According to a new report from the Korean media, Samsung renewed its Android license deal with Google back in February this year. Called Mobile Application Distribution Agreements (MADA), the license is necessary for any Android phone maker wanting to load their devices with the Google Play Store and mandates that the Play Store icon be placed “at least on the panel immediately adjacent to the Default Home Screen”, along with other proprietary Google apps such as Google search.
Google was fined by the European Union for forcing manufacturers into signing the MADA agreements, but that has reportedly not stopped Samsung from renewing its license. And it shouldn't even be surprising that Samsung has renewed its contract with Google, as that's something the company has to do if Galaxy devices have to offer the complete Android experience. The timing of the report, however, is rather cheeky: Huawei, one of Samsung's fiercest upcoming competitors, had its Android license revoked recently thanks to an executive order from US President Donald Trump.
Samsung rolled out an improved camera Night mode for the Galaxy S10 lineup today, following the introduction of a dedicated Night mode with a software update earlier this year. That move came after the criticism it has received for not having an answer to the dedicated nighttime photo modes on Google and Huawei devices, and one can hope the company won't become complacent now that Huawei's future in the Android smartphone market is looking bleaker by the day.
