The Pixel 8 Pro is Google’s latest top-end phone, packing a new processor, a brighter display and better cameras than its predecessor. But it faces stiff competition from two other handsets that dominate the premium smartphone market: the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. How do they really compare?

The Pixel 8 Pro runs on the new Tensor G3 chipset, the third generation in a line of silicon Google has designed to augment its on-device AI processing. Tensor chipsets don’t seem to be quite as much of a performance powerhouse in benchmarks like Geekbench as the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip in the Galaxy S23 Ultra. We’ll have to wait until we can fully test the Pixel 8 Pro to see how it performs compared with the others.

But the Tensor chipset does enable many of the Pixel family’s neat media-editing tricks, like Magic Eraser for taking elements out of photos, Audio Magic Eraser for diminishing background noise, and Best Take for combining the best bits of a burst of photos. These are the flashiest software advantages the Pixel 8 Pro holds over the competition (among others), even though Magic Eraser is technically available for other phones through the Google Photos app.

The other big advantage the Pixel 8 Pro holds is a guarantee of seven years of Android operating system and security updates. That’s far more than Samsung phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. And Apple is unclear about how long phones will be supported — the just-released iOS 17 update, for instance, leaves behind the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, both released in 2017, so five years of OS updates is the low-end estimate for a new iPhone.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s rear camera hardware includes a 50-megapixel main shooter, a 48-megapixel ultrawide and a 48-megapixel telephoto capable of 5x optical zoom. On paper, those cameras will likely produce sharper photos than the 12-megapixel ultrawide and 12-megapixel telephoto cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, though we’ll have to test to compare it to Apple’s unique “tetraprism” technology in its zoom camera (the iPhone’s 48-megapixel main camera may be roughly comparable to the Pixel 8 Pro’s main shooter).

As far as rear cameras go, the Pixel 8 Pro might face the biggest challenge from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which has a 200-megapixel main camera. While it has only a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, Samsung’s top-of-the-line phone has two telephoto cameras: a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom and a 10-megapixel 10x optical zoom, which is capable of up to 100x digital zoom. But with the phone’s starting cost of $1,200, those souped-up camera specs make sense considering the Pixel 8 Pro’s $1,000 starting price and the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s $1,100 price tag.

All three phones have pretty similar selfie cameras: the Pixel 8 Pro has a 10.5-megapixel selfie shooter, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra both have 12-megapixel front-facing cameras.

Regarding design, the three phones have very different looks. The Pixel 8 Pro retains its predecessor’s wide horizontal camera block spanning the width of the phone. A metallic stripe wraps around the phone’s three rear cameras, with a flash and new temperature sensor on the right side (for checking food and, pending FDA approval, your own skin). The rest of the phone’s rear cover is a matte glass, and its sides are rounded.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has its predecessor’s flat sides and square camera block, with lenses that are larger and stick out farther than those of previous iPhones. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the physically largest of the bunch, though its design has tended toward minimalism, with just the five cameras popping out of the undecorated back cover (i.e. no big camera block), as well as rounded sides.

The Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7-inch OLED display (3,120×1,440 pixels) is the same size as its predecessor’s, but it’s brighter, maxing out at 2,400 nits with a 1 to 120Hz refresh rate. It has a slightly sharper resolution than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED (2,796x 1,290-pixel) screen, and it’s on par with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 6.8-inch AMOLED (3,088×1,440-pixel) display (both Apple’s and Samsung’s phones have 120Hz adaptive refresh rates).

The phones are also pretty similar in terms of other hardware specs. The Pixel 8 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB to 1TB of storage. Apple never specifies the amount of memory in its phones, though GSMArena says the iPhone 15 Pro Max has 8GB, and the phone comes with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The Galaxy S23 Ultra starts with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but it can also be configured for 12GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. None of the three has a slot for expandable storage, so you’ll have to store your extra files in the cloud or hook up an external SSD.

Similarly, Apple doesn’t disclose battery capacity on its phones, saying only that it gets up to 29 hours of video playback (in other words, it should last all day without needing to recharge). The Pixel 8 Pro has a 5,050mAh battery, while the Galaxy S23’s battery has a capacity of 5,000mAh.

In a first for Apple, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a USB-C port instead of its Lightning connector and has 25 watts of wired charging as well as 15 watts of wireless charging. The Pixel 8 Pro has up to 30 watts of wired charging and 23 watts of wireless, while the Galaxy S23 Ultra has the fastest speed, with 45 watts of wired charging and 15 watts of wireless.

To see how else the Pixel 8 Pro stacks up against the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, we’ve placed each phone into this side-by-side comparison chart:

Google Pixel 8 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

	Google Pixel 8 Pro	Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max	Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate, brightness	6.7-inch OLED; 3,120×1,440 pixels; 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.7-inch OLED; 2,796×1,290 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate	6.8-inch AMOLED; 3,088×1,440 pixels; 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Pixel density	489 ppi	460 ppi	500 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.4x3x0.3 inches	6.29×3.02×0.32 inches	6.43×3.07×0.35 inches
Dimensions (millimeters)	162.6×76.5×8.8 millimeters	159.9×76.7×8.25 millimeters	163.3x78x8.9 millimeters
Weight (grams, ounces)	213 g (7.5 oz)	221 g (7.81 oz)	234 g (8.25 oz)
Mobile software	Android 14	iOS 17	Android 13
Camera	50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (telephoto)	48-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (5x telephoto)	200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 10-megapixel (10x telephoto)
Front-facing camera	10.5 megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Video capture	4K	4K	8K
Processor	Google Tensor G3	A17 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM/storage	12GB RAM + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB	256GB, 512GB, 1TB (RAM undisclosed)	8GB + 256GB; 12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 12GB + 1TB
Expandable storage		None	None
Battery	5,050 mAh	Undisclosed; Apple says up to 29 hours of video playback (25 hours streamed)	5,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	None (Face ID)	Under display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None	None
Special features	5G (Sub 6 and mmWave); VPN by Google One; 7 years of OS, security and Feature Drop updates; front-facing camera has autofocus; 13W Qi wireless charging; 30W wired charging; USB-3.2 speeds via USB-C; IP68 dust and water resistance; Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on front and back	5G (Sub6, mmWave), Action Button, Always-On display, IP68 water resistant, MagSafe, Dynamic Island, 5x optical zoom (120mm equivalent), satellite connectivity, eSIM, thread networking technology	5G (Sub6, mmWave), IP68 water resistant, wireless PowerShare to charge other devices, integrated S Pen, 100x Space Zoom, 10x optical zoom, UWB for finding other devices, 45W wired charging
US price off-contract	$999 (128GB)	$1,199 (256GB)	$1,200 (256GB)
UK price	Converts to 825 (128GB)	1,199 (256GB)	1,249 (256GB)
Australia price	Converts to AU$1,575 (128GB)	AU$2,199 (256GB)	AU$1,949 (256GB)

Monitoring your blood pressure on a daily basis is super important. Especially if you’re worried about high blood pressure or have hypertension, monitors are key. Thankfully, if you own anApple Watch
, you already have a good starting point for tracking your blood pressure at home.

Daily tracking can help you establish a baseline for your version of “normal,” and chart any changes to your levels over time. Work and life stress can cause a spike in your readings, and so can some of the foods you eat. Tracking your blood pressure can also help with early diagnosis and false readings (like if you only have high BP at the doctor’s office), and help you keep an eye on the effects of any new blood pressure medication.

Though at-home monitoring won’t replace a visit to the doctor’s office, it can give you the data you need to know when it’s time to go in.

The Health app on your Apple Watch is a convenient way to sync your blood pressure data in one place on a device that’s always with you.

The smartwatch isn’t equipped to measure your blood pressure alone, but there are tools and devices you can pair it with it that can — usually wireless monitors that connect to youriPhoneor Apple Watch and come with an arm cuff and their own app. These devices will automatically sync the data with your Apple Watch’shealth app
.

Here are some ways your Apple Watch can help keep your blood pressure and health in check.

Blood pressure devices that work with Apple Watch

These five wireless blood pressure monitors sync to your Apple Watch’s Health app.

Omron Evolv Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor ($90): This portable monitor takes clinically accurate readings, and has a built-in screen that shows your readings so you don’t have to consult your phone screen each time. The Omron BPM syncs to your Apple watch via the Omron Connect mobile app usingBluetooth
.

Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor ($100): Provides instant color-coded feedback and creates a chart of all your past measurements for easy tracking in its Health Mate app. You can sync your Withings BPM to your Apple Watch via Bluetooth.

QardioArm Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor ($99) — Geotracks your readings across locations. Measures your systolic and diastolic blood pressure and can detect an irregular heartbeat. You can set up reminders to notify you when it’s time to check your blood pressure. Connect your QardioArm BPM to your Apple Watch via Bluetooth.

($100) — Offers up to 200 offline readings. Shows your systolic and diastolic blood pressure on the iHealth App and lets you know if your reading is normal or above average. The iHealth blood pressure monitor syncs to your Apple Watch using Bluetooth.

($100) — Has fit and movement sensors designed to ensure your readings are accurate. It can store up to 100 readings in the device and unlimited readings in the A&D Connect app. Connect the blood pressure monitor to your Apple Watch via Bluetooth to monitor your health.

Control your blood pressure through exercise

It’s well known that regular exercise can help your heart stay strong and healthy.

• You can use your Apple Watch to count your steps so you know if you’re hitting your goal.
• Your watch can track your heart rate with the sensor on the back to help you get fit — you’ll know you’re reaching your goals when your resting heart rate is getting lower.
• You can track your workouts — the watch offers 12 workouts you can choose from, or you can begin any workout and the watch will automatically detect it.

While working out, you can easily monitor your heart rate and set up heart-rate thresholds that notify you in case your heart rate is too high or low.

Keep an eye on your heart rate

If you monitor your blood pressure regularly, you’ll likely also want to keep tabs on your heart’s health. The Apple Watch 4 has FDA clearance for its an ECG feature that records your heart rate rhythm to detect if you have atrial fibrillation (AFib) or another abnormal heart rhythm.

You can use the new ECG app (this is the same as EKG, an electrocardiogram) on your watch if you have WatchOS 5.1.2, after setting up the ECG feature in the Health app. We also recommend importing your health records so you can stay on top of any changes.

Johnson & Johnson is using the Apple Watch in its stroke prevention research to test if an app can quickly diagnose AFib. The watch has already been able to detect irregular heartbeats on some users — it’ll be interesting to see howAppleturns future iterations of the Apple Watch into even more of a medical device.

Amazon’s second Prime Day of 2023 is coming up on Tuesday, Oct. 12, but you can already shop some early deals ahead of the big sale — even if you don’t have a Prime membership. You can get these Prime-exclusive deals without paying for a subscription. There’s a small catch, but we’ll explain.

Amazon’s biggest shopping event of the year offers exclusive savings for Prime subscribers, though you don’t have to be a paying subscriber to enjoy its benefits. Instead, you can get around Amazon’s membership requirement by signing up for a 30-day free trial between now and the event’s start date.

We’ll walk you through the process of signing up for your free 30-day Amazon Prime trial below to gain entry to the Prime Early Access Sale and, importantly, how to cancel your subscription so you don’t end up paying a dime for it. For more, check out our guides for avoiding shipping fees, finding hidden Amazon coupons and making the most of all of Prime’s perks. (Also, don’t forget about Amazon’s new layaway program.)

Sign up for Amazon Prime from your laptop or phone

New subscribers can sign up for a Prime free trial via Amazon’s website with just a few taps. If you haven’t saved your payment details with Amazon through another purchase, you’ll need to have your credit or debit card handy.

1. Head to Amazon.com and sign into or create your Amazon account.

2. Select Prime in your account menu bar.

3. Tap or click Start your 30-day free trial.

4. Make sure your credit or debit card on file is up to date (your billing address too) — if it’s not, this is the time to do it.

5. Tap or click Start your 30-day free trial.

6. That’s it! You can start shopping any time and get Prime membership benefits like expedited shipping and of course, those Prime Day deals.

Cancel your Prime membership before being charged

To avoid being charged, you’ll need to cancel your membership before the 30 days are up. Here’s how.

1. Sign in to your Amazon account at Amazon.com.

2. Go to your account menu.

3. Select Prime (computer) or Manage Prime membership (phone), then tap Manage membership.

4. Select End Membership.

5. Tap or click End My Benefits.

6. Select Continue to Cancel.

7. That’s it. Your Prime account should be canceled. You can double-check by adding an item to your card and seeing if you have the option to ship it next day or within two days with Prime. If you can’t, you’ve successfully canceled.

For more Amazon shopping tips, check out our guide to scoring a discount with subscribe and save, scoring steep savings with Amazon Warehouse deals and how to get free returns on Amazon.

Apple released the second iOS 17.1 public beta for the iPhone on Wednesday. The second beta arrived the same day as iOS 17.0.3 and about two weeks after the release of iOS 17. This beta brings a few new features and bug fixes to the iPhones of developers and other beta testers who want to see what’s coming down the pike from Cupertino.

We recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Since this is a beta version of iOS 17.1, these features might be buggy and battery life may be short, and it’s best to keep that on a secondary device.

If you’re a developer or public beta tester, here are some of the new features you can find in iOS 17.1 beta 2. Note that the beta is still ongoing, so these might not be the only new features to land on your iPhone when iOS 17.1 is released. There’s no word on the public release for iOS 17.1 just yet.

New StandBy mode settings

StandBy mode is one of my favorite new iOS features, and in iOS 17.1 beta 2, Apple gives StandBy mode more setting options. With iOS 17.1 beta 2, you have the option to turn StandBy mode off after 20 seconds, never or “Automatically.” Apple writes that if you choose Automatically, the display will turn off when your iPhone is not in use and the room is dark, like when you’re sleeping at night.

However, I checked these settings on my iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone XR and only found these options on my iPhone 14 Pro. This makes me think the new settings will only be available on iPhones with an always-on display.

Apple Music upgrades

In iOS 17.1 beta 1, Apple added a new button in Apple Music that allows you to quickly Favorite songs. When a song is playing and you’re looking at its card on your iPhone, there’s a star outline near the song’s title. You can tap this star to add the song to your Favorites.

There’s also a new way to find all your Favorited playlists, albums and songs. To find them, go into the corresponding category in Apple Music, tap the button in the top-right corner of your screen, and tap Favorited.

Apple Music also shows you song suggestions in iOS 17.1 beta 1. To see them, go into any of your playlists and scroll to the bottom of the playlist to see a section called Song Suggestions. These are songs that the app thinks you might like based on your musical tastes.

AirDrop using cellular data

With iOS 17, Apple upgraded AirDrop with NameDrop, which allows two devices to tap each other and exchange contact information — kind of like exchanging digital business cards. And in the first iOS 17.1 beta, Apple now lets you use cellular data to send and receive information over AirDrop when two iPhones are out of range of each other.

Flashlight symbol in Live Activities

Have you ever accidentally switched on your iPhone’s flashlight and had someone point it out to you later? Some iPhone users won’t have to worry about that anymore. In iOS 17.1 beta 1, when you turn on your flashlight, a little flashlight symbol appears in the Live Activities feed across the top of the screen of my iPhone 14 Pro. However, I couldn’t replicate this symbol on my iPhone XR, so this feature likely only works on Live Activity-enabled iPhones, like the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15 lineup.

New ringtones are back

When Apple released iOS 17, it included all-new ringtones and text tones. Apple then removed those sounds with iOS 17.1 beta 1, but the ringtones and text tones appear to be back with iOS 17.1 beta 2. You can still find all the older sounds under Classic on the Ringtone and Text Tone setting pages.

Those are some of the major new features developers and beta testers will see in the second iOS 17.1 beta. That doesn’t mean these are the only features coming to the next iOS update, or that these changes will stick when iOS 17.1 is released to the public.

For more, check out my review of iOS 17 and CNET’s iOS 17 cheat sheet.

Google’s new seven-year software update commitment for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro is a significant step forward for Android. But it also highlights one of the biggest weaknesses most Android phones face, regardless of their price: They don’t get enough software support. Google’s $449 Pixel 5A from 2021, for example, won’t receive new Android OS upgrades or software updates past August 2024. Three years of updates can go by pretty quickly.

Smartphone sales continue to decline year over year amid inflation, and people are likely looking for devices they can hold onto for as long as possible. Market analyst firm Canalys is predicting that the North American smartphone market will decline by 12% this year, though it also notes that phone-makers are still relying on the otherwise stable market for premium phones. As customers hang onto their phones longer, keeping those customers up to date with new features and security protections requires longer upgrade periods.

And it’s not just inflation that underlies the need for phones to get more years of software support. The update extension arrives alongside a push for phones to become more repairable. An increasing number of US states are passing right to repair laws that cover electronics, and right to repair proposals recently adopted by the European Union also include phones and tablets.

Now, as Google begins to push its own Android phones to last longer, here are the biggest reasons phone buyers stand to benefit should the wider industry embrace longer phone lifespans.

Android update support is still a mess across the industry

Google last increased its security update policy in 2021, giving the $599 Pixel 6 and $899 6 Pro five years of security updates (that’s set to end in October 2026). But software updates stayed at three years — meaning that after next year’s release of Android 15, the Pixel 6 will likely receive no new software features.

Meanwhile, over on iOS in 2021, if you bought the then-$599 iPhone 12 Mini or $829 iPhone 13 from Apple, you were assuredly receiving software and security updates for much longer than three years. Apple’s iPhone XR and XS from 2018 each received this year’s iOS 17, and though 2015’s iPhone 6S is no longer getting software updates, it’s getting security-focused updates for anyone who’s still using those phones.

Looking at Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus, the situation varies drastically. Until the Pixel 8 announcement, Samsung had surpassed Google’s software update promise by providing four years of software updates, and it had matched Google’s security update policy with five years for its Galaxy S and Z phones. The cheaper Galaxy A series offers a range of support levels, with Samsung’s $200 Galaxy A14 5G getting two years of software updates but five years of security updates.

OnePlus recently started promising a similar four years of software updates and five years of security updates for some of its phones, such as the OnePlus 11.

Motorola, meanwhile, has long lagged behind, but it currently promises three years of software updates and four years of security updates for the $1,000 Razr Plus. I’ve reached out to Apple, Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus for comment about these policies in the wake of Google’s announcement.

As a result of these differing policies, it can be quite intimidating to keep up with how long an Android phone is safe to use. If these policies could continue to extend to accommodate whether someone wanted to hold onto their phone for two years or for more than five years, that would at the least afford people with the most flexibility, whether or not they wanted to get a phone upgrade.

Phones need security support to remain safe

Phones are constantly connected to the internet, but unfortunately that also means there’s the possibility of your phone encountering security issues. Phone-makers constantly provide updates to keep your phone safe.

My colleague Andrew Lanxon explored whether it’s safe to continue using phones that are no longer receiving security updates. The experts he spoke with said an outdated phone could be susceptible to software issues and allow malefactors to steal your data or install malware on your device.

Unfortunately, many new Android phones, even expensive ones, come with very short security update timelines. I criticized the $649 RedMagic 8 Pro for providing only two years of guaranteed security updates, even though its top-of-the-line specs should otherwise make that phone last for years. (The gaming-centric audience RedMagic targets might flash these devices with custom firmware to get new features after official update support ends. But most people don’t have the time to DIY their own phone to that degree.)

Though Google’s seven-year commitment is now the longest published commitment we’ve seen from a major phone-maker, the Fairphone 5 currently has Google beat with an eight-year commitment to security updates alongside access to spare parts for do-it-yourself repair. Even though Fairphone isn’t nearly as well known in the smartphone market, it’s made good on its promises so far. Its Fairphone 3, launched in 2019, is receiving software updates through 2026.

By comparison, Google’s Pixel 4 and 4 XL from 2019 received Android 13 last year and were updated again in February 2023. But they’re no longer getting new updates. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 line appears to have received its final updates earlier this year too, according to Droidlife.

Today’s phone hardware can go the distance, and repair costs are dropping

The most common reasons to replace a phone often come down to battery life and performance, unless you’ve lost or broken your device. According to a 2019 survey conducted by Office Depot, 63% of its 1,018 respondents cited battery life issues as their reason, closely followed by slow processing speeds and a broken charging port.

However, many of those problems are now easier to address, enabling devices to last longer. Software optimizations help manage a phone’s performance and battery. A lost device can be pinged using Find My Device on Android. And costs to repair devices — while still high in some cases — have been declining. An out-of-warranty battery replacement usually costs around $100 or less: For instance, getting a Samsung Galaxy S21’s battery replaced at Best Buy costs $80.

Google spent part of its Pixel 8 launch event touting the fact that the new phone line should be easier to repair, including publicizing its continued partnership with iFixit to provide spare parts and repair guides. Google has told Android Authority that spare parts availability will also last the same seven years as software support. Apple has also made an effort to reduce some repair costs by changing how the iPhone is manufactured. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s aluminum substructure makes it easier to replace cracked or damaged back glass.

These efforts will hopefully push the phone industry even more toward moves that extend the lifespan of devices, making it so you have to replace your phone only when you absolutely must.

I do wish phone-makers could go one step further, though, by making the hardware just as easy to upgrade as the software. Roughly a decade ago, in 2013, Google developed a modular phone concept called Project Ara that made it possible to essentially build your phone by snapping pieces together, similar to a PC. The concept theoretically would allow for simple repairs and even phone upgrades. But that dream was dashed, with launch plans delayed and eventually canceled.

In the meantime, phones are increasingly being made with recycled materials, with Apple and Samsung both promoting a greater use of recycled metals and plastics in the production of their flagship phones. A larger reliance on recycled materials could help reduce waste created when phones are discarded.

Software updates are great, but there’s still more that can lengthen a phone’s life

As phones get more years of software support, dazzling new cameras and smarter AI-powered features, it’s amazing how many age-old problems we still experience on the gadgets.

Better durability — whether that’s finding more ways to prevent a phone from scuffing, or just making phones less prone to shatters after falling on pavement — would be quite meaningful on devices, no matter the price.

Phone companies have made some strides: Apple’s Ceramic Shield has improved the iPhone’s screen durability, and Samsung has an entire quality assurance facility for testing its phones in challenging scenarios like drops and extreme temperature situations.

Yet phones still break. YouTube channel JerryRigEverything found that the new iPhone 15 Pro — despite being made from titanium — cracked during a bend test that didn’t damage any other iPhone 15 model.

And though most modern smartphones can stand up to water and dust, perhaps heat resistance is the next area where phones could improve. Currently, phone software helps prevent overheating should your device end up in direct sunlight for too long. Apple this week issued a patch to address overheating complaints linked to the iPhone 15 Pro.

But several gaming phones I’ve tested have more advanced cooling systems than your average phone, enabling them to stay functional while powering high-end graphics. The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has a door that physically opens for better airflow to the hot-running processor and GPU when paired with a cooling fan accessory — which, to be fair, is overkill. But it still makes me think phone-makers could be doing more to develop better cooling systems.

Lastly, while right to repair laws are improving access to phone repairs, these fixes are still difficult to manage without officially licensed parts and guides. For instance, Apple’s iPhone 14 recently had its repairability score downgraded by iFixit due to requiring a software handshake even when using genuine replacement parts from Apple. Compared with long-running industries like those behind kitchen appliances and computers, the phone market sees off-the-shelf parts that are often unusable in repairs. Meanwhile, Valve’s Steam Deck handheld gaming console is quite simple to crack open to upgrade with more storage. Some companies are selling aftermarket Steam Deck screens with higher resolutions.

Even though there’s more that can be done to extend the life cycle of phones like the Pixel 8, Google’s seven-year promise for software and security updates is commendable. Should the company follow through, it’ll mean the Pixel 8 will receive more major software updates than many of Apple’s iPhone models, while encouraging customers to stick with Pixel for the long haul. Now I’m just waiting for Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and other phone-makers to catch up.

I’ve always been a very organized person, and my holy grail is a spotless digital calendar. I’ve been a loyal Google Calendar user for years, tracking my classes, work, assignments, parties and every other demand on my time with an original color coded system. I’m the girl who, if you invite me out to lunch, will send you a gcal invite.

Unfortunately, after years of love and use, I recently realized it’s time to perform a particularly dreadful task: migrate my Google calendar to another app. Cue the anxiety. Luckily for me, and you, migrating your entire calendar, past, present and future events included, is easier than it sounds.

After researching and testing every method myself, I’ve figured out the easiest ways to transfer your calendar across different services, including Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Microsoft Outlook. Depending on which platform you use, the process will be different.

So whether you’re a loyal Apple user, a gcal fanatic or a Microsoft Outlook stan, there’s a way to migrate your calendars between each service.

Getting ready to migrate: What to know

The simplest way to migrate your entire calendar between services is to export your calendar from one service, download it as an .ics or .csv file, and then import that downloaded file to the new calendar service. This way, you don’t have to worry that you’ll lose any events in the shuffle, and you’ll have your entire calendar history, as well as future events, available in the new service.

For Outlook, Apple Calendar and Google Calendar, you can export/import only through your desktop or laptop. You can’t migrate using the apps on a phone or tablet.

A note for Mac users: You won’t be able to export an Outlook calendar from a Mac device. Whether you’re using the web version or the Outlook app, there isn’t yet functionality that lets you export your calendar. I know — as a loyal Apple user, I’m unhappy about it too.

Here’s how to download/export your calendar on each service and import on the new one.

Downloading your Google calendar

1. Open Google Calendar on desktop.

2. Navigate over to the left-hand side menu and find My calendars.

3. Click the three dots next to the name of the Google Calendar you want to export.

4. Click Settings and sharing.

5. Click Import & export.

6. Click Export. This will download your calendar into an .ics file in a ZIP drive.

7. Click into the ZIP drive. Move the .ics file out of your downloads folder to somewhere on your computer that you can easily find.

Downloading your Apple calendar

1. Open Calendaron Mac.

2. Check the calendar you want to migrate and uncheck all the rest.

3. Click File > Export > Export…

4. Name the file and save it where you can easily find it on your computer.

5. Click Export.

Downloading your Outlook calendar on Windows

1. Open Outlook.

2. Click File.

3. Click Open & Export.

4. Choose Import/Export and click Export to a file.

5. Choose Comma Separated Values (CSV) as the format type — this will download it as an Excel sheet. Then click next.

6. Select Calendar from the Select folder to export screen options. Then click next.

7. Click Browse to choose where you want to save the downloaded file and name it. Then click OK.

8. Click Next. Confirm your export — it should say something similar to “Export ‘Appointments’ from folder: Calendar.”

9. Click Finish.

If the Outlook calendar you’re trying to download is controlled by a larger organization, like your workplace or university, you may run into some issues. They may have disabled some functionalities, making it harder or even impossible to download your calendar. If you think this is the case for you, you should reach out to your IT administrator to troubleshoot.

Importing your calendar to Google

1. Open Google Calendar on desktop.

2. Navigate to the left-hand side menu and find Other calendars.

3. Click the plus sign next to Other calendars.

4. Click Import. Upload the file you previously downloaded and saved.

5. Click the drop down arrow to choose where you want to save the new calendar. You may only be able to save it on your main calendar.

6. Click Open.

7. Click Import.

Importing your calendar to Apple

1. Open Calendar on Mac, then go to File > Import…

2. Select and import your downloaded file.

3. Select where you want this calendar to go: Home, Calendar, Work or your existing custom calendars. You can also create a New Calendar.

4. Click Import.

Note that if you want your new Apple calendar to appear across your devices, you’ll need to enable iCloud sharing for Calendar. You can do this sharing by going into your device’s Settings > iCloud Account > Calendar and toggling on.

You can double-check that the imported calendar is saved on iCloud on a Mac and iPhone as well. On a Mac, ensure the new calendar is listed under iCloud on the left-side menu. On an iPhone, tap Calendars at the bottom of the screen and ensure the new calendar is listed under iCloud. If it isn’t listed, try reimporting after turning on iCloud backup for Calendar.

Importing your calendar to Microsoft Outlook

1. Open Microsoft Outlook and click on the calendar tab.

2. Navigate to the left-hand side menu and open the sidebar.

3. Click Add Calendar; then select “Import ICS…”

4. Click Browse and select the downloaded file.

5. Click Import.

6. You can either view your new calendar or close the window.

If you want to save your imported calendar as a new calendar, not merged with your existing one, you can do that by creating a new folder. You must create a new folder before importing your old calendar file.

1. Find your email address underneath My Calendars on the left-side menu.

2. Click the three dots next to it.

3. Create a New Folder and name it.

4. Follow the above steps (2-4) to prepare to import.

5. Before clicking import, use the drop-down arrow next to your email address and select the new folder. This will save the imported calendar in that folder.

6. Click Import.

By creating a new folder, you’re separating the imported calendar from your existing one, which will make it easy to isolate and view events from that calendar.

Top tech is often quite expensive, which is why finding a deal is always ideal. And if you’re a Google fan or looking for alternatives to Apple, Wellbots is helping you get your hands on two great products for less right now. The company is offering CNET readers exclusive discounts on the Google Pixel Watch and Google Pixel Buds Pro, meaning you can score either of these items without breaking the bank.

Smartwatches offer an added layer of convenience to your daily routine, and the Google Pixel Watch is a solid option for Android users, landing a spot on our best smartwatch for 2023 roundup and picking up an Editors’ Choice Award last year. It comes equipped with Google Assistant, allowing you to play music, text, check Gmail, use Google Maps to navigate and more — many of which you can do through voice alone. Plus, Google Wallet allows you to use Google Pay on your wrist at checkout to simplify shopping. And you’ll get plenty of health and fitness tracking features from Fitbit to help you stay on top of your wellness journey. The first-gen Pixel Watch, which was just superseded by the Pixel Watch 2, lists for $280, but that price drops to just $205 when you use promo code CNETPIXELWATCH at checkout, which is a $75 savings.

And if you’re looking for a quality pair of everyday headphones at an affordable price, look no further than the Google Pixel Buds Pro. They have good sound quality, active noise cancellation and a superior fit. They also support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity so you can connect them to multiple devices, and they have pretty good battery life, delivering up to seven hours of playback with noise canceling on or up to 11 hours with that feature turned off. These headphones earned a spot on our roundup for the best headphones of the year, as they’re excellent wireless earbuds for Android users. They typically go for $200, but you can get a $65 discount when you use promo code CNETBUDSPRO at checkout. That means you can snag a pair for $135.

One of Amazon’s biggest shopping events of the year is coming up soon. Amazon’s October Prime event brings another round of great deals to Prime subscribers, with the sale running Oct. 10 and 11. If you’re ready to cash in on the Prime event now, Amazon is already offering early Prime Day deals.

Amazon Prime Day extends even beyond the Amazon website. An Amazon service called “” gives Prime members discounts on products from a long list of brands that are offering Prime Day deals on their own websites.

Read more: How to Prepare for Amazon Prime Day

Participating sellers will include a Prime Day banner and coupon code on products that are part of the sale, as well as a Buy with Prime button that syncs with your Amazon account. Read on to learn how Buy with Prime works and what sort of Prime Day deals are available on third-party sites right now.

What is Amazon Buy with Prime?

lets Amazon Prime members shop at non-Amazon online stores seamlessly by automatically including their email address, shipping address and payment method from their Amazon account.

Participating brands include a Buy with Prime purchase button on their product pages, most often with a coupon code that’s required at checkout. Although they’re linked to your Amazon account, purchases occur on the retailers’ sites, not Amazon’s. Since retailers aren’t required to offer the same selection and pricing on Amazon as on their own sites, Buy with Prime can get you some deals that aren’t available on Amazon.

When you visit a product at an online store participating in Buy with Prime, you’ll see a blue button marked “Buy with Prime,” with an expected delivery date above or below the button. If the product is on sale for Amazon Prime Day, all you’ll need to do is click the “Buy with Prime” button.

When you click that Buy with Prime button, you’ll initiate a login process with Amazon. If you’ve never logged in to an external site with your Amazon account before, you may need to verify your identity with a one-time password sent to your email address or phone number.

After you punch in that six-digit code, you’ll get a confirmation that you’re securely signed in to Amazon on the retailer’s site, along with a brief description of what info Amazon will share with the retailer. If you have logged in to an external site with Amazon before, the Buy with Prime button will take you directly to the confirmation page to continue.

Hitting the “Continue as [your Amazon account name]” button will take you to a checkout screen on the retailer’s website that is hosted by Amazon Buy with Prime, with your delivery address and payment method automatically entered along with an expected delivery date. Clicking the shipping address or payment method will let you change them via the same process as on Amazon’s own website.

Once you’ve completed your purchases with Buy with Prime, Amazon will handle the shipping and returns of the product.

How do I get Prime Day deals with Buy with Prime?

If you’re interested in taking advantage of Buy with Prime, you can see a on the Amazon website. Brands include Sena Cases, Targus and Wirsh.

Once you’ve made it to the Buy with Prime checkout page, you’ll continue to check out as you normally would, and the Prime Day discount will automatically apply to the price of the item. All Buy with Prime orders will be covered by the .

For more on Amazon Prime Day, learn how to get Prime Day deals for free and check out the best early Prime Day deals that are available now.

Tottenham fans could see their side go top with a win on Saturday, as Spurs take on Luton at Kenilworth Road in this intriguing English Premier League clash.

The Ange Postecoglou revolution claimed its biggest result so far last weekend, as Spurs beat nine-man Liverpool 2-1 in controversial style at home, which has put them just one point behind EPL leaders Man City, who play Arsenal on Sunday.

Standing in their way of the summit are a newly promoted Luton side who will have drawn confidence from securing their first win of the season, after beating Burnley 2-1 away on Tuesday.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.

Luton vs. Tottenham: When and where?

Luton Town host Tottenham Hotspur at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, Oct. 7. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. BST (7:30 a.m. ET, 4:30 a.m PT in the US and Canada, and 10:30 p.m. AEDT in Australia).

How to watch the Luton vs. Tottenham game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream Luton vs. Tottenham in the US

Saturday’s Luton-Tottenhammatch is on USA Network, which you can access as part of your cable package or at the NBC Sports website with a valid login, and can be streamed via Sling TV and other more expensive streaming TV services.

Livestream the Luton vs. Tottenhamgame in the UK

Premier League rights in the UK are split between Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport). The Luton vs. Tottenham game is exclusive to TNT Sports — showing on its TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 1 HD and TNT Sport Ultimate channels.

Livestream the Luton vs. Tottenhamgame in Canada

If you want to stream Luton vs. Tottenhamlive in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights for this Premier League season.

Livestream the Luton vs. Tottenhamgame in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this EPL fixture on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League game live in Australia this season.

Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

The F1 circus heads to the Middle East and the Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, but could Max Verstappen wrap up the title the day before?

Marking Formula 1’s return to Qatar after taking a one-year break, thanks to last year’s FIFA World Cup, with the Constructors Championship already in the bag for Red Bull, all eyes are now on the quest for the Drivers title.

This Qatar GP is a Sprint event with up to 8 championship points up for grabs, and with a 177-point lead over Sergio Perez, Verstappen could seal the championship with sixth place or better in Saturday’s session — potentially making Sunday’s actual race an extended victory lap for the Dutchman.

The Qatar GP Sprint Shootout takes place on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 9 a.m. (6.a.m. PT) and will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPN Plus, with the Sprint itself following at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) on ESPNews and ESPN Plus.

The Qatar Grand Prix itself takes place on Sunday at the Lusail International Circuit at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on ESPN and ESPN Plus.

The entire race weekend, including practice sessions and qualifying, will be shown in the US on ESPN’s family of TV networks. Those looking to follow all the drama will need access to ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2 and ESPNews to catch every second of the action.

No single provider has exclusive rights to the network, so there are plenty of ways to get ESPN and watch the races without cable. We’ve broken down everything you need to know to stream today’s race, and all the other F1 races this season.

When, where and what time are the races?

Races are held on Sunday and are usually spaced two weeks apart. Here’s the entire schedule, all times ET.

F1 2023 schedule

Date	Race	Time
March 5	Bahrain GP	10 a.m. ET
March 19	Saudi Arabian GP	1 p.m. ET
April 2	Australian GP	1 a.m. ET
April 30	Azerbaijan GP	7 a.m. ET
May 7	Miami GP	3:30 p.m. ET
May 21	Romagna GP	9 a.m. ET
May 28	Monaco GP	9 a.m. ET
June 4	Spanish GP	9 a.m. ET
June 18	Canadian GP	2 p.m. ET
July 2	Austrian GP	9 a.m. ET
July 9	British GP	10 a.m. ET
July 23	Hungarian GP	9 a.m. ET
July 30	Belgian GP	9 a.m. ET
Aug. 27	Dutch GP	9 a.m. ET
Sept. 3	Italian GP	9 a.m. ET
Sept. 17	Singapore GP	8 a.m. ET
Sept. 24	Japanese GP	1 a.m. ET
Oct. 8	Qatar GP	1 p.m. ET
Oct. 22	United States GP	3 p.m. ET
Oct. 29	Mexican GP	4 p.m. ET
Nov. 5	Brazil GP	12 p.m. ET
Nov. 19	Las Vegas GP	1 a.m. ET
Nov. 26	Abu Dhabi GP	8 a.m ET

How to watch F1 online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the race locally, you may need a different way to watch the race — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on race day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream F1 racing in the UK

F1 in the UK is shown on Sky Sports and Channel 4 — Sky Sports airs the races, practice rounds and qualifying, while free-to-air Channel 4 offers highlights broadcast after the day’s action takes place. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its app, but cord-cutters will need to get the Sky Entertainment and Netflix package starting at 26 per month, plus an additional 20 per month to include Sky Sports.

Best options for streaming in the US without cable

Race weekends normally start on Friday with multiple practice runs and continue on Saturday with qualifying. The races themselves take place Sunday. ESPN typically airs practices and qualifying on a mix of ESPN 2 and ESPNews, while the races tend to air on ESPN. F1 events in North America often land on ABC.

Here are some of the best ways to catch the entire race weekend without cable.