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, Google is getting sued again, Samsung might finally make Bixby useful, Spotify is coming for your wallet, and more. Let’s spill the tea.
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Google caught in the midst of a class action lawsuit
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If your Google Nest has been ghosting you lately—ignoring commands or just losing Wi-Fi for no reason—you aren’t crazy. A massive class action lawsuit just dropped, claiming the devices are basically broken.
The case simply states that the Google Nest Hub, Google Nest Hub Max, Google Nest Mini, and Google Nest Audio have become faulty and have otherwise "malfunctioned" over the years.
Some of the highlighted issues were that these devices no longer "respond to even basic verbal questions." Not only has the Q&A portion of these Nest devices failed over time, but the plaintiffs ( Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, and Kaplan Gore, LLP) state "widespread complaints" have been reported from consumers who state that these devices do not "interpret or act on voice commands, returning irrelevant information, losing internet connectivity despite a stable WiFi connection, and failing to recognize registered user voices."
This is being framed by the plaintiffs as a "consumer case" to secure compensation for individuals who purchased these drastically deteriorated devices.
OnePlus confirms US launch for 15R, with the OnePlus Pad Go 2
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OnePlus officially announced that it will be ending the year with another product drop. This time, it's bringing two budget devices to the U.S. and Canada — the OnePlus 15R and the OnePlus Pad Go 2 ( a tablet with a stylus)
The OnePlus 15R is being positioned as a “value flagship” in the U.S. and Canada markets. The initial specs point to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, 1 TB storage, and a dual-lens camera setup (50 MP + 8 MP) similar to the Chinese OnePlus Ace 6 model.
The phone will likely show up with a redesigned body, consisting of a flat metal mid-frame and a camera module rotated exactly 45 degrees off the top-left corner. More importantly, the phone carries a stack of durability ratings you rarely see on a midrange device: IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K. These are the same IP ratings you see on the OnePlus 15.
As for the Pad Go 2, it gets a built-in stylus, the Stylo, which is said to be sleek (anti-glare glass finish) and productivity-focused for creativity and note-taking when paired with the Stylo. It is available in Shadow Black in the U.S. and Canada, but only as a Wi-Fi model (no 5G).
Spotify could cost you more next year
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Spotify is reportedly planning another price hike, and this time it may pinch U.S. subscribers. According to a recent report by the Financial Times, there has been some chatter that the streaming platform may increase prices for U.S. customers early next year.
Spotify increased its prices for subscribers in the U.S. back in 2024, when the cost of every tier went up significantly. The Family plan experienced the largest jump, rising by $3 to reach $19.99 per month, while the Duo plan increased by $2 to and the Individual plan went up to $11.99. Amidst these widespread increases, the Student plan was the only option to remain unchanged, holding steady at $5.99. Reports suggest that Spotify is being pressurized by major music labels (Universal, Sony, Warner) to raise prices.
Samsung might give us One UI 8.5 beta sooner than expected
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Samsung's next major UI update has been showing up in leaks lately. We got to see some features like the priority notifications, privacy display, camera presets, internet app redesign, and so much more. However, this one talks about something more important than features — the beta's timeline.
Samsung could gift its Beta users the One UI 8.5 update this Christmas, well, at least according to rumors by a South Korean tipster, as well as Tarun Vats. Vats quotes another tipster, who alleges that Samsung has "set their plan" to kickstart a One UI 8.5 beta program on December 8, though that date could change. Vats hops in, claiming that others have said similar things, and that this could be the case for "Phase 1."
One UI 8.5 Beta 1, is expected to be followed by Beta 2, which the tipster suggests could start two weeks later, on December 22. It appears that each subsequent "phase" or beta release might be made available to a new group of users.
Bixby..is that you?
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Remember Bixby? The assistant you immediately disabled? Rumor has it Samsung is giving it a major glow-up with the Galaxy S26 using Perplexity AI. According to a new leak, Samsung is reportedly amping up the Galaxy S26 series that would transform Bixby from a basic command-based assistant into a more advanced conversational tool.
According to a post on X by a reliable tipster, Samsung plans a major Bixby reboot powered by Perplexity AI, instead of relying solely on Google’s Gemini. Samsung might be planning to equip the Galaxy S26 with a significantly enhanced in-house assistant. This more capable and conversational Bixby would provide the phone with a distinct identity, so a Bixby resurrection could be in the works.
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:
- YouTube might soon let you tweak your suggested content with AI prompts
- Pixel 10 users face Wi-Fi troubles, AirDrop- Quick Share update: What you need to know
- The OnePlus 15 just cleared its biggest barrier to US availability
- Google's testing the bottom search bar in Circle to Search for effortless queries
- One UI 8.5 code reveals Samsung's plan to rebrand its fast charging tech
- Plex just killed a beloved feature for remote users
- New Android malware 'Sturnus' can control your phone and steal banking info—what to know
- Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Flagship performance for affordable phones
- Fresh Meta Quest 4 rumors purport high-end specs, a much thinner and lighter design, a potential price, and the death of the Quest namesake
- Honor just made an iPhone Air in the 500 series to 'redefine' the standard phone
