Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked details, Galaxy Z Fold 5 confirmed, Pixel 8 Pro performance leaks, new features for Nothing, global smartphone production is down, ZenPhone 10 details, Google Wallet opens up to Digital ID, and Microsoft offers more Android file support.
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).
Flip And Fold For A Fifth Time
Samsung’s big summer event in the ‘Galaxy Unpacked’ series will take place on July 27th. Not has the date of July 27th been locked in, but the two key products have also been confirmed. Surprising nobody, they are the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
“The company’s next major launch event will happen in South Korea for the first time, and the company will unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at the event. Previously, Samsung has launched its flagship smartphones in Barcelona, Spain, or San Francisco/New York, USA, so a launch in its home country is something new this year.”
(SamMobile).
I Spy The Heart Of The Eight
Also on the ‘coming this summer’ front will be Google’s next Pixel devices. While the Mountain View based company has not confirmed dates, an appearance on the ever-reliable benchmarking tool Geekbench not only highlights the development, but also the new Tensor G3 chipset the two handset will be using:
“On Geekbench 5, Tensor G3 posted a 1,186 single-core score and a 3,809 multi-core showing. The Snapdragon scores were more promising with a single-core effort of 1,700 and a multi-core rating of 6,600. This would suggest that the Pixel 8’s performance will lag behind the next wave of Android devices, and by a significant amount. “
(T3).
What’s Next For Nothing?
Nothing Tech has teased the next version of Nothing OS, which is expected to ship in the second smartphone from the company, the Phone (2), later this year. Software Creative Director Mladen M. Hoyss spoke to XDA Developers’ Adam Conway on the concepts and aesthetics of the OS:
“Of course, the base of Android is well respected by Nothing, and it’s not that they want to go against it. Instead, it’s clear from my conversation with Hoyss that the team wants to uplift some of the best parts of Android and make them easier and more productive for end-users. He tells me they want to take from Android and figure out how to “build on top of that”, making a product that is “undoubtedly Nothing.””
Global Production Numbers
Trendforce’s latest report looks at the global smartphone production numbers; they are down 20 percent year on year, to 250 million units. That’s the lowest quarter since 2014. There are some winners in the pack though.
“Samsung observed a slight surge in Q1 production thanks to the launch of its Galaxy S23 series, reaching 61.5 million units—a 5.5% QoQ rise. However, TrendForce predicts a nearly 10% drop in Q2 production due to weakening demand for new models. Apple faced a substantial 27.5% QoQ drop in smartphone production in Q1, delivering a total of 53.3 million units. The new iPhone 14 series accounted for approximately 78% of this figure, an improvement from the same period last year. Nonetheless, as the company navigates the transition period between model launches, a projected decrease of 20% is expected in Q2.
(Trendford).
Zenphone 10 Virtual Launch Confirmed
Those looking for a ‘small phone’ with flagship specs will welcome the upcoming launch of the Zenphone 10. The virtual event takes place on June 29th where more features on the compact smartphone will be announced. We do know that there’s ni skimping in the chipset stakes, though:
” Inside its svelte form factor is a powerhouse, driven by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform, delivering blazing-fast performance and true gaming capabilities. Whether it’s multitasking or capturing the moment with stunning shots, Zenfone 10 rises to every challenge, providing users with a seamless and immersive experience.”.
(Asus).
This Is Who I Am
The latest addition to Google Wallet (at least for users in America) adds the long requested support for Digital IDs. Primarily for drivers licences (although other IDs are clearly supported). It does require support at a state level for drivers licences; which is now live in Maryland, with Arizona, Colorado and Georgia joining the program over the next few months:
“The road to digital driver’s license support has been a long one, with the “Identity Credential API” landing in Android 11 in 2020. Since then, it has technically been possible for states to make their own ID app. Now Google Wallet, Google’s re-re-reboot of its payment app, is providing a first-party way to store an ID on your phone. Some parts of the Identity Credential API landed in Google Play Services (Google’s version-agnostic brick of APIs), so Wallet supports digital IDs going back to Android 8.0, which covers about 90 percent of Android devices.”
(Ars Technica).
And Finally…
It’s the little things that help the quality of life, and Microsoft has added a useful one to its Android subsystem on Windows 11… you can now easily share your Windows folders with the Android environment, making file sharing practical and seamless:
“”We are pleased to announce that Windows Subsystem for Android can now share your Windows user folders, like Documents and Pictures, with the Subsystem, so scenarios like uploading a photo to a social media app or editing a video in a creative app work seamlessly. Folder sharing is enabled by default for preview users and can be toggled on and off in Windows Subsystem for Android Settings.”
(Microsoft GitHub via Windows Central).
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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