News Weekly
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, Samsung launches the Galaxy S25 FE, the Pixel 10a might show up with minimal changes, Lenovo announces two new tablets at IFA 2025, Google pushes out the September patch to its Pixels, and Android users finally get a host of new features to experiment with. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Galaxy S25 FE launches as a sleek AI-powered device
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The Galaxy S25 FE brings the best features of the flagship Galaxy S25 series into a compact device. The phone comes with a stable One UI 8 (Android 16) out of the box, features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The phone resembles its predecessor; however, it features significantly thinner bezels around the screen and is noticeably lighter. The device is the same size as the Galaxy S25 Plus, which means it weighs 190 grams, about 23 grams lighter, to be precise.
At its core, the phone features the same chipset as its predecessor — Exynos 2400. As for what’s new, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE gets a bigger 4,900 mAh battery and gets new AI features that give the device a boost on the camera front.
Samsung also launched its tablet lineup along with this budget device. The Galaxy Tab S11 and Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra are here, and they’re heavily focused on making work and creative tasks easier with new AI features. The tablets also feature a new, redesigned S-Pen, which is designed to resemble a pencil, allowing for a wider range of angles and a hexagonal design for a more comfortable grip.
Google Pixel 10a might disappoint Pixel fans
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The Pixel 10 series just launched, and it is obvious to look forward to the Pixel 10a, considering the Pixel 9a showed up with an all-new design that got mixed responses. Looks like the Pixel 10a might be sticking to some, if not most, of its predecessor’s specs, including its Tensor G4 chipset.
According to a recent leak from prominent tipster Mystic leaks, the Pixel 10a will ship with older UFS 3.1 storage, while most mid-range and flagship Android phones have already upgraded to faster UFS 4.0.
The Pixel 10a will likely still show up with only two camera lenses, despite the base model finally getting a telephoto lens this year. The leak also suggests that the device may not have the new AI features like Magic Cue, Google’s new on-device AI feature that offers live, context-aware information during calls and chats.
So the question remains, what will the device actually get that isn’t on its predecessor?
Lenovo’s new tablets arrive at IFA
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IFA is underway in Berlin, and Lenovo took this opportunity to launch two new tablets: the Lenovo Yoga Tab and the Lenovo Idea Tab Plus. Both devices are centered on AI features and packed with the latest Gemini features. According to AC contributor Brady Synder, Lenovo has made one for creativity and the other for productivity.
The Lenovo Yoga Tab is pretty much a mid-range tablet for creators and digital natives, with a focus on a high-resolution display and preloaded creative software. The tablet features an 11.1-inch LTPS display, is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor at its core, and ships with Android 15 pre-installed. As for its battery, it gets a massive 8,860mAh battery that supports 68W wired charging, providing up to 12 hours of usage. For cameras, it has a dual rear setup with a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP macro lens, while the front camera is also 13MP.
As for the Lenovo Idea Tab Plus, it sees a larger 12.1-inch screen, a MediaTek Dimensity 6400 chipset, and the same Android 15 OS out of the box. According to Snyder, the Idea Tab Plus “is more affordable, and there are also a few neat perks that come with this tablet.” There are more color options, too: Luna Grey, Cloud Grey, and Sand Rose.
Google drops September update for Pixels
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Google’s September security patch landed this week as well and brought a fix to the Pixel 10 series’ display, where the screen would turn black during transitions from a webpage in an in-app browser. The company also rolled out “a general” camera stability fix for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series.
The patch brought fixes to the fingerprint reader on Pixel 6 through Pixel 9 series devices, making it more reliable. The update also includes fixes for various audio problems, such as call quality issues and other stability problems that have affected the devices.
Google’s September Pixel Drop was also announced the same day (Sep 3), which brings the Material 3 Expressive update for the Pixel 6 series and the Pixel Tablet. Now, users can fully customize their lock screens with new Live effects, as well as add photos to their call screen for contacts. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 receive Adaptive Audio and Loud Noise Protection to keep your ears safe.
Android feature drop is better than we expected
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Google released a host of new features and AI-powered tools for Android users, along with expanded support for LE Audio sharing and Auracast. To start, users will finally be able to pair two or more LE Audio Bluetooth headphones with one phone, allowing people to listen to the same track simultaneously.
Next up, Androidify, a tool that lets you create your own Android mascot just with an image of yourself. All you have to do is upload a selfie onto the web or the Google Play app, write a prompt, add some accessories, and see what AI builds using Google’s various generation tools.
Along with these, Google is making it easier to text with AI-powered suggestions on Gboard with Writing Tools. It will seamlessly provide prompts on the go so you can “review your tone to be more formal, expressive, or concise.” Additionally, the tech giant is introducing Emoji Kitchen updates to help you combine two of your favorite expressions or emojis into one fun sticker.
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: