30 Dec
It’s the end of 2018, and you might hear a collective sigh from smartphone pundits. This year was celebrated almost universally by incremental increases to already great hardware. But we also got new form factors — sliders and pop-out cameras — in our quest to eliminate the bezel. Those designs and more will be further refined in 2019, and we’re excited to see it!
Speaking of refined designs for 2019, we got our first hands-on look at a phone with a punch-hole camera. The Honor View 20 is coming in early 2019, and our reviewer David Imel got some time with the phone. What does he think of the hole? Is it better than the notch?
Plus, we have two new phones from Xiaomi, two possible new phones from Google, and two OEMs who may once again be in hot water with the White House. Oh, and Samsung’s new One UI is coming to your Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus as we speak!
Here are your top stories for the week
Android in 2018 is the opening act for Android in 2019
2018 may have been a little bit of a yawner, but it was mostly just getting things ready for an epic 2019. We think. Probably.
Honor View 20 hands-on: Are holes better than notches?
The Honor View 20 sports a punch hole display. It’s tiny and in a sensible place, but we’re still not convinced.
5 most controversial Android apps and games from 2018!
Who would have thought that apps could be controversial. Turns out they can, and in a pretty big way too!
2018 was the smartphone camera’s biggest year yet
2018 set the stage for what we’ll see in 2019 in terms of cameras, and that’s a bright future indeed.
Samsung to show off sound-producing display tech at CES 2019?
Why put a speaker in a phone when you can have your display do it for you? That’s what Samsung is thinking.
Stable Android Pie with One UI is now rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus!
Do you like Pie? Do you like One UI? Well then Samsung has some really good news for Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus owners.
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro review: Pro ambitions, amateur mistakes
Xiaomi’s latest flagship hits a lot of high notes, but misses on a few of the basics like battery life.
Xiaomi Black Shark review: A blast for your buck
Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s gaming entry, the Black Shark, has a slick design and an “Extreme Mode” that takes things up to 11.
Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Lite tipped to land on Verizon this Spring
If the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were too rich for your blood, Verizon thinks you might be tempted with some less expensive options.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 review: What’s old is new again
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 takes an old form factor and makes it feel fresh and new. This is our full Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 review.
2019 will be a great year for smartwatches and fitness trackers — here’s why
It’s a great time to invest in a fitness tracker right now. Smartwatches? Not unless you’re buying an Apple Watch.
Who wants to win a Huawei Mate 20 Pro?
This week, we’re giving away a brand new Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Enter this week’s Sunday giveaway for your chance to win!
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That’s it, folks! We’ll have another giveaway and more top Android stories for you next week. To stay up to date on all things Android Authority in the meantime, be sure to subscribe to our newsletters at the link below.
