Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features confirmed, a retro Z Flip5, confirmed Android 14 problems, OnePlus Open reviews, Android 14 in-depth, the top five manufacturers, and more…
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find the weekly Apple news digest here).
Samsung Documents Highlight New S-Pen For The Galaxy S24
With an earlier-than-expected launch date under discussion, parts of the Samsung Galaxy S24 system are showing up in regulatory filings worldwide. The latest confirms the return of the S-Pen , presumably for the Galaxy S24 Ultra:
“Paperwork lodged with Anatel lists a new Samsung S-Pen. The listed model number will look familiar to those waiting for the Galaxy S24 family—the pen is EJ-PS928 while the Galaxy S24 Ultra it is intended for is SM-S928. It’s worth noting that the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its S-Pen shared a similar model number, and the lettering patterns also match those in this recent filing.”
(Forbes).
Samsung Flips The Future
Acknowledging the 20th anniversary of its groundbreaking SGH-E700 smartphone, Samsung has released a limited edition Galaxy Z Flip5 Retro. It has all the engineering and features of the current Flip5, but with a little bit of nostalgia:
“The Galaxy Z Flip5 Retro skillfully implements various distinctive features of the SGH-E700, such as the combination of indigo blue and silver colours, a UX design reinterpretation of 2000s pixel graphics and an exclusive animation on the Flex Window that portrays a cityscape with a touch of nostalgia.”
(Samsung Newsroom).
Google Confirms Android 14 Pixel Problems
Owners of smartphones from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 families are reporting problems after updating their handsets to Android 14. Users with multiple profiles set up on their devices are having problems accessing all their device’s storage.
“We are aware of an issue occurring on some Pixel devices (Pixel 6 and later models) that have both received the Android 14 update and have multiple users (other than the primary user) set up. Multiple users include users, guests, restricted profiles, and child users. However, it does not include having more than one Google account within the primary user or work profiles.”
An update is in place to stop this happening to those just updating, and a fix for those affected is being worked on.
(Google via Forbes).
OnePlus Open Review
The OnePlus Open is the company’s first folding smartphone. The hardware hinge has been a standout feature, alongside the near-flagship specifications. But it’s the camera that lifts this foldable above the competition, as Ryan Haines explains in his review:
“The Open’s trio of Hasselblad-tuned sensors has no shortage of megapixels, and its zoom range of up to 120x is about as far as you can punch in on any phone, period. OnePlus chose Sony’s new LYTIA LYT-T808 sensor to star the show, a new name for the previously branded IMX sensors we often see on devices at this price point.”
(Android Authority).
Reviewing Android 14
Android 14 is now out of its testing phase and rolling out to manufacturers so they can update their mobile operating systems. What changes has Google made to Android for 2023? As Ron Amadeo takes an in-depth look at the operating system and what appears to be a thin year of updates; although this might be a reflection of previous years’ excitement and drive rather than a lack of ambition:
“Android engineering lead Dave Burke said recently that some features planned for Android 14 were instead rushed out the door in Android 13. He cited a desire to get big-screen features into the ecosystem quickly, even though they were originally meant for Android 14. So this tiny release isn’t necessarily a sign that mobile operating systems are mature and no more innovations or improvements will be made. It’s just an off year.”
Number Five Will Surprise You
Those of you keeping track of the big names in smartphones will know that the top list goes Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and Oppo. But who’s in fifth place? Step forward Transsion, which has quietly made its way into the top five worldwide market share thanks to its focus on emerging markets:
“The exact quarter Transsion entered the global top five differs depending on whose reports you trust the most. IDC and Omdia have Transsion overtaking Vivo in the second quarter of this year, while Canalys thinks it happened in the third quarter. But all three of them agree that it’s now a top five player behind traditional heavyweights Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and Oppo.”
(The Verge).
And Finally…
As part of the ongoing anti-trust trial against Google, several details are coming out about how the various parts of the company operate, including Android. This week saw CEO Sundar Pichai reveal that part of the revenue share with manufacturers comes with a caveat regarding security updates to their hardware:
“When pushed for more details, Pichai confirmed that some of the revenue share that these brands can get from Google are dependent on devices getting security updates. He added that “more effort goes into developing the next version, and updates are costly… so sometimes they make tradeoffs,” presumably referring to the tendency of some brands to less frequently push security updates to products.
(9to5Google).
Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you’d like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
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