The week kicked off with the world’s largest mobile show in Barcelona, where MWC 2024 brought together some of the biggest names in technology to showcase their latest concepts and prototypes. However, despite all this noise, his two biggest companies in the Android space dominated the headlines as usual, with rumors and releases from Samsung and Google on the hardware and software front in the spotlight. Amidst the commotion, we don’t blame you if you missed the week’s biggest headlines on Android. In fact, you can instantly see his 5 biggest news stories from the past 7 days. After the jump.
Check out last week’s biggest Android headlines here
Google shuts down apps, pauses killer features, and births new partnerships – all before MWC
Another new Chromecast discovered in the code
Coming in late Friday was news that another new Chromecast (or at least its codename) had been spotted in the Google Home app for Android. A teardown of the APK found references to the “YTD” model alongside the existing “YTV” (4K Chromecast) and “YTB” (1080p) models we’re all familiar with. This seems to indicate that new hardware is in the works, but a similar discovery early last year tells us we probably shouldn’t hold our breath.
Another new Chromecast sign appears in the Google Home app
I don’t know anything about it, but it seems like it exists
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series offers fairly familiar hardware, save for some improvements like squared edges and a titanium frame, but it’s still selling like hotcakes. why? Because there’s more to a phone than its OLED screen, huge battery, and powerful processor, and Samsung is well aware of this, as evidenced by its focus on software with this year’s flagships. Because I do.
In addition to the useful, if not novel, Galaxy AI software suite, Samsung has been quick to update the S24 series. After publishing the first new firmware just three weeks after the phone’s release, Samsung started seeding its second update later that week. This came just after the S24 and other Galaxy devices received his February Google Play system update, so it’s clear that Samsung is focusing on this software this year.
Samsung Galaxy S24 already gets its second firmware update
Just one week since the first update went live
Wear OS is all about battery life
The MWC fanfare began in earnest with the release of the already embargoed OnePlus Watch 2, ahead of a full review by gadget editor Taylor Kearns. There’s a lot to like about the new wearable, including the absolutely perfect charger, but there’s one thing that clearly stands out. That’s his 4-day battery life, not just on spec but regular in real-world testing. I quickly realized that this was no fluke. This advantage can mainly be attributed to the new hybrid interface for Wear OS built by Google.
Battery savings are achieved through a dual-OS interface that allows the watch to offload certain tasks to a lower-power chip that runs its own operating system. Subsequently, the new watch face format that Google is encouraging developers to use to ensure compatibility with future versions of his Wear OS may have been built with this in mind. I found it to be expensive. If you’re a smartwatch user, this is probably the most important tech news for you this week, so read Android expert Mishaal Rahman’s detailed explanation of his new Wear OS hybrid interface. I strongly recommend it.
Everything you need to know about the Wear OS Hybrid Interface
Plus, Google’s thoughts on potential expansion to more smartwatches
Google drops major MWC update for Android
Early Monday morning Barcelona time (uncomfortably early for those of us in the US time zone), Google rolled out a ton of new features. We learned that the company was rolling out Gemini in Google Messages, but it was in a beta channel, limited to only users who were likely still asleep at the time, and that it was a long-awaited feature on Android’s new media player. The rollout of his Spotify Connect integration has finally begun.
But the story doesn’t end there. Google also made new updates to Wear OS to make getting around easier, adding new features to its flagship products like Google Docs and Google Maps. You can read more in our big roundup of Google’s spring releases below.
Google will announce big features for Android starting in spring
Get ready for Gemini Messages, Spotify Connect integration, Wear OS updates, and more
Samsung’s next big hardware event is heating up
This week’s news summary ends with an eye to the future. Samsung is still developing a lot of hardware for 2024, and rumors have been heating up lately. Everyone at MWC was excited to get a glimpse of the upcoming Galaxy Ring. Although I wasn’t able to try them on, I learned quite a bit about new wearables at the show.
Meanwhile, we got our first good look at the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 thanks to some leaked renders. It followed another set that showed off the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Regarding the latter, it turns out that there is even more possibility. There will be a Z Fold Ultra model this year, but there are contradictory reports that the second model could be the cheaper Z Fold FE. Luckily, Samsung’s next Unpacked event, which is expected to showcase foldable devices and the Galaxy Ring, has been suggested to be held earlier than usual this year, so we won’t have to wait too long to find out. There wouldn’t be a need.
The next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked could happen sooner than you think
Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 could be released by early July
