The camera of the Google Pixel 10 Pro smartphone. (Photo by Andrej Sokolow/photo alliance via Getty Images)
Alliance dpa/photo via Getty Images
A look back at this week’s news and headlines in the Android world, including the Pixel 10 sales success, Samsung’s promising Exynos update, the delayed Galaxy S26 Ultra, the latest Epic vs Google, Google Maps gets the Gemini upgrade, new theme choices and an art upgrade for the Niagara launcher.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of some of the many discussions surrounding Android over the past seven days. You can also read my weekly Apple news roundup here on Forbes.
Commercial success of Google’s Pixel 10
Smartphone sales data from Counterpoint Research will be welcomed by Google, as it sees a 28% year-over-year increase in September sales of the Pixel 10 compared to sales of the Pixel 9, a record for its artisanal line of Android smartphones:
“The new Pixel 10 series is off to a roaring start in the US after strong multimedia marketing campaigns focused on Gemini’s deep integration into the lineup. Although the Pixel 9a continues to sell quite well late in its life cycle, the new Pixel 10 series, led by the Pixel 10 Pro XL, has been the main driver of Google’s year-over-year sales growth.”
Will Samsung close the Exynos gap?
As always, the Samsung community will be wondering which Galaxy S handsets will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and which will use local Samsung Exynos silicon. In previous years, the former was considered the better chip (with more emphasis on performance than battery life). The Galaxy S26 family of 2026 could be different.
Recent benchmarking results for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Exynos 2600 suggest that Samsung narrowed the performance gap with Qualcommwith a single-core score of 4217 for the Exynos, surpassing the Snapdragon’s 3800. These scores are expected to fluctuate as the next Galaxy Unpacked event approaches, as both manufacturers work to optimize their chipsets.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 family arrives late
Samsung traditionally opens the calendar year with a Galaxy Unpacked event and the launch of the Galaxy S line. The latest reports suggest that the 2026 event will be postponed until late February. Although this will happen later than expected, it will take place before Mobile World Congress, which will take place in early March.
This means Samsung will continue to set the pace for the latest hardware and software ahead of Barcelona, including the all-important mobile AI race. Which could explain San Francisco’s potential as a host:
“The choice of San Francisco as a launch city demonstrates one of the key advancements that Samsung wants to make. San Francisco is considered one of the incubators of artificial intelligence, with its rapid growth in flexibility, features and use cases. The company has been a strong advocate of this technology through Samsung’s Galaxy AI platform.”
Peace in Our Times for Android Apps
The Epic v. Google case has concluded, with both sides reaching an amicable agreement regarding payment for and access to Google’s implementation of Android, as well as what access third-party app stores would have to the ecosystem. Sean Hollister of The Verge reports on the main points of the Epic/Google agreement:
“Google agrees to reduce its standard fees to 20 or 9 percent, depending on the type of transaction and when an app was first installed. It agrees to create a new program in the very next version of Android where alternative app stores can register with Google and (theoretically) become first-class citizens that users can easily install. And it appears to agree to offer “registered app stores” and reduced fees worldwide, not just in the United States. until June 2032 – six and a half years instead of just three.”
There will be a huge amount of devil in these details that will disappear over time (like how they will interact with Google’s requirement for Android developers to register directly with Google). Still, for now, there appears to be a quiet moment between Google and Epic, as well as between the Play Store and other Android-focused stores.
Gemini comes to cards
Google is set to extend Gemini AI to Google Maps navigation. Replacing Google Assistant with Google Gemini is expected to offer a natural language interface for queries, searches and route planning. Google outlines the benefits as he sees them:
“Helping drivers is a key part of making Google Maps reliable, so we’re making it even easier to report traffic disruptions. Just say, “I see an accident,” “Looks like there’s flooding coming,” or “Watch out for that slowdown” to instantly report disruptions. Gemini in Navigation will begin rolling out in the coming weeks on Android and iOS wherever Gemini is available, with Android Auto on the way.”
A magical way to launch a new app (and a new movie)
A new app from Google this week for Pixel owners, with the release of the Themes Pack application. This enables a set of customization features, including wallpapers, icons, notification sounds, and colorways.
Oddly enough, the first pack doesn’t highlight Material 3 Expressive or the flexibility of theme packs in an abstract way… It’s a tie-in film with Wicked For Good, which is scheduled for release in two weeks.
And finally…
The launch of a new look this week is also the minimalist one-handed app launcher Niagara. Theme support was added to the app earlier this year. This release comes with a set of ten artistic themes that showcase the customizable launcher, featuring a mix of minimalist and abstract designs.
Android Circuit brings together 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 tour can be found hereand if you have news and links you would like to see appear in Android Circuit, contact us!
