Best small business routers 2018: top routers for work

Welcome to our list of the best small business routers of 2018. Here, we show you the top choices for wireless routers for office, business or home office use.
Wireless routers targeted at businesses have improved tremendously over the past few years with the best models offering dual or even triple band connectivity, as well as a slew of other features usually found on far more expensive enterprise-grade models.
Indeed, the complexity and requirements of running a wireless network these days mean that routers now have a much more varied feature set, as well has including hardware that is often found in computers.
Priorities for business users differ from most consumer users: security, support, remote access, business-grade VPN, WAN redundancy, connectivity options and scalability rank higher than, say, absolute raw speed, value for money or quality of service.
However, this doesn’t mean that some consumer routers cannot be used as business routers, especially in a home office environment. Below, we list the best wireless business routers out there, so if you're looking for a top business router, look no further...

Asus has a reputation for manufacturing great consumer products and the Taiwanese firm – known for its laptops and motherboards – has been trying its hand at wireless products. The BRT-AC828 is its only business router and the device ticks a lot of boxes, even for small businesses looking for more than 10 simultaneous connections.
Granted, it is excruciatingly expensive but packs the sort of features you’d never expect from a router like an M.2 slot to plug in an SSD to convert it into a mini-NAS. There’s a lot more here including support for RADIUS, the ability to aggregate four 1Gb Ethernet ports into a virtual 4Gb one (it has a mighty eight Gigabit Ethernet ports in all) and even support for LTE as a backup connection to improve resilience – the router already has two 1Gbps WAN ports that can be aggregated or used independently.
As you’d expect from a top of the range router, it offers 4x4 MU-MIMO and theoretical speeds of up to 2.6Gbps with open plan coverage up to 100m (albeit on the 2.4GHz band). Asus has also partnered with Trend Micro to offer a built-in security package called AIProtection.

If you want a good performing, no-nonsense router, then the Billion BiPAC 8900AX-2400 is well worth considering. Billion might not be as much of a well-known brand as some of the others on this list, but it has been around for more than a decade.
We would especially recommend the BiPAC 8900AX-2400 to people with an ADSL2+ internet connection, as it can replace your existing modem as well. Of course, this involves a bit of tweaking – and it’s here that we offer a note of caution: this is a router suitable for people who are confident in setting up networks. If you want a plug-and-play stylish looking user-friendly router, this will not be for you.
Don’t let its ugly looks (and the similarly clunky user interface) put you off, though: this is a great all-round router for your small business. Feature-wise, it can reach 2.4Gbps on both bands with an auto-failover feature should you connect a 3G/4G modem to its USB port. It is a bit lightweight compared to the competition in the connectivity stakes, though, with only four Ethernet ports and one USB 2.0 connector; but that’s reflected in its lower price.

If you work in an office, and you’re ready to bring your networking into the modern age with one of the best routers for businesses, you seriously need to check out the Netgear Orbi Pro. It's a modular Wi-Fi mesh system, but it makes some design and performance changes that specifically cater to the business user. It’s not cheap, but if you run a business where you can’t afford anyone slowing down due to slow Wi-Fi, it’s worth every penny.
Read the full review: Netgear Orbi Pro

Linksys is one of the most recognisable names in small business networking. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the company was one of the first to deliver a tri-band router which uses MU-MIMO technology – and a whopping eight antennas – to deliver two 2.17Gbps streams with an additional 1Gbps stream for legacy 2.4GHz devices.
Managing three separate bands requires some serious firepower which is why there’s a dual-core 1.4GHz processor at the heart of the EA9500. Linksys recommends pairing the device with its own Max-Stream AC1900+ MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender to offer seamless roaming and improve coverage.
Other than two USB ports, the router comes with a hefty eight LAN ports and a WAN port. There are no specific business features other than WPA2 enterprise wireless encryption – you won’t be able to bond Gigabit ports and there are no redundancy/failover options, or security extras. Nonetheless, the fact that this device can be controlled from an app makes it ideal for busy small businesses.

Technically speaking, the Nighthawk X10 is a consumer router but like the Asus model above, it offers features that you will usually find on business routers. As technically advanced as most routers on this list, it is rated at 2600Mbps using 4x4 MU-MIMO and has plenty of LAN ports – seven Gigabit ones, in fact. You can aggregate a pair of them to reach 2Gbps and there’s even a 10G LAN SPF+ connector for NAS access (assuming you’ve got a device that supports this technology).
Add in a pair of USB 3.0 ports and some powerful hardware (quad-core ARM processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 1GB RAM and 512MB storage) and you can see why this Netgear router will appeal to businesses as well as enthusiast-level consumers.
Its most intriguing feature, though, has to be support for 802.11ad which is a short range, high-speed connectivity that requires line of sight to work properly. Also known as WiGig, it operates in the 60GHz spectrum and aims to replace wires altogether.
One unexpected goodie included with the router is a 6-month subscription to Amazon Cloud Drive (double check which one, though, as Amazon killed the ‘unlimited’ tier mentioned in the marketing literature) and that’s a great bonus for backup purposes.

The Synology RT2600ac is what you get when you fuse a traditional wireless router with a network-attached storage device or NAS (well, it gives you a bit more besides, too). The company is mostly known for its NAS boxes and while the modem doesn’t boast the beefiest specs or even a conventionally attractive shell like most of the competition, the RT2600ac packs a ton of features (like built-in VPN and the ability to aggregate two WAN ports) that make it worth your while.
While it only has 4GB of storage built-in, you can connect an external hard drive and configure your own cloud service similar to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. You can even download a selection of NAS-grade apps like a VPN client and server. Unfortunately, the app selection is sparse at the moment, and the ecosystem needs better community support – which hopefully it’ll get going forward.
Though it’s not exactly fool-proof in terms of its setup process and the more complex functions it offers, the Synology RT2600ac is much more accessible than most NAS devices. Bear in mind that this is only Synology’s second attempt at devising a router of its own, so despite some shortcomings here, there’s plenty of room to improve.
Read the full review: Synology RT2600ac

• We’ve also picked out the 10 best wireless routers for home users

Best business smartphone of 2018: top mobiles for work

If you're looking for the very best smartphones for business use, then you've come to the right place. For many of us, having the best business smartphone for our needs is essential, as we're becoming ever more reliant on these mobile phones to work on.
With both Samsung and OnePlus offering new smartphones recently that are ideal for business use, we've updated this guide to give you the very latest buying advice to help you choose the best smartphones for business use.
Not so long ago there was only one smartphone firm on the lips of any business IT team when it came to company smartphones: BlackBerry, the Canadian company formerly known as Research in Motion (RIM).
A lot has changed since then and BlackBerry's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, leaving the door open for rivals to court the enterprise business, and forcing the phone maker to embrace (or some might say begrudgingly adopt) Android at the core of its new flagship handsets.
The rest of the pack is hot on its heels, if not already overtaking, with Apple, Samsung, OnePlus and others all vying for a piece of the lucrative business smartphone pie.
Read on to see our list, in no particular order, of the best business smartphones in 2018.

You'll be in good hands if you opt to give your employees the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, currently TechRadar's top choice for the best smartphone in the world. It improves on almost every aspect of the phones that have come before it, with supremely powerful components, a dazzling 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED display and a top notch camera - but it's not all fun.
The Galaxy S9 Plus also comes with Samsung's Knox security, which the firm says is just as secure - if not more - as BlackBerry's DTEK50 and Priv devices. You'll need deep pockets, but you won't regret it.
Read the full review:  Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

The OnePlus 6 is our newest phone on this list, and like its predecessor, it is an affordable flagship handset, and offers one of the best Android phone experiences on the market, especially when using it for work. You have the choice of either 6GB or 8GB of RAM depending on your needs - for most people 6GB will be more than enough. The battery life could be better, so make sure you have easy access to a charger if your work depends on you always being connected, and there's still no microSD support on the OnePlus 6, much like previous OnePlus phones, but you do have the choice of either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage.
The true highlight of the OnePlus 6 is the price, though, and this may will be one of the best devices for you on this list if you're looking to spend as little as possible on a top-of-the-range phone for your business needs.
Read the full review: OnePlus 6

Samsung has produced another excellent productivity-focused device with the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, making it one of the best smartphones for business. Thanks to the large Infinity Display you get loads of screen space to work on, without the body being too bulky to carry around, and the S Pen stylus is something not a lot of other phones can offer and the all-round speed is almost breathtaking at times. The new dual camera is really what separates it from the Galaxy S8 duo (if you're not bothered by the stylus features) and while it's expensive, it's certainly worth looking at if you want a brilliant business smartphone.
Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Apple's iPhones are always popular options with great build quality, a simple user interface and a wealth of quality business apps at your fingertips.
The iPhone 8 is one of the latest offerings from Apple, and it's faster, smarter and boasts a water resistant body for the first time. While Apple has also released the more premium iPhone X, its high price tag makes that a difficult smartphone to recommend for businesses. That's not to say the iPhone 8 is cheap - it's not - but if you're kitting out your team with these phones, you're going to get more for your money.
If your firm is currently rocking iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets there's no need to upgrade, but for those using older devices - especially the 5 variants and below the iPhone 8 offers a far superior experience.
Read the full review: iPhone 8

When the Priv launched, it took a lot of analysts by surprised because of radical step involving the OS. BlackBerry had finally decided to embrace Android and re-introduce the keyboard (albeit a slide out one) on a flagship handset.
It is, as TechRadar's John McCann candidly puts it, the mullet of the smartphone world. "It's still business in the front, but now there's a party in the back too. It will divide opinion, but this is the best BlackBerry in years," he added.
The device will appeal to those who wants the security halo associated with BlackBerry with the ubiquity of Google's Android. Overall, it remains a stunning piece of kit, and probably one bound to become a classic.
Read the full review: BlackBerry Priv

There are still BlackBerry fans out there and the Canadian company unveiled the Classic to please them all. An old-school QWERTY keyboard, a familiar operating system and user interface, a design that doesn't age and the enterprise-grade security are all on the feature list of this smartphone.
Sure, Android might well have the upper hand when it comes to market share and the sheer number of applications but BlackBerry provides with yet another attractive alternative when it comes to business smartphones.
It runs BlackBerry OS 10 with a square 720x720 pixel touchscreen display, a touchpad and up to 22-hour battery power.
Read the full review: BlackBerry Classic

This smartphone – and its 950 XL sibling – represent the best-of-breed devices when it comes to Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft's latest mobile operating system, one which promises, for the first time ever, a seamless user experience, across applications and across displays.
You get 3GB of RAM, 32GB on-board storage, a 2K display, a 20-megapixel rear camera and a free one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal. Connect this handset to the Microsoft HD-500, an £80 Display Dock, and it transforms into a powerful desktop PC as well, great in an enterprise configuration.
Read the full review: Microsoft Lumia 950

The BlackBerry DTEK50 is a surprisingly promising smartphone with a more than reasonable price tag and a spec sheet to be proud of.
It's not going to wow you with design, flagship features or super slick performance, but what you do get is a phone which fully encrypts all your data, makes it easy for you to monitor your privacy and ensures everything is secure.
It's an ideal fleet handset to dish out in numbers without breaking the bank.
Read the full review: BlackBerry DTEK50

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How to encourage consumers to part with their data now GDPR is here

The long wait is over. GDPR is here. And while many organisations may consider the new regulation to be a shotgun wedding — where one is forced into a serious long-term commitment or face a seriously expensive consequence for misbehaving — consumers are heralding the new dawn of fewer cold calls and a cleaner inbox without unwanted marketing emails.

Which is a huge problem for brands. Yes, GDPR is an opportunity to build a positive trusting relationship with customers, but it’s a headache. Getting consumers’ permission to keep in touch is one thing, what with the barrage of emails we saw in two weeks prior to the 25th May, but building trust with consumers is an entirely different kettle of fish. Especially when companies like Cambridge Analytica taint the whole notion of data collection thanks to (alleged) scheming to manipulate elections.

Now GDPR has kicked in, brands are in the most uncertain point in their digital history. Data is the lifeblood of marketing, yet consumers are threatening to take it away. Only a third of people trust the brands they buy from — and when you compare that with the proportion of the public that trust their doctor (78%), the police (59%), and even solicitors (44%), clearly brands have a lot of work to do to build up trust with consumers once again.

So, what can brands do to turn the tide back in their favour again? Here are five key pieces of advice:

Give consumers something tangible in return for their data

Everyone loves a freebie and research shows that people value offers and discounts enough to part with their personal data. Around two thirds (65%) of consumers are willing to give more data to brands in return for a freebie or a discount. If you market to younger generations, you’re in an even better position because a huge 91% of 16–24-year-olds would give you more data if you incentivise them to do so. The promise of a “personalised online experience” isn’t enough — consumers want something tangible. 

Prove you’re not “a git”

Demonstrating the fact that you’re responsible with sensitive data should be one of the easiest things to do. Are you being underhand in the way that you collect data? Are you controversial with what you’re doing with that data? If the answer is (hopefully) no to both of those, then all you need to do is simply demonstrate that publicly. Consider a page on your website dedicated to easing fears around data collection, outlining the benefits to consumers in a simple way and telling them what processes and procedures you have in place to ensure the safety of their data. One data protection officer, when talking about data collection and improper use at an ICO conference a few weeks ago, put it in simple terms — “just don’t be a git”. 

Communicate what data collection means for consumers

Organisations are really missing a trick here — 30% of consumers believe that they will become a target for unwanted marketing rubbish if they share their personal information online. Therefore, consumers either divulge as little information as possible, or just make it up. Either way, you’re not getting the data you really need to get an insight into your customers, so you end up making decisions based on inaccurate information. Clearly, brands need to communicate why they collect data and for what purposes. Openness and honesty with consumers is key to establishing an honest, communications-led relationship for the future. 

Be patient

Trust doesn’t happen overnight, so if you ask a new customer to divulge all their information at once they’re likely to view you with suspicion. Build up your data collection slowly over time, little by little, so customers don’t feel they’re giving everything away at once. Start with their name and then further down the line, encourage them to sign up to an online account with you, where you can capture information such as their date of birth and email address. Then offer up an incentive to encourage customers to fill out an online profile in full, including their gender and preferences for products and services.  

Give customers an easy way out

And not just because you have to. While GDPR forces you to delete whatever information you have on a particular customer should that customer ask you to, the act of deleting that information often isn’t as easy as clicking the “delete” button. Usually, different bits of customer data are stored in different systems, making it difficult to see what information you have on one particular person. But by unifying your customer data in one place, and handling permissions via a simple tool, you can put consumers in the position of power — and they can revoke their own permissions easily with a couple of clicks when they visit your website. 

Trust in the new GDPR era

Collecting consumer data has been going on for as long as companies have been trying to sell to consumers. In 1841, Dun & Bradstreet collected credit information on prospective credit seekers. In the 1970s, list brokers offered magnetic tapes with data on a strange variety of groups, including holders of fishing licences, magazine subscribers and people likely to inherit wealth.

But in the digital age, only 50% of the data that brands have on people is accurate, according to notable Forrester analyst Susan Bidel. It’s an indication that consumers really do not trust brands with their information. Scandals like Cambridge Analytica don’t help matters, but if GDPR forces organisations to open up and demonstrate a responsible approach to personal data, that can’t be a bad thing — and trust will slowly rebuild. 

Tim Haynes is co-founder, Databoxer 

• Want to know more about GDPR? Check out our GDPR guide here

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HAL to the chief: Chris Nolan’s 2001: A Space Odyssey restoration is a stunning achievement

Boiling it down to its basic principle: remastering a movie is making the old new again. But is that what cineastes really want when they watch their beloved classics? 

Some do. With the constant proliferation of pixels in our televisions, features that make blacks really black and, by contrast, bright colors ping on the screen, a grainy washed-out version of a classic just doesn’t cut it in a world awash with 60-inch screens. But it can go too far. 

It’s all well and good when a piece of film is preserved. Film by its nature is fragile, something that needs to be nurtured. It’s easy to understand why some filmmakers want to protect, and project, it for future generations. There’s a romance about capturing light on film and coaxing it to life with chemicals in a darkroom that no amount of pixels will ever match. It’s a process as precise as brush on paper. 

Therein lies the tricky balance of movie, not film, preservation. To preserve a movie for generations to come, it’s clear that those reels of film need to be digitised, scanned and then frame by frame a restorer will get to work. 

This will mean that the pops and hairline tears are zapped, colors are brightened, everything is enhanced. The audio will go through some sort of new arrangement to fit into surround sound. After painstaking work by dedicated professionals, your favorite old movie is new again. 

But what if you don’t want that sort of restoration? What if you just want it back to how it was, if you were lucky and old enough, to watch it on the big screen all those years ago?

Remaster and commander

This is what Christopher Nolan has tackled and achieved with his Unrestored version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, heading to cinemas for the movie's 50-year anniversary. 

Unrestored is such a telling name for it. Nolan didn’t want 2001 to new look new, but how it would have been seen in cinemas back in 1968. 

Working on a ‘interpositive’, protected version of the 70mm film - this meant the original print wouldn’t be touched in any way - he and Ned Price, the vice president of restoration at Warner Bros, went through the 20 reels of film and got to work ‘unrestoring’, cleaning the print with as much care as they could offer. 

Nolan made sure that what he did didn’t veer into interpretation. “There’s a trend and a danger of sitting there going, ‘What would the filmmaker have done if he had 5.1 sound? Or Dolby Atmos? Or laser projection?’ That’s not a road I felt in any way comfortable going down,” he told Variety.  

70mm film is something Nolan does feel comfortable with, however, having shot the towering Dunkirk on the format. And what a format it is. Nolan's movie had the widest release for a 70mm movie for some 25 years. It came at a time when Quentin Tarantino was also using the format to shoot The Hateful Eight and, a few years before, director Paul Thomas Anderson used it for The Master. In some ways, Nolan married the old with the modern - using IMAX cameras - but the result is old-school filmmaking at its finest. 

2001: A Space Odyssey back on the big screen is testament to the lasting legacy of film. Yes, the print has the odd scratch but at 50 years old, these are lines on a weathered face, slight imperfections that should be cherished. The audio is almost overbearing at times, without a sniff of a Dolby Atmos revision. It's taken from a near-original 35mm six-channel soundtrack and is all the better for it. Kubrick wanted the sound to be extreme and in this original mix you can hear, well, the fear.

Watching it in the PictureHouse Central in London, complete with introductory music cue to a curtained-shut screen and 15-minute intermission, was a fascinating experience. The picture, for me, didn't unearth any new secrets - it's still a movie that's as beguiling as it will always be, but it did make me respect the medium. 

2001: A Space Odyssey is a jaw-dropping piece of cinema that has lost none of its awe 50 years down the line. What Nolan has managed to do is showcase this uncompromizing film in its most uncompromized form.

This isn't about nostalgia but the preservation of what may soon be the lost art of film watching - seeing a big print on the big screen. Long may it continue. 

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If you've got a Netgear Arlo camera, change your passwords now

If you've got some kind of Netgear Arlo camera installed at home, it's probably a good idea to take a few minutes to change the password on it. Netgear says it's spotted some "suspicious activity" around accounts, and wants to err on the side of caution.

Netgear's own databases and systems haven't been breached, the company says, but "attackers may be using credentials obtained from an unknown third-party in an attempt to gain unauthorized access" to Arlo accounts and the devices linked to them. Netgear is continuing to investigate exactly what might be happening.

If you want to make sure no one else can log into your various camera feeds, you can change your password through the profile settings page inside the Android or iOS apps, or on the web. As always, don't use the same password for multiple services.

"Precautionary measure"

Netgear says this is a "precautionary measure" and doesn't believe any cameras or systems have been compromised up until this point. We haven't seen any updates from the company since the first forum post over the weekend.

Regularly changing your device passwords and keeping your smart home kit up to date with the latest software patches are two of the best ways to make sure your Internet of Things network doesn't attract any unwelcome visitors. It's also important to look out for security bulletins a lot like this one.

With so many password leaks happening at regular intervals, it's not surprising that tech firms are rushing to get these simple login measures replaced by something more secure, like fingerprint scans. Until that happens everywhere, we'll have to stay vigilant.

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Via 9to5Mac

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Desperate to get the latest version of an operating system? Don’t be so hasty

The excitement of downloading and installing the latest version of an operating system isn’t the sexiest of thrills – it’s probably just above discovering a new flavor of jam – but it’s something that many of us fall for.

After all, the promise of new features, or a new-look interface, is certainly tempting, and it’s something that many of us have fallen for. However, the myriad problems that users are experiencing after downloading Microsoft’s latest update to Windows 10, proves how risky the pursuit of the freshest version of an operating system can be. 

Not to mention this whole string of issues reveals the folly of Microsoft's decision to force Windows 10 updates upon their users, with the only respite being the ability to delay installations for up to 35 days. And that's only if you're a Windows 10 Pro user, those with the Home edition have no choice but to basically never reset their computers.

Windows 10 isn't the only OS that encounters problems after major updates and new releases, as Apple’s macOS and iOS have had their share of problems as well, as does Google’s Android operating system. Of course, Linux never has these issues, as it has been blessed by the holy hand of Linus Torvalds himself (not really, distros have their fair share of buggy updates).

Y’all got any more of those OS updates?

Having the very cutting edge of software and hardware can be a real addiction for some people, and I’m certainly one of them. While I can blame my job in part for always having to have the latest updates installed so I can write about the new features, the truth is even if I didn’t have to install them, I probably would.

However, I’m going to be one of those annoying “do as I say, not what I do” people and suggest that you stay your button-pushing finger next time a major update pops up. Wait a week or two, or even better a month or more, before downloading the update. Let other people discover those bugs, while the software makers scramble to release fixes to cure those problems.

Then, when it all dies down, you can download safe in the knowledge that you’ll be getting the new features without your PC/Mac/Smartphone falling over.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to important security updates – make sure you download and install those as quickly as possible. 

But, for other updates, especially major ones that introduce new features, treat it like a hot pie. Leave it to cool off, while others burn their mouths on it. But don’t let it get too cold, or you’ll get a virus. OK, so the pie analogy doesn’t really work, but it’s lunch time and I’m hungry.

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BlackBerry Ghost with bezel-less display to launch in India soon

After several leaks and rumors, the BlackBerry Ghost, a bezel-less flagship smartphone from the Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry is all set to be launched in India in the next two months. The device had earlier surfaced in February and since the initial leaks, there has been no new information about the device.

Now, a new leak from Evan Blass has revealed that the BlackBerry Ghost will be launched in India this summer, which means that the device will be launched either in June or July. There has been no announcement regarding this from BlackBerry.

Optiemus Infracom, the licensee of BlackBerry in India is working on the phone and had earlier mentioned that they are planning to launch new phones under the BlackBerry branding in India in the next two quarters. Optiemus Infracom had earlier designed and manufactured the BlackBerry KEYone in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Not much is known about the BlackBerry Ghost yet. Evan Blass in his tweet has mentioned the Ghost will feature a dual camera setup at the back with Optical Zoom and low-light image enhancement.

The main highlight of the BlackBerry Ghost will be its completely bezel-less display, something which Vivo and Lenovo are also working on with their Apex and Z5 smartphones respectively. The Z5 is scheduled to launch on 5 June and the Vivo Apex is expected to launch on 12 June. BlackBerry is also scheduled to launch the KEY2 at an event in New York on 7 June.

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London buskers are the first to accept contactless card payments

Thanks to an initiative from the Mayor of London, with some help from tech firm iZettle, you can now go contactless when rewarding buskers on the streets of the English capital: just tap a card, a wearable, or a similar NFC-enabled device to leave a tip.

All the street performers have to do is plug a special card reader device into their smartphone, set the default donation amount (which should be displayed on a sign somewhere close by), and wait for people willing to tap to pay. Presumably you'll still be able to toss a few coins into an open guitar case as well, if you prefer.

"Busking helps emerging artists to hone their talent and gives them the chance to perform in front of huge numbers of people," the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan explained to Sky News. "Now, more Londoners will be able to show their support to the capital's brilliant, talented street performers."

Modern life is easier

The new modern form of tipping has already been trialled for several weeks and will shortly be rolling out to all the London boroughs in the coming weeks. According to full-time busker Charlotte Campbell, who has been part of the trial run, it helps bring in more donations.

"It's already had a significant impact on the contributions I've received," she told Sky News, based on two weeks of using the system. "More people than ever tap-to-donate whilst I sing, and often, when one person does, another follows."

Swedish firm iZettle specializes in making it easier for small businesses and independent traders to accept card payments, and the outfit was recently picked up by PayPal for $2.2 billion (about £1.65 billion or AU$2.9 billion) – a move which might see PayPal establish more of a presence in the high street.

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Truly bezel-free Lenovo Z5 confirmed to be launched on June 5

Lenovo’s much talked about Z5 smartphone now has a release date. The company’s VP Chan Cheng was on a streak of teasing the phone, but this time, he shared the smartphone’s launch invite on Weibo. As per the poster, the event will take place on June 5.

Cheng in a different post revealed that the Z5 will be succeeding the ZUK-series of phones launched earlier.

As of now, there are just two pictures that give us a hint at the design language of the phone. The images reveals the left profile of the phone’s display. From what the images reveal, it’s likely that the phone will have almost bezel-less display without a notch. So we might witness something that follows Mi Mix’s design language.

Here’s what the big deal is about… 

As already mentioned, the device is touted to feature more than 95% of screen-to-body ratio, but the mystery still revolves around the placement of the front camera and other equipments like sensors or earpiece.

Another interesting revelation from the VP mentions a whopping 4TB of resident storage. It would be the first commercially selling smartphone to boast of such high capacity storage. Since it’s a flagship product, we expect the Snapdragon 845 to power the internals.

Going by the watermark on recently shared camera samples by Cheng, it’s quite evident that the phone will have a dual camera and will feature portrait mode. Moreover, a huge battery is expected on the phone as Cheng has claims a 45-days standby time on single charge. 

Of all the commercially sold bezel-less phones, the original Mi Mix is the benchmark when it comes to killing the bezels. But with the Z5, Lenovo aims to get the best possible implementation of new design language. 

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Why Alibaba could be the next big cloud success story

What sets Alibaba Cloud apart from the competition? Why should a business look to work with Alibaba Cloud?

Initially developed as an infrastructure platform to support the large-scale operations for the various business units within Alibaba Group’s ecosystem, Alibaba Cloud has grown to be so much more.
Today, Alibaba Cloud is among the world’s top three IaaS providers and China’s largest provider of public cloud, with more than a million paying customers stretching across 43 availability zones and 18 economic centres.
Such growth can be attributed to the comprehensive suite of products and services we offer, ranging from networking, cloud computing and big data to AI, middleware and cloud security. Being part of the wider Alibaba Group gives us extensive sector insights and expertise, helping us to support the diverse businesses from across the world that work with Alibaba; including merchants doing business on our marketplaces, start-ups, corporations and government organisations.
This all-inclusive approach to technology, and the significant sector knowledge and insights we have as part of the world’s largest e-commerce company, is a key differentiator for Alibaba Cloud.

• The best web hosting services 2018

Do you have any key case studies or examples of the work Alibaba Cloud does?

While Alibaba Cloud works with many of the world’s biggest brands. Perhaps the most famous is our partnership with the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
Alibaba entered a long-term partnership with the IOC to become the official cloud and e-commerce platform services partner for the Olympic Games through to 2028. During the Peyongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, the group launched Alibaba Cloud ET Sports Brain, a suite of cloud-based and AI-powered solutions that will drive the digital transformation of future Olympic Games to benefit fans, spectators, athletes, venues and organisers.
Alibaba Cloud also played a crucial role supporting Alibaba’s record-breaking 2017 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
Our super computational engine, Apsara, ensured that all networks and systems were scaled to handle the unprecedented transaction volumes, matching buyers and sellers and facilitating a record record-breaking 325,000 orders per second during peak periods.

How is Alibaba Cloud technology helping spur on digital transformation for businesses?

At Alibaba Cloud we see ourselves as pioneers of digital transformation, having the best practice gained from our own experience in New Retail, smart manufacturing and smart city development. Right now, the organisation is at the forefront of the second wave of digital transformation.
As more and more businesses get ready for digital transformations driven by AI and big data technology, our focus is to help them become more agile, innovative and customer focused by smoothly adopting our cloud infrastructure and advanced AI solutions. For example, German car manufacturer BMW is working with our Internet-of-Things (IoT) business unit to introduce digitalized experiences and its in-car infotainment system to Chinese consumers.
Indeed, during this year’s Mobile World Congress we launched 8 new products ranging from AI and big data, infrastructure, security and private cloud solutions. This included Dataphin, an intelligent big data engine that helps users save time and cost in data analytics.

How do you secure your platforms against the wide range of security threats facing businesses today?

Alibaba Cloud is the second largest hosting company in the world and as the security provider for almost half of China’s websites it is constantly working to ensure customer data is kept safe.
From our free cloud-based security service, Anti-DDoS Basic, which protects data against Trojan attacks, to Web Application Firewall, a big data powered protection service, Alibaba Cloud has multiple security products and services to help our customers, including some of the world’s biggest brands, safely manage their data.
Alibaba Cloud has also committed to several of the highest levels of data security compliance. This includes Germany's C5 standard and the EU’s GDPR legislation for data protection and privacy. Additionally, in 2016 the organisation achieved two new overseas certifications – the MTCS and PCI-DSS – to underline an obligation detailed in the Data Protection Pact it released in 2015.

Do you have any plans to move into the UK market?

There is enormous potential in the UK for the adoption of cloud computing technologies. It is at the forefront of innovations in many areas, from retail to logistics, as well being home to some of the world’s most renowned research institutions and multinational corporations.
As such, Alibaba Cloud is committed to investing into the UK, using its technology and expertise to assist local organisations by enabling them to scale-up internationally and transform their business digitally.
Yeming Wang is General Manager of Alibaba Cloud, Europe.

• Check out our list of the best free web hosting solutions of 2018

Trump reveals terms for ZTE US return

ZTE could be set for a return to the US under terms revealed by the Trump administration.

The President's team have submitted a proposal to Congress that would see the troubled Chinese mobile and telecoms giant be able to re-enter the US market, just weeks after the company was banned from the country.

However the terms appear anything but friendly, with the President tweeting that ZTE would need to pay a $1.3 billion fine and provide, "high level security guarantees".

The New York Times reported that ZTE would also need to replace some of its senior management team, and hire US compliance officers.

ZTE returning

The deal could be publicly revealed today, but may cause uproar in the US among politicians that have urged the Trump administration to make an example of ZTE.

The company was initially issued with a banning order from the US due to flouting rules concerning deals with Iran and North Korea.

In the UK, the NCSC warned telecoms companies not to use ZTE equipment over security fears, following similar indications from the US that the company could pose a threat to national security.

• Here's our list of the best SIM-only deals in May 2018

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Here’s why the HTC U12 never happened

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 confirmed to launch along with Mi 8 and MIUI 10

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has confirmed that it will be launching a new fitness band, dubbed the Mi Band 3 at the company’s eighth anniversary event where it is also scheduled to announce the launch of MIUI 10 and the company’s flagship Mi 8 smartphone.

Apart from these three things, Xiaomi is also expected to launch the mid-range Mi Note 5 device, skipping the Mi Note 4 as 4 is considered unlucky in China. OnePlus, another Chinese smartphone maker had launched the OnePlus 5 after the OnePlus 3, skipping the OnePlus 4 for the same reason.

The Mi Band 3 will succeed the Mi Band 2 that was launched in 2016. In India, the company had launched the Mi Band HRX Edition in partnership with HRX after discontinuing the Mi Band 2. However, the company recently brought back the Mi Band 2 in India with a price cut.

Xiaomi has posted a teaser on Chinese social networking site Weibo, confirming the launch of the Mi Band 3 at the company’s annual event. Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun and Senior Vice President Wang Xiang have also confirmed the launch of the Mi Band 3. Wang Xiang in a post on Twitter shared the teaser from Weibo and confirmed that the company will launch the Mi Band 3 along with the Mi 8 and MIUI 10 on May 31.

The Mi Band 3 is expected to feature a 2.5D curved display and Xiaomi will ditch the physical button present on the Mi Band 2. Apart from the above mentioned devices, Xiaomi is also expected to launch other accessories at the event and we may get more leaks for in the next 3 days.

• Xiaomi Mi Band 3 release date, price, news and leaks

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A new Xiaomi phone with notch spotted on TENAA

A new Xiaomi M1805D1SE model has made its way through TENAA certification. The phone is said to be the Redmi 6 Pro, similar in design to the Redmi Note 5 Pro with  vertically stacked dual rear cameras and a newly introduced notch as on the top of the display.

Recently, two other smartphone models got certified by TENAA in China last week. The models go by the name — M1804C3CC and M1804C3DE, and these are said to be the Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A. 

The leak was first spotted by Slashleaks, which also reveals some key details of the alleged Redmi 6 Pro. The leak also includes pictures of the phone, which reveal almost every information about the design. It looks like the phone has a metal back that resembles the Redmi 5. Despite a notch, the screen to body ratio isn’t majorly affected. There are still visibly thick bezels around the display, especially at the bottom. 

Still, if it’s priced similar to the Redmi 5, it will be the first Xiaomi phone to sport a notch in its price segment. 

The TENAA listing shows a 5.84-inch full HD+ display and 19:9 aspect ratio. It runs on an octa-core chipset clocked at 2Ghz, but the chipmaker’s name is not revealed. 

The listing shows there will be a 2GB/3GB/4GB RAM variants with 16GB/32GB/64GB storage. For optics, the setup includes a 12MP primary sensor and a 5Mp front camera. 

From what we can see, the phone will run on Android 8.1 layered with MIUI off course. It will have a 4000mAh battery.  

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

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Leaked Moto Z3 Play images show off gesture controls and a 5G mod

We're expecting the Moto Z3 Play to break cover in the next few weeks, and some newly leaked images have arrived to give us a bit of a better idea of what to expect – they show a customized gesture control system on the 6-inch display, plus a new Moto Mod enabling access to 5G networks.

Obtained by XDA Developers, the snaps look like they've been pulled from a promotional video, suggesting Motorola and parent company Lenovo are indeed getting ready to show off a new handset straight off the back of the Moto G6 launch.

The images show the 6-inch, 18:9 aspect ratio display of the upcoming phone, with not much at all in the way of bezels. Also in evidence is a variation on the Android gesture control system now being pushed in Android P – though apparently in this case it's something Motorola has worked up to run on top of Android 8.x Oreo.

As for that potential 5G-enabling Moto Mod, it looks to be a clip-on case that gives the Z3 Play – and possibly older models in the same range – access to the high-speed cellular networks currently in development.

Previous Moto Z3 Play rumors have pointed to a phone that's not much different in design to its predecessor, though the internal components should get a noticeable bump. A Snapdragon 636, 4GB of RAM, and storage options of 32GB and 64GB are apparently on the cards, though this is all yet to be confirmed.

And when might we see it for real? These leaked images suggest the launch date is fast approaching, and Motorola has indeed arranged a product event for June 6. We'll have to wait and see if the Moto Z3 Play is the phone we get a look at.

• Motorola could be scaling back its Moto Mod operations

Via 9to5Google

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This could be the top-end spec for the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

We're still not exactly sure when the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is going to appear, but it shouldn't be long now. The latest leak to hit the web details the top-end spec for the device currently under consideration at Samsung – and it's quite something.
An "industry insider" with a decent track record of tips told Android Headlines that one variation of the Galaxy Note 9 is going to pack in a hefty 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. That would be a new high watermark in terms of specs for the series – the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus tops out at 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Even the inside source admits that isn't yet set in stone though, adding that certain markets may see that configuration if they're "lucky". Samsung has a long history of offering different choices of specs to customers in different parts of the world.

Notable Note 9 tips

As per the same source, there's also a "Teddy Brown" color heading to the Galaxy Note 9, so if you like your phone colors a little more earthy and muted, this could be the flagship phone for you. An in-screen fingerprint sensor is a possibility, but not a very likely one.
We're expecting the Galaxy Note 9 to appear with the same chip as the Galaxy S9 phones – namely the Snapdragon 845 or the Samsung Exynos 9810 depending on where you live. That should be combined with Bixby 2.0, a major upgrade for Samsung's digital assistant app, and possibly a large 4,000mAh battery too.
The screen size is still something of a mystery, though there's talk that the display might be 6.4 inches in size, up from the 6.3-inch screen in the Galaxy Note 8. If Samsung can work some magic on the bezels, the physical size of the phone might not have to grow.

• Here's everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Note 9

OnePlus 6 now available in the UAE

Announced globally last week, the OnePlus 6 went on sale across different parts of the world for enthusiasts looking to get a phone that has the latest specs but at a much more affordable price.

There isn't any official representation of OnePlus in the Middle East, however souq.com has been bringing its product to the region consistently over the last few years and the OnePlus 6 is no exception.

OnePlus 6 Pricing and Configurations

Starting today, souq.com is delivering the OnePlus 6 to consumers that pre-ordered the phone. There are plenty of configuration options available with the lowest end model costing AED 2,199 which gets you 6GB RAM, 64 storage and the Mirror Black finish.

The higher end 8GB/128GB model is available for an additional 200 Dirhams at AED 2,399 and is available in Mirror Black as well as Midnight Black. Finally, the 256GB version is available at AED 2,699.

There is no option to buy Silk White yet which is expected, as OnePlus hasn't released that anywhere in the world just yet. There's also no mention of the OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers Special Edition which is only officially on sale in India and China.

• OnePlus 6 Review
• OnePlus 6 Marvel Avengers limited edition

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The best smartphone of 2018: 15 top mobile phones tested and ranked

You're here because you want to know which, out of all the dizzying choices on the market, is the best smartphone.

Well, we've done the hard work for you, testing every phone out there and coming up with this definitive list of the very best smartphones around - pages where you can browse easily and see which device takes your fancy.

TechRadar's test are long and rigorous, looking closely at the key things that matter: the screen quality, camera capability, battery life and overall design and feel in the hand... and most importantly putting these in real-life context, rather than just chucking a set of lab-generated numbers at you.

We're already approaching June, and we've now had all the flagship phones from the first half of 2018 unveiled - you can read our in-depth reviews of the Honor 10 and OnePlus 6, as well as our detailed preview of the HTC U12 Plus, before they arrive very soon in this list of phones.

If this list is too broad for you, we've got good news: there's also our ranking of best iPhone or best Android phone, and if you're wedded to the most popular smartphone brand, then we've even got a list of the best Samsung phones.

As you can see below, the best smartphone right now is the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, thanks to a tremendous technological and design combination - but see for yourself which feels right for you.

Remember, these phones are the very best the market has to offer, and while we do take price into account if you're looking for something more on a budget, then head to our best cheap phones page to get some other recommendations.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing, despite the strong competition on the following pages.

Screen: The Super AMOLED 6.2-inch display has been measured as one of the very best around right now, with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone.

Battery life: The battery life on the S9 Plus is better than that seen on the smaller S9, thanks to the 3,500mAh battery in the Plus model - although it's probably the weakest part of the phone, not offering as much life as we'd have liked.

Camera: The camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus is among the best on the market, and the dual-aperture capability offers some startlingly good snaps when things get a little darker. 

Colours can look a tad washed out when the exposure is higher, but the power of the sensor, with memory built into it to make it smarter than most rivals, offers very low-noise shots.

Mini verdict: If you're after a bigger phone with all the features that matter on board, the Galaxy S9 Plus is that and more.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review

If you're looking for the best smartphone around right now, it's the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (as you might have seen on the previous page) - but Apple's latest effort comes mighty close.

The iPhone X (although it's pronounced 'ten') is the redesigned Apple phone that iFans have been crying out for. It's got an all new shape, the notch at the top and higher price... but it's the best iPhone that's ever been made too (as long as you don't miss the headphone jack).

Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED screen is the best display Apple has ever crammed into an iPhone. It’s far ahead of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus for so many reasons: the sharpness, the quality, the fact that it fills the whole front of the phone, and the color reproduction.

Battery life: The iPhone X's battery life is pretty good but it's by no means best in class. If you're a very heavy user you might struggle to last more than 12 hours but for most users it'll comfortably last a whole day.

Camera: Cameras on iPhones have always been superb, and the iPhone X is no different. The camera on the X is often stunning, delivering still shots that are rich with detail. Perhaps not quite as brilliant as the Pixel 2, but still right up there with the best.

Mini verdict: This is the phone to buy if you want to treat yourself to a high-end handset – a little extra per month for something you really enjoy taking out of your bag or pocket is worth it (if you can afford it). 

Read more: iPhone X review

The Huawei P20 is easily the best phone that the brand has ever produced, and it's troubling the top of our charts. Huawei has got so much right on this phone, and it now truly its place in the same breath as Samsung and Apple as a top smartphone choice.

Screen: The 6.1-inch display is only Full HD, but that does help with battery life. This is actually probably one of the weakest parts of the phone, as it lacks the colour reproduction of its rivals, but it does come with a screen protector pre-fitted, which is a nice touch.

Battery life: The Huawei P20 Pro will get you a day and half of light to moderate use - it goes down after a full month's effort, filling it with apps, but even still we're getting a good day's hard use, which is great.

Camera: The camera is the standout feature on the Huawei P20 Pro, offering three lenses... and they're actually useful. The resolution is pin sharp thanks to brilliant image stabilisation, the software photo optimisation is excellent and having that 40MP sensor has been boosted well by Leica for good low light performance.

Mini verdict: The main issue you have to overcome with the P20 Pro is the fact you might not be familiar with the brand, but not only is Huawei a worthy competitor to Apple and Samsung, but it's the most likely to get the bigger price drops first (which is worth checking out using our price finder below).

Read more: Huawei P20 Pro review

The Samsung Galaxy S9 isn't quite the phone that the S9 Plus is - it's only got a single camera sensor, for one - but it's a more palm-friendly model that still packs the power and top screen quality of its sibling.

Screen: A QHD 5.8-inch screen takes up most of the front of the phone - and it's still a stunning design. Brighter, more colourful and capable of showing the best of movies, the Super AMOLED tech is once again showing itself to be best thing to look at on a smartphone.

Battery life: Battery life is a little disappointing for a top-end smartphone, meaning you'll need to think about a top-up during the day if you're a harder user. Wireless and fast charging capabilities help with this though.

Camera: It's only a single sensor on the rear of the Galaxy S9, unlike the Galaxy S9 Plus - meaning it's not as good at photography. But don't think the S9 takes poor photos, as they're still stunning, and in low light it's a sterling performer, with very little noise.

Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 is a smartphone with all the top-end features you'd want, and more on top. It's not quite at the level of the S9 Plus, and the iPhone X outranks it in some ways - but it seems that's been noted, as we're already starting to see more competitive pricing for this handset on contract as retailers look to galvanise interest, so have a look at our price comparison tool below.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 was the first time the brand's phablet range was seen as a real rival for the Galaxy S phones - the larger screen and more power starting to resonate with the average phone buyer. The S Pen is the real point of differentiation, and it's cool to always have a notepad with you.

Screen:  The Note 8 maximises Samsung’s dual curved edge and nearly bezel-less Infinity Display to the point where this phone feels like a mini tablet from the future. It's more squared off than the Galaxy S phones, but still lovely to look at. 

Camera: The camera on the Note 8 is superb and near the front of the pack for all round quality. On the rear its dual lenses allow for optical zoom as well as digital zoom, as well as live focus which enables you to do all kinds of effects including blurring the background - even after you've taken the shot.

Battery life: The battery in the Note 8 isn't quite best in class - you can thank the large screen and slender design for that. But it'll still last you all day unless you're streaming a lot of video or using it with the brightness pumped up.

Mini verdict: It's an expensive phone – only just behind the iPhone X in terms of out-and-out cost. It seems that with the Note 9 starting to be whispered about the cost is becoming less of an issue - John Lewis in the UK has an incredible SIM free deal for the phone, and other retailers are starting to discount it too, which sees it rise to fifth place in our rankings.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review 

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a phone that might not instantly be on your wish list, but the brand has made huge strides of late (just look at where the P20 Pro sits), and the battery life is something that outranks most on this list. If you're feeling that it's time for a change, this is worth checking out.

Screen: The Full HD screen is a match for the Pixel 2 but not its other Android competitors like the Galaxy S9 and Note 8 phones from Samsung. As such, the screen on the 10 Pro is very good...but not spectacular.

Battery: The biggest talking point of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is its battery. Huge at 4,000mAh, it translates to impressive performance, with the possibility of stretching usage to two days from a single charge if you knock it to flight mode overnight.

Camera: On the rear, the dual camera setup is a solid point-and-shoot option, but it really excels if you dive into manual mode; if you're a camera enthusiast who's willing to spend time fine-tuning, you can get some great shots from the Mate 10 Pro.

Mini verdict: It's not the best looking or bristling with the most features, but the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a brilliant phone if you're looking for a big screen and top quality battery life, and it's starting to get even more competitive on contract, far undercutting the phones ahead of it in this list.

Read more:  Huawei Mate 10 Pro review 

The Pixel 2 XL is all about the camera, with a wider frame and more expansive screen for watching all manner of content. You'll buy it for the pictures you can take, but the power and latest Android upgrades will impress too - Android P is getting pretty close and will bring some nice changes to this phone first.

Screen: The Pixel XL 2 has an expansive 6-inch display that's decent for gaming and video playback (although a few issues have surfaced around its viewing angles), and it boasts an improved design over the smaller Pixel 2, with slimmer bezels housing its dual front-facing speakers.

Battery life: The XL has good battery life - you won't have a problem with it. It will comfortably last you a full day under normal conditions and with normal use, and its ability to save power when it's not doing anything means it'll last a few days in standby.

Camera: Like the smaller Pixel 2, the camera on the XL is stunningly good. Photos look fantastic, and they'll please both casual and more serious snappers alike. Low light conditions in particular are where this phone shines - perhaps not as competent as the Galaxy S9 pair though - and you'll struggle to take a poor snap with this phone.

Mini verdict: This phone is for you if you want to go for a pure Android experience with the best camera on the market, and with a large, high-res screen. It's a pricey phone but worth it if the above appeals. 

Read more: Google Pixel 2 XL review

The Samsung Galaxy S8 looked space age when it was launched last year, and the Galaxy S9 apes it in many ways. It's not the top phone in Samsung's range any more, but it's jolly close and it seems that retailers are starting to discount it both SIM free and on contract, which is why it's jumped up our list.

Screen: The screen was the very, very best on the market and is still now a top performer, coming with the elongated, 18.5:9 ratio that stretches impressively up and down the phone - very similar to that on the current Galaxy S9. With powerful colour reproduction and contrast ratio that make everything look clear and crisp, it’s also got the QHD resolution that we expect from all the top phones.

Battery life: The battery life, despite being smaller than in previous devices from Samsung, is still pretty decent. It's not amazing, but it's not very far from the performance of the Galaxy S9 and will last around a day... although you might want a little top up, which can be achieved quickly through a wireless charger or the speedy adapter in the box.

Camera: The camera is still very strong, despite being usurped by the S9 - the auto mode offers clean, crisp and clear shots every time and combined with screen quality makes you want to show off your best snaps. There’s an easy-to-use pro mode as well to get the best out of your snapping.

Mini verdict: This is the phone to go for if you want a strong performer and don't mind it's a little older. As such, it's much cheaper than it was at launch and thus offers fantastic value for money. It will do the job for years to come, too - so if you buy this phone you'll manage a good couple of years out of it. 

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S8 review

The LG V30 is a quietly impressive phone, jam-packed with all manner of tech. It's offering some of the top specs around and does it with a strong battery life, as well as being an audio marvel... perfect if you love listening to tunes on the go. 

Screen: The V30 sports the fashionable 18:9 aspect ratio complete with an attractive 6-inch OLED display with 2880 x 1440 (QHD) resolution. While there are still bezels at the ends, the phone looks and feels superb.

Battery life: The battery life is one of the LG V30's best features, easily lasting a day and if you're a light user it could potentially go two days between charging.

Camera: The V30's camera is good - you'll be able to take shots in all conditions and be happy with them. But it's not quite as good as the camera on the Samsung S9 phones, the Pixel 2 or the iPhone X.

Mini verdict: The V30 is LG's best ever smartphone. It's got the most powerful processor around, a great camera and delivers one of the best sonic performances from a phone on the market right now, thanks to the dedicated Quad DAC inside. 

We've just seen the LG G7 ThinQ, which is quite the rival to this phone, so it might be worth holding on for a few more weeks to see how that phone gets on in our reviews.

Read more: LG V30 review

The Galaxy S8 Plus wasn't different enough to its smaller brother in 2017, and it remains more expensive, but it's still one of the top phones around right now. You can get incredible photos in many conditions, the screen is pin-sharp and it's just boosted a couple of places in this list thanks to a nifty price drop this week.

Screen: The 6.2-inch screen, actually called an Infinity Display by Samsung, spills to the edge of the phone, and is a well-made fusion of glass and metal. It feels great in the hand, thanks to a rolling design - and like the other Galaxies in this list, is water-resistant too, to an IP67 level.

Battery life: The battery life is superior on the Galaxy S8 Plus compared to the Galaxy S8 (obviously) and also the Galaxy S9 (more surprising), thanks to having a larger power pack in there without much more work to do - it’ll easily last most people a day or so.

Camera: The camera is a top fusion of auto mode and pro settings for those that like to dig a little deeper - the quality of the snaps is more often than not pin-sharp, and the screen quality really highlights your photos. It lacks the dual sensor and low-light capabilities of the S9 Plus, but it's a terribly good performer for those that don't need the highest-of-high-end smarts.

Mini verdict: Don't let the age put you off - this is still an immensely powerful phone with a strong spec list. The screen, camera and design are still premium, and while not as good as the S9 Plus, it's a lot a cheaper thanks to being on sale for longer.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus review

When it comes to the best Huawei phone, that's clearly the P20 Pro, with the super fancy camera, dual speakers and incredible battery life. But that's a phone for the power user, and if you like the design in a slightly smaller, more affordable package, then check out the P20.

Screen: The screen looks pretty good in most lights, with the brightness not going to eye-hurting levels. Out of the box it looks just fine, and the way it pushes to the edge of the bezels impresses too. It's not the best on the market and is only Full HD, but we're OK with that.

Battery life: The battery life, like the screen, is also just fine, making it to around 10PM on moderate use. That makes sense given the smaller power pack in there, and it's still better than some other phones on this list.

Camera: The dual camera offer loads of effects, and the pictures are enhanced thanks to the inbuilt software making the best out of what you're shooting. There's also 960fps super slow motion video recording, which is what many top-end phones are bringing to the table.

Mini verdict: The Huawei P20 is a good phone with a strong design, and the kind of spec list you'd expect for the price. It'll reward someone willing to play with the settings a little as it's a very functional phone indeed.

Read more: Huawei P20 review

So the iPhone X is the phone to buy if you want the best from Apple right now, but if you're more of a traditionalist you'll love the familiar stylings of the 8 Plus. It's got a strong camera and all the power of the X, as well as an easier-to-understand interface if you're a long-time iOS user.

Screen: The 5.5-inch screen is great and includes important upgrades to the colour reproduction and the temperature too - so images look more clean and lifelike. It's not as sharp as the screens on some of the best Android phones but the inclusion of True Tone tech, first seen on the iPad Pro, means you get some great quality.

Battery life: The battery life of the iPhone 8 Plus is good, but not amazing. You'll normally be able to survive a full day without topping up but on those times when you have the screen fired from morning to night (watching video or using maps etc), you might find yourself just scraping by.

Camera: The camera on this phone is superb, with two 12MP lenses on the rear combining to deliver great images even in low light, and the double sensors creating some nice, refined blurred-background portrait shots.

Mini verdict: It's still a top iPhone and perfect for anyone who wants to upgrade but doesn't want to pay the eye-watering price commanded by the iPhone X. You won't be disappointed by this iPhone, as long as you don't mind the similar design to handsets from the last three years. 

Read more: iPhone 8 Plus review 

If you want a smaller phone, the iPhone 8 continues to fill that gap. It's not the most mind-blowing in terms of some of the specs - it's only got the single sensor camera, for instance, and the screen isn't the highest-res - but it's the perfect upgrade if you just want a no-nonsense, cutting-edge iPhone. 

Screen: The screen may not be as sharp as the big-hitting Androids in this list but the iPhone 8 still delivers excellent performance with some clever refinements to improve the visual quality – and crucially its size makes for an easier in-palm experience.

Battery life: The battery life of the iPhone 8 isn't hugely impressive... but better than older iPhones. You'll just about be able to squeeze a day out of it and if you're upgrading from an iPhone 6 or 6S you'll find it a lot better (and it packs wireless charging too).

Camera: The camera is pretty comparable to that of the iPhone 7, which was itself a great camera phone. So there's not a huge step forward here, but you won't struggle to take a great picture.

Mini verdict: The iPhone 8 pales in comparison to the iPhone X, and offers fairly minimal upgrades to the iPhone 7... but still has some nice design refinements and easier charging thanks to wireless capabilities.

Read more: iPhone 8 review 

The Pixel 2 is the palm-friendly version of the higher-rated 2 XL... and it's got the same incredible camera on board. The screen isn't as high quality as some rivals, but one of the key things that the Pixel range brings is access to the latest version of Android - so get ready for Pineapple Upside Down Cake or Popsicle soon.

Screen: Unlike its chief competitors, the Pixel 2 has a lower-res screen - it's only a full HD resolution and so it's outmatched by all the Samsung phones in this list. The screen-to-body ratio is not as sleek as the S8 or the iPhone X, with bigger bezels top and bottom - so it looks a lot less impressive visually.

Battery life: The Pixel 2 makes fantastic use of Android's battery saving features and thus sports all-day battery life. It's not top-end, but has good enough life and will last a day with medium usage.

Camera: The seriously impressive 12MP rear camera is by far the best feature of the Pixel 2. This phone has the best camera of any phone out there, whether in low light or taking stunning portraits, so if the snapper is the most important part of a phone for you, the Pixel 2 is the phone to get.

Mini verdict: The dual front-facing speakers are great for firing audio directly at you, while a Snapdragon 835 chipset and 4GB of RAM keep everything running smoothly – and its water-resistant body means the Pixel 2 will even survive a dip in the bath. The Pixel 2 is a great phone and it's the camera that really stands out as best in class.

Read more: Google Pixel 2 review

• Read more: Google Pixel 2 review

This might not be the latest Honor phone, but it's a handset that's big on a few features - and those come at less of a cost than you might expect, which is something of a speciality of Honor's.

Screen: The Honor View 10 has the extended 18:9 display ratio, and while it's not QHD it's still pretty good indeed. Colors are a bit rich, but can be customised, and it's decent for gaming too.

Battery life: Honor has chucked a large battery pack in here, and despite having a little more grunt under the hood it can easily last over a day in most scenarios, which is pretty good. It can also support quick charging too, which is handy.

Camera: The Honor View 10 struggles here a little, with the dual 16MP snapper. On the plus side, it's easy to use, has a fast shutter and you can zoom in 2x without loss. Overall image quality can be a little shaky compared to others on this list, but it's pretty reasonable (as you'll find on most smartphones, it seems).

Mini verdict: Honor phones are often the same - but that's no bad thing. As a brand, it's very much on the up, and offers decent performance for less money. You might struggle at first with the interface, but beyond that you'll be pleased with the experience on offer.

Read more: Honor View 10 review

This is Sony's latest flagship phone, bringing the best elements of the brand's tech in one handset. The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset lives under the hood, and there's an interesting new haptic engine to 'enhance' your movie and music watching.

Screen: Sony always has excellent screen technology on its phones, and while it's only 1080p the quality is still high. There's HDR playback, a longer 18:9 screen format and it'll upscale the stuff you're watching, meaning you're always going to get a strong experience for Netflix and more.

Battery life: Battery life on the XZ2 is good, if not the best on the market. It now offers wireless charging so you can top up easily on the go, and you'll get a day out of most uses. There's also Sony's Stamina mode to extend things when needed, and Qnovo battery care means your phone's power pack will go for months longer.

Camera: Sony's camera tech has always been good, if not stunning, and while the XZ2 is an improvement over the XZ1 it's not a huge leap forward. The intelligent scene recognition is the best we've seen it, there are some neat features inside to help you snap the right moment and there's even a bokeh mode. Sadly it's not dual sensor, but 4K HDR video recording is a first on a smartphone.

Mini verdict: Another good, solid phone from Sony that does everything well and brings some more advanced features than previous handsets from the brand. The design is a little chunky and the fingerprint scanner in the wrong place, but otherwise this is the top Sony phone around at the moment.

Read more Sony Xperia XZ2 review

This is Sony's latest flagship phone, bringing the best elements of the brand's tech in one handset. The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset lives under the hood, and there's an interesting new haptic engine to 'enhance' your movie and music watching.

Screen: Sony always has excellent screen technology on its phones, and while it's only 1080p the quality is still high. There's HDR playback, a longer 18:9 screen format and it'll upscale the stuff you're watching, meaning you're always going to get a strong experience for Netflix and more.

Battery life: Battery life on the XZ2 is good, if not the best on the market. It now offers wireless charging so you can top up easily on the go, and you'll get a day out of most uses. There's also Sony's Stamina mode to extend things when needed, and Qnovo battery care means your phone's power pack will go for months longer.

Camera: Sony's camera tech has always been good, if not stunning, and while the XZ2 is an improvement over the XZ1 it's not a huge leap forward. The intelligent scene recognition is the best we've seen it, there are some neat features inside to help you snap the right moment and there's even a bokeh mode. Sadly it's not dual sensor, but 4K HDR video recording is a first on a smartphone.

Mini verdict: Another good, solid phone from Sony that does everything well and brings some more advanced features than previous handsets from the brand. The design is a little chunky and the fingerprint scanner in the wrong place, but otherwise this is the top Sony phone around at the moment.

Read more Sony Xperia XZ2 review

This is Sony's latest flagship phone, bringing the best elements of the brand's tech in one handset. The latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset lives under the hood, and there's an interesting new haptic engine to 'enhance' your movie and music watching.

Screen: Sony always has excellent screen technology on its phones, and while it's only 1080p the quality is still high. There's HDR playback, a longer 18:9 screen format and it'll upscale the stuff you're watching, meaning you're always going to get a strong experience for Netflix and more.

Battery life: Battery life on the XZ2 is good, if not the best on the market. It now offers wireless charging so you can top up easily on the go, and you'll get a day out of most uses. There's also Sony's Stamina mode to extend things when needed, and Qnovo battery care means your phone's power pack will go for months longer.

Camera: Sony's camera tech has always been good, if not stunning, and while the XZ2 is an improvement over the XZ1 it's not a huge leap forward. The intelligent scene recognition is the best we've seen it, there are some neat features inside to help you snap the right moment and there's even a bokeh mode. Sadly it's not dual sensor, but 4K HDR video recording is a first on a smartphone.

Mini verdict: Another good, solid phone from Sony that does everything well and brings some more advanced features than previous handsets from the brand. The design is a little chunky and the fingerprint scanner in the wrong place, but otherwise this is the top Sony phone around at the moment.

Read more Sony Xperia XZ2 review

You're at the end of the guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost.

If you want to get all the info, then use the tool below or check out our full mobile phone deals page.

Enter price comparison

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Delayed MacBook delivery dates could point to a WWDC 2018 refresh

Apple holds its Worldwide Developers Conference every year, and with WWDC 2018 kicking off on June 4, there's plenty of speculation about what Apple might have in store for iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS. It turns out we might just get some new hardware too.

As Apple-centric sites including AppleInsider and The Mac Observer have noted, some MacBook and MacBook Pro models are now displaying delivery dates after WWDC 2018 starts – suggesting Apple is about to refresh at least some of the models, and doesn't want to deliver hardware that'll soon be out of date.

While WWDC is traditional focused on software and intended for app makers, Apple has been known to unveil new devices in the past. In 2017 the HomePod was revealed to the world during the main keynote, so this year it could be the turn of the MacBook.

The time is right

It's not clear exactly which models might get an upgrade or what that upgrade might be, though a refresh involving Intel's new Coffee Lake CPUs is one possibility. We've also heard rumors that Apple is planning to power its laptops with its own custom-made processors in the next few years.

It's almost exactly 12 months since the MacBook got its last refresh, while we haven't seen updates to the MacBook Pro for even longer. The timing is certainly right for some new models even if a major revamp of the hardware range appears pretty unlikely.

Something Apple might want to do with the new laptops it brings out is fix the keyboards: failure rates are reportedly higher than normal for models with the new 'butterfly' switch design, with the ultra-compact mechanisms apparently prone to getting stuck. In a couple of weeks' time we'll see what Apple has in store, but maybe hold off on that MacBook or MacBook Pro purchase for now.

• Apple is offering to replace the battery on some 13-inch MacBook Pros

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I chucked a drone in a river – and watched my new friend swim away

Bloodborne 2: everything we know so far

First released in 2015, From Software’s Bloodborne was a massive hit for the developer and PlayStation for whom it was an exclusive title. Given the game’s success and continued calls from fans for a sequel we don’t think it’s entirely unlikely that Bloodborne 2 will be announced eventually. That said, it hasn’t been done just yet.
That hasn’t stopped theories and rumors from circulating – especially after a certain mysterious From Software trailer made an appearance at the 2017 Game Awards. We’ve gathered all the latest news and rumors surrounding Bloodborne 2 for your perusal, along with some of our hopes and dreams for the sequel. If it ever happens, of course.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? An unconfirmed sequel to From Software’s Gothic hit Bloodborne 
• What can I play it on? If it happens it’ll probably be a PS4 exclusive 
• When can I play it? That’s anyone’s guess 

Bloodborne 2 release date

It’d be kind of hard to determine a release date for Bloodborne 2 given we don’t even know if it’s happening yet. That said, the original game was released in 2015 so a release within the next year or two would strike a good balance between a reasonably long development cycle and not allowing fans to lose hope or interest.

Bloodborne 2 news and rumors

Is it being teased by From Software?
While there’s always been some hope from fans that a Bloodborne 2 would be released eventually, it was a trailer released by From Software at the Game Awards in 2017 that really made fans go wild.
The very short trailer, which you can watch below, is extremely mysterious. And pretty gross. It doesn’t give any kind of title away but it does have the tagline “shadows die twice.” Between the gore and the mystery this trailer certainly smacks of Bloodborne. That said, it's not guaranteed and there are many who believe it could just as easily mark the revival of the Tenchu series because there’s a distinctly Eastern theme to the trailer and in the background there’s a script that looks like it could be written in some kind of Japanese script. 
Yamamura the Wanderer 
While it's true that the Eastern theme shown in the Game Awards trailer wouldn’t fit in with the pseudo Victorian Yarnham of the original Bloodborne. However, if Bloodborne 2 were to be set in an entirely new location it could work.
Many players point to the character Yamamura the Wanderer from the original Bloodborne as an indication that the next game might move to a more Eastern setting. Yamaura can be found in a cell at The Hunter’s Nightmare and the player can call on him as an ally. What makes Yamamura interesting is that he’s dressed in clothing that shows he’s from a different land.
Yamamura’s clothing is described as “Garb of a distant Eastern land, worn by Yamamura the Wanderer. This Eastern warrior pursued a beast for honourable revenge, then became a hunter of the League. But when he stared straight into impurity, it drove him mad.“
Many are using Yamamura’s appearance as evidence that Bloodborne 2 is coming and that it’ll take place in this distant Eastern land where he came from. This isn’t without precedent, of course. It’s also believed that Miyazaki hinted at Bloodborne’s setting in Dark Souls through the NPC Marvelous Chester, whose dress and manner are reminiscent of the Victorian Gothic Yarnham.

From Software is currently working on three games
All the way back in September 2016 From Software president and Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed that the studio is currently developing three games in an interview with IGN at the Tokyo Game Show. Now, one of these is definitely Armored Core, but that still leaves two games in the pipeline.
“So there are several titles that we are currently working on [...] Some of those are dark fantasy, some of those could be a mech [game] - that's one thing. The second thing is that one of the new titles I've been working on will probably comply with the expectations from the fans in straightforward manner.
“The last thing is that another title will probably be a little bit weird. When we actually announce the title, probably fans will react with 'oh, what the hell is this very weird game that Miyazaki has created?'”
It’s the talk of a game that “will probably comply with the expectations from the fans in a straightforward manner” that has us really interested.
The Bloodborne community is rather divided when it comes to seeing the need for a sequel but there are a large number of fans who want to see Bloodborne 2 happen in some form or another. In fact, many simply see it as an inevitability. Certainly, it’s the game most would hazard a guess at if From Software said they were working on a sequel for a game.
Though Miyazaki went no further to confirming that one of the games From Software is working on is Bloodborne 2, we think it’s certainly a strong candidate.

What we want to see from Bloodborne 2

Aside from the obvious fact that what we want to see most out of Bloodborne 2 is, well, Bloodborne 2, we do have some other wishes.
A different look in a new setting
Here’s the thing about Bloodborne 2 – we don’t just want to play the original Bloodborne all over again. While we’d love the mechanics and overarching Lovecraftian themes to remain, we’d love to see it take place in an entirely new setting that breaks away from that Victorian gothic look.
The rumors that the game might be moving to a more eastern setting would be more than enough for us in this sense. Not only would it add a fresh aesthetic, it would let us enjoy that mystery of unravelling what’s happened.

Keep refining the combat 
One of the best things about Bloodborne is its combat and weapons and we want to see that taken even further. The original Bloodborne has combat that is fast and bold and we’d love to see gameplay additions that make it even more so. That does, of course, include some new weapons. Perhaps if Bloodborne 2 made a little more of long range weapons we could see some genuinely innovative gameplay changes.
More than one platform
Bloodborne was a PS4 exclusive, and it was a very good one but FromSoftware isn’t a PlayStation exclusive developer. Even if it does work with them very often. In the way that Dark Souls moved onto other platforms, we’d quite like to see the same happen with Bloodborne. Having a wider audience for games like these really adds to the discussion and lore that builds up around them.
If the trailer shown at the Game Awards does end up being Bloodborne 2, this is perhaps a good sign that it’ll be a multi-platform release since it was shown here rather than the PlayStation Experience which takes place in the same time frame. That does, of course, depend on this trailer being for Bloodborne 2 which we can’t confirm just yet.

• Bloodborne is on our list of the best PS4 games