Surface:

• Microsoft’s Surface event saw five new devices unveiled via four PCs and its new Android smartphone, the Surface Duo 2.
• The new Duo 2 ticked a lot of boxes on hardware: proper chipset with 5G, 90Hz display more RAM, proper camera array, NFC, and it’ll start on Android 11 and get three years of updates. There’s also a neat feature where the display curves over the hinge to show notifications when closed. Which is great and all, but a) we don’t know much about how well Microsoft has ironed out the array of bugs on the software b) it’s $100 more, at $1,500.
• Elsewhere: major updates to the Surface Pro 8, and the new Surface Studio laptop replaces the Surface Book with a new flexible stand system — awaiting reviews for just how well that works day-in, day-out. Minor CPU refreshes were given to the Pro X and the Surface Go, too.

Google:

• Another week, another week of Pixel 6 leaks, including hands-on video with a Pixel 6 Pro prototype which was fascinating to see, and camera specs seemed to leak too.
• Loved the gorgeous leaked wallpapers, too.
• And in wider Android news, Google announced lots of features for Android, Google TV, Auto, Assistant, and Gboard, including opening up were previously Pixel-only exclusives such as Locked Folder in Google Photos. Big new features include accessibility options, using Android phones to turn on Google TVs, and more.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ulta renders:

• Reliable leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer aka @OnLeaks delivered a series of Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra renders, leaking a supposed design that …looks a lot like some kind of Note 22 Ultra.
• It’s fun to see what looks just like a Note even with an S Pen slot but the “P” shaped rear camera looks a bit odd.
• Peep it with your peepers and decide for yourself – the next Galaxy S is only 3 months or so away, and @OnLeaks is to be respected!

Xiaomi:

• Xiaomi had a wild week after Lithuania’s government-run cybersecurity body published a report detailing how Xiaomi’s Mi devices block or censor a bunch of political phrases. That sent shockwaves around until further digging, credit to XDA here, seemed to suggest the censoring issue was just about filtering ads, in a huge list of deny list terms. Still, data collection bothers man, and enthusiasts will encourage you to put a custom ROM on your Xiaomi smartphone regardless of these issues.

Oppo-OnePlus: “OnePlus 2.0”

• With a forum post, OnePlus announced its merger proper with Oppo, and detailed there’ll be no 9T.
• What it means is the next OnePlus won’t run OxygenOS, or ColorOS, but a new unified codebase, with the head of OxygenOS overseeing the new OS. It wasn’t super popular news with enthusaists but where things end up in the years to come will be interesting. Also, the ColorOS has reportedly been made redundant, as the combined team shed 20% of personnel.

Apple:

• iPhone 13 series reviews, iPad mini reviews, and iPad 2021 reviews all emerged, as the devices went on sale at the end of the week. It’s clear Apple’s nailing the iteration game through solid improvements to those core features of battery, display, and camera, but it’s not breaking the mold in any way and the Pro Max is really a giant heavy phone now. What’s next, Apple?
• Ern, in less good news for Apple, a security researcher burned Apple with public disclosures of iOS zero-day exploits after Apple failed to respond within half a year of being notified multiple times.

USB-C:

• I talked about this at length in the Daily Authority, but the European Union working towards a specification requiring USB Type-C on all smartphones (and cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld video game consoles), including Apple’s devices, was a spicy story. The EU wants to have less e-waste, tech people think it’ll harm innovation. Given it may not happen if all states can’t agree, and it is set for 2024, the iPhone might be up to USB-C or even portless by then.