With Android, the next major update is not always necessary to get new features. Again and again, developer Google provides users with new products apart from the major version updates. The main focus here is on the in-house apps. This time, among other things, the focus is on communication between iPhones and Android smartphones.
The best Android phones
Samsung
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Per
Super display – large, sharp, high-contrast and extremely bright
WiFi 6E
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Big and heavy
No memory card slot
Samsung
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Per
Very bright OLED
Good battery life
against
No jack socket
No power supply included
Samsung
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Per
Enormously bright and large OLED
Good battery life
against
No jack socket
No power supply included
OnePlus
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Per
Brilliant, crisp 120Hz display
Very good photo quality (main camera)
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Average selfie camera
No jack connection
OnePlus
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Per
Very high speed
Very good screen
against
Memory not expandable
No jack socket
Samsung
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Per
Fast processor
Bright, high-contrast display
against
Display could be sharper
No memory card slot
Google
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Per
Great screen
Good photo quality
against
No jack socket
No memory card slot
OnePlus
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Per
Very high speed
Good endurance, very fast loading
against
No wireless charging
Not waterproof
Samsung
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against
No jack socket
No memory card slot
OPPO
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Per
Fast processor
Good camera in low light
against
Weak zoom
Poor photo quality in daylight
Complete List: The Best Android Phones
More functions for messages
Messages via iMessage are part of the standard communication, especially for iPhone users in the USA – in Europe, SMS has long been the norm. If you want to do without messenger services like WhatsApp, you will find a good alternative in iMessage and Messages from Google. However, there is a problem: the communication between the operating systems does not work smoothly and so messages do not arrive in full. With the update, Google announces that the emojis will also be displayed correctly on the iPhone in the future. Videos and photos that you share with a Google Photos link can be accessed by all users in the same quality. Happy Birthday: Messages now reminds you of your contacts’ birthdays – so you’ll never forget a special day again. With the division into a private and a business inbox, Google wants to eliminate the clutter and ensure more order. The app also reminds you of unanswered messages so you don’t (unconsciously) forget anyone.
It can also be done without words
Autocorrect is both a blessing and a curse for most people. She simplifies typing with sensible corrections, but her suggestions are just as often wrong. Google is now also integrating a grammar checker into its GBoard keyboard, which is supposed to check text for errors. For those who prefer not to use words, there are more than 2,000 new possibilities for emoji mashups – two emojis merge into one new symbol.
Live Transcribe is now factory-installed on the Pixel and Samsung smartphones and is intended to support the deaf in everyday life in particular. The application offers real-time subtitles, making it easier to communicate with hearing people. The offline mode is new, with which users are no longer dependent on an active data connection via WLAN or mobile data.
Google Photos: Everything as a portrait
The Photos application offers many options to edit your own recordings at a later date. So far, only portraits of people could be provided with the blur effect afterwards – now Google is expanding the function. Pets, indoor plants and lunch are just three examples where the effect can be applied in the future.
More information on Google TV
Google TV replaced the Google Play Movies & TV app on Android smartphones. According to the company, you will find all your favorite shows and movies bundled there. A new tab has been added with the update: Under Highlights, you can call up a personalized feed that provides you with all the information about your favorites.
More control over usage
Android has been offering the ability to check your screen time for some time. Now a widget is added that displays the three most used applications. After a tap on the widget, you land in the overview and can control and reduce the screen time there, for example via focus mode, which prevents the use of distracting apps in a certain period of time. Bedtime mode switches your screen to black and white mode – this is supposed to help you switch off faster.
Nearby Share for more people
With Nearby Share, Android users can quickly share files when the devices are close to each other. The update expands the circle: It is now possible to share files with several people at the same time – previously it was limited to another device. Users who have a smartphone running at least Android 6 benefit from the feature.
