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OnePlus has released new software updates for the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro. They have the same changelogs but are rolling out as OxygenOS 10.3.2 in India and OxygenOS 10.0.5 for European and global units. OnePlus 7 Pro The new builds bump up the Android security patch level on the 7 and 7 Pro to March 2020, squash some bugs, and optimize RAM management. You can check out the full changelog below for more details. System Optimized the RAM management Improved system stability and fixed known issues Updated Android Security Patch to 2020. 03 ...

The LTE variant of the Galaxy Fold started receiving the Android 10 update last week, but Galaxy Fold 5G users were missing out. Now, the South Korean smartphone giant has started rolling out Android 10 for the Galaxy Fold 5G in the UK.

The OTA (over the air) update with firmware version F907BXXU3BTC9 has a file size of 2354.59MB, and it brings One UI 2.0 to the Galaxy Fold 5G. The update also comes with March 2020 Android security patch to the foldable phone.

Along with the usual One UI 2.0 features such as Google’s UI navigation gestures, enhanced Dark Mode, new camera UI, tweaked icons and color scheme, refreshed Device Care design, improved permissions manager, and screen recording, we also expect the software update to bring bug fixes and performance improvements.

If you are using the Galaxy Fold 5G in the UK, you should have received the update notification by now. If not, you can check for the update manually by heading to Settings » Software update and tapping Download and install. You can also download the firmware file from our firmware section and flash the update manually.

Thanks for the tip, Michael!

The post Galaxy Fold 5G starts receiving Android 10 update in the UK appeared first on SamMobile.

The Exynos 980 is Samsung’s first chipset with a completely integrated 5G modem, and it was first used in the Vivo X30. Now, the chipset has been used in one more Vivo smartphone, the Vivo S6 5G. It’s a mid-range phone Super AMOLED screen and 5G connectivity.

Vivo announced the S6 5G for the Chinese market earlier today. It features a 6.44-inch Super AMOLED screen with HDR10, a U-shaped notch for the selfie camera, and an under-display fingerprint reader. The phone runs Android 10-based Funtouch OS 10 and is equipped with the 8nm Exynos 980 processor, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 storage.

The Vivo S6 5G has a quad-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 48MP primary sensor (F1.8), an 8MP ultrawide camera (F2.25), a 2MP macro camera (F2.4), and a 2MP depth sensor. It supports 4K video recording. At the front, the phone has a 32MP selfie camera with an F2.0 aperture.

Other features of the phone include SA and NSA 5G connectivity, dual-SIM card slot, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Vivo S6 5G is powered by a 4500mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. The phone is priced at CNY 2,698 (around $380) and comes in black, blue, and white colors. It will go on sale starting April 3.

Very few mid-range chipsets offer an integrated 5G modem with SA and NSA compatibility and support for sub-6GHz technology, and the Exynos 980 is among them. No wonder, the chipset is seeing attraction from other brands. Interestingly, no Samsung has yet been released with the Exynos 980 chipset, but we know that it will be used in the Galaxy A51 5G and the Galaxy A71 5G.

The post Samsung’s Exynos 980 chipset ends up in one more Vivo phone appeared first on SamMobile.

Halide is arguably the best camera application on iOS and is now even better in its latest version 1.16 update. With this, the developers are improving the raw capture experience, memory management and also introducing something new called Rescue. Let's talk about Rescue first. Rescue is a data loss protection feature that prevents losing images in case something critical goes wrong while shooting. It could be something like the phone running out of battery, getting a call or just a bug in iOS or Halide that could cause the shot you've just taken to never be saved to the photo...

The Galaxy S20 series features 120Hz refresh rate mode for the screen, and the experience of using a high refresh rate is downright amazing. Everything feels fast, fluid, and smooth. However, it also consumes a lot of power and ends up affecting the battery life. What if you want a high refresh rate experience without depleting battery by a considerable margin?

Well, the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra feature a hidden, 96Hz refresh rate mode. The 96Hz mode should theoretically offer a reasonable middle ground between high refresh rate and battery life, but Samsung hasn’t enabled the option yet. You can still change your Galaxy S20’s refresh rate setting to 96Hz via ADB, but there’s an easier way that doesn’t require you to hook up your phone to a PC and run some commands.

Set Galaxy S20’s screen refresh rate to 96Hz using this app

XDA forum member SatySatsZB has created an app that places two toggles—96Hz and 120Hz—in the Galaxy S20’s quick settings panel. You can easily switch between those two modes without having to restart the phone. Similar to the 120Hz mode, 96Hz mode is limited to Full HD+ screen resolution.

No one has tested if the 96Hz mode actually offers better battery life than 120Hz mode, but it should be the case unless Samsung has done something wrong. You can download the app from here. Some users who tried out the app on the Exynos variant of the Galaxy S20 have reported issues with the unofficial 96Hz mode, but others say that it is working fine on their smartphones.

Since this is an unofficial workaround, we advise you to try it out at your own risk. We wish Samsung had offered a 90Hz or 96Hz setting officially, but the company may be working on the feature already with newer software builds. The company is also reportedly working to offer 120Hz refresh rate mode with QHD+ resolution.

The post You can now easily enable 96Hz refresh rate mode on Galaxy S20 appeared first on SamMobile.

The upcoming Apple iPhone 9, the successor to the iPhone SE from 2016, has been rumored for a long time now, and it looks like we're finally getting very close to its official introduction. A few weeks ago a report talked about the phone being delayed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 outbreak, but apparently Apple may have had a change of heart. According to a new report, the company held an internal meeting to discuss how to proceed, and the conclusion of said meeting is that the iPhone 9 will get official on April 15. It will then become available on April 22. It's unclear if the...

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series phones usually come in four or more color variants. Then, the company goes on to release additional color variants of the phones over the next few months. The Galaxy S20 Ultra is the most boring Galaxy S series device from Samsung in years in terms of colors. The phone comes in two colors—Cosmic Black and Cosmic Grey—and both of them are quite boring.

Now, it is being reported that Samsung could introduce the Galaxy S20 Ultra in a new color. Ice Universe, who has an excellent track record in predicting information about upcoming Samsung products, has tweeted that a new Galaxy S20 Ultra color will be launched soon. However, he hasn’t revealed the color, but we think that consumers won’t have to wait long.

If you were thinking of getting yourself a Galaxy S20 Ultra but were unhappy with the color options, we suggest you wait a little longer and see if the upcoming color makes you any happier. The Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S20+ are available in Aura Red, Cloud Blue, Cosmic Grey, Cloud Pink, and Cloud White, and it is possible that one of these colors would be released for the Galaxy S20 Ultra as well.

Which color do you want Samsung to bring for the Galaxy S20 Ultra? Let us know in the comments section below. I would want Samsung to introduce the S20 Ultra in Aura Glow, Aura Red, or Cosmic Blue.

S20 Ultra new color, coming soon…

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 31, 2020

The post Galaxy S20 Ultra to reportedly get a new color soon appeared first on SamMobile.

Samsung has recently had an interesting track record regarding Android security updates, which have at times come out before Google had a chance to release them for its Pixels. The situation is the same this time around. The Galaxy S20 family is now receiving an update that includes the April 2020 security patch level. So far the rollout is happening in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with Korean units set to receive it very soon. Aside from the new security fixes, the new software also packs some general camera improvements. The build number is G98x0ZHU1ATCT, where "x" is to be a different...

Today HMD Global has announced the start of the rollout of the Android 10 update for the Nokia 7.2. This phone was released last September, running Android 9 Pie. Although it, like most other Nokias, is part of the Android One program, which in theory should ensure quick Android OS upgrades, obviously that's not working out as it should. Android 10 has already been out for more than six months at this point, and countless other handsets that aren't part of Android One have been updated to this version. Anyway, let's call it "better late than never". HMD's rollouts have apparently...

The global COVID-19 crisis has pretty much reverberated in every aspect of life around the world in one way or another. One thing most companies and governments have really started to re-evaluate and kick into full throttle is remote working. A new decision in the United Arab Emirates comes as a great example. Officials there have decided to lift bans on Google Hangouts Meet, Cisco Webex, Avaya Spaces, BlueJeans and Slack. All services previously officially unreachable from within the country. The connection between these is clear and this decision comes hot on the heels of another...

Apple has finalized a $200m investment into Japan Display that would be used to buy equipment. Up until now, Japan Display had collected $1.5b as a loan from Apple and paid off around $700m, leaving $800m to be paid. Adding to those the current $200m investment and Japan Display is back to a billion USD in debt to Apple. With Apple's $200m investment used as reassurance, Japan Display has managed to secure another $830m as an investment from an asset manager. JDI has been one of Apple's LCD makers and has been tasked with supplying Apple with OLEDs for the Apple Watch. Apple...

The eagerly-anticipated OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are right around the corner now. After more than a few setbacks and uncertainties, OnePlus finally seems to have settled on announcement dates for the phones. You can tune in for the global event live stream on YouTube on April 14 at 3PM UTC. As per a new official Weibo post, the OnePlus 8 generation will make a debut in its home country on April 16. Understandably, with another live online event. This one scheduled for 7PM local time. Event banner As for the OnePlus 8 Lite, which we now know could come under the OnePlus Z...

Honor started its Global Fans Day 2020 - a two-week campaign where most of its products are discounted in over 18 countries. The deals include the Honor 9X smartphones, Honor MagicWatch 2, and the Honor 20 Pro flagships. To boost its campaign, Honor is joined by famous sportspeople, gamers, influencers and other celebrities like the photographer Murad Osmann, who is better known as the creator of the #FollowMe trend. Honor 20 Pro • Honor 20 Since most of the world is under quarantine and we can't really leave our homes, Honor is launching the products on its website hihonor.com and...

Motorola announced today that it is delaying the sales of their new flagship RAZR phone in India. The company has pushed back the sales date from the previously announced April 2 to April 15. The delay is due to the current lockdown in India set to go until April 14, 23:59 IST due to COVID-19. The government has halted the sales and delivery of all non-essential items and as such, even if Motorola wanted to, it can't realistically get the devices in people's hands before April 15 anyway. The RAZR already had a delayed launch in India, with the initial announcement and pre-orders...

Samsung is due to launch another flagship smartphone later this year, it will be the successor to last year’s Galaxy Note 10. Initially believed to be called the Galaxy Note 11, seeing as how Samsung has jumped straight to the Galaxy S20 branding, there’s a good chance that its next phablet may be launched as the Galaxy Note 20.

This Galaxy Note 20 leak has dropped a major hint about its design, particularly that of the top-tier Galaxy Note 20 model. Who knows if Samsung ends up using the “Ultra” branding for that as well.

Galaxy Note 20 leak drops a big design hint

Tipster @rquandt has posted some images of a mold for an inlay of the Galaxy Note 11+ (possibly Note 20 Ultra) LED View Cover. The LED View Cover is a staple accessory for Samsung’s flagships so it would make sense for the company to offer one for the Galaxy Note 20 as well.

The aspect ratio could be off, he cautions, but that’s not what stands out here. The massive cutout for the camera housing is impossible to ignore. It appears to be very similar to the one on the Galaxy S20 Ultra. That’s not surprising, given that we already expect the top-of-the-line Galaxy Note 20 model to boast the same camera specs as the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

This mold also has the hardware buttons on the right side of the frame, a design choice that has been consistently used in Samsung’s recent handsets. It will be completely opposite to the buttons on the Galaxy Note 10 which were all placed on the left side.

It’s far from being the only Galaxy Note 20 leak as we will surely see more in the months to come. However, given the state of the world right now with the pandemic and everything, it remains to be seen if it’s going to be business as usual around the Galaxy Note 20’s expected arrival in August this year.

The post First Galaxy Note 20 leak reveals major hint about its design appeared first on SamMobile.

It was almost exactly four years ago that the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge went on sale in markets around the world. The S7 and S7 edge stopped getting major Android updates with Android 8.0 Oreo, in keeping with Samsung’s software update policy for Galaxy devices. However, the Korean giant continues to support the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge with security updates to this day, and it has released the March security patch for the two phones in quite a few countries in the last week or so.

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge continue to be in the quarterly schedule for security updates four years after launch, though there’s a good chance that will change starting next month. That’s because Samsung’s policy dictates that every flagship get monthly security updates for three years and once every three months in the fourth year. From the fifth year onward, security updates only arrive when a critical security vulnerability is discovered and needs fixing.

The March 2020 security update is rolling out for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge in a slew of markets around the world, and you can find out if it’s available in your country from the phone’s Settings » Software update menu. You can also check the Galaxy S7/S7 edge section in our firmware archive, where you can also download the latest firmware to manually install it on your device.

Thanks for the tip, Arif!

The post Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are still getting security updates appeared first on SamMobile.

DxOMark just crowned a new camera king - the Huawei P40 Pro, which achieved the rare feat of topping both the rear and selfie camera charts. The overall score makes a clean break from the pack, previously the 6 best-rated phones fell in the 124-121 range. The P40 Pro scored 128. Even better, the still camera score of 140 sets a new record. The TL;DR here is "impeccable performance across all sub-categories". Reading through the individual sub-tests, you'll either see a "Highest Score" mark or that the Huawei is within a few points of the best competition. Huawei's efforts to build the...

Three new Realme phones have entered Europe - they are available for pre-order now and will begin shipping in April. Besides Realme.com, you will also be able to find the phones on Amazon. We start with the Realme 6, which will be available from April 6 and starts at €230 for the 4/64GB version. You can have more storage, the 4/128GB phone is €270, more RAM too - the top-specced model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage is €300. Prices vary slightly by country - Spaniards, for example, will pay only €220 for the base Realme 6. By the way, we have a hands-on review of the phone if you want...

I’ve been using Galaxy devices since 2010, when Samsung launched the first Galaxy S. Android, and many Android apps, were an unoptimized mess in 2010, but the Samsung Internet browser stood out as one of the most polished apps back then. Samsung’s browser app ran amazingly smooth thanks to its use of hardware acceleration (i.e.: it offloaded graphical tasks to the GPU for better performance) at a time when the Android OS didn’t officially support hardware acceleration, and that meant Samsung Internet ran better than every other browser app that was available at the time.

But, just a couple of years later, Google launched Chrome for Android devices, and with the popularity the internet giant’s browser had been gaining on desktop computers, it wasn’t long before many shifted to Chrome on their Android smartphone as well. I was one of them, and I’ve stuck with Google Chrome on both my desktop PC and my phones for more than half a decade. Samsung Internet has continued to be awesome all these years, and it also offers some unique features, like support for extensions and a built-in ad blocker, but it has lacked a key feature that keeps me sticking to Google Chrome.

Cross-device sync is the name of the game

It’s a feature that no doubt keeps a lot of other users on Chrome as well, and it’s the fact that you can sync everything from bookmarks and saved passwords between Chrome on Android and Chrome on a desktop PC (whether it’s running Windows or Mac). Samsung has a Chrome extension that lets you copy your Chrome bookmarks to the Samsung Internet app on your phone, but for me (and many like me), only having bookmarks synced isn’t enough.

I need my passwords saved in Chrome as well (yeah, I know this isn’t a very secure thing to do), and I like how quickly everything syncs between my phone and PC every time I set up a new Galaxy phone (which I do often for reviewing Galaxy devices) and fire up Chrome. With Samsung Internet, that’s not possible, as there is no Samsung Internet browser for desktop PCs. And Samsung probably won’t ever make one, as it’s a mobile-first company that makes most of its profits from selling mobile devices and making the parts that go into smartphones, both from Samsung and other manufacturers.

Samsung could make a Chrome extension that copies more than just bookmarks across Chrome and Samsung Internet, but there probably isn’t a way for extensions to access saved passwords and send them to other apps. Well, you can export passwords from Chrome (and mostly any app/software that saves passwords) as a text file and import it into other browsers/apps, but that’s not an automatic process and doesn’t serve the purpose of syncing that I require.

However, considering Microsoft’s Edge browser is now based on Chromium, maybe Samsung can use its partnership with Microsoft to cook something up that solves the syncing problem for me and others like me? Maybe it can, maybe it can’t – I’m not really sure. But until something like that comes out, I don’t think I will ever be able to use Samsung Internet on my Galaxy smartphones (or any other third-party browser for that matter), despite some of its excellent features and functionality.

Do you use Samsung Internet, or do you stick with Chrome because of the lack of cross-platform syncing on the former? Do you have other reasons for sticking to Samsung Internet or Chrome? Let me know in the comments below!

The post The one major reason I don’t use Samsung Internet appeared first on SamMobile.

Wired headphones had a good place in the personal audio space. However, since more smartphones come without a headphone jack, wireless headphones have become more popular. Their battery life has become good as well with these headphones by Anker giving you up to 10 hours of playtime on a single charge. They’re lightweight and have a perfect fit so you can even use them during your workout or run. They’re IPX 7 waterproof so you don’t need to worry about sweat or rain damaging your headphones. They’re now available at 23% off making this the perfect time to get them in.

Hit the Buy Now button below to get them before they’re out of stock!

The post Daily Deal: 23% off Anker Bleuthooth Wireless Headphones appeared first on SamMobile.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra launched with a lackluster color palette - Grey and Black - but reliable leakster Ice Universe claims that a new color is coming soon. Not an Aura Glow as some suggested on Twitter, though - the source is keeping quiet on the exact hue. The Galaxy S10 5G also launched with a limited selection of colors, primarily Black and Silver, but at least it had the Royal Gold to add some variety. The Galaxy S20+ Olympic Edition is also gold, so that's a strong candidate. The Galaxy S20 Ultra (right) looking drab next to its more colorful siblings There are more possible...

HMD was able to turn in its first positive quarter in Q4 of 2019. The company says the combination of using multiple ODMs to make Nokia phones and a more focused approach in selected markets is what led it to its first profitable quarter. The quarter was by no means all good news, as according to one analyst report HMD managed to sell under 3 million devices. HMD turned to a multi-ODM strategy to assemble Nokia phones due to a supply chain disruption in the first half of 2019. Reportedly the first devices to be manufactured by two new ODMs were the Nokia 2.2, 3.2 and 4.2. Using...

The most recent firmware update that was released for the Galaxy S20 series brought much needed improvements to the autofocus performance of the Galaxy S20 Ultra camera, and it also included some general camera improvements for the other two Galaxy S20 models. Now, Samsung has released a new update for its latest flagship in Hong Kong and Taiwan, once again targeting camera optimization.

The update sports build number G98x0ZHU1ATCT and, in addition to camera performance improvements, it packs the April 2020 security patch. Now, it’s worth mentioning that the updates Samsung releases for its flagships in markets like China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are often different from what it releases in the rest of the world, so it’s unclear if this new update will also make an appearance in other markets. The April patch will no doubt arrive at some point for all countries, but we will have to wait and see if the camera improvements will be included in the update for those countries as well.

As usual, we will be keeping an eye out and letting you know once – and if – this new update starts rolling out internationally. For now, if you reside in Taiwan or Hong Kong and are rocking one of the three Galaxy S20 models, you can download the update over the air from the phone’s Settings » Software update menu. You can also download the latest firmware from our archive and install it manually on your phone using a Windows PC.

The post New Galaxy S20 update brings improved camera, April security patch appeared first on SamMobile.

During an online webinar with tech enthusiasts and members of the media Poco India general manager Chandolu Manmohan, confirmed that the recently launched Redmi K30 Pro will not come as the Poco F2 or Poco X2 Pro in India. The new confirmation comes after a report from last week which found a "shot on Poco watermark" corresponding to the Indian Redmi K30 Pro variant hidden in a code string of the MIUI 11 beta Camera app. This does not rule out the possibility of the K30 Pro coming to India under the Poco brand but just that it won't be called Poco F2 or X2 Pro. In addition, Manmohan...

The Honor 8A Pro arrived in Russia almost a year ago, but today the company decided to relaunch the very same device under a new moniker - Honor 8A Prime. It is the very same Helio P35-powered device, but with a new color - Emerald Green. Given the phone was a year old and was a budget device to begin with it's hardly a surprise that its internals are modest. The Mediatek chipset is coupled by 3 GB RAM and 64 GB storage, with a microSD slot for additional 512 GB. There is a single 13MP camera on the back, and an 8MP selfie shooter in a waterdrop notch. The Honor 8A Prime keeps the...

Although Samsung started rolling out the Android 10 update to the Galaxy A50 in India and some other markets, users in other regions such as the US are not so lucky. Today, the South Korean firm has released the March 2020 Android security patch to the unlocked variant of the Galaxy A50 in the US.

The OTA (over the air) update has a file size of 128.34MB and it bumps up the firmware version of the Galaxy A50 to A505U1UEU5ATC1. Apart from the March security patch, the update also brings the usual assortment of bug fixes and stability improvements. Unfortunately, the update is still based on Android 9. We had hoped that the phone would receive the Android 10 update this month, but it looks like users would have to wait just a bit longer.

The March 2020 security update was released to the Galaxy A50 in various markets, including Israel, earlier this month. If you have an unlocked variant of the Galaxy A50 in the US, you should be able to see the update notification on your phone’s screen. If you haven’t received the update already, you can manually check for it by heading to Settings » Software update and tapping Download and install.

Samsung has improved a lot over the past year in releasing Android updates and security patches to its phones. It first released the Android 10 update with One UI 2.0 to the Galaxy S10 series and then to the Galaxy Note 10 series. Various other high-end and mid-range smartphones started receiving Android 10 updates over the past couple of months.

The post Galaxy A50 receiving March 2020 security patch in the US appeared first on SamMobile.

It seems the launch of the long-rumored successor to 2016's iPhone SE might come sooner than expected. According to new reports, the iPhone 9 may launch as early this week as evident by the April 5 merchandising date for a case that made its way to Best Buy. The box for the Urban Armor Gear protective case clearly states it's designed for the New iPhone 4.7", 2020 and we can see it features a similarly-sized camera cutout as other iPhone 7 and 8 cases. iPhone 9 case Apple introduced its latest iPad Pros and Macbook Air last week and given that the iPhone 9 is not a flagship, it...

After announcing its plans to close one of its two LCD production lines in South Korea last year, Samsung Display has now announced that it will end the production of all LCD panels. The company will close all of its LCD manufacturing facilities in China and South Korea by the end of this year due to falling demand.

Samsung’s display manufacturing arm mentioned that it would fulfill all the current orders for LCD panels by the end of 2020 and supply the panels to its customers without any issues. In October, the company had announced its plans to invest KRW 13.1 trillion ($10.72 billion) to upgrade its LCD production lines to make QLED panels.

While Samsung plans to upgrade both of its dedicated LCD plants in Korea to QLED plants, nothing has been said about the company’s plans for two LCD panel manufacturing facilities in China. The company has been investing in the research, development, and production of Quantum Dot OLED panels to compete with LG in the TV space.

The South Korean display giant’s rival firm LG has also announced to shutter the domestic production of LCD TV panels by the end of this year to focus on QLED and OLED production.

Samsung introduced Micro LED TVs last year and expanded its lineup during CES 2020 earlier this year. This technology offers brighter panels, better colors, deep blacks, and lacks any burn-in issues. Apple will reportedly switch to Micro LED displays for iPads and Macs as soon as this year, and Samsung Display would be wanting to be one of the suppliers.

The post Samsung to end production of all LCD panels by the end of 2020 appeared first on SamMobile.

The Honor 30 flagship family will be officially introduced on April 15, the company revealed on Weibo. The phone's brand ambassador is the popular Chinese actor Li Xian, and for the promo poster he posed with the phone, hiding pretty much everything on the back, showcasing only the silver-purple-ish color. The Honor 30 family already has its first member - the Honor 30S was introduced yesterday with Kirin 820 5G chipset. It is the lowest standing member of the lineup and we expect at least two phones to join it - Honor 30 and Honor 30 Pro. They are likely to sport the Kirin 990 5G...

Google's online Store no longer carries the Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL. A Google spokesperson has confirmed to Android Police that Google has ceased sales of the third-generation Pixel smartphone. The Google Store still sells the Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, and Pixel 4 XL. Even if you managed to find the landing page for the Pixel 3, which isn't accessible from the Google Store navigator, all storage sizes and carrier configurations are out of stock. Last year, the Pixel 2 and 2 XL ran out of stock at the Google Store in early April, so the timing is about right. The Google...

In a world where smartphones become more and more universal in looks, a bunch of enthusiasts decided to try and shake up the market a bit with the Astro Slide 5G Transformer. This is a 5G handset that has a slide QWERTY keyboard, just like the beloved 10-year-old Nokia E7. The form factor is the most intriguing part here since specs-wise it is more of a midranger - the chipset is Mediatek Dimensity 1000 and for some reason, the inventors of this device call it "the fastest 5G device to be announced to date", even though there are currently phones with Snapdragon 865, Exynos 990 or...

With the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps buying a new smartphone isn't very much on your mind these days. But then again, what if your current phone broke in some way? You might not want to splurge on the thousand-pound devices out there, so Google has a deal for you. Starting today and until April 21, the already decently priced Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL are getting even cheaper. The smaller model can be yours for £299, while the XL version is now £369. In both cases, the price is £30 lower than before. Not a huge amount of savings, this, but hey, every penny counts in these...

It was long rumored that the Galaxy Buds+ would feature ANC to compete with Apple’s AirPods Pro, but they didn’t. Now, Samsung’s AKG sub-brand has released new true wireless earphones that bring active noise cancellation. On top of that, they also offer water resistance, something that the Galaxy Buds+ are lacking.

The AKG N400 first made a surprise appearance in South Korea, but they have now been officially announced. They cost KRW 230,000 (around $190) in South Korea, which is 30% higher than the price tag of the Galaxy Buds+, but they also bring additional features. They use 8.2mm drivers that have a frequency response of 10Hz-20KHz, an impedance of 16 ohms, and a sensitivity of 96 dB SPL.

AKG N400 feature ANC, wireless charging, companion app

They use a Bluetooth 5.0 chipset, which supports SBC and AAC codecs. The new true wireless earbuds come with a bunch of ear tips, including Comply foam tips. The active noise cancellation feature is excellent for blocking out ambient noise. The level of noise cancellation can be controlled using the Ambient Aware feature, and you can use the TalkThru feature to know what’s going around you.

There are two microphones on each earbud, and AKG has implemented beamforming technology for better audio quality during voice calls. The AKG N400 TWS earphones have capacitive touch controls on each earbud for music playback and volume controls. You can even summon AI voice assistants such as Bixby, Google Assistant, and Siri on paired smartphones.

Each earbud weighs 7.7g, and the case weighs 65g. The earbuds feature an IPX7 rating for water resistance, which means they can very well sustain sweating while you’re working out. The earbuds last 6 hours on a single charge (5 hours with ANC turned on), and the case can charge the earbuds once one, taking the total battery life to 12 hours. A companion app helps in customizing audio, ANC level, and touch controls.

The AKG N400 can be charged via the USB Type-C port or through wireless charging, and they come in three colors: black, blue, and navy. The Navy colored variant of the earbuds come in a dual-finish paint job with gold accents. We expect these true wireless earphones to be released in other markets soon. AKG, which is owned by HARMAN International, also tunes audio on Samsung’s Galaxy Buds lineup.

The post Samsung’s AKG N400 wireless earphones feature ANC, water resistance appeared first on SamMobile.

Earlier this month we found out that Samsung was apparently readying the update to One UI 2.1 for the Galaxy S9, S9+, and Note9. The information came from a company representative posting on the company's official Korean forum. Now though, a different post on the same forum by another representative strongly implies that at the time Samsung has no plans to bring One UI to its flagship models from 2018. Of course such plans might change in the future, but given how the company only focuses on security updates after two years pass from a phone's initial release, we wouldn't hold our...

Following their successful launch in India, the Realme 6 and 6 Pro are ready for their European tour. The pricing and launch dates will be unveiled tomorrow at 8:00 UTC. This is a week later than the originally planned, but the way 2020 has been going no plan is set in stone. Anyway, the Realme 6 Pro and its vanilla sibling already received several important updates. The Realme 6 got 120fps slow-mo, it and the Pro received HD support for Netflix. The Realme 6 and 6 Pro will make their European debut tomorrow We've received both phones and posted hands-on reviews, so you can find...

The Galaxy Z Flip is finally releasing in Australia and New Zealand on Friday, April 3rd, six weeks after Samsung brought it to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Prospective buyers in Oceania still have until Thursday to pre-order the newest Galaxy foldable, priced at $2,199 AUS and $2,399 NZD, respectively. Interest-free financing is also on the table, albeit only over a two-year period in Australia, whereas the plans offered by Samsung’s New Zealand division go up to 36 monthly installments.

Galaxy Z Flip is Samsung’s best foldable yet

New Zealanders can also benefit from Samsung’s local trade-in program allowing them to knock down the price of the Galaxy Z Flip by up to $740 NZD, in addition to receiving a $200 NZD cashback on top of that. Naturally, that’s assuming they trade one of the more expensive versions of the extremely recently debuted Galaxy Note 10+. A more realistic scenario wherein they’ll be parting with a two-year-old device like the Galaxy S9 will yield savings of around $500 NZD.

Despite the steep price tag, the Mirror Purple variant of the Galaxy Z Flip is already out of stock in Australia, leaving only the Mirror Black model available for advanced orders. Across the Tasman Sea, consumers can still pre-order either version. There’s still no word on whether the Mirror Gold or Thom Browne options will be eventually launching in either country.

The promising pre-release performance dovetails Samsung’s efforts to improve upon last year’s Galaxy Fold in almost every respect with the Galaxy Z Flip, starting with the main selling point of this novel form factor. Namely, the Galaxy Z Flip’s screen isn’t just bendable but can also be kept open at multiple angles, which many reviewers are describing as nothing short of a game-changer.

Combined with better battery life, more intuitive interfaces, and a plethora of other advancements, the Galaxy Z Flip has largely been touted as a massive step forward in this nascent space.

Besides Samsung itself, the Galaxy Z Flip will also be carried by Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone in Australia. As for New Zealand, the unique Android smartphone’s also set to be distributed by Noel Leeming. Alternatively, local branches of Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi will begin retailing the Galaxy Z Flip in both countries starting this Friday.

The post Galaxy Z Flip finally releasing in Australia & New Zealand on Friday appeared first on SamMobile.

Pairing your desktop PC/notebook with a webcam is essential if you’re working from home and you have to attend conference calls over Skype or similar apps. It’s equally important if you plan on doing gaming live-streams, so if you’re in the market for a webcam and you don’t want to spend a small fortune, the AUKEY FHD Webcam might be the way to go.

It can live-stream in 1080p resolution at 30fps with fixed focus (up to 3m/9.8ft away), it’s plug-and-play with Windows XP / Mac OS 10.7 / Android 4.0 and above, and it’s now available for 10% off.

There’s been a higher-than-usual demand for webcams over the past few weeks as more people are stuck working from home, so hit the Buy Now button below to get one while it’s still available and the deal lasts!

The post Daily Deal: 10% off AUKEY Full HD Webcam appeared first on SamMobile.

A week after its parent company Huawei unveiled its latest P-series flagships, Honor took the wraps off the Honor 30S. While the lowest standing member of the 30 family, the Honor 30S packs some impressive specs, premium glass and aluminum design and dual-mode 5G thanks to the new Kirin 820 5G chipset. The Honor 30S boast a 6.5-inch FHD+ IPS display with a punch-hole cutout in the top left corner for the 16MP selfie camera. The right-hand-side houses the capacitive fingerprint scanner. Around the back sits a four-camera array housed in a square setup. There's a 64MP main sensor, an ...

Samsung has yet to officially publish the April 2020 security patch details as of this writing, but some Galaxy smartphones have already received it, including the Galaxy S10 and Note 10. Now it’s the Galaxy S8 series’ turn (SM-G950F/SM-G955F), as a new firmware update is rolling out in numerous countries, and although this OTA release doesn’t push the phone’s Android OS version beyond Pie, it does include the April 2020 security patch.

The new firmware update’s version number varies from G95xFXXS8DTC1 to G95xFXXS8DTC6, depending on which country is receiving it. And there are numerous countries in which the update is now available, including but not limited to France, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Romania, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and other Southeast European, Baltic, and Nordic countries. The roll-out will continue to expand into more regions over the coming days.

It’s been three years since the Galaxy S8 lineup was introduced, meaning that this is the last year in which it will receive monthly security patches. The series will switch to a quarterly update schedule next year, and Samsung will cease to support it in 2022. Until then, you can rest easy that the company will continue to address software vulnerabilities and keep your phone safe from malicious attacks and exploits.

You can download the latest Galaxy S8 firmware update OTA after receiving the notification, or you can download it from our SM-G950F / SM-G955F archives and install it manually using a Windows PC.

The post Galaxy S8 firmware update rolls out bringing April 2020 security patch appeared first on SamMobile.

Xiaomi is preparing several new Redmi models for launch - the latest to make the mandatory trip through the 3C is the M2003J15SC, likely to be the Redmi Note 9 or even the Redmi 9. It will have 4G connectivity, unlike the M2002J9E we saw a few days ago, which packs a 5G modem. Both phones have something in common - the 22.5W fast charging support. However, this one is manufactured by Xi'an BYD Electronics, the 5G phone is made by FIH. The 5G phone may be a branded as a K30 device while this 4G handset will likely fill a gap in the Redmi Note 9 series (namely, the non-Pro model). The...

Less than two weeks have passed since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy M21 to the world, and now the company has officially confirmed that the budget smartphone will be available in Vietnam from Samsung’s website starting the day after tomorrow, on April 1. Prospective buyers get to pick between the Midnight Blue and Raven Black color options, and they’ll be looking at a VDN 5,490,000 ($233) price tag.

A huge battery on a budget

The 6,000mAh battery powering the Galaxy M21 is one of the phone’s biggest selling points. It isn’t the only Galaxy smartphone to be equipped with a 6,000mAh unit, but it is as high as you can go with a Samsung smartphone, regardless of the price range.

Samsung claims that the Galaxy M21’s 6,000mAh unit holds enough energy to get you through one day of watching movies, nearly two days of talking, or up to five days of music playback on a single charge. 15W fast-charging is also on-board, so you won’t have to spend too much time waiting for the 6,000mAh battery to reach 100% charge.

Another 6.4-inch Galaxy phone enters the arena

There are quite a few Galaxy smartphones that feature a 6.4-inch display, and the Galaxy M21 is not an exception. The Super AMOLED panel has a resolution of 2340 by 1080 and borrows the Infinity-U design, not unlike the Galaxy M31 which is another budget smartphone to consider. It was released in Vietnam last week for an additional $45-50 compared to the Galaxy M21’s price (or VND 6,490,000).

Other specs include an octa-core Exynos 9611 chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage expandable via microSD by up o 512GB, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. In the camera department, the Galaxy M21 has a 48MP main shooter (f/2.0), an 8MP ultra-wide (f/2.2), and a 5MP depth camera (f/2.2). Selfie enthusiasts get a 20MP wide sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.

The post You’ll be able to buy the Galaxy M21 in Vietnam on April 1 appeared first on SamMobile.

It was reported a few weeks ago that the Galaxy Note 9 and the Galaxy S9 may also receive the One UI 2.1 update. This is the latest iteration of Samsung’s custom Android skin that first shipped with the Galaxy S20 lineup and the Galaxy Z Flip.

A community moderator on Samsung Korea’s forums had mentioned the possibility that the update may also be released for the 2018 flagships. However, it appears that this may not be the case and these devices may not get the update.

No plans for a Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 One UI 2.1 update

It was clear that Samsung would eventually release the One UI 2.1 update for the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy Note 10. This was expected to happen in April but the company pleasantly surprised everyone by releasing One UI 2.1 for these devices last week.

One UI 2.1 brings some of the best Galaxy S20 features to the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. These include Quick Share, Music Share, Pro Mode for Video, Single Take, improved Night mode, Night Hyperlapse, Clean View, Quick Crop and more.

The expectation was, particularly after the moderator’s post, that the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 may also get One UI 2.1. A notification sent through the Samsung Members app in South Korea suggests that there may not be any plans right now to bring One UI 2.1 to the Galaxy Note 9. This would ostensibly mean that the Galaxy S9 won’t get it as well.

The most recent firmware for the Galaxy Note 9, N960FXXU5DTC5, does include the latest March 2020 security patch but it’s not based on One UI 2.1. Also, when taking Samsung’s record with rolling out such updates for older flagships into account, it seems all the more unlikely that the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 will get One UI 2.1.

The post Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9 One UI 2.1 update might not come appeared first on SamMobile.

According to a new report from China, Oppo's Reno5 series will launch in May. The news comes from reliable leakster Digital Chat Station and is the latest example of the shortening product cycles in the smartphone world. It also appears that Oppo will skip out on the number "4" as it is considered bad luck in China due to its association with death. Oppo Reno5 series release date rumor The Reno3 series was launched in China just three months ago in December while the international variants made their debuts earlier this month. Apart from the rumored launch date, specs for the Reno5...

Samsung has yet to unveil the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite but the Android tablet’s arrival now seems all but imminent after its apparent release date prematurely appeared on Amazon.

Over the weekend, the device was listed on Amazon Germany where it’s been promptly spotted with a €428.44 ($473) price tag, as well as an availability date of April 2nd – this Thursday. While it’s possible the date in question is just a placeholder, such fillers are rarely assigned to something other than the first or last day of a given month.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is Samsung’s new budget tablet

SamMobile exclusively reported on the existence of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite way back in December, revealing Samsung has at least two models in the works: the SM-P610 and SM-P615. Based on the company’s numbering practices, the latter’s likely to be an LTE variant of the device.

Its official moniker became known thanks to a Bluetooth SIG certification from late February. The Android mid-ranger finally revealed itself the following day, having appeared in a product render depicting a largely bezel-less slate with an S Pen.

Another render showing both sides of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and its stylus surfaced two weeks ago. Around the same time, Samsung successfully certified the device in Taiwan and the U.S.

Even Netflix joined in on the premature listing fun by publicly certifying the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite for HD streaming. That particular development also revealed the model numbers of every single member of the tablet line: SM-P610, SM-P610X, SM-P615, SM-P615C, SM-P615N, SM-P617, SM-P617V.

As if that’s not enough, a massive leak from last week detailed the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in almost every respect, indicating the product will use a 10.4-inch (2,000 x 1,200) LCD screen, 4GB of RAM, and Samsung’s own Exynos 9611 chipset. According to the same source, the base model will pack 64GB of storage, while some countries will receive units with twice that capacity. Every version is expected to sport a microSD card slot, a 5-megapixel front camera and an 8-megapixel module on the back (without flash). The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite should run One UI based on Android 10 out of the box, in addition to leveraging a 7,040mAh battery.

Based on all of those accounts, it appears the upcoming tablet is meant to serve as a more budget-conscious alternative to the Galaxy Tab S6, Samsung’s most powerful Android slate to date. It’s hence a de facto follow-up to the Galaxy Tab S5e, even though it doesn’t adhere to an identical naming scheme.

The post Amazon prematurely reveals the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite release date appeared first on SamMobile.

In many respects, the Galaxy S20 series is the culmination of mobile technologies Samsung has been iterating upon for over half a decade. Wireless charging is no exception as with the Galaxy S20’s Wireless PowerShare feature, Samsung allows you to wirelessly charge other devices with your phone.

Samsung’s 2019 flagships were the first devices to come with Wireless PowerShare and the company has retained the feature for the Galaxy S20 lineup as well.

Samsung Wireless PowerShare explained

Much like its name suggests, Wireless PowerShare allows the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra to reverse wireless charge other devices. The feature isn’t just limited to Samsung-made handsets and gadgets. Devices that support the Qi charging standard can be wirelessly charged using these handsets.

Be that as it may, Samsung’s always quick to point out that Wireless PowerShare has been specifically designed for its select few products, primarily the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and Galaxy Buds+.

Even in ideal circumstances, the solution can’t really compare to contemporary fast wireless chargers which support speeds of up to 15 watts. In contrast, the wireless charging coil found inside the Galaxy S20 line delivers less than half of that performance, which makes the functionality not something to rely on an everyday basis, but it’s nice to have the option should you need to add some juice to your Galaxy Buds+ when you’re on the road.

How to use Wireless PowerShare on the Galaxy S20

Samsung’s proprietary implementation of reverse wireless charging can be accessed from the Settings app, but the easiest way to enable it on any Galaxy S20 model is from the notification panel. Pulling down twice on any screen should do the trick, presenting you with the relevant toggle on the first shortcut page.

Tapping the icon will prompt the phone to start acting as a wireless charger. Do keep in mind that your phone needs to have at least a 30% charge for this to work. With the feature enabled, simply set a compatible device on top of your Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, or Galaxy S20 Ultra’s rear panel to start charging it. By default, Samsung’s flagships will signalize the start of a wireless charging connection via a notification prompt.

On the other hand, interacting with the “Wireless PowerShare” text will lead you to a Settings page dedicated to the service. Choosing the latter lets you tap on “Details” where you’ll be greeted with a short tutorial. This screen is also where you can manually set the battery limit for allowing Wireless PowerShare, ranging from 30% to 90%. There’s no way to go below the 30% limit.

Even if you’re running a custom launcher on top of One UI, the Wireless PowerShare toggle should still be sitting in the notification shade by default. On the off chance that’s not the case, just open the Settings app and look up the feature using the search bar at the top.

The post Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ & Galaxy S20 Ultra Wireless PowerShare guide appeared first on SamMobile.

Amazon Germany is ahead of schedule and already put the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite on pre-order and set the release date as April 2. This is the LTE version of the tablet and is priced at €430. There will almost certainly be a Wi-Fi only version, but no 5G one - if you want to go faster than 4G, you'll have to get a Galaxy Tab S6 5G instead. Anyway, Amazon was also kind enough to supply some specs. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a 10.4" screen and supports the S Pen stylus, of course. There's no word on the panel type or the chipset, but a previous leak pointed to LCD (instead of AMOLED...

A report from South Korea claimed that the LG G9 will be relegated to mid-range status, but now additional info has surfaced as to why. Reportedly, this is a branding shake-up spearheaded by LG Electronics VP Yeon-Mo Lee. The goal is to bring back the LG Chocolate brand, which was popular before smartphones took over. It was a design-focused series that had some memorable entries like LG BL40 New Chocolate and its 21:9 screen (unheard of back in 2009). The LG G9 itself won't be a throwaway phone, claims the report. The company put a lot of effort into it, making it "very different"...