Information Weekly
Information Weekly is our column the place we spotlight and summarize among the week’s high tales so you’ll be able to make amends for the most recent tech information.
That is Android Central’s Information Weekly, your go-to supply for a concise roundup of the week’s most vital tech tales. That is the place we delve into the highest headlines that present the most recent developments and improvements contributing to the digital panorama.
This week gave us the brand new Galaxy S25 collection and a whole lot of different developments in tech that have been proven off at this yr’s Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, however you’ll be able to all the time make amends for Samsung’s greatest bulletins if you happen to missed them. Nonetheless, a number of different information tales took the highlight this week, and this is what we acquired: Netflix raises its costs once more, we acquired a brand new smartwatch for teenagers, Android 16’s Beta rollout, Samsung may very well be engaged on a Tri-fold cellphone, and in addition a charger that has a 3-in-1 Qi2 wi-fi charger prepared for Galaxy S25.
Netflix simply acquired pricier
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Netflix just lately revealed its This autumn income report and highlights that this previous quarter was positively one that can go down in historical past. The corporate states that its income had grown by 16% YoY (yr over yr), assisted by “19M paid web provides,” and that it completed 2024 with about 302M subscribers. The corporate clearly said that they “overperformed” this yr, and it was fairly sudden.
Nonetheless, throughout their earnings name, the streaming large said that, regardless of their magical quarter, it seems like some dangerous information is coming our approach. The corporate is reportedly gearing as much as improve the value of its “hottest U.S. plan” by $2.50. The publication states the value of this plan — which may grow to be the Normal Plan — will soar to $17.99 monthly.
The worth hike is ready to hit U.S., Canada, Argentina, and Portugal. Whereas we aren’t certain why these particular areas have been chosen to execute the rise in costs, it nonetheless stays to be seen when the *Tudum* bomb would possibly drop on different areas as effectively.
Samsung and Google collab gave us a brand new smartwatch expertise
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The child’s smartwatch part acquired a tricky competitor this week.
Samsung and Google have teamed as much as deliver us a brand new kid-friendly cellular-enabled Galaxy Watch this week. The “kid-friendly smartwatch expertise” allows you to convert a daily Galaxy Watch 7 LTE into one with built-in parental controls.
Based on the corporate, when you arrange the eSim, the Galaxy Watch 7 LTE turns into a brand new gadget, much like Google’s Fitbit Ace LTE, and could be switched again to an extraordinary Galaxy 7 smartwatch when the kid will get sufficiently old.
Mother and father will have the ability to use the Google Household Hyperlink app to oversee their restricted Google account to allow them to solely name or textual content permitted contacts. It additionally lets adults approve or block Put on OS apps and set a Faculty Time window serving to them focus higher on the duty at hand.
This new watch for teenagers will let dad and mom monitor their kid’s real-time location with the built-in dual-band GPS, nonetheless we aren’t certain if you happen to’d have the ability to arrange a notification in case your little one leaves that particular location.
Google additionally introduced new Galaxy Look ahead to Children apps on the Play Retailer with the “Trainer Accepted” badge, which means they’re age-appropriate and concentrate on instructional areas like “math, science, historical past, music, creativity, emotional well-being, and bodily exercise.”
Android 16 will get its first public beta
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Google dropped the brand new and up to date first beta model of Android 16 earlier this week. The corporate said that this preliminary construct of Android 16 is loaded with assist for future options and ample window for builders to experiment and work with.
To start out, the publish states Android 16 Beta 1 works to enhance the “app adaptability” customers expertise throughout units. Google appears to have eliminated the scale restriction on apps and can reportedly permit “massive display units” to run apps in any dimension window and facet ratio, which is able to profit foldable telephones.
Google says Android 16 Beta 1 will deliver “Stay Updates,” just like the Now Bar we caught a glimpse of on the Samsung S25 collection. This can even debut on Pixels quickly and may “monitor” ongoing actions “amongst different notifications.”
Based on their presser, Android 16 appears to be gearing up for launch in summer season this yr, aka Q2 — which is a lot earlier than Google’s traditional rollout. Extra importantly, Google states that whereas the main launch is in Q2, customers must also anticipate minor SDK releases (for options and extra) someday in This autumn 2025.
Samsung sneakily dropped a tri-fold cellphone teaser
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This yr’s Galaxy Unpacked was full of small peeks into Samsung’s future plans. In a graphic that defined the timeline of varied units, with the Android XR headset within the center, we noticed Galaxy Z Fold to the left and a top level view of a tri-fold cellphone.
For a number of months now, Samsung has been rumored to be engaged on a cellphone that folds into itself like a e-book. Numerous prototypes have been seen on the CES 2025 on the Samsung Show sales space. Throughout Unpacked, the corporate showcased one other such idea on display however did not even contact the subject, because it saved the concentrate on the Galaxy S25 and the way Galaxy AI might be built-in into every of the above units.
Earlier this week, a rumor surfaced suggesting that Samsung’s tri-fold will “characteristic a 9.9 to 10-inch display when unfolded.” That stated, manufacturing for the tri-fold cellphone may start in Q2 2025, placing it someday between April and June.
Samsung S25 MagSafe charger may very well be within the works
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The Samsung Galaxy S25 collection is suitable with Qi2 chargers however would not include charging magnets of its personal. Nonetheless, we noticed a charger that’s on its approach that may very well be simply what S25 customers are in search of… as long as they’ve a suitable MagSafe case.
A Wi-fi Energy Consortium (WPC) web site itemizing has indicated {that a} new 3-in-1 Qi2 charger appropriate for the Galaxy S25 collection has made its approach for certification. The charger is alleged to be manufactured by an organization referred to as WITS, which is a wi-fi charging enterprise that Samsung Electronics acquired in 2019.
Based on photos from the WPC certification, the 3-in-1 Qi2 charger can wirelessly cost a Qi2 Prepared cellphone subsequent to a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring, respectively. This implies any Galaxy S25 mannequin could be charged at 15W wi-fi speeds utilizing a Qi2 charger, which is a major bump from 7.5W.
Extra tales this week
These are among the greatest tales from this week. In the meantime, listed here are another tales which can be value catching up on:
