Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge now receiving Android Oreo in UK

The Android Oreo update is finally arriving for some Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge owners. After arriving officially for the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note 8, the U.K. unlocked Galaxy S7 models are now receiving the update. The update clocks in at 1251MBs and brings the device to Android 8.0 Oreo with Samsung Experience 9.0.

So far, we have seen a report from one tipster who rebranded his device to the U.K. model as well as a few reports on Reddit that the update is rolling out. Checking Samsung's update server confirms that the update is rolling out for region BTU and model numbers SM-G930F and SM-G935F.

This makes the U.K. unlocked model the first Galaxy S7 device to officially receive the Android Oreo update. Previously, a beta build of the update was leaked in Vietnam and was also discovered on AT&T's servers for their carrier variants. Now, the official update is available for these select models, meaning users won't have to worry about SafetyNet not passing as the build should be certified by Google.

Android 8.0 Oreo brings many notable features to the table, including but not limited to: picture-in-picture mode, Autofill API, adaptive icons, notification channels and snoozing, and more. Samsung Experience 9.0 also offers a number of features on top of Google's Oreo such as an overhauled keyboard, new edge lighting effects, better lock screen customization, and more. Like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8 before it, the Samsung Galaxy S7's Android Oreo update does not bring Project Treble compatibility.

Let us know in the comments below if you have received the update on your device.

Thanks @Dr_Dizzy_74 for the tip!

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Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and OnePlus 5T dominated the Indian flagship market in Q1 2018

The Indian smartphone market often differs from that of the West. Smartphone makers like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Honor reign supreme. The occasional Samsung, Apple, Motorola, and LG device will gain somewhat significant market share as well. The premium market tells a different story though. In the first quarter of 2018, the premium smartphone market in India was largely dominated by the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ and OnePlus 5T according to research conducted by Counterpoint Research. Not only that, interest in Apple's offerings has dropped dramatically in the latest quarter. In Q4 of 2017, Apple outclassed both Samsung and OnePlus, but now it's at the bottom of the pack.

OnePlus was the fastest growing brand in the premium sector in India that quarter, rising by 192%. It has maintained its second spot in the rankings since 2017 Q3, largely in thanks to its limited edition device launches and expansions into offline markets. Samsung, OnePlus, and Apple account for 95% of the 5% total market share of premium smartphone offerings in India, showing the clear dominance between the three providers in their market segment. Samsung gained huge control over the premium market by capturing about half of the available market, partially in thanks to huge promotional offers like cash back offers and data plans for cheaper.

Samsung offered a wide range of cashback offers through multiple carriers and retailers in return for purchasing a Samsung device.

As for OnePlus, it's expected their momentum will continue when the OnePlus 6 launches, especially as the company looks to expand to new cities in India. With Apple's rising costs and the fact older devices are selling a lot more than newer ones, Apple's market share is weaning while competitors grow and take over. Companies like Nokia with the Nokia 8 Sirocco and Huawei with the Huawei P20 Pro are also making an appearance, both of which are also expected to make a significant dent in the premium sector in India.

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Source: Counterpoint Research

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Poweramp returns from the grave with a new UI

Most audiophiles around here probably remember Poweramp. The paid ($3.99) music player might not be a winner in the looks department, but it makes up for it by being one of the most feature-rich music players out there. So feature rich and reliable, in fact, that it remained the player of choice for some users despite an absolute lack of updates since September 2016. It supports a wide range of audio files including mp3, m4a, ogg, wma, flac, and others, as well as including an internal equalizer, crossfade, gapless playback, support for displaying lyrics (powered by Musixmatch) and a whole lot more. A major update for Poweramp is, however, coming very soon.

The first and most noticeable change is in the UI department, and boy does it look different. Given that Poweramp's previous UI looked rather old compared to Material-based players like Retro Music Player and Phonograph, it was one of the most criticized aspects of the application. The developers are bringing a fresh coat of paint to Poweramp. The new UI is not really Material-based like the rest of its competitors and still favors function over form, but it looks a lot better while at it, including new animated transitions on every aspect of the app. The "now playing" screen features a blurred version of the song's cover as the background and it actually looks nice.

"Now Playing" screen for different songs.

All other menus inside the app—including the album list, the song list, and the equalizer—were also revamped, swapping the old UI for a white-based one. Animations are also the order of the day: absolutely all transitions inside Poweramp are now served with a buttery-smooth animation, making the app a complete pleasure to use. Notifications were also updated to both support the new notification format introduced with Android Nougat and to support Android Oreo's colored notifications.

In my opinion, while it could definitely look better, this is an absolute step in the right direction. You can download the latest beta from Poweramp's forums but have in mind that some basic functionality—like some library categories, playlists, and more—is missing from this version. If you're happy with your current Poweramp installation, do not download this, as a proper beta with all functionality included should come around May. But if regardless, you want to play around with what the newest Poweramp has in store, you can do so by downloading the APK and installing it on your device.

Download the Poweramp beta!

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The Google Pixel & Pixel 2 will support Bluetooth Hearing Aids on Android P

Google I/O 2018 is quickly approaching. We expect to learn more about what’s new in Android P at the event. Google has already given us a small taste of what’s new with the first Android P Developer Preview, but there’s a lot of goodies the company has yet to unveil. Navigation gestures are rumored to make an appearance at the event, and they’re supposedly reminiscent of the iPhone X pill bar gestures. Thanks to the Android Open Source Project, we’re able to track some of the upcoming features in the next Android release, and there’s one feature we spotted that’ll make people with hearing disabilities excited to learn about: support for Bluetooth hearing aids. According to a series of code commits, the Google Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones will natively support connecting to Bluetooth hearing aids.

The benefit of a Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid is that it allows for persons with hearing disabilities to listen to their surroundings while still being able to enjoy standard Bluetooth functionality such as making phone calls or listening to music. Currently, the hard of hearing cannot directly connect their Bluetooth hearing aid devices with the majority of Android devices (though they can connect their devices to iPhones.) Manufacturers of Bluetooth wireless hearing aids often offer an extra Bluetooth-enabled device (such as the ReSound Phone Clip+) that clips on to the person to act as a bridge between the hearing aid and the Android smartphone. Having to carry a second Bluetooth device is not ideal, and that’s why Google has worked to make Android more accessible with native support for Bluetooth wireless hearing aids.

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Google Pixel & Pixel 2 support Bluetooth Hearing Aids natively in Android P

In November, we spotted a few commits that suggested native support for Bluetooth hearing aids with the next release of Android. At the time, the implementation was in its beginning stages. But as we approach Google I/O, the number of code commits related to hearing aids has substantially grown. There’s now a hearing aid Bluetooth profile in Android, a hearing aid manager, and more. The latest code commits that have sparked our interest in this topic once more are a series of commits with the title “Disable Hearing Aid Profile for all platforms except Pixel.” I think that’s rather self-explanatory, no?

As you can see in the commit description, the new hearing aid profile for wireless Bluetooth devices will be disabled in AOSP but enabled by default for the Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, Google Pixel 2, and Google Pixel 2 XL. This is accomplished by setting the boolean value profile_supported_hearing_aid to true in the overlay for the Bluetooth system app, as shown below.

The commits for these changes have been merged already. However, since we’re so close to Google I/O and the expected release of Android P Developer Preview 2, I don’t suspect we’ll see this feature in the next preview release. Instead, I’m hoping to see it in Developer Preview 3 at the earliest but it’ll definitely be in the first stable release of P.

When other devices start receiving Android P updates (such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S or Huawei Mate 10 Pro) then it’ll be up to them to enable support for this new Bluetooth profile. Hopefully, this feature is enabled for more Android devices in the future, because accessibility is one area where iOS still seemingly triumphs over Android. Google has a session dedicated to Android Accessibility at I/O where we hope to learn more about this feature. We’ll be at the event bringing you the latest Android news.

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The Google Pixel & Pixel 2 will support Bluetooth Hearing Aids on Android P

Google I/O 2018 is quickly approaching. We expect to learn more about what's new in Android P at the event. Google has already given us a small taste of what's new with the first Android P Developer Preview, but there's a lot of goodies the company has yet to unveil. Navigation gestures are rumored to make an appearance at the event, and they're supposedly reminiscent of the iPhone X pill bar gestures. Thanks to the Android Open Source Project, we're able to track some of the upcoming features in the next Android release, and there's one feature we spotted that'll make people with hearing disabilities excited to learn about: support for Bluetooth hearing aids. According to a series of code commits, the Google Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones will natively support connecting to Bluetooth hearing aids.

The benefit of a Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid is that it allows for persons with hearing disabilities to listen to their surroundings while still being able to enjoy standard Bluetooth functionality such as making phone calls or listening to music. Currently, the hard of hearing cannot directly connect their Bluetooth hearing aid devices with the majority of Android devices (though they can connect their devices to iPhones.) Manufacturers of Bluetooth wireless hearing aids often offer an extra Bluetooth-enabled device (such as the ReSound Phone Clip+) that clips on to the person to act as a bridge between the hearing aid and the Android smartphone. Having to carry a second Bluetooth device is not ideal, and that's why Google has worked to make Android more accessible with native support for Bluetooth wireless hearing aids.

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Google Pixel & Pixel 2 support Bluetooth Hearing Aids natively in Android P

In November, we spotted a few commits that suggested native support for Bluetooth hearing aids with the next release of Android. At the time, the implementation was in its beginning stages. But as we approach Google I/O, the number of code commits related to hearing aids has substantially grown. There's now a hearing aid Bluetooth profile in Android, a hearing aid manager, and more. The latest code commits that have sparked our interest in this topic once more are a series of commits with the title "Disable Hearing Aid Profile for all platforms except Pixel." I think that's rather self-explanatory, no?

As you can see in the commit description, the new hearing aid profile for wireless Bluetooth devices will be disabled in AOSP but enabled by default for the Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, Google Pixel 2, and Google Pixel 2 XL. This is accomplished by setting the boolean value profile_supported_hearing_aid to true in the overlay for the Bluetooth system app, as shown below.

The commits for these changes have been merged already. However, since we're so close to Google I/O and the expected release of Android P Developer Preview 2, I don't suspect we'll see this feature in the next preview release. Instead, I'm hoping to see it in Developer Preview 3 at the earliest but it'll definitely be in the first stable release of P.

When other devices start receiving Android P updates (such as the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S or Huawei Mate 10 Pro) then it'll be up to them to enable support for this new Bluetooth profile. Hopefully, this feature is enabled for more Android devices in the future, because accessibility is one area where iOS still seemingly triumphs over Android. Google has a session dedicated to Android Accessibility at I/O where we hope to learn more about this feature. We'll be at the event bringing you the latest Android news.

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Xiaomi Mi 6 and Motorola Moto Z receive official LineageOS 15.1

LineageOS 15.1, the popular Android 8.1 Oreo-based custom ROM, was released in late February for a handful of devices. The official roster has since expanded to include devices like the Google Nexus Player, OnePlus 2, Google Nexus 6, and Exynos Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ among others. Starting today, official 15.1 builds for the Xiaomi Mi 6 and Motorola Moto Z are available.

The Motorola Moto Z was released in mid-2016 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip and Android Marshmallow, but it has received official updates to Android Nougat and Android Oreo. The Xiaomi Mi 6 was released in mid-2017 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip and Android Nougat, but it too has received an official update to Android Oreo. Thus, both devices are capable of running Oreo, but for those of you who want an alternative to the OEM experience can now choose to flash official LineageOS 15.1 if you want.

For those of you who are wondering what features are available on the Android 8.1 Oreo-based release of LineageOS, check out our previous article that covers most of the features present in the release. If you want to download the release, then you can do so at the following links to the LineageOS website for each device:

Download LineageOS 15.1 for the Xiaomi Mi 6

Download LineageOS 15.1 for the Motorola Moto Z

Furthermore, we recommend you check out the official XDA forum for each device. Here, you can discuss the latest release as well as any tips, tricks, or other modifications for the devices.

Xiaomi Mi 6 Forum

Motorola Moto Z Forum

There are certainly other Android 8.1 Oreo custom ROMs for each device, but LineageOS is one of the ROMs that many people opt to wait for because of its strict requirements for inclusion on the official build roster. The ROM team members try to avoid releasing buggy builds such as the recent port of Android P to the Moto Z, but it’s up to you what bugs you are or aren’t able to deal with. For those of you who want a stable, fairly bug-free experience, then you may want to give the official LineageOS 15.1 builds a shot.

In other news, the Google Nexus 4 (mako) and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 (chiron) were also added to the official build roster, but those builds will be made available next week. Once they go live, we’ll let you know.

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Xiaomi Mi 6 and Motorola Moto Z receive official LineageOS 15.1

LineageOS 15.1, the popular Android 8.1 Oreo-based custom ROM, was released in late February for a handful of devices. The official roster has since expanded to include devices like the Google Nexus Player, OnePlus 2, Google Nexus 6, and Exynos Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ among others. Starting today, official 15.1 builds for the Xiaomi Mi 6 and Motorola Moto Z are available.

The Motorola Moto Z was released in mid-2016 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip and Android Marshmallow, but it has received official updates to Android Nougat and Android Oreo. The Xiaomi Mi 6 was released in mid-2017 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip and Android Nougat, but it too has received an official update to Android Oreo. Thus, both devices are capable of running Oreo, but for those of you who want an alternative to the OEM experience can now choose to flash official LineageOS 15.1 if you want.

For those of you who are wondering what features are available on the Android 8.1 Oreo-based release of LineageOS, check out our previous article that covers most of the features present in the release. If you want to download the release, then you can do so at the following links to the LineageOS website for each device:

Download LineageOS 15.1 for the Xiaomi Mi 6

Download LineageOS 15.1 for the Motorola Moto Z

Furthermore, we recommend you check out the official XDA forum for each device. Here, you can discuss the latest release as well as any tips, tricks, or other modifications for the devices.

Xiaomi Mi 6 Forum

Motorola Moto Z Forum

There are certainly other Android 8.1 Oreo custom ROMs for each device, but LineageOS is one of the ROMs that many people opt to wait for because of its strict requirements for inclusion on the official build roster. The ROM team members try to avoid releasing buggy builds such as the recent port of Android P to the Moto Z, but it's up to you what bugs you are or aren't able to deal with. For those of you who want a stable, fairly bug-free experience, then you may want to give the official LineageOS 15.1 builds a shot.

In other news, the Google Nexus 4 (mako) and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 (chiron) were also added to the official build roster, but those builds will be made available next week. Once they go live, we'll let you know.

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How to install LineageOS 15.1 on the Razer Phone

Google’s work that was done to create Project Treble has helped to rejuvenate the custom ROM community. Some devices that could take weeks to get working AOSP-based ROMs can run such custom ROM with a lot less effort. XDA Recognized and Social Contributor linuxct has been tinkering with Generic System Images on the Razer Phone since the Android Oreo Developer Preview was made available to the public. With some effort and help from the community, linuxct was able to install Android 8.1 Oreo-based LineageOS 15.1 onto the device. To give back to the community they have created a step by step guide that walks you through the entire process of installing LineageOS 15.1 from start to finish.

If you’re curious about what features the custom ROM has to offer, then check out our previous article that goes in-depth with the list of features. There’s a lot that the ROM brings to the table, especially since the device’s software is fairly close to stock Android without all the bells and whistles you might find in other OEM devices.

Initially, there were some bugs that caused various features to not work (including 4G LTE and audio output during phone calls) but these have since been fixed. Check out the guide below to learn more if you want to install a custom ROM on your device! Since the Razer Phone is Treble-compatible, that means you can also follow the guide to install Resurrection Remix or pure AOSP as well, as explained in the guide below.

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How to install LineageOS 15.1 on the Razer Phone

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Get a dark theme for Sony devices running Nougat with Substratum

Substratum is the current go-to theme engine of choice for the majority of the Android enthusiasts within the community. It offers a robust platform for designers who want use their talents to customize the look and feel of both the Android operating system as well as individual applications. Different smartphone OEMs implement certain features that designers can include in their themes to offer complete support for certain devices. XDA Senior Member balrajs99 wanted to do this for Sony devices that are currently running Android 7.x Nougat, so they released a Substratum theme called Graphi.

Graphi is a dark theme that gives you the ability to choose the background and accent color you like the most. The developers want you to make sure you download Substratum from the thread linked below and that you don’t update it via the Play Store if you want to use this theme. It has been personally tested by this developer on the Xperia Z5 on Android Nougat but we’re told that it should work on all Sony devices running Nougat and Substratum.

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Check out Graphi  in our Sony Themes and Apps forum

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How to install LineageOS 15.1 on the Razer Phone

Google's work that was done to create Project Treble has helped to rejuvenate the custom ROM community. Some devices that could take weeks to get working AOSP-based ROMs can run such custom ROM with a lot less effort. XDA Recognized and Social Contributor linuxct has been tinkering with Generic System Images on the Razer Phone since the Android Oreo Developer Preview was made available to the public. With some effort and help from the community, linuxct was able to install Android 8.1 Oreo-based LineageOS 15.1 onto the device. To give back to the community they have created a step by step guide that walks you through the entire process of installing LineageOS 15.1 from start to finish.

If you're curious about what features the custom ROM has to offer, then check out our previous article that goes in-depth with the list of features. There's a lot that the ROM brings to the table, especially since the device's software is fairly close to stock Android without all the bells and whistles you might find in other OEM devices.

Initially, there were some bugs that caused various features to not work (including 4G LTE and audio output during phone calls) but these have since been fixed. Check out the guide below to learn more if you want to install a custom ROM on your device! Since the Razer Phone is Treble-compatible, that means you can also follow the guide to install Resurrection Remix or pure AOSP as well, as explained in the guide below.

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How to install LineageOS 15.1 on the Razer Phone

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Get a dark theme for Sony devices running Nougat with Substratum

Substratum is the current go-to theme engine of choice for the majority of the Android enthusiasts within the community. It offers a robust platform for designers who want use their talents to customize the look and feel of both the Android operating system as well as individual applications. Different smartphone OEMs implement certain features that designers can include in their themes to offer complete support for certain devices. XDA Senior Member balrajs99 wanted to do this for Sony devices that are currently running Android 7.x Nougat, so they released a Substratum theme called Graphi.

Graphi is a dark theme that gives you the ability to choose the background and accent color you like the most. The developers want you to make sure you download Substratum from the thread linked below and that you don't update it via the Play Store if you want to use this theme. It has been personally tested by this developer on the Xperia Z5 on Android Nougat but we're told that it should work on all Sony devices running Nougat and Substratum.

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Check out Graphi  in our Sony Themes and Apps forum

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