Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy Unpacked, the new Z Fold8, Z Fold8 Ultra and Z Flip8, Galaxy Watch9 features, one final OnePlus tablet, Qualcomm’s flagship killer chipset, EU fines Google Play store, and Switch To Android arrives.
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.
Galaxy Unpacked and the New Foldable Generation
This week’s biggest news is Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event. The keystone summer event was built around three new foldable smartphones: the smaller form factor of the Galaxy Z Flip8, the book styled Gaalxy Z Fold8 Ultra, and the new ‘widescreen’ Z Fold8 with a tablet-sized inner screen and squarer outer cover.
“Samsung Electronics today unveiled the new Galaxy Z series, its most complete lineup yet, designed to expand foldables to a wider audience. The lineup introduces Galaxy Z Fold8, a fresh and exciting form factor that provides a new kind of foldable experience built around the way people explore, discover and immerse themselves in their favorite content.”
Galaxy AI is present across all three devices, with Samsung emphasising the proactive impact AI can have on the user experience.
“Galaxy AI now works across more apps and services, with experiences optimized for foldable form factors. By understanding what matters to each user and helping turn insights into action, Galaxy AI becomes more personal, proactive and useful throughout the day.”
One thing consumers will need to watch for is the Z Fold8. Those expecting this to be the follow-up to the Galaxy Z Fold7 form factor should actually be looking at the Z Fold8 Ultra, which packs in similar specs to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, albeit with Samsung’s improved hinge. The Galaxy Z Fold8 is Samsung’s first wide foldable. Forbes contributor Prakhar Khanna has taken a hands-on look at all three new folodables:
“While the wide-fold is my favorite of the lot, the phonemaker has added some much-needed experiential upgrades to the Fold 7 successor. It has a bigger battery, anti-reflective screen, and some crucial design refinements to make the phone easier to open. I went hands-on with all three models ahead of the launch, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the most polished foldable Samsung has ever made.”
Galaxy Unpacked’s Wearables Update
Also revealed at Unpacked were two new Galaxy Watches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Galaxy Watch9. PC Mag’s Andrew Gebhart takes a closer look at the wearable and its iterative updates, wondering if that’s all there is:
“Samsung is keeping the exterior watch hardware the same this year, and focusing on internal upgrades instead, giving the Watch 9 a new chip and more AI-powered tools that monitor your health and fitness. Even the battery capacity is only getting a small increase, so the new wellness features will need to do a lot of heavy lifting for the Watch 9 to feel like an upgrade.”
Galaxy Z Fold8 and Flip8’s Debuts Gemini Intelligence And Nano 4
Alongside the new Galaxy Z models, Google has launched Gemini Intelligence and Gemini Nano 4. These new AI-based tools are designed for the highest specifications of Android devices, with at least 12 GB of RAM, a system-on-chip that is a “qualified” chipset, and carry the “…with Gemini Intelligence” badge. From Google’s Developer Blog:
“Samsung’s new foldable devices come with Gemini Nano 4, our latest on-device model. Nano 4 provides support for over 140 languages, better multimodal understanding, and much more. Use ML Kit’s Prompt API with advanced features like structured output and thinking mode to build intelligent features on-device.”
One Final Tablet Hurrah From OnePlus?
OnePlus may be slowly retreating from key North American and European markets, yet its product pipeline still has some gems to come. The OnePlus Pad 4, with a 13.2-inch display and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite chipset, is one of the highest-specced tablets on the market. But OnePlus’s withdrawl leaves questions over peripheral and hardware support. NotebookCheck reports:
“This large tablet offers plenty of power, a long-lasting battery, a bright screen without PWM flicker, fast internet, quick charging, and—in theory—good accessories, though unfortunately those are hard to come by. The software is very intuitive and well-suited for multitasking and connectivity with other devices. The slim, well-crafted body is attractive to look at and pleasant to hold… We’re less pleased that OnePlus won’t commit to a specific support period for the software. So you can only hope that you will still be getting security updates in a few years.”
Is Qualcomm Planning A Flagship Killer Chipset?
Is Qualcomm preparing a fourth variant on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset? While the industry expects annual updates to the flagship smartphone silicon, there are signs that the Elite Gen 5 family may continue in production, offering similar performance to the base silicon at a lower price. This ‘one year back’ but still offering high-performance silicon is going to benefit manufacturers looking to make a so-called ‘flagship killer’ in late 2026 early 2027, especially if the price of memory and storage stays as high as it is. The team at NotebookCheck take a closer look at the available details:
“The timing lines up with what is happening on the pricing side of the industry. Component costs, RAM in particular, have been climbing, and that is expected to push up the price of Qualcomm’s next flagship silicon. Earlier leaks have pointed to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro costing upwards of $300, a steep jump that would weigh heavily on a phone’s overall bill of materials.”
EU Fines Google Play App Store
This week saw the European Commission fine Google for”self-preference” of its services in search and “restrictions on businesses” in the Google Play app store that prevented developers from highlighting alternative purchase options. Google has been working on new systems before the fine was announced, and their impact on compliance should become clear over the next year. Dan Milmo and Lisa O’Carroll report for The Guardian:
“Google has been fined €460m for the search-related breach and €430m for the app store violation. The commission has ordered the company to treat third-party services that appear in its search results in a “fair and non-discriminatory manner” and allow app developers to make offers outside Google’s app store.”
And Finally…
While it has debuted with the Samsung Z Fold8 and Google Pixel families, you can expect Google’s Switch to Android app to appear on more smartphones as Android 17 rolls out worldwide. That should help manufacturers bring consumers over from Apple to their own Android devices:
“With the upgraded method, you can easily bring over what matters most. This includes your photos, videos, contacts, messages, and calendar — plus, newly supported data, such as your Google Account, passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, and even your eSIM.”
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!
