A lot of us are probably concerned about the batteries on our phones and how long they will last. Thankfully, a lot of smartphone makers have since included software features that can tell us. But batteries aren't the only components that have a lifespan. Your phone's storage chip has one too, and Android 15 could help with that.

According to a report from Android Authority, it seems that Google is working on a new Android 15 feature that will provide users with information about their phone's storage chip's lifespan. While batteries are probably the most noticeable when it comes to detecting degradation in performance, storage can be affected as well.

In Android 15, Google is working on displaying that information to users. It will show them the remaining lifetime of a phone's internal storage before it potentially breaks down. This will be displayed in percentages. This might be useful for users who hold onto their devices for a longer period of time, say 4-5 years, and want to know how much longer they can potentially keep using their phones.

That being said, there is a chance not all devices will support this feature. As Android Authority notes, it is not required by OEMs to adopt this feature. If an OEM chooses not to, then users won't be able to access this information. It should be available for Pixel devices that can run Android 15, but other than that, we'll have to wait and see.

Following China's continued purge of western-owned software and hardware products from its markets, Apple recently took down WhatsApp and Threads - two of Meta's biggest chat and social media platforms - from the App Store in China. The decision follows a mandate from authorities which cite possible security concerns. As per a statement from Apple:

"We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree... The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns. These apps remain available for download on all other storefronts where they appear."

With that being said, both apps were already blocked in China, and were not supposedly used much by the public. China is known for promoting home-grown social media platforms such as "Weibo" and "WeChat," to name a couple. Commenting on this development, Duncan Clark, chairman of investment advisory BDA China in Beijing states:

"It will cause inconvenience to consumers and businesses (in China) who deal with family, friends or customers overseas. Even if they use VPNs to access their existing WhatsApp apps, these over time will become obsolete and require updating."

Interestingly though, other social media and chat apps including Facebook, Instagram and Messenger (also owned by Meta) are still available for download for iOS users. The Cupertino tech giant has lost a bit of footing in the Chinese market, due to pressure from competing local brands such as Huawei - it's even predicted that Huawei's own HarmonyOS might dethrone iOS in the region, based on recent market figures.

As the never-ending battle for gaming industry dominance continues, it looks like Microsoft has gained an upper hand of sorts over rival Sony - it's reported that several of Microsoft's properties rank among the best-selling games on the PlayStation storefront, a phenomenon that several years ago would be unthinkable.

This new trend comes after Microsoft's massive content shopping spree, which saw the company acquire several big names in the industry including the likes of Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, id Software, and more. As posted by Derek Strickland from TweakTown, Microsoft currently has more games on the PlayStation Store's top 25 best-sellers versus Sony-owned IPs.

More specifically, seven of the most-purchased games on PlayStation (at the moment at least) are all owned by Microsoft - this includes Call of Duty at the number one spot, followed by Overwatch 2, Sea of Thieves, Fallout 4, Minecraft, Fallout 76, and Grounded.

In the midst of this competition though, this situation also works for both brands - Microsoft's IPs get additional exposure and sales via the PS store, while Sony takes a cut from the same sales. It's a bit strange to think about, especially for folks who grew up during the fierce console wars of the early 2000s.

Samsung seems to have an issue with their phones that has been affecting their devices for years. This is where green lines appear on Samsung phones for seemingly no reason at all. Now it looks like Samsung phones are experiencing that issue again. Some seem to think that it could be due to the One UI 6.0 update or the latest security patch.

According to user complaints online, it doesn't appear to affect any particular model. Some users are reporting issues with their Galaxy S22 phones. Devices like the Galaxy S21 FE are also affected, along with the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and some mid-range handsets. Seeing as this issue popped up after the update, it looks like a software issue and not a hardware one.

Samsung has yet to comment on the issue, so if you're affected, you could try to take it into a service center and see what can be done for you. If your phone is old and no longer under warranty, you might be charged if you want to replace the display, assuming that it is a hardware problem and not a software related issue.

Hopefully this is a problem that can be patched with an update. Like we said, Samsung hasn't really said anything regarding these issues yet. We'll have to wait and see how it is resolved. In the meantime, if you don't have an urgent need to update your phone, maybe stay away from updating until a fix can be found.

Last year, OnePlus finally got on board with foldables with the launch of the OnePlus Open. But it looks like the company could be exploring other form factors. A post on Weibo by tipster Smart Pikachu claims that OnePlus could be looking to launch a flip foldable phone as well.

In a way it's not surprising. Many companies who have foldables usually have two form factors. One would be the phone-tablet hybrid, and the other is a flip model that transforms a smartphone into an even smaller device. Generally speaking, flip phones tend to be more popular as they are more affordable.

Plus, not everyone necessarily needs a tablet, so having a smartphone that can be folded down to become even smaller is actually appreciated. That being said, we're not sure if this will be a 100% original design. The OnePlus Open is basically a rebadged version of the Oppo Find N3. Both companies are under the same parent company so it's not surprising they share tech.

If OnePlus launches a flip phone, it could be based on an existing model like the Oppo Find N3 Flip. Either way, we'll have to wait and see if these plans ever come to fruition. But what do you think? Is a OnePlus flip phone something you might be interested in?