Looking back on seven days of news and headlines across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit includes Samsung’s Galaxy S23 upgrade, how Samsung could benefit from Apple’s woes, Pixel 7 vs. Galaxy S22, Honor Magic Vs Launch, Qualcomm Snapdragon 782 Introduced, Google App Showcases The Rail And Explains Why Samsung Is Leading The Android Tablet Race.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of some of the many things that happened around Android in the past week (and you can find Apple’s weekly news digest here).
Galaxy S23 fingerprint upgrade
More details about Samsung’s Galaxy S23 family have been released this week, and the increased security offered by Qualcomm’s latest technology is set to debut in handsets when they launch in February 2023:
“The Galaxy S23 is rumored to feature Qualcomm’s third-generation ultrasonic fingerprint reader. However, we don’t know if it’s the same 3D Sonic Max sensor that Qualcomm launched earlier this year or a completely different fingerprint scanner. If it’s the 3D Sonic Max, we’re in for a treat, because it’s the world’s largest and most advanced fingerprint scanner.”
(SamMobile).
Apple’s misfortunes could be Samsung’s victory
With continued disruptions at Foxconn’s Chinese factories affecting the supply of iPhone handsets for the holidays, analysts expect Samsung to be poised for additional sales as Christmas approaches. Not only that, but the South Korean company is crafting more offers during Black Friday to support the sales push:
“This situation with the iPhone supply chain could benefit Samsung during the 2022 holiday season. The company has already started offering deep discounts and trade-in offers on almost all of its popular products, including the Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, tablets, laptops and smart TVs, as part of its Black Friday sale.”
(SamMobile).
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
Comparing Google’s Pixel 7 to Samsung’s Galaxy S22
With Google’s Pixel launches taking place in October, there’s a lag with some of the competing handsets. The Galaxy S22 and Pixel 7 address the same retail space, but the Pixel 7 is six months younger. What difference does it make when you decide to review them?
“Both phones represent entry-level flagship phones, making them an apt comparison. Still, with an already somewhat outdated chipset and smaller screen, can the Galaxy S22 hold a candle to the new Pixel 7? Now that I’ve spent some time with Google’s latest flagship, I can tell you how both phones perform in the real world.”
(Android Center).
Honor Magic Vs Global Overview
Honor continues its “dual flagship” approach with the announcement of the Magic Vs this week, which will accompany the Honor Magic4 Pro. The company’s second foldable smartphone is an iterative update to the Magic V. The latter was only available in China, but the V will launch in China before a global variant launches in early 2023.
“…the biggest difference is the focus on reliability, with Honor talking about its new gearless hinge, reducing the complexity of the mechanism inside. The company says the handset will withstand up to 400,000 bends despite the piece count dropping from 92 (in the Magic V) to 4 in the VS Unfortunately there is no word on water and ingress protection which means it may still be behind the competition in trapping dirt where it shouldn’t.”
(Engadget).
Qualcomm Snapdragon 782 launched
Qualcomm has launched a new chipset, targeting the mid-range ‘flagship’ market with the SnapDragon 782. It offers an iterative update to the 782G, but falls just short of the 7 Gen 1-range handsets. ‘next year :
“After announcing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 at the Snapdragon Summit earlier this month, Qualcomm has quietly launched a new midrange chipset. The new Snapdragon 7 series SoC succeeds last year’s Snapdragon 778G Plus and brings minor performance improvements. The new Snapdragon 782G doesn’t follow Qualcomm’s updated branding, likely because it doesn’t feature the same improvements as the higher-end Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.”
(XDA Developers).
OnePlus forever
Throughout November, OnePlus has been challenging people to find the “black boxes” it’s been hiding around the world. The digital treasure hunt (you have to find the place, not go there) has of course offers around OnePlus products, but there is a golden box to find… and which contains rather a lot of things:
“Today, OnePlus is announcing the grand prize for its Operation Black Box treasure hunt, as part of its Black Friday campaign. After four weeks of great prizes for lucky users across Europe, the biggest surprise yet. day is the final price: Box” containing a lifetime supply of OnePlus flagship phones. The lucky user who wins the Golden Box will receive a OnePlus 10 Pro 5G, and from 2023, a flagship device on OnePlus.com once a year – forever.”
(OnePlus).
Here is the Android tablet rail
Following the release of Android 12L and its improved tablet app support, Google is working on a number of UI changes in the Google app that go beyond the 12L changes to Material You, probably to guide other app developers with a practical example:
“However, it is not a Material You (MD3) element because the icons for Discover, Search and Collections do not use a pill-shaped indicator, which is also the case for Google TV today. Your current tab is simply highlighted in blue instead of gray, and the three elements are positioned roughly where you would put your thumb instead of exactly top, bottom, or even aligned in the center.
(9to5Google).
And finally…
With Google’s focus on larger screen devices, the Android tablet market has huge potential for growth. Currently, Samsung is the leading manufacturer, but will others join in and create a tablet renaissance?
“Samsung’s continued commitment to the form factor is the main reason the Korean giant maintains its hold on the market. There’s also the fact that the only Android tablets worth buying are made by Samsung. From rugged design and build quality to exceptional specs and unparalleled software support, no other Android tablet manufacturer comes close.”
(SamMobile).
Android Circuit rounds up 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, let us know!
