In this week’s top stories: A UI 3.0 loses the option to hide the camera notch, the January 2021 security update arrives for Google Pixel phones, a likely successor to the Nest Hub goes through the FCC and more.
Before the launch of the Galaxy S21, the One UI 3.0 update based on Android 11 reached some Samsung phones. Unfortunately, the owners of these phones are finding that a popular feature, the ability to turn off part of the screen to hide the notch on the front camera, is missing in One UI 3.0.
This begs the question: is Samsung prepared to introduce some camera technology under the impressive screen in the not too distant future? Well, given the renders of the Galaxy S21 that have already leaked to show a prominent screen notch, we wouldn’t bet for now.
On Monday, Google released its first Android software update of the year, bringing its Pixel phones up to the January 2021 security patch. The biggest changes have occurred in the latest generation of Pixel phones, fixing problems with the volume of the sound. system and automatic brightness levels.
All other smartphones (Pixel 3 / XL, 3a / XL, 4 / XL, 4a, 4a 5G and 5) receive the following enhancements:
- Fixed issue that causes intermittent restarts in certain applications
- Further improvements to the automatic rotation response in certain device orientations
- Fix for call prevention issue on certain MVNO networks
This week, a new Google device passed the FCC, getting one step closer to being launched. From archiving, we were able to determine that it is probably a Nest Hub-style smart display with integrated Soli radar technology. In the meantime, our sources have told us that this new Nest Hub will be able to use Soli to track their sleeping habits.
In terms of launch, the new Nest Hub with Soli arrives this year. We have been informed that it will arrive sooner or later, which is in line with the FCC’s confidentiality in the process (and related images) ending in July. Meanwhile, the company revealed to us on Tuesday that it plans to launch a new line of Nest security cameras in 2021.
In other news from Made by Google, the company confirmed that the Pixel 4a 5G’s Clearly White colorway will be available soon from more retailers. Up to this point, the Clearly White Pixel 4a 5G was only available through Verizon, which means it was only available on the $ 599 model with support for mmWave 5G.
Holiday and exchange shoppers may be a little offended by Google’s launch of a new color after the gift season, but it won’t come until February. It turns out that Google is aggressively encouraging people to purchase the Pixel 4a 5G.
Another week, another streaming service. This week, Discovery + became the latest network-specific streaming service, offering content like The Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network and more.
If Discovery + sounds like a good addition to your streaming library, the platform is widely available on Google platforms. You can download Discovery + on Android TV and the new Chromecast with Google TV. The service also works through a native app on Android, as well as through the web on Chromebooks. Discovery + also works with Chromecast devices and TVs with integrated Chromecast.
The rest of this week’s main news follows:
Android |
Applications and updates |
Made by Google |
OnePlus |
Samsung |
Videos |
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