Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphones on sale (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
VCG via Getty Images
Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy A27 revealed, OneUI 8.5 released, potential Pixel 11 specs, Android's top-selling smartphones, OpenAI’s agentic smartphone plans, Apple squeezes Android Ultra models, and the Fitbit Air arrives.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes.
With the increased demand for memory and storage, the mid-range smartphones are going to become a more critical part of a company’s portfolio. Samsung’s Galaxy A line is well-suited to this. The Galaxy A37 and A57 are on their way, but Samsung Brazil may have revealed a newer A-class in a compatibility list for Samsung Club. Forbes contributor David Phelan looks at Samsung's small print:
"There are no other details, though previous reports have suggested that the phone will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a macro camera with 2-megapixel resolution. Improvements are expected on the front-facing camera, with 12-megapixel resolution."
Following an extended public beta period, Samsung has released OneUI 8.5, the latest version of its Android software. The rollout is staggered, so some territories may not be served immediately. Along with the full compatibility list, the team at SamMobile has picked out one of Samsung's key customisation features:
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“The phased roll out will see eligible Galaxy devices receiving this update in South Korea first, before it's expanded to Europe, Hong Kong, India, Latin America, North America, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan… One UI 8.5 brings many new features that you should be excited about. The new customizable Quick Panel is one of them. It lets you make various customizations to the options, toggles, and more."
Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 smartphone has been laid bare in a major leak by noted commentator ‘Mystic Leaks. Ben Schoon at 9to5 Google lines up the stated specs with what we already know of Google’s next smartphone:
"That starts with the full spread on Tensor G6 details, the chipset coming in Pixel 11, which the leaker first teased last week. The updated chip will be running on a 1+4+2 configuration using newer ARM C1 cores, PowerVR C-Series CXTP-48-1536 GPU, Google’s updated Titan M3 security chip, and a MediaTek M90 (MT6986D) modem. That last bit is notable, as it finally sees Google ditching the Samsung Exynos modems it has been using for years. There’s apparently also a new TPU and a new GXP – that’s Google’s custom image signal processor (ISP)."
Counterpoint Research’s look at smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2026 shows the importance of Samsung’s Galaxy A series. While the iPhone has captured the podium spots, Samsung holds five spots in the top ten… and they all belong to the A-class:
"For Samsung, Galaxy A series captured all spots in the list, delivering strong value across price segments. Samsung Galaxy A07 4G was the best-selling Android smartphone for the quarter with high contribution from emerging regions like Middle East and Africa and Latin America. The device ships with six years of software and security updates, making it attractive to buyers prioritizing long-term usability."
Would you trust the current competency of artificial intelligence to control your smartphone? While OpenAI has not confirmed any of the speculation, it is believed to be working on a smartphone that will be purely Agentic-based rather than App-based. Essentially, it would carry out any actions directly, rather than wait for its user to dive into an app. NotebookCheck gathers the evidence:
“According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on X, OpenAI's "AI agent smartphone" is targeting mass production as early as the first half of 2027. According to the source, MediaTek is currently the frontrunner as the chipset supplier, with the device expected to use the Dimensity 9600… Notably, the source also mentions a dual NPU architecture and security features such as pKVM and inline hashing. The analyst projects shipments of around 30 million units across 2027 and 2028 combined."
Every smartphone manufacturer, along with every consumer electronics manufacturer, is fighting to maintain their silicon supply so they can offer enough memory and storage in their new devices. Apple is “quietly scooping up” any free supply, and that’s going to have an impact on the market. WCCF Tech notes that the cost for many ‘Ultra’ models could result in shorter production runs or outright cancellation, thanks to Apple’s hoarding:
“This situation is becoming entirely untenable for the Chinese OEMs, many of whom now face Bill of Materials (BOM) as high as $917 for their Ultra-class flagships. Consequently, according to the tipster Schrödinger, many Chinese OEMs are now mulling whether to axe their Ultra smartphone variants entirely, leaving the proverbial arena wide open for Apple, and Samsung to a certain extent."
As well as bringing the Fitbit software into the Google Health brand, Google has announced the Fitbit Air, a fitness tracker that strips away the screen to become a passive sensor, leaving the smartphone-based app to do all the heavy lifting. Forbes contributor Andrew Williams takes a closer look:
"The Fitbit Air is designed to be a wearable you wear but largely forget. Its design amplifies this, with weight of a super-low 12g with the watch band. This is significantly lighter than the 26.5g Whoop 5.0 wearable. It’s a slim, plastic sensor puck that slots into the band, and features an array of sensors shared with most other wearables of this style."
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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