Daily Authority: 📱 Samsung Galaxy A54 launch, new Pixel emoji

😎 Good morning and welcome to another Tuesday edition of the Daily Authority! Today we’ve got some exciting Samsung news, new emoji for Pixel phones, and your thoughts on the PSVR 2, among other top tech news of the day.

😲 I started playing Callisto Protocol this week, and I’m not going to lie; it’s made me jump a few times so far and I’m only about an hour in. Playing’s reserved for daylight hours though as I’m just not brave enough to play after dark 😅

Samsung’s surprise launch event: Galaxy A54?

On its official website for India, Samsung confirmed a launch event for a new Galaxy A-series phone. The event, which is scheduled for January 18, could see the reveal of the Galaxy A54, if details on the website are to be believed.

• Though Samsung doesn’t name the device specifically, the specs mentioned seem to match what we know about the phone from earlier leaks: namely, a Full HD 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and a triple-camera array.
• However, the website mentions this A-series phone’s packing a 6.6-inch screen, and previous leaks suggested the Galaxy A54 would have a 6.4-inch display.
• But the only other device that may fit Samsung’s description is the Galaxy A34, which is expected to have a 90Hz display, not 120Hz.
• It looks like this new phone will come in three colors too: Awesome Green, Awesome Burgundy, and Awesome Black.
• Though it’s an India release date and launch event, the phone is still likely to be sold globally after launching in India first.
• Watch this space and we’ll keep you updated on January 18!

New emoji for Pixel phones

In other news, Google’s Android 13 QPR2 beta update is rolling out today.

• It’ll bring support for Unicode 15, meaning Pixel devices can expect 20 new emoji.
• If you’re fed up using the same shocked/crying with laughter/hiding face or celebrate emoji to text your friends, watch this space.
• The latest Unicode Standard version is packed with new emojis like a donkey, a jellyfish, a shaking face, and skin tone variants of the rightward and leftward pushing hand emoji, though we’re not sure in what context you’d use the donkey emoji unless you’re planning a holiday to the great British seaside?
• According to 9to5Google, Pixel owners will need to wait until March for the stable version of Android 13 QPR2 with support for Unicode 15.
• But the second beta is available from today, so if you can’t wait for new emojis, you can install it immediately.
• Hold up: You can send these new emojis to friends, but only those running the QPR2 beta 2 will be able to see them.
• And there’s good news for Samsung owners: Samsung jumped the gun and included the standard in its One UI 5 update, so you can likely already use these emojis. Woop!

Roundup

👀 Google’s Extension SDK brings new features to older versions of Android (Android Authority).

😢 It’s the end of the software update line for OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7T as the phones receive their final updates (Android Authority).

📅 And another smartphone will stop receiving updates this year: The Fairphone 2’s final updates will come in March 2023, seven years after its release date (Android Authority).

📱 Speaking of OnePlus, the first OnePlus Nord 3 details suggest it’s on track for June/July launch, and it’s codenamed “Larry” (Android Authority).

🍎 Apple is planning to ditch Qualcomm and Broadcom for its own Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G chips (iMore).

💰 IDC Forecasts Nearly 415 million Used Smartphones Will Be Shipped Worldwide in 2026 with a Market Value of $99.9 Billion (IDC).

🐦 Twitter’s reportedly laid off more of its global content moderation team (Engadget).

⌚ The January 2023 update is here for Google Pixel Watch, fixes an issue that would see third-party watch faces turn off after 15 minutes with the always-on display enabled (Android Authority).

🎮 Will you be buying a PSVR 2? Here’s what you had to say in our poll (Android Authority).

😲 Speaking of The Callisto Protocol, the game’s been accused of leaving developers off credits (GamesHub).

Tuesday thing

A piano with flying speakers? Why on earth not? At least, that must be what Roland was thinking when it showed off its Anniversary Concept Piano as part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations at CES (h/t Engadget).

• The audacious electronic piano was built in collaboration with Japanese furniture maker Karimoku.
• Molded from Japanese oak, the piano’s exterior hides a 360-degree 14-speaker system.
• So far, so not exceptionally exciting, but wait: Roland built speakers into drones designed to hover above the piano.
• Sadly, these couldn’t be flown at CES, so they were dangled from wires instead.
• A large touchscreen above the keyboard streams tutorials or lets the player video conference with a piano teacher — or run Zenbeats from Roland Cloud, to turn the piano into a studio hub.
• The piano also features USB MIDI and Bluetooth connectivity.
• Sadly though, it’s a concept piano, which means it isn’t for sale, and never will be.

Have a great day!

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.