Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy S26 Ultra certified, disappointing Pixel 10a details, Galaxy S26 Camera specs, Pixel 10 upgrade, Magic8 Pro launch, Gboard’s emoji update, Fortnite returns to the Google Play store.
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 S26 Ultra Specs Confirmed By Samsung’s Paperwork
Over the years, Samsung has mixed and matched Galaxy S chipset suppliers, generally between the top-of-the-line Snapdragon and the home-grown Exynos chipsets. The community has been clear in the past that the slight advantage of the Snapdragon was a deciding factor… if they had a choice.
Recent documents submitted to the FCC by Samsung list the processors for both the US and international variants of the Galaxy S26 Ultra shipping with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5:
“In all of these models, we see a single chipset across all regions. This is mentioned as SM8850, which is the identifier for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, confirming that it powers Galaxy S26 Ultra variants meant for both the US and regions outside the US. However, this may not be a standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 but an overclocked “For Galaxy” variant, similar to ones we’ve seen on older Samsung flagships in the recent past.”
Familiar Specs For Pixel 10a
Staying with the specs front, Verizon has recently certified what looks to be the Pixel 10a, the budget-focused Pixel 10 model expected for a late Q1 launch. That certification lists the model with a 6.3 inch 120 Hz AMOLED display, a 48-megapixel main camera, a 13-megapixel ultrawide, and a 13-megapixel selfie camera. The specs are similar to this year’s Pixel 9a.
“These specs are the same as the Pixel 9a, and the listing also shares that the 10a will have a 5,100 mAh battery, which again is the same as the predecessor. Given the similarities in the certification, it’s unclear whether this is placeholder info taken from the last-gen smartphone.”
Galaxy S26’s Camera Details
More reusing last year’s model with details on the vanilla Galaxy S26 model. South Korean publication The Elec reports that the Galaxy S26 camera will reuse the Galaxy S25’s camera. The team at GSM Arena shine light on one potential reason for Samsung to forego a planned upgrade… the iPhone 17 success:
“Apple’s decision to upgrade the vanilla iPhone 17 to a 120Hz ProMotion LTPO OLED screen and 256GB base storage while retaining its $799 starting price influenced Samsung’s decision-making. This allegedly led Samsung to a last-minute choice to scrap the Galaxy S26’s camera upgrades so the device could match the $799 entry point.”
Pixel 10’s Quiet Performance Update
Google is rolling out the quarterly Android update to the Pixel range, and one of the big beneficiaries is the Pixel 10. While Google has not made a massive deal about it, the underlying changes have seen a boost in performance that is noticeable to many owners:
“It’s an interesting twist for a phone that launched with promising hardware but caught early criticism for GPU performance that lagged behind Snapdragon-powered rivals. Now, Google seems to be clawing back some of that ground with pure software optimization… The real surprise is in everyday use: PCMark Work 3.0 scores went up by nearly 20%, which suggests Google improved task scheduling in ways users will notice.”
https://www.androidcentral.com/phones/google-pixel/google-pixel-10-performance-reportedly-jumps-after-android-16-qpr2-update
Honor Magic8 Pro Arrives
Alongside MagicOS 10, Honor has launched its flagship Magic8 Pro smartphone. The company is pushing the AI used to enhance images with the new camera assembly, and the improvements to low-light photography with its 200-megapixel capture:
“During the product presentation, Honor showcased the Honor Magic8 Pro’s key features, including a live camera comparison. The device features a 200MP AI Ultra Night Telephoto camera designed to deliver clear results in long-distance and low-light situations. It also introduces an upgraded AI Ultra Night Portrait mode focused on accurate colors and balanced lighting.”
Gboard’s Emoji Update
Slowly rolling out across Android is Google’s refresh to GBoard, and a new way to navigate and use your emoji. The Material 3 Expressive redesign tweaks both the colour and the tab bar from early beta versions. Android Authority has more:
“While these changes are rolling out, not everyone will see them just yet, even if you check out the beta version. The redesign appears only on devices running Android 16, so users running Android 15 will have to wait a little longer to check out the new look. We’ll keep an eye on future versions to see when they expand more broadly.”
And Finally…
Just in time for the next season, Fortnite is back up in the Google Play Store. Previously, you needed to install the Epic Store on your phone and then download the app. Now that several legal cases and issues between Epic Games and Google have been resolved, the way is clear:
Almost six months after Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed the move following the landmark court decision, Fortnite is now back on the Google Play Store as the year draws to a close. Season 7 of the popular battle royale title begins today, which is likely a reason for the app returning to the Play Store in such a quiet fashion.
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!
