iOS 26 Redesign, Huawei’s Pura 80 Ultra Innovation, and Android 16 Launch – Week 24 Recap
This week in tech was packed with innovation, design overhauls, and a few surprises. Apple and Google both took center stage, showcasing major updates to their operating systems, while Huawei stunned with a breakthrough in smartphone camera tech.
iOS 26 Brings Liquid Glass and Visual Intelligence
Apple made waves at WWDC with the announcement of iOS 26, skipping a few numbers to align with their other platforms. The standout feature is the Liquid Glass design – a futuristic interface with translucent visuals inspired by VisionOS. This marks the biggest redesign since iOS 7. There’s also a new Games app and updated Visual Intelligence tools, taking AI integration further.
iPad OS Levels Up
The iPad is getting closer to being a full-fledged computer. With the introduction of the Background Tasks API, it can now handle processes more efficiently – a long-requested feature by power users.
Huawei’s Pura 80 Ultra: Camera Engineering Reimagined
Huawei unveiled the Pura 80 Ultra, a flagship with a camera setup unlike any other. It features a massive 1-inch main sensor and a unique dual zoom lens system attached to a 50MP 1/1.28-inch sensor. Thanks to a mechanical switching system, the sensor can move between two telephoto lenses: a 3.7x optical zoom at 83mm (f/2.4) and a 9.4x zoom at 212mm (f/3.6), both with sensor-shift OIS.
The Pura 80 Ultra is currently in pre-order in China and will start shipping June 26. Its siblings, the Pura 80 Pro and Pro+, are already available, while the standard Pura 80 is still pending release.
Android 16 Hits Pixel Phones
Google’s Android 16 has officially dropped for Pixel 6 and newer models. However, some headline features – including Material 3 Expressive design and a revamped Desktop Mode – will roll out later. The current release focuses on stability and under-the-hood improvements.
Nothing Phone (3) Leak: Minimalist Camera Design
A leaked image of the upcoming Nothing Phone (3) shows a shrunken camera island and the absence of the Glyph Interface, hinting at a dot-matrix style rear display instead. It’s still unconfirmed, but fans are divided on the possible design shift.
Oppo A5i and A5i Pro: Budget Phones, Familiar Chips
Oppo quietly launched the A5i and A5i Pro, both using the rebranded Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 1 (aka Snapdragon 662). The A5i Pro, priced around $160, features a large 6,000mAh Si/C battery and is currently available in the Philippines via Shopee, with broader online availability starting June 20. Color options include Starry Purple, Nebula Red, and Midnight Purple.
Samsung Throws Shade at Apple
In a familiar move, Samsung trolled Apple for introducing features already found on Galaxy devices. While playful, the jab reignited debates on innovation vs. imitation.
Upcoming Launches: iPhone 17 Pro, OnePlus Nord 5
Benchmark scores for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have leaked, promising performance gains over the previous generation. Meanwhile, rumors suggest the OnePlus Nord 5 and Nord CE5 could be launched together – something to watch for in the coming weeks.
Huawei Watch 5: Health Tracking Gets Smarter
The new Huawei Watch 5 promises even more detailed health insights, offering enhanced monitoring features in a familiar form factor.