Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy S27 details, Pixel 11a leaks, Honor and Arri’s new partnership, Redmi’s everyday tablet, Samsung’s powerhouse tablet, questioning the Googlebook and opening up Android beyond Gemini AI.

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes .

Samsung Galaxy S27 Specs Confirmed

Although Samsung has not confirmed details on the presumptive-named Galaxy S27 flagship series, it has provided details to regulatory bodies in China that offer a look at some core specifications. It appears that Samsung is finally updating the battery capacity on its premium phones. Forbes contributor Janhoi McGregor reports :

“China’s 3C certification body has listed the Galaxy S27 Ultra with a cell rated at 5,534mAh, which will almost certainly be marketed as approximately 5,700mAh when the phone launches. This backs up an early leak that pointed to the exact same battery sizes. That’s a 700mAh increase over the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 5,000mAh cell, which is the same capacity Samsung has used in every Galaxy S Ultra since the S20 Ultra in 2020.”

While Google launched the main Pixel 11 family in August, its mid-cycle refresh in the more price-conscious A-series has surfaced as a CAD diagram. Google is likely sharing the Pixel 11a design with third-party accessory manufacturers to ensure a good physical fit. It gives us a chance to look at what’s changed on the outside. Alexander Maxham reports :

“ Pixel 11a sticks with that flush camera design on the back, first shown in our Pixel 10a render exclusive. These are the same kind of early first-look renders we published for the Pixel 10 before it launched. Though the shape of the camera is a bit different this year. It’s more of a short oval versus a longer oval. It’s very minimal, but you can definitely see the difference here. The flash still sits outside of the camera module, as it has on previous models.”

Honor’s New Approach To Photography

With the launch of the Honor Magic9 Pro in China, we’re getting our first look at the impact of Honor’s partnership with Arri to bring “professional cinematic imaging” to the new flagship handsets. Petapixel’s Jeremy Grey dives into the new hardware and software:

“The Honor Magic9 Pro Max sports a dual 200-megapixel camera system. It has a self-developed Honor Imaging Chip H1 that powers Arri Image Science and enables Arri LogC3 Curve recording with 10-bit color depth and 14 preset Arri Looks. It also includes Cinematic LiveVideo, a Cinematic Directional Microphone, an Honor Teleconverter G200, an Honor Teleconverter G500, and a SmallRig-made Mobile Video Kit.”

Redmi’s New Approach To The Standard Tablet

Xiaomi’s latest tablet is a solid entry-level device for those looking for an everyday tablet. Naturally, the specs won’t be high, but can the Redmi Pad 2.9.7 meet the mark? NotebookCheck puts the new tablet through its paces :

“Anyone who analyzes our test data in detail will quickly see that the performance of the new Snapdragon chipset is a bit of a letdown. However, if you spare the Redmi Pad 2 9.7 from multitasking or gaming and don’t run tasks like streaming or web browsing simultaneously, you’ll be rewarded with decent performance. Since Xiaomi, thankfully, provides updates for a very long time, the lack of performance reserves could become a bottleneck in the future, though.”

Samsung’s New Tablets Aim For Power

Also on the new tablet front is Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 series, which all target the high-end market. David Carnoy has a first look at the portfolio for Cnet .

“Samsung keeps the 14.6-inch Ultra but swaps out the 11-inch model for the new 12.6-inch Tab S12 Plus. Available on Oct. 7 in the US in gray or silver, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,400 (a $200 increase from the S11 version), while the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus starts at $1,200, with base configurations featuring 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.”

Googlebook’s Brickbats And Bouquets

Google’s launch of the Googlebook last week has raised some interesting questions about Googlebook OS, Chromebooks, ChromeOS, and Android. What is the relationship between these platforms and your smartphone, and why should you consider the new laptop? Brady Snyder for Make Use Of :

“So, why is app support a huge deal for Googlebooks? It’s because Chromebooks and ChromeOS were already designed for users who didn’t need desktop-class apps or a lot of performance. If people are going to pay double the price of a Chromebook Plus for a Googlebook, there has to be a reason. And if the reason is extra performance, you need desktop-caliber programs that can make use of it.”

Gemini is linked heavily to Android, and that’s enough for the European Commission to rule that the system should be opened up to other AI-powered assistants. Naturally, Google is appealing this:

“Google already has to share some search data with rivals under the DMA, but the Commission said its offer so far had been “ineffective”. The July order spells out that AI chatbots with search features, such as ChatGPT, count as eligible rivals, and that Google should share the same data it uses to improve its own search, after anonymising it with a “multi-layered method” drawn up with privacy experts. It also sets a formula for what Google can charge. Sharing is due to start in January 2027.”

Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop ! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here , and if you have any news and links you’d like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!