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August 29: The success of the Galaxy Note 20 pre-order was noted; Post originally published Aug 28:
Taking a look at seven days of Android news and headlines around the world, this week’s Android Circuit features Samsung’s killer Note 20, a new Galaxy S20, the latest Sony Xperia details, Android 11 removes features from the camera, new OnePlus smartphone leaks, Fairphone 3 + launch, and why a good Android tablet is hard to find.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of some of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find Apple’s weekly news roundup here).
Samsung removes Key Galaxy Note 20 Advantage
Now that every flagship phone is a phablet, the big draw to Samsung’s Galaxy Note series is the support for the S-Pen, both in software support and the ability to carry the stylus inside the phone. The knock-on effect of that could be that the Note series is overtaken by the Z Fold as a commercial offering. Adnan Farooqui reports:
“If this information is accurate, it would mean that the Galaxy Note 20 is the latest version of this iconic series. Samsung might feel that removing it is a great way to secure a significant market share for the Galaxy Z Fold series. An S Pen with the foldable could be enough to entice Galaxy Note loyalists to switch. Samsung’s margins on Galaxy Z Fold phones may also be enough to allow it to strike a balance between the number of units shipped and the amount of revenue generated compared to a Galaxy Note device “.
More on Sam Mobile.
People walk past an advertisement for the Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphone in a showroom in Seoul on … [+]
Pre-order Healthy Note 20 in the UK
Added on August 29: This doesn’t have an immediate impact on the Galaxy Note 20. UK pre-orders for the phablet have seen an increase of almost fifty percent since they opened after launching in August at the Samsung Unpacked event. From Samsung’s press release:
“Following the launch of the Note20 series this month, Samsung has registered a record number of pre-orders in the UK for the Note family of devices, an increase of 49% compared to the Galaxy Note10 range. Across the entire Galaxy Note20 series, the impressive Mystic Bronze color variant has proven to be the most in-demand among customers, accounting for nearly half (46%) of sales. “
Will this loyal customer base be happy with a ‘looks like a note, acts like a note, not called a note’ if Samsung goes ahead with the Galaxy S plan?
Samsung just rocked the Galaxy S20 world
Let’s face it, Samsung has a lot of Galaxy models when you look at the premium S and Note ranges. But the S20 bed may not launch until October this year. With higher specs and a lower price than the S20, is the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition the best value Galaxy in 2020? Gordon Kelly of Forbes reports:
“It has the same sleek design and premium Snapdragon 865 chipset, 5G support and up to 8GB of RAM. But it also has a 0.2-inch larger screen than the Galaxy S20 at 6.4 inches, and unlike the Note 20, its screen supports fast 120Hz refresh rates. It also comes with up to 512GB of internal storage, more than both.
“The camera system is excellent too. The Galaxy S20 FE has the same triple camera setup as the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 (phones that possibly take better photos than the faulty S20 Ultra). Meanwhile, PriceBaba claims that the Galaxy S20 FE have a 32MP front camera, which represents a big jump in resolution from the 10MP module in the S20 and Note 20. “
Read more here on Forbes.
Here comes the next Xperia
Sony’s next Android smartphone, the Xperia 5 II, is expected to launch on September 17. It’s looking to challenge established flagship devices, and the latest specs have been leaked. Alexander Maxham has the details:
“The Xperia 5 II will sport a 6.1-inch Full HD + HDR OLED screen. Complete with a 21: 9 aspect ratio as Sony continues its CinemaWide marketing for its smartphones. And it also has a 120Hz refresh rate. , with 240Hz touch scanning That means Sony is the latest to join the 120Hz club.
“… Under the hood, the Xperia 5 II is running the Snapdragon 865 chipset (in particular, not the Snapdragon 865 Plus), 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Sony maintains the micro SD card slot here, allowing users to expand storage. “
More in Android headlines.
Android 11 restricts the camera
Google will remove the option for apps to use third-party camera apps on Android 11. Today, when an app requests a camera, it presents the “app launcher” of the built-in camera app or any installed camera app. This restriction is only for calling apps or the camera, third-party camera apps can still be used directly. Paul Monckton reports on the thinking behind the election:
“The new restriction exists to prevent applications from taking your location without permission. Even if an app has been denied access to your location data, it is still possible to bypass this restriction when using third-party camera apps.
“The problem arises because camera apps often embed location data in their image files, and without the new restriction, there is no way to prevent this information from being returned to the calling app along with the photo.”
Read more here on Forbes,
New leak reveals latest OnePlus
A fourth OnePlus phone appears this year? Following the launch of the mid-range OnePlus Nord in July, the Shenzhen-based company is working on a phone aimed at the lower end of the market … essentially a OnePlus Nord Lite (which itself feels like a OnePlus 8 Lite, so it’s a OnePlus 8 Lite Lite?). Holly Brockwell reports:
“Known internally as ‘Clover’, the OnePlus Nord Lite will sell for ‘around $ 200’ in the US … which is pretty cheap for any phone, regardless of one that will supposedly have a huge 6,000 mAh battery. (Most phones are around 3,000 on average, though flagships are, of course, taller.)
“While you shouldn’t expect a lot of other mind-blowing specs for that price, the leak suggests that the phone will still be surprisingly good for the cost. It will apparently run on the Snapdragon 460 chipset (the existing Nord runs on the Snapdragon 765G) and will include 4GB. of RAM with 64 GB of storage “.
More on Gizmodo.
FairPhone launches new replacement phones and cameras
Dutch smartphone maker Fairphone has announced the Fairphone 3+, with an increase in camera specs over last year’s Fairphone 3. The commitment to sourcing recycled materials, responsibly sourced raw materials, and better worker representation remains. From the press release:
“The update upgrades the rear camera from 12 megapixels to 48 megapixels, and the front camera from 8 megapixels to 16 megapixels, giving users sharper selfies and clearer video calls. The cameras also feature improved object tracking, focus faster automatic and image stabilization for greater reliability In addition, software optimization provides an exceptional user experience. In addition to technical improvements, the Fairphone 3+ contains 40% recycled plastic, the equivalent of a plastic bottle of 33 cl, which is a much higher percentage than the Fairphone 3 (9%) “.
And for those with the Fairphone 3, you can pick up the new camera modules, unscrew some screws, and exchange the old modules for 70 euros. There is a lively discussion about the phone on Reddit.
And finally…
Are Android tablets up to the job? CNet’s Iyaz Akhtar thinks not. In his words, “Android tablets just don’t work.” The main cause is not only the user interface (although let’s be honest, that’s not great), but also the lack of operating system updates and long-term support.
“If you look at the competition from Apple or Microsoft tablets, you probably get updates for five years easily. Apple’s latest iPadOS 13 works on the iPad Air 2, a device that launched in October 2014. Then there’s Microsoft. It’s a company. famous for providing updates for years and years and years (sometimes to its own detriment.) While tablet apps on Windows tablets may not be as polished as iOS or Android apps, it has the ability to run full programs without compromise. And Microsoft has all of this multitasking in a science that uses a windows operating system. “
More on CNet.
Android Circuit summarizes the news from the Android world every weekend here at Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss out on any coverage in the future and of course read the sister column on Apple Loop! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have news and links you would like to see on Android Circuit, get in touch!
