Galaxy S25 Controversy, Honor 400 Pro Launch, Pixel 10 Pricing

Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy S26 controversy, Snapdragon 8 arrives early, Pixel 10 Pro pricing, Android’s desktop experience, Android XE expectations, Honor 400 Pro launch, and satellite connectivity in 2025.

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.

The Galaxy S26 Returns To A Classic Specs Battle

There is a constant tension in the run-up to a new Samsung smartphone as the community wonders if it will ship with their favoured Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, or with Samsung’s homegrown Exynos chipset.

While the two chipsets remain in balance (with a trend to more performance to Snapdragon and more battery life to Exynos) there is still a perception in the community that Snapdragn is the better choice. Which means news that a split strategy may return for the Galaxy S26 will raise eyebrows:

“It’s too soon to tell whether the Galaxy S26 series will feature both Snapdragon and Exynos chips. One encouraging sign from February 2025 is that Samsung reportedly achieved a 30% yield rate in test production of the Exynos 2600 processor… It tentatively sounds like development is proceeding more smoothly with the new chip. So you can’t count on a Snapdragon-only Galaxy S26 series just yet.”

(Android Authority).

An Earlier Flagship SnapDragon

Staying with Qualcomm, the next generation of the Snapdragon 8 series—which will likely power all of the major Android-powered flagship smartphones in 2026, looks to be getting an early release. Which in turn allows the next generation of flagships to arrive ahead of the holidays:

“At its Computex 2025 keynote, Qualcomm said the next Snapdragon Summit will take place between September 23 and September 25 in Hawaii… Smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 are expected to arrive in October 2025. They include the Xiaomi 16, OnePlus 15, Realme GT8 Pro and many others.”

(NotebookCheck).

Pixel 10 Pricing

Google looks set to maintain the pricing across the board with the upcoming Pixel 10 family of devices. The Pixel 10 is expected to price-match the Pixel 9, as is the Pixel 10 Pro and 9 Pro. There is one exception, though, with the Pixel 10 Pro XL seeing a $100 rise on the entry-level model:

“Given that the Pixel 9 Pro XL model with 256 GB of storage was priced at $1,199, last year’s $1,099 model with 128 GB of storage could leave the Pixel 10 family. That would maintain the price of the 10 Pro XL 256 GB, and everything stays steady across the board. Alternatively, the larger display and potentially larger battery may push the bill of materials to the point where the team has no option but to push the price up.”

(Forbes).

Android And The Desktop Experience

Unsurprisingly, Google’s I/O developer conference leaned heavily into the future of AI (Casey Newton has a good summary of the magic and the madness coming up). Still, there was evolution in other areas that could have a notable impact on the ecosystem. One of those is Desktop Mode for Android. It’s something Samsung users have with the DeX software. Google has now said that Android 16 will build on this:

“We’ve been collaborating with Samsung, building on the foundation of Samsung DeX, to bring enhanced desktop windowing capabilities in Android 16 for more powerful productivity workflows… Leaked builds of Android 16 previously revealed much of Google’s progress on desktop mode, while an early look at Samsung’s One UI 8 update showed that it seems Samsung’s DeX is being redesigned to utilize the improvements that Google and Samsung have been collaborating on.”

(9to5Google).

Expectations Set For Android XR

One area of I/O which pushes boundaries is Android XR. This is Google’s take on packing the Gemini AI assistant into a pair of glasses. Google is joined by Samsung and Qualcomm in this endeavour. Naturally, the promotional videos show the hardware in the best light possible—much as Apple did with Vision Pro—so we await consumer hardware later this year:

“Equipped with a camera, microphones and speakers, these glasses work in tandem with your phone, giving you access to your apps without ever having to reach in your pocket. And an optional in-lens display privately provides helpful information right when you need it. Pairing these glasses with Gemini means they see and hear what you do, so they understand your context, remember what’s important to you and can help you throughout your day.”

(Google Blog).

Honour Launches 400 and 400 Pro Models

Honor has released two mid-range smartphones this week; the Pro model offers near flagship power levels, while the vanilla 400 should comfortably meet the expectations at the lower and more competitive price point. We’ll have a closer look at the Honor 400 over the weekend, but for now, this is what you can expect from the 400 Pro:

“The Honor 400 Pro is equipped with a 200MP main camera (1/1.4” sensor, f/1.9 lens with OIS), a 50MP telephoto (1/2” Sony IMX856, f/2.0 with OIS) and a 12MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2 112° lens) with macro capabilities. The front camera is a 50MP unit. This model is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, just like the 300 Pro. It is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256/512GB storage.”

(GSM Arena).

And Finally…

Connecting to the internet over satellite is vital for digital nomads, heading out where even cellular signals cannot reach. Chris Dunphy takes a closer look at the current state of play in Satellite Connectivity. There are many options, all with their benefits, but one option remains suitable for all:

“For those looking for mobile satellite broadband options, Starlink is currently the clear choice for most of the consumer market. Hopefully, Amazon will soon have a worthy offering in Kuiper that dials up the competitive heat.

(Mobile Internet Resource Center).

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!