Morning news briefing: September 13, 2016
The Note 7 recall saga continues, HTC teases its next Desire, and Google opens an online gallery.
The big news of the morning is that there are no 70 confirmed cases of Note 7s catching fire or exploding in the U.S. alone, as Samsung launches its own IMEI checker to reassure Note owners. It's the latest development in a dire couple of weeks for Samsung, as replacement Notes start to trickle out to customers.
Meanwhile it's looking like we'll see the HTC Desire 10 for the first time next week, with a virtual launch event on September 20 welcoming the new mid-ranger into the world. Kick off your Tuesday with the latest Android news from around the web, brought to you by your AC team!
Samsung launches Galaxy Note 7 IMEI checker
You can now plug your phone's IMEI into a form and see if it's safe or potentially explosive. Read More
Health Canada is working with Samsung on the Note 7 recall
Some interesting nuggets from this Canadian government report: 21,953 Note 7s were sold in Canada and will need to be recalled, with just a single instance of a Note 7 catching fire or exploding in the country. The report also says the number in the U.S. has risen to 70 — significant since just 35 were confirmed by Samsung initially. Read More
Google Arts & Culture now lists natural history exhibits
Google has partnered with over 50 natural history museums around the world to open an online gallery. The exhibition features over 300,000 photos and videos, 150 interactive stories, and 30 virtual tours showcasing key evolutionary changes spread across 4.6 billion years. The collection is available for viewing on the web, and through the Google Arts & Culture app.
Xperia X Compact now available in the UK
Unlocked Mobiles has the pint-sized Sony phone available now for £378.98 SIM-free, in black, white and blue. Sony's latest Compact doesn't pack all the power of the XZ, but it does include the company's fancy new 23-megapixel OIS camera. From our hands-on preview:
As the Android phone marketplace continues to be dominated by 5.2- to 5.7-inch handsets, it's great to see Sony sticking with a smaller option for those who want something more hand- and pocket-friendly. There are some compromises to be made coming down from the XZ to X Compact, sure — a less beastly CPU, less exotic materials and lower-resolution display. But if you're looking for a decent, small Android phone in 2016, the X Compact might well be your best option.
Moto E3 Power is coming to India on Sept. 19
Motorola is teasing the upcoming launch of the entry-level Moto E3 Power on its social channels. With the Moto G4 Plus exclusive to Amazon India, Flipkart is getting exclusive rights to sell the E3 Power in the country. Key specs include 5-inch 720p display, quad-core MT6735P SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD slot, 4G, 8MP camera, 5MP front camera, and a massive 3500mAh battery. Pricing is likely to be below that of the Moto G4 Play, which retails for ₹8,999 ($135).
Samsung launches the Galaxy Tab A (2016) in Korea
The new mid-range slate packs an S Pen, a 10-inch 1920x1200 display, optional LTE connectivity and microSD expansion up to 256GB. It's only been announced in Samsung's home country so far, where it'll sell for the equivalent of $437.
Euro Sony Xperia XZ pre-orders get free wireless headphones
Pre-order Sony's new flagship in Europe and the company will throw in a pair of Sony MDR-XB950BT Extra Bass wireless headphones, worth around £100, according to XperiaBlog. If you're on the fence, be sure to check out our Xperia XZ review!
HTC will announce the Desire 10 series on Sept. 20
No, it's not Google and HTC's new Pixel phone. Instead HTC's "Be Edgier" teaser looks like it's for the Desire 10, the latest in its mainstream Desire range. Based on leaked renders, we can expect fingerprint security, a big honkin' camera module and plenty of gold.
The virtual launch event kicks off on HTC.com at 3 a.m. ET, September 20.
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