The 6G, modular, robot phones of the future

Year after year, we mostly know what to expect from our smartphone upgrades. Galaxy, iPhone, Pixel, or whatever else, everything seems to get slightly better (and occasionally more expensive) without many surprises in store. That’s not to say there are no new ideas left in smartphones, though. You just have to know where to look. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/Vergecast-Tile-Large.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] Verge subscribers, don’t forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Vergecast wherever you get your podcasts. Head here. Not a subscriber? You can sign up here. On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge’s Allison Johnson reports back from Mobile World Congress, which is positively overflowing with ideas about smartphones. There are the big-name companies like Samsung, showing off the Privacy Display tech that you might soon start to see in other devices. There are the Motorolas and Honors of the world, relentlessly shipping new stuff. And there are companies like Tecno, which just keep building prototypes in the hopes that one might catch on. Allison helps us sort the silly and the serious, as we look ahead to the year in phones. After that, The Verge’s Jess Weatherbed joins the show to discuss the hottest new mobile accessory: gadget straps. These simple gizmos have been popular around the world for some time and have recently made a splash in the US after Apple started shipping its crossbody strap. Jess explains why these straps are so useful and why lots of people actually want their phone dangling on their hip all day. Finally, The Verge’s Jay Peters helps David answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com) about the metaverse. First of all, what is the metaverse? And second of all, is the ultra-immersive, all-consuming metaverse still coming? We have an answer for one question and an existential crisis for the other. If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started: * Oh great, here comes 6G * Honor claims its Robot Phone will launch later this year * Vivo’s next phone will launch with a professional camera rig * Tecno’s latest concept phone is lit by neon * Honor’s Magic V6 is the first foldable with an IP69 rating * The Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagship * Peak Design has wearable gadget straps for people who hate bags * Apple’s misunderstood crossbody iPhone strap might be the best I’ve seen * Meta confirms Reality Labs layoffs and shifts to invest more in wearables * Meta’s VR metaverse is ditching VR