Pixel 6: Google’ Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro announcements this week were a fun surprise, coming at least two months or so before we’ll get the devices somewhere around late September/October-ish. Still, Google opened up to confirm many aspects of its first real flagships in years: design and looks, Google’s own smartphone silicon called Tensor, the Pro’s 6.7-ich 120Hz refresh rate, the vanilla’s 6.4-inch 90Hz refresh rate, new camera system (finally), in-display fingerprint sensor, and a few more bits. Google may also opt for longer software support for its own brand of SoC, too. Also, in more of a mystery, a Google-branded “wireless streaming device,” just passed through the FCC… any guesses as to what it might be?

• In any case, the Tensor reveal alone is major and marks something bigger for Google’s ambitions in hardware. Rob Triggs with perspective on why Pixel 6’s Tensor chip is actually a big deal (custom!), and why it’s not (most components of the chip are licensed),

Galaxy everything: A bunch of leaks ahead of Samsung’s major launch next week. First, someone just went and bought the upcoming Galaxy Buds 2, then someone else did a full unboxing of a set of olive green buds. Then WinFuture dropped the most comprehensive Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 specs so far, even down to the foldable’s size, weight, internals, Snapdragon 888 SoC, cameras, and IPX8 water resistance which seems notable. In any case, the Fold, Flip, Buds 2, and anything/everything else to be revealed this coming Wednesday.

Under-display selfie tech: Oppo and Xiaomi can sense something coming from Samsung next week, and just happened to make announcements this week about their own under-display selfie cameras. Oppo announced more tech in what was an update to its similar-ish 2019 announcement, but still no sign of it in a smartphone. On the Xiaomi front, “leaks” hinted that its Mi Mix 4, being launched next week, will have an under-display selfie camera as well.

Mi Mix 4/Mi Pad 5: Xiaomi actually went one further to steal the limelight from Samsung next week, cheekily announcing its next major smartphone and tablet launch for August 10th. We’ll see the Mi Mix 4/Mi Pad 5, which both promise to boost Xioami’s continued efforts to ship the most smartphones on the planet, a ranking one market analyst said it reached this week.

Honor Magic 3: Honor will launch its next major flagship on August 12. It’s a new model, it’s no longer part of Huawei, and it’s a fresh start with Google Mobile Services back on the device. It’ll be one to watch, with expectations of a very-Huawei looking design, and packing the new Snapdragon 888 Plus.

PSVR 2: We had an early look at Sony’s upcoming PSVR 2 (not necessarily the name, but you know what we mean) from details out of a “private” developer conference, revealing an OLED display with a resolution of 2,000 x 2,040 per eye. HDR support and a 110-degree field of view, hybrid games, and more.

Apple’s scan controversy: Apple is set to scan user photos to hunt for child abuse. Plenty are pointing out that Apple promises privacy while scanning your photos on-device and raising questions of false positives, while this Wired piece does a good job of explaining the balance: “For years tech companies have struggled between two impulses: the need to encrypt users’ data to protect their privacy and the need to detect the worst sorts of abuse on their platforms. Now Apple is debuting a new cryptographic system that seeks to thread that needle…”