A look back at this week’s news and headlines in the Android world, including Black Friday Pixel 9 deals, Galaxy S25 Ultra leaks, Nothing Welcomes e/OS/, ROG Phone 9 Pro review, Microsoft’s Xbox app issues , two new Android features, and Huawei says goodbye.

Android Circuit would like to remind you of some of the many Android-related discussions over the last seven days. You can also read my weekly Apple news roundup here on Forbes.

Pixel 9 Black Friday deals

It’s that time of year again when the last big deals are offered on Black Friday and Cyber ​​​​Monday. To pick one: Google’s Pixel 9 Pro XL is in a bidding war for the lowest price. Google’s online store drops the price from $1,099 to $949, ​​but Amazon goes even further:

“Amazon has now beaten Google’s price on the Hazelnut, Obsidian and Porcelain versions with 128GB storage by an additional $100, meaning the phone is now $250 off, or 23% off. That’s the lowest price Amazon has ever sold this phone for.”

(Forbes).

Three secrets of the Galaxy S25 Ultra leaked

The latest images of OneUI running on Samsung hardware offered a glimpse of something different, as internet sleuths discovered that the new code was running on the unreleased Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Three of the key design changes can be seen, with a curved construction, a flat display and confirmation of the S Pen storage area:

“The images published by Android Authority show OneUI 7.0 in use – the latest version of Samsung’s Android variant, which was launched in early October. The surprise isn’t the presence of OneUI, but the device running the code… every sign points to this hardware being the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra. This gives us an excellent opportunity to take a look at the design changes discussed previously.

(Forbes).

e/OS/ on Nothing CMF Phone 1

Pre-orders are possible for an unusual combination of phone and software. Nothing Tech’s CMF Phone 1 aims to redefine the mid-range, while Murena’s use of e/OS/ as an alternative variant to Google’s Android implementation gives this new handset a bit of a rebellious feel:

“/e/OS for the CMF Phone 1 is now in alpha and is well on its way to joining the ranks of officially supported devices. The final touches are being made and the full release is just around the corner. /e/OS with Nothing.” “The CMF Phone 1 is a great combination of features and data protection, all with an unparalleled design.” In addition, Murena will start selling the device in January!

(Murena)

ROG Phone 9 is gaming for everyone else

There are gaming smartphones that focus everything on the gamer and deliver the best performance, regardless of the compromises in other areas. Asus’ ROG Phone 9 goes in a different direction; The gaming features are still there, but tempered with choices to make it work as a mainstream smartphone:

“The graphics are sufficiently powerful and the processing power must provide a great experience. You also get the feeling that you can use it like a normal smartphone without too many complications. I can’t decide if this is (coming) a niche within a niche. from the gaming space) or a niche on a widely popular site (from the premium everyday phones) going in the latter direction, it’s probably a safe assumption that Asus was able to capture a market find this space.”

(Forbes).

Android’s Xbox app is still missing key features

Microsoft had said that gamers can “play and purchase Xbox games” directly from its Android app. As of today, this function is not available. Richard Lawler examines where it is:

On October 18, Judge James Donato granted Google’s request for a stay and appealed his ruling that the Android App Store was an illegal monopoly, which could leave things hanging in limbo for quite some time. (Microsoft Executive Sarah Bond) referenced this in a thread on Bluesky today, writing: “Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned.” Our team built the functionality and is ready to become operational as soon as the court makes a final decision.”

Google reiterated its previous position in a statement to The Verge:

“Microsoft has always been in a position to offer its Android users the ability to play and purchase Xbox games directly from their app – they simply chose not to. The court order and the rush to force its implementation threaten Google Play’s ability to provide a… Like Epic, Microsoft is ignoring these very real security concerns. We remain focused on supporting an ecosystem that works for everyone, not just two of the largest gaming companies.

(The Edge).

Two upcoming Android changes

The latest developer builds of Android 15 continue to bring new features for Android users, which will be available in 2025. First, there’s a new way to show notifications on the standby screen while reducing clutter:

“This is a new feature that allows you to clean up your lock screen without having to unlock your phone to view your notifications. The description of the feature states that this will result in fewer notifications appearing on the lock screen. However, in our quick test, it doesn’t look like this actually reduces the total number of notifications you see there. Rather, the Lock Screen Notifications Minimalism feature appears to hide everything except the notification icons.

(Android Authority).

Secondly, there is the option to log back in when you restore your data to your phone, either from your Google Backup or a local copy and restore between two devices. You no longer have to spend your first few days with a new phone trying to remember, “What password goes in here?”

“According to Google, Restore Credentials allows app developers to generate a “recovery key” that is stored locally on your device and in the cloud (if you have Google Backup enabled). When you set up a new Android phone and choose to restore Apps and Data, the keys will be transferred to the new device and you will be automatically signed in to your app accounts the first time you boot it up.

(Notebook Check).

And finally…

Huawei, once one of Google’s brightest Android partners, is ready to completely withdraw from the Android space and switch all of its smartphones, wearables and electronics to its own HarmonyOS:

“The company’s new flagship phone, the Mate 70, will introduce HarmonyOS Next, the iteration of its operating system that eschews remnants of Android in favor of entirely native technology. The new devices were announced at a live-streamed event on Tuesday, part of Huawei’s campaign to recapture China’s premium tier from Apple Inc. and build an ecosystem without the involvement of major U.S. technology providers.

(Bloomberg).

Android Circuit rounds up what’s new in the Android world here on Forbes every weekend. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any future coverage, and of course check out the sister column in Apple Loop! You can find last week’s Android Circuit here. If you have news and links you would like featured in Android Circuit, contact us!