Pixel 9a Specs Confirmed, Nothing Phone (3a) V iPhone 16e, Samsung Galaxy Launch

Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines across the Android world, including confirmed Pixel 9a specs, Samsung Galaxy A launch, Nothing Phone (3a) trumps iPhone, Xiaomi 15 ultra review, Realme’s DSLR lens support, Pixel Feature drops video support, and charging your phone from the sun.

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.

Pixel 9a Specs Listed Online

Thanks to the ever-reliable FCC database, we have the certification and the core specs for the Pixel 9a. Google is bringing several innovations to the mid-range price points. While the technical specifications show more support for a wide range of cellular and wi-fi connectivity. But one option stands out as both practical and a unique feature at the mid-range price point:

“Perhaps most interesting of all, the FCC filing reveals that the Pixel 9a will carry over satellite connectivity from the more premium Pixel 9 (curr. available on Amazon for $599) and Pixel 9 Pro series. As such, the Pixel 9a may be the first mid-range phone to support satellite connectivity.

(NotebookCheck).

Samsung Launches Latest A Series

As Mobile World Congress began, Samsung announced the latest Galaxy A handset. Rather than the flagship levels offered by the Galaxy S handsets, the A handsets aim to be handsets that deliver Samsung’ core experience at a sensible price point. The A56 pricing starts at £459 here in the UK:

“Samsung’s new mid-range hero phone has a larger 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display that is now brighter, clocking in at 1,200 nits (high brightness mode) and 1,900 nits peak. The panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+ and has Vision Booster and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.”

(Sammobile).

Nothing Phone (3a) Arrives To Trump The iPhone

Nothing Tech has announced the Phone (3a), a mid-range smartphone that sits in a competitive space dominated by Samsung’s Galaxy A devices. The base model starts at £329, topping out with a Pro model at £449 here in the UK. Philip Bernie reviews the 3a Pro and finds a handset that matches the latest phone 16e but undercuts it on price:

“…you can get the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which has a larger screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a bigger battery and faster charging, plus more storage and more RAM [than the iPhone 16e]. You also get a camera with 3x optical zoom, a feature unheard of at this price range. Most cheap phones give you wide, ultra-wide, and macro cameras, not a real zoom lens.”

(TechRadar).

Xiaomi’s Camera Tribute

MWC saw Xiaomi’s global release of the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. In partnership with Leica, the design echoes the first Lecia 1 launched at Leipzig’s 1925 World Fair. Xiaomi has continued both the tradition and the innovation by offering an accessory that adds a physical grip with traditional camera controls:

“The second section is a grip. Holding the phone in portrait orientation, the grip slides over the base and rear of the 15 Ultra when the protective case is attached. The grip doesn’t interfere with the display or the operation of any buttons but does add functionality to the photography suite. It also sports its own 2,000 mAh battery, which can act as a small emergency charger if the main phone drops below a user-set level.”

(Forbes).

Bring Your Own Lens

Realme’s MWC demo included the addition of a Leica-M lens mount. This works with a dedicated sensor in the camera island while retaining the standard smartphone lens arrangement for a point-and-shoot styled approach when your lens is not to hand:

“The realme Interchangeable Lens Concept smartphone has a one-inch Sony CMOS camera sensor that allows you to (surprise) attach DSLR camera lenses. More specifically, the manufacturer says it uses Leica’s M mount, so most Leica camera lenses support the device. However, realme specifically touts two camera lenses for its concept device, namely a 73mm (~3x) portrait lens and a 234mm (~10x) telephoto lens.”

(Android Authority).

Two Cameras For Streaming

Google’s latest feature drop for the Pixel includes a helpful feature to add a second camera to the input and allow users to switch between them as necessary. It’s limited to key social media apps and Pixel hardware. Hopefully, this will expand to the broader Android ecosystem and other streaming apps in the future:

“The new feature, Connected Cameras, is part of Google’s March Pixel Feature Drop, which includes several enhancements to Google’s smartphone lineup, including the Pixel 6 and up. However, with Connected Cameras, exclusive to the Pixel 9 series, users will soon be able to connect wirelessly to an external camera and stream video from two different angles when using the Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok apps.”

(Forbes).

And Finally…

Charging your smartphone continues to be one of the areas packed with technical innovation. The latest bid into the space comes from Infinix. At MWC, it was demonstrated with a solar panel across the rear of a smartphone.

“Infinix calls this SolarEnergy-Reserving technology, and it uses perovskite solar cells like Anker’s beach umbrella and cloak concept. These cells are thinner and cheaper to produce than traditional silicon solar cells. That’s paired with a system that helps regulate voltage called Maximum Power Point Tracking. The idea is to maximize power while managing heat; sitting under a hot sun might be good for solar cells, but it’s generally not great if you want to keep your phone from overheating. As it exists now, this technology can charge a phone at up to 2W, and is intended to pad out a phone’s reserved charge while it’s not in use.”

(The Verge).

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!