Moto E5, E5 Plus and E5 Play: Everything you need to know!

Your next cheap phone.

Motorola has been riding a huge wave of success with the Moto G series since it was introduced, but over time that line has added capable and also price. The Moto E series now fills in the inexpensive slot underneath for people who still don’t (or can’t) spend much on a smartphone. The latest in the line is the Moto E5 series, which was unveiled in mid-April.

As is regularly the case with Motorola, the Moto E5 isn’t one phone but three — and there are a few odd differences between the group that you should take into consideration when buying one. But when you figure it all out, you may find it’s the go-to choice the next time you go to buy an inexpensive phone. Here’s what you need to know.

The latest Moto E5 news

July 16, 2018 — Motorola announces an Android Go version of the E5 Play

A few months after the Moto E5 series was announced, Motorola’s launching a new variant of the E5 Play that ditches the full Android experience for Android Go.

Dubbed as the Moto E5 Play with Android Oreo (Go Edition), this updated model actually has a few key spec differences compared to the regular E5 Play. Most notably, where the E5 Play has a 5.2-inch 16:9 display, the E5 Play Go Edition has a larger and more modern 5.3-inch 18:9 panel.

Also, seeing as how Android Go is designed for hardware with 1GB of RAM or less, that probably means we’ll see the E5 Play’s 2GB RAM cut in half.

In regards to pricing and availability, Motorola says the E5 Play will be sold in “various countries” across Europe and Latin America with pricing starting at €109 (about $127 USD).

All the big details

Read (and watch) our hands-on preview!

To get the quick take on the new Moto E5 series, check out our hands-on video above. And for the full layout of the entire line, including how the different models compare and which one is best for different buyers, read our full hands-on preview!

Moto E5 and E5 Plus hands-on preview: Your next cheap phone

Three different E5 models

Just like the new Moto G6 series, there are three different E5 models for 2018. There’s the “regular” Moto E5, along with a Moto E5 Plus and a Moto E5 Play. The E5 and E5 Plus are very similar in terms of performance and experience. They have large 18:9 displays, large batteries, TurboPower charging and pretty solid specs for their price. The E5 Plus only differentiates in its even larger battery at 5000mAh and a few spec bumps in processor, RAM, storage and screen size.

The E5 Play is the cheapest of the bunch, and is clearly a different base device that feels more like a continuation of last year’s Moto E4 than a bottom-tier version of the new E5 design. It has a 16:9 display, small (but removable) battery and low-end specs designed to hit the lowest possible price for prepaid carriers and price-sensitive markets.

Moto E5, E5 Play and E5 Plus specs

Most regions around the world will only have access to two of the three models. In the U.S., we’ll have access to the E5 Plus and the E5 Play, and everyone but the most price-conscious among us will be best off getting the more modern and capable E5 Plus.

Big battery life

The Moto E5 series puts a big emphasis on battery life above just about any other feature. The Moto E5 has a sizable 4000mAh capacity, while the E5 Plus has a massive 5000mAh. Neither battery is removable, but that shouldn’t be a problem — with power-efficient Snapdragon 400 series processors inside and just HD displays, either phone will be able to stretch a full two days so long as you’re not hitting it too hard. Both phones also come with TurboPower fast chargers in the box for quicker top-ups when you do need to charge.

The Moto E5 Play interestingly doesn’t take the same approach. It has a relatively small 2800mAh battery, which is proportionate to its 5.2-inch 16:9 display — but it’s also removable, which is still an important feature for many people at this inexpensive price point. If you’re willing to buy a replacement battery and have it charged up, a quick swap (and a phone reboot) will have you back up and running quickly.

Micro-USB, and (probably) no NFC

Motorola has almost entirely embraced the new USB-C port standard … except on its least expensive phones, like the Moto E5 series. All three models have the older Micro-USB standard, which is rather disappointing from the standpoint of technology enthusiasts who are already on their second or third phone with USB-C. But Motorola says that a large portion of potential Moto E5 buyers still have a Micro-USB phone and Micro-USB accessories, and aren’t quite ready to switch over to USB-C yet (for cost reasons).

More frustratingly and less excusable is the NFC situation. Across the E5 line (and G6 line), Motorola hasn’t standardized on whether it will include NFC in its phones. Some models in some regions have NFC, and the same models in other regions don’t. If NFC is important for you for mobile payments, be sure to carefully read the exact spec page for the exact model you’re buying to make sure it has the radio.

Where and when can you buy them?

Motorola’s E5 launch plans start in Latin America, which means we’re going to have to wait a while longer for sales to open up in North America and other regions. We don’t have a solid date yet, but we can expect late May or early June for retail availability — things can get a tad murky when you start looking at the various prepaid carrier variants as well.

As for pricing, expect it to stay low. The Moto E5 Play should debut around $100, and the E5 Plus should cost around $175 — again, carrier differences could influence these numbers heavily.

Moto Z3 Play vs. OnePlus 6: Which should you buy?

A battle of battery life and modularity versus … pretty much everything else.

If you’re shopping for a new phone in the range of about $500, there are two big contenders you might be considering — the Moto Z3 Play and the OnePlus 6. Both Motorola and OnePlus are well-established in this price tier, and each phone offers great value in vastly different ways.

Specifications

A lot of the time when comparing phones at similar price points, the spec sheets end up looking almost identical, but that’s really not the case at all here. If you’ve been paying attention to these two companies in recent years, it probably won’t surprise you that OnePlus takes an easy win here.

What the Moto Z3 Play does better

You might not be impressed with the Moto Z3 Play on paper; its processor, storage, RAM, and cameras are all bested by the OnePlus 6. But if things were that simple, there’d be no need for this comparison. Motorola’s made a name for itself with its wide range of Moto Mod accessories that allow Moto Z owners to augment their phones with larger batteries, louder speakers, and even niche features like pico projectors. This does introduce an additional cost to the phone, and carrying multiple Mods around isn’t always convenient, but Moto Mods keep the Moto Z3 Play feeling fresh and useful.

To start you off, Motorola includes a free Power Pack Mod in the box with the Z3 Play, extending the phone’s battery by 2220mAh. Using the Z3 Play with the included Power Pack Mod, I’ve been able to achieve an insane eight hours of screen-on time under a heavy workload — something the OnePlus 6 can’t come close to, despite a larger integrated battery. Even without the Power Pack Mod, the Moto Z3 Play is often able to outlast the OnePlus 6.

Motorola also has a great suite of gesture-based shortcuts to useful tools; you can double-twist the Moto Z3 Play in your hand to launch the camera, or double-chop to launch the flashlight. On top of this, the Z3 Play arguably has a much better optional one-handed navigation mode. While you’re presented with the same pill-shaped button as stock Android P, Motorola uses its own gestures — tap to go home, swipe left to go back, and swipe right to view recent apps.

Lastly — and this is a big one — Motorola takes a significant win in availability. On top of being cheaper, starting at $449.99 on Amazon, the unlocked Moto Z3 Play works on all major U.S. carriers. In contrast, the OnePlus 6 is only compatible with GSM networks, leaving out Sprint, Verizon, and their subsidiaries.

See at Amazon

What the OnePlus 6 does better

If modular accessories aren’t your thing, and you’re on a GSM carrier like AT&T or T-Mobile, the OnePlus 6 is a seriously compelling option. In terms of specs, it completely overpowers the Moto Z3 Play and just about every other phone in its price range, with a Snapdragon 845, 6 to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage. The storage is non-expandable, but even the baseline should be more than enough for most users at 64GB. Oh, and did I mention the OnePlus 6 still has a headphone jack?

You’ll also enjoy a larger screen with a taller 19:9 aspect ratio on the OnePlus 6. The catch? There’s a notch up top, though it’s small enough that you’ll barely notice it’s there, even if you’re vehemently against notches. It’s a better display, too — while the Moto Z3 Play has a great Super AMOLED panel, the OnePlus 6’s Optic AMOLED is even brighter with more vibrant colors.

Thanks to its ultra high-end specs, performance on the OnePlus 6 is considerably snappier than that of the Moto Z3 Play, with a similarly clean build of Android 8.1 Oreo. While Motorola’s software has some nice tricks of its own, OxygenOS is more customizable with systemwide themes, customizable long-press shortcuts on each navigation button, and shortcuts to wake the phone and launch user-set apps by drawing letters on the screen.

The OnePlus 6 has pretty great camera performance, too. While both phones have dual cameras (and both use the secondary sensor largely for augmenting portrait mode, rather than different focal lengths), the OnePlus 6 takes fantastic photos in daylight and even does reasonably well in poor light, where the Moto Z3 Play falls apart.

See at OnePlus

Which is right for you?

If you’re on a CDMA carrier, the choice is already made for you — the Moto Z3 Play is the only option that works with Sprint and Verizon. It’s also the cheaper phone of the two, and with the inclusion of a free Moto Mod in the box you’re arguably getting a better value. If you’ve owned a Moto Z phone in the past, any of your existing Mods will work on the Z3 Play too. Even if you’re on AT&T or T-Mobile, the ridiculously long battery life could push you in favor of the Moto Z3 Play.

If, on the other hand, you’re after power first and foremost, it’s hard to argue with the OnePlus 6 — high-end specs at a low price is basically OnePlus’s business model. You’ll also benefit from superior camera performance, a better display, a 3.5mm headphone jack … you get the point. If you can afford to spend a bit above $500 (starting at $529 and reaching up to $629), the OnePlus 6 is definitely your best bet if you aren’t worried about modularity.

Which phone would you buy, and what are the biggest reasons? Let us know in the comments below!

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Relay is an LTE walkie-talkie for kids (and for MrMobile)

In a world of smartphones that do everything, it’s refreshing to try a gadget that does … one thing. Relay is an LTE walkie-talkie from Republic Wireless designed to keep your kids in contact with you (and each other) without forcing them into the same crippling smartphone addiction that’s slowly sucking the life from all of us grown-ups. You may remember it from the excellent hands-on piece that Russell Holly published not too long ago, wherein he proclaimed it “a fantastic take on a kid-friendly ‘phone’.”

Given Russell’s status as an actual father, you might expect his word to be the final one on the matter. But that would require you to forget about my unhealthy obsession with walkie-talkies in all their forms. Step aside, Russell; it’s time for pretend-dad MrMobile to take a crack at these things! Join me as I put Relay through the ins and outs of a typical week, musing on the difficulties of making push-to-talk over cellular function properly, and dropping references to 90s gems like Crimson Tide and the YakBak in the process. Click on through to MrMobile’s Relay review above, and be sure to stay tuned for Android Central’s followup coverage in the months ahead!

Note: Before my Relay review was published I received feedback from Republic about the difficulties I faced with my review devices (detailed in the video above), and I share it below so potential buyers have the full picture:

“Our latest software build is 1.2 (112) which has some improvements to the resiliency of LTE on CDMA […] We’ve had a small % of customers needing a SIM swap but it has helped almost all of them. The swap is simple [from] a customer perspective, just remove existing SIM and insert new SIM and reboot. We have some algorithms that help us evaluate coverage both based on the vector data we get from the carriers and on real customer experience (eg. if a customer in the same area has requested a swap previously). These data drive future considerations for the coverage we give customers.”

You can also track the current sentiment from Relay walkie-talkie owners in Republic’s forums here.

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Roku’s new $199 wireless speakers are made especially for Roku-powered TVs

The Roku TV Wireless Speakers sport not just one but two remote controls.

Preordering gets you a discount, but the speakers aren’t available until October.

Roku today announced its new (and highly anticipated) Roku TV Wireless Speakers. They are, as the name implies, wireless speakers made specifically for Roku TV. The speakers won’t be available until October.

Pricing bounces a bit depending on when you buy. Preorders today through July 23 will cost $149. From July 24 to Oct. 15 you’ll pay $179. And from Oct. 16 on the retail price is $199.

The bundle includes a pair of Roku TV Wireless speakers, a voice remote, tabletop remote, a pair of power cables, and four AAA batteries.

See at Roku

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Roku Announces Roku TV Wireless Speakers Making it Easy for Consumers to Add Premium Sound to Any Roku TV

LOS GATOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) today announced the Roku TV™ Wireless Speakers, the first ever speakers made exclusively for Roku TV. Adding a new dimension, exceptional depth and stereo separation to movies, TV and music, Roku TV Wireless Speakers are meticulously engineered and calibrated to deliver powerful, premium audio to Roku TVs. Because Roku controls the software in both the speakers and TV, Roku is uniquely able to provide seamless wireless setup and connectivity, optimize sound for the picture and ensure audio video sync. Roku TV users can pre-order from Roku.com between July 16 – 23, 2018, for a special introductory price of $149.99.

“Picture quality, a tremendous selection of content, value, and ease of use make Roku TVs some of the most popular smart TVs on the market today,” said Roku CEO Anthony Wood. “Adding great audio dramatically enhances the way people experience their favorite entertainment. With Roku TV Wireless Speakers, we’re able to offer our customers a simple and affordable way to further immerse themselves into the TV, movies and music they love, while providing them with a better whole home entertainment experience.”

Unlike home theater systems, set up is simple with wireless pairing to Roku TVs via Roku Connect. Once paired, users can listen to audio from any streaming channel on the Roku platform, live TV from an antenna, or other devices such as a cable set-top box through the Roku TV Wireless Speakers. The speakers support Bluetooth music streaming from mobile devices. The speakers also offer Automatic Volume Leveling to lower the volume on loud scenes and boost the volume on quieter ones and Dialog Enhancement to improve the intelligibility of speech.

Roku TV Wireless Speakers work exclusively with Roku TVs, which accounted for one out of every four smart TVs sold in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2018. They ship with a Roku TV Voice Remote, which controls both the Roku TV and the speakers, as well as the all-new Roku Touch™. Roku Touch is a battery-powered tabletop voice remote featuring a press-and-hold design for voice commands, playback control buttons and programmable preset buttons. Some of the most popular channels on the Roku platform are streaming music channels, and with Roku Touch it is even easier to use Roku TV and Roku TV Wireless Speakers to listen to music.

Pricing and Availability

The Roku TV Wireless Speaker bundle has an MSRP of $199.99 and begins shipping to customers by late October. The bundle includes:

• (2) Roku TV Wireless Speakers
• Roku TV Voice Remote
• Roku Touch tabletop remote
• (2) Power Cables
• (4) AAA Batteries

Pre-order pricing for the bundle is $149.99 today through July 23, 2018. From July 24 through October 15, 2018, Roku TV Wireless Speakers will be available for a special price of $179.99. Beginning October 16, pricing is $199.99.

For more information on Roku TV Wireless Speakers visit Roku.com.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!

Here’s everything we know about the Galaxy Note 9!

Now more than ever, Samsung’s Galaxy S+ phones are becoming eerily similar to the Note series. The Note used to be Samsung’s way of touting all of the latest and greatest tech it had to offer, and while this is still the case, the same can be said for this year’s Galaxy S9+.

Samsung needs more than just the S Pen to make the Note 9 stand out from its own phones and the rest of the competition, and luckily, all signs are pointing to something exciting for this year’s release. Here’s what we know so far!

July 16, 2018 — DJ Koh hints at gaming features for the S Pen

Alongside the Note 9 this year, we’re expecting Samsung to make some big upgrades to its S Pen companion. Previous rumors have already hinted at the Note 9’s S Pen coming equipped with Bluetooth for the very first time, and now thanks to Ice Universe on Twitter, we have a bit more to go on.

Samsung’s DJ Koh recently attended an event in Wuhan, China, and during it, “he said that Note9 SPen will have many new features, including special features related to the game.”

It’s unclear what all of these features will consist of, but that mention of “the game” suggests we’ll possibly see some sort of gaming focus this time around.

July 11, 2018 — Official render confirms the front of the Note 9’s design

There’s been no shortage of Note 9 renders over the last few weeks, and the latest comes by way of AndroidHeadlines.

The image shown above was obtained by the site and is said to be “an official render of the Galaxy Note 9.”

As we’ve seen from past images, the Note 9 is going to look a lot like the Note 8. There’s a large Infinity Display taking up the majority of the front, with the top area being home to the front-facing camera, iris scanning system, ambient light sensor, etc. Also similar is the power/lock button on the right with the left side being home to a volume rocker and dedicated Bixby button.

What will the Galaxy Note 9 look like?

Quick answer — a lot like the Note 8.

We’ve seen one collection of renders for the Note 9 so far (pictured above), and save for the fingerprint sensor being moved below the rear camera sensor, the phone’s shaping up to be nearly identical to last year’s model.

As such, we can expect a large Infinity Display with slim bezels, an all-glass back, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Samsung’s event teaser suggests that we’ll get at least one bright yellow color option, but I’m still crossing my fingers the Galaxy S9’s Burgundy Red gets a wide release on the Note 9 🤞.

What specs can we look forward to?

Samsung’s Galaxy Note phones are always home to some of the best specs around, and the Note 9 shouldn’t be any different.

Based on the current rumor mill and what we’ve seen from other 2018 flagships, here’s what we think we’ll see this year.

When will the Galaxy Note 9 be released?

The Galaxy Note 9 will be announced on August 9, 2018, at an Unpacked event in New York City.

We can expect retail availability to come in a 1-2 week time frame after the announcement, if any previous launches are any indication.

How much will the Galaxy Note 9 cost?

Pricing for the Note series has steadily been going up each year, as has the majority of the smartphone industry.

The Galaxy Note 8 costs $950 unlocked, and I’d expect the Note 9 to cost either the same or slightly more. Apple proved with the iPhone X that people aren’t afraid to shell out $1000+ for a new smartphone, and I don’t consider it to be out of the question for Samsung to follow suit with the Note 9 – especially if it adopts newer technologies like an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Samsung Galaxy S9 & S9+: Everything you need to know!

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors: Release date, specs, price, and features!
• Is it best to buy the Galaxy S9 or wait for the Note 9?
• Do you plan on upgrading to the Note 9?
• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

Updated: June 29, 2018: Updated the spec sheet to coincide with latest rumors.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades for Android — Everything you need to know

A brand new adventure in Tamriel awaits!

One of the most anticipated games of the year is The Elder Scrolls: Blades. Revealed during Bethesda’s showcase at this year’s E3 conference, Blades promises to deliver console-quality graphics on your smartphone with a brand new first-person role-playing adventure set in the mystical world of Tamriel.

Pre-register on Google Play

The Elder Scrolls: Blades follows in the huge success of Skyrim, which honestly could just as well have been ported to mobile to keep with the ongoing joke of how ubiquitous that game has become. Instead, mobile gamers will be getting a new game designed with controls optimized for landscape and portrait mode which means you’ll be able to plunder dungeons with one hand while holding your morning coffee in the other. Not too shabby

In the game, you’ll be exploring a combination of hand-crafted interiors and procedurally generated dungeons, along with outdoor environments. Movement can be controlled with taps or using on-screen dual stick controls, and you’ll be able to hack n’ slash or use magic to vanquish your enemies.

The backstory involves your character returning to their hometown to find it burnt to rubble, so a part of the game is dedicated to rebuilding your town by unlocking new buildings, decorations, and more. These will presumably be earned through gameplay — although you’ve got to suspect that with a free-to-play title like this there’s going to be the option of in-app purchases for those who want them.

There’s some real potential here to be sure — and Bethesda knows what it’s doing in terms of mobile gaming having found wild success with Fallout Shelter. The concept of procedurally generated dungeons is intriguing if it means you get to explore a unique maze-like dungeon filled with deadly skeletons and spiders every time you load up the game. However, I could also imagine it going in the other direction where the dungeons are different each time, sure, but the design is simplified to the point where it’s mindless and repetitive — less adventure and more grinding to collect resources for building your hometown.

On top of registering in the Google Play Store to get notified when the game is available, you can pre-register with Bethesda for a chance at getting early access to the game at playblades.com. The game is scheduled to launch this fall, so there’s presumably still time to be selected to test the game ahead of official release.

Given the graphic-intensive gameplay, Blades will only be available on the latest model Android devices from the biggest makers — Samsung and Google. As it stands, this is the reported list of Android devices that are compatible with the early-access program:

• Galaxy S9
• Galaxy S9+
• Samsung Galaxy S8
• Samsung Galaxy S8+
• Pixel 2
• Pixel 2XL

After its initial launch on mobile, Bethesda plans to release The Elder Scrolls: Blades on all current-gen consoles and PC (including VR) with cross-platform play. The game will be free to play across all your devices. be released

Pre-register on Google Play

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Amazon surprises Prime members with up to 50% off Echo, Fire TV, Kindle as early Prime Day deals go live

Here we go!

Amazon Prime Day officially begins at 3pm ET, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t already take advantage of some insanely good deals right now. From the Echo Dot for $30 to the recently-released Toshiba 50-inch Fire TV for $290, there are a lot of great devices at awesome prices. Some of these prices drop below anything we’ve seen in the past, while others match what we haven’t seen in quite some time.

Echo Hardware

• Echo Dot – $29.99 (Was $50)
• Echo (2nd-gen) – $69.99 (Was $100)
• Echo Spot – $99.99 (Was $130)
• Echo Show – $129.99 (Was $230)

Fire TV Hardware

• Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote – $19.99 (Was $40)
• Fire TV with 4K and Alexa Voice Remote – $34.99 (Was $70)
• Fire TV Cube – $89.99 (Was $120)

Fire Tablets

• Fire 7 Tablet – $29.99 (Was $50)
• Fire HD 8 – $49.99 (Was $80)
• Fire HD 10 Tablet – $99.99 (Was $150)

Kindle

• Kindle – $49.99 (Was $80)
• Kindle Paperwhite – $79.99 (Was $120)

Other hardware

• Toshiba 50-inch 4K Fire TV – $289.99 (Was $400)
• Amazon Cloud Cam – $59.99 (Was $120)
• Ring Video Doorbell Pro – $174 (Was $250)
• Ring Spotlight Cam – $139.99 (Was $200)
• Blink XT Home Security Cameras – Starting at $75

Be sure to check out all of the great deals before the prices disappear at the end of the day.

Huawei’s GPU Turbo update is coming to the Mate 10 and P20 this August

Other phones will follow suit throughout the year.

Just about every OEM is eager to release new hardware that’s faster and more powerful than past releases, but Huawei’s announced plans to go a slightly different route this year. Starting this August, it’ll begin rolling out its free GPU Turbo update that dramatically boots the graphical performance for a number of its existing phones.

Huawei says GPU Turbo works similar to the turbocharger in a car, noting that it’s “able to accelerate performance by optimizing system utilization of software and hardware resources.” When the update lands on a phone, it’ll see a 60% increase in graphics processing and a 30% reduction in power consumption — resulting in better gaming performance and longer battery life.

Huawei needs to work with developers to ensure GPU Turbo is properly taken advantage of, and out of the box, the update will be noticeable in PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

The current rollout schedule for the GPU Turbo update is as follows:

• Huawei Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, Mate RS — Coming August 2018 to Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
• Huawei P20 and P20 Pro — Coming August 2018 to Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
• Huawei Mate 10 Lite — Coming September 2018 to all markets
• Huawei Nova 2i — Coming September 2018 to all markets
• Huawei P Smart — Coming September 2018 to all markets
• Huawei P20 Lite — Coming September 2018 to Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
• Huawei Y9 (2018) — Coming September 2018 to all markets
• Huawei Mate 9 and Mate 9 Pro — Coming November 2018 to all markets
• Huawei P10 and P10 Plus — Coming November 2018 to all markets

If you’ve got any of the above phones, are you excited for the GPU Turbo update?

These are all the Huawei/Honor phones coming out in 2018

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Fortnite for Android: Everything You Need to Know!

The hottest game of 2018 will be coming to Android soon.

Fortnite has been blowing up lately. Millions of people have become obsessed with the game, both as players and just watching popular Twitch streamers play the game.

Interested to learn more about what the heck Fortnite is all about? Just keep reading.

What’s new with Fortnite?

July 16, 2018 — Season 5 Battle Pass has begun, still no official Android launch date set

We’re midway through July and still no word from Epic Games as to when specifically Fortnite will be released for Android this summer.

Meanwhile, the Season 5 Battle Pass has begun for all other platforms that Fortnite is available on, which either means that the Android version is imminent or we’re going to have to wait for this season to wrap up and hope it’s released ahead of Season 6. Battle Pass seasons typically last around 10 weeks, which would mean Season 5 should wrap up around the third week of September which lines up nicely with the Autumnal equinox and the official end of summer.

Speculation on the Fortnite forums is rampant, with some posters confident the Android version will be released imminently in the coming weeks, while others are prepared to wait until September. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as a more concrete date is set.

May 18, 2018 — The Android version will be here “this summer.”

Fortnite’s iOS version has been out for a hot minute now, and to ensure the experience is as good as can be, Epic outlined a heap of improvements coming to the game — including a customizable HUD, voice chat, improved controls, and more.

You can read through all the changes here, but the most exciting news has to do with Fortnite’s Android release. Epic notes that the game will be here “this summer”, and while that’s not as specific as we’d like, it’s still a step in the right direction.

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What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is what would happen if you combined two of the most addictive games out there — Minecraft and PUBG.

Fortnite offers a free 100-player Player Vs Player (PvP) Battle Royale game mode. Just like PUBG, you’re dropped onto the large island map and must arm yourself and outlive your competition. But in Fortnite, you always start out armed with a pickaxe which can be used as a melee weapon or for harvest raw supplies for building walls, ramps, and shelters.

It certainly adds extra layers of strategy to the format, creating essentially a perfect storm of addictive gaming action that’s as fun to watch as it is to play. Oh, speaking of storms all the action takes place in the eye of a deadly electrical storm meaning you can’t just hunker down and hide out the whole game. You got to keep moving.

How do you play the game?

Just like PUBG, your goal is to be the last man standing — with up to 100 players involved in each match, that’s no small task.

Each game starts with the players jumping out of the flying “Battle Bus” and parachuting down onto a giant island. Once landed, you must loot nearby buildings for items, guns, and ammo to defend yourself and attack other players.

You also need to keep an eye on the map, as every few minutes the storm closes in on the play area. If you’re caught in the storm, you slowly die so you do not want to forget to regularly check where you are on the map. Eventually, the play constricts to a tiny area for the final showdown between the remaining players — there can only be one winner!

Unlike PUBG, you’re able to carry more than two guns. Instead, you’re limited to the number of weapons and items you can carry at one time. Also, guns are color coded to denote their rarity — from grey (common) to orange (legendary) — and the rarer the gun, the deadlier it is.

Then there’s the crafting element. Every player starts out with a pickaxe which can be used as a melee weapon or used to break down trees and buildings to harvest the raw resources. You can then use these raw resources to build your own structures, whether it be a defensive wall to provide cover from an advancing enemy, a set of stairs to reach the second floor of a building or your own watchtower to snipe players from across the map. The resources you mine will determine the strength. Steel is stronger than brick, which is stronger than wood.

The latest update to the game for the Season 5 Battle Pass has introduced a slew of new map areas and gameplay features including the All-Terrain Kart (ATK) which let you and your squad move around the map faster than ever before. You can read more about the latest tweaks in the full release notes.

When will it be available for Android?

Fortnite has been available for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 for a few months now, and is now widely available on iOS devices after a brief invite-only beta.

There have been no firm dates set for an Android release by Fortnite’s developer, Epic Games, but they have said to expect Fortnite Mobile to launch on Android sometime this summer. For now, Android users can head on over to Epic Games, log in or create your Fortnite Account, and then let the developers know which device you plan to play on which will also add you to the mailing list to be informed when the game eventually drops.

Until then, at least we’ve got PUBG to tide us over.

Yeah, but I found this site that offered an APK file for…

Stop. The game is not out for Android yet, so any website you see offering a version of Fortnite for Android is a scam.

Since Epic Games announced the Summer release window for Fortnite on Android, a bunch of fake websites have popped up claiming to offer an early version of the APK. I’m not going to link to them but unless you see an announcement from Epig Games themselves or we report it here, don’t fall for the scam.

If you want to be notified from the developers as soon as the game is available, you can sign up at the Fortnite Mobile website.

Will it be free to play?

Epic Games has so far released the PvP Battle Royale game for free across all platforms including the mobile version for iOS. The console version also has a paid game mode called Save The World that’s Player vs Environment (PvE). Save The World plays more like Minecraft, where you’re harvesting more resources and stocking up on loot to survive waves of AI enemies in a sort of tower defense-style of gameplay.

The PvE mode will not be available in Fortnite Mobile due to CPU limitations and, frankly, it’s the PvP mode that everyone is crazy for so that’s quite alright with us.

However, the mobile version will offers in-app purchases for cosmetic items to customize your player and people sure have been buying stuff. According to this report from Sensor Tower analtyics, Fortnite Mobile players spent more than $1 million during the first 72 hours of its release on iOS. Wow.

So, to answer the question, you have the option to spend money on Fortnite if you want a cool looking character, but the game is free to play and you won’t need to pay to win.

Will there be support for Bluetooth controls?

Epic Games has indicated that Bluetooth controller support will be coming later, but as of right now only touchscreen controls are available.

Is it cross-platform?

Epic Games have indicated that you will be able to play Fortnite across all platforms. Your Fortnite profile can be connected to all the platforms you play on so you can add to your stats however you connect to the game.

Don’t be worried about getting mismatched as the one mobile player in a server of PC and console players. If you’re playing solo on mobile, you will only be matched up against other mobile players. If you join a squad with friends playing on another platform, then that squad will be matched against a multi-platform population, essentially making cross-platform play opt-in.

• Learn more about Fortnite Mobile

Are you hyped for Fortnite?

We’ll be sure to let you know when the game launches for Android. Until then, you can create your Epic Games account and start playing on one of the other platforms to start getting a handle on the game

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Spend $20 on books and get $5 off with this Prime Day coupon code

Prime Day doesn’t officially start until 3PM ET, but the deals have already begun.

Prime members, you can score $5 off a book purchase of $20 or more when you use code PRIMEBOOKS18 during checkout.

If you don’t already have an Amazon Prime membership, today’s not going to be very fun for you. Luckily, you can click here for a free 30-day trial.

The code is valid on books sold by Amazon.com. May I suggest the Dungeon Master’s Guide for D&D nights? Or perhaps The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck to help you live your best life? How to Win Friends & Influence People is a good option for that, too.

You have literally millions of items to choose from, but only through the end of the day.

See at Amazon