Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 specs, Galaxy A27 release, Oppo Pad Mini launched, more Magic V6 awards, a 14,000 mAh battery, Retroid Pocket Nova arrives, and the best apps on F-Droid.
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.
Critical Galaxy Z Flip8 Spec Uncovered
Ahead of an expected announcement in July, one of the key specification decisions around the Galaxy Z Flip8 has been revealed. Android Authority’s Hadlee Simons discusses the foldable’s chipset choice: Samsung is going with the community-favoured Snapdragon instead of the home-grown Exynos.
“We recently covered Samsung’s FCC filings for its upcoming foldable phones, and we even spotted signs that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Wide Fold could be equipped with a Snapdragon processor. We returned to the Galaxy Z Flip 8’s filing today for a closer look and discovered it will indeed use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. “
Samsung Galaxy A27 Price Impact
This week, Samsung released the Galaxy A27. The Galaxy A range may not carry flagship specs, but it represents a significant part of Samsung’s portfolio, reaching the mid-range market. The A27 release comes with two caveats. The first is that a few key specs have been downgraded from last year’s model, and the second is the price increase. Both are likely a result of the prevailing economic conditions in the consumer electronics world:
“Compared to last year’s phone, the A27 has lower resolution 12-megapixel selfie and 5-megapixel ultrawide cameras, worse IP64 waterproofing, and is very slightly thicker at 7.8mm. Other specs are simply unchanged, like the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, 5,000mAh battery, 6.7-inch 120Hz display, and 50-megapixel rear camera. There’s only one real upgrade to the phone, but it is a welcome one: a move from the Exynos 1380 to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset.”
Oppo Breaks Out The Pad Mini
Oppo’s latest tablet returns to a smaller form factor. The Oppo Pad Mini is built around a vibrant 8.8-inch OLED display. The team at NotebookCheck have put the mini through its paces:
“Tablet fans will currently find a super-lightweight metal unibody case with very narrow display bezels, paired with a bright OLED screen and extra-long battery life, only in the Pad Mini… The lack of a cellular modem with location tracking capabilities, as well as the absence of a fingerprint sensor and limited availability in Europe, somewhat detract from the overall impression of the otherwise excellent Oppo Pad Mini.”
The Award-Winning Foldable
Honor’s Magic V6 foldable has picked up two Global Mobile Awards Asia at MWC Shanghai this week, picking up the “Best Smartphone in Asia” and “Disruptive Device Innovation” awards. It’s the first smartphone in GLOMO history to receive both the device awards.
Thanks to its early launch at MWC Europe in March, the Magic V6 has set the tone for foldables in the first half of 2026. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold will arrive shortly (as will Apple’s iPhone Ultra), so the comparisons between the current champion and the challengers will be intriguing.
Honor’s 14,000 mAh Battery
Staying with Honor and disruption, the Shenzhen-based company is continuing to push battery technology, with a massive 14,000 mAh battery rumoured to be under development. Whether it makes an appearance in the near future remains to be seen. It’s more likely that the research will be used in upcoming phones for larger batteries, but not necessarily right up to this theoretical limit:
“According to well-known tipster Digital Chat Station, Honor is testing a new device with a massive 14,000mAh battery. While the tipster didn’t mention the brand by name, the emoji used in the post is commonly associated with Honor. The device is reportedly in the NPI (New Product Introduction) stage, indicating that it is still undergoing validation.”
More Pocket Gaming Power
There’s a new game console in town, and Android sits at the heart of it. Revealed this week, Retroid’s Pocket Nova uses Qualcomm’s QC8550 (a stripped-back version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that is missing 5G and camera hardware). There’s more in the landscape handheld though:
“Other notable features include active cooling (as you’d expect from a handheld), a 3.5mm port, a microSD card slot, and Android 13. The dimensions also reveal a device that’s a little wider, taller, and thinner than the compact AYANEO Pocket S Mini. It’s also narrower, shorter, and slightly thinner than the well-received ANBERNIC RG 477M. Furthermore, the 255-gram weight means it’s lighter than both of these devices — no surprise given the plastic build.”
And Finally…
Open-source directory F-Droid is currently one of the vocal players in the Keep Android Open movement, which is campaigning against Google’s proposed locking down of app-installation routes on Android. So The Brynat Review’s list of favorite apps on F-Droid is a timely reminder that software can come from more than one siloed store:
“One of the reasons I enjoy using alternative app stores such as F-Droid, or its more polished front-end Droid-ify (which I recommend), is that they surface apps that often solve specific problems in surprisingly clever ways. Rather than chasing engagement metrics, advertising revenue, or subscription conversions, many of these projects are built by developers who simply wanted a tool that worked the way they thought it should.”
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!
