Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy S27 Ultra specs, Galaxy Z Fold8 success, Fairphone and e/OS/ in the US, LineageOS on Pixel 10, Fitbit Edge launch, RedMagic 12 Pro arrives, Google’s Earthquake expansion.

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 Ultra Prepares Exynos Switch

Samsung is considering switching from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset to its homegrown Exynos for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. This would be the first Ultra handset to ship worldwide with Exynos. The Snapdragon’s thermal control is reportedly overheating in pre-production test units. Sammyfans’ Yash Rahtore reports .

“If Qualcomm fails to stabilize thermal management before the production timeline locks in, Samsung is prepared to drop the Snapdragon chip in favor of its in-house Exynos 2700 for the Galaxy S27 Ultra... Swapping to native silicon would mark a dramatic shift in strategy, representing the first time an Exynos processor has powered an Ultra flagship since the Galaxy S22 Ultra five years ago.”

Galaxy Fold Supported By iPhone Duo

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold8 has seen a spike in both interest and sales. The foldable’s increased profile likely reflects the arrival of Apple’s iPhone Duo in the foldables market. Forbes contributor David Phelan lays out the argument :

“I think it’s clear that the biggest influence came from Apple. It’s been predicted for months that Apple’s foldable would have a similar form factor. And on the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats, Apple’s incoming phone (it goes on sale on Oct. 23) may have added to interest for Samsung’s phones. After all, if you prefer Android to iOS but are inspired by Apple’s new release, you might want to look at Samsung more closely.”

Fairphone 6+’s e/OS/ Variant Arrives In The US

Following the Fairphone 6+ debut in the US market, the e/OS version of the handset has left the pre-order window and is now fully available. Moving away from Google’s flavour of Android isn’t for everyone, but e/OS/ offers several differences in how it handles privacy and security.

“Google’s OS has tracking embedded in its source code and native apps that are constantly ‘pinging information to Google - with ambiguity surrounding how that data is used and where it ends up - however, Murena’s /e/OS source code is fully open (therefore anyone can vet it) and does not collect user data in this way as Murena’s business model does not rely on advertising or selling data to brokers.”

LineageOS Hits The Pixel 10 Family

It’s a weekend of OS updates from the alternates. After a significant amount of volunteer work, LineageOS is now available to install on the Pixel 10 range of smartphones. But why the delay? Damien Wilde reports :

“Google has made it harder for ROM projects in recent years, making it harder for projects like Lineage and Graphene, as the company is no longer sharing device trees and driver binaries. This coincided with the launch of Android 16, and so it has likely stalled some of the development for the last generation of hardware.”

Google released its mid-range fitness tracker, the Fitbit Edge, this week. Sitting between a screen-free tracking band and a full-screened smartwatch, Forbes contributor Andrew Williams takes a closer look :

“The Fitbit Edge design is not barebones either. It has an aluminum casing, not a plastic one, and Google has already shown off a whole series of strap options including a refined metal link design. It also supports ECG readings, which are typically not found in wearables that look like the Fitbit Edge.”

Worldwide Gaming From Redmagic’s Latest Handset Confirmed

Redmagic has released the Redmagic 12 Pro Plus gaming smartphone in China this week. It also confirmed that the liquid-cooled handset, which sports an 8,400 mAh battery, will come to Global markets in the near future. Justin Diaz takes a closer look for Android Headlines :

“The Redmagic 12 Pro Plus will launch outside of China in the near future, but the company hasn’t mentioned a specific launch date yet. That doesn’t mean there is no information on a global launch at all. Redmagic will reportedly be calling just the Redmagic 12 Pro in global markets, and it plans to share more information about global availability and pricing on November 3.”

As well as reporting on over a billion earthquake alerts sent out, Google is also increasing the number of territories and countries that will have access to the service. From the Google Blog :

“Since launching in 2021, we’ve sent over one billion alerts to help people stay safe before the shaking even starts. Today, we’re expanding the system from 98 countries and regions to more than 200 — including Panama, Guatemala and many more. We’re also improving our latest “Be Ready” alert to give you more information in seconds. If an earthquake occurs in a region where alerts are active, Android users can expect to see one of three alerts:”

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!