A new Android logo is seen on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including OnePlus launches OxygenOS 16, Samsung prepares trifold for the world, Galaxy S26 Edge disappointment, Pixel Tensor study, Honor Magic8 launch, keeping the new RedMagic 11 Pro cool,and Lineage 23 arrives.
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.
A Double Hit Of News From OnePlus
A release and a date this week from OnePlus. The date is the official launch of the OnePlus 15; that’s set for October 27, where the flagship handset, which has been teased for some time, will arrive alongside the OnePlus Ace 6.
The second is the release of the latest version of OxygenOS. OxygenOS 16 is based on Android 16 and incorporates Google’s updates, as well as software that elevates artificial intelligence to the forefront. OnePlu is building on his work with several tools, with Plus Mind acting as a gun. This recognises what’s on-screen and organises his information into the Mind Space.
Samsung’s Wider Reach With A Wider Foldable
Needing three screens to act as one? Asif Shaik reports for Sammobile that Samsung is planning a wider release of its Galaxy Z Trifold smartphone. Initially targeting the markets in China and South Korea, a launch in the UAE is suggested, with hints of a potential US appearance also present.
The TriFold would build on the success of the Z Fold and Z Flip designs that currently dominate the market share of foldable devices. With other manufacturers eating into the market and mind share, a wide consumer launch of a smartphone with two hinges and three effective panels would indeed recapture the latter and offer benefits for the former.
No More Taking To The Edge Of The Galaxy
Following reports of lower-than-expected sales of the thin form-factor Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung has reportedly cancelled the S26 Edge sequel. South Korean newspaper Newspi reports that no more S25 Edge models will be produced after the current stock runs out, and the S26 Edge production line, while ready to go, will not be started.
The Galaxy S26 family is expected to be announced in mid-January 2026, featuring a reworked Galaxy S26 Pro as the entry-level model, a Galaxy S26 Ultra at the top end, and a Galaxy S26 Plus in the middle step. The Edge was due to sit between the Pro and the Ultra.
Did The Tensor Change Change The Pixel?
Since the Pixel 6, Google’s smartphones have used the Tensor Chipset. Designed by Google, these devices take a different approach to requirements compared to the likes of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and Samsung’s Exynos series. The focus on supporting AI routines in silicon means that performance has never been a primary concern. Yet, the benchmarking of the Tensor chips continues to highlight the deficiency.
With the Pixel 10 family, Tensor manufacturing moved from Samsung to TSMC. Many expected this to make a significant difference. What was this expectation in play, and has it panned out? Android Authority’s Rajesh Pandey explores the disappointing impact of the change.
Honor’s Magic Robot And Phone
Also launching this week is Honor’s AI-flagship Honor Magic8. It’s labelled as Honor’s first self-evolving AI smartphone. This will allow the Yoyo Ai Agent to automate in various scenarios (Honor suggests over 3,000). The camera brings in a 200 megapixel telephoto lens tweaked for use in low-light situations. The base model comes with a 7,200 mAh battery built with the latest Silicon carbide technology (Although European models will ship with a lower 6,270 mAh due to shipping regulations).
Honor also teased a concept device called the Robot Phone. While the company will showcase this in full at MWC 2026 in February, this early look reveals a phone featuring a camera on a gimballed armature that can explore and track its surroundings.
It’s All About Being Cool
Nubia has launched its latest Redmagic gaming phone, packed with new features that high-end gamers will look for in a mobile device. It’s also an interesting prediction of where more vanilla flagships could end up in the future. The standouts include an 8,000 mAh battery, an active fan, and liquid cooling to reduce the temperature around the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, thereby maintaining high performance levels.
The initial release is in China, but Nubia has confirmed that the Redmagic 11 Pro will be launched in Europe in the near future.
And Finally…
The Lineage project, one of the leading open source implementations of Android, has released LineageOS 23, the first to be built on Android 16. It’s a release welcomed by the community, but it comes with an ominous shadow. The release was delayed due to Google’s new approach to releasing updates to the Android Open Source project and Security updates, forcing the project to wait for Google to push the changes it makes to the open source project to the public timeline. As Google continues to show signs of locking away key Android components, open-source projects that keep the platform accessible will suffer.
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!
