In this week’s top stories: Wireless Android Auto is coming to all Android 11 phones, new Google Pixel 5 is leaking, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is being tested, and more.
While we continue with the launch of Android 11, which has already seen three beta releases, Google still seems to have a few surprises coming up. This week, we learned from a support page update that Android 11 will bring the ability to turn Android Auto wireless project into compatible, WiFi-enabled cars / stereos.
Pretty clear, that means any Android phone has the likes of LG, Motorola, Samsung, Nokia, etc. It will be released on or updated to Android 11, will be able to enjoy wireless connection with Android Auto. Interesting is that soene also means that Android One – though not Android Go – can use Android Auto phones wirelessly when their Android 11 update arrives.
In Made by Google News, we got our best preview yet of the upcoming Pixel 5 from trusted leaker OnLeaks. In the new Pixel 5 rendering and 360 video, we see a design that takes the holepunch view seen in the Pixel 4a combined with the brushed metal look and feel seen in Google’s official teaser .
The design feels like a combination of the recently released Pixel 4a and the Pixel 4, and takes the best of both designs and merges them into one device. So what can we pick up from these Pixel 5 renders that we do not already know? Well, in all honesty, nothing really big, because Google even revealed some design bits at the unveiling of the Pixel 4a a few weeks ago.
On the Samsung side of things, our very own Ben Schoon took time to really get to know and learn the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, for whom it was made and more importantly for who it is no way made for.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is a really great phone. Most likely, it’s Samsung’s best phone. With a $ 1,300 price tag, it’s not a completely crazy question either – although, let’s really be true, few phones are actually worth more than $ 1,000.
However, this is just not the time for a phone that is expensive to hit the market, and the evidence is everywhere.
Elsewhere in Samsung News, the Korean electronics giant has massively expanded the number of devices in its Android portfolio, guaranteeing a minimum of three updates for Android versions. Where this was once exclusive to its S-Series and Note-Series flagships, its range of Tab S tablets and A-Series affordable phones will now have an extended renewal period.
Samsung’s post is also pretty telling about how this applies going forward. The Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Z and Galaxy Tab S lineups will see this policy as the default for all advancing devices. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A lineup will only show the policy on selected devices.
Finally, Android TV took an unfortunate turn this week, as Google began rolling out home screen ads – officially “movie highlights” – for everyone except Nvidia Shield TV owners. Fortunately, you can still disable these Android TV ads in advance, and our team has explained how to do this.
So, what do these home screen ads consist of? When you launch your Android TV, you’ll see a new row at the top of the home screen sponsored by content as a “Google Play Staff Pick.” There is no audio or video auto-play and your app range is still highlighted, but the new ads take up a large portion of your screen […]
The rest of this week’s top stories follow:
Android |
Apps and updates |
Made by Google |
OnePlus |
Wearables |
Videos |
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