Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes updates from Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked, the launch of the Galaxy S24 family, Galaxy AI debuts, ASUS ROG Phone 8 review, Pixel 8 Pro special offers, Redmi Note 13 revealed, and the mystery of the Galaxy Ring.
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).
Galaxy Unpacked reveals three new Galaxy smartphones
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event dominates this week’s Android news. The most visible part of this was the unveiling of the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra handsets… three Android-powered smartphones the South Korean company is proud of:
“The Galaxy S24 series transforms our connection to the world and drives the next decade of cellular innovation,” said TM Roh, president and chief business officer, mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy AI builds on our legacy of innovation and deep understanding of how other people use their phones. We’re excited to see how our users around the world are powering their lives with Galaxy AI to open up new possibilities. “
(Samsung Press).
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked launch (Photo by Andrej Sokolow/Alliance photo Getty Images)
Talking about Galaxy AI
While Galaxy S phones are the ultimate product for customers, much of Unpacked has committed to Samsung’s new suite of synthetic intelligence tools, Galaxy AI. Samsung’s James Kitto spoke to Forbes about the importance of AI for customers’ devices:
“Ahead of the Galaxy S24 launch at Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung UK’s vice president and head of MX, James Kitto, sat down with me to sketch out the vision of Galaxy AI. “Back in 2007, the smartphone market changed forever. In 2024, the AI phone, and what we’re bringing to market with the Galaxy S24, is going to rewrite those rules once again.””
(Forbes).
Galaxy Software Updates Will Benefit Everyone
One feature that many in the industry have been waiting for, and that all smartphone brands will have to respond to, is the long-term window that will be offered through Samsung. After the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the S24 family will offer seven years of updates and security patches:
“This is good news for all Android users, as more corporations will follow suit. After Samsung announced in 2022 that it would extend its software outlet to at least 4 years, OnePlus followed this policy later that year. Gone are the days of promising an Android update on a beloved phone. Google’s promise of seven years’ worth of spare parts, security patches, and updates to Google’s operating formula was risked for Samsung to act or react, but we got there nonetheless.
(Forbes).
Pixel Pro Special Offers
To make sure Samsung doesn’t get all the exposure on the S24 family pre-order specials, Google is providing store credits to those who buy a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro from the Google Store over the next few weeks:
“The has company launched a new promotion that gives everyone who buys a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro a £125 ($158.59) Google store gift card. The promotion runs until February 2nd and it’s only available to U.K. buyers. For U.S. shoppers, Google has slashed prices of its two flagships phones for January, which the company has done a couple of times since the handsets launched in October.”
(Forbes).
The Gaming Phone Trying To Reach Everybody
The latest gaming phone from ASUS has a special looking mission built into its design. Instead of focusing solely on gaming, the ROG Phone 8 has included a few tricks to appeal to the mainstream flagship market. There will be some small compromises in the gameplay experience, but it will be appealing to follow the strategy as it develops.
« . . . this shift from a purely gamer-centric device to one with more general appeal has been an ongoing process over several generations of ROG phones. If that’s what it takes to get more people to know about the perfect ROG family of phones, then it’s more than justified. What’s more, at its core, the ROG Phone 8/8 Pro is still a gaming beast with the right hardware and arguably industry-leading software to ensure the most productive gaming experience possible. “
(GSM-Arena).
The Redmi Series Step
Xiaomi has announced a new lineup of Redmi smartphones aimed at the lower segments of the market. At the top of the Note 13 lineup is the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G, which offers a well-balanced mid-range phone:
“The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G is an overall bite and the flagship of this new series. Its design has a flagship IP68 rating and an in-display fingerprint reader, while it is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra processor and features a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra processor. A 6. 67-inch OLED at 120Hz with a crisp “1. 5K” solution of 2712 x 1220 and a peak brightness of 1800 nits.
(Trusted Reviews).
And finally. . .
Right at the end of the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung announced the health-focused Galaxy Ring wearable. . . Then he said almost nothing about it as the curtains metaphorically closed. So what can it be?
“At this point, we can only make assumptions based on the fitness characteristics presented in the keynote address. According to Dr. Wiggins, Samsung Health’s expertise will include the ability to monitor potential symptoms of sleep apnea by tracking sleep patterns, adjusting for blood oxygen and keeping the central rhythm awake to sleep. “
(ZDNet).
Android Circuit brings global Android combo news every weekend here at Forbes. Don’t limit yourself to me so you don’t miss any policies in the future, and of course, read the sister column on Apple Loop!Last week’s Android Circuit can be discovered here, and if you have any news or links you’d like to see featured on Android Circuit, get in touch!