News
LG jumps ahead in Android Nougat rollout race
Android Nougat is the most mature and well-designed operating system to ever come out of Google’s labs. Too bad less than a percent of the population has it.
In the latest distribution data from the Android development team, the seventh version of the OS holds a total of 0.3 percent of the entire market. It would be dead last in the rankings if not for the 0.1 percent distribution of Android 2.2 Froyo.
We’re not surprised. Google’s mobile OS is experiencing the worst fragmentation of any active platform; every new version rolls out at a snail’s pace because of poor adaptation from third-party device manufacturers and heavy aftermarket modifications from brands and mobile network operators.
Fortunately, we have LG coming to the rescue.
The Korean electronics giant was the first to announce a smartphone with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Even though it was overshadowed by the newer 7.1 version built into Google’s recently launched Pixel phones, LG’s V20 can claim better software integration than its rivals.
And now, the G5 will be the first non-Google phone to be updated to Nougat. The 5.3-inch flagship of LG was announced in February this year, and came with partial modularity in the form of “Friends.”
Although only South Korean users will get a taste of the latest flavor beginning today, consumers in other parts of the world will experience it too in the coming weeks.
This development puts LG at the forefront of Nougat distribution — way ahead of the likes of Samsung, Sony, HTC, and rival Chinese brands.
With the exception of the LG flagships and Google’s lineup (Pixel, Nexus, and Android One), there are no official means of enjoying Android’s latest variant at the moment, which is a real shame. The beta preview of 7.1 Nougat is already available on Nexus devices, and that’ll worsen the distribution percentage even more.
As mentioned in our Android Nougat article last August, you must consider yourself lucky if you’re part of the minority, because Marshmallow users and older are definitely missing out on some useful productivity features.
[irp posts=”4025″ name=”Nougat is Android’s best, but there’s still room for improvement”]
Sources: Android Developers, GSMArena
News
Smart showcases cloud gaming platform in partnership with Blacknut
Play over 1,000 titles straight on your smartphones
Philippines mobile service provider Smart showcased the country’s first cloud gaming platform in partnership with Blacknut at the recent Philippine GameDev Expo (PGDX) 2026.
As the event’s main presenter, Smart highlighted its collaboration with the cloud gaming subscription service. Together with its value-packed Power All offers, the network provider is highlighting what the future of gaming can look like.
Smart and TNT subscribers can conveniently access Blacknut Cloud Gaming through a dedicated site. Here, they can play more than 1,000 premium console and PC-quality games on their smartphones.
That’s without the need for expensive gaming hardware or lengthy downloads. Weekly subscriptions start at just PhP 145 and can be conveniently charged to prepaid load following a simple OTP verification process.
To make the experience better, Smart also has Power All offers, which provide generous open-access data for today’s digital lifestyles. There’s a package for cloud and mobile gaming, streaming, content sharing, and productivity.
Gaming
Ghost of Yotei gets a story expansion in October
The Complete Edition comes with the expansion and a roguelike mode.
Ghost of Yotei is a classic RPG experience set in the same universe as its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima. In my opinion, Atsu’s journey of revenge feels a lot more fun than Jin’s battle to save his homeland. If you’re in the same boat, Ghost of Yotei is coming back on October 1 with brand-new content.
Without delving too much into spoiler territory, Ghost of Yotei has a conclusive ending. Rather than shoehorning a forced epilogue, Echoes of Sekigahara, the title of the upcoming story expansion, explores Atsu’s past.
As with Tsushima’s expansion, Echoes of Sekigahara features a new map with new enemies, weapons, and collectibles. It will be set in two different time periods.
Besides the story expansion, the upcoming update also has a new mode called Most Wanted, which Sucker Punch Production describes as their “spin on a roguelike.” The mode explores Atsu’s experience as a headhunter, feeding her with bounties and earnable perks.
The two new content expansions will come with in the upcoming Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition. The new edition, coming on October 1, will also come with the co-op Legends mode. It also has a few perks and customization options. The edition will sell for US$ 70.
If you already have the base edition, you can grab an upgrade for only US$ 15. If you don’t want to pay for the upgrade, the game is still getting a few minor tweaks.
SEE ALSO: Ghost of Yotei review: A tale sharpened by vengeance
The HONOR Robot Phone may have officially launched, but don’t expect this version to immediately make its way to global markets.
HONOR told media in Shenzhen that it currently has no plans to bring the current Robot Phone outside China. The main hurdle isn’t the hardware. It’s the phone’s AI experience, which is currently optimized for the Chinese market.
HONOR believes a future generation of the Robot Phone would be better positioned for a true global rollout once its AI experience is ready for markets outside China.
That doesn’t mean HONOR is abandoning the idea. Quite the opposite.
More than a phone with a moving camera
The Robot Phone is HONOR’s attempt to introduce a new idea to the smartphone market. It combines a smartphone with a 4DoF mechanical gimbal, allowing its camera to physically move.
Its AI features take that concept further. YOYO Robot Mode can use voice commands, gestures, and AI tracking to control the camera. It can also automatically pan and tilt to keep a person in frame during vlogs, livestreams, and video calls.
The phone also brings selected elements of ARRI Image Science and professional cinema workflows to its camera system. Its 200MP gimbal main camera supports 10-bit ARRI LogC3 recording, while ARRI Wide Gamut 3 and ARRI Looks give creators more control over their footage.
But HONOR isn’t treating the Robot Phone primarily as a volume-driving product.
The company says its bigger goal is to introduce a new concept to the smartphone market and see what kind of effect it can have.
That makes the Robot Phone an interesting experiment for HONOR. The hardware is already here. The company now wants to learn what happens when a smartphone can physically move, respond to its surroundings, and use AI to help operate itself.
For now, though, China is where that experiment begins.
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