#camera-upgrades

#camera-upgrades

Apple launched the iPhone 16e in February as its new cheapest device, but the lower price brought with it a ton of compromises, including the lack of MagSafe. Wireless charging is built-in, but with no magnets, Android-style. If you've been baffled by the decision to forgo this feature, there's some good news for the future. According to a new report, the iPhone 17e, expected in early 2026, will bring MagSafe support.

A recent rumor suggested that Xiaomi could unveil the 17 Ultra in China on December 26. Now, a new report claims the company has already begun accepting blind pre-orders for the device. The report notes that the Xiaomi Home retail staff have started to send invites to Mi Fans to join a blind pre-order program for an upcoming phone, which is expected to be the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 Glasses are now available for purchase in India via the leading e-commerce platforms. Developed in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart glasses were initially launched in September as the successor to the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 Glasses, but were only available in the global markets. Meta says they offer significant battery and camera upgrades over the first-generation model, along with wider colour and frame choices.

Coming to you from Craig Roberts of e6 Vlogs, this direct video shows how the latest 100-megapixel medium format models are not necessarily the key to better photography. Roberts argues that manufacturers rely on hype and influencer marketing to sell camera bodies rather than asking what you truly need. He points out how marketers show you the latest models as "must-have" gear even when the results you want could already be achieved with a simpler camera.

The camera system also gets a fairly substantial upgrade, though it's still short of what Apple ships in its Pro phones. The two-lens camera system includes a 12MP 2x telephoto sensor, as well as a 48MP wide-angle camera. The front-facing camera has also been given a new 18MP Center Stage sensor that's nearly twice as large as the old one, and it's square instead of rectangular, so Apple can offer the same framing options regardless of whether you're shooting in portrait or landscape mode.

We have another new Google phone in for review - the Pixel 10 Pro. It ships in a retail box with the European Union's new Energy label, containing information about the phone's battery endurance and life cycles, drop resistance, water resistance, and repairability. The lines between Google's Pixel phones this year are as blurry as they comw. Pictured below are the 10 Pro (on the left) and the 10, and you'll notice that both have the same stature and a very similar camera stack.