Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Pixel 10 sales success, Samsung’s promising Exynos update, Galaxy S26 Ultra delayed, Epic vs Google latest, Google Maps gets Gemini upgrade, new Theme picks, and an artistic upgrade for the Niagara launcher.
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.
Google’s Pixel 10 Sales Success
Smartphone sales data from Counterpoint Research will be welcomed by Google, as it sees a jump of 28 percent in year-on-year sales during September by the Pixel 10 over the Pixel 9 sales, a record for its homespun line of Android smartphones:
“The new Pixel 10 series had a hot start in the US after strong multimedia marketing campaigns that focused on the lineup’s deep Gemini integration. Although the Pixel 9a continues to sell quite well late into its lifecycle, the new Pixel 10 series, led by the Pixel 10 Pro XL, was the main driver for Google’s YoY 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 utilise the homegrown Samsung Exynos silicon. In previous years, the former has been regarded as the better chip (with more focus on performance than battery life). 2026’s Galaxy S26 family may be different.
Recent benchmarking scores for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the Exynos 2600 suggest that Samsung has narrowed the performance gap with Qualcomm, with a 4217 single-core score for the Exynos, surpassing the Snapdragon’s 3800. These scores are expected to fluctuate as the next Galaxy Unpacked event draws close, with both manufacturers working to optimise their chipsets.
The Late Arriving Samsung Galaxy S26 Family
Samsung has traditionally opened up the calendar year with a Galaxy Unpacked event and the launch of the Galaxy S range. The latest reports suggest that 2026’s event is going to be delayed until late February. Although this will be later than expected, it will still occur ahead of Mobile World Congress, which takes place in early March.
That means Samsung will continue to set the tone for both the latest hardware and software ahead of Barcelona, including the all-important race in mobile AI. Which could explain the potential of San Francisco as the host:
“The choice of San Francisco as the launch city speaks to one of the key advances that Samsung aims to make. San Francisco is regarded as one of the incubators of artificial intelligence, with its rapid growth in flexibility, functionality, and use cases. The company has been a strong proponent of this technology through Samsung’s Galaxy AI platform.”
Peace In Our Time For Android Apps
The Epic vs. Google case has come to a close, with both parties reaching an out-of-court agreement regarding payment and access to Google’s implementation of Android, as well as the access that third-party app stores would have to the ecosystem. The Verge’s Sean Hollister reports on the broad strokes of the Epic/Google agreement:
“Google is agreeing to reduce its standard fee to 20 percent or 9 percent, depending on the kind of transaction and when an app was first installed. It’s agreeing 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 be agreeing to offer “Registered App Stores” and lower fees around the world, not just in the US, lasting through June 2032 — six and a half years instead of just three.”
There will be a huge amount of devil in these details that will shake out over time (such as how it will interact with Google’s requirement for Android developers to register directly with Google). Still, for now, there appears to be a moment of calm between Google and Epic, as well as between the Play Store and other Android-focused stores.
Gemini Come To Maps
Google is set to expand Gemini AI to Google Maps navigation. Replacing Google Assistant with Google Gemini should offer a natural-language interface for queries, searches and route planning. Google lays out the advantages as it sees them:
“Helping drivers is a key part of what makes Google Maps reliable, so we’re making it even easier to report traffic disruptions. Simply say, “I see an accident,” “Looks like there’s flooding ahead” or “Watch out for that slowdown” to report disruptions instantly. Gemini in navigation starts rolling out in the coming weeks on Android and iOS everywhere Gemini is available, with Android Auto on the way.”
A Magical Way To Launch A New App (And Film)
A new app from Google this week for Pixel owners, with the release of the Themes Pack app. This allows a bundle of customisation features, including wallpapers, icons, notification sounds, and colorways.
Curiously, the first pack does not highlight Material 3 Expressive or the flexibility of theme packs in an abstract way… It’s a movie tie-in with Wicked For Good, which is set to be released in two weeks.
And Finally…
Also launching a new look this week is the one-handed minimalist app launcher Niagara. Theme support was added to the application earlier this year. Joining that release is a set of ten artistic themes that showcase the customisable launcher, featuring a mix of minimalist and abstract designs.
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!