Il technological landscape of the end of the year comes alive with a flurry of news involving the three great protagonists of the global digital ecosystem. Google accelerates on the front of mobile services and experiences, focusing on more accessible prices and new functions designed to make the integration between smartphones and cars increasingly central to daily life. Apple, for its part, is moving on multiple levels, between openings forced by Europe that redesign the relationship between iPhone and accessories, industrial choices destined to set a precedent and a clearer vision of the future of its product lines, from the Air models to the first foldable devices. Samsung completes the picture by relaunching its strategy, with growing attention to software, computational photography and professional use of the smartphone, without giving up experimenting with new forms and rethinking iconic devices such as the Fold. Taken together, these moves describe a rapidly transforming sector, where services, integration and strategic vision matter as much, if not more, than individual technical specifications.
Google world
Google cuts Google One prices: discounts of over 50% on cloud plans
Google launches one promotion end of year up Google One con reductions greater than 50%reserved for new users and valid for one limited period. The 100 GB Basic plan drops to 9.99 euros for the first year, while the most popular 2 TB Premium is offered at 49.99 euros instead of 119 euros, also including benefits on the Google Store and advanced Workspace functions. The Google AI Pro plan is even richer, offered at 109.99 euros against a list price of over 260 euros, with premium services and extended access to artificial intelligence features. Monthly subscriptions also benefit from strong initial discounts, confirming Google’s strategy to make its ecosystem increasingly competitive and attractive.
Google prepares content mirroring on Android Auto: streaming of videos and music from the smartphone is coming
Google is working on a update waited for Android Auto which will allow you to transmit videos, music and multimedia apps directly from your smartphone to the vehicle screen. The code from the beta 15.9.6551 reveals references to the system Google Castalready used by Chromecast and Android Automotive, suggesting an integration that could make the in-car multimedia experience more fluid and similar to that of TV. The function would allow you to exploit the contents present on your phone, improving entertainment during trips or charging stops for electric vehicles, although at the moment there are no details on precise methods of operation or official release date.
Apple world
iOS 26.3 opens the iPhone to third-party wearables: historic turning point in Europe
With iOS 26.3 Apple is preparing to improve significantly integration Of iPhone con wearable devices not ownersbut only in market Europeandriven by the obligations imposed by the Digital Markets Act. The update will make some functions previously reserved for accessories such as Apple Watch and AirPods available to third-party manufacturers, including simplified pairing of nearby devices and more advanced management of notifications. Earphones, smartwatches and other compatible wearables can be paired with iPhone with an immediate procedure, similar to the “one-tap” experience already known to Apple users, overcoming the often fragmented classic Bluetooth settings. On the notification front, third-party smartwatches will also be able to receive them and allow direct interactions, albeit with an important limitation: notifications can be active on only one device at a time, automatically deactivating on Apple Watch if forwarded elsewhere. According to the European Commission, this opening represents a concrete step towards a more interconnected digital ecosystem, while developers and manufacturers are already testing the new APIs on different devices. iOS 26.3 is expected at the end of January and marks one of the first tangible effects of the DMA on the Apple ecosystem, redefining, at least in Europe, the relationship between the iPhone and the world of wearable accessories.
iPhone Fold and Samsung Galaxy Wide: the foldables look alike but show their own style
I render published by IceUniverse they anticipate a comparison between the next leaflets of Apple and Samsung, revealing similarities in the form factor and aesthetic differences: the iPhone Fold focuses on more rounded corners, while the Galaxy Wide Fold adopts more squared lines, offering users two different interpretations of the same concept of a folding device.
Apple iPhone Fold with crease-free display and book-like design emerges in new renderings
Apple is preparing for the debut of its first iPhone folding, known internally as V68expected in 2026 and featuring a book-style design simile al Galaxy Z Fold by Samsung. According to a video di Front Page Techhosted by Jon Prosserthe device should have a display internal 7.8 inch and one external 5.5 inch, with technologies such as metal plate to distribute pressure, metallic liquid in the hinge and in-cell touch panel to reduce crease visibility and improve touch precision. The Fold would measure approximately 9mm from closed and 4.5 mm open, with a photographic system with four cameras that allows shots and videos in both closed and open modes. For security, Face ID may be absent, while Touch ID will return integrated into the power button, and the device will probably only adopt eSIM. Among others characteristics expectations there are modem Second generation C2, battery high density and optimized display drivers to support dual screens. Initial production should deliver colors black and white, with an estimated price between 2,000 and 2,500 dollars, positioning the iPhone Fold as a premium “Ultra” model above the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, with launch expected in September 2026. This foldable could represent Apple’s first real entry into the foldable market by solving the historical limit of the visible fold.
“Christmas miracle”: Apple would have set the launch window for the iPhone Air 2
Apple would finally clarify the future di iPhone Air 2, putting an end to rumors about a possible postponement to 2027. According to what was reported by the well-known informant Fixed Focus Digital on the Weibo platform, the second generation of the iPhone Air would still be scheduled for autumn 2026, within the traditional Cupertino launch window. The indiscretion comes after months of uncertainty linked to below-expected sales of the first model, which had fueled the hypothesis of a merger with the launch of the “base” iPhone 18 and a presumed iPhone 18e the following year. The new information suggests instead that Apple has not shelved the project and is working to relaunch the Air line as early as next year, placing iPhone Air 2 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and even the debut of the first foldable iPhone. To make the device more competitive, Cupertino would be evaluating targeted corrections such as the introduction of a second rear camera and a possible repositioning of the price, two aspects often indicated as weak points of the current model. The rumors also reveal further improvements linked to an even lower weight, a vapor chamber cooling system and a larger battery, signs of a strategy aimed at making the Air more attractive without distorting its philosophy of lightness. At the moment, however, these are unconfirmed rumors, but the possibility of seeing the iPhone Air 2 as early as 2026 rekindles interest in a line that Apple seems not to want to abandon.
Apple, historic turning point: Samsung will produce the photographic sensors for the iPhone 18 in the USA
Apple is ready to turn the page in its supply chain: for the first time i sensors photographic of the iPhone they will no longer be a Sony exclusive, but they will come products and Samsung directly into States United. According to what was reported by press koreanthe South Korean group will produce the new sensors in its plants in Austin, IN Texasstarting production lines dedicated and hiring technicians e engineers to comply with the quality standards required by Cupertino. The components intended for the iPhone 18 series will adopt an advanced three-layer architecture, capable of guaranteeing better performance in low light conditions, greater reading speed, lower consumption and a wider dynamic range, marking a decisive technological leap for Apple mobile photography.
To support the project, Samsung would have planned a investment total of 19 billion dollars, with the start of production expected from March 2026, in view of the launch of the iPhone 18 expected in 2027. The agreement represents not only a technical turning point, but also a strategic and geopolitical one: the production of the sensors moves from Japan to the United States, making the supply chain shorter and more stable and reducing exposure to logistical and commercial risks. A change that confirms the strengthening of industrial relations between Apple and Samsung and which could redefine the balance of the market for key components for high-end smartphones.
Samsung world
Galaxy S26, Samsung focuses entirely on software to revolutionize the photographic experience
In view of the expected launch in early 2026, i Galaxy S26 they are starting to take shape as smartphones that are less revolutionary on a hardware level but potentially much more so interesting on the front softwareespecially when it comes to cameras. The indiscretions emerged from One UI 8.5 and from the code strings identified in Camera Assistant suggest that Samsung is working on a package of improvements aimed at making the shooting experience more advanced and flexible. Among the most significant innovations stands out the introduction of a 24 MP mode for Photos and Portraits, designed to offer a better balance between detail and management of memory space thanks to more efficient compression systems. On the video side, support for HDR10+ as an alternative to standard HDR in Video and Pro Video modes promises a wider dynamic range and more faithful colors, while still leaving the possibility of recording in SDR to ensure maximum compatibility. There are also references to advanced focus control tools and the mysterious Adaptive Pixel technology, which should combine multiple shots at lower resolution to obtain cleaner and more detailed final images. Even if the sensors of the Galaxy S26 do not seem destined to overturn what has already been seen, Samsung appears intent on demonstrating that, in modern mobile photography, it’s the software that makes the real differencetransforming image processing into a key element to distinguish the new top of the range.
Samsung Galaxy opens up to professional video: possible native support for TILTA accessories
Samsung could be ready to take an important step towards the world of filmmaking mobileexpanding the support to accessories video professional on future Galaxy smartphones. According to rumors that emerged from the Camera Assistant code in the test builds of One UI 8.5, numerous references to BRIDGE, agency Of reference in the video accessories sector such as cage, follow focus, supporti e gimbal. These clues suggest the introduction of native support that would allow parameters such as focus to be controlled directly via external hardware, making the Galaxy more easily integrated into advanced shooting setups and also suitable for semi-professional contexts. The function is not yet active in the beta, but it could debut with the stable version of One UI 8.5 together with the Galaxy S26 series, representing a strategic move to bridge the gap with Chinese manufacturers who focus on extreme sensors and optics, instead strengthening the ecosystem and versatility of Samsung’s top of the range devices.
The S Pen will return to Galaxy Folds, but with a compromise
Samsung is reportedly preparing a new one Fold “wide” That will restore support for the S Penabsent in Fold 7 for reasons of subtlety. According to rumors, the device will have a more panoramic screen and new proportions, competing with the future iPhone Fold. The S Pen could return thanks to the reintroduced digitizer or a new chip-based technology, without physical layers under the display. The “wide” Fold will be slightly thicker than the Fold 7, but designed for writing, drawing and productivity, while the Fold 8 will focus on lightness and mobility and the TriFold on the ultra premium segment.