Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week’s Android Circuit includes a delay for the Galaxy S8, new leaked images showing the S8’s mystery button, Google’s pricey Pixel 2, a serious problem for the Pixel, Nokia’s new flagship, South Korea’s love for the LG G6, a review of the Huawei P10, and is Mobile World Congress about mobile anymore?
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).
Galaxy S8’s New Street Date
One of the biggest Android handsets already had a confirmed launch date (see last week’s Android Circuit) and now the Galaxy S8 has a street date, although ti’s already been changed. At the start of this week The Investor highlighted April 21, after a small pre-order window that would start on April 10th. Now it looks like the handsets is going to be pushed back one week. Forbes contributor Gordon Kelly reports:
“No particular reason was given for the updated schedule, although Samsung is known to be proceeding particularly cautiously with this launch, following a rushed Galaxy Note 7 debut last year that ended in disaster,” explained [Venture Beat’s Evan] Blass.
My personal hunch for the delay is inventory. With the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy 8 Plus making some of the biggest changes yet seen to the Galaxy range, I expect these phones to sell like hot cakes. In addition Blass says the commercial delay won’t affect the (now official) public unveiling date of March 29th. Were it technical it would.
More about the dates here on Forbes.
Leaked Galaxy S8 Images Illustrate New Home Button
The latest video leak of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus offers one of the clearest looks at Samsung’s flagship. Coming from a screen protector manufacturer, the focus is on the externals of the handset, so let’s get our checklist out to see what’s we can touch:
Sharp eyes and judicious use of the pause button means it is possible to confirm the external details of the phone. The top of the unit carries a secondary microphone (presumably to pick up ambient noise) and the SIM card tray (which likely also holds the MicroSD card for additional storage). The base of the unit has a USB-C port for charging and connectivity as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack for a wired audio connection. You can also see the always-on standby screen and the software render of Android’s home key.
More about Samsung’s buttons here on Forbes, including the implementation of the new home key in software.
Pricey Pixels From Google
Also expected this year, although nearer the launch of the iPhone 8 than the Galaxy S8, is Google’s second generation Pixel smartphone. Although the price has not exactly been confirmed, the intention has been stated at a round-table at MWC:
Speaking at a roundtable discussion during Mobile World Congress last week, Rick Osterloh - Google’s senior vice president of hardware - told Android Pit: “You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now."
This is great news, but don’t expect a price cut as Osterloh also confirmed that “Pixel stays premium”.
With Apple and Samsung both ensuring that consumers will accept the headline cost of a smartphone being over $1000, the expectation of a Pixel in the same ballpark seems fair. Read more on Forbes about the new pricing.
Serious Hardware Problems For Pixel
Before the Pixel 2 can arrive, Google needs to address some issues with 2016’s Pixel smartphone. A number of Pixels need to have their microphones replaced because they do not record audio. Unfortunately there is no software fix, so Google will need to exchange consumer handsets. Gordon Kelly reports:
“We do believe this is a hardware issue. You are correct that software updates will not fix it. We are taking additional steps to qualify refurbished phones to make sure they don't have this mic problem. It’s possible that some replacement phones were not properly qualified before we understood this issue, but that’s no longer the case.” [says Brian Rakowski, Vice President of Product Management at Google].
The cause was revealed to be a “hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec,” and Rakowski said Google has taken steps to reinforce the connection since January. He also stated Google believes incidence of the mic problem is under one percent and advises affected owners to return their Pixels to their point of purchase for a replacement.
Nokia’s Flagship Ready To Set Sail
HMD Global debuted a number of new Nokia branded handsets at the recent MWC show, including the European launch of the Nokia 6. What the company didn’t release was a high-end flagship model to challenge the likes of the Huawei P10, Galaxy S8, and iPhone 7. Rumored to be the Nokia 8, the flagship might be making an appearance this summer. Carly Page reports:
While HMD has yet to comment, a launch in June would appear to make sense as it would coincide with the rebranding of Withings to Nokia Health.
While a launch is still months away, the Nokia 8 could be worth waiting for. Pocketnow's tipsters claim that the handset will pack Qualcomm's 10nm Snapdragon 835 processor, a full-metal chassis and a camera weighing in at "at least" 23MP, which could come equipped with the Carl Zeiss technology seen in the now-defunct Nokia Lumia 920.
South Korea Loves The G6
Following its debut at MWC, LG’s G6 is picking up critical acclaim and it looks like commercial success is round the corner. Thanks to some smart offers and marketing, the G6 is racking up a significant volume of pre-orders. Mitja Rutnik reports:
The LG G6 has been available for pre-order in South Korea since last Thursday. According to LG, 40,000 people have already pre-ordered the device in just four days. The 64 GB version of the phablet is available in three colors and costs 899,800 won, which is around $780.
There are quite a few reasons for the success the LG G6 is experiencing in South Korea. The first is that LG has given consumers the option of testing out the device at 3,000 retail stores across the country since February 27. The company also offered a discount on one of the accessories for the device like the LG TonePlus Bluetooth headset, or Rolly keyboard 2 as well as a one-year screen replacement warranty and a free case.
Reviewing The P10
Also picking up critical acclaim is the Huawei P10. Building on the success of the P9, the Chinese company’s follow up improves on what made the P9 stand out, and is a legitimate competitor to the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 7 Plus flagships of the world. Trusted Reviews has taken a closer look at the handset.
Some will bemoan the lack of originality; for me, this isn't too much of an issue since the P10 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to functionality.
The metal exterior feels suitably solid, and the use of Gorilla Glass 5 on the front screen should offer reasonable scratch-resistance – although I'd still refrain from dropping it in a pocket with your keys.
Read the rest of Alastair Stevenson’s review here.
And Finally…
As the dust settles after Mobile World Congress, is the Barcelona-based event really about mobile phones any more? Tech Crunch’s editor in residence Mike Butcher thinks not and argues the event needs to change, just as the mobile world has:
The old MWC used to be relevant when we cared about our signal dropping. But do we really discuss that any more? No…
The smartphone is no longer just the only consumer proposition out there. Large vendors need more peripheral devices for growth, and consumers want them, from earpieces, to projectors and communication hubs like Amazon Echo and Google Home.
The truth is that MWC should switch its focus from OEMs selling to telcos, to OEMs directly addressing the innovation ecosystem. Sure, that might include telcos, but it’s not just about them any more.
More from Butcher at TechCrunch.
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!
