Mobile

Smartphone cameras have become one of the main ways everyday people capture photos and document life, and even professional photographers may use phones to shoot paid work. PetaPixel covers the latest news and information on how smartphones are transforming the way photographs are made.
Colorful fireworks burst over a harbor at night, illuminating boats on the water and buildings along the shore. The sky is filled with pink and purple lights reflecting on the calm surface below.

How to Capture Fantastic Fireworks Photos With Your Smartphone

While many photographers will venture out to their local Fourth of July fireworks shows armed with a dedicated camera kit, what if you only have your smartphone on hand? It's still possible to get great shots as Google Senior Product Manager Alex King and Pixel Camera Senior Product Manager Michael Specht explain.

Three iPads are displayed side by side, each showing different apps: the home screen, a multitasking split view with documents and a photo, and a file management screen. An Apple Pencil rests on top of the center iPad.

The iPad Is About to Become a Much Better Video Editor

When iPadOS 26 arrives later this year, it will transform the iPad into a much more powerful device for professionals, whether they're photographers or videographers. While PetaPixel has already reported on iPadOS 26, it is worth taking a closer look at one fascinating feature that may have flown under the radar: background tasks.

A close-up of a phone displaying the TikTok logo in white on a dark background. In the blurred background, there is an indistinct image of a person wearing a suit and red tie.

Trump Gives TikTok Yet Another Lifeline

As expected, President Donald Trump will extend TikTok's sale deadline for the third time, giving the popular social media app yet another lengthy reprieve to comply with the law.

A smartphone mounted on a tripod is taking a black-and-white photo of a street scene. Camera settings are visible on the screen. The "PetaPixel Reviews" logo is overlaid on the bottom right corner.

Leica LUX Re-Review: A Year of Progression, But Still a Few Stops Short

When I first reviewed Leica LUX, I approached it with a blend of cautious optimism and healthy skepticism. Leica’s decision to enter the mobile photography app space was bold, considering both the reverence surrounding the Leica name and the saturated, high-standard world of iPhone photography apps -- where names like Halide, Obscura, and ProCamera dominate. At launch, Leica LUX showed promise but also left a lot to be desired. Now, nearly a year later, it’s time to revisit it. Spoiler alert: there's been meaningful progress -- but also stubborn blind spots that Leica needs to address if LUX wants to compete at the top tier.

Side-by-side images: on the left, a vintage-style camera on a stone surface; on the right, a hand uses a smartphone to browse a photo gallery, with a camera and coffee cup nearby.

Fujifilm X half Companion App: What It Does and Why You Need It

While the Fujifilm X half camera is not expected to arrive for 10 or so days, its companion app has arrived on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Now is as good a time as any to break down what the companion is, what it does, and why all X half owners should absolutely use it. The app is a vital part of the overall X half experience.

A person in a red outfit and white sneakers sits on a large vinyl record against a bright blue sky, surrounded by colorful flowers. A “Layers” menu appears on the left with options: Flowers, Portrait, Vinyl, and Landscape.

Adobe Photoshop Is Now Available on Android

Just a few months after Adobe brought Photoshop to mobile on iPhone, the company is launching its flagship image editing app to Android users as well via a public beta available now on the Google Play store.