Weekly News
News Weekly is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the biggest news stories of the week so you can stay up to date with the latest tech news.
This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise summary of the week’s most important tech news. This is where we take a look at the top titles that showcase the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week we look at a massive OnePlus 13R leak that reveals original renders of the device, Samsung announces two new devices for the US market, the Meta Quest receives a problematic update, court blocks net neutrality rules and the Nest speakers were acting up. without responding to basic commands.
Official OnePlus 13R returns leak
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Just days before the official launch of the OnePlus 13R, leaked images and colors of what could officially be the actual device have made the rounds of the X.
The official launch of the OnePlus 13R is scheduled for January 7 alongside the OnePlus 13, and images shared by Arsène Lupine show what two OnePlus 13R colorways look like (via GSMArena) which look like silver and space gray versions. Images posted by the tipster show that the phone will have a flat back panel and curved displays.
Over the past few weeks, the company has been showing off the new device online, with a zoomed-in image of the OnePlus 13R’s camera bump and rear chassis. OnePlus also confirmed that the OnePlus 13R will feature a slim form factor and a 6,000mAh battery. Additionally, an early listing from Amazon revealed that it will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset.
Whether or not these renders are legit is something we’ll have to monitor when we tune into the launch event, although it seems likely given how closely it resembles its flagship counterpart.
Two new Samsung devices are on their way to the United States
Learn more about the Galaxy A16 5G And Galaxy Fit 3.
Samsung announced on Thursday that it will bring the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G and Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 to the United States on January 9.
The budget Galaxy A16 5G will come with a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 800 nits of brightness. The device features Samsung’s Exynos 1330 chip, which will support six generations of One UI and Android OS upgrades. The phone comes with three cameras: a 50 MP main sensor, a 5 MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro lens on the back. Additionally, the Galaxy A16 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery and 25W fast charging support.
As for the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3, the fitness tracker initially launched in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America early last year has finally made its way to the United States, although Samsung said that he had no intention of launching the device in the region. The device will measure health parameters such as heart rate, stress, blood oxygen, snoring and sleep quality. Key features include a 1.6-inch screen, IP68 resistance, drive detection, fall detection, and emergency SOS. The watch is available in three colors: gray, rose gold and silver. It will feature over a hundred preset watch faces and sports modes.
The Galaxy A16 5G costs $199, while the Galaxy Fit 3 is said to cost an affordable $59.99. The budget smartphone and fitness tracker will be available at retailers nationwide.
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Many Meta users were left disappointed after a recent update to their devices backfired over the holidays. The Meta Quest v72 update appears to have rendered some Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 3S headsets unusable after their installation failed.
Several users have taken to Reddit and other forums to explain how their headsets are showing a black screen with the error “Your device is corrupted. It cannot be trusted.”
Meta immediately tried to offer its users a workaround, asking them to hold the power button for 45 seconds before booting up, which should reset the headset and resolve any issues. Users can also try to manually flash the V71 update using Meta’s official manual update tool and a smartphone. However, this didn’t work for some users.
Meta later released an official statement stating that the update has been fixed and most players should be able to resume using the headset. However, if you are unable to do so, Meta offers replacement headsets for those with bricked devices.
The Internet is moving further away from being free and fair
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A federal appeals court ruled Friday that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not have the authority to impose these rules on Internet service providers (ISPs). This brings us to what the FCC is actually trying to impose on big tech companies, which is net neutrality.
Net neutrality is a set of rules that could have been imposed on Internet service providers that would require them to treat all browsing traffic fairly without favoring those with whom they have partnerships. For example, Comcast owns Xfinity, which accounts for 40% of all high-speed Internet subscriptions, and also owns NBCUniversal, which hosts the Peacock streaming service. Without net neutrality, Comcast could prioritize Peacock streams over Netflix, slowing the latter’s speeds. This results in a loss of autonomy for users who prefer one service over another.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the FCC’s classification of ISPs as common carriers and ruled that the FCC did not have the authority to impose net neutrality rules.
“Unlike past challenges that the D.C. Circuit has considered in Chevron, we no longer show deference to the FCC’s reading of the statute,” the judges wrote in their decision. “We recognize that the operation of the Internet is complex and dynamic, and that the FCC has significant expertise in overseeing ‘this technical and complex area,'” they continue, adding that the agency’s interpretation “does not cannot be used to override the ordinary meaning of the Internet. law.”
Google Home and Nest speakers become faulty
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It was a rough start to the year for some Google Home and Nest users, as their devices no longer responded to basic commands like “What’s the weather today.”
The issues affecting voice commands began as early as December 30, according to posts on Google’s support forum. Even though the Nest Hub’s screens showed the correct weather and time, the voice assistant hung up when this information was requested. The screens displayed a looping loading screen and could not respond to basic requests.
Google said Friday it had fixed issues with Nest and Home devices. “The team is still investigating the root cause but has resolved the issue, so all users should be up and running now,” a Google spokesperson explained.
Android Authority reported that its issues no longer affected its units, and Android Central tested that its Google Home Hub and Nest Hub Max were both able to respond to requests.
More stories this week
These are some of the biggest stories this week. In the meantime, here are some other stories worth telling: