AC Newsweek
Newsweek is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week’s top stories so you can stay up to date on the latest tech news.
Android Central’s weekly news release is your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week’s biggest tech stories. This is where we delve into the headlines, which provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week, Disney launches Hulu content, the Pixel 9 may get three versions for the first time, the S24 gets a surprise update, Vivo launches a new foldable device, and the Pixel 8 finally gets a Gemini Nano.
Disney+ makes some big moves
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Earlier this week (March 27), Disney Plus announced that Bundle subscribers in the United States can now access Hulu content on the platform. This merger allows users to seamlessly watch all content in one app without having to switch back and forth. If users don’t subscribe to the bundle, they can find Hulu’s content through an “upsell option” across multiple devices for an additional $2 per month.
Disney+ also wants to make the merger visually obvious, so it’s launching a new campaign, starting with a new logo. The company said the rollout will include a new Disney Plus intro color palette that mixes Hulu’s green with traditional blue.
Joe Earley, President of Direct-to-Consumer Business at Disney Entertainment, said:[the] The official launch of Hulu on Disney+ gives viewers more opportunities to easily discover and enjoy thousands of titles in one place, highlighting the exceptional value of Disney Bundles. “
Three Pixel 9 models?
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Google may launch a Pixel 9 series with three variants – Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL – a first for the company.
A recent leak has revealed renders of an alleged Pixel 9 base device. Leaked information suggests that the Pixel 9 will feature a smaller 6.03-inch display measuring 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm, which may have a 12mm bump due to the placement of the camera.
The upcoming series is likely to showcase a horizontal camera array similar to the Pixel Fold’s pill-shaped appearance and will feature two cameras like the previous model. The post adds that the Pixel 9 may offer a completely flat display with four rounded corners around the bezels.
There’s more: In January, a batch of images leaked and was touted as a base Pixel 9, but now information suggests it’s a Pixel 9 Pro with a 6.1-inch flat display. Meanwhile, more images of the device have been leaked, but OnLeaks claims they belong to a third model: the “Pixel 9 Pro XL” and not the Pro model.
Surprise, surprise!Some S24 users get new update
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The April update is rolling out earlier than usual on March 27 for Galaxy S24 users. It brings security patches and bug fixes, including fixes for some ongoing camera issues with the Galaxy S24 series.
Android Central confirmed that the April 2024 update for the US version brings instant slow-motion support for 480×480 resolution videos, as mentioned in the international version update. That said, there’s no confirmation of other camera improvements specifically mentioned in the changelog.
The 818MB update vaguely mentions the April patch’s improved stability, reliability, and security.
To check if your Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphone has received the April 2024 wireless security patch, open the Settings app and navigate to the Software Updates page. If it does, start downloading the update – it will be approximately 600MB to 900MB in size, depending on your region. After downloading the update, follow the on-screen prompts to install it on your device.
Vivo’s latest foldable phone is here
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Vivo launched its latest foldable phones, the X Fold 3 and X Fold 3 Pro, in China this week. Both foldable devices have the same 6.53-inch outer and 8.03-inch inner panels. The devices feature 120Hz AMOLED screens both inside and outside. The X Fold 3 is currently the thinnest foldable phone, measuring 4.65mm thick when unfolded and weighing just 219 grams, making it the thinnest foldable phone on the market. The X Fold 3 is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, has three 50MP cameras on the back, and has 80W charging technology.
X Fold 3 Pro is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and equipped with Vivo’s customized V3 imaging module. It has an OmniVision 50MP main camera, a 50MP wide-angle lens, and a 64MP telephoto lens with OIS.
It’s unclear when these phones will make their global debut. Vivo has yet to detail what the international rollout looks like, but we should get more details in the coming weeks.
Pixel 8 owners can breathe a sigh of relief
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Google has announced that the Gemini Nano will be available as a developer preview to Pixel 8 users in the next Pixel Feature Drop. This new update brings two handy features: snippets in recorder and smart replies in Gboard. Google initially said that the Gemini Nano wouldn’t work with the regular Pixel 8; however, they changed their minds.
Since the Pixel 8 Pro became the first Gemini Nano-powered smartphone last year, they wanted to provide users and developers with a chance to try out the Gemini Nano, following numerous requests from users and developers in hopes of gathering feedback.
If you own a Pixel 8 or 8 Pro, the next update will include two new features: Auto-Summary in the Voice Recorder app and Smart Reply in Gboard.
These are some of the biggest stories of the week. In the meantime, here are some other stories worth watching: