Wirefly

Google is rolling out a new Android safety feature meant to help people avoid one of the more unsettling types of phone scams: calls that appear to come from someone they know. Instead of focusing on unknown spam numbers, this one targets calls that look like they’re coming from a saved contact but may actually be a scammer spoofing that number. According to Google, the new “fake call detection” feature works when both people are using Phone by Google.

If you’re shopping for a new Samsung phone and don’t want to spend flagship money, the Galaxy A37 5G just got a wider rollout through T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. Samsung’s new A-series device is being positioned as a practical choice for people who want a bigger screen, better photos in darker settings, and battery life that can keep up with daily use. As reported by T-Mobile, postpaid customers can get the Galaxy A37 5G free with a new line, or save up to $300 with a trade-in on most plans.

Some T-Mobile customers are reporting an odd problem: they are getting trade-in confirmation emails for phones they do not recognize. In several cases, the messages appear to reference devices that were never tied to the recipient’s account at all. As reported by The Mobile Report, the emails are legitimate T-Mobile notifications and are being sent from the company’s usual no-reply address.

One of the frustrations of owning a smartphone is knowing that a single mishap (a drop from your pocket, a stolen phone, or a system malfunction) can cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs or replacement. Now, Total Wireless is trying to ease that stress with a new protective plan that covers the kinds of real-world problems people actually face with their devices.

Verizon is losing customers, and the company's new CEO might be looking at the wrong problem. Despite aggressive "bring us your bill and we'll beat it" campaigns, longtime users say money isn't what's driving them away—it's the network itself. A longtime customer who recently jumped to T-Mobile shared on Reddit that Verizon sent them a win-back offer, but the issue wasn't pricing—it was unreliable 5G service that constantly disappointed them, according to PhoneArena.

Traveling abroad this holiday season doesn't have to mean dealing with expensive roaming fees or hunting down local SIM cards at the airport. Nomad eSIM is rolling out a Christmas Bundle promotion that's particularly useful for families and frequent travelers looking to save on international data. According to PhoneArena, the new offer allows customers to purchase large data packages at discounted rates and divide them across multiple eSIM codes.

AT&T customers woke up to higher bills this month, with multiple price increases taking effect December 1st. The carrier raised its Administrative & Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee from $3.49 to $3.99 per line: a 50-cent monthly bump that adds up to $6 more per year for each line. Internet customers are also feeling the pinch, with AT&T Fiber and AT&T Internet plans going up by $5 per month.

AT&T has taken T-Mobile to court over its new carrier-switching tool, claiming the feature illegally breaks into its systems and steals customer information. The lawsuit targets T-Mobile's "Switching Made Easy" feature in the T-Life app, which promises to help AT&T and Verizon customers jump ship in just 15 minutes. According to PhoneArena, AT&T filed the lawsuit on November 20, the same day T-Mobile launched the controversial tool.

T-Mobile shoppers looking to finance a new tablet or smartwatch will now be spreading those payments over three years instead of two. The carrier quietly rolled out 36-month payment plans for wearables and tablets this past weekend, ending its longtime practice of offering shorter financing options than its competitors. According to The Mobile Report, every smartwatch and tablet currently available on T-Mobile's website now comes with a 36-month installment option.

Samsung just unveiled something pretty wild: a phone that folds in three sections and opens up into a 10-inch tablet. The Galaxy Z TriFold basically gives you a regular smartphone when closed and a full tablet experience when opened, all in one device. According to Samsung Mobile Press, when folded up, it looks like a normal phone with a 6.5-inch screen that's about half an inch thick.