Looking back at seven days of news and headlines in the world of Android, this week's Android roundup includes the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked phone, the launch of the Galaxy S24 family, the debut of Galaxy AI, the ASUS ROG Phone 8 review and exclusive Pixel 8 Pro updates. Redmi Note 13 offers and reveal and Galaxy Ring secret.
Android Arena is here to round up some of the many events that took place around Android this past week (and our weekly roundup of Apple news can be found here).
Galaxy Unboxing introduces three new Galaxy smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event dominated Android news this week. The most striking of them was the opening of the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 Ultra... The South Korean company offers three smartphones running the Android system:
"The Galaxy S24 series will transform the way we interact with the world and lead the next decade of mobile innovation," said TM Roh, president and head of Mobile Experience (MX) at Samsung Electronics. "Galaxy AI builds on our legacy of innovation and deep understanding of how people use their phones. We're excited to see how our users around the world are using Galaxy AI to enhance their everyday lives and unlock new possibilities.
(Samsung Press)
Speaking of Galaxy AI
While the Galaxy S phones are the most expensive consumer goods, most of the unboxing goes to Samsung's latest AI gadget, the Galaxy AI. Samsung's James Kita spoke to Forbes about the importance of AI for consumer devices:
"Ahead of the Galaxy S24 launch at Galaxy Unpacked, James Kita, VP and Head of MX at Samsung UK, spoke to me to outline the vision for Galaxy AI." In 2007, the smartphone market changed forever. In 2024, the AI phone and what we're selling as the Galaxy S24 will rewrite those rules.
A feature that many in the industry are considering and that all smartphone manufacturers should act on is the longer support period offered by Samsung. Following the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, the S24 family offers seven years of security updates and fixes:
"This is good news for all Android users, as other companies are following suit. After Samsung announced that it would extend software support for at least four years into 2022, OnePlus followed suit later that year. Days kudos to Android Phone updates are expensive It's Samsung's seven-year commitment and Google's commitment to hardware, security patches and system updates that have prompted Samsung to act - or fight back - but we've reached the end.
(Forbes)
Special offers on the Pixel 8 Pro phone
To make sure Samsung doesn't get caught up in the hype surrounding the S24 family's pre-order specials, Google is offering store credit to those who purchase the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro from the Google Store over the next few weeks.
"The company has launched a new promotion, offering a £125 ($158.59) Google Store gift card to anyone who buys a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro. The offer runs until February 2 and is only available to UK buyers. For US consumers: With a discount, Google announced the price of two of its flagship phones in January, it has done so twice since the company launched in October.
(Forbes)
The game phone is trying to find everyone.
ASUS' latest gaming phone has a unique side quest built into its design. Instead of focusing solely on gaming, the ROG Phone 8 has taken several steps to appeal to the general public. There will be slight compromises in the gameplay, but it will be interesting to see the strategy.
“…This move from a gamer-focused device to a more general device is a continuation of some good generations of ROG Phones. If this is what most people need to see at the top of the ROG phone family, then it's more than guaranteed. What's more, ROG Phone 8/8 Pro remains a gaming beast with excellent hardware and industry-leading software to deliver a superb gaming experience.
Xiaomi has released a new line of Redmi smartphones aimed at the low end of the market. At the top of the Note 13 range is the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G, which offers a good mid-range phone:
“Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G is the speaker and flagship of this new series. Its design features a class-leading IP68 rating and a fingerprint reader, powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra processor and a 5G OLED display. 6.67 inches at 120 Hz with a resolution of 1.5 inches. Resolution K' 2712 x 1220. Resolution and maximum brightness of 1800 nits.
(Trusted Reviews).
Finally...
At the end of the Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung announced the health-focused wearable Galaxy Ring... and said nothing about it as the stage curtain metaphorically closed. So what could it be?
"At this point, we can only speculate on the health-related aspects presented during the keynote," Wiggins said. The Samsung Health trial includes the ability to monitor sleep patterns to detect potential symptoms such as sleep apnea, changes in blood oxygen levels, and heart rate alerts.
(Zednet)
Every weekend, the Android Circle collects the latest news from the world of Android here at Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any future coverage, and of course read our sister column in the Apple Loop! Last week's Android Arena is here, contact us if you have news and links you'd like to see on Android Arena.
