PS5's Remote Play Portable Appears to Leak Online

Android Circuit: New Samsung Galaxy S24 Leak, Oppo Launch Reno 105G, European Debut For Razer Edge

Taking a look back at seven days of news and headlines across the world of Android, this week's Android Circuit includes an unsurprising Galaxy S24 leak, new camera for Pixel 8 Pro, Qualcomm's gaming success, a new future for gaming hardware, Razer Edge reaches Europe, Oppo Reno 10 5G launched, and Android's bête noire is the iPhone SE.

Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find the weekly Apple news digest here).

Samsung's Lack Of Surprises

It's a fun leak that leaks out a lack of anything new to leak. Which sums up this week's details on Samsung's Galaxy S24 series. Certainly, the broad specs are going to follow 2023's path:

"The Galaxy S24 series might not hold any surprises regarding storage. The Ultra model will top out at 1TB of storage. And we can also confirm that the base Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24+ will not enjoy this luxury. They will offer a maximum of 512GB of storage, similar to the Galaxy S23 and S23+."

(SamMobile).

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 2: The Galaxy S23+ by its bigger, top range, sibling, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, ... [+] two of the new S23 series of smartphones by the Samsung, being compared during the Mobile World Congress 2023 on March 2, 2023, in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NurPhoto via Getty Images

New Camera, Who's This?

Mixing the new features of Android 14 with the debut of Google's flavour of the smartphone OS with the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro gives the software the best platform to demonstrate what's new. And one thing that will be new is the camera app.

"Kamila Wojciechowska has revealed screenshots of a revised Google Camera app, which will reputedly debut in time for the releases of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. ...Google has improved the visual delineations between photo and video modes by adding a small toggle that sits beneath the app's various camera modes. For some reason, the company has also switched the gallery and front-facing/rear-facing camera shortcuts, which may have become muscle memory at this point for Pixel regular"

(Notebook Check).

Snapdragon Benchmarking Success

There are specific functions that high-end graphical apps and games look for, and one is raytracing. If it can be supported in hardware, the performance benefits are significant. So, the new raytracing benchmarks for mobile chipsets are both welcome for all and especially welcomed by Qualcomm's Snapdragon team:

"... Two of three mobile chipsets that currently support hardware raytracing seem able to handle not just ray traced reflections but lighting, particles, and post-processing too at close to playable frame rates. But perhaps the most significant news here is that Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones, which we initially worried would be pretty sluggish, are right near the top of current ray tracing performance metrics following an update."

(Android Authority).

Qualcomm's New Gaming Chip

Qualcomm has also launched a chipset designed for handheld gaming devices. The G Series will focus on delivering the unique demands placed on hardware from AAA titles running on the platform:

"Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Announced the all-new Snapdragon® G Series handheld gaming portfolio, built to meet the unique performance and feature demands of dedicated gaming devices. The new Snapdragon G Series unlocks a range of options for playing the most sought-after games, offering boundless ways to play virtually any game, anywhere."

(Qualcomm Press Release).

Razer Edge Arrives In Europe

Following a US release earlier this year, gaming lifestyle company Razer has released its Android-based gaming console in Europe. The Razer Edge will not ship with a 5G option; only the Wi-Fi model has made it over the Atlantic. The rest of the specs remain the same:

"As a recap, the Razer Edge is an Android-based gaming handheld

(XDA Developers).

Oppo Reno 10 5G Launched

The latest smartphone from Oppo is now on sale. The Reno 10 5G sitting in the mid-range space beloved by many. At just under £400, it has some solid specs and a decent camera setup:

"The camera situation is completed by a 64-megapixel main sensor and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a 112 degree field of view. The selfie camera is 32-megapixels and offers an f2.4 aperture. In terms of connectivity, there's Bluetooth 5.3/LE, Wi-Fi 6, a dual nano SIM slot, NFC, 5G and support for IR remote. Right now it runs on ColorOS 13.1 based on Android 13, but updates will be forthcoming for up to four years Oppo says."

(Trusted Reviews).

And Finally...

For all the talk of mid-range Android handsets, their capabilities, and finding the best fit for your needs, one upcoming mid-range smartphone will offer a unique challenge… Apple's iPhone SE:

"If you ever considered buying an iPhone, or upgrading from an old model but couldn't because of how expensive current iPhones are, the alleged iPhone SE 4 will undoubtedly attract your attention, while putting Android alternatives like the vanilla Pixel flagship, Nothing Phone, and Galaxy FE in a tricky position."

(Phone Arena).

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!

A Simple Idea That Could Make Android More Secure

MirageC/Getty Images

I think about mobile security a lot. I also talk about it quite a bit. If mobile security wasn't always an issue, I wouldn't have to bother. Unfortunately, it is, and I find myself always pondering the topic.

The other day, a thought popped into my mind that I had to test. I dove into Android settings, hoping I could find the answer to my question. No matter how much I dug, I couldn't find it. The only option that would even remotely pull off what I wanted was by way of a third-party app.

Also: 5 simple ways to improve your Android phone security today

And you know how I feel about them (spoiler alert: if it's not absolutely necessary… don't install it).

I found myself back at the beginning, wondering why it wasn't possible to do what I wanted with the built-in tools and options. 

It just made so much sense.

I suppose I should explain myself.

The problem

One of the many reasons why I install so few apps on my Android phone is the idea that they could access my home network. With the help of malware, any app attached to my network could (with the right code) capture and read packets traveling in and out of my LAN. If I log into my bank account via my desktop web browser, that app could intercept that traffic, read it, and send it to a malicious third party. 

Also: How to turn your old Android phone into a security or pet camera

That's a problem. And even though Android makes it possible for you to adjust the permissions of every app, those permissions neglect one very important aspect of security… your network.

Yes, I lean toward the overly paranoid when it comes to security. I use 2FA for every service that offers it, I use a password manager, and I have three different wireless networks in my home (each for a different purpose). So, the idea of any app on my mobile device having access to my LAN doesn't sit well with me. I not only access important accounts from my network but also get information from various clients (some of which are embargoed and sensitive) -- and I sometimes have to send contracts that contain sensitive information. I can't have a mobile app with a hidden payload eavesdropping on my network traffic.

And that leads me to…

The solution

Imagine if you could limit a mobile app to only using your cellular network. That would mean the app wouldn't have direct access to your LAN. The app would be isolated to using only cellular data, and the packets moving back and forth on your local area network would be isolated from the app.

With the ability to prevent an app from accessing your wireless network, you would only have to worry about the traffic coming in and out on your cellular network. Such isolation could be a real boon to preventing malicious apps from accessing various devices on your LAN (especially IoT devices, which tend to be far less secure than phones, desktops, and laptops). 

Also: The best mobile VPNs keep your digital data secure

I realize there is a big caveat to this idea. If you limit a mobile to only using cellular data, you could wind up with overages on your mobile bill. This could be especially true if the app in question has anything to do with streaming video or audio. But from my perspective, this is a risk worth taking. 

Plus, it would be an optional feature. If preventing cellular overages is more important than preventing an app from accessing the devices and traffic on your wireless network, then you could not make use of the network isolation feature. 

Although I'm not a developer, this feature seems like it would be a no-brainer. Android already has the built-in feature to limit apps from using cellular data, so why not add the opposite take on this? I realize the idea behind apps not using cellular data is to prevent overages. However, adding the ability to better secure users from malicious apps taking control of their networks and devices should be a top priority for Google.

Also: This compact Android is the best phone you've never heard of

And I see no reason why this can't be baked into the operating system. It might not be an option for everyone, but those who take their security seriously would see this as a real boon.

Google, consider this option for Android. I understand it would also require work on the part of every app developer to make it work. If you deem this a worthy security feature, and you have developers who refuse to add it to their apps, you can always remove the app from the Play Store. 

It's well past time security became the single highest priority for Google, Android, Android app developers, and users. Until then, we'll continue having to worry about data and identity theft.

See also How to enable Notification History on your Android (and why you should) How to turn your old Android phone into a security or pet camera How to 'bubble' a Messages conversation on Android (and why you should) How to enable read receipts for texts on Android

'Google' Preferences In Android Settings Getting Redesign, Shows New Find My Device Logo

Google Play Services is responsible for many features on modern Android, and its primary settings menu is now getting a redesign.

Once live, going to system Settings > Google reveals a new two-tab UI. The "Recommended" tab will surface cards that provide a high-level overview of your account and available features. This might include: Backup, Nearby Share, Find My Device, Google Wallet, and Password Manager.  This is a better way for Google to surface relevant suggestions. Meanwhile, the Find My Device card here reveals the new logo that we previously spotted in June. We see the outline version of the upcoming crosshair icon that evokes radar and scanning, as well as how FMD will soon be home to trackers, tablets, watches, and headphones. With the Find My Device network launch delayed, we don't expect this updated branding to appear until then. The list of "Services on this device" makes up the second tab. It currently includes: Ads, Autofill, Backup, Devices & sharing, Find My Device, Game Dashboard, Parental controls, Personal Safety, Personalize using shared data, Set up & restore, Settings for Google apps, as well as COVID-19 Exposure Notifications. There are no changes here. This Google settings redesign is rolling out now (h/t Mishaal Rahman), and we're seeing it with version 23.32.55 of Google Play services after signing up for the beta. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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