This week, on our weekly firmware news roundup: the Samsung Galaxy J5 (2017) gets the Android 8.1 update along with the August security patches, Huawei P20 Pro receives the GPU turbo feature, and more.
The latest update for the Galaxy J5 (2017) brings Android 8.1 to the table along with all the goodies of Android 8.1 and the latest Android security patches. The update is already rolling out in Poland and you can expect to see it in other countries very soon.Android Pie may be out, but boy are we glad to see older mid-range phones getting support and updates.Moving on to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus; those of you who got them from Verizon should now have the August security update. If not, do make a manual check.
Good news for Asus ZenFone 5z owners. The latest update brings a whole bunch of features for you to enjoy and try out.Some of those are the ability to face unlock without having to press the power button, gesture controls, new camera functionalities and improvements, overheat detection while recording, and improvements for the secondary/selfie camera.
The latest update for the HTC U12 Plus brings improvements to the battery life, performance, and to the pressure-sensitive buttons of the device. No mention has been made regarding security patches but we can assume that small bug fixes and security improvements have been made.Other than that, a new HTC exclusive app/game which is called CryptoKitties seems to also be included in this update and it will also be available for selected HTC devices. This is all that HTC mentions on the additional update information page:
Closed Beta testers will have the privilege to try out new features and implementations weeks or even months before they are released to either the open Beta phases or the stable builds. Additionally, you'll also belong to the group that's the closest to OnePlus staff.However, becoming a closed Beta tester isn't nearly as easy as being an open Beta tester. If you wish to become a closed Beta tester for the OnePlus 6, then you need a OnePlus 6 device (duh), you have to be an active member of the OnePlus community, and you also need to be able to actively provide feedback and communicate with the OnePlus team through Slack.Furthermore, you have to be willing to often flash your device. There are some other requirements that need to be met as well that OnePlus won't publicly share.The closed Beta team will have about 100 people. Due to the secrecy of the whole closed Beta project, you'll also have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.If all of that sounds interesting to you then you can check out more about it in the OnePlus forums.Switching the subject for a moment to the OnePlus 5/5T, the August security patches are here for them. Other than that, the ability to confirm your PIN without tapping is here as well.
HMD Global has previously mentioned that all Nokia devices will receive Android Pie. Seems like the Nokia 7 Plus will be the first in line to receive it in September.Android Pie has already been running on the 7 Plus in Beta form for a while now. So, it would make sense for the stable version to come by the end of the next month.We currently don't know exactly when and where the update will come. But, we'll keep you updated once we find out. Stay tuned.
Huawei mentioned that it'll reveal the new EMUI 9 which will run Android Pie on the IFA in September. The P20 series will be the first to receive the latest version of Android. The Mate series will follow soon afterward. But, there was no mention of exactly when that will happen.As Huawei mentioned:GPU turbo is still obviously still not compatible with all games but developers are giving it their best for making it happen. Those who were able to utilize it mentioned that their games run smoother and the device doesn't get as hot as it used to while gaming.Before we move on, let's not forget to mention that the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro have started receiving a night mode feature for their camera. As the name implies, this feature serves to drastically improve the camera quality under low lighting conditions.Feel like we forgot something important? Then please, do let us and the whole world know about it in the comments down below.Like what you see? Then don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, reviews, and more!
What's new this week?
Samsung
- Galaxy J5 2017 is getting updated to Android 8.1
- Verizon's Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus receive the August security patches
Asus
- Asus ZenFone 5z gets a plethora of new features
HTC
- HTC U12+ receives an update which brings improvements to the pressure-sensitive buttons
OnePlus
- OnePlus introduces a new closed Beta test system
- The latest security patches are here for the OnePlus 5/5T
Nokia
- Nokia 7 Plus will get Android Pie during the next month
Huawei
- Huawei P20 series will be upgraded to EMUI 9/Andoid Pie
- P20 Pro receives the GPU turbo update
- Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro receive a night mode feature
Samsung
The latest update for the Galaxy J5 (2017) brings Android 8.1 to the table along with all the goodies of Android 8.1 and the latest Android security patches. The update is already rolling out in Poland and you can expect to see it in other countries very soon.Android Pie may be out, but boy are we glad to see older mid-range phones getting support and updates.Moving on to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus; those of you who got them from Verizon should now have the August security update. If not, do make a manual check.Asus
Good news for Asus ZenFone 5z owners. The latest update brings a whole bunch of features for you to enjoy and try out.Some of those are the ability to face unlock without having to press the power button, gesture controls, new camera functionalities and improvements, overheat detection while recording, and improvements for the secondary/selfie camera.HTC
The latest update for the HTC U12 Plus brings improvements to the battery life, performance, and to the pressure-sensitive buttons of the device. No mention has been made regarding security patches but we can assume that small bug fixes and security improvements have been made.Other than that, a new HTC exclusive app/game which is called CryptoKitties seems to also be included in this update and it will also be available for selected HTC devices. This is all that HTC mentions on the additional update information page:Breed your own one-of-a-kind cryptocollectibles to create new furry friends, unlock rare traits, and even sell these Kitties for a personal profit.
OnePlus
If you're a OnePlus user, then you're probably already familiar with the open Beta builds. A Beta build is basically an unfinished version of an operating system. By applying to Beta programs, you can try out the latest versions of Android on your device before they are officially released.With that being said, Beta testers will often encounter bugs and various issues. After all, as mentioned above, a Beta build is still an unfinished OS which hasn't been confirmed to be working properly.That was for the open Beta. Now we also have the closed Beta group.
Closed Beta testers will have the privilege to try out new features and implementations weeks or even months before they are released to either the open Beta phases or the stable builds. Additionally, you'll also belong to the group that's the closest to OnePlus staff.However, becoming a closed Beta tester isn't nearly as easy as being an open Beta tester. If you wish to become a closed Beta tester for the OnePlus 6, then you need a OnePlus 6 device (duh), you have to be an active member of the OnePlus community, and you also need to be able to actively provide feedback and communicate with the OnePlus team through Slack.Furthermore, you have to be willing to often flash your device. There are some other requirements that need to be met as well that OnePlus won't publicly share.The closed Beta team will have about 100 people. Due to the secrecy of the whole closed Beta project, you'll also have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.If all of that sounds interesting to you then you can check out more about it in the OnePlus forums.Switching the subject for a moment to the OnePlus 5/5T, the August security patches are here for them. Other than that, the ability to confirm your PIN without tapping is here as well.Nokia
HMD Global has previously mentioned that all Nokia devices will receive Android Pie. Seems like the Nokia 7 Plus will be the first in line to receive it in September.Android Pie has already been running on the 7 Plus in Beta form for a while now. So, it would make sense for the stable version to come by the end of the next month.We currently don't know exactly when and where the update will come. But, we'll keep you updated once we find out. Stay tuned.Huawei
Huawei mentioned that it'll reveal the new EMUI 9 which will run Android Pie on the IFA in September. The P20 series will be the first to receive the latest version of Android. The Mate series will follow soon afterward. But, there was no mention of exactly when that will happen.As Huawei mentioned:Huawei has continued to invest a lot of resources in technology R&D to provide the most high-quality, stable, and top-notch technology experience for consumers. Therefore, when the technology is ready, we will release it to the market.We'll keep you updated if we learn anything else. Although, regarding the Android Pie update, chances are that we'll have to wait at least till the next month to hear anything new from Huawei. Till then, all we can do is wait.Putting all of that aside, remember the GPU Turbo feature that Huawei announced? Seems like it's not ready for the Huawei P20 Pro as some people have been receiving it for a while now.
GPU turbo is still obviously still not compatible with all games but developers are giving it their best for making it happen. Those who were able to utilize it mentioned that their games run smoother and the device doesn't get as hot as it used to while gaming.Before we move on, let's not forget to mention that the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro have started receiving a night mode feature for their camera. As the name implies, this feature serves to drastically improve the camera quality under low lighting conditions.Feel like we forgot something important? Then please, do let us and the whole world know about it in the comments down below.Like what you see? Then don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, reviews, and more!