The Weekly Authority: 📅 Galaxy Unpacked date confirmed, new foldables incoming

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 245th edition here, with a confirmed date for Galaxy Unpacked, a Pixel 7a price drop, OnePlus Fold leaks, Twitter’s new CEO, and Steam’s game trials.

🍸I enjoyed a Glasgow day out last week, exploring the city’s street art trail (highly recommended if you’re visiting), and made it to Lebowskis, where they have not one, not two, but thirty variations on a classic white Russian. Thirty!

Popular news this week

Samsung:

• Here’s when and where Samsung’s new foldables will launch, plus everything we know so far about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra renders leak: The best Android tablet of 2023?
• Plus, here’s everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9.
• Samsung’s latest Galaxy S23 model is made for war zones.
• Meanwhile, here’s what happens behind the scenes when your Samsung phone is repaired.
• And Samsung is upgrading Ambient Sound on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

Google:

• The new Google Pixel 7a just got a 10% price drop.
• And the Pixel 8 Pro’s highlight feature is a… thermometer?
• Google responds to the Pixel overheating and battery drain issues.
• Google agrees to pay up millions again for deceptive Pixel 4 ads and also to pay millions again to settle location tracking lawsuit.
• And Google is working on a dash cam mode for Pixels — here’s how it works.
• Pixel Launcher letting you ‘quick launch’ apps from search, rolling out.
• Google Drive finally gets the spam folder it so desperately needed.
• And iPhone users increasingly leaving Android for iOS, but it’s not as bad as it was.
• Google plans to delete inactive accounts later this year, but accounts with YouTube videos are safe, for now.
• Elsewhere, Google Chrome will start detecting URL typos and suggest websites.
• Also: Android 14 might add a handy feature for split-screen mode.
• Plus: Google finally let someone try out its secret ‘Project Starline’ tech.
• Finally: Pixel Buds Pro could get the Pixel 7’s Clear Calling feature.

OPPO & OnePlus:

• OnePlus Fold leak reveals it will be identical to OPPO Find N3 in terms of design and specs.
• Real-life images of OnePlus Nord 3 are here, confirms rebrand.
• OnePlus 12 could get a much-wanted camera upgrade.
• OPPO wiped its German website amid EU exit rumors, here’s why.

Motorola:

• Motorola confirms Razr 40 and 40 Ultra launch date, and it’s soon.

Nothing:

• Nothing Phone 2 processor revealed: A big step up from Phone 1.
• And Nothing is literally trying to bring back the old OnePlus from OnePlus.

Apple:

• In 2024, iPhone Pro models could get significantly larger.
• Apple’s ‘M3 Pro’ chipset could feature 12 CPU cores, reportedly arriving later this year.
• Meanwhile, iPhones will soon be able to learn your voice and speak for you with Apple’s Personal Voice feature.
• Bug breaking texting between iPhone and Android (like, even more than usual).
• And Apple’s App Store was down briefly on Monday, with some reporting issues across Apple Music and Apple Podcasts too, now resolved.
• Also: Apple’s Assistive Access simplifies iOS 16 for people with cognitive disabilities.

Microsoft:

• Microsoft brings Bing AI widget to your phone’s home screen.
• And Microsoft seemingly backtracks on placing ads in the Windows 11 Weather app.

Social media:

• Twitter’s got a new CEO: Linda Yaccarino, NBCUniversal’s head of ad sales, is taking over in around six weeks.
• And Twitter rolls out encryption for direct messages, but both recipient and sender must be verified, and attached media plus group chats not included.
• Plus, Elon Musk loses appeal to tweet whatever he wants about Tesla: Some company-related posts must still be approved by a lawyer.
• If you were stalking your ex or crush last week, worry not: Facebook said it unsent those accidental friend requests caused by bug.
• And TikTok adds a new mental health awareness hub to provide users access to resources.
• Also: Montana isn’t banning TikTok — it’s putting on a show, and you won’t be affected.

Space:

• Saturn shatters Jupiter’s record for most moons: In February, scientists declared Jupiter had the most moons of any planet at 92, but Saturn takes its crown after an additional 62 objects were found orbiting the planet, bringing total to 145.
• Also, Virgin Galactic aims for triumphant return with crewed flight at the end of May after nearly two-year gap.

AI:

• ChatGPT gets first official app on iOS, Android app not far behind.
• Professor fails students after ChatGPT falsely accuses them of cheating.
• And Amazon is building an AI-powered ‘conversational experience’ for search, according to job listings.

Elsewhere: 

• Canon could be the next camera company to team up with a smartphone brand.
• A fresh batch of Amazon Echo devices is here and one of them is brand new!
• HTC is reviving a high-end phone series with UK pre-orders now live.
• Pebble smartwatch founder has a new invention called the Beepberry.
• NVIDIA could bring GeForce graphics to smartphone chipsets.
• And Beats by Dre launches Beats Studio Buds Plus with transparent option.
• And Logitech joins the growing list of companies with self-repair programs.
• Customer satisfaction survey says Samsung is great — but Apple is better.
• Chat Lock on WhatsApp will make your ‘extra-special messages’ more private.
• Elon Musk says he wants to personally approve every new Tesla hire, that’s around 30,000 people every year.
• Speaking of, Tesla Bot can walk very slowly and pick up stuff now.
• Also: Hammerhead sharks are first fish found to hold their breath.

Movies/TV

• What to watch this weekend? How about one of the week’s best new streaming shows, like Apple TV Plus comedy High Desert or HBO Max Original espionage drama Spy/Master?
• Or dive into the week’s best streaming movies, from Ti West’s Pearl to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
• Bad news for those who watch YouTube on a TV: longer, unskippable ads are coming.
• Google announced it has brought the Live tab to Android TV, giving access to free channels from Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV, and Haystack.
• And highly-rated Android TV boxes on Amazon found preloaded with malware.
• This free TV comes with two screens: Would you give up your data (and put up with ads) in exchange for a free TV?
• Elsewhere, YouTube TV hits 6.3 million subscribers as all other live TV services shrink.
• And Universal’s cryptic monster movie brings in Ant-Man’s Kathryn Newton and more.
• Meanwhile, Kate Winslet, Netflix’s ‘Dahmer’ among the winners at BAFTA TV Awards 2023.
• The 76th Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday with a Johnny Depp film, and here are the most anticipated movies playing at this year’s festival.

Gaming

• Finally: Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal wins approval from EU, CMA responds.
• Here are the best iOS emulators you can get your hands on — yup, they do exist!
• Steam now offers 90-minute game trials, starting with the Dead Space remake.
• The PlayStation VR2 is finally available at all retailers after being an exclusive on Sony’s retail site since launch.
• And exciting news for Telltale fans: The Expanse launches on PS5, PS4 on July 27, releasing five episodes — one a week — available to pre-order from June 1.
• Meanwhile, Take-Two hints Grand Theft Auto 6 could be out as early as next year
• And Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be released in October, it’s claimed.
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the second biggest Nintendo launch in UK history.
• Speaking of, here’s how to pull off Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom’s first duplication glitch.
• We got a first look at new images and UI of the Access controller for PS5.
• And Amazon’s making a Lord of the Rings MMO game, with the creators of New World behind the project.

Reviews

• Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) review: More stylus than substance — “Getting a stylus on the cheap comes at a cost.”
• Google Pixel Tablet vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Polar opposites — “Two great Android tablets that couldn’t be more different.”
• The Razer Edge 5G can’t compete with what’s in your pocket — “If you have a smartphone, the Edge doesn’t bring anything new to the table.”
• Google Pixel Buds Pro vs Apple AirPods Pro 2: Which should you buy? “Should iPhone owners ever get the Pixel Buds Pro, and should Pixel phone owners ever get the AirPods Pro?”
• HUAWEI FreeBuds 5 review: Bold and comfortable open-fit earbuds — “Superior comfort at the cost of effective noise canceling.”
• Beats Studio 3 vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Are they still worth buying? “These last-gen headphones often go on sale, making them a great value. Let’s determine which ones are right for you.”

Features

• I thought Spotify Niche Mixes were silly, and then I used one: “It’s like someone gave Spotify a thesaurus and all of our deepest, darkest music tastes” (Android Authority).
• Google did the impossible at I/O: It made me feel less apprehensive about AI: “I remain skeptical, but what I’ve seen is less scary than I expected” (Android Authority).
• Fitbit interview: We talk managing stress with the new Body Response feature — “The Fitbit Sense 2 has a handy feature for keeping stress from bringing you down” (Android Authority).
• Catching bad content in the age of AI: “Why haven’t tech companies improved at content moderation?” (MIT Technology Review).
• Why a genome can’t bring back an extinct animal: “Makeshift mammoths and body-double dodos are on the way — but they won’t be the genuine article” (Gizmodo).
• The first Crispr-edited salad is here: “A startup used gene editing to make mustard greens more appetizing to consumers. Next up: fruits” (Wired).

Weekly Wonder

Here’s what happened during OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s first congressional hearing on artificial intelligence: Lawmakers praised Altman for his openness and made it clear that AI regulation should be wary of making the same mistakes made by Congress when social media first started its rise in popularity.

• Altman warned, “If this tech goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” and while the OpenAI CEO favors regulation, he brought his own ideas to the table, advocating for a new government agency to be created to license large AI models like ChatGPT, conduct audits, and create and monitor safety standards.
• The hearing discussed the dangers of a technology that’s evolving at speed, is unpredictable, and can create and spread false information.
• It’s this fast-moving nature of AI that makes it so hard to regulate and means experts can’t agree on what regulation should look like.
• Congress doesn’t move fast, so traditional lawmaking may find itself unable to keep up with regulating an ever-evolving technology.
• Nevertheless, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and a team of experts are working on a framework to ensure transparency within AI models.
• Under this new framework, it’s proposed that companies would need to disclose who trained their models and what data sources were used.
• Needless to say, this move isn’t likely to sit well with AI companies.
• What next? The regulation talks will likely heat up as lawmakers try to agree on how to manage the risks posed by AI.

Tech Calendar

• June 1: Motorola Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra launch
• June 1: Meta Quest VR gaming showcase
• June 5: Apple WWDC (Reality One or Reality Pro mixed-reality headset?)
• June 8: Summer Game Fest
• June 11: Xbox Games Showcase
• June 12: Ubisoft event
• June 13: ASUS Rog Ally Z1 Extreme model on sale
• June 20: Pixel Tablet goes on sale in stores
• July 26: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked (Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5)

Tech Tweet of the Week

We all know that Monday feeling…

Something extra: A Florida man living underwater won’t resurface even after breaking the record — University of South Florida professor Joseph Dituri, (Dr. Deep Sea) spent 74 days 30 feet under the sea at Jules’ Undersea Lodge and plans to stay there for 100 days (h/t: The Hustle).

Until next week, have a great one!

Paula Beaton, Copy Editor.