Apple iPhone 16 - Closing the Gap Between Vanilla and Pro

As I've already established when reviewing the iPhone 16 Pro Max a week or two ago, this year's iPhone launch revealed a surprising number of upgrades for the two non-Pro members of the line-up.

Some years I like to review the base iPhone first and work my way up to the Pro but other years it's fun to do it the other way around; use my phone like a pro for a few weeks then "downgrade" to see what exactly I'm missing out on at the lower price point.

This year, I've taken the second option and I tell you what, the differences are getting harder to spot.

Firstly, there are a couple of pretty obvious physical features that set the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 (and 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus) apart from their pricier siblings. No titanium here, for a start. Instead, you get an aerospace-grade aluminium enclosure with matching, colour-infused glass on the back. You have the choice of Black, White, Teal, Pink or Untramarine (a very bright blue) - these last three colours really pop, which makes a nice contrast to the more muted tones of the Pro-level handsets.

Secondly, the camera module has been halved in size. I never fully understood why Apple went with the same giant square chunk of glass and metal on the base-model handsets as they did with the Pros. It really didn't make sense when you only had two cameras instead of three. This year they've finally realised that and instead of mounting two lenses diagonally for no good reason, one is now above the other and as a result everything feels much less bulky and better balanced.

Camera performance is undoubtedly one area where the Pro iPhones will always reign supreme over their less well-endowed siblings. Yet again, this year there have still been many notable upgrades to the iPhone 16's shooter.

The main sensor is a 48MP Fusion camera which takes extremely vibrant and detailed, high-res photos and can also act as a telephoto lens, offering 2x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the 12MP Ultra-Wide camera isn't just for those spectacular, sweeping, outdoor vistas. It also offers up extremely detailed macro shots. As Apple loves to sum it up, you virtually have four cameras at your disposal.

Here are a few sample shots. First, something Ultra-Wide...

This one is a Portrait shot - although not using Portrait Mode, instead I just pushed the "f" button for an instant bokeh effect...

See the way the words get more blurry as the pole stretches away from the camera? That effect can removed after you've taken the shot, by the way.

Now let's see if we can create a similar effect using the Macro lens...

I was really impressed by the detail and the contrast in lighting here.

But what's really blown me away is Apple has added its new Camera Control button to all four iPhone 16 models. I think this might be an unprecedented move - I can't recall the last time a new feature like this wasn't initially kept for the Pro handsets, at least for the first year.

I detailed the way Camera Control works in my iPhone 16 Pro Max review but just to quickly summarise; a press of the new button instantly opens the camera app and another press clicks off a photo. A long press starts an instant video recording while a half-press gives you access to other camera settings like Zoom, Exposure, Tone etc.

It's a pretty clever button.

Which is why they've built it into the new cases too. For some ungodly reason, I was sent a bright yellow MagSafe case to keep my review iPhone 16 protected. Why are there even bright yellow cases? There aren't any yellow phones this year. Anyway... sure enough, there, below the power button, is the new Camera Control, replicated precisely so it still works the exact same way, even when the phone is tucked safely in the case.

On the opposite side, you'll find the Action button - this one WAS a Pro-only feature last year but it's yet another one Apple has decided to share with everybody this time round. Again, just to summarise, it's a programmable one-touch shortcut button to do things like launch your favourite app, commence your regular workout, or even more complicated, multi-step actions you can create in the Shortcuts app.

If you thought Spatial Capture was another tool reserved only for the Pro handsets, even more good news. You can shoot surround photos and videos on the iPhone 16 too. All we need now is a Vision Pro to watch them on!

This spatial-capturing ability also means we now get the Audio Mix setting on our videos, so we can remaster the sound - focusing only on what's in frame or letting in other background noises from outside the shot.

In another move that surprised me almost as much as including Camera Control on iPhone 16, it has also skipped a chip generation, leaping straight from A16 to A18. This still isn't quite the same as the A18 Pro chip running the two flagship devices but it's still a dazzling 30% faster than last year. And of course, once the eagerly-anticipated Apple Intelligence rolls out, this handset will be more than capable of performing those tricks as well.

There's even been a battery boost - you'll get around another two-hours out of this year's phone and I've certainly had no issue running it from my 2:52am alarm right through until bedtime - there's always plenty of juice left in the tank.

If I've made the iPhone 16 sound like the perfect super-phone and you're wondering why you'd consider the Pro at all, there are still some restrictions you should know about, some of which I found frustrating but others that haven't irked me too much at all.

I keep discovering certain operations I'd become quite accustomed to on the Pro that just don't happen on this handset. For example, StandBy Mode - the feature that turns your phone screen into a bedside clock or oversized car display when you use a MagSafe charger in landscape orientation. This still works with the iPhone 16 but because it doesn't support Always On Display, my digital nightstand winks out after 30 seconds, until I touch the screen again.

This is just silly. I get that there isn't the battery life on a base model iPhone for AOD - but surely that wouldn't make any difference when it's actually ON THE CHARGER???

In fact, a lot of these sort of "base model" restrictions seem to be to do with battery life. Another one I ran into was downloading my favourite Spotify playlists. This happens in the background on a Pro phone but on the iPhone 16 I literally had to change the screen timeout duration to "Never" and leave the Spotify app open in order for my downloads to continue, uninterrupted. Hey Apple, how about you let me decide what I will and won't sacrifice my battery life for?

I should also point out something obvious yet important; display size. The iPhone 16 is 6.1-inches while the iPhone 16 Pro is 6.3-inches. The iPhone 16 Plus is 6.7-inches while the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 6.9-inches. Max indeed.

I actually don't find this slight disparity to be a disadvantage - in fact, I prefer a smaller handset. Given there's no iPhone mini these days, the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 suits me (and my pockets) just fine.

Starting from NZ$1,599.00 the iPhone 16 is hardly entry level but as I've outlined here, its performance and feature set is anything but "vanilla" either. Be assured, it's a premium device. It's just that the Pros are extra-premium.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple iPhone 16.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max - A Gripping Two-Part Story

Is there anything more polarising in tech than the launch of the latest iPhone?

Every year, the haters come out in force, quick to point out how many "new features" are just Apple reimagining options other manufacturers have been offering for years.

Meanwhile, the devoted Apple acolytes will be just as quick to defend the new handsets. There'll still be queues at stores. There'll still be fans who upgrade their phone every year.

This year, critics have complained about the delay of Apple Intelligence. After all, how can 2024 be "The Year of AI" if Apple doesn't do it too?

Turns out, AI is complicated. Or the EU thinks so anyway and once again, strong-arm regulations around trivial things like privacy have caused somewhat of a stand-off when it comes to a full Apple Intelligence rollout.

This has added fuel to the haters' fire. "There's nothing new about these phones without Apple Intelligence, so what's the point?"

To those people I say, at least pick one up and look at it. You'll soon discover some of the most significant upgrades in years.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is available in four colours; Black Titanium, White Titanium, Natural Titanium and Desert Titanium. As you may have noticed, there's a titanium thing going on here - apparently the toughest on the smartphone market. The finish is quite unique, with the colour literally being blasted into the titanium casing during manufacturing which I must admit, sounds pretty cool.

The Pro Max has the largest display of any iPhone to date, measuring 6.9-inches. There's no question this is a big phone and if you struggle operating a large, heavy device with one hand, you should probably consider the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro instead. Unlike last year, when the Pro Max had a slight camera advantage over the Pro, that's not the case in 2024 and other than display and battery size, the phones are essentially the same.

And boy, what a battery. No iPhone I've used before comes close to the battery life I've experienced with the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Another change from last year is the chip strategy - sort of. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus ran on the A16 while the Pro models stepped up to the A17 Pro. This time, all four phones have new A18 chips, although the two premium handsets are run by A18 Pros. Without getting too bogged down in all this, as far as I can tell, this isn't just a marketing thing. On paper, there doesn't seem to be much difference between the base A18 chip and the Pro version, other than slightly better graphics performance.

I haven't tried the base model yet, so I'll let you know if I can tell the difference.

Perhaps the most noticeable modification from last year's phones is the addition of a whole new button. I don't mean the Action Button that appeared on the Pro models last time and is now on all four devices - although this customisable one-touch shortcut has been boosted with more functionality. Instead of firing off just one shortcut, it can now be set to perform different actions depending on the time of day, the phone's orientation and even your location. For example, you might set it to fire off your favourite workout if you're at the gym but if you're at home and you're holding your phone in landscape, maybe it activates the magnifier to read the fine-print on tonight's recipe.

No, the really new button is called Camera Control and again, perhaps surprisingly, you'll find it on all four Series-16 phones. 

Situated on the right-hand edge, down below the power button, Camera Control initially functions as a physical shortcut to the camera app; one press opens the camera and another snaps a pic. Hold the Camera Control button down and you'll record an instant video.

We've seen this kind of button on a few other phones in the past, usually in a similar position, simulating the button on a "real" camera when the handset is held in landscape position. Camera Control is more than just a fast way to take a photo though.

You can also half-press Camera Control to quickly access zoom functions, which you can then adjust with the same finger sliding backwards and forwards across the button. This is displayed on the edge of the screen right next to the Camera Control.

But wait... There is indeed more...

You can even double-press Camera Control to then scroll through your other settings; Exposure, Depth, Cameras, Styles and Tones. These last two options are similar to filters but with more of a professional photographer's feel to them. You can really dig down into different brightness and colour levels to achieve the exact effect you're after. Once you have it just the way you want, that particular Style or Tone will stay that way until you reset it, providing a consistent palette for your whole shoot if you want.

Which brings us to the incredible photo and video performance of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This year we have a totally revamped 48MP Fusion Camera, a 48MP Ultra Wide and a 5 x Telephoto - certainly one of the most powerful and versatile sensor arrays I've ever come across. Again, this all gets pretty technical, pretty quickly but because of the higher resolution across the board and the optical zoom provided by the tetraprism design of the 5 X camera, the combination of these three modules results in a choice of seven different pro lenses. It's the equivalent of carrying a virtual photographer's bag over your shoulder, all packed into one phone.

Whether you're shooting extremely close macro shots, spatial photos to be viewed in a surround environment created by the Vision Pro (if it ever comes to New Zealand), or your kids playing out in the surf, this camera setup can do it all - and with no shutter lag, you won't miss a moment.

And that's before we talk video. Again, so many choices. Shoot in 4K at 120fps in Dolby Vision. Shoot in ProRes to provide more possibilities with post-production editing. (The ability to access high-speed external storage via USB-3 will certainly come in handy here)

You can even adjust the playback speed after you've shot your video to make the most of every frame of the action.

The Pro Max's audio abilities have been similarly enhanced. There are four studio-quality mics built in to capture everything you shoot - and I do mean everything. A Spatial Video isn't much fun without an all-encompassing soundtrack to match - that's why you need four mics.

But whatever movie you're making, you can now use the Audio Mix function to focus the sound right where you want it; enhance the person in shot while dulling the background noise - or do the opposite, it's up to you.

And I haven't even really mentioned iOS 18.

Maybe that'll have to wait for my iPhone 16 review in a couple of weeks.

Oh, and that's right - you get all of this even without Apple Intelligence. So no, this definitely isn't the same phone as last year. The good news is, New Zealand is slated to be one of the first regions to get the new AI features but again, I think that'll have to wait for a whole other review.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

motorola razr 50 ultra - Surely This Isn't My Phone of the Year?

When the first Motorola Razr was launched twenty years ago, many of us probably thought, "It doesn't get any better than this. A phone with two screens? A little one on the lid then a bigger one inside? Crazy."

Admittedly, neither the outer or inner screens were all that useful and we were about to say goodbye to physical keyboards on phones forever... but the Razr was still pretty cool.

Fast-forward to today and you could be forgiven for thinking Motorola might now be playing catch-up in the foldable race, with other makers making such a big noise about their bendy phones.

So you can imagine my surprise when I picked up Motorola's latest effort and like a great book, simply couldn't put it down.

The motorola razr 50 ultra is the answer to all my foldable complaints; it's durable, it has good battery life, an excellent camera setup and above all else; a fully functional exterior display.

Oh, and it even has a case included in the box.

That all sounds ideal. Surely there's a catch?

In fact, the more you dig down into each of these features, the better it gets.

Firstly; durability. That's not an adjective I thought I'd ever use to describe a clamshell phone but Motorola seems so confident in the razr 50 ultra's new hinge design, they're literally encouraging people to flip the handsets open with one hand, Captain Kirk communicator-style. It also carries an IPX8 water resistance rating, so it should survive most accidental splashes and dunks. The outer screen is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus - one of the most scratch and crack resistant options around. And the lower-rear panel is vegan leather - so not a single fingerprint to be seen.

In terms of battery life, 4000mAh is a large cell for such a compact device but there are plenty of other phones out there with bigger batteries. However, thanks in part to a very efficent Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 mobile chip, this is definitely one of the longer-lasting clamshells I've tried. There's a 68W charger in the box and the razr 50 ultra also charges wirelessly - at a slower but still respectable 15W.

The decisions Motorola has made with the camera setup are interesting. While some folding phones have been a little under-done in the photography department until now, the razr 50 ultra sports a 50MP main shooter, just like most other flagships on the market these days. But instead of teaming that up with an Ultra-Wide lens of some sort, they've gone for a 50MP telephoto sensor instead. This means while you'll miss out on those expansive landscape shots, you'll get 2 x optical zoom instead, bringing the action much closer, in crystal clarity.

I did a more in-depth roundup of the Motorola camera experience in my Edge 50 Pro review. I like the balance they've struck with moto ai - it works mostly in the background to help you take the best shots in all lighting conditions, without being bossy with over-the-top AI suggestions.

This is a theme with the Hello UX generally. Built over Android 14, Hello is one of the more no-frills user interfaces - which is not to say it isn't full-featured, it just isn't bloated. The pull-down menu of quick-access settings is a fine example; several pages of shortcuts that can be rearranged or removed to your preference. The only niggle I had was when I wanted to change my wallpaper. There were no solid colours to choose from and I prefer boring black. Luckily, being an Android phone, I could just download one.

I then installed it on both home screens, inside and out. The long and skinny, 6.9-inch, foldable AMOLED internal display is wonderful - capable of excellent brightness and up to 165Hz refresh rate. I must admit, I'm not as bewitched by folding screens as I was a few years back but this one definitely stacks up. While the crease is still visible in certain lights I haven't really noticed it in regular use - either to the touch or to look at.

But it's the outer screen on the razr 50 ultra that has really stolen the show for me. While other clamshell-makers insist on limiting what you can do with the smaller display, Motorola has gone completely the other way. Any widget from any app can be added to the scrolling home screen on the outer display. That long list of pull-down shortcuts is all available here as well. In fact, you can use any app on the 4-inch display. Read and answer emails, scroll your socials, browse your photos - whatever. This is exactly what I've been asking for all along. Sure, some apps aren't very practical on such a tiny screen but I'd rather the decision to use them was left up to me - not forced on me arbitrarily.

It's no exaggeration to say because the outer screen is so useful, I open the razr 50 ultra far less often. Many, if not most of my regular tasks can be taken care of within the 4-inch realm.

This is exactly as it should be.

As I mentioned, not only is a fast charger included, but there's a two-piece cover to match the Midnight Blue colour scheme. This is quite unobtrusive and thanks to several adhesive strips, stays securely in place at all times.

See? All aspects of this phone just work. And not only do they work, they work the way I want them to. It's the first foldable I've reviewed that I could imagine using as my "every day" device. There's no compromise in camera performance, battery life is more than sufficient and that outside screen does exactly what it should; everything.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the motorola razr 50 ultra.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 - No More Pain Points

You know what? I'm thoroughly sick and tired of hearing about AI. How about you?

As a tech reviewer, it's everywhere I look. If it's not baked into the NPU of a phone, it's part of a computer's operating system. TVs are using it to adjust the brightness. Earbuds are listening to the noise around me and deciding which sounds are the ones I actually need to hear.

Great.

Fantastic.

The future is now.

Big whoop.

Can we talk about something else for a minute?

Admittedly when you look up the Galaxy Z Flip6 on the Samsung website, the first thing they tell you is, "Galaxy AI is here." And yes, the Z Flip6 can do pretty much all of the clever AI tricks the Z Fold6 I reviewed a couple of weeks ago can. Yes, it'll do live translation in 16 languages on both internal and external screens, as well as spoken translations in real time. Yes, you can "Circle to search" and yes, you can use Galaxy AI to compose messages and emails in a number of different styles. And yes, you can put real sunglasses and a silly hat on a picture of your dog, just by doodling them on the screen with your finger. Cool.

Cool.

So cool.

Now we've got the AI stuff well and truly out of the way, I want to talk about some features that are more specific to the Z Flip6, namely some issues I've had with previous generations and whether or not Samsung has done anything to address them on the 2024 version.

Let's start with the physical design of the thing. It's great. As I mentioned with the Fold, when these new, bendy phones first popped up a few years back it's hard to deny there was a certain janky-ness to them; they didn't fold together completely flat, the frames and bezels were clumsily thick and you essentially felt like you'd better treat these devices with kid gloves or they'd break into several pieces if you weren't careful.

We're well past that now.

There's a solid durability to the feel of the Z Fold6 in your hand. Closed, open or in Flex Mode, it looks stylish, premium and built-to-last. Once again, Samsung has upgraded its hinge design and it's now at the point where you don't even really think about it that much when handling the device. Very secure. Unfortunately, there's still a mysterious groove around the edge of the internal display between the mandatory screen cover and the slightly-raised and rubbery bezel that keeps everything sealed tight when the phone is closed. I've found this becomes a bit of a trap for dust and other debris if you're not careful - in fact, somehow I seem to have got what looks like chocolate stuck in one corner. Goodness knows how that got there.

However, although the Z Fold6 may not be chocolate-proof, with an IP48 rating it is more water-resistant than ever. This is not the pool-proof IP68 level of protection the Galaxy S-Series phones carry but it's an encouraging improvement and means this handset should survive rainy walks and the odd splash or two.

It's also touted as being more compact than ever and it certainly feels just like any other phone when unfolded (unflipped?) and slides easily into any of my pockets when snugly closed up.

Another issue many people (including me) have had with Flips of the past is battery life. Given this is a device aimed at vloggers, streamers, sharers and influencers, you'd expect pretty high screen time and camera usage numbers. For people like that, only-average battery life becomes a problem by the end of the day. Again, Samsung has attempted to right this wrong with a bigger battery and a more efficient chip. In my real-life usage I can't say I've been blown away by significant power savings. Compared to other flagship phones I've reviewed lately, the Z Flip6 is definitely well below 50% by the time a get it on the charger at night. I will concede though, this is an improvement on previous Flips - some of which required mid-afternoon top-ups to see me through.

The external or preview screen has been another niggle for me. Not just its weird shape either; I mean, what exactly are you gaining with that extra little bit beside the camera lenses? I'm talking about its limited functionality. I know it's small but I'd still like the option of trying to use it as a fully functioning display. Instead, you only get notifications and a choice of smartwatch-style widgets to scroll through. Yet again, I have to admit, improvements have been made. There are more widgets (and more useful ones) now and you can set up quick replies for certain messaging apps. That's a good start but I still want more. And how come the display doesn't rotate? It's basically square, so it shouldn't matter which way I hold it up, surely.

Okay, of course it does that other thing... the really cool thing... It gives you a preview of the primary camera so you can take selfie pics and vids with the main camera.

And that has suddenly become even more of a feature than ever before because Samsung has well and truly sorted out the biggest Z Flip shortfall of the past; camera quality. The 12MP Ultra-wide has been updated but the big news is the main Wide-angle camera has gone from 12MP to 50MP. This means a real coming-of-age for this handset; super-clear, hi-res, vibrant shots - even from distance - thanks to the new 2x optical zoom. And although I wasn't going to mention it again, when it comes to the camera, it's hard to avoid AI - especially when it comes to assisting with auto-zoom, night shots and video HDR.

Finally the Flip has the camera it's users have been demanding. As an example, check out this tricky shot with problematic bright backlighting...

Now zoomed in...

These are photos that just wouldn't have been possible on previous Flips.

So...

I guess you could indeed argue Samsung has made most of my pain go away. But at what price? Answer; about 220 bucks. Yup, the Z Flip5 is NZ$1,879.00 while the Z Flip6 breaks the 2K barrier at NZ$2,099.00. Ouch. And yet...

Better design. Better cover display. Better battery. New chip. More RAM. And unquestionably improved camera performance. Maybe this is a two-thousand dollar+ phone after all.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6.

motorola edge 50 pro - Bringing Sexy Back

At the start of the year if you'd told me one of my favourite phones of 2024 would be a Motorola, I probably would have laughed and asked for another round of whatever you were drinking.

That may sound harsh but although Motorola has been doing mobile phones longer than just about anyone, I haven't seen too many flagships with all the bells and whistles lately.

Enter, a flagship with all the bells and whistles... and I do mean ALL...

The motorola edge 50 pro (they seem to market it in lower-case, so I'll follow suit) is a thing of beauty. For a while there, all the flagship phones had curved-edge displays like this and I was a massive fan. In fact, I'm a fan of curves in general. Who wants sharp edges and pointy corners when you can have the comfort of a curve in your hand? It just seems more streamlined - more stylish somehow.

Not only is the edge 50 pro curved at the sides, the back panel also sweeps up to the rear camera module in a delightfully seamless way. While there are pearl-like, smooth-backed options in other colours available in overseas markets, here we're only getting Black Beauty, in a matte, vegan leather finish - and I couldn't be happier about it.

There are two main problems with a phone as slim and curvy as this. Firstly, if it has a shiny glass back it may be pretty but it'll also be slippery. This vegan leather variant keeps the handset firmly gripped in your hand - and also prevents unsightly smears and fingerprints.

The second edge-centric drawback is the "accidental touch issue" and I'll admit, that is still a tiny niggle with the edge 50 pro.

If you've used a curved display like this 6.7-inch, super-HD screen before, you've probably found yourself stabbing away at an icon or virtual button wondering why nothing's happening - only to realise because you're holding the edge of the screen as well, the phone thinks you're touching it in several places at once. This really isn't a massive hassle - especially once you know it's a possibility - and it's only happened a few times since I've been using it.

My real problem with the edge 50 pro is trying to find something wrong with it.

At NZ$1,099.00, it's right in the zone where other phones usually leave something important off to keep the price down. Not this time. IP68 water and dust resistance? Check. Triple-lens rear camera array with 3 X optical zoom? Check. 4K video capture? Check. Support for NFC and eSIM? Check. Case included in the box? Check. Wireless charging? Check.

What's more, it charges fast, thanks to the powerful 125W charger that also comes in the box. Battery life is up there with the best performing handsets I've tried as well.

This is probably partly due to the efficiency of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip running the show. In the video below, I rather unfairly refer to the 7 Gen 3 as "last year's chip," which is not really accurate - it's more like this year's 8 Gen 3's smaller sibling; ever so slightly slower, especially when it comes to operations like down and uploading.

However, unless you were to compare two phones with these two chips side-by-side, I really don't think you'll be disappointed with the performance here. I know I haven't been.

For example, the camera app opens straight away and works without any lag or stutter, no matter which mode or setting you choose. I've been very happy with my pics to date, be they ultra-wide landscapes like this...

Or making use of the 10MP telephoto lens for shots like this...

Not only does the edge 50 pro come with all the features I want in a phone, right now it also comes with a free pair of moto buds+ true-wireless earbuds.

Like the handset, the moto buds+ are premium performers, again ticking most - if not all - of my ear-wear requirements. Top notch battery life, from both the case and the buds themselves. You can charge the case wirelessly. The buds are water resistant and thanks to the selection of ear tips and the stem design they're great for exercising with.

The moto buds+ are tuned by Bose and the default sound is very clean, leaning towards a little dry - although you can adjust the EQ via app or let AI manage it for you, depending on what's playing. You also have the options of either Hi-Res mode for discerning listeners or Gaming mode for less latency.

My one major criticism is the on-board touch controls. These are customisable to a degree but there's no single tap - only double and triple taps or a long press. Although this obviously eliminates accidental play/pause presses when inserting or removing the buds, it's weird not to be able to resume listening with a single tap. And you can't assign the volume controls to the long-press function either - which also seems less than natural. Maybe it's just a personal preference.

On the "Plus" side, the bass response is impressive - especially for earbuds - and I've also been blown away by how strong and reliable the connection is. I can leave my phone on my desk and keep listening all over the house.

Remember, you get the moto buds+ for free when you buy the edge 50 pro, which I already considered fantastic value for money.

Unlike other 2024 flagships, Motorola doesn't seem to be making much noise about AI, although something called "moto ai" seems to be responsible for a lot of the edge 50 pro's photographic and cinematic tricks. I'm a fan of this more low-key approach - it's only August and I've already had more than my fill of AI hype for one year. At least with this phone, Motorola seems content to let AI do its best work mostly unseen, in a more integrated, under-the-hood way.

I could spend all day singing this phone's praises but let's just say my usual approach when reviewing a device hasn't quite worked this time. I usually ask myself, "What's wrong with this phone? Where does it come up short? What more could it do?" When the answers to those questions are, "Nothing," "Nowhere" and "Not much," then there's not a lot more to say.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the motorola edge 50 pro.

Click here for more information and pricing on the moto buds+.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 - This Finally Feels Real

Although still not exactly commonplace, foldable phones are no longer quite the sensation they used to be. While Samsung initially led the way, other brands have quickly jumped on the foldable bandwagon - especially in other regions around the world.

And yet, until now, even I (self-confessed tech nerd and confirmed early adopter) have felt a little uncomfortable using the bendy form factor. It's always seemed a little too experimental, too fragile to justify the high price tag. Especially when premium features like hgh-end camera hardware and durability certifications were compromised in favour of a folding screen.

After a week or so with Samsung's latest folding flagship though, I think I'm starting to come around.

Critics have branded the Galaxy Z Fold6 as another iterative upgrade, not so different from the generations before it but I couldn't disagree more. From the moment I first held a Fold6 I was struck with how much more finished it felt in my hands.

For the first time this extremely expensive phone (starting at NZ$3049.00) emulates the same sharp lines and and luxurious feel of its Samsung S-Series stablemates. Available in Silver Shadow, Pink, Navy and the exclusive (and kind of boring) online-only shades of White and Crafted Black, there should be a colour to suit most tastes.

Also for the first time, the hinge has been modified to allow both halves of the internal display to shut completely flush against each other - they said the Fold5 did this last year but I reckon there was still a bit of a gap. This is a biggie for me because I tend to keep my phone in my pocket and previous Folds have always ended up with their screens covered in dust and lint - that problem has been completely taken care of here.

This is the thinnest and lightest Fold yet - and I definitely noticed the difference. It's the difference between clunky and elegant. This comes with quite the durability boost too; Armor Aluminium edges and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 make for a stronger device and Samsung has even improved the water resistance rating. This all helps with piece-of-mind given the hefty sticker price.

What's more, because of the new, sharper corners, there's slightly more usable display, both inside and out.

In saying that, the exterior screen has kind of hit its usefulness threshold. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous, 6.3-inch dynamic AMOLED panel and in most ways it works every bit as well as the display on any other premium Samsung device. In fact, I'd say I use it far more than the internal, folding or "Main" display... although that just might be me still learning to use the Fold6 better.

What I mean about that "sub display" being limited is due to its aspect ratio. As one half of a larger, almost square device when unfolded, it's very long and narrow. This not only makes typing on a small, skinny keyboard a bit hit-and-miss for my clumsy digits but when rotated to landscape, everything tends to get squashed out flat and wide - especially the widgets I've added to my home screen.

By stark contrast, the internal screen feels like a breath of fresh air when unfolded to its full 7.6-inch glory. There's plenty of room for everything - from icons, to browser windows, to games, to video. Apps you can split into two views - like Outlook - were just waiting for a form factor like this to come along.

But we know all this already. I've told you myself. We've already seen cool tricks like using the outer display as a preview screen so you can shoot selfies with the primary camera.

For some reason, Samsung is still persisting with the 4MP Under Display camera inside the Fold6. And for some other reason it's still in the weirdest place; above the right-hand side of the display - that's if you happen to be holding it that way around. Surely if you're resorting to using this camera at all (and the only reason I can think of is for online meetings) you'd be more comfortable with the phone in its half-flexed position, sitting on the desk in front of you in which case the more logical position for this strange selfie cam would be halfway along one of the longer edges. I really don't get it - even after six generations.

In fact, there hasn't been much of an upgrade in camera hardware here; still a 50MP wide / 12MP utra-wide / 10MP telephoto configuration for the "rear" primary shooter but that's better than you'll find on most phones.

However, in what is probably a trend for the future (and has definitely been the theme so far in 2024), the majority of the buzz with Samsung's new folding flagships is all about AI.

With the S-Series launch earlier in the year, Samsung revealed how Galaxy-AI was now powerful enough to perform a raft of both fun and useful photo editing tasks as well as some very impressive on-device translation.

When this same technology is combined with a folding screen and a secondary display, Galaxy AI really starts to wow the crowd. If you've ever tried doing much video or photo editing on your phone, you will have undoubtedly encountered the frustration of doing so on such a small screen. This is where the huge display of the Fold6 really comes into its own, especially with the enhanced editing capacity of Galaxy AI.

Simply place your finger on an object in your photo and you can move it, copy it, erase it, enlarge it... there are a lot of options.

Portrait Studio is more than just a library of filters, it'll create surreal caricatures in a range of artistic styles.

Sketch to Image lets you doodle your own enhancements onto a picture, (with either a stylus or just your finger) then Galaxy AI will grab actual images to replace your rough drawings - and believe me, my drawings are rough.

You can even add slow-mo sections to videos you've already recorded. 

As a creative tool, no other phone has ever been this useful.

And as a communication tool, it's even better. 

The S24-Series phones saw the introduction of Galaxy AI-powered live translation tools. Again the Fold6 takes this even further. Now you can type or talk using the internal screen and within seconds a translation will appear on the external display and your words will be spoken in the alternate language of your choice. Because you download the language packs you require ahead of time, all this happens on-device, using the built-in Neural Processor - so when travelling, you can literally chat with the locals without even having to use a data connection.

These same Galaxy-AI listening skills are also put to good use when it comes to taking notes, summarising dictation or even asking for more information about whatever you're looking at on screen. 

You won't have any trouble reading that screen either; both inner and outer displays are dramatically brighter than previous generations. Combine that with the ease and power of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor and suddenly your gaming experience is next level.

A more efficient processor and a new vapour chamber to keep things cool has meant a noticeable bump in battery life too.

All sounds pretty good, right?

So here's my question; Does it sound a thousand dollars better than a non-folding flagship handset? If it does, then perhaps I was a bit hasty with my earlier criticism of the price. At first I thought there was no way you could justify that much money for a single phone. But then I held it. And I used it. And for the first time it felt like a finished, polished, useful and reliable device - not just a gimmicky flex.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6.

Oppo Reno12 Pro - Playing with the Big Boys

The title of this review must seem a bit strange to anybody reading from Europe or Asia. Although Oppo is a massive player in many regions, by the end of last year it accounted for less than 10% of the market here (according to a March 2024 report by the New Zealand Herald).

No prizes for guessing the big two brands battling it out for top billing at around 40% each. Still, although a fair distance behind, third is still third and Oppo has managed to claim that spot over the last few years with a consistent line of reliable, well designed handsets boasting excellent battery-life, market-leading fast-charging and camera technology that rivals the very best around.

So what have they done for us lately?

In New Zealand, the Oppo Reno12 Pro comes in two colourways; Nebula Black or Nebula Silver. I was sent the black version to review which features a matte finish over the top eighty percent of the rear panel, with a glossier section below the Oppo logo - all with a slightly purplish hue to it. The Nebula Silver is much more eye-catching - more shiny with a wave-like pattern that seems to shimmer in a 3D way.

As I removed it from the box I was struck by how slim and light the Reno12 Pro feels - it slips very easily into my pocket yet its beveled edges make it secure enough to grip without a case. The other item of note in the box is the charging brick - notable not only because you actually get one with this phone but also because it's a legendary SuperVOOC charger - this time delivering an insane 80W to have the phone juiced up in no time.

In fact, I wouldn't usually give a phone like this much consideration as my primary handset based solely on the fact it has no wireless charging. However, the Reno12 Pro charges so quickly and the battery lasts so long (it gets me through two days of heavy use without coming close to going flat) I'm prepared to make an exception.

Part of the key to this impressive power-efficiency must be to do with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy chip running the show. I'm not particularly familiar with this CPU although I've been reading a lot of favourable reports about the latest chips MediaTek has been supplying. Certainly this phone blazes through its work, thanks also to the 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.

At NZ$1099.00, good luck finding another phone with that much storage anywhere near that price. These days I'd argue if you shoot any amount of pictures and video at all, 512GB should be your starting point. The Reno12 Pro makes that starting point a lot more attainable.

Speaking of photography, the Reno12 Pro wouldn't be an Oppo phone if it didn't have a great camera setup and there's no doubt this array is up to the task. Dual 50MP wide and ultra-wide lenses combine with an 8MP telephoto sensor to provide high-level performance at a mid-range price.

Check out the detail captured in both the foreground and distance in this shot, looking almost directly into the sun...

There are also some pretty nifty AI tricks at hand that seem to emulate what we've seen from some of the other "flagship phones" over the last year. Here's a sunset shot I took using night mode.

But then I decided I didn't need the couple sitting on the electrical transformer box at the left side, so I AI-Erased them out...

Or maybe you want to take the world's cutest dog...

And stick him somewhere else. The Reno12 Pro can do that too.

Other AI tools allow portrait touchups of group shots and opening the eyes of that one person who always seems to blink just as you're taking the shot.

Oppo uses AI to keep your phone connected when swapping between Wi-Fi and 5G the dictation and summary tools suddenly seem to be standard offerings on all AI-empowered devices.

Sadly, the Reno12 Pro is not eSIM-capable. I found this a bit of a surprise, given this seems to be more the norm than the exception with new phones these days.

On the plus side, for the first time I can recall, Oppo is being much more upfront with the durability claims. The Reno12 Pro is now more than just splash-proof - it carries an official IP65 water/dust resistance rating. Oppo also claims it's been tested to resist extreme temperatures and high humidity, not to mention being run over by a 3-tonne vehicle! (They mean the equivalent pressure on that last claim - as long as the phone is face down. Still pretty wild and no, I'm not going to try it.)

Not only is there physical, shock absorbing cushioning built into the high-strength alloy chassis, you also get Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 covering the display. Again, this is a very high-end feature more likely found on flagships twice the price.

And I think that's the nice little niche Oppo has found itself in the Kiwi market... If you're willing to forego eSIM and wireless charging you'll get a hell of a lot of phone for around a thousand bucks; outstanding battery life, super fast charging, great photos and a host of AI tools that aren't just clever, they're genuinely useful too.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Reno12 Pro.