Information Weekly
Information Weekly is our column the place we spotlight and summarize among the week’s prime tales so you may make amends for the newest tech information.
That is Android Central’s Information Weekly, your go-to supply for a concise roundup of the week’s most important tech tales. That is the place we delve into the highest headlines that present the newest developments and improvements contributing to the digital panorama.
This week took us by OnePlus’ resolution to stall the launch of its subsequent foldable, Android Beta 2 arrived, Samsung units received a brand new One UI 7 function, TikTok resurrects in app shops, and Spotify premium customers confronted a singular glitch. Let’s dive in.
OnePlus Open 2 will not launch this 12 months
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OnePlus is leaving the foldables scene, not less than for this 12 months. In a neighborhood weblog submit on their foldable technique, Vale G, a OnePlus product supervisor, mentioned the corporate is ‘recalibrating their foldable technique’ and confirmed that will probably be holding off on launching a OnePlus Open 2.
“At OnePlus, our core energy and keenness lie in setting new benchmarks and difficult the established order throughout all product classes. With that in thoughts, we’ve rigorously thought-about the timing and our subsequent steps in foldable units, and we have now made the choice to not launch a foldable this 12 months,” the neighborhood submit defined.
Since OnePlus and OPPO are sister firms, the 2 share mixed {hardware} and analysis groups, in addition to a standard software program codebase. It appears like the main target is now totally on launching the world’s thinnest foldable, the OPPO Discover N5, within the subsequent couple of weeks. That mentioned, OpenPlus does not totally rule out the opportunity of launching Open 2 sooner or later.
“Whereas this may occasionally come as a shock, we consider that is the suitable method for us presently. That mentioned, our resolution to pause on foldable for this technology doesn’t signify a departure from the class,” the neighborhood submit added.
Whereas the OnePlus Open 2 will not make an look this 12 months, the corporate’s subsequent wearable will nonetheless launch as scheduled. The corporate revealed the primary full look of its OnePlus Watch 3, which can launch on February 18 within the US, Canada, and European markets.
In an in depth press launch, the OnePlus claims that this new watch is ready to mix in with the consumer’s day by day wants with a “basic, premium, and sturdy design.” That mentioned, the corporate goes full throttle on its “By no means Settle” mantra by providing the Watch 3 with a whopping 16-day battery life on energy saver mode and a protracted 120 hours of battery on Good mode. This can be a bump from the 100-hour restrict on its predecessor.
Android 16 Beta 2 arrives with some enjoyable updates
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Earlier this week, Google launched the second beta of Android 16 to Pixel telephones enrolled for it. The replace got here with some much-needed media, digicam, and graphics options. The Beta 2 comes with one thing known as the ‘hybrid auto-exposure mode,’ which permits customers guide and auto-exposure choices whereas capturing pictures.
Proper now, customers can select both one of many above and never a mixture of the 2 settings. With Android 16 Beta 2, they’ll management ISO or publicity time and use auto-exposure algorithms concurrently. Beta 2 additionally brings actions for movement pictures, a mixture of nonetheless pictures and brief movies with audio in order that builders can determine the place the movement picture can be saved.
Google stays on observe to meet its new Android launch schedule, which means Android 16 can be launched to the general public within the second quarter of 2025.
One UI 7 brings enjoyable Residence Up Refresh function
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Samsung’s One UI 7 Residence Up Module was noticed on a Reddit thread lately, clearly a beta model of the function. The unique poster displayed the “limitless” prospects of the refreshed module in One UI 7, which showcased apps and folder placement. Pinching inward on their show introduced up the standard dwelling display screen modifying choices however with a newly added “DIY Residence” button.
What’s extra, is that tapping on the icon provides customers full freedom over the scale and orientation of an app widget or folder. With this, you possibly can mainly place any app icon anyplace you would like on the house display screen with out following the principles of the standard grid. The consumer can also be in a position to overlap widgets and apps for a really chaotic dwelling display screen. The demo solely reveals these modifications making use of to the apps above the underside toolbar like messaging, cellphone calls, contacts, or anything. Moreover, tapping a folder that is been rotated or the wrong way up will open apps in it as regular.
Individuals enrolled within the beta program can provide these customizations a go. Nonetheless, the corporate is reportedly pushing again the steady rollout of this OS on the Galaxy S24 attributable to a show coloring difficulty. Samsung acknowledged that One UI 7 was making ready to hit older Galaxy S units “imminently” in Q1 2025.
TikTok is again in US app shops
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After an excellent 20-day break, Tiktok made a comeback on app shops. within the U.S. following the federal government’s reported “reassurances.” In response to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, TikTok was first noticed on the Apple App Retailer. A number of different customers took to X, stating that the app had on Feb. 12. It appears just like the app was being made accessible in phases and rolled out to most customers at the moment Feb.14.
Moreover, the publication reviews that the app has reappeared on the Google Play Retailer. Android Central has additionally noticed TikTok’s availability by way of the Play Retailer, so customers who could have deleted the app or by no means had it may possibly now obtain it.
Whereas this can be excellent news for a number of avid TikTok-ers, Bloomberg states it has 75 days (from Jan 20) to search out frequent floor with the U.S. authorities over privateness/safety considerations. This appears like an interim answer whereas the corporate buys time to settle issues with the current authorities.
Spotify bug messed with Premium subscribers
Spotify premium subscribers had a irritating expertise this week. Regardless of paying $12 monthly for an ad-free service, they ended up listening to business adverts that disrupted their podcast or music. There have been a number of reviews of this difficulty on Spotify’s neighborhood boards, relationship again to final Friday, Feb. 7. Individuals had been reporting points and reaching out to help in a number of methods, with one consumer saying that it has been “unimaginable to speak to anybody at Spotify.”
Solely every week later, Spotify appeared to look into the difficulty. Spotify mentioned, “Our tech groups are at the moment investigating reviews of Premium customers listening to adverts. We’ll maintain you posted right here if we have now any information to share, so be certain to Subscribe to the thread to remain tuned.”
Initially, the corporate requested customers affected so as to add to the thread their gadget info, app model or internet participant, the kind of ad they heard, and any troubleshooting steps they’ve already taken.
Nonetheless, just a few hours later, Spotify posted an replace on its neighborhood discussion board confirming that the difficulty was the results of a bug and has since been mounted. “We have now excellent news from our groups a repair for the situations the place Premium customers seen adverts when listening to music has been deployed and you need to discover a distinction straight away,” the corporate mentioned. “It is value preserving in thoughts, nevertheless, that it’s anticipated that each free & Premium customers should see adverts when listening to podcasts.”
