Pixel 9a leaks, Thunderbirds Android beta, Google Play vs. F-Droid

Let's take a look back at this week's news and headlines in the Android world, including the latest Galaxy S25 Ultra specs, Pixel 9a design leaks, the very thin Honor Magic V3, when to consider the Pixel 9 Pro Fold , the importance of the F-Droid Store, Thunderbrid's Android beta, and listening to the music of San Francisco.

Android Circuit would like to remind you of some of the many Android-related discussions over the last seven days. You can also read my weekly Apple news roundup here on Forbes.

The place for AI in the Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung's Galaxy s25 Ultra is expected to launch in January 2025 alongside the second generation of Galaxy AI software. The latter suggests that the former will ship with 16GB of RAM, up from 12GB last year on the S24 models:

“There is a good case to be made that all available variants of the Galaxy S25 Ultra have 16GB of RAM, which comes from Google's latest Pixel 9 Pro models. Nearly 4GB of RAM in each of these models is reserved for Google AI. This was introduced alongside Google's advances in generative AI and guarantees faster operation as part of the memory is reserved for AI.”

(Forbes).

The Pixel 9a's flatter design debuts

The Pixel A family of phones takes on the role of the “value for money” model of the range and typically launches six months after the main line. That would push the potential launch of the Pixel 9a to early March, although the early launch of the Pixel 9 family could mean the 9a retains a spot near the I/O developer conference in May. Still, according to the latest leak, Google seems ready to reduce the camera bar's impact on budget-conscious buyers:

“One of the biggest design changes this year is the camera bar. It appears to be almost flush with the back of the Pixel 9a, perhaps with a small ring around it sticking out. It looks a lot like the LG V60 ThinQ from a few years ago. It adopts the new camera layout like the Pixel 9 and sticks with an ultrawide and a wide camera. Another thing you'll notice is the fairly large bezels, which is to be expected on a $500 phone, they're still very noticeable.”

(Android Headlines).

Finding the thin form factor

Spending time with a phone to test it gives you time to appreciate its features, but sometimes first impressions stick in your mind. That's true of the Honor Magic V3, the Shenzhen-based company's latest foldable device. You can't get over how thin this phone is (at least until something thinner comes out in 2025):

“While the Magic V3 is described as slim. That's an understatement. When I open the handset, the word “impossible” immediately comes to mind. That's clearly not the case as I'm holding the phone in my hand and it's 4.4mm thick when unfolded. Honor is pushing the limits of physical limitations, and there's no doubt that in a few years this will be considered a chunky and heavy foldable device, but for now it has to be considered the gold standard. “

(Forbes).

Consider the Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Alongside Samsung and Honor, Google's foldable phone for 2024 has adopted the lesson of last year's models to create something closer to the mainstream idea of ​​a smartphone, at least when closed. Forbes contributor Janhoi MacGregor takes a closer look inside and out for his review, pointing out the price and unique appeal:

“This is a phone for a power user, both in terms of features and price. The eye-popping $1,799 price tag and not the best display or camera tech make it difficult to recommend the Pixel 9 Pro Fold to regular smartphone buyers…Like me.” When it comes to foldable phones, it's always recommended to consider something before buying Spending time with the P9PF, even if the store employees are annoyed with you. That would be an expensive mistake if foldable technology isn't for you.

(Forbes).

The other app store you need

Trevor Slocum highlights the power Google has through control of the Google Play app store. He also points out that F-Droid, a popular app store for open source software, is one of the counterweights the ecosystem needs:

“F-Droid is our best chance to break the chains that the Google Play Store has bound to developers. It's not always easy to release a previously proprietary app as open source software, and this certainly requires some effort. But it's worth it.” Open source software allows users to review, understand, and improve the apps they use. And it empowers the original developers because the free exchange of open source software has a reinforcing effect. and potentially achieve greater strength than any single proprietary app developer ever could.”

(Rocket 9 Labs).

Thunderbrid's Android Beta

Following Mozilla's purchase of the K-9 email client, the Thunderbird team has worked hard to both offer an updated K-9 codebase and to populate it with the utility of the Thunderbird ecosystem:

“The Thunderbird for Android beta is here and we're asking our community to help us test it. Beta testing helps us find critical bugs and rough edges that we can fix over the next few weeks. The more people test and ensure the beta.” “The more everything in the testing checklist works correctly, the better!”

(Github via Thunderbird Blog).

And finally…

There is a smartphone high above San Francisco. An old Android smartphone. An old smartphone with a mission (and a solar panel). Listen to the audience below, select a piece of music and add it to the playlist on the website. A musical delight? It's a mixed bag. A statement on public surveillance? Very much so:

“Heard of ShotSpotter? Police are installing microphones across cities across the United States to detect gunshots that are reportedly not very accurate. That's it, but for music. This is cultural surveillance. Nobody notices, nobody agrees. But it's not about catching criminals. It's about constantly capturing the mood.

(Bop Spotters).

Android Circuit rounds up what's new in the Android world here on Forbes every weekend. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any future coverage, and of course check out the sister column in Apple Loop! You can find last week's Android Circuit here. If you have news and links you would like featured in Android Circuit, contact us!