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News Weekly is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week's top stories so you can catch up on the latest tech news.
This is Android Central's News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week's most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week, the Galaxy Ring battery fiasco, Google launches its lineup of Nest devices, Oura's colorful ceramic rings arrive, Galaxy S26 Ultra's leaks keep getting better, and Pixel Watch could gain an advanced health feature. Let's get into it, shall we?
Samsung Galaxy Ring swells up while on finger
Update:- I was denied boarding due to this (been travelling for ~47h straight so this is really nice 🙃). Need to pay for a hotel for the night now and get back home tomorrow👌- was sent to the hospital, as an emergency - ring got removed You can see the battery all… https://t.co/SRPfYI92Zg pic.twitter.com/ob8uUp5BeWSeptember 29, 2025
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Earlier this week, Samsung's tiny wearable was caught in a major controversy. The Galaxy Ring faced reports of battery swelling. Tech content creator Daniel Rotar, also known as ZoneofTech, posted photos showing his Galaxy Ring with a bulging battery and a peeling inner layer, still stuck on his finger (scary, no?).
In a post on X, he said that while preparing to board a flight, he noticed the ring tightening on his finger and realized that the battery had expanded while he was wearing it. Airport staff stopped him from boarding, and he later needed medical help to remove the ring. After it was removed, Rotar posted photos of the battery pushing against the casing and clearly deformed.
This has led several people to speculate about the safety of wearables that are worn almost constantly, so close to the skin. Samsung, however, seems to be asking some users to send the ring back so they can investigate additional reports.
Google launches it Gemini powered Nest products
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Google released its Gemini-powered Google Home lineup after what feels like forever. Calling it "Gemini for Home," the new range of smart home devices shows up with a Nest Cam Indoor (3rd Gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (2nd Gen), and a Nest Doorbell (3rd Gen), offering an experience you'll find familiar, but greatly enhanced by upgraded hardware and Gemini.
On the hardware front, users enjoy 2K HDR video quality, improved low-light performance cameras, and extensive all-around visibility.
Additionally, Google's secret home speaker isn't a secret anymore. The new Google Home Speaker is designed for "natural conversations." It has a light at the bottom for users to know when Gemini is listening, "reasoning," responding to your question, or in "Gemini Live Mode."
The Nest Cam Indoor starts at $99.99, the Nest Cam Outdoor starts at $149.99, and the Nest Doorbell starts at $179.99, all effective October 1. The Home Speaker, however, won't be available until Spring 2026.
Oura Ring 4's moody Ceramic collection and case arrive
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Oura is kicking off October (rather Tech-tober) on the right note, announcing a whole new collection of the Oura Ring 4, along with its first-ever charging case. The latest collection features high-performance ceramic, giving it a look that literally resembles wearing a ceramic ring on your finger, rather than a smart ring.
The new Oura Ring 4 Ceramic retains the same advanced health tracking capabilities of the original Oura Ring 4. The ring maker appears to be channeling nostalgic mood ring vibes with this collection.
As for the ring's dimensions, it measures 7.9mm in width, similar to the Oura Ring 4. However, the new collection is significantly thicker, measuring 3.51mm due to the zirconia ceramic material used in the ring.
Additionally, Oura has launched its first-ever charging case, following four generations of its rings. While it's only compatible with the latest generation smart ring, the case can power up to 5 full charges and complete one ring charge, as well as the case charge, in 90 minutes.
Galaxy S26 Ultra leak is as good as it gets
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The launch of Samsung's next flagship is nowhere around the corner; however, we've been seeing leaks drop like hot cakes. OnLeaks (via Android Headlines) shared CAD-based renders of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in black colorway, showing it off from all angles. While the design shares some similarities with the current Galaxy S25 Ultra, the renders also reveal several notable changes for the upcoming flagship.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra will reportedly feature a flat-edge frame similar to its predecessor, but the corners are even more rounded this time, aligning with previous leaks that have hinted at this design. The next Ultra could be slightly taller and wider than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, while the thickness will be reduced from 8.2mm to 7.9mm.
The CAD renders also show a switch with the camera array. The three main lenses sit in a vertical camera island to the left, while the other sensors and flash sit to the right. That said, the phone doesn't look any different than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, at least in these renders.
Pixel Watch could get hypertension tracking
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A recent leak suggests that Google could be working on hypertension screening on the Pixel Watch, which was spotted in an APK teardown of the Fitbit app's latest update.
Reference to "Fitbit Hypertension Study" was seen within the app, which is supposedly designed to gather sensor data from the Pixel Watch and pair it with user-submitted information to test how well the wearable can look for and flag elevated blood pressure levels.
Participants who enroll in the study will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and allow the watch to passively collect health data; others may need to wear a blood pressure cuff for more direct comparisons. Google appears to be in the initial stage of testing this feature, and there's no definitive proof that it will be available on future Pixel Watches.
However, this could be a step in the right direction to keep up with Apple, as it is yet to get FDA approval on its Hypertension feature on the new Apple Watch Series 11.
More stories this week
Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:
- Strava sues Garmin as decade-old grievances boil to the surface
- Galaxy S26 Ultra leak shows first look at built-in 'privacy display'
- YouTube is testing bold mobile UI changes, and users are split
- Meta's $800 Ray-Ban Display glasses are flying off shelves already
- Amazon unveils redesigned Kindle Scribe with first-ever color soft display
- T-Satellite takes Android apps to the stars with 'Satellite-ready' access on T-Mobile
- Amazon's AI-powered Echo series devices blend Alexa Plus with Omnisence
- Oura Ring users can now access over 50 blood biomarkers for $99
- Samsung says the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a hit, and the reason's pretty clear
- Amazon's new Fire TV series is here, waving goodbye to Android with VegaOS
