Information Weekly
Information Weekly is our column the place we spotlight and summarize among the week’s high tales so you may atone for the newest tech information.
That is Android Central’s Information Weekly, your go-to supply for a concise roundup of the week’s most important tech tales. That is the place we delve into the highest headlines that present the newest developments and improvements contributing to the digital panorama.
This week gave us the brand new Galaxy S25 sequence and a number of different developments in tech that had been proven off at this 12 months’s Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, however you may all the time atone for Samsung’s greatest bulletins should you missed them. Nevertheless, a number of different information tales took the highlight this week, and here is what we obtained: Netflix raises its costs once more, we obtained a brand new smartwatch for youths, 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 obtained pricier
Netflix just lately printed its This autumn income report and highlights that this previous quarter was undoubtedly one that can go down in historical past. The corporate states that its income had grown by 16% YoY (12 months over 12 months), assisted by “19M paid internet provides,” and that it completed 2024 with about 302M subscribers. The corporate clearly said that they “overperformed” this 12 months, and it was fairly surprising.
Nevertheless, throughout their earnings name, the streaming large said that, regardless of their magical quarter, it appears to be like like some unhealthy information is coming our method. The corporate is reportedly gearing as much as enhance the worth of its “hottest U.S. plan” by $2.50. The publication states the worth of this plan — which may turn into the Commonplace Plan — will leap to $17.99 monthly.
The worth hike is about to hit U.S., Canada, Argentina, and Portugal. Whereas we aren’t certain why these particular areas had been chosen to execute the rise in costs, it nonetheless stays to be seen when the *Tudum* bomb may drop on different areas as nicely.
Samsung and Google collab gave us a brand new smartwatch expertise
The child’s smartwatch part obtained a tricky competitor this week.
Samsung and Google have teamed as much as convey us a brand new kid-friendly cellular-enabled Galaxy Watch this week. The “kid-friendly smartwatch expertise” helps you to convert an everyday Galaxy Watch 7 LTE into one with built-in parental controls.
In keeping with the corporate, when you arrange the eSim, the Galaxy Watch 7 LTE turns into a brand new system, much like Google’s Fitbit Ace LTE, and may be switched again to an extraordinary Galaxy 7 smartwatch when the kid will get sufficiently old.
Dad and mom 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 authorised 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 youths will let dad and mom monitor their kid’s real-time location with the built-in dual-band GPS, nevertheless we aren’t certain should you’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 “Instructor Accepted” badge, which means they’re age-appropriate and concentrate on academic areas like “math, science, historical past, music, creativity, emotional well-being, and bodily exercise.”
Android 16 will get its first public beta
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 help for future options and ample window for builders to experiment and work with.
To begin, the submit 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 enable “massive display screen units” to run apps in any measurement window and facet ratio, which can profit foldable telephones.
Google says Android 16 Beta 1 will convey “Dwell Updates,” just like the Now Bar we caught a glimpse of on the Samsung S25 sequence. This can even debut on Pixels quickly and might “monitor” ongoing actions “amongst different notifications.”
In keeping with their presser, Android 16 appears to be gearing up for launch in summer season this 12 months, aka Q2 — which is a lot earlier than Google’s common rollout. Extra importantly, Google states that whereas the most important 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
This 12 months’s Galaxy Unpacked was stuffed with 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 had been seen on the CES 2025 on the Samsung Show sales space. Throughout Unpacked, the corporate showcased one other such idea on display screen however did not even contact the subject, because it stored 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 “function a 9.9 to 10-inch display screen when unfolded.” That mentioned, 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
The Samsung Galaxy S25 sequence is appropriate with Qi2 chargers however does not include charging magnets of its personal. Nevertheless, we noticed a charger that’s on its method that may very well be simply what S25 customers are in search of… as long as they’ve a appropriate 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 sequence has made its method 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.
In keeping with 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 may be charged at 15W wi-fi speeds utilizing a Qi2 charger, which is a big 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 might be value catching up on:
