Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes the return of the Galaxy Note, Pixel 6 Pro pressure, the ethical Fairphone 4 is launched, Honor climbs to third place, everyone’s supply chain problems, the history of Nokia, and Microsoft’s Android advantage.
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).
The Note Is Dead, Long Live The Note
Fans of Samsung’s Galaxy Note were disappointed this year as the traditional August even revealed the new foldable smartphones, but the large screened former phablet was discontinued. Never fear, though, the latest renders of the Galaxy S22 Ultra are very reassuring to those still looking for a new Note.
"it has an S-Pen! Samsung killed the Note line this year to focus on foldable phones, but it apparently still can't let the idea of phone handwriting go. Samsung has shipped pen accessories for the S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3, but those required some kind of case for storage. This render shows the S22 Ultra with the telltale oval along the bottom edge, just like an old Note phone. Push it in and the pen will pop out."
(Ars Technica).
The Pressure On The Pixel
Will Google’s new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro handsets be adopted by the public in significant numbers to shift the market share of Mountain View’s mobile? If it’s going to do that, it needs to at the very least match, if not overhaul, Apple’s new iPhone family.
"But that'll only happen if Google goes all-out on its marketing campaign. Obsessive tech fans ate up Pixel 6 rumors and leaks for months, but it's unclear how much the general public cares about Pixels — except as a budget brand. Google needs to have its own "think different" commercial moment and push its flashy phone as the exciting alternative to Apple's boring-ass, incremental phone upgrade."
Fairphone 4 Launches
This week saw the launch of the latest Fairphone handset. Billed as an ethical and sustainable smartphone, with the SnapDragon 750G handset it addresses one of the main concerns of previous Fairphone handsets - no matter the social qualities of the phone it still needed the specifications. Well, it does now:
"If you want the checklist so you can line this up against the competition, it goes something like this. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G; a choice of 6 GB RAM / 128 GB of storage, or 8 GB / 256 GB; 3905 mAh fast charging battery; a 48 megapixel main camera backed up by a 48 megapixel ultra-wide angle and a 25 megapixel selfie camera; 5G connectivity, a 6.3 inch LCD screen, and a fingerprint reader embedded in the power button."
(Forbes).
Honour’s Bronze
Following its launch as an independent company away from Huawei, the brand has been building market share in China. This week it reached third place, behind just Vivo and Oppo.
"Counterpoint’s Tarun Pathak commented that Honor has successfully rebuilt its smartphone business after parting ways from Huawei. Honor was able to restore ties with component providers and leveraged its strong R&D expertise to recover its positions in China. The Honor 50 series is a big part of the brand’s revival in the midrange segment while the Magic3 lineup has been well received in the flagship segment."
(GSM Arena).
Supply Chain Problems For All
Counterpoint Research has taken a closer look at the global silicon chip shortage and the impact it is having on the smartphone marketplace. The company believes that overall growth will now be six percent, down from the original projection of nine percent.
"However, some smartphone OEMs and vendors are reporting they had only received 80% of their requested volumes on key components during Q2 2021, and the situation seems to be getting worse as we move through Q3 2021. Some smartphone makers are now saying they are only receiving 70% of their requests, creating multiple problems. Counterpoint Research believes 90% of the industry is affected and this will impact the second half forecast for 2021."
(Counterpoint Research via 9to5Mac).
Once Upon A Time In Finland
As HMD Global builds up its new range of Nokia branded smartphones, Adrian Potoroaca looks back at the stories, the hardware, the software, and the politics that lie behind the Nokia name. Settle in with a coffee, it’s a long but fun read:
"This article is an exploration of Nokia's history, from its humble beginning to becoming a dominant force in mobile technology and owning its own factories, down to a subdued presence in the approval process for a lineup of Android phones that carries only a hint of its former glory, a product line that sells moderately well thanks in no small part to a powerful nostalgia factor."
(Techspot)
And Finally...
Microsoft’s Surface event last week included the launch of the Android-powered Surface Duo, but this isn’t the only Android news. With Windows 11 arriving next week, tucked away in the launch event, is an update to the ‘Your Phone’ app that brings your phone and PC closer together.
“During this week’s Surface event, Microsoft announced the Surface Duo 2, the latest iteration of its dual-screen smartphone. While the device itself is packing some much-needed improvements – as we noted in our hands-on – Microsoft is also working to improve the experience for accessing your phone from your PC. This is done through the Your Phone app, and during the event we got a glimpse at a new UI for the app in Windows 11, which makes it more accessible."
Android Circuit rounds up the 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, get in touch!
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Android Circuit: Honor’s Growing Success, Galaxy Note Returns, Microsoft’s Android Advantage - Forbes
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