defect results from the manufacturing process.

$1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra has a screen defect that Samsung calls normal

If you were concerned about the structural integrity of foldable glass displays before, this article is only going to reinforce your concern. On Sunday, _[PhoneArena](https://www.phonearena.com/news/galaxy-z-fold-3-screens-cracking_id145544)_ received an email from a Galaxy Z Fold 3 owner whose screen cracked for seemingly no reason. The user claims she never dropped the phone, and yet an enormous crack has appeared down the center of the display.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 owner told _PhoneArena_ that she got in touch with Samsung shortly after the screen cracked. Samsung referred her to a uBreakiFix electronics repair store, which then [offered to repair her screen for $800](https://bgr.com/tech/broken-galaxy-z-fold-3-screens-will-be-expensive-to-repair/). That's $400 less than what Samsung is charging for a new Galaxy Z Fold 3 would cost [on its website right now](https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold3-5g/buy/galaxy-z-fold3-5g-256gb-unlocked-sm-f926uzsaxaa/?modelCode=SM-F926UZSAXAA).

Cracked screens are plaguing Galaxy Z Fold 3 owners

Even with its issues, Google's Pixel 7 Pro is [one of the best flagship Android smartphones on the planet](https://bgr.com/reviews/google-pixel-7-pro-review/#:~:text=The%20Google%20Pixel%207%20Pro%20is%20an%20excellent%20phone.,want%20from%20a%20Pixel%20phone.). Unfortunately, the number and severity of those issues continue to grow with each passing month. The latest problem might be the most baffling to date, as some users are reporting that the volume rockers are falling off their Pixel 7 Pro units.

This week, [_Android Central's_ Nicholas Sutrich](https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel-7-pro-volume-rocker-falling-off) shared a story about finding the volume rocker from his Pixel 7 Pro in his pocket, detached from the phone. He noted that the Pixel 7 Pro isn't his daily driver, and that the phone has seen relatively little use since he acquired it, especially compared to someone who bought the phone to use every day.

Sutrich says he can pop the component back into place but that it doesn't feel quite right anymore when he tries to use it. Far more troubling is the fact that he can remove the volume rocker just as easily by pressing down on either end with his fingernail.

If you were hoping that this was just a one-off incident with one unlucky victim, we have some bad news for you. Sutrich cites three similar complaints on Reddit ([1](https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y7vyha/is_this_covered_by_waranty_volume_button_fell_off/), [2](https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/y4uzjo/pixel_7_pro_beware_the_fragile_volume_buttons/)) and Google's support forums ([1](https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/190978264/pixel-7-pro-volume-button-fell-off?hl=en)) featuring Pixel 7 Pro owners experiencing the same issue.

"So I went for a walk and pulled the phone out of my pocket to take a picture and I noticed that the volume button was missing," one post reads. "I have no idea what exactly happened or where the button is. Had the phone for three days :( Now I am not really sure what to do?"

It is unclear why this is happening, but _Android Central_ says reports of Pixel 7 Pro volume rockers falling off have increased in 2023. Google told the site that its "team is aware of the issue" and that the company will get back in touch if they have anything else to share.

Pixel 7 Pro volume rockers are falling off at an alarming rate



With rumors about Apple entering a new business this year with a Mixed Reality headset, _[Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-23/apple-reality-pro-details-eye-hand-tracking-app-store-3d-ios-like-interface?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=230123&utm_campaign=author_19842959)_'s Mark Gurman gives us the best report yet on how this product will work.

According to him, the Mixed Reality headset, most likely called Reality Pro, will switch between AR and VR capabilities and feature an iOS-like interface.

> Apple’s goal is to bring something new to the table. The eye- and hand-tracking capabilities will be a major selling point for the device, according to people familiar with the product, which is expected to cost roughly twice the price of rival devices. Its core features will include advanced FaceTime-based videoconferencing and meeting rooms.

The Mixed Reality headset will show immersive video content, work like an external display for a connected Mac, and even replicate functions of iPhone and iPad. Made with several external cameras, it will be able to analyze a user's hands and sensors within the gadget's housing to read eyes.

Users will be able to pinch their thumb and index finger together to activate a task without holding anything – different from other headsets that require a hand controller.

Apple's Mixed Reality headset will have a Digital Crown, switching between VR and AR modes. FaceTime software, for example, will render a user's face and full body in virtual reality in one-on-one chats. Additional users on a group call will appear as an icon or Memoji.

The headset's operating system, internally called xrOS, will have many of the same features as an iPhone and iPad but in a 3D environment, including Safari, Photos, Mail, Messages, and Calendar app. Apple is also betting big on video content:

> Immersive video watching will be a core feature of the new device. Apple has discussed developing VR content for the platform with about half a dozen media partners, including Walt Disney Co. and Dolby Laboratories Inc. And the tech giant is working to update its own Apple TV+ material to work with the headset. As part of the push, Apple bought streaming company NextVR in 2020, aiming to create sports content in VR.

Apple will use a variation of the M2 chip to power the Mixed Reality headset with a dedicated processor for graphics and mixed-reality experiences. According to the report, the headset can last about two hours per battery pack. "The battery, however, is large: roughly the size of two iPhone 14 Pro Maxes stacked on top of each other, or about 6 inches tall and more than half an inch thick. Still, some internal prototypes for software development have a built-in battery and charge over USB-C."

Here's what Apple's Mixed Reality headset will look like
--------------------------------------------------------

According to Gurman, the $3,000 Mixed Reality headset will be made from aluminum, glass, and cushions. It will have a curved screen on the front that can "outwardly show a wearer's eye, with speakers on the sides and a headband that helps fit the device around a user's head."

The headset will have two ultra-high-resolution displays, [as previously reported](https://bgr.com/tech/dscc-highlights-apple-mixed-reality-headset-features-in-latest-analysis/), to handle the VR. A collection of external cameras will enable an AR "pass-through mode." Apple will even offer users with prescription glasses custom lenses that sit within the enclosure itself.

Here’s how Apple’s Mixed Reality headset will work

Despite being one of the best Android smartphones on the market, Google's Pixel 7 suffers from [several annoying bugs and problems](https://bgr.com/tech/google-pixel-7-owners-report-video-call-quality-problems/) that users have to contend with. One such bug has actually been plaguing users since the phone launched, but complaints continue to spring up. [_9to5Google_ reports](https://9to5google.com/2023/01/17/pixel-7-youtube-freeze/) that the Pixel 7 occasionally freezes while watching fullscreen videos.

As _9to5Google_ explains, some [Pixel 7](https://bgr.com/tech/google-pixel-7-release-date-price-specs/) owners are experiencing the issue when watching videos on YouTube or on YouTube TV in fullscreen mode. Occasionally, if they try to leave either app by swiping up on the navigation bar, their phones freeze.

_9to5Google_ says that their team hasn't encountered the issue on other video streaming apps, but that doesn't mean it's only a YouTube problem. The freezing never occurs when watching videos in the regular player, only when the video is playing fullscreen.

"The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will freeze, with the screen/YouTube \[videos\] going static and touchscreen taps/swipes no longer accepted," writes Abner Li for _9to5Google_. "That said, audio might continue to play. For some, hardware buttons become entirely unresponsive, though others are able to lock their device after a moment."

The site also highlighted [a Reddit thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/10d5rlz/p7_youtube_tv_freeze_and_crash/) in which a few Pixel 7 owners complained about similar problems cropping up on their phones. The user that created the thread explained that they were doing the gesture to close the YouTube TV app when the Pixel 7 froze. They said the phone was unresponsive for about five minutes before restarting itself.

"Yes it has happened to me 3-4 times over the last couple of weeks," one user responded. "Very annoying as you cannot even restart the phone. You have to wait until it restarts itself."

According to _9to5Google_, you can speed up this process by holding down the power button until the phone restarts. Hopefully, Google will fix whatever is causing the issue in a future update, but until then, be careful when you go fullscreen.

Pixel 7 bug causes phone to freeze while watching YouTube and YouTube TV

Nearly two years after discontinuing the HomePod, [Apple announced a second-generation model](https://bgr.com/tech/apple-announces-299-homepod-2-with-matter-support-u1-chip/) on Wednesday. The new HomePod looks similar to the 2018 model, but there are several notable upgrades. The second-generation HomePod adds higher-quality audio, support for Matter's smart home standard, and new features that weren't present on the original. One such feature is a built-in temperature and humidity sensor, and although this wasn't initially available on the HomePod mini, Apple has quietly activated it, some users have found.

Shortly after Apple launched the HomePod mini, _Bloomberg_ and iFixit discovered that the speaker contained an unused temperature and humidity sensor made by Texas Instruments. For over two years, the sensor remained dormant, but now its time has finally come.

As noted by _[The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/18/23560630/apple-homepod-mini-temperature-humidity-sensor-update)_, Apple recently made some changes to its [HomePod mini page](https://www.apple.com/homepod-mini/). The site now mentions the temperature and humidity sensor as a feature on the HomePod mini. Also, at the bottom of the page, Apple offers some details about the sensor.

"Temperature and humidity sensing is optimized for indoor, domestic settings, when ambient temperatures are around 15º C to 30º C and relative humidity is around 30% to 70%. Accuracy may decrease in some situations where audio is playing for an extended period of time at high volume levels," Apple explains on its website. "HomePod requires some time to calibrate the sensors immediately after starting up before results are displayed."

It's not often that a feature present on a device sits unused for years on end. That said, if you own a HomePod mini, it's about to get smarter without you having to do anything. Apple spokesperson Lance Lin tells _The Verge_ that the sensor activation will arrive in an upcoming software update, but some users [are already using the feature](https://twitter.com/bwad/status/1615731759899086854).

HomePod 16.3 Software Beta Adds Humidity and Temperature Sensing to HomePod mini, Find My, Audio Tuning and More

Why a Dormant Temperature Sensor Has Been Sitting in the HomePod Mini This Whole Time

Apple activated the HomePod mini’s secret temperature sensor

Yesterday, Apple released a [new generation of MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips](https://bgr.com/tech/m2-pro-and-m2-max-macbook-pro-announced-heres-what-you-need-to-know/). The new high-end laptop offers an increased performance compared to the previous iteration, a new HDMI port, and better connectivity.

Although its configuration prices are similar to 2021, the global recession and COVID-19 impacts increased the price in several countries for this new generation. For example, the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips price more than doubled compared to the previous generation in Turkey. While it remained the same in the United States, and prices even fell a bit in Brazil, the South American country still has the most expensive MacBook Pro you can find globally.

As always, the price comparison across the world is made by _[Nukeni](https://www.nukeni.com/en/apple/macbook/2023-macbook-pro-14inch)_. Jun Saito surveyed 37 countries and regions where Apple has direct sales. He also notes:

> The US and Canada have different tax rates depending on where you make purchases, so I show two prices, one for the product purchased in the location with the lowest tax rate, and one for the product purchased in the location with the highest tax rate.

Worst and best places to buy the new MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The prices may vary depending on the configuration, but if you're planning to get the base-model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip, these are the best places to find it:

*   **United States:** $1,999.00
*   **Malaysia:** $2,039.87
*   **Canada:** $2,042.77
*   **Hong Kong:** $2,044.40
*   **Taiwan:** $2,139.30

Now, these are the places you should totally avoid when buying a new Mac. Interestingly enough, there's almost a 50% price decrease comparing the worst place to buy this machine to the second one:

*   **Brazil:** $4,704.48
*   **Sweden:** $2,816.69
*   **Norway:** $2,792.96
*   **Denmark:** $2,771.61
*   **Poland:** $2,769.23

You can [find the full list here](https://www.nukeni.com/en/apple/macbook/2023-macbook-pro-14inch).

Brazil has the most expensive MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in the world

Reports a few years ago claimed Apple was developing a mysterious new screen technology for its future devices. Some said that LG might be one of the companies assisting Apple with the secret project. Fast-forward to early 2023, and rumors now say Apple’s custom microLED tech will debut on [the next-gen Apple Watch Ultra](https://bgr.com/tech/lg-to-produce-microled-display-for-new-apple-watch-ultra/), with LG manufacturing the screen.

And now, a new report delivers more details on Apple’s microLED plans, saying the iPhone, iPad, and Mac may also get the screen tech soon.

Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad And Mac Devices Tipped For Game-Changing Display Upgrades

Apple microLED displays rumored for iPhone, iPad, and Mac after Apple Watch Ultra

It's only January, but it already feels like [we know everything there is to know](https://bgr.com/tech/heres-why-i-would-choose-the-iphone-15-over-the-pro-this-year/) about this year's iPhone 15 series. That's why it's not surprising to see claims that Apple is about to start a trial production stage for the four new models. This would explain all the leaks we've seen over the past few months.

But there's also a big twist in this year's iPhone 15 production. If the report is accurate, India will close the iPhone production gap significantly this year compared to previous models. That would also explain the early trial production schedule, as Apple might be keen on ensuring it'll have enough new iPhones in stores next holiday season.