
Alex Dobie
Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.
Latest articles by Alex Dobie

There's room for an iPhone 'Ultra' to take on Samsung — so what if it's foldable?
By Alex Dobie published
This year's iPhones are the most boring ever, but Apple could fix its lineup in future with a super-high-end foldable model.

From the Editor's Desk: Is Android 12 still too buggy?
By Alex Dobie published
Android 12 isn't perfect yet, including the recently-launched One UI 4 beta, but should we really expect it to be?

Android UI through the ages: From Droid Sans to Material You
By Alex Dobie last updated
As we enter the fourth design era of Android, following the early days, Holo and Material Design, it's time to revisit the past 13 years in Android UI and remember how we got here.

Under-display cameras explained: A look beneath the Z Fold 3's unique screen
By Alex Dobie published
Under-display cameras could make the dream of an all-screen smartphone a reality. But it's still early days, and there's a delicate balance between display performance and photo quality.

Recalling the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, five years later
By Alex Dobie published
It's been five years since Samsung Galaxy Note 7 handsets started exploding. Let's take a look back at the most catastrophic smartphone launch in history.

Why does the Pixel 5a exist?
By Alex Dobie published
The Google Pixel 5a is finally here, with a bigger battery and important features like water resistance. But a more important question than what the Pixel 5a is is why it even exists.

Google Pixel 6: The best Samsung phone of 2021?
By Alex Dobie published
Ten years on from the legendary Galaxy Nexus, do we have more Samsung-made Google phones coming in the form of the Pixel 6? Well, yes and no.

6 Google Pixel 6 predictions that will definitely maybe come true
By Alex Dobie published
Google has already revealed a lot about the Pixel 6 series, but plenty of unknowns remain. So this gives us the chance to grab our crystal ball and make some Pixel predictions.

If the OnePlus 9T actually exists, here's what I want to see from it
By Alex Dobie published
A successor to the OnePlus 8T could be unlikely, but that doesn't mean OnePlus won't launch another high-end phone before the year's out.

I installed Android 11 on a Samsung Galaxy S2, and it was better than I expected
By Alex Dobie published
A good idea? Debatable. A productive use of my time? Definitely not. But shoehorning a new version of Android onto an ancient phone was pretty fun.

The one big reason Google chose a 50MP sensor for the Pixel 6
By Alex Dobie published
A much-needed sensor upgrade will give the next Google smartphone shooter more data to feed on, which could be vital for the most advanced Pixel camera ever.

The OnePlus Nord 2 just proved that we don't need flagships anymore
By Alex Dobie published
When you can get everything you really need in a phone for a third of the price of a Galaxy S21 Ultra, have traditional flagships jumped the shark?

UK vaccine passport app produces broken QR codes on popular Android phones
By Alex Dobie last updated

From the Editor's Desk: Imagining Android 17 on the Pixel 6
By Alex Dobie published
Google's next phones might still be up-to-date and fully supported in October 2026, finally making them competitive with the iPhone's direct support lifespan. That's pretty wild.

OxygenOS 'merging' with ColorOS isn't as simple as you might think
By Alex Dobie published
What will the next generation of OnePlus software look like? Maybe a little different, but OnePlus doesn't think you'll notice.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag+ review: The best Android AirTag competitor, until Google builds one
By Alex Dobie published
You'll need to be living in Samsung's world to take full advantage of it, and own an expensive flagship Galaxy phone. But if that's you, the SmartTag+ is probably the best Android AirTag alternative.

160W and beyond: Your next phone might charge in 10 minutes
By Alex Dobie published
I've spent the past week with a smartphone that can charge, from dead, in just over ten minutes. Here's what that means for the phone you might be buying in one or two years time...

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6 review: The tablet for everything except Google
By Alex Dobie published

Is the new Oppo the end of the old OnePlus?
By Alex Dobie last updated
OnePlus is "merging" with Oppo ... but what does that mean for the brand, its phones, its OxygenOS software, and its fans?

Prime Day is always the best time to buy an unlocked smartphone — here's why
By Alex Dobie published
Unlocked phones aren't usually cheap, but whether you're going for flagship specs or big savings, Amazon Prime Day is your best shot at bagging on on the cheap.
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