Samsung’s One UI made its debut in 2018 replacing Samsung Experience as the company’s unifying Android skin. Since then, we’ve seen one major update, a number of minor patches, and an interim version (One UI 2.1).

Now, while most Samsung flagships and newer devices run on One UI 2.1, version 2.5 is expected to make its debut this year. Here’s what we know about Samsung’s upcoming Android skin update.

Samsung One UI 2.5: Features

According to a SamMobile report earlier this year, One UI 2.5 could feature further tweaks to its navigation gesture support, including bringing Google’s default Android gestures to third-party launchers.

See also: When should you expect to receive the Android 10 update?

One UI 2.1 brought a slew of camera features to updated devices, including Single Take, Night Hyperlapse, and a Pro Video mode to some devices. Quick Share and Music Share also featured in the update too. It’s not yet clear what One UI 2.5 will bring in this regard.

In a June poll, more than 90% of respondents told us that they really hate Samsung’s advertisements within its default apps, but it’s not clear if the situation will get better or worse with One UI 2.5.

Availability and supported devices

Expect One UI 2.5 to make its debut on Samsung’s 2020 flagships before any other devices, this includes the Galaxy Note 20 line, the Galaxy Fold 2 (or Galaxy Z Fold 2), and the Galaxy Tab S7 series.

Tweets by leaker Ice Universe and XDA writer Max Weinbach on July 23 suggest that One UI 2.5 will arrive on the Galaxy S20 series “soon.” Weinbach noted that early software testing began earlier in July for the S20 series and the Galaxy Z Flip too.

Yup. Software builds started early this month for the Z Flip and Galaxy S20 series. https://t.co/MlJKAEP2s7

— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) July 23, 2020

Samsung’s current flagship series won’t be the only device lines to see the update though. It’s likely that recent Samsung smartphones running Android 10 or One UI 2.1 could receive a push to One UI 2.5.

We may have to draw the line for some older devices though. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 recently received the One UI 2.1 update, for instance, but is nearing the end of its two-year major update support cycle. This will likely include the Galaxy S9 series too.

As for devices further down the price ladder, Samsung recently updated the Galaxy A71 and Galaxy A51 to One UI 2.1, so expect the mid-range Samsungs to receive One UI 2.5 a little later.

Looking for the latest and greatest Samsung phones ahead of the release of One UI 2.5? Then you can reserve the Galaxy Note 20 via the button below.

Android Authority

LG phones might not be at the height of their popularity in 2020, as Samsung, Xiaomi, and others surpass it in terms of critical and commercial success. It’s easy to forget though that the company isn’t afraid to try new things.

Whether it was quad Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) audio hardware, an ultra-wide camera, or manual video functionality, the South Korean manufacturer has brought quite a few things to the table. In fact, it might surprise you to know that the company was the first to offer a modern triple camera phone in the LG V40 ThinQ.

Cameras increase in number

Smartphones were stuck on single rear cameras for the longest time, with the exception of dual camera phones from HTC and LG in 2011. The HTC Evo 3D and LG Optimus 3D both used the secondary camera for 3D effects though. We also saw another early dual camera effort with the HTC One M7 in 2013, which delivered depth effects and 3D-style photos too.

However, it was 2016 that saw dual-camera solutions truly embraced by the industry at large, as we saw a variety of useful secondary cameras emerge. Huawei touted a monochrome secondary camera, while LG went ultra-wide, and Apple went for a telephoto zoom camera. The latter two setups gave you entirely different perspectives too, making for a more versatile camera experience than ever before.

It used to be the case that you had to choose between ultra-wide and telephoto cameras rather than having both.

This led to an interesting dilemma though, as it meant you had to choose which perspective you valued more. Do you go for the ultra-wide secondary camera for group photos and cityscapes? Or do you opt for a telephoto camera that lets you get closer without having to physically get closer?

This dilemma persisted for a long time, as dual camera adoption increased in 2017 and 2018. But it was in October 2018 that LG finally gave consumers the best of both worlds.

Enter the LG V40

The LG V40 launched in early October of 2018, and it changed the game by offering a triple rear camera setup.

Now, this wasn’t the first phone to offer a triple rear camera arrangement, with the Huawei P20 Pro launching earlier that year. However, it was the first phone to offer the now standard main/zoom/ultra-wide camera trio. Meanwhile, the P20 Pro opted for a main/zoom/monochrome combination that hasn’t been used by others in the industry.

LG’s late 2018 flagship wielded a 12MP main, 16MP ultra-wide, and 12MP 2x telephoto sensor. This meant that you had a camera for every occasion. On safari and want to get a decent shot of that animal in the distance? Then the telephoto can help. Going sightseeing and want to get that entire landscape or building in one photo? That’s where the ultra-wide comes in. In other words, you didn’t have to buy the LG G7 if you wanted an ultra-wide shooter or an iPhone or Xiaomi Mi 8 if you wanted good zoom — the V40 had it all.

Related: Want a phone with a great camera? Here’s what to look for.

The biggest downside to the LG V40 though was the fact that image quality wasn’t good in anything other than broad daylight. This hasn’t changed much with subsequent firmware updates, as our own Ryan-Thomas Shaw noted in his LG V40 retrospective. However, Ryan did appreciate the background blur from the main camera (no bokeh mode required), as well as the dynamic range and color reproduction for the most part.

LG also stood out from others by offering two selfie cameras, featuring a 5MP ultra-wide shooter and an 8MP primary lens. In other words, you had a total of five cameras on board.

Life after triple cameras

The LG V40 was the first triple camera phone with a truly flexible setup back then, but it’s clear that rivals thought it was a path worth following too. After all, the similarly equipped Huawei Mate 20 Pro and quad camera-toting Samsung Galaxy A9 both launched mere days after LG’s phone.

And the trend would only continue in 2019, as Apple, Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi, and others all released phones with the normal/wide/telephoto camera setup. In fact, some brands have even gone so far as to implement quad- or penta-camera setups.

Some of these extra cameras include macro cameras for shooting extreme close-ups of things, depth sensors and 3D Time-of-Flight sensors for depth of field effects, and additional zoom cameras for long-range zoom capabilities. Nevertheless, the normal/wide/telephoto trio is what you should expect on most high-end phones today. Anything more would be a bonus.

The LG V40 marked an important stage in the evolution of smartphone photography, joining other recent additions like periscope cameras and night modes.

This is the fourth post in our “Did you know” series, in which we dive into the Android history books to uncover important and interesting facts or events that have been forgotten over time. What do you want to see us cover next? Let us know in the comments.

• Did you know: Samsung once thought Android was a joke
• Did you know: Android was originally designed for digital cameras
• Did you know: The Samsung Galaxy Note was mocked and predicted to flop at launch

Android Authority

Motorola hasn’t released a solid premium flagship competitor in several years. Motorola President Sergio Buniac announced in December that that would change in early 2020. We expect this will come in the form of the rumored Motorola Edge Plus.

Unfortunately, the company seems to have done a decent job of keeping leaks at bay, so there isn’t much we know about the device yet. For now, this is everything we expect from Motorola’s upcoming flagship.

Related: Here’s how Motorola’s next flagship can take the fight to Samsung, Huawei

Motorola Edge Plus: Name and design

XDA Developers

We have yet to see any renders or pictures of the Motorola Edge Plus come through Android Authority, though we have caught a glimpse of the device’s rumored mid-tier counterpart (pictured above). What we do know is that the device is rumored to come with one of 2019’s most polarizing features: a waterfall display.

This feature is likely one of the things that led to the device’s rumored Motorola Edge Plus name. It’s also possible the device could come with the “Motorola One 2020” moniker, but we will stick with the Edge Plus title for now.

Read also: Motorola Moto G8, G8 Power, G8 Stylus renders surface online

Recent rumors suggest the device could come with a hole-punch selfie camera at the top left corner. This camera cutout should be smaller than the ones seen on Motorola’s previous phones like the Motorola One Vision.

Aside from that, we can also expect Motorola to include some of the other staple premium flagship design features we’ve come to expect from recent devices. This could consist of a glass and metal chassis, thin bezels, or some form of biometric authentication, whether that be a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition sensor.

Motorola Edge Plus: Specs and features

We expect the Motorola Edge Plus to come with a 6.67-inch, 2,340 X 1,080 waterfall display. This display should run to the edges of the device, and it will most likely support a 90Hz display refresh rate. It’s also expected to come with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865, 8GB or 12GB of RAM, a 5,170mAh battery, and Android 10.

The device should also tout 5G support, and Motorola President Buniac said it would be the “fastest 5G phone on Qualcomm’s flagship platform” with “5G speeds greater than 5Gbps.” Other than that, we are unaware of the rest of the device’s hardware specs.

Motorola could take this opportunity to launch several new applications as well.

Software, on the other hand, is another story. Motorola could take this opportunity to launch several new applications with the phone, including Moto Edge Assistant, Moto Gametime, and Moto Audio.

Moto Edge Assistant will reportedly help users take full advantage of the new curved display. This app should allow them to tweak and customize tap actions on the edges of the screen.

Moto Gametime should introduce a customizable toolbar for users to easily access settings and other tools useful during gaming sessions. Some of these features could include notification blocking, brightness locking, and more. Users should be able to access this toolbar with a tap of a floating button or swipe in from one of the device edges.

Read also: Best Motorola phones at every price point

Moto Audio should allow the Motorola Edge Plus to tune audio profiles to match specific types of content automatically. It could boost voice clarity during calls or increase the bass while you play music. This would be possible thanks to the various audio profiles for gaming, movies, music, and more.

Motorola Edge Plus: Price and release date

We expected Motorola to announce the Motorola Edge Plus on February 23, a day ahead of the official start of Mobile World Congress 2020. Unfortunately, this year’s MWC event was canceled due to concerns surrounding the current coronavirus outbreak.

Since the initial event date was scheduled for just over a week away from now, Motorola could unveil the Edge Plus at any time within the next couple of weeks. We don’t know where the device will be made available, but we hope to see a global rollout with this handset.

Read also: The Motorola Razr is back: Is this the foldable you were waiting for?

We haven’t heard any rumors on pricing yet either, but we expect this device will fall within a premium territory. However, we don’t expect it to come anywhere near the new Galaxy S20 series or even Motorola’s new Razr foldable. It’s more likely that the device will fall somewhere between the $ 700-$ 900 price range, though that’s just speculation at this point.

Those are all the details we have on the Motorola Edge Plus so far! Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often as we will update it with new information as we get our hands on it.

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Android Authority

December has been a relatively quiet month in the world of Android development, with fewer posts over at the Android Developers blog than usual, and many other sites taking a break for the holidays. Hey, devs need a break every now and then too!

That said, there have still been a few exciting announcements to cover, including the release of a new Android Game SDK, and a powerful code search tool. Consider this a case of quality-over-quantity, then. Read below for the full scoop.

News and announcements

Code Search with Cross References for the Android Open Source Project – Google announces what may prove an extremely useful tool for Android developers: a search engine for code. See more below.

From Google

Android Game SDK – Android Game SDK offers a selection of libraries direct from Google to enhance game development on the platform. The first library that will land as part of this new initiative is designed to help developers with frame pacing.

The Frame Pacing Library will use Android’s Choreographer API to synchronize with the display system. This helps ensure frames appear when they should, to avoid buffering and stuttering, and to keep audio in-pace.

Android 10 on Android TV – Pretty much this article is what it says on the tin. On December 10, Google brought Android API level 29 to Android TV. This will mean faster updates through Project Treble, more secure storage, and other goodies from the latest iteration of Android.

Another new TV-centric feature for developers is ADT-3. This is a dongle aimed at developers to test their apps on the platform. It will be made available soon, and you can be sure to find out about it here in the coming months.

Features and resources from around the web

Making an app with no programming experience: What are your options? – This post explores how you might set about developing an app with no coding skills. It covers app builders, as well as numerous other options.

Code Search – Code Search is a new tool from Google that has the potential to be extremely useful. This is a search engine that focuses specifically on Android code, sorting through git repositories like github, gitweb, etc. What’s unique about this, is that you can actually search within the code itself for specific commands or keywords. In short, you can actually view the code before you decide if you might be interested in using it.

We all know that programming is essentially a process of lifting bits of code and stitching them together like a Frankenstein’s monster (right?). This has potentially to streamline that process considerably!

Kotlin/Everywhere – it’s a wrap! – At Google I/O, Google announced it would be increasingly placing the focus of Android development on Kotlin. Kotlin/Everywhere was a series of events discussing the language. This post includes links to various talks and resources for those that missed the live events.

Workplace for Kotlin code in IDE – This post shares a method for testing snippets of Kotlin code without deploying your entire app, via REPL.

Lost Crypt 2D sample project for Unity – Unity has introduced a host of new 2D features pertinent to Android developers over recent months. This new sample project serves as a useful demonstration of how best to use them.

From Unity

Speed up your Android dynamic features flow testing – Dynamic delivery has a lot of uses for devs and can enhance the user experience significantly. However, testing these features can be tricky. This post explains the solution, using the Gradle Play Publisher plugin.

Gesture Navigation: Insets – Insets help to improve gesture navigation by avoiding conflicts with existing UI features.

Migrating from Fingerprint Manager to BiometricPrompt – A handy guide (pun intended) to switching to the newish AndroidX Biometric Library.

And that’s it – see you next month!

Android Authority

Pine64

It’s no secret that two operating systems hold the lion’s share of the mobile market — Android and iOS. This current duopoly doesn’t give users much choice in the way of OS offerings, even though there is no shortage of hardware. In the past, Microsoft tried to break into the market to no avail, and Huawei will release its own offering soon enough.

But what if there was another alternative, one that’s more privacy-respecting and encourages tinkering? Enter the PinePhone by Pine64. This device isn’t quite ready for the mass market yet, but if you are looking for a unique alternative to Android and iOS devices, you’ll want to keep an eye on this one.

The company behind the PinePhone

Pine64

Pine64 is a small, community-driven company that specializes in developing ARM devices. It began by producing single-board computers similar to the Raspberry Pi. Eventually, the company also started developing laptops that run on these single-board computers, and now the company is branching into the mobile phone market — hence the PinePhone. Pine64 also plans on releasing a smartwatch and a tablet in the future, but those are conversations for another day.

What exactly is the PinePhone?

Pine64

The PinePhone is a fully open-sourced smartphone, and it is Pine64’s most ambitious project to date. And unlike most devices you can get buy today, Pine64 didn’t design the PinePhone to run Android or iOS. The company developed the device to run Linux.

The PinePhone may be a little too complicated for the average consumer.

We don’t know for sure which specific operating system the consumer-ready device will ship with, but Pine64 says it supports all available major Linux phone projects. Some notable projects include Ubuntu Touch, Sailfish OS, and Plasma Mobile. Each OS comes with its own pros and cons, and that variety is one of the PinePhone’s competitive advantages.

Users can choose which platform best suits their needs instead of simply using the one manufacturers want them to use. That means, depending on what OS they choose, they may have a vastly different experience from someone else who chooses a different OS for their PinePhone. On the flip side, users may have to load these operating systems on the device themselves, making the PinePhone a little too complicated for the average consumer.

What about the PinePhone specs?

Pine64

The PinePhone will come in at a grand total of $ 150, and the specs match that price tag. It will come with the Allwinner A64 quad-core SoC, Mali 400 MP2 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and a 2,000mAh battery.

The display will be a 5.95-inch 1,440×720 LCD panel. The rear camera will tout a 5MP shooter, while the selfie camera sports a measly 2MP sensor.

You shouldn’t get this device if you are looking for high-end specs.

It will also include a USB-C charging port, a headphone jack, and a plastic chassis. Altogether, the device will weigh somewhere between 180 and 200 grams. Needless to say, you shouldn’t get this device if you are looking for high-end specs.

Will it run my favorite mobile apps?

The answer to this question is not as simple as we might hope. Depending on which OS you choose, you will get access to vastly different application libraries. Some of the supported operating systems aim to include full Linux app support. Others want to develop their own mobile app ecosystem.

Expect to make some sacrifices as far as mobile app selection is concerned.

Thanks to Ubuntu Touch’s emphasis on web apps, it probably offers the most complete mobile app ecosystem out of the box. Sailfish OS’ native apps leave much to be desired, but it allows users to install some Android apps on specific devices. Hopefully, the PinePhone will get this ability too.

Other than that, app options are limited with the other offerings. If you are thinking about purchasing this device, expect to make some sacrifices as far as mobile app selection is concerned.

What is the PinePhone’s launch date, price, and availability?

Pine64

Right now, you can preorder a version of the device called the BraveHeart Edition, though I wouldn’t recommend you buy one. Pine64 made this version of the PinePhone solely for developers and early adopters, and it is not daily driver material.

The consumer-ready version will retail for $ 150, and Pine64 says it will launch sometime in Spring 2020. The device will ship worldwide, but some markets may be subject to extra shipping costs.

I don’t know about you, but I am pumped about this device. The idea of a completely open-source smartphone that is designed to be tinkered with excites me like none other.

Am I expecting the Pinephone to replace everyone’s Android device? Absolutely not. But do I think you should purchase one anyway? I do. It will only cost about as much as the average smart display, and it has the potential to expand our imaginations into what mobile computing could look like, not just what it is.

What about you? Are you excited about this device? Let us know in the poll below, and tell us why or why not in the comments section.

Loading poll

Android Authority

LG announced its new G4 flagship just hours ago, and we’ve already gone hands-on with the device. If you can’t tell by our first impressions video (attached above), this is a really nice smartphone. Many of you are probably wondering where you can get this beauty. Well, since it was just announced earlier today, not many carriers have confirmed exact availability dates quite yet, but many have come forward to say that they’ll eventually carry the device.

The LG G4 has a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS Quantum Display with a 1440 x 2560 resolution and 538ppi. It boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 GPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage and MicroSD expansion up to 128GB. It also has a 16MP rear-facing camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS 2.0, an 8MP front-facing camera with an f/2.0 aperture, a removable 3000mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Of course, we’ll update this post as we learn more details on the phone’s availability, but here’s what we know so far:

U.S. Availability

T-Mobile – T-Mobile is launching an exclusive sweepstakes and preview program, and will give out one LG G4 per day to some lucky folks on the carrier’s network. You can sign up for the sweepstakes here though May 25th. T-Mobile says it will begin carrying the device in June.

Sprint – Sprint will begin carrying the G4 in June, in both Metallic Gray and Black Genuine Leather variants. You can pre-register for the device by following this link, and signing up will also put you in the running to win one of eight free G4 units on the carrier’s network.

Verizon –  Verizon has announced that the LG G4 is ‘coming soon’ to the carrier with Advanced Calling for HD Voice and Video support, though no information was given regarding the availability date or price.

AT&T – According to LG,  the G4 will make its way to AT&T, though we’ve heard no official word from the carrier yet.

U.S. Cellular – U.S. Cellular has announced its plans to carry the device in June, though no pricing information has been given quite yet.

Korea

The G4 will be available in Korea beginning Wednesday, April 29th.

UK

Carphone Warehouse – Carphone Warehouse will be offering the LG G4 exclusively in Black Genuine Leather with metallic gray front from today until June 30th. You can pre-register for the device through the retailer by following this link.

O2 – O2 will be the only carrier to offer the LG G4 in Brown Genuine Leather with metallic gray front, though the carrier didn’t mention how long the exclusivity would last.

Vodafone – Vodafone has also confirmed that it will carry the handset, though no timeframe, pricing, or color option information has been announced.

Three – Three has confirmed that the device will make its way to the carrier, though no pricing or availability information has been given.

Canada

LG has announced that the G4 will be available this summer through Bell, Rogers, TELUS, Videotron and WIND Mobile. No pricing or exact availability information has been unveiled yet.

Online

We know the device will be available through a number of online retailers, though we’ve heard little to no information regarding which stores will carry the device.

Know any others?

That’s all the regions and carriers we know so far, but will keep updating as we learn more. Have any carrier ideas specific to your region that we didn’t mention? Please let us know in the comments!

Read more on the LG G4:

• LG G4 officially announced: what you need to know
• LG G4 first look and hands-on preview
• LG G4 vs Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge quick look
• LG G4 vs iPhone 6 – quick comparison

Android Authority