Taking a look back at seven days of news across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit includes leaks on the Galaxy Note 6 release dates, the potential for biometric iris security on Samsung's phablet, a review of OnePlus 3's new handset, Apple echoing Android at WWDC, the lack of iMessage on Android, the latest market share numbers, the top five features of Android N, and the best name yet for trolling Android fans.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find the weekly Apple news digest here).
One Note Tells Us All About The Note
Details on Samsung's launch of this year's Galaxy Note have been uncovered by SamMobile. The purported invite answers a number of key questions about the upcoming phablet, including its likely name (the Galaxy Note 7 is looking more likely), the design ('the tagline is 'the next edge is just around the corner') and the expected launch date:
Sammobile’s receipt of a potential mailshot (see below) shows the ‘Galaxy Unpacked 2016‘ branding alongside a date of August 2nd 2016. That’s earlier than has been previously discussed for this year’s version of the Galaxy Note, but it makes a lot of strategic sense. This Galaxy Note is going to be in direct competition with Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus - the only iPhone release in September likely to come with the new technology of the smart connector and a dual-lens rear camera. It’s a smart move to get a little bit of clear air between the Note reveal and the avalanche of Apple’s reveal.
I've taken a closer look at the implications here on Forbes.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (image: Ewan Spence)
Keeping An Eye On Security
Also looking to be featured in the Galaxy Note is a new way to authenticate yourself to the phablet. Previously PIN and fingerprints have been used, but a leak from Korean supplier Patron points towards Samsung's potential use of Iris recognition. Patently Apple has more:
The Korean camera module firm reportedly won a bid months ago to supply the entire volume of biometric modules needed for the upcoming smartphone, which is expected to be unveiled on Aug. 2 in New York City."
The report further noted that "Some of renderings of the smartphone have been leaked online, apparently showing that the Note 7 is fitted with two cameras -- one for selfies and the other for iris scanning. Compared to fingerprint scanning technology, which works by recognizing 40 traits on a fingerprint, the iris scanner recognizes 266 traits on an iris, meaning the latter offers greater accuracy and security."
One Plus Releases Third Flagship
Dan Seifert has taken a look at the third flagship handset from Shenzhen-based OnePlus on The Verge. The imaginatively titled 'OnePlus 3' might come in at a bargain $399 unlocked, but the feature set is immense. With 6GB of RAM and a SnapDragon 820 system on chip, it should be able to stand strong against the flagship devices from other Android manufacturers. But is there a tiny piece of grit in the oyster?
The open question here is: how long will it take for OnePlus to deliver software updates to the 3? The OnePlus 2 was promised to get Android Marshmallow as soon as the new software was announced last fall, but after months of delays, it only just received the update a little over a week ago. Pei won’t commit to an update schedule for the OnePlus 3, but he admits that OnePlus’ early adopter customers want to see fast updates. "The biggest lesson we’ve learned over the past few years [with software] is to show and not just tell," says Pei.
I've also taken a look at the handset in a '90 second review' of the handset here on Forbes.
Echoes Of Android
Earlier this week, Apple hosted its Worldwide Developers Conference, including a massive update to iOS. Stephen Hall has been taking a closer look at iOS 10 on 9to5Google, and he feels that much of Apple's new functionality has been seen before:
Google has always introduced features and potential products to the public not long after they become barely workable experiments, leaving other companies like Apple to appear behind at times — whether or not they actually are “behind” in reality. It goes without saying that there are always things being worked on in the background (that’s why I put “copied” in quotes), but with many of today’s announcements, Apple brought those things to light.
Hall has combined a list of the similarities here.
Apple Avoids Battle With Google Over Messaging
One part of Apple's empire that potentially could have turned up on Android was iMessage. While the chat client received a significant update, it's going to remain locked into Apple's ecosystem for a little bit longer. Walt Mossberg asked Apple directly why iMessage has not been tagged for expansion in the same way as Apple Music has:
When I asked a senior Apple executive why iMessage wasn’t being expanded to other platforms, he gave two answers. First, he said, Apple considers its own user base of 1 billion active devices to provide a large enough data set for any possible AI learning the company is working on. And, second, having a superior messaging platform that only worked on Apple devices would help sales of those devices — the company’s classic (and successful) rationale for years.
Apple's focus remains on hardware. A curious choice given the focus from chief rival Google and the upstart Microsoft on software and services as the next big battlefield.
Android Pulls Away From Apple
Android's lead in the worldwide growth numbers has increased, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Its regular look at the smartphone market highlights Google's lead over Apple, built up primarily on selling to first-time smartphone owners. Chris O'Brien looks at the numbers for VentureBeat:
Kantar found that for the three months ending April 2016, Android grabbed 76 percent of smartphone sales in Europe’s five largest markets, up 5.8 percent from the 70.2 percent it had for the same three months a year ago. (Those five markets: Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.)
Meanwhile, in the U.S., Android had 67.6 percent of smartphone sales for the three months ending in April 2016, up from 62.4 percent one year ago. Apple’s iOS saw its market share decline from 33.2 percent to 30.7 percent in the most recent period.
More details can be found in Kantar Worldpanel ComTech's smartphone report.
The Top Five Features Of Android N
Android N has a bundle of cool features that will be making their way onto consumer devices over the next year. What delights await the next generation of handsets powered by Android?
The first developer preview was released on March 9 this year. In addition to the expected factory images for Nexus devices (widely seen as the developer baseline model for Android), the ‘Android Beta Program’ allows the latest builds to be installed over the air. These developer releases will be updated at 4-6 week intervals, before being made generally available to manufacturers to use in their devices.
Although still at the pre-release stage, the major features of Android N that will be seen on Android devices over the next twelve months are evident. What can consumers expect in their handsets next year?
My top five new features (along with some video reporting) can be found here on Forbes.
And Finally...
As the world voted on what the 'N' might stand for in Android N, the jokes started to fly thick and fast. Now that the public submission process has closed, someone else is having some fun. The latest developer preview from Google shows the new logo, but a long press on the 'N' reveals a classic easter egg.
A Google exec earlier this week trolled Android fans by posting an image that hinted Android N might be called “Nutella” when it launches this year. But it turns out Google can troll us even harder than that. The Android team released a new developer preview of Android N, which features a hilarious Android N name suggestion: Namey McNameface.
Chris Smith picks up the pieces for BGR. And even though it's not strictly an N name, my money is now on Android Attenborough.
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!
