Everything in this week’s tech news: The $1,800 Galaxy XR headset is FINALLY here as Samsung launches its AI-powered answer to Vision Pro, plus the official OnePlus 15 release date, and Android Auto’s essential new feature
News Weekly is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week’s top stories so you can catch up on the latest tech news.
This is Android Central’s News Weekly, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week’s most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
This week, Samsung finally launched its Galaxy XR headset, OnePlus also officially announced the launch date of its next flagship, Google rolled out an essential button on Android Auto, Galaxy S26 launch could be delayed by several weeks, and we got to see Amazon’s smart glasses in action for the first time. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Samsung finally launches the first Android XR headset
Samsung finally unveiled its mixed reality headset earlier this week at an online Galaxy event. The company is simply calling it “Galaxy XR,” and it comes packed with the latest Galaxy AI and Gemini capabilities.
Built on the Android XR platform, this headset does exactly what you’d expect it to. Running Android apps, but it also understands your surroundings, and responds to you naturally through voice, vision, and gesture, and helps you manage tasks more intuitively.
As for the headset itself, according to Android Central’s Senior Editor Michael Hicks, it feels light and comfortable to wear for a longer duration, imagine gaming or binging on your favorite Netflix show.
The Galaxy XR headset runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 platform, with 16GB of memory and a Micro-OLED display pushing 29 million pixels at up to 90Hz. The visuals are said to be sharp, immersive, and backed by immersive sound from a dual-speaker setup. It also tracks your head, hands, and eyes with precision using a mix of cameras and sensors.
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After a truckload of leaks and several teasers, OnePlus officially announced the launch date of its next flagship, the OnePlus 15. No, you didn’t sleep through the OnePlus 14, since there won’t be one (avoiding bad juju). The company has now confirmed that the OnePlus 15 will launch in China on October 27. While we don’t know when it will be released globally, several rumors suggest it could happen on November 13 this year, just two weeks after the China launch.
Additionally, the OnePlus Ace 6 will debut alongside it and is expected to launch globally as the OnePlus 15R. As for the flagship’s specs, we know so far that it will feature a whopping 165Hz refresh rate, come in three colorways, and be powered by the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
A recent rumor also indicated that the OnePlus 15 won’t have a 2K display, with the phone instead switching to 1.5K resolution, which is a slight downgrade, but it could show up with thinner bezels.
Some Android Auto users took to a subreddit to chat about the recent Google Maps update. The original poster states that the update finally made the app more accommodating for vehicles with smaller screens. It now shows the “Report” button in the app, allowing users to report crashes, police incidents, congestion, and more without having to use their phone.
Google seems to have made a few more changes to the interface, with some folks seeing a relocated Guidance Audio button. Users will find this option inside the app’s settings. Additionally, Android Auto’s “suggested destinations” menu no longer expands when turned on for the first time. The user states, “The suggested destinations drop-down menu didn’t expand, and when I tapped on it, it opened into the full-screen search/suggested destinations list.” The update has started rolling out to users in phases since Oct. 21.
Samsung’s next flagship series seems to have been caught in a chain of rumors for the past few weeks. This one comes from leaker Ice Universe on Weibo (translated), stating that “the release of the Samsung Galaxy S26 series has been postponed.” Samsung usually launches its flagship devices roughly in the second or third week of January; we don’t know what led the tipster to note that the launch has been pushed.
However, another leaker, Instant Digital, also shared news of the rumored Galaxy S26 delay on Weibo (translated). They stated the delay could be because the company wants to “present it better to everyone, the release of the Galaxy S26 series may be postponed to March for release.”
If these two leakers’ claims about a Galaxy S26 delay pan out, we could be looking at a February 2026 or March 2026 launch, which is highly unusual for Samsung. But due to the rumored lineup shuffle and the potential of not seeing the ultra-slim Edge next year, anything seems possible.
Amazon officially revealed what its smart glasses could look like in action. In a blog post, the company said that these glasses are designed to support delivery associates to make deliveries “safer and more seamless.” According to Amazon, they will allow associates to scan packages, follow turn-by-turn walking directions, and capture proof of delivery — all while their phones remain tucked in their pockets.
The smart glasses are equipped with cameras, computer vision, and AI-powered sensing capabilities. They, however, differ from consumer-centric smart glasses and feature a fixed green monochrome heads-up display that shows the package details to the delivery associate within their field of view.
However, the glasses come with a small controller worn in the delivery vest and powered by a swappable battery for “all-day use.” Amazon also says the glasses support prescription lenses and can automatically adjust to any light conditions.
