Rumor: New Galaxy S7 Revealed, Galaxy Note 6 Improvements Leak, Android Beats Apple

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Taking a look back at seven days of news across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit includes the initial market share of the Galaxy S7 sales, more leaks around the next Galaxy S7 model, the new software for the Galaxy Note 6, Google dropping touch from the new version of Android, the failure rate of Android devices against iOS, the latest leak of the OnePlus 3, Alphabet overtaking Apple, and Dark Sky’s arrival on Android.

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).

Strong Start For The S7 Family

Samsung should be pleased with the latest market share report from Kantar Worldpanel. It gives the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge a notable spike of sales from the first quarter, putting the flagship handsets in a combined fifth place in the market. At a similar point last year the Galaxy S6 range barely managed tenth:

Looking at the latest data from Kantar Worldpanel, it proved to be a success in the retail market during the first quarter. Even though it was only on sale for a few weeks in March, the South Korean handsets picked up a combined 5.8 percent of the market in the first three months of the year. That compares to 3.2 percent of the market from the Galaxy S6 after a similar period last year.

Kantar’s survey also highlighted the two key features that the public was enjoying. Battery life was quoted by more than half of respondents (53.5 percent) as a major consideration, while the quality of the camera was noted by more than half of respondents (50.9 percent).

With more PR momentum to add to the critical and commercial acclaim, what comes next for Samsung?

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (image: Ewan Spence)

Here’s The Next Galaxy S7

More details this week on Samsung’s next entry into the Galaxy S7 family. The S7 Active is a ruggedized version of the current flagship design, which is expected to replace the metal case with a tougher polycarbonate construction, rubberized edges, and physical buttons instead of the capacitive soft-keys.

But under the hood, this should be the same phone with its Snapdragon 820 (well, the same as the US variant of the S7), 4GB of RAM, 5.1″ Super AMOLED 1440p display, and likely the same battery, camera setup, and so on. There’s no guess on pricing or release date yet, so you’ll have to be a bit patient if you want a bulkier but tougher S7 in your pocket.

Android Police has more.

Galaxy Note 6 Looks Towards A Unifying Notification App

Samsung is expected to launch Samsung Focus in the upcoming Galaxy Note 6 phablet. This app will bring together multiple social media notifications, emails, and other status alerts. Noting the similarity to the BlackBerry Hub, Slashgear has taken a closer look at the app:

The rumor claims that Samsung Focus will integrate functions like email, calendar, contacts, and memos into one location. Email aggregation will be one of the biggest features of the app with options that allow users to respond to emails from multiple accounts in one location. That sounds like something that users with a work email and personal account on the same device will appreciate.

Details on exactly which email apps and services the Focus app will function are unavailable. On the main screen of the app will be all events for the day with a list of events for upcoming days and for days that have already passed. Focus will allow users to add calendar entries, manage invites to meetings and events, and make memos to remind of tasks that need to be performed all from within its confines.

Shane McGlaun has more.

Nexus 5X (image: Google PR)

No Touch, No Problem

Ahead of this month’s I/O developer conference, it was rumored that Google would be introducing pressure sensitivity to the Android code base, mimicking the UI of Apple’s 3D Touch. That does not appear to be the case, at least in the short-term. Roger Fingas goes into detail at Apple Insider:

Although the second preview version of Android N came with documentaion suggesting the possibility of such a feature, it won’t be in the initial N release, sources explained to Re/code on Thursday. The feature is instead expected to be in a later Android update, though possibly just a maintenance release, meaning Android device owners wouldn’t have to wait a full year after N’s launch, which should happen later in 2016.

Any Android manufacturer looking to add pressure as a UI option currently has to build a custom solution – which does not help the integration of the principle across the platform. Given Google’s delay, it’s unlikely that pressure touch is going to be a major feature in smartphones during 2016.



Android’s Unwanted Win Over Apple

Blancco Technology Group has taken a look at the relative crash rates of software on both Android- and iOS-powered devices. The headline rates it offered Android (44 percent) and iOS (25 percent) create an obvious angle to the story to set the platforms against each other. Ian Barker reports on the details for Beta News:

Among the findings are that for the second quarter in a row, there were far more device failures in Android phones (44 percent) than in iOS phones (25 percent). Samsung topped the list of Android manufacturers with the highest rate of device failures, 43 percent worldwide, and the Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 experienced the highest failure rates for Android and iOS models respectively.

Sony Xperia Z5c vs Apple iPhone SE (image: Ewan Spence)

The Back Of The OnePlus 3 Leaks

There’s been a nice little run of leaks around OnePlus’ next handset, as Cam Bunton reports for 9to5Google, but the latest offers everyone the clearest look at the sequel to the OnePlus 2. The imaginatively titled OnePlus 3 sports the familiar home button, a 5.5 inch glass screen, and a redesigned back plate:

The back is completely different to the OnePlus 2, but very similar to HTC’s One-series design. It looks like a solid, unibody metal build with a stealthy black/slate finish and dark, subtle antenna bands across the top and bottom. Still, I’m very happy at the prospect of no Sandstone finish.

Unlike the last set of leaks, this particular unit has been powered on by the person holding it, and we get a glimpse at the boot-up screen, which clearly shows the company’s logo. What’s more, there’s a screen from somewhere in the settings menu hinting at Oxygen OS, and the OP3’s rumored code-name ‘RAIN’.

More details from Bunton here.

Alphabet Takes Most Valuable Company Title From Apple

Although Apple’s Brand is still seen as one of the powerful brands, in terms of raw value Google’s parent company Alphabet has overhauled the market cap of Cupertino. Zac Hall takes a closer look at the numbers for 9to5Google.

Apple is often prided with the title of most valuable company in the world, but its stock has taken a hit over the last few weeks after reporting its first ever year-over-year decline in iPhone sales. China in particular has been an issue for investors like billionaire Carl Icahn who once saw the region as a growth opportunity for Apple but has since dumped his wealth of AAPL stock citing concerns there.

Alphabet previously overtook Apple as the most valuable company in the world back in February, but only for a short time. Historically, Apple overtook Exxon Mobil in 2011 when its market cap exceeded the oil company. Before February, Google hadn’t beat Apple in market capitalization since 2010.

Apple iPhone SE (image: Ewan Spence)

And Finally…

It has taken time to arrive on Android, but finally the popular weather app ‘Dark Sky’ is available to download. Katherine Boehret has the rundown on the fun forecasting app.

Dark Sky (the app and company share the same name) prides itself on precise precipitation notifications for your time and location — like “Drizzle stopping!” — and iOS users have been enjoying its concerned-parent-like updates for four years. But a Dark Sky Android app has long been on the company’s to-do list, and last year when it partnered with Applied Invention, Dark Sky got more resources and the Android developer muscle to make this a reality.

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!

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