News Weekly: Google’s big change, live images of the Pixel 9 Pro, a wooden Motorola phone and more

This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise summary of the week’s most important tech news. This is where we take a look at the top titles that showcase the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.

This week, Google announced a major reorganization of its hardware and software teams, Nothing launched its latest wireless earbuds, Motorola has a trio of exciting new phones, we have another Pixel 9 leak, and TikTok takes on Instagram with a new application. which is available for some countries.

Things are coming together at Google

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In a surprise announcement on April 18, Google said it was undertaking a major internal reorganization. As part of the change, the company is bringing together its hardware and software teams into a new Platforms and Devices team that oversees Android, Chrome and ChromeOS, Google Photos, Pixel devices, and more.

The new team will be led by Rick Osterloh and Sameer Samat will oversee the Android ecosystem. Meanwhile, Hiroshi Lockheimer, who until now headed Android, will be involved in other projects within Alphabet (via The edge).

According to a blog post According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the essence of the reorganization is to strengthen the synergy between the company’s hardware and software efforts so that it can move more quickly to bring better products to market. Pichai points out the Circle to Search feature, which first came to the Galaxy S24 at launch before later coming to the Pixel series.

But beyond that, it also means teams can better integrate Google’s AI efforts into its products. Pichai notes that research teams “focused on computational photography and on-device intelligence will also join the new organization to bring deep expertise in AI across platforms and devices.”

This is a major move for Google and perhaps the most important announcement the company has made in recent years. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long to see the fruits of Google’s labor following the restructuring.

Motorola’s new flagship is made of wood

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It feels like the days of the Moto X, as Motorola just launched a trio of new phones that don’t feature traditional glass backs. The Motorola Edge 50 Ultra, which sits at the top of the new phones, is available in wood or vegan leather finishes and Pantone’s color of the year, Peach Fuzz. The phone sports a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 64MP 3x telephoto lens. On the front is a 6.7-inch “Super HD” OLED display, and the phone is equipped with the new Hello UX and new Moto AI features, powered by the latest Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset.

The Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a step-down, powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, but you still get a triple camera setup consisting of a 50 MP main sensor, a 13 MP ultra-wide and a 3x 10 MP telephoto lens. It also has up to 12GB of RAM, access to “key” Moto AI features, and comes in a special edition pearl finish, handcrafted in Italy.

Finally, the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion comes with a 50MP dual camera system, supports high-resolution audio, and is available in vegan leather finishes.

These phones are launched worldwide, although not all of them are launched at the same time. It’s also unclear what availability will be in the US, but Motorola says it’s committed to bringing more Edge phones to the region.

Pixel 9 Pro, is that you?

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We’re still several months away from the launch of the Pixel 9 series, but that’s not stopping the leaks from pouring in. The latest may have just given us our first look at a live image of the Pixel 9 Pro, as evidenced by the new single camera visor and triple camera system.

The device appears to have a flat screen and a flat back, which is a bit of a departure from the current design, which is a bit more curved. The back also appears matte, but we are likely looking at a prototype, so the finished product may differ.

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From what we can see on the screen, the phone may have up to 16GB of RAM, although it also shows 128GB of storage. We also get a close-up of the cameras and a comparison with the phone next to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, revealing just how much smaller the Pixel 9 Pro could be when it launches later this year.

Rumor has it that we could be getting three Pixel 9 devices, including the standard Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro (which is likely what we’re seeing here), and a larger Pixel 9 Pro XL. Additionally, it is rumored that the successor to the Pixel Fold could change its name and instead be called Pixel 9 Pro Fold, it is unclear if Google will stick to this moniker.

A new Ear-a of affordable headphones from Nothing

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Nothing is back with not one but two pairs of wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a). The premium headphones support LHDC 5.0, providing low latency and high definition sound. Both earphones feature a transparent design and high-resolution audio support. There are also 11mm drivers and the batteries last over 5 hours with ANC enabled or over 8 hours without ANC.

The main difference between the two is that there are fewer customization options on the more affordable Nothing Ear(a). There’s also no wireless charging with the case, which Android Central’s Tshaka Armstrong noted in her Nothing Ear(a) review as a major drawback. He also notes that the ANC isn’t as powerful as it could be, but for a $99 pair of headphones, they’re still worth it.

TikTok takes on Instagram

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In the fight for popularity, Instagram has “borrowed” a feature or two from TikTok over the years. However, now it’s TikTok’s turn to borrow from Instagram, as the new TikTok Notes app has started rolling out in some countries. Unlike regular TikTok, this app focuses on still images rather than videos. Users can add a photo or carousel, text, and even a caption to highlight the subject of your images.

To make registration easier, users can link their TikTok accounts to log in.

The only downside to launching this app is that it is not available to everyone initially. Right now, TikTok Notes is available for “limited download and testing in Australia and Canada,” so if you’re in those countries, you’re free to try it.

Given TikTok’s popularity, this could bring a real Instagram competitor to the table, even if Meta focuses on video content.

These are some of the biggest stories this week. In the meantime, here are some other stories worth telling: