Weekly Authority: The next Windows, Oppo-OnePlus, Nintendo E3, and more

Welcome back to another edition of The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that keeps an eye out for the top Android and tech news from the week.

Tristan Rayner here with you during a long hot week in my part of the world. Hope you’re keeping cool!

• Windows 11: The next version of Windows leaked this week. That’s right, Windows 11 is here already, ahead of Microsoft’s expected launch on June 24. What we’ve seen from an early build — which you can download and install yourself — is a new look and style, with major UI changes in menus, toolbars, and the Start menu. Even the Windows 11 wallpapers leaked — the blue finned backdrop (seen above) is the new default wallpaper it seems!
• Oppo-OnePlus integration: Pete Lau, co-founder and CEO of OnePlus, as well as the Chief Product Officer at Oppo, announced this week that OnePlus would “further integrate [its] organization with Oppo.” Although the explanation was that the companies would consolidate some teams that were already working closely together, exactly why and what it means isn’t clear. OnePlus, though, will remain “independent,” and Oxygen OS will still exist outside of China, the latter of which has been a key success story for OnePlus over the years. Later in the week, an internal OnePlus memo leaked, giving away a few more details.
• Samsung’s next launch: A date thrown around this week for Samsung’s next big hardware splash was August 3. That’s when the company could launch the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4 series, with shipping potentially starting August 27.
• Apple Watch: Reliable reports have given us a look at what’s expected from the Apple Watch Series 7 due later this year. Some early detail on the 2022 Apple Watch emerged as well, with more health tech possibly packed in.
• Nintendo: We didn’t see a new Nintendo Switch Pro from the Japanese giant at E3 2021, but here’s everything Nintendo did show on its Direct stream, including new footage for the follow-up to 2017′s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Metroid Dread, and more. The Breath of the Wild sequel is “aiming” for a 2022 release, which may have disappointed fans hoping for another jaunt around Hyrule this year. One more thing: the real name of the game remains a secret because the official title might reveal too much (IGN).
• Leica: Camera maker Leica is now a smartphone brand. Its first smartphone is a Leica-branded Sharp Aquos R6, sporting a big change to the camera array at the back. It’s only available in Japan for now.
• Tamagotchi: The 1990s are back! The Tamagotchi is making a comeback via a new Tamagotchi Smart wearable, to be released in Japan later this year. It looks cuter than ever, and it should be harder to forget to feed your virtual pet if it’s strapped to your wrist. Could it be a hit, 25 years after the original? In the meantime, here are 10 virtual pet apps to keep you tending to some loving pixels.

• OnePlus Nord CE review: A little less Nord for a little less money. It’s not inherently bad, but the competition is ample. At the value price range, value is everything.
• Apple TV 4K (2021) review: A worthy upgrade that you might not need.
• Huawei FreeBuds 4 review: A mid-range option in Huawei’s lineup of true wireless earphones and in that “open-fit” style without silicon tips, but better options exist.

Features

• “If the Nord CE is the future of OnePlus, the future looks bleak“, writes Dhruv Bhutani.
• My phone scared me into changing my passwords: “A recent security breach prompted me to update my passwords — thanks to a mobile alert,” writes Eric Zeman.
• Take a visual tour of Google’s first permanent retail store in NYC, and then decide if Google’s retail showcase is a vanity play under its Big Apple HQ, or the start of a new retail arm.
• The lithium mine vs the wildflower that’s a rare, fragile species of buckwheat (Wired).
• Electric vehicles won’t save us: I disagree with some of what’s presented here but the problems with cars aren’t just going away (Medium).

• June 24: Microsoft “See what’s next for Windows” event, which, ah, might’ve been spoiled a touch!
• June 28-July 1: MWC 2021 
• July 19-23: Games Developer Conference (GDC)

Tech Tweet of the Week

So, HBO Max had a little problem with email this week… which plays into a meme I cannot stop enjoying:

did I do this right pic.twitter.com/hXtXbPYjcb

— Dan Hon (@hondanhon) June 18, 2021

All the best,

Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor.