The Weekly Authority: 🐣 Weighty Pixel Fold, eggsorbitant prices, and more

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 233rd edition is here, with a hefty Pixel Fold rumor, a creepy (or cool) new Bixby feature, the price of eggs, and more…

🧐 Happy weekend! It’s Andy here, unusually finding myself on Weekly Authority duty while Paula enjoys some time off. You can look forward to her stories from the Scottish countryside next week. As for me, I’m on my third cup of coffee today while tucking into a slice of homemade banana bread. Hungry for this week’s hottest stories? Let’s get stuck in.

Popular news this week

Google:

• This week’s big rumor: The Pixel Fold could be particularly heavy compared to other foldables.
• For those struggling on laptops, Google Chrome’s latest update brings power and memory usage improvements.
• Also, the latest Google TV update brings smarter discovery and navigational improvements.
• Google Play Store is failing to protect your data privacy, according to a new study.
• Sick of Google Workspace’s dated design? Drive, Docs, Slides, and Sheets are all getting a minor aesthetic refresh.
• Big news for photographers: Google is bringing Magic Eraser to more smartphones, but there’s a catch. It’s also available on iOS.
• Google rolls out tests that block news content for some users in Canada in response to the country’s new online news bill.
• Android phones in India could be very different from global markets going forward thanks to the country’s competition watchdog’s ruling.

Samsung:

• Samsung’s Bixby can now clone your voice to answer your calls: Is this creepy, cool, or both?
• Great news! The Galaxy Z Fold 5 might get a mighty storage speed bump, but what about the Flip 5?
• However, if you were hoping for an S Pen slot on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, you might have to look elsewhere.
• The Flip 5, meanwhile, could get a larger cover display to rival the Oppo N2 Flip.
• And, Galaxy A54 and A34 renders and specs leak hinting at highly capable mid-rangers.
• If Samsung does launch a Galaxy S23 FE, it might not get Qualcomm’s latest and greatest chipset.
• Look to the skies! Samsung is bringing two-way satellite communication tech for smartphones.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 owners: One UI 5.1 is now rolling out to your device. However, some users have noted severe battery drain after upgrading their devices.
• If you bought Samsung’s latest flagship but noticed a weird thing on the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s screen, don’t worry. It’s not a defect.
• Samsung’s Camera Assistant app is now available on older Galaxy flagships.
• Samsung tablet fan? A new rumor suggests the Galaxy Tab S9 could pack an IP67 rating.
• Watch out! The Galaxy Watch 6 could elevate its look with new curved glass display.

OnePlus:

• The OnePlus Nord 3 breaks cover once again, but is it for real this time?
• Is OnePlus pulling a Nothing with its next concept phone? The design sure looks familiar.
• Also: The OnePlus foldable may not simply be a rebranded Oppo Find N2, according to a new rumor.
• Still running a OnePlus 7T on T-Mobile? Grab Android 12 for your device right now.

Apple:

• Leaked iPhone 15 renders ditch the notch and Lightning ports for a Dynamic Island and USB-C.
• Apple is now testing iOS 16.5 internally, according to a new report. The version is likely the last major update before iOS 17 debuts at WWDC.
• Security researchers warn of a new class of Apple bugs.
• An unopened original iPhone fetched over $63,000 at an auction, more than 106x its original price.

Microsoft:

• ChatGPT-powered Bing and Edge are now available on mobile.
• Very much related: As Microsoft embraces AI, it says sayonara to the metaverse.

Social media:

• Hate Facebook Reels? Here’s how to hide all of them from your feed.
• Elon Musk suggests Twitter could open source its algorithm in the coming week.

Space:

• Russia sends Soyuz rescue ship to International Space Station to save two cosmonauts and an astronaut.
• Have a look at the Milky Way’s oldest star cluster, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope.
• Starlink wants to offer ‘internet anywhere on land’ for $200/month.

Elsewhere: 

• Looks like the Motorola Razr 2023 will beat the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 to the punch.
• The heavily armed DMZ separating North and South Korea has become a wildlife haven.
• Zoomers are trading Android phones for iPhones at an alarming rate.
• Nothing Phone 1 users can finally grab Android 13.
• Alternative Android browser Vivaldi is adding YouTube background play to its toolkit.
• Which company will launch the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 foldable? One tipster gives it to Vivo.

Movies/TV:

• We round up the best ad-supported streaming plans for people on a budget.
• Well, well, well: Netflix is lowering its prices in several countries, including Malaysia, Egypt, and Croatia.
• Reddit should have to identify users who discussed piracy, film studios tell court.
• The Lord of the Rings saga is far from done: Warner Bros. is set to release new LoTR flicks in the coming years. Read on for our related Tech Tweet of the Week.

Gaming: 

• Gran Turismo 7 VR is a great reason to buy the PSVR 2, according to this latest review.
• Not into racing games? Here’s a full list of upcoming games for the PSVR 2.
• Alternatively, some early PSVR 2 adopters are facing controller issues.
• How to install and use Dolphin Emulator: Everything you need to know as a retro PC or mobile gamer.

Reviews

• Apple Mac Mini M2 review: Is the cheapest Mac worth it? — “A compact computer with giant ambitions, and enough power and polish to match.”
• Samsung’s Galaxy XCover 6 Pro review: Rugged refined — “Modern usability meets old-school cool.”
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro revisited: The good and the bad six months later — “Two Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro reviews later, we still say the device offers the best smartwatch experience you’ll find as an Android user.”
• Google Magic Eraser vs Samsung Object Eraser: Which one is better? — “Google’s Magic Eraser picks up more wins than Samsung’s Object Eraser, but both tools are worth using.”
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 revisited: The good and the bad six months later — “In a sea of sameness, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is still a life preserver.”

Features

• Android’s new Fast Pair setup process is awesome on the Galaxy S23 — “A welcome step forward for anyone setting up a new Android phone” (Android Authority).
• One UI 5.1 gets inspiration from Apple’s iOS 16, but is it doing it better? — “There’s a lot of common features to be found here, but the proof is in the implementation” (Android Authority).
• The Pixel 7 Pro is my ultimate phone camera for concerts — “I’ve captured concert videos on my Pixel 7 Pro that I wouldn’t have dreamed to get on any other phone I had before.” (Android Authority).
• Do you need a smart water bottle? The basics of hydrating smarter — “It’s hard to complain about a water bottle that holds water well and also inspires you to drink it, but we’ll give it our best shot.”
• Is the Snapdragon Gen 2 for Galaxy better than other Gen 2s? — “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is all about CPU and GPU clock speed boosts.”

Weekly Wonder

The price of eggs has become a big talking point in the U.S. this past month, but there are few ways for consumers to track said price. That is until now.

• A pioneering Redditor dubbed u/wise_genesis has developed a new website to fill the gap.
• Eggspensive.net essentially tracks the price of eggs at every U.S.-based Walmart and plots those prices on an interactive map.
• Deep green denotes the lowest prices, while dark red dots are where you’ll pay the most for that omelet.
• The map shows you’ll find the cheapest eggs in the eastern continental United States.
• In some states, you’ll pay less than $2 for a dozen.
• California, Nevada, and Colorado have some of the highest egg prices in the country, jumping to just under $7 per dozen at some stores.
• That’s an expensive omelet.
• The site also displays data from specific Walmart stores to plan your shop accordingly.

While the price of several foodstuffs has ballooned in response to inflation, eggs have seemingly been hit the hardest. This is also causing other items that rely on eggs to spike, like those delicious baked goods.

Thankfully, it seems the prices are finally dropping, albeit slowly.

Tech Calendar

• February 26: Xiaomi 13 series global launch
• February 27: Honor Magic Vs foldable global launch
• February 27-March 2: MWC 2023 Barcelona

Tech Tweet of the Week

Something extra: If you’re one of those people who love using very very often, this website provides a varying number of very substitutes. All you need is an adjective, and the site spits out a more eloquent alternative you can use in daily conversations. Very cool!

Have a great week!

Andy Walker, Editor.