STACK #250 August 2025

What’s new and trending in smartphone tech continued

TECH FEATURE

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More cameras for better photos

Brighter displays If you find yourself squinting at you phone’s screen to discern text or images while outdoors on a sunny day, you’ll be happy to know that many of the latest phones – particularly the flagship models – now boast displays with higher peak brightness (measured in nits), enabling better visibility in direct sunlight. Higher peak brightness not only enhances visibility but also improves HDR (High Dynamic Range) content, making colours pop and highlights more vivid. This means more immersive media experiences and enhanced gaming visuals, where every detail really stands out.

Phones don't just have better cameras these days, they usually have more of them too. Alongside the standard wide lens and front facing selfie camera, new phones can include a macro lens for super close-up shots, an ultra wide for stunning vistas, a zoom lens to snap distant sights, and even a periscope lens for high-magnification optical zoom.

Having a multiple camera system gives you more control over your shots and often pro grade results. Consequently, more and more serious photographers, and even filmmakers, are using phone cameras for their work. Even if you're a straightforward point-and-click photographer, you'll find that modern cameras on phones have lots of great and intuitive new features that are simple to use. An increase in resolution, such as 200MP cameras now found in some flagship models, can result in more high

definition photos, and AI editing tools can be used to enlarge subjects, auto-fill backgrounds, correct stability, smooth facial features, and more. Your dating profile selfies, your (tastefully enhanced) Instagram-ready shots of your dinner, your concert snaps… phone cameras are getting better at capturing them all!

Speedy charging

There's nothing worse than your phone running out of battery when you need it most, and while phone batteries may improve incrementally, new features and brighter displays can consume more power. Thankfully, along with the aforementioned improved power management, many modern phones support fast, wireless charging. That means that if you have a Qi2 charger handy or a USB-C port on hand, and ten minutes to spare, you can generally get your phone powered back to a point where it can last the rest of the day. If you have a phone with a battery you find yourself constantly worrying about, it might be time to upgrade to one with fast charging.

22 AUGUST 2025

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