News Weekly is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week's top stories so you can catch up on the latest tech news.
This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week was rough for those dealing with Samsung and its One UI 7 rollout, OnePlus 13T gets shown off ahead of launch, April's update patch brought fun features to the Galaxy S25 series, more news on the OnePlus Watch Mini, and Nothing teases its CMF Phone 2 Pro. Let's get into it.
Samsung's One UI 7 is back
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*Sigh* where do we begin?
The joy of unwrapping your favorite chocolate, breathing in the scent, only for it to be snatched away while you try to take a bite... this is exactly what Samsung users felt this week. However, the wait for One UI 7 appears to be short-lived, as several users in Korea have reported seeing the update reappear on their phones after a brief pause.
An avid tipster, Tarun Vats, shared a screenshot of the build number indicating that One UI 7 with the build number vS928NKSU4BYD9 is being rolled out to the Galaxy S24 series in Korea. It seems like the updated One UI 7 build is ~292 MB. Much smaller than the originally launched 5GB download, so this might jump slightly for those who never got it to begin with.
Samsung first rolled out its One UI 7 between April 7-10, then later pulled the plug on the firmware after reports of a bug that was affecting the new update. Now that it's rolling out again, we expect more countries to receive the update in the coming weeks.
OnePlus shows off its 13T days before launch
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OnePlus seems super invested in marketing its mini OnePlus 13, aka the OnePlus 13T, the right way. The company took to Weibo to post an official trailer of the OnePlus 13T, showcasing it from all angles possible. The caption read, "Small screen, big devil. OnePlus 13T is officially unveiled!" The device is said to show up in three colorways dubbed Cloud Ink Black, Morning Mist Gray, and Heartbeat Pink (Black, Silver, and Pink).
The company states that the 13T is small enough to be held between the thumb and index finger, mimicking the "OK" hand gesture, implying that the device is as compact as it can get. This device is expected to show up with an all-new camera island and a shortcut button that replaces the alert slider.
As for the specs, it will allegedly show up with a 6.31-inch OLED screen with "1.5K" resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. The phone is said to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, just like the OnePlus 13. The device will sport two powerful cameras: a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom. The phone is said to come with a huge 6,200 mAh battery that will be boosted by 80W wired charging support.
The launch is set for April 24.
April update brings Now Bar enhancements for Galaxy S25 users
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Samsung rolled out its monthly update to its Galaxy S25 users earlier this week. This patch came with enhancements to the camera, charging, and software stability. The users in South Korea seemed to have received this update first, and it came with the S938NKSU2AYD9 build number.
This new update brought in a design change within the status bar. Users were surprised to see that a new media playback widget had popped up in the notifications bar. This means that when you're playing music or streaming movies, you will see a widget to control above your notifications, which will also show up as a live widget on the Now Bar. This will give you more playback control within the home screen.
While we wait for this update to show up in other regions, users are encouraged to check for this update via Settings> Software update> and click Download and Install.
More evidence of the OnePlus Watch 3 Mini leaks
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Earlier this week, the OnePlus Watch 3 mini seems to have shown up in an FCC listing. Measuring about 43mm, this new watch will likely be sleeker than the OnePlus Watch 3 and will allegedly have a 345mAh battery capacity.
That said, the FCC certification also shows images of a possible rotating crown on the upcoming watch. As for the specs, we assume that the Watch 3 Mini will have the same configurations as the Oppo Watch X2 Mini, which was announced last week with the exact same 345mAh capacity and an estimated 3-day battery life. It sports a 1.32-inch AMOLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and 2,200 nits of brightness.
We could expect something similar on the OnePlus Watch 3 Mini as well. So much so that prominent leaker Abhishek Yadav (via Techradar) suggested last week that the "Oppo Watch X2 Mini will launch as a rebadged OnePlus Watch 3 Mini in India and globally."
Motorola Razr leaks keep coming
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We are almost nearing launch, and the Motorola Razr Plus 2025 leaks keep pouring in. And this time, it claims that the phone will come with hardware upgrades.
The first claim is that the phone will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, which would provide the Razr with a significant power boost if true. Additionally, the rumor suggests that the device will feature a slightly larger 7-inch Super HD foldable screen, rather than the 6.9-inch one on its predecessor. The cover display is also rumored to be larger this time, measuring about four inches.
Furthermore, the foldable's selfie camera gets a massive upgrade as well, jumping to a 50MP lens instead of the same 32MP, f/2.4 lens that its predecessor. Lastly, it could get a 4,7000mAh battery paired with 68W wired fast charging (a huge boost) and 30W wireless charging capabilities.
If these rumors are true, Motorola is definitely bringing the heat with its foldables, giving Samsung's next lineup a much-needed competition. That said, Other changes include the foldable's front-facing selfie camera.
The phone is expected to launch on April 24.
More stories this week
Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:
- Android 12 and 12L have received their last official Google security update
- A One UI 8 leak purports a key feature expansion and 'minor' adjustments
- Google quietly confirmed Google Assistant's days on Fitbit watches are numbered
- Nothing's CMF Buds 2 are now available, as it teases the CMF Phone 2 Pro
- Honor's close Google Cloud partnership preps users for a new life with AI
- Android 16 could bring Identity Check to more smartphones
- Google Search is getting a unified domain for US and global users
- Gemini's rumored automated tasks might borrow from the competition
- Gemini on Wear OS should stick to the Assistant status quo, mostly
- Google tests a new home for AI Mode in its Search bar for Android app users
