Welcome back to another wonderful week! This summer has been hot, but the tech news has been even hotter! Did you pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7? Has it shipped yet? We have some news on when that beautiful new powerhouse will be receiving its Android 7.0 Nougat update. We’ve also got some news on a Chinese company making some MAJOR moves in the marketplace with two compelling new phones. Let’s get to it!
Samsung’s swift update
One of the most frustrating things about buying a phone near the end of the year is that it may not ship with the latest version of Android. Google routinely releases an update in the fall, but manufacturers like Samsung need a build of Android that is steady and ready to go on its devices before it ships them out to the public. That can cause a delay in how long it takes for the newest phones on the market to see the most up-to-date software. To avoid this, some choose Nexus devices. Others just deal with it to get the hardware they want.
Well, it looks like Samsung has heard its fans yet again and will be releasing an upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat soon after it ships the Galaxy Note 7. The Note 7 will run 6.0.1 out of the box, which is technically the newest public release of Android, but Koh Dong-jin, the President of Samsung Mobile states that it plans to have the update to Nougat out in “two to three months.”
“It is very important for us to offer up-to-date information with the new OS, but what’s more crucial is to build a stable and seamless platform for users(…) That’s why we are planning to do enough beta testing before any OS updates.”
-Koh Dong-jin
Google has let users participate in a public Beta program for Android 7.0 since the early part of the year so the software should be fairly steady by the time it’s released. We’ve already seen one major Android OEM state that their newest device (LG’s V20) will carry 7.0 at launch.
It’s a relief to have Samsung confirm that they’re focusing on software more and more these days. We’ve seen a TouchWiz revision with every new Samsung flagship release since the Galaxy S6 launched 18 months ago and now we seem to be watching Samsung change its strategy to focus on quick updates to its flagship phones.
A Cool $300 flagship
LeEco is a Chinese cell-phone manufacturer making moves. It’s responsible for some very interesting and cost-efficient phones released in Asian markets which has helped propel it to one of the top cell phone companies in the world.
Now, it would appear, it is going after the budget-friendly flagship market, much like competitor OnePlus. LeEco will team up with CoolPad, whom they own an almost 30% stake in, to introduce the Cool 1, a high-powered, cheap flagship. The Cool 1 is said to have a Snapdragon 820 processor, 5.5″ QHD 2560 x 1440 display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage, and 13-megapixel main camera. A 3500mAh battery will keep it powered up throughout the day and a fingerprint scanner should keep your data secure.
We expect to hear more about the Cool 1 tomorrow, August 16, at an event and will bring you more details as they are released.
8GB of RAM in a PHONE?!
The spec war has not ended for some. This year we’ve seen the OnePlus 3 release a phone with 6GB of RAM and we’re still seeing ever-increasing megapixel counts and battery ratings. It is a little amusing to watch on the sidelines to see what these companies will come out with next, but we have to wonder when the law of diminishing returns will kick in.
Well, the aforementioned LeEco seems determined to outclass everyone else and release a phone with 8GB of RAM. The LeEco Le2S is rumored to be running the newest chip from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 821, with a single-camera design, but double the RAM of most flagships from 2016. The device will also have a 5.5″ display, a 2.5D panel, and 64GB of onboard storage.
We honestly have no idea what real benefit of 8GB of RAM in a phone could possibly be, but the “more is better” crowd will surely be interested. And hey, maybe someone will figure out a way to run a desktop version of Adobe Photoshop on the phone to take advantage of all that RAM.
That wraps up our rumor roundup for today! What are you most excited about? The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 getting a quick upgrade to Android Nougat, another budget flagship device from LeEco or a staggering 8GB of RAM in a phone? Let us known down in the comments section what you think.
