After a two year hiatus, I am back with my year-end “favourite phones of the year” list. For those who are new to this, allow me a brief re-introduciton. I am a consumer tech reviewer focusing mostly on smartphones, and I cover the mobile scene from a global perspective, meaning I not only cover Chinese brands that don’t sell in the U.S., I also review phones that are only available exclusively in China.
This means my list isn’t so much a general buyer’s guide, as some of these phones will simply be unavailable for purchase for most readers. Instead, look at this as a recap of the smartphone scene, coming from someone who has tested virtually every flagship phone that saw a release. Do note that this list consists of my “favorite” phones of the year, not necessarily the “best” phones. I make this distinction so I can rank my list focusing on areas that I feel are important (innovation, value, camera prowess) instead of (in my opinion) meaningless metrics like raw benchmark numbers. Without further ado, let’s begin.
7: Oppo Find N2
Find N2 screen.
Ben Sin
What’s good: Oppo’s just-released foldable is a petite phone that doubles as a small widescreen tablet. I love the faux-leather finish and the lightweight. In fact, weighing 233g, it is the lightest foldable phone on the market. The phone is a bit thick compared to thinner foldables on the market, but the hinge is well built and can stay in place mid-fold.
Oppo’s ColorOS software is also extremely intuitive, filled with customization options and shortcut gestures. Animations are among the most fluid in any smartphone, too.
Oppo Find N2 in folded form is a compact phone.
Ben Sin
Find N2
Oppo
What’s not: I find the Find N2 a bit too small, with the 5.5-inch outside screen feeling cramped, and when unfolded, the landscape orientation results in a lot of app scaling issues. Battery life is also below par due to the small size not being able to accommodate a larger battery. This is the rare foldable that would benefit by being a bit larger.
6: iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro Max
ben Sin
What’s good: The iPhone 14 Pro Max at first glance appears to be a minimal upgrade over its predecessor. Other than the new pill-shaped cutout at the top of the screen, the 14 Pro Max looks almost identical to the 13 Pro Max. But use it for a bit and you’ll notice some major improvements. For one, the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED display got a major brightness boost to 2,000 nits, which makes it the brightest screen I’ve ever seen, anywhere. Even under direct harsh sunlight, the iPhone 14 Pro Max screen retains its brilliance and color accuracy.
iPhone 14 Pro Max cameras
Ben Sin
But that’s not all, Apple also got rid of the notch as mentioned, and while the new pill-shaped cutout still eats into a chunk of the screen, it is a cleaner look aesthetically in my opinion, and Apple designed this clever software UI that wraps black pixels around the hole punch depending on context, giving the illusion that the hole can shift in size. These animations add a bit of practical use, but it’s mostly done to make the phone’s UI feel alive, like it has its own character. I know many people who find this to be a gimmick, but personally, I love it.
Photo by Brittany Hosea-Small / AFP
AFP via Getty Images
Add in the usual iPhone strengths like best-in-class video recording and super powerful silicon, and we have another highly polished iPhone. But the problem for me is, it still has the usual iPhone limitations.
What’s not: Anyone who has read or viewed my previous phone reviews may know that I have long held the opinion that the iPhone cameras, while great at video, are actually below par in still photos compared to top Android phones. I find Apple’s color science too warm, and the smaller sensor used in iPhones relative to Android rivals means there’s shallower depth-of-field. The iPhone 14 Pro Max improves on this a bit with a larger and more pixel-dense sensor, but it’s not enough. The iPhone 14 Pro Max can snap great looking photos, but I much prefer the photos captured by all the non-folding phones on this list. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra and Vivo X90 Pro Plus, in particular, uses a 1-inch sensor that just pulls in so much more image information.
5: Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Ben Sin
What’s good: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra drew plenty of attention at the time of its release because it was the first phone to use Sony’s 1-inch IMX989 sensor, which has a sensor size equivalent to some entry level Sony point-and-shoot cameras like the Sony RX100.
A product render of the 12S Ultra
Xiaomi
The IMX989 was, in fact, co-developed by Sony and Xiaomi—the latter provided 15 million in funding to help development of the lens. And the investment paid off. The larger sensor pulls in significantly more image information than other smartphone sensors, and also produces a shallow depth-of-field for natural bokeh. It’s as close to a DSLR quality lens as we have seen in a smartphone yet.
A Xiaomi 12S Ultra night shot.
ben sin
But that’s not all, the 12S Ultra also uses lenses designed by Leica, owing to a new partnership between Xiaomi and the German legacy camera maker. Throw in a very good 5x Periscope zoom and a solid ultra-wide lens, and the Xiaomi 12S Ultra was easily the most capable camera phone at the time of release in mid-2022, and it would hold the title all the way until the number three phone on this list.
What’s not: The 12S Ultra was released in China only, despite the previous model (11 Ultra) selling internationally. This means the 12S Ultra ran Xiaomi’s China software, which is noticeably inferior and lacks some native Google Assistant features. The selfie camera is also very hit and miss.
4: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Flex Mode on the Fold 4
Ben Sin
What’s good: The original Samsung Galaxy Fold topped my 2019 list, and the vastly-improved Fold 2 would have topped my 2020 list if I had written one (I did not). The Fold 4 improves on the Fold 2 (and 3) even more, with a slightly wider outside screen that makes the phone easier to use, and a significantly improved camera system headlined by a 50-megapixel main camera with a respectable 1/1.5-inch image sensor, and a legit good 3x telephoto zoom lens. The hinge is even more sturdy than before, so much that the phone requires a bit of force to open and fold close. The core reason why I loved the original Fold is still a major selling point here: the Fold 4 is both a phone and a small tablet in one device.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung
What’s not: Samsung is the pioneer of the foldable phone, and while the first Fold had some first-gen problems, Samsung quickly ironed them out by the second generation Fold 2, which would have won my favorite phone of 2020 list by miles. But since then, Samsung has become complacent in my opinion, merely giving the Fold 3 and 4 subtle refinements over the past two years.
The reason Samsung could do this and get away with it is because up until now, the company has a monopoly on the global foldable phone scene, as Chinese brands have so far only limited their foldable releases in China. But I am someone who has no problem sourcing and testing China-only phones, and once I saw what Chinese brands were doing with foldable hardware, it’s hard to look at Samsung’s and not see compromise.
The Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Ben Sin
For example, a lot of the hardware gripes that we had with the first Fold, such as the deep crease that runs down the middle of the screen, or the thickness of the device in folded form, have not been fixed by Samsung. These issues are still here in the Fold 4. Xiaomi, meanwhile, fixed both with its second foldable, the Mix Fold 2. I’ll have more on the Xiaomi foldable further down this article, but I’ll say this here: it has much superior in-hand feel than Samsung’s Fold 4.
3: Vivo X90 Pro Plus
The X90 Pro Plus
Vivo
What’s good: Beginning with the Vivo X70 Pro Plus (which came out fall of 2021) to the Vivo X80 Pro (released June 2022), a Vivo device held the title of “best smartphone camera” for 10 months, losing only to the Xiaomi 12S Ultra on the strength of its 1-inch sensor. Now Vivo is back with a new X90 Pro Plus, which adopts the same 1-inch sensor along with Vivo’s existing excellent camera setup. The result? As expected, this is the new camera king.
The X90 Pro Plus
Ben Sin
It’s not just all about that 1-inch main camera with the X90 Pro Plus. The two zoom lenses also saw major improvements in aperture and sensor size, this combined with Vivo’s arguably best-in-class image processing results in some of the best portraits I’ve ever snapped. Video performance is also jaw-dropping, topping even the iPhone in color vibrance and sharpness, but falling short in audio and stabilization (so the iPhone is still the video king by a hair).
The phone is also jam packed with the most bleeding-edge components, including the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and UFS 4.0 storage. This phone has all the latest tech in the smartphone industry right now.
What’s not: I find the back design very garish with the bright red vegan leather back, off-center camera module, and garish over-branding including the slogan “Xtreme Imagination” engraved onto the aluminum bar. The phone is also only sold in China for now so it runs a China software that’s not 100% suitable for western users. But the good news is a global variant of this phone should launch in early 2023.
2: Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Pixel 7 Pro (middle, in green and gold) along with other Google products.
Google
What’s good: The Pixel 7 Pro has a very, very good camera system that gets my vote for second best camera in a phone right now, behind only the Vivo X90 Pro Plus. The reason I rank the Pixel 7 Pro ahead is due to superior software, particularly all the intelligent Google bits like real time transcribing and ability to detect music playing nearby on the fly. This is the smartest phone on the market, which is to be expected considering Google’s all knowing AI.
I also adore the Pixel’s design language, with the giant visor bar that runs across the back of the phone.
Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7.
Google
What’s not: The Pixel 7 Pro’s OLED display, while very good, is a bit behind the best displays on this list (iPhone 14 Pro Max and Vivo X90 Pro Plus) in terms of maximum brightness or viewing angles. The custom Tensor G2 chip, while great at handling Google’s machine learning, is also relatively less powerful than the best Qualcomm and Apple silicon in other phones on this list. The Pixel 7 Pro mostly performs fine, but sometimes things feel a beat slower than a 2022 flagship phone should.
1: Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 in folded form.
Ben Sin
What’s good: The Mix Fold 2 is an engineering marvel. It is the thinnest foldable phone ever made, measuring an unbelievable 5.4mm when unfolded, and just 11.2mm when closed. This is the first foldable phone to feel almost like a “normal phone” when it’s folded close, instead of feeling like two phones stacked on top of one another like Samsung’s Fold 4. It’s also relatively light at 263g, meaning one of the biggest complaints of foldable phones—its bulkiness—has been addressed here.
The Mix Fold 2 is impossibly thin.
Ben Sin
Elsewhere, the phone has two gorgeous displays, and a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip that is not only powerful but energy efficient. This is the rare foldable phone that can last me a full day of use on a single charge.
Whats not: Perhaps due to its thinness, the Mix Fold 2’s hinge cannot stay in place mid-fold like Samsung’s or Oppo’s foldable. This means the phone loses a crucial functionality of foldable phones: the ability for it to double as its own tripod.
Mix Fold 2
Xiaomi
The Mix Fold 2’s cameras are also just fine, falling far short of the best cameras phones on this list. But that’s the compromise if we want an ultra-thin foldable phone, I suppose. I still hope for a day where we can have foldable phones without a compromised camera system.
Still, overall, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 is the most jaw-dropping and technically impressive phone of 2022 for me, and because I am a firm believer of foldables and all the benefits it brings, I can say this is my favorite phone of 2022. But the Pixel 7 Pro and Vivo X90 Pro Plus are very, very close.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
