Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including confirmed Galaxy Z Fold8 details, Z Flip8 specs, Galaxy S26 FE design, Honor Magic V6 analysis, e/OS/ 4 revealed, Boox Go 6’s stylus support, and the hidden secret of the Trump phone.
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.
Samsung Documents Confirm Z Fold8 Details
GSM Arena reports that Indian certification authorities have signed off on the Galaxy Z Fold8, a sure sign that Samsung’s next foldable is in the final stages of validation before a public release:
“It has the model number SM-F971B. The certification doesn’t reveal any specs, but according to previous rumors the device will sport a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a 4,800 mAh battery with support for 45W wired charging. It’s expected to weigh around 200g.:
Galaxy Z Flip8’s Snapdragon Power
The eternal question in the Samsung community is: Exynos or Snapdragon? While last year’s Z Flip7 was exclusively using Samsung’s homegrown Exynos, some models this year may be running the more powerful Snapdragon chipset, as I noted earlier this week:
“The latter is right at the top of Samsung’s portfolio, the smartphone that leads not just Samsung’s smartphones, but for many leads all of the Android ecosystem. The vertical clamshell Z Flip range is as much about fashion and form as it is about brute force and flagship specs.”
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE Shows Up
Details on the fourth model in the Galaxy S26 family have come to light this week, with images of the Galaxy S26 FE on show. It’s broadly similar to the vanilla S26 with some tweaks to the camera island. The real difference will be the specs. Expect Samsung to shave a few points of performance from everything to leave a competent premium feel, but at a lower sticker price.
“The difference between Galaxy S25 FE and Galaxy S26 FE, at least as far as we can tell in this single image, essentially boils down to just a new camera bump. Like the full flagships, the FE is getting a raised camera bump similar to what’s been installed on the Galaxy Z Fold series for a couple of generations now.”
This Is The Honor Magic V6
Following a reveal at Mobile World Congress, the tech press has been closely examining Honor’s Magic V6 this week. Daniel Cooper goes into detail on the achievements of Honor’s latest foldable, starting with the core specs and high level of performance:
“Honor’s Magic V6 is the first foldable to ship with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 paired with 15GB RAM and 512GB storage. To say it moves quickly would be an insult to things that move quickly, because this thing zooms, glides or sprints. I’ve not yet been able to make this thing stutter or slow down, and it’s an absolute dream for gaming.”
More ‘Leaving Google’ Features Added To e/OS/
Murena has announced e/OS/ 4. Built on the Android Open Source Project, it is pitched as a secure alternative to Google’s version of Android, found on billions of smartphones. The latest version includes new software features for consumers ready to leave Google’s ecosystem, including a new Maps app, cloud backup options, and a Gmail migration assistant. The company has also announced a partnership with Gigaset to offer a new phone running e/OS/ out of the box:
“Murena adds that it’s also worked with German brand Gigaset to launch the GS6 and GS6 Pro smartphones running /e/OS. These phones pack a Dimensity 7300 chip, a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED screen, 8GB of RAM, a removable 5,300mAh battery, 15W wireless charging, eSIM support, an IP68 rating, and a 64MP+8MP+2MP camera system. “
Boox Brings Inking To Its New eInk Reader
Boox’s latest Android-powered eInk device is the Go 6 (Gen 2). Naturally, it’s built around a comfortable reading experience, but this model adds support for Boox’s stylus, turning the pocket device into an always-ready notepad. Andrew Liszeski has their first impressions at The Verge.
“The new Go 6 (Gen II) sticks with a 6-inch, 300PPI E Ink screen like its predecessor but gets a bump from 2GB to 3GB of RAM and now supports Boox’s InkSense Plus stylus, which can be used for sketching, annotating documents, or making handwritten notes.”
And Finally…
What lies underneath the Trump Phone? The recently released golden phone looked familiar to the team at iFixit, so they decided to strip one down and discovered an HTC U24 Pro under the paint.
“There was one other small cosmetic change: the speaker grille. The aluminium chassis, while almost identical, has holes that are machined out with a slightly different pattern. The CT scan and our teardown make clear that this difference isn’t substantive. The speakers are the same. Their positioning is the same. Everything is the same, except the pattern of holes in the case.”
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!
