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DJI announces Mic Mini 2 with swappable color covers
Sorry, U.S. microphone lovers, you can't get one yet.
Apple Readies Photo-Editing Overhaul With New AI Tools in iOS 27
Apple Inc. is planning a major overhaul of the built-in photo-editing features for the iPhone, iPad and Mac, leaning heavily on artificial intelligence to better compete with Android devices.
iPhone Ultra Fold Leaks: The 7.8-Inch Display That Fits in Your Pocket
The iPhone Ultra Fold leaks. Features a 7.8-inch creaseless display, 4.5mm ultra-thin design, and an A20 chip. See the September 2026 specs.
This 20th Anniversary iPhone rumor is speculative but persuasive
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive famously prioritized sleek aesthetics over almost everything else, and there was widespread agreement that...
20th Anniversary iPhone's 'Liquid Glass' Display to Make Bezels Vanish
Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone will use a new type of curved screen technology that more effectively hides the display bezels from the user's line of sight for a purer viewing experience, claims a Chinese leaker. Apple is reportedly planning a radical redesign for the 20th-anniversary iPhone that could feature a display that curves around all four edges of the device.
Samsung pushing second April 2026 update to Galaxy S26 and S25
Samsung silently released the second April 2026 update for the Galaxy S26 and S25 phones in the US. Verizon has updated its software page, listing fresh new builds for the devices. Users of the Galaxy S26 and S25 series have already received one update in April 2026 but Samsung has one more to offer. Samsung […]
Samsung just dropped a second April update for your Galaxy phone
Samsung drops a surprise second April update for the Galaxy S25 and S26 lines, though there are no new features.
Microsoft asks iPhone users to reauthenticate after Outlook outage
After addressing a widespread outage that affected Outlook.com users worldwide on Monday, Microsoft has asked iPhone users to re-enter their credentials to regain access to their Outlook and Hotmail accounts via the default Mail app.
Google could soon say goodbye to current Gemini voices (APK teardown)
Like Gemini's current selection of voices? There's bad news as an Android Authority teardown has revealed that they'll be discontinued.
Here's your first look at Google's upcoming 'Proactive Assistance' feature for Gemini
Google is developing a new Proactive Assistance feature for Gemini to delivers timely, context-aware suggestions even before you ask.
Mécène Collection Unveiled Publicly for the First Time at Francophone Business Summit in Paris
Mécène banknote collection unveiled publicly for the first time at a Paris Francophone summit, highlighting shared economic and cultural heritag...
New One UI 8.5 Beta adds little value to your old Galaxy flagship
Is it time to bid farewell to the Galaxy S23?
OpenAI reportedly working on its own smartphone based around AI agents
Many have thrown around the idea that AI will replace the smartphone, but it seems even OpenAI disagrees as the...
Clicks Communicator Phone Gets Big Update on When It Launches
Back in January at CES, we got a first look at the Clicks Communicator, a phone from some of the biggest fans of Blackberry devices who wanted to bring back the idea of a device with a physical...
DJI Clears Out Mic 3 Wireless Microphone Bundle at Record Low With Charging Case Included, Ready for the Osmo Ecosystem
Add quality sound to your video content for less with this discounted DJI mic 3 bundle.
iPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra are coming this year, per report
A new report says Apple’s foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook Pro will be named ‘iPhone Ultra’ and ‘MacBook Ultra,’ respectively.
Apple Planning to Launch Two New 'Ultra' Products in the Next Year
Apple has decided to market two of its new products over the next year as "Ultra" devices, Macworld reports. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report claims that Apple's first foldable iPhone will be called the "iPhone Ultra". The device will become the highest end option in the lineup. The iPhone Ultra will not be considered part of the iPhone 18 iPhone lineup, despite arriving alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple’s Liquid Glass UI Wasn’t A Random Choice, But A Stepping Stone Towards Introducing The Most Advanced Display Design Ever
A tipster says that the Liquid Glass UI from Apple could help introduce a more advanced display design carrying the same name
Huawei Mate XT2 tipped to debut in October with these upgrades
It is said to offer camera hardware similar to the Mate X7. New details about the true successor to Huawei’s Mate XT Ultimate Edition tri-fold smartphone...
OpenAI could be making a phone with AI agents replacing apps
The phone could go in mass production in 2028, an analyst says.
Qualcomm surges on report of OpenAI tie-up for AI smartphone processors
Qualcomm shares jumped 13% in premarket trading on Monday after an analyst said OpenAI was working with the chip designer and Taiwan's MediaTek to develop smartphone processors.
Apple’s ‘Ultra’ roadmap confirmed: iPhone, MacBook, and more on the way
Macworld source reveals iPhone Ultra, MacBook Ultra coming soon.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Why Variable Aperture is the Upgrade We’ve Waited For
iPhone 18 Pro Max updates power and silicon with a 5,000–5,200 mAh battery and A20 Pro 2nm chip, extending runtime and reducing heat.
Qualcomm shares jump 9% premarket on report of OpenAI smartphone chip partnership
Investing.com-- Qualcomm shares jumped sharply in premarket Monday trading, extending gains after a strong move in the prior session, as fresh analyst commentary pointed to a potential long-term catalyst tied to OpenAI. The stock rose about 9.2% in premarket trading after TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said industry checks suggest OpenAI is working with Qualcomm and MediaTek to develop smartphone processors. Kuo is a highly prominent, Taiwan-based technology analyst renowned fo
Samsung phone flashlights melting plastic? Viral videos don't tell the full story
Yes, your Galaxy S26's flashlight can burn through plastic, but iPhones can do it too.
OpenAI Building A Custom Smartphone Processor With Qualcomm and MediaTek, Targeting 300-400 Million Annual Smartphone Shipments to Dethrone Apple’s iPhone
OpenAI's strategy upends Apple's business model, which is all about milking revenue from its ecosystem of services built on smartphone apps.
The foldable iPhone Ultra might have a problem on launch day
The foldable iPhone Ultra might not have the smoothest of launches.
iPhone 18 Pro Max Is Proof That Apple No Longer Believes Thicker Devices Are Aesthetically Unattractive, As Long As There Are Benefits
A thicker iPhone 18 Pro Max will bring various advantages to the table, as new details reveal the flagship’s dimensions and compared them to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
The President’s Unprotected Junior Advisers
The shooting at the correspondents’ dinner made clear who gets saved first.
The new iPhones have a problem turning back on after the battery runs out
Last night, my iPhone Air battery went to zero about 11 PM. I plugged in the USB-C charging cable within...
I finally stopped fighting with spotty hotel Wi-Fi thanks to this Netflix USB hack
No more fighting slow hotel internet
The First Look at 'Alien: Isolation 2' Calls You Back for More
You'll probably be scared to death in 'Alien: Isolation 2,' but at least there'll be payphones for you to stop and catch your breath.
Google Pixel ruined voice typing on every other phone for me, but the fix is in sight
Every time I use a Google Pixel phone, voice-to-text on every other Android phone is ruined for me, but this app fixes it.
SpeakOn's dictation device is a good idea marred by platform limitations
This $129 device uses MagSafe to stick on the back of an iPhone to power transcription across apps
A US company is suing to ban all of Samsung’s foldable phones
Samsung has been sued by a US company that claims patent infringement and wants a ban on its foldable phones.
5 Reasons I Chose Android Over iPhone As A Power User
As a power user, you want to go with Android because it offers more customization options, lets you install a custom ROM, and lets you adjust developer options.
Foldable iPhone Ultra confidential docs leak: 9.2mm design, Android-style selfie cameras, color options
Leaked schematics from a case manufacturer detail the possible dimensions of the upcoming iPhone Fold. The leak suggests a folded thickness of 9.23mm - notably thinner than previous 11mm rumors. The drawings outline a 167.59mm x 120.59mm footprint, a significant 13mm camera plateau, and Touch ID on the side.
Apple wanted to blow us away for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, now it’s not so sure
The iPhone 20 Pro sounded so good. Now Apple might be forced to abandon the plan entirely.
These UC Berkeley Students Are Leading the Fight Against Phones
They’re deleting their social media accounts and reducing their screen time. And they want you to join them.
14 Products Apple Is Saying Goodbye To In 2026
Apple trimmed its lineup again in 2026, cutting older iPhones, AirTags, and Macs. See what changed, support status, and what buyers should keep in mind.
How Tim Cook made bigger iPhones a hit for Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook led the charge to make iPhones bigger during his tenure, shifting from Steve Jobs' vision and adapting to market demands.
iOS 26.4.2: Apple Emergency iPhone Update Fixes Deleted Notification Bug
Apple has released a new iPhone update — that has taken many by surprise — to address a vulnerability that was recently exploited by the FBI.
Manitowoc letters to the editor on politics, county service, books
This week’s Herald Times Reporter letters cover politics, public imagery, county service and Little Free Libraries, plus how to submit a letter.
Even without social media, phones have a subtle, damaging effect on our mental health
Digital communication in its most basic forms can push us into an ‘always on’ state – and generate feelings of exclusion or rejection, says academic and author Devi Sridhar
New iPhone Ultra schematics leak, showing prior reports didn’t do it justice
The iPhone Ultra is apparently even sleeker than previous leaks had claimed.
iPhone 18 Pro Max design unit hands-on video shows 25% smaller Dynamic Island; variable aperture likely
Hands-on video of the iPhone 18 Pro Max dummy units reveal a 25% smaller Dynamic Island and a thicker camera array with larger lenses, hinting at the rumored variable aperture for the main 48MP camera. The iPhone 18 Pro Max appears boring next to iPhone Ultra/Fold, but this might be the biggest front upgrade for Apple's Pro iPhone since iPhone 14 Pro.
iPhone 18 Could Come With 12GB of RAM
Apple's standard iPhone 18 could feature 12GB of memory for the first time, according to analyst Dan Nystedt. In a new post on X, Nystedt said that the standard iPhone 18 will match the 12GB of RAM Apple gave the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max last September. It would mark the first time the entry-level iPhone model has shipped with that much memory. This rumor making the rounds again, add 12GB of RAM.
From The Sports Desk: Crossed signals
The NFL draft relies heavily on telephones, which can lead to some wild moments. Plus, NBA playoffs and Premier League soccer.
Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag
Apple's first foldable iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone Ultra," could be missing at least five key features present on the iPhone 18 Pro models despite its $2,000 price point. Recent images of dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson and Vadim Yuryev seem to reveal two previously undiscussed missing features of the iPhone Ultra: MagSafe and the Action Button.
Samsung may be bracing for first-ever annual loss in smartphone business
The AI-driven memory shortage is hitting Samsung's bottom line.
Samsung may be bracing for first-ever annual loss in smartphone business
The AI-driven memory shortage is hitting Samsung's bottom line.
iOS 26.5 will add new features to three popular iPhone apps
iOS 26.5 is coming soon with brand new features for users. Here are the new iOS 26.5 features coming to three popular iPhone apps.
iPhone 18 rumored to get at least one new Pro-tier upgrade
Apple’s base model iPhone 18 will reportedly come with at least one new Pro-tier upgrade when it launches: 12GB of RAM.
The Foldable iPhone Is Basically an iPad Mini That Folds in Half
Watching videos and playing games is going to be so much more immersive.
Leaker details next year’s ‘iPhone 20’ display features
Next year is rumored to bring a radical new 20th anniversary iPhone model. Here’s what the latest leaks say about the ‘iPhone 20’ display.
iPhone 18 Pro battery and charging: all expected changes
Here's everything rumors are saying about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's battery and charging so far.
20th Anniversary iPhone to Feature Custom 'Micro-Curved' OLED Panel
For its 20th-anniversary iPhone, Apple is tapping Samsung to produce a custom micro-curved OLED display that is brighter and thinner than existing panels, according to new supply chain information out of China. Apple is reportedly considering a radical redesign for the 20th-anniversary iPhone that could feature a completely bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device.
All the New Features the Massive iOS 26.4 Update Brings to Your iPhone
New emoji and video podcasts are just a couple features the update brings to your device.
iPhone Evolution: Massive Leaks Reveal Apple’s Plan Through 2028
Massive leaks reveal Apple's iPhone plan through 2028. From the iPhone Fold and "Liquid Glass" design to the 200MP camera & more.
What to know about citizen science and why public participation matters
Through community science programs, Bay Area residents can document plants and animals and contribute to scientific research just by using their phones.
What to know about citizen science and why public participation matters
Through community science programs, Bay Area residents can document plants and animals and contribute to scientific research just by using their phones.
Tim Cook admits his biggest mistake and proudest moment as Apple CEO
The outgoing Apple CEO shared his thoughts on his best moments and one major failure.
iOS 26.4.2: Apple Fixes iPhone Flaw Used By FBI To Read Deleted Messages
Apple has released a new iPhone update — that has taken many by surprise — to address a vulnerability that was recently exploited by the FBI.
Apple Invites for iPhone adds 7 new features, including an iMessage app
Apple Invites has its second new version in as many months, adding seven new features. One key highlight is an...
Trump calls King Charles a 'fantastic man' amid strained US-UK relations
In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump heaped praise on the British monarch amid strained US-UK relations and the upcoming royal state visit.
Great news, the Moto G Stylus is no longer teeming with bloatware
Long live the headphone jack.
iPhone Ultra Dummy Compared to iPad mini and iPhone 17 Pro Max
New images and video of an iPhone Ultra dummy reveal its display size, side buttons, and how it compares to the iPad mini.
iPhone 18 Pro Max may be thicker, iPhone Ultra dummy unit compared to iPad mini
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro Max due to increased...
Latest iPhone 18 Pro Max Dummies Suggest Thicker Camera Plateau, More Protruding Lenses
Apple is expected to bring several camera enhancements to the iPhone 18 Pro models this year, but there have been no fixed rumors suggesting these upgrades will require measurable, visible changes to the device's rear camera plateau. And yet a new series of dummies suggests exactly that. iPhone 17 Pro dummy (left) vs.
Here's How the iPhone Ultra Compares to Other Apple Devices
With dummy models of Apple's rumored foldable iPhone now circulating, YouTube channel Max Tech's Vadim Yuryev has shared images and video of the book-style form factor compared to existing Apple devices, giving us a better idea of what to expect when it launches later this year. The foldable iPhone's inner display is said to have a 4:3 aspect ratio like an iPad, and it will have an iPad mini-sized OLED display when it's opened up.
Galaxy S25 One UI 8.5 changelog leaks days before Stable rollout
Leaked changelog reveals One UI 8.5 stable update for the Galaxy S25 series will bring a noticeable visual refresh, leaning into cleaner layouts, blur effects, and more fluid elements that adapt naturally to how you use the phone daily. Galaxy AI takes center stage with smarter, more practical tools. From screening calls with Bixby to […]
Tim Cook Regrets Maps Flub, Sees Apple Watch as His Proudest Work
Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook, who plans to step down in a few months, cited the launch of Apple Maps on the iPhone in 2012 as his “first really big mistake” as the company’s boss.
Apple rolls out iOS 26.4.2 to fix a flaw that allowed the FBI to access push notifications
The latest iOS update patches a security flaw that made deleted push notification data accessible on some iPhones and iPads.
Apple fixes bug that cops used to extract deleted chat messages from iPhones
The iPhone and iPad bug allowed law enforcement using forensic tools to read messages that had long been deleted by the Signal app.
iOS 26.4.2 Patches Flaw That Let FBI Extract Deleted Signal Messages
The iOS 26.4.2, iPadOS 26.4.2, iOS 18.7.8, and iPadOS 18.7.8 updates that Apple released today address a security vulnerability that the FBI recently used to extract Signal message previews from an iPhone even after the app was deleted. A flaw with notification services allowed notifications that were supposed to be deleted to be retained on an iPhone or iPad. Apple says it fixed the logging issue with improved data redaction.
iOS 26.4.2 fixes bug that allowed deleted notifications to be retrieved
iOS 26.4.2 is available now for iPhone, with a key security fix that ensures deleted notifications can’t be retrieved or restored later.
Apple Releases iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 With Bug Fixes
Apple today released minor iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 software updates for the iPhone and iPad, respectively. The updates are available two weeks after Apple released iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings → General → Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the software updates contain unspecified bug fixes and security updates.
iPhone 18’s new specs might bring subtle regressions to cut costs
Rumors about the base iPhone 18 indicate it could regress in minor ways to be more like Apple’s budget ‘e’ model.
Control: Ultimate Edition is out for the iPhone and iPad
Control for iOS and Mac only costs $5 right now.
Leaker shares iPhone 18 Pro’s new camera feature, plus future upgrades
Four new camera upgrades are reportedly in development at Apple, at least one of which is coming with iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Leaker: Apple to Downgrade iPhone 18 in Two Ways
Following the emergence of a rumor that Apple is planning to downgrade the iPhone 18 to cut costs, further detail has emerged suggesting that display and chip specifications will see downgrades. Earlier this week, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the iPhone 18 features "certain manufacturing downgrades" that bring it more into line with the low-cost iPhone 18e model. The decision is said to be "a cost-cutting measure".
Samsung is increasingly worried about first-ever mobile division loss in RAM crisis, report
As AI continues to eat up the market’s RAM output, smartphones are in crisis as costs continue to skyrocket. A...
iPhone 18 Pro’s new color will be a mix of these three, says leaker
A Weibo leaker has offered a unique description of the iPhone 18 Pro color option that Apple is expected to market as its flagship.
Remedy releases Control on iPhone and iPad with touch controls, reworked gameplay systems, and ray tracing
Remedy Entertainment has released Control Ultimate Edition on iPhone and iPad with custom controls, reworked mechanics, and even ray tracing.
Anker's 'Thus' chip brings AI to its headphones and other products
Anker has announced its own chip that can give its small, wearable products AI capabilities that run locally on device.
iPhone 18 Pro to Kick Off Apple's Four-Part Camera Upgrade Plan
Apple is evaluating four camera upgrades for future iPhone models, with the first new feature scheduled for this year's iPhone 18 Pro models, according to a reputable Chinese leaker.
Your bad habits are destroying your charging cables
Charging cables are the most overlooked technology in your life, until they break and you're stuck with a dying phone. Here's how to take better care of them.
Prego Pivots From Budget-Tier Pasta Sauce to Small Microphones That Listen to Your Family’s Intimate Conversations
Prego, the pasta sauce brand, announced a new lid-shaped device designed to record and preserve family dinner conversations.
Four key takeaways from Apple’s change of leadership
Analysts say net boss John Ternus should diversify tech giant away from iPhones and raise its game in AI
More naps, higher risk? Research links daytime sleep to health warnings in aging adults
Excessive daytime napping may signal health decline in older adults and is linked to higher mortality risk, a Mass General Brigham study suggests.
I was happy with my Pixel camera until I tried the Oppo Find X9 Ultra [Gallery]
While there are a ton of different things I care about on my smartphone, the camera is a huge deciding...
Oppo announces the Find X9 Ultra with a 50MP 10x optical zoom telephoto camera
The Find X9 Ultra’s main camera is a 200-megapixel sensor. At 1/1.12 inches, Oppo says it’s the largest 200MP sensor in a phone yet, but the 10x optical zoom telephoto may be the star.
Pixel phones are seeing unusual battery drain after the latest update — and Google is looking into it
Google has acknowledged the issue and is investigating a fix.
iOS 26.5 Release Date: When To Expect Your iPhone Messaging Upgrade
Apple is working update iPhone messaging with some of the most drastic changes in years.
Oppo Find X9 Ultra debuts with dual 200MP cameras and 10x optical zoom
It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. After weeks of teasers, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra is now official. Oppo unveiled its latest cameraphone...
Pixel phones hit with battery drain issue, Google investigating
Following the rollout of the April 2026 update on Google Pixel phones, a widespread battery drain issue has hit, but...
The Hasselblad In Your Pocket: Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra Challenges The Galaxy S26 Ultra
The latest phone from Oppo includes dual 200MP Hasselblad cameras and a 10x optical telephoto lens. But it doesn’t come cheap.
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe