Weekly Authority: Edition #159 – Android Authority
Apple: Apple has announced its online California Streaming event for September 14th, which will likely reveal the iPhone 13, possibly AirPods 3 and more. It’s reportedly in talks with Toyota about Apple car production starting in 2024, despite Apple’s auto boss moving to Ford.
Samsung: Samsung announced its “Discover Samsung” event from September 20th to 26th, with new offers for phones and other technologies as well as top tips and hacks every day. Galaxy S22 specs leaked this week, suggesting the lack of a 200 MP camera sensor. Samsung is also reportedly working on a 576 MP camera sensor that could hit the market as early as 2025. The One UI 4.0 beta is running late while the Galaxy Note 9 is no longer receiving monthly security updates. And by the end of the year, WhatsApp will no longer work on some Galaxy phones.
Google: Google’s ad gave us a glimpse of the Pixel 6 in the flesh, while an Instagram ad addressed a possible October 19th publication. The fifth beta of Android 12 has started, which is getting closer and closer to the stable launch, although we don’t have an exact date yet. And Google has released updates to address the Google Clock alarms issue.
Global chip shortage: Mediatek is expanding its lead over Qualcomm in chipset shipments, and we should prepare for smartphones to get more expensive next year.
Elsewhere: The Realme Pad launches in India on September 16, while Vivo launches its camera-centric X70 series. Xiaomi announced a new, longer update policy, and Fossil removed dozens of smartwatch faces. In the meantime, Facebook has launched its Rayban Stories smart glasses for taking pictures, and Amazon will start selling its own smart TVs from October. And El Salvador was the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, but it got off to a rocky start.
Films / television: Honors poured in for the actor Michael K. Williams (54), who died on Monday, known for his role as Omar Little in The Wire. The first trailer for Matrix Resurrections also came out this week, while Top Gun: Maverick and Mission Impossible 7 are again being postponed. Meanwhile, HBO Max launches in six European countries on October 26th, and Hulu is getting its first price increase in two years.
To play: Sony lets Horizon Forbidden West PS4 buyers upgrade to the PS5 version for free, but it will be the last game to do so – new cross-gen upgrades are now $ 10. Sony’s PlayStation Showcase on September 9th gave us a glimpse into many upcoming games, including Wolverine, Spider-Man 2, and the God of War Ragnarok gameplay trailer. We also got another tantalizing glimpse into Ghostwire Tokyo and the Alan Wake remaster announcement trailer, which hits PlayStation for the first time this fall.
