AC News Weekly
News Weekly is a column that summarizes some of the week’s top stories to help you catch up on the latest technology news.
This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for concise summaries of the week’s most important tech stories. Here, we delve into the top headlines offering the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week, Google announced a major reorganization of its hardware and software teams, Nothing launched its latest wireless earbuds, Motorola announced three exciting new phones, and there was a Pixel 9 leak. TikTok is taking on Instagram with a new app available in some countries.
Things are coming together at Google
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In a surprise announcement on April 18, Google announced a major internal reorganization. As part of this transition, the company will consolidate its hardware and software teams under a new Platforms and Devices team that will oversee Android, Chrome, ChromeOS, Google Photos, Pixel devices, and more.
The new team will be led by Rick Osterloh and Sameer Samat will oversee the Android ecosystem. Meanwhile, Hiroshi Lockheimer, previously head of Android, will be working on other projects across Alphabet (via The Verge).
According to a blog post from Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the core of the reorganization is to strengthen synergies between the company’s hardware and software efforts, allowing it to move faster to bring better products to market. It is said that it is a thing. Pichai points out the Circle to Search feature. This feature first appeared on the Galaxy S24 at launch, and later on the Pixel series.
But beyond that, it also means teams can better integrate Google’s AI efforts into their own products. Pichai said his “research team focused on computational photography and on-device intelligence will also join the new organization to bring his deep AI expertise across platforms and devices.” says.
This is a big move for Google, and perhaps the biggest announcement the company has made in recent years. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait long to see the fruits of Google’s efforts as a result of the restructuring.
Motorola’s new flagship is made of wood
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It feels like the old Moto X days, as Motorola just launched three new phones that don’t have traditional glass backs. At the top of the range of new phones, the Motorola Edge 50 Ultra is available in wood or vegan leather finishes and this year’s Pantone color, Peach Fuzz. The phone features a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor, 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and 64MP 3x telephoto lens. On the front, there’s a 6.7-inch “Super HD” OLED display with new Hello UX and new Moto AI features powered by the latest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset.
The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a step-down model powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, but you still get a triple camera setup consisting of a 50MP main sensor, 13MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto camera. It also comes with up to 12GB of RAM, access to Moto AI’s “core” features, and a special edition pearl finish handcrafted in Italy.
Finally, the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion features a 50MP dual-camera system, supports high-resolution audio, and is available in a vegan leather finish.
These phones are being launched all over the world, but not all at the same time. There’s also no mention of US availability, but Motorola says it’s committed to bringing more Edge phones to the region.
Pixel 9 Pro, is that you?
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There are still a few months left until the Pixel 9 series launches, but the leaks continue to pour in. In the latest installment, we may have just seen a live image of the Pixel 9 Pro for the first time. Unique new camera visor and triple camera system.
The device appears to have a flat display and a flat back, which is a bit different from the current design, which is more curved. The back side also seems to have a matte texture, but since this is probably a prototype, it may differ from the finished product.
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From what we see on the display, the phone may come with up to 16GB of RAM, but it also shows 128GB of storage. There’s also a close-up of the camera and a comparison shot with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, giving us an idea of how small the Pixel 9 Pro could be when it launches later this year.
Rumor has it that three Pixel 9 devices could arrive, including the standard Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro (which is probably what you’re looking at here), and the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL. Additionally, it’s rumored that the Pixel Fold successor could be renamed and called the Pixel 9 Pro Fold instead, but it’s unclear if Google will stick with that name.
New Ear-a affordable earphones from Nothing
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With not just one but two pairs of wireless earbuds, Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a), you’ll get nothing back. The high-end earbuds support LHDC 5.0 for low latency and high-resolution audio. Both earbuds have a transparent design and support Hi-Res audio. There’s also an 11mm driver, and the battery lasts over 5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours with ANC off.
The main difference between the two is that the more affordable Nothing Ear (a) has fewer customization options. Also, this case does not have wireless charging functionality. Tshaka Armstrong of Android Central points this out as a major drawback in his review of Nothing Ear (a). He also says that the ANC isn’t as powerful, but for a $99 earphone, it’s still well worth the buy.
TikTok takes over Instagram
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In the battle for popularity, Instagram has “borrowed” a feature or two from TikTok over the years. But now it’s TikTok’s turn to borrow from Instagram, as the new TikTok Notes app has started rolling out in some countries. Unlike regular TikTok, this app focuses on still images rather than videos. Users can add single photos, carousels, text, and even captions to emphasize the image’s content.
To make signing up easier, users can link their TikTok account to log in.
The only downside to the release of this app is that it won’t be available to everyone at first. TikTok Notes is currently “available for download and limited testing in Australia and Canada,” so if you’re in those countries, you’re free to try it out.
Given TikTok’s popularity, this could lead to the emergence of a true competitor to Instagram, even as Meta shifts its focus to video content.
These are some of this week’s biggest news. In the meantime, here are some other stories worth paying attention to.
