Android Central Podcast

Daniel Bader is joined this week by fellow Android Central cohorts Joe Maring and Harish Jonnalagadda to discuss what Apple has "politely stolen" from Android for iOS 14. On the flip side of that coin, they talk about what missing and different in the Android world compared to iPhone.

Harish also provides an exclusive peek at OnePlus Nord, including its dual 32MP + 8MP front cameras.

• iOS 14 stole these 8 useful features from Android | Android Central
• iOS 14's App Library and widgets prove just how amazing Android's home screen has always been | Android Central
• How Google can leverage Fitbit to finally compete with the Apple Watch | Android Central
• Apple could be the best thing to ever happen to Android widgets in years | Android Central
• With iOS 14, Apple once again crushes Android makers on software update support | Android Central
• macOS Big Sur makes Macs with touchscreens seem within reach | iMore
• iPhone apps on the Mac could result in better Android apps on Chromebooks | Android Central
• Exclusive: OnePlus Nord has dual 32MP + 8MP front cameras | Android Central
• Exclusive: Pete Lau on how OnePlus plans to differentiate its upcoming TVs | Android Central

Michael Fisher stops by for a chat about the amazing series of videos on his Mr. Mobile YouTube channel: 'When Phones Were Fun'. He, Daniel, and Andrew also discuss why many developers give preference to Apple's App Store over Google Play, despite Apple's onerous and inconsistent rules.

They share thoughts on Sony's Xperia 1 ii, the camera in Huawei's P40 Pro Plus, Jelly 2, Google Pixel Buds, and more. Overall, this episode is packed floor-to-ceiling with phone geekery!

• Despite onerous and inconsistent App Store rules, developers still go to Apple first over Google Play | Android Central
• Sony’s Galaxy S20+ challenger will cost $1,200 in the U.S.
• Google Pixel Buds review, 2 months later: Still my favorite true wireless earbuds | Android Central
• Huawei P40 Pro Plus: A Nokia Lumia For 2020 [Camera Tour] - YouTube
• Huawei P40 Pro Plus camera review: Zooming into the future | Android Central
• Jelly 2 Review: The Best Small Phone Got Better – But Who’s It For? - YouTube
• When Phones Were Fun: The Sidekick (2002-2010) - YouTube
• When Phones Were Fun – And Nokia Was Crazy - YouTube
• When Phones Were Fun: Motorola AURA (2008) - YouTube
• When Phones Were Fun: Samsung's "Matrix Phone" (2003) - YouTube
• Android 4.4 vs. Android 10 — How Android has changed over the years | Android Central
• I miss Android phones with physical keyboards (and you should too) | Android Central
• These are the phones that kickstarted my love for Android | Android Central

• SanDisk: No matter what kind of Android device you have, SanDisk has the perfect data storage solution for you. Get 10% OFF your first order of either a Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB Type-C flash drive or an Extreme microSD UHS-I Card by visiting: sandisk.com/ACP

Alex Dobie joins Andrew Martonik and Daniel Bader for a detailed conversation about the major new features found in Android 11 Beta 1. Alex also reports on the extraordinary picture making capabilities of the Huawei P40 Pro Plus. As he describes in the show, it sets a new bar for secondary sensors in smartphone cameras.

• Here's everything new in the Android 11 Beta | Android Central
• Android 11 Beta hands-on impressions: Rough, but worth installing | Android Central
• Android 11 is more exciting than you think! [Beta 1 Hands-on] - YouTube
• Android 11 Beta on Xiaomi, OnePlus, Vivo, and Realme phones: Everything you need to know | Android Central
• OnePlus 8 Android 11 Beta: Worth it?? 🤔 - YouTube
• Huawei P40 Pro Plus camera review: Zooming into the future | Android Central
• Huawei P40 Pro Plus camera review - YouTube
• Huawei P40 Pro Plus: A Nokia Lumia For 2020 [Camera Tour] - YouTube

• SanDisk: No matter what kind of Android device you have, SanDisk has the perfect data storage solution for you. Get 10% OFF your first order of either a Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB Type-C flash drive or an Extreme microSD UHS-I Card by visiting: sandisk.com/ACP

Google has postponed their Android 11 event and beta, but there is a feature drop for Pixel phones that brings new features along with vague battery life promises.

Jerry Hildenbrand, Andrew Martonik, and Daniel Bader also examine rumors of a new Android TV dongle and the current state of streaming devices. OnePlus 8 Pro is difficult, if not impossible, to find. So that makes it hard to recommend this otherwise excellent device.

Daniel wraps the episode with an abbreviated review of the Sonos Arc.

• Android 11 event and beta postponed: 'Now is not the time to celebrate' | Android Central
• A 'cursed' wallpaper could crash your phone with its color profile [Update: A fix has been found] | Android Central
• Google's June Feature Drop for Pixels brings two great features, and a vague battery life promise | Android Central
• Remote and interface for Google's upcoming Android TV dongle leaked | Android Central
• You still can't buy a OnePlus 8 Pro, and that makes it really hard to recommend | Android Central
• Sonos Arc review: New heights | Android Central

Daniel Bader is joined by analyst Anshel Sag and our own Android Central writer, Nick Sutrich, for a special episode examining the current state of VR gaming and applications. They also look ahead towards the future as consumers continue to embrace affordable, portable VR devices.

• Anshel Sag (@anshelsag) / Twitter
• Nicholas Sutrich (@Gwanatu) / Twitter
• Nearly half of all VR headsets sold in 2019 was an Oculus Quest | Android Central
• Oculus sales spiked in the lead-up to Half-Life: Alyx - The Verge
• Oculus just bought Beat Saber developer Beat Games | Android Central
• Is Supernatural VR worth the subscription cost? | Android Central
• Best Hand Tracking Games for Oculus Quest in 2020 | Android Central
• HP Reverb G2 brings four-camera tracking to its next-gen Windows Mixed Reality headset | Windows Central
• Boz on Twitter: "As we think through supercharging remote work and productivity, we've been working on mixed reality concepts that builds on existing technologies like Passthrough to allow people to switch between real and virtual worlds https://t.co/cJCEXDxC7b" / Twitter
• Immersed Debuts Public VR Co-Working Space Designed For Remote Collaboration - VRScout
• Apple Glass is more Apple Watch than Google Glass, and that's why it'll succeed | Android Central

Ara Wagoner swings by to talk with Daniel and Jerry about the rise of Chromebooks as they become increasingly popular in this era of learning and working from home. The team have a spirited discussion about what's great and what can be improved. Plus, they offer tips on what to look for in terms of specs if you want to buy one.

Pixel 4a isn't due until July (or maybe even later). Does that affect the relevance of the phone, and how might that impact the eventual launch of Pixel 5.

Last up, Huawei is in trouble. Again and still.

• Pixel 4a is coming July 13 with Just Black and Barely Blue colors
• Here's why Google is delaying the Pixel 4a to July (or even August) | Android Central
• Why Chromebooks have become the perfect work from home laptop | Android Central
• Forget what you may have heard: Chromebooks are actually great productivity machines | Android Central
• Best Chromebooks 2020: Top 10 Chrome OS Laptops Ranked
• Lenovo Chromebook Duet review: The perfect couch companion | Android Central
• Trump administration will soon begin blocking Huawei's global chip supply | Android Central
• Losing access to TSMC would be catastrophic for Huawei | Android Central
• Huawei faces new hurdle as TSMC cuts off chip orders | Android Central
• FAQ: What is the Google-Apple COVID-19 (coronavirus) Exposure Notifications system? | Android Central

With two key leaders behind the Pixel phones gone from Google, what does the future hold for the product line? Will it continue as the industry-leading smartphone camera, and/or serve as a developer reference device? Will the price go down How likely is it that Google is even interested in making a push for the phone at retail to compete with market share leaders? Daniel, Andrew, and Jerry read the tea leaves and discuss this turning point for the Pixel.

• The mastermind behind the Pixel's camera has left Google | Android Central
• Top members of the Pixel team leaving Google isn't purely negative — maybe it needed fresh leadership | Android Central
• If Google loses the Pixel's camera advantage, the product line will die | Android Central
• Why Amazon’s hardware makes more sense than Google’s - The Verge
• If this rumor is true, Google may have just found a way to defeat the iPhone SE
• The Pixel 4a's camera gets a full review before launch | Android Central
• Google Pixel 4a: News, Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and Rumors! | Android Central
• Calling a phone 'mid-range' doesn't make sense anymore — we can do better | Android Central
• Google I/O would have started today — here's why it's such a wonderful event | Android Central
• Google Pixel Buds 2020 review: These AirPods competitors were worth the wait | Android Central

Marton Barcza is here to talk about his new app, Crrowd. It's a community for crowd-sourced tech reviews and questions you might have about a gadget. He also chats with Daniel and Jerry about the best selling Android phones and why they aren't necessarily the ones that get the most press coverage.

They discuss what it will take for MediaTek to rise up as a true competitor to Qualcomm, a delay of the next Android 11 public beta, and the viability of LG's Velvet smartphone.

• crrowd.com
• TechAltar - YouTube
• Redmi Note 8 was the best-selling Android smartphone in Q1 2020 | Android Central
• The Android 11 public beta is being delayed until June 3 | Android Central
• Google is finally doing something about its incoherent messaging strategy | Android Central
• LG Velvet is now official with Snapdragon 765 SoC, 48MP triple-camera setup | Android Central

Daniel and Jerry are joined by Lory Gil of iMore for a chat about global smartphone shipments tumbling. Apple's move to put their flagship processor into a budget phone is a shot across the bow of Qualcomm and all other device manufacturers.

They have an in-depth conversation about contract tracing and the technology behind Apple and Google's joint COVID-19 exposure notification API. They make it easier to understand what it does and how it protects your privacy while helping make the world a safer place.

• Global smartphone shipments tumbled 13% in Q1 2020 due to COVID-19 | Android Central
• See how Apple and Google came together to trace the coronavirus | iMore
• Apple and Google release first seed of COVID-19 exposure notification API for contact tracing app developers | TechCrunch
• Apple Earnings Call Transcripts: Apple CEO Tim Cook on the company's 2020 Q2 earnings | iMore
• iPhone SE review: Bigger on the inside | iMore

Daniel Bader sits down with Juan Carlos Bagnell to talk about his journey as Some Gadget Guy, his appreciation for LG phones, smartphone photography, and the year-over-year improvements in mobile devices.

• Juan Carlos Bagnell (@SomeGadgetGuy) / Twitter
• SomeGadgetGuy – Let's Talk Tech
• LG V60 review: Most of a Galaxy S20+, for hundreds less | Android Central