Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Pro disappointment, Pixel 10 Pro Fold secrets, Pixel Watch 4 repairs, Motorola Edge 70 details and goodbye to your USB-C cable.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes.
The Hinge That Makes The Pixel 10 Pro Fold
As the Pixel 10 Pro Fold goes on sale, the proud engineering team has taken to their blog to discuss one of the critical aspects of the Pixel Fold. How have they improved the hinge, what did it contribute to the overall design, and why is this approach better for consumers?
“The team was interested in this new design because gears can cause issues over time for a hinge: They can be damaged and dust can get stuck between them over time, degrading the basic opening and closing experience that is critical on a foldable. A gearless hinge is more reliable — it will continue to work flawlessly over time.”
Repairing The Pixel Watch 4
Also released this week is the Pixel Watch 4. Naturally, it comes with Google Gemini and a bundle of AI applications. Many have picked out the two-day battery life, brighter screen, and its SOS messaging capability. But there’s one advantage over the competition that may help in the long term. According to the teardown team at iFixit, the Pixel Watch 4 is one of the most repairable smartwatches on the market.
“…the display follows the screw-and-gasket philosophy. Instead of adhesive, Google uses a replaceable O-ring gasket, just like a traditional dive watch. That design keeps an IP68 water resistance rating without sacrificing access.
“And the battery itself is a dream. Two screws and one connector later, it’s free. No adhesive to fuss with. The 1.747 Wh cell is a noticeable upgrade from the Pixel Watch 2’s 1.184 Wh pack, and you can replace it in minutes with basic tools.”
Samsung’s Disappointing Galaxy S26 Pro News
The Samsung community has always paid close attention to the chipset choice on the Galaxy S handsets, with the South Korean company switching between Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and its homegrown Exynos. The latter offers a touch more battery life and presumably a saving for Samsung. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon offers more raw performance and more compatibility across the Android space.
Naturally, the community mostly prefers Snapdragon, so news from Sammobile’s Abid Shaik that next year’s Galaxy S26 Pro will ship with the Exynos 2600 is a bit of a disappointment.
Finding The Find X9 Pro Details
Oppo Product Manager Zhou Yibao has been teasing the Oppo Find X9 and Find X9 Pro over the last few weeks ahead of their release. The company has now posted several images and videos of the upcoming flagship.
GSM Arena picks out the Oppo Find X9 highlights, including the camera specifications; “There are some interesting details, e.g. the telephoto camera will use the 200MP ISOCELL HP5 sensor that was announced earlier this week. This will be the only telephoto camera on this year’s Pro (the X8 Pro had two: 73mm and 135mm).”
The launch is expected on Oct. 15.
Living For The Edge
Details on Motorola’s upcoming Edge 70 have been confirmed by the company. As the name suggests, the Edge will be the next phone to chase the fashionably minimal trends of 2025. The global launch date is the first piece of information — November 5 — and more will be published each week in the run to the start of the month.
And Finally…
Are you ready to say goodbye to your new USB-C cable? Following the phasing out of headphones and chargers in retail packaging, will the USB-C cable be the next accessory that will no longer be in the box? Taylor Kearns discusses if the Android OEM will follow Apple’s cost-cutting measure and rely on you having a cable lying around at home next to your existing charger?
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!
